A French Affair cover art

A French Affair

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A French Affair

By: Katie Fforde
Narrated by: Jilly Bond
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About this listen

Gina and Sally Makepiece have inherited a stall in the French House - an antiques centre nestled in the heart of the English countryside. Gina is determined to drag the French House and its grumpy owner into the 21st century.

Bearing all the attributes of a modern-day Mr Rochester, Matthew Ballinger is less than happy with the whirlwind that has arrived on his doorstep. The last thing either of them want is to fall in love. But will a trip to France change their minds?

©2013 Katie Fforde (P)2013 ISIS Publishing Ltd, Random House Audiobooks Romance

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Critic reviews

"‘Immensely enjoyable…a very satisfying read.… It certainly won’t disappoint Katie Fforde fans in the least." ( The Bookbag)
" A French Affair is the deliciously romantic new novel from Katie Fforde, one of our favourite authors here at Hot Brands Cool Places. Curl up in a comfy chair, settle in and enjoy this utterly charming escapist read. We loved it! Highly Recommended!" ( Hot Brands Cool Places)
“Easy, escapist reading” ( Sunday Mirror)
“Fforde’s Bargain Hunt-esque setting provides an enjoyable background to a fledgling romance.” ( The Lady )
“If your summer holiday seems like speck on the horizon, get some much-needed escapism with Katie Fforde.” ( Yours)
“Reading one of Katie’s books is rather like meeting up with an old friend – you can always be assured you’ll find an interesting, entertaining, oh-so charming story you’ll love.” ( Fabulous Magazine)
“A delightful romantic tale” ( Press Association review)
“A cute read” ( Chicklit Plus)
“Effortlessly loveable, warm and fun, this is perfect reading for a chilly evening.” ( Closer magazine)
“Fforde is always a pleasure to read and this fluffy confection about the, erm, racy (!) world of antiques effortlessly updates all the usual Jane Austen clichés with great panache.” ( Star Magazine)
"The best-selling author of Recipe for Love adds a French frisson to a jaunty romp through the world of antiques." ( France Magazine)
"With sparkling characters and an irresistible romance set around an antiques centre and a modern-day Mr Rochester, this story has all the necessary feel good elements for a satisfying read." ( My Weekly)
All stars
Most relevant
Sally, Gina and Matthew, antiques and upcycling, save the antiques centre aka The French House, two sisters on a mission and one large dog and more besides, are all included here. There's so mucha in this book, it's hard to pick out a single theme. Always something happening and enjoyable.

Another classic Katie Fforde

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Katie Fforde hits the mark again.

Believable story line and lovely engaging characters.

Lovely to get the feeling of being transported between the UK and France.

Gives you a good sense of actually being present in situ in among all the Antiques and wanting to help raise cash to save the business so the ‘nasty woman’ doesn’t get her hands on it…

Most definitely 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Excellent.

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Good book

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I loved this book. The characters are good and the narrator was excellent doing the different voices in a great story.

A Katie afforded classic

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Is there anything you would change about this book?

The male lead character needs more life and energy. He is very two-dimensional and there is no real spark between him and the female protagonist. He is certainly not a 'hero' for the female reader to fall in love with.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The story was enjoyable enough, if a little unoriginal.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator is too 'song-song.' Her over enthusiasm tends to lend a 'jolly-hockey-sticks' feel to the female characters and makes them sound too good to be true.

Do you think A French Affair needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. Katie Fforde's books are best read in isolation. They are all fairly similar and predictable but an enjoyable light-hearted read in their own right.

Any additional comments?

If you're a fan of Katie Fforde and are not expecting anything original or unpredictable, then this is an enjoyable enough read. Not one of her best though.

It does what it says on the tin

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