Gather Bonjour Darling Developed By Heather Francis Shown As Textbook

was very lucky to receive this book free from Goodreads, This is the true story of Irish couple Heather and Ronnie as they settle into their new life in a village in France,

The reasons given for this upheaval were illness, stress and marital separation but it would seem that no sooner had they found the Old Presbytery than their life became perfect, either that or the story was somewhat sanitised for the readers' benefit.
As it stands the story is of an idyllic life with the odd minor and usually comic mishap thrown in,

Having said that it was a thoroughly enjoyable and informative read and would make the perfect holiday novel, especially if you happen to be holidaying in France.


For myself I found it a little too 'Darling Buds of May' style of perfect and I would have liked to hear how marital relations suffered when they were forced to both live and work together/or maybe I'm just an old cynic and they got along marvellously the whole

time

I would also have liked some photographs included as descriptions of their renovations left me wanting picture evidence, or maybe I'm just nosy

I was pleased when the mentions of Murphy their Westie reassured me that the behaviour of my own Westie is probably down to his breed rather than his own sometimes volatile idiosyncrasies, and I would love to have seen a photo of the little chap.


Overall they came across as a delightful couple with an interesting story to share and I enjoyed reading it very much,
This is the true story of a couple from Northern Ireland, whose lives having been turned upside down, feel they have nothing left to lose.
Together they grasp a second chance at happiness and selling everything, purchase a rundown ecclesiastical building at the heart of a tiny village in southwest France.
Little do they know when they arrive in SaintAllier, on a wet and windy November evening, that the old presbytery, not unlike the wardrobe in Narnia, would turn out to be the door that fast tracks them to the heart of village life.


Once through that door their new life is peppered with colourful characters, Take for example their nextdoor neighbour, the everpresent Henri, who having married a much younger second wife, is on a constant quest to hone his body to perfection.
In his effort to impress all and sundry, he proudly declares at every opportunity, “beaucoup de musculation!” Or there is, of course, Joyce the colourful, effervescent English lady with a mop of curly hair, who, propelled along by her two Shih Tzus Sybil and Thorny, calls everyone darling.
She can be heard regularly across the supermarket, greeting the bemused French shop assistants with her theatrical cry of, “Bonjour, darling!” You must call by her little piece of England and meet her lovely husband, Jerry.
The list goes on, turning this true story into a hilarious adventure that attracts comedy situations like the best French farce, culminating in a bedroom romp with a touch of O, la la, as they greet their first BampB guests!

Dont get me wrong, however, this is a story of light and shade.
When tragedy comes to the little village of SaintAllier, Heather and Ronnie stand shoulder to shoulder with their French neighbours, Together their voices become one, as they experience an amazing feeling of total acceptance and integration,

This book is a must read, for anyone who has ever dreamed of relocating to France, as we follow our intrepid pair on their journey to full immersion into French village life.
In this case, made entirely possible by a unique and beautiful property at the heart of a closeknit community, The result, a genuinely amusing true tale of how laughter, for Heather and Ronnie, did in fact turn out to be the best medicine under the sun! l received this book as a prize from GoodReads Firstreads

As l lived in France for eighteen months l was really looking forward to reading this book.
lt was an enjoyable read on the whole, marred occasionally by mistakes in French,

l would recommend this book to people looking for some light reading but don't look on it as a guide to living in France.
Written with a warmth and lightness that makes it a delightful read, the book takes you into the new world that Heather Francis and her husband build around themselves in deepest France.

Clearly a kind and friendly person though do I detect a rather standoffish husband in the background, the author strives to make friends and to fit in with the village, and the book follows her successes and failures.

Its slightly overpeppered with clichés and Im not sure where the laughter mentioned in the title comes in which means the reader shouldnt expect a lot of laughaloud moments, but the book is written with a quiet humour and a good eye for character.

It gives a good idea of the local atmosphere and of the problems you encounter when you turn up in a foreign land dont speak the language.
However, it shows that despite the pitfalls, if youre the sort that just gets on with things, you can make a good fist of it.

Author ProfileHeather Francis is an author and writer of short stories and poetry, She grew up in Belfast against the backdrop of the Troubles and since then has lived in Ireland, Germany and France, the latter providing the inspiration for her newly published travel memoir, Bonjour Darling.
Having found her feet as an author, she has discovered humour in her writing, along with a definite gift for conveying emotion, Currently on her second book, this time fiction, she once again draws on her experience of life in France, from Paris to the Côte dAzur.
Author ProfileHeather Francis is an author and writer of short stories and poetry, She grew up in Belfast against the backdrop of the Troubles and since then has lived in Ireland, Germany and France, the latter providing the inspiration for her newly published travel memoir, Bonjour Darling.
Having found her feet as an author, she has discovered humour in her writing, along with a definite gift for conveying emotion, Currently on her second book, this time fiction, she once again draws on her experience of life in France, from Paris to the Côte d'Azur.
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