Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure cover art

Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure

A Novel

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Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure

By: Rhys Bowen
Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik
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About this listen

Blindsided by betrayal in pre-WWII England, a woman charts a daring new course in this captivating tale of resilience, friendship, and new love by the best-selling author of The Rose Arbor and The Venice Sketchbook.

Surrey, England, 1938. After 30 devoted years of marriage, Ellie Endicott is blindsided by her husband’s appeal for divorce. It’s Ellie’s opportunity for change too. The unfaithful cad can have the house. She’s taking the Bentley. Ellie, her housekeeper Mavis, and her elderly friend Dora—each needing escape—impulsively head for parts unknown in the South of France.

With the Rhône surging beside them, they have nowhere to be and everywhere to go. Until the Bentley breaks down in the inviting fishing hamlet of Saint Benet. Here, Ellie rents an abandoned villa in the hills, makes wonderful friends among the villagers, and finds herself drawn to Nico, a handsome and enigmatic fisherman. As for unexpected destinations, the simple paradis of Saint Benet is perfect. But fates soon change when the threat of war encroaches.

Ellie’s second act in life is just beginning—and becoming an adventure she never expected.

©2025 Janet Quin-Harkin (writing as Rhys Bowen) (P)2025 Audible, Inc. 20th Century Editors Select Family Life Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Women's Fiction Marriage Fishing Heartfelt Feel-Good War England

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Editorial Review

Pure escapist joy
When Ellie Endicott's husband divorces her for a younger woman, she jumps in his Bentley and flees to France with her housekeeper and elderly neighbor. But the Bentley doesn't quite make it to the Riviera. Stranded in charming Saint Benet, the trio settles in and finds new purpose restoring a villa and building friendships with colorful locals—all while the specter of war hovers over Europe and beyond. Rhys Bowen masterfully balances cozy vibes with weightier themes of reinvention, female solidarity, and eventual wartime challenges. Narrator Barrie Kreinik’s performance is a delight; she nails every character (British and French) perfectly. This breezy, heartwarming listen proves it's never too late for adventure, romance, or discovering your inner strength.—Tricia F., Audible Editor

All stars
Most relevant
What a delightful story of love, friendship and new beginnings- I didn’t want the book to end and was disappointed that when I couldn’t listen to more!
Fabulous narration too……………. There is nothing about this beautiful story that I don’t like, it made me escape real life!

Truly lovely story that I didn’t want to end

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This was such an enjoyable listen. From the very start, I got a real sense of each character — their personalities, quirks, and motivations all came through clearly, making it easy to care about what happened to them. The story flowed beautifully, with a lovely rhythm that kept me engaged, and the vivid descriptions made me want to pack a bag and head straight to the south of France.

That said, the pacing felt a little uneven toward the end. In the last 50 minutes, about three major plot developments happened in quick succession, which made it feel a bit rushed compared to the more relaxed build-up earlier. The ending was also a little predictable, but not in a way that ruined the experience — it still felt satisfying and very enjoyable overall.

If you’re looking for an atmospheric, feel-good story with characters you can picture vividly, this is well worth your time.

Enjoyable, loveable characters but a bit predictable

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This came up in an Audible editor recommendation. I liked it once I got used to the ultra enunciation of the narrator. A nice feel-good story for the most part despite some sad happenings and some that stretched belief at times. The first half was better than the second half. I might listen to another story from this author if I want something fairly undemanding.

Gently enjoyable despite the wartime events

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Really enjoyed this from start to finish. Perfect narration and story. A real feel good book.

Such a lovely read

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I liked everything about it
It is one of the best stories I have listened to

Great story

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