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The Frenchman
Robbery, escape, rendezvous, pursuit and romance all season “The Frenchman ” as Jean LaChance, running from his criminal past, finds solace in the isolation of the bleak California desert. There, in search of the money he and his unscrupulous partner have stolen, LaChance instead finds Lilly Parsons and her children. Over four days they forge a sense of belonging for the first time in their lives, loneliness and despair begin to melt away. This bond of trust is seemingly broken when Lilly flees with the children, unaware that the money is in the trunk of her car. Now LaChance is in determined pursuit of the woman and children he has grown to love, but he is unconvinced of their motive for leaving, taking the money and sending the cops. What will he do when he finds them?
360 pages, Paperback
First published June 11, 2013
3 people are currently reading
315 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Boudreau
3 books8 followersThe Frenchman, Barbara’s first novel, was born onboard their sailing vessel Offbeat in February, 2009 when they were stuck by the weather in Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, Bahamas. She woke from a dream of the first scene, got up and wrote it down, and in several months, it was a book.
Love of music and nature have defined Barbara’s life and driven a wanderlust that led her from Bering Sea to the high plains savanna of central Africa, to six years in Hiroshima, Japan. Exhausted from all the jet lag, she finally settled in Gloucester, MA with her jazz drummer and sailor husband, Al Boudreau. Together, they make music on a regular basis with their jazz band.
By day, she works as an Interpretive Coordinator for Mass State Parks and is a Certified Interpretive Guide. She has a B.S. in Fish and Wildlife and an M.S. in Natural Resources and has published articles about conservation, interpretation and sailing.
Love of music and nature have defined Barbara’s life and driven a wanderlust that led her from Bering Sea to the high plains savanna of central Africa, to six years in Hiroshima, Japan. Exhausted from all the jet lag, she finally settled in Gloucester, MA with her jazz drummer and sailor husband, Al Boudreau. Together, they make music on a regular basis with their jazz band.
By day, she works as an Interpretive Coordinator for Mass State Parks and is a Certified Interpretive Guide. She has a B.S. in Fish and Wildlife and an M.S. in Natural Resources and has published articles about conservation, interpretation and sailing.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 7, 2013
I won this book from a contest on Goodreads and it was great!!
Jean LaChance is a thief who is from France, but after a heist that warranted a police search for him, he fled to L.A. for 1 1/2 years in hiding. On a chance meeting at a bar, a bumbling drunk began rambling on to Jean about a stash of money being hidden in the floorboards beneath the bed of a John Prescott. When Jean realized the amount of money involved, he and his small time thief, 'Dewey Jensen' decided to rob the Prescott's residence. After the heist, Dewey outwitted Jean and ran off with the lion share of their 'earnings'. So Jean decided to go to Dewey's isolated house in the desert. There he found three young children and their beautiful mother, Lilly Parsons, to Jean's surprise, since Dewey said nothing of a family. Jean waited four days for Dewey's return and in that time had grown extremely fond of these three kids and the electricity between him and Lilly was undeniable. Jean was getting used to this family setting and his heart swelled when the kids would take his hand, or wake to find Sherri, the youngest, sitting on his chest. He was truly adjusting to family life and felt a feeling of love he had never experienced before. As well, he growing to love Lilly very much. But when Dewey finally did return, things turned sour, fast, and Lilly's only recourse was to sneak the kids and herself out without Jean's knowledge. But when Jean arose the next day and found the family gone, he also realized she took off in the car with all the money in it. So as he tracked her down, he was angered she would do this to him, but hoped, deep down, that perhaps she was unaware of what was hidden in the trunk.
Author, Barbara Boudreau's first novel "The Frenchman" is a hit!! Even with the hustle and bustle of getting prepared for Christmas soon approaching, I could not put this book down. A definite ace in the hole!!! I loved it!
Jean LaChance is a thief who is from France, but after a heist that warranted a police search for him, he fled to L.A. for 1 1/2 years in hiding. On a chance meeting at a bar, a bumbling drunk began rambling on to Jean about a stash of money being hidden in the floorboards beneath the bed of a John Prescott. When Jean realized the amount of money involved, he and his small time thief, 'Dewey Jensen' decided to rob the Prescott's residence. After the heist, Dewey outwitted Jean and ran off with the lion share of their 'earnings'. So Jean decided to go to Dewey's isolated house in the desert. There he found three young children and their beautiful mother, Lilly Parsons, to Jean's surprise, since Dewey said nothing of a family. Jean waited four days for Dewey's return and in that time had grown extremely fond of these three kids and the electricity between him and Lilly was undeniable. Jean was getting used to this family setting and his heart swelled when the kids would take his hand, or wake to find Sherri, the youngest, sitting on his chest. He was truly adjusting to family life and felt a feeling of love he had never experienced before. As well, he growing to love Lilly very much. But when Dewey finally did return, things turned sour, fast, and Lilly's only recourse was to sneak the kids and herself out without Jean's knowledge. But when Jean arose the next day and found the family gone, he also realized she took off in the car with all the money in it. So as he tracked her down, he was angered she would do this to him, but hoped, deep down, that perhaps she was unaware of what was hidden in the trunk.
Author, Barbara Boudreau's first novel "The Frenchman" is a hit!! Even with the hustle and bustle of getting prepared for Christmas soon approaching, I could not put this book down. A definite ace in the hole!!! I loved it!
August 19, 2014
Boudreau reels the reader into this quirky tale of two misfits bonding and building a relationship that feels like family and, if explored, could endure just about anything.
Read full review in the 2013 June issue of InD’tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2013 June issue of InD’tale Magazine.
October 24, 2013
I started the book at 10pm last night, stayed up till I finished it, could NOT put it down! Well written, enjoyable, good characters, just a really good book!
January 25, 2014
I fell in love with the people in this book, and felt completely invested in their tale! A fast and satisfying read!
November 3, 2017
Read this book in about 3 days, even though I should have been working! Great suspense novel. Loved the characters of Lachance and Lilly. Something about the way its written makes you feel like you are with the characters in the desert as they face their challenges. Won't give it all away...but I'm waiting for a sequel!
June 29, 2020
It is fun reading a book that someone you know has written. Barbara is a very talented individual in everything she does....what a lovely voice she has.
This is the second time I have read this book and enjoyed it even more knowing that there is a sequel. Can’t wait to find out what happens to the Frenchman.
This is the second time I have read this book and enjoyed it even more knowing that there is a sequel. Can’t wait to find out what happens to the Frenchman.
February 21, 2014
Note: I received a free copy of this book, signed by the author, through the Goodreads First Reads program. I received this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not, in any way, affect my review of this book.
SYNOPSIS: Robbery, escape, rendezvous, pursuit and romance all season “The Frenchman ” as Jean LaChance, running from his criminal past, finds solace in the isolation of the bleak California desert. There, in search of the money he and his unscrupulous partner have stolen, LaChance instead finds Lilly Parsons and her children. Over four days they forge a sense of belonging for the first time in their lives, loneliness and despair begin to melt away. This bond of trust is seemingly broken when Lilly flees with the children, unaware that the money is in the trunk of her car. Now LaChance is in determined pursuit of the woman and children he has grown to love, but he is unconvinced of their motive for leaving, taking the money and sending the cops. What will he do when he finds them?
MY THOUGHTS: I absolutely loved this book. I will say, it took me a while to get into this book (mostly because I was trying to read it while semi-watching the Canadian Women's Hockey team win GOLD in Sochi...) but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down.
This book was extremely well written. The characters were well developed, deep, emotional and relatable. I absolutely ADORED the character of Henry - he was a wonderful addition to the story and I was totally rooting for him the whole way through the book. I absolutely loved the character development throughout the book, and the changes seen in Henry, Jean and Lilly. Jean really grew on me throughout the book and he was so brilliantly written throughout. I also thought that even the detective (Santino) had multiple dimensions, which is rare for a secondary character.
The story in this book is riveting. It's a combination of everything I love in a good book - a combination of all of my favourite genres. There was a healthy dose of romance (but not erotic, in your face, or overly-descriptive) along with a TON of action. I actually got goosebumps during the heist, and again when Santino caught up with Lilly. The action was absolutely gripping, but without the blood and gore that can sometimes take away from the story.
If I had one complaint, is that until I fully got into the story and understood who all of the characters were, it was a little confusing how it jumped back and forth between characters. But, I DID like that each character got their own chapter, so it was easy to say "ok, this is where we are now following Dewey".
Overall, I have very few negative things to say about this book - it was gripping, well written... a definite firecracker and a total hit in my books. I can't wait to pass it on to others in my family, who will also enjoy it I'm sure. I definitely give this book 5/5 stars, because I absolutely LOVED it. Well done, Barbara. I will definitely be buying more of your books in the future!
SYNOPSIS: Robbery, escape, rendezvous, pursuit and romance all season “The Frenchman ” as Jean LaChance, running from his criminal past, finds solace in the isolation of the bleak California desert. There, in search of the money he and his unscrupulous partner have stolen, LaChance instead finds Lilly Parsons and her children. Over four days they forge a sense of belonging for the first time in their lives, loneliness and despair begin to melt away. This bond of trust is seemingly broken when Lilly flees with the children, unaware that the money is in the trunk of her car. Now LaChance is in determined pursuit of the woman and children he has grown to love, but he is unconvinced of their motive for leaving, taking the money and sending the cops. What will he do when he finds them?
MY THOUGHTS: I absolutely loved this book. I will say, it took me a while to get into this book (mostly because I was trying to read it while semi-watching the Canadian Women's Hockey team win GOLD in Sochi...) but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down.
This book was extremely well written. The characters were well developed, deep, emotional and relatable. I absolutely ADORED the character of Henry - he was a wonderful addition to the story and I was totally rooting for him the whole way through the book. I absolutely loved the character development throughout the book, and the changes seen in Henry, Jean and Lilly. Jean really grew on me throughout the book and he was so brilliantly written throughout. I also thought that even the detective (Santino) had multiple dimensions, which is rare for a secondary character.
The story in this book is riveting. It's a combination of everything I love in a good book - a combination of all of my favourite genres. There was a healthy dose of romance (but not erotic, in your face, or overly-descriptive) along with a TON of action. I actually got goosebumps during the heist, and again when Santino caught up with Lilly. The action was absolutely gripping, but without the blood and gore that can sometimes take away from the story.
If I had one complaint, is that until I fully got into the story and understood who all of the characters were, it was a little confusing how it jumped back and forth between characters. But, I DID like that each character got their own chapter, so it was easy to say "ok, this is where we are now following Dewey".
Overall, I have very few negative things to say about this book - it was gripping, well written... a definite firecracker and a total hit in my books. I can't wait to pass it on to others in my family, who will also enjoy it I'm sure. I definitely give this book 5/5 stars, because I absolutely LOVED it. Well done, Barbara. I will definitely be buying more of your books in the future!
May 16, 2014
The Frenchman is the story of Jean LaChance’s flight from France into Lilly Parsons arms. LaChance is a professional criminal that made of the mistake of pairing up with Lilly’s bumbling man. When the partner stiffs LaChance, LaChance shows up at Lilly’s house. Instead of finding his wayward partner, he finds Lilly and her three children. While LaChance waits for his partner to show with the money, he falls in love with Lilly and her family. But Lilly doesn’t trust her instincts and runs the first chance she gets. Only she’s run off with LaChance’s money. Now the law and LaChance are after Lilly. What happens when she’s found?
The storyline of this novel captured me. It’s refreshing to come across a book that isn’t written in the same cookie cutter formula of every other romance book out there. The characters were by and large believable, although Lilly’s mom was a bit over the top. I found the action slow at times, but this didn’t detract much from my reading pleasure. I enjoyed the mystery element of the novel. The detective’s character was authentic. Although the reader was aware of the crime, it was interesting reading about the detective’s investigation and how his pursuit of Lilly progressed.
There were a few small things that bothered me about The Frenchman. The chapter titles annoyed me. They were too telling of what was going to happen, which is not a good thing in a mystery/suspense novel. There were also several stereotypes about the French, which made it painfully obvious that the author was not well-acquainted with the French.
I recommend this novel to romance lovers looking for a romance with a twist.
The storyline of this novel captured me. It’s refreshing to come across a book that isn’t written in the same cookie cutter formula of every other romance book out there. The characters were by and large believable, although Lilly’s mom was a bit over the top. I found the action slow at times, but this didn’t detract much from my reading pleasure. I enjoyed the mystery element of the novel. The detective’s character was authentic. Although the reader was aware of the crime, it was interesting reading about the detective’s investigation and how his pursuit of Lilly progressed.
There were a few small things that bothered me about The Frenchman. The chapter titles annoyed me. They were too telling of what was going to happen, which is not a good thing in a mystery/suspense novel. There were also several stereotypes about the French, which made it painfully obvious that the author was not well-acquainted with the French.
I recommend this novel to romance lovers looking for a romance with a twist.
March 1, 2014
Boudreau has written an entertaining novel of romance and suspense. The children provide a nice foil to the budding romance between the Frenchman and Lilly. The Frenchman may be a professional, but he is ready for something else than a life of crime and hiding. Santino may be a first rate detective but his heart really isn't into finding the money for Prescott. And Lilly and her children are survivors.
And while none of the above may make sense, it will once you read the book. Which I hope many people will. This was a GoodRead First Read signed by the author. As she says "Enjoy the ride".
And while none of the above may make sense, it will once you read the book. Which I hope many people will. This was a GoodRead First Read signed by the author. As she says "Enjoy the ride".
June 27, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed readingThe Frenchman. I particularly related to young Henry who at an early age was thrust into the role of male provider and protecter of his family. BB Boudreau did an excellent job creating authentic characters and putting them into difficult circumstances. The book was action-oriented and kept me engaged in the twists and turns of the famiy's ever changing situation. I'm looking forward to reading more about these characters in an upcoming sequel.
July 20, 2015
This was the most awesome read! I devoured it in 2 days. I found a new author whom I just adore and can't wait for her next trip. I will definitely look for more from her.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews