What do you think?
Rate this book
French Lessons
Would you have the courage to restart your life--and give love a chance--in a completely different country?Vida Toujours has struggled all of her life, working hard for everything she's ever earned, using her all-consuming job as a Chicago doctor to numb herself against the emptiness she carries inside. Overprotective of her heart, Vida pushes people away, and despite her loneliness, she's made an art of remaining detached and disconnected. Then she receives an unexpected letter from France.An aunt that Vida never knew she had has died, willing Vida a chateau in the French countryside. What feels like an impossible dream is now Vida's she's an heiress, and the last living member of a family legacy steeped in secrets.When Vida arrives at the chateau, there are more surprises in store for her. She could never have predicted the effect that Renee Chanson, the fiery and captivating woman she meets at the chateau, would have upon her. And she could never have imagined how the decades-old mystery of her family's past would, at last, unfold.Can Vida learn to trust and open her stubborn heart to the possibility of a French romance? Or will she make the same mistakes her mother made and let the love of her life run away from her, leaving her to nurse a permanent broken heart?FRENCH LESSONS is a poignant, passionate novel about coming to terms with the past and learning to love; a tender romance to curl up with. It is approximately 64,000 words long (providing many hours or a few days of romantic reading).
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 27, 2014
8 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Vivien
41 books58 followersI’m an author of lesbian romance and lesbian fiction. I have two great loves: my wife, and writing. I’ve been writing for years, always about two women who find each other and fall deeply in love, romantic stories that reflect how I feel about my wife and our own connection.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 1, 2017
My second book by this author.
I’ll start off by noting that I’d give this one 3.5 if I could. I think. Then move on to note that this had a rather fantasy like feel to it. Without actually having fantasy elements.
And by that I mean many things.
For one example, right at the beginning of the book a lonely woman heads to France. She has a vague idea slip through her mind that now that things are the way they are, she might actually find a French woman to play with (wording better than I’m putting it). But she thinks that that would be unlikely; that the more likely outcome of her going to France would be her living in the country, like a hermit, sealed up in her place by distance and lack of language skills. Since she only knows English.
You know what happens? The first person she meets is a taxi driver. Right at the international airport. He either pretends or actually does not know English. Has to actually resort to drawing to convey that the villa she’s going to is a great distance away. I mention that part more to note that, hey, maybe she isn’t wrong about the language barrier. She sees no one at the villa. Lets herself in, falls asleep in a bed she finds.
Vida, the main character, wakes up, or is awoken. I forget now if she woke up naturally or not. Well, she wakes up and the fantasy element begins. Standing over her, leaning over, poking her, is a woman speaking English. A gorgeous woman. Vida is about 50% aroused and 50% what the fuck is going on. Apparently Vida fell asleep in that woman’s bed.
So, not only did she not have to go out of her way to find a hot young thing to chase, their connection begins with Vida having already gained access to and have actually slept in the other’s bed. Hmm. That sounded different in my mind but doesn’t look the same on the screen. No matter.
So, to back up – Vida was raised by a French woman who had fled from France to Chicago. Had to work many jobs at the same time to raise her baby. She had fled France while pregnant, so Vida was born in the USA. She’s so closed off from her past, the mother I mean, that she won’t even let Vida learn French. Forces her to learn Spanish instead. Well, ‘miraculously’ Vida gets a scholarship that would pay for school and medical school. So, even though it isn’t really of interest to her, she does that. Goal being to support her mother. Mother, though, dies shortly after Vida got the medical degree.
Time passes. Out of the blue a message arrives from a French lawyer. Some unknown aunt has died and left a villa and vast amounts of money to Vida. Vida, naturally, immediately quits her job and flies to France to attend the aunt’s ‘funeral’.
Once in France, Vida meets a taxi driver who doesn’t speak English, a gorgeous young woman of roughly 33 who does speak English (and is named Renée – French born but spent part of her childhood in England), a woman of roughly … 58? who also speaks English (Effie – ‘she was taught by Renée’). Toss in someone in a café, who Vida speaks French to, and by the 74% mark that’s the sum total of everyone Vida had meet and talked to in France. She went straight from the airport to the country villa.
There’s a specific reason why she’s sticking close to the villa – her mother, apparently, was raised there, found love there, fled from there – it’s both a connection to her dead mother and a chance to investigate her own, and her mother’s past. This is what she does throughout the book. Walking around, seeing a tree that have her mother’s initials on them, and investigating a church her mother went to, and later, investigating the school her mother attended (whereupon she again meets people speaking English, well one, Sister Wendy. Sister Wendy had just transferred, along with another Sister, to the school a year ago. Possibly from Ireland. This is why both know English).
So, she’s in France, she learns French, but she barely scratches the surface of the country. The story is more about her explorations of the past, and finding/pursuing romance, rather than a vacation/travel/trip to a foreign local.
A mystery is unraveled, a romance is pursued, betrayal . . . occurs. And the book ends on a cliché. Which the main character actually mentioned long before – that she should just turn her adventure into a book, and have it end in a cliché in Paris.
It was an interesting book. Even though I knew how the little tricks and hidden things before they occurred . . .. Hmms. I’m trying to word this a certain way but can’t think of a way that isn’t incorrect, and/or reveals too much. The hints were a little heavy about whom and what was going on. So I knew who and what, for the most part. I didn’t specifically know how everything would unravel. The point I was attempting to make, though, is that – even though I ‘knew’ certain things, from the evidence left in the book, that didn’t help me when the book went into ending mode. I’m not wording this correctly so I’ll just say that everything kind of fell apart near the end. To a certain extent.
Okay, I wrote a lot while I was reading; let me see if any of that can be brought into the actual review. Oh, right, the sweetie. That annoyed the hell out of me, how Renée kept using that word over and over again. Brand new person you meet, naturally you call her sweetie. Sweetie is used 29 times in this book. I despised it the very first second I saw it tremble out of Renée's lips. That's something you say to a dog. Or a small child. Or an elderly person whose mind has gone. Or, grudgingly I say this, to a sweetheart. Vida is none of these things to Renée - at first usage of the word. The time Effie uses the word, sarcastically towards Renée, was good. And somewhere along the way Renée and Vida became vaguely sweetheart like to each other, so during that period using sweetie was slightly less annoying.
Let’s see . . . language – I’ve mostly already noted this part. Vida meet 4 people by the 74% mark, and about 7 people total in the book. Taxi driver (didn’t really know English), Renée (spoke English and French), Effie (English/French), café person (Vida talked to person in French), Sister Wendy (transferred in, is not from France – they spoke English), inn worker (barely knew English), taxi driver (barely spoke to each other – and, if I recall correctly, in French). So, go to France, meet, barely, seven people.
Oh. Heh. At 68% I had written as a status update: ‘I'm oddly quite happy at the moment. For an odd reason. Vida finally cleaned herself. I thought she might have tossed hygiene when she left her medical career. There were many occasions wherein she is described as changing her clothing. Waking up in the morning, putting on clothing, going to do stuff outdoors. Arriving in her room. Changing her clothing. Etc. But she finally actually took a shower. See, odd happy.’
Well, that’s the sum total of what I got from the book. Wasn’t bad. Just a little thin. And easy. Seriously, waking up and finding the love of your life just there bending over you? Shesh.
I’ll start off by noting that I’d give this one 3.5 if I could. I think. Then move on to note that this had a rather fantasy like feel to it. Without actually having fantasy elements.
And by that I mean many things.
For one example, right at the beginning of the book a lonely woman heads to France. She has a vague idea slip through her mind that now that things are the way they are, she might actually find a French woman to play with (wording better than I’m putting it). But she thinks that that would be unlikely; that the more likely outcome of her going to France would be her living in the country, like a hermit, sealed up in her place by distance and lack of language skills. Since she only knows English.
You know what happens? The first person she meets is a taxi driver. Right at the international airport. He either pretends or actually does not know English. Has to actually resort to drawing to convey that the villa she’s going to is a great distance away. I mention that part more to note that, hey, maybe she isn’t wrong about the language barrier. She sees no one at the villa. Lets herself in, falls asleep in a bed she finds.
Vida, the main character, wakes up, or is awoken. I forget now if she woke up naturally or not. Well, she wakes up and the fantasy element begins. Standing over her, leaning over, poking her, is a woman speaking English. A gorgeous woman. Vida is about 50% aroused and 50% what the fuck is going on. Apparently Vida fell asleep in that woman’s bed.
So, not only did she not have to go out of her way to find a hot young thing to chase, their connection begins with Vida having already gained access to and have actually slept in the other’s bed. Hmm. That sounded different in my mind but doesn’t look the same on the screen. No matter.
So, to back up – Vida was raised by a French woman who had fled from France to Chicago. Had to work many jobs at the same time to raise her baby. She had fled France while pregnant, so Vida was born in the USA. She’s so closed off from her past, the mother I mean, that she won’t even let Vida learn French. Forces her to learn Spanish instead. Well, ‘miraculously’ Vida gets a scholarship that would pay for school and medical school. So, even though it isn’t really of interest to her, she does that. Goal being to support her mother. Mother, though, dies shortly after Vida got the medical degree.
Time passes. Out of the blue a message arrives from a French lawyer. Some unknown aunt has died and left a villa and vast amounts of money to Vida. Vida, naturally, immediately quits her job and flies to France to attend the aunt’s ‘funeral’.
Once in France, Vida meets a taxi driver who doesn’t speak English, a gorgeous young woman of roughly 33 who does speak English (and is named Renée – French born but spent part of her childhood in England), a woman of roughly … 58? who also speaks English (Effie – ‘she was taught by Renée’). Toss in someone in a café, who Vida speaks French to, and by the 74% mark that’s the sum total of everyone Vida had meet and talked to in France. She went straight from the airport to the country villa.
There’s a specific reason why she’s sticking close to the villa – her mother, apparently, was raised there, found love there, fled from there – it’s both a connection to her dead mother and a chance to investigate her own, and her mother’s past. This is what she does throughout the book. Walking around, seeing a tree that have her mother’s initials on them, and investigating a church her mother went to, and later, investigating the school her mother attended (whereupon she again meets people speaking English, well one, Sister Wendy. Sister Wendy had just transferred, along with another Sister, to the school a year ago. Possibly from Ireland. This is why both know English).
So, she’s in France, she learns French, but she barely scratches the surface of the country. The story is more about her explorations of the past, and finding/pursuing romance, rather than a vacation/travel/trip to a foreign local.
A mystery is unraveled, a romance is pursued, betrayal . . . occurs. And the book ends on a cliché. Which the main character actually mentioned long before – that she should just turn her adventure into a book, and have it end in a cliché in Paris.
It was an interesting book. Even though I knew how the little tricks and hidden things before they occurred . . .. Hmms. I’m trying to word this a certain way but can’t think of a way that isn’t incorrect, and/or reveals too much. The hints were a little heavy about whom and what was going on. So I knew who and what, for the most part. I didn’t specifically know how everything would unravel. The point I was attempting to make, though, is that – even though I ‘knew’ certain things, from the evidence left in the book, that didn’t help me when the book went into ending mode. I’m not wording this correctly so I’ll just say that everything kind of fell apart near the end. To a certain extent.
Okay, I wrote a lot while I was reading; let me see if any of that can be brought into the actual review. Oh, right, the sweetie. That annoyed the hell out of me, how Renée kept using that word over and over again. Brand new person you meet, naturally you call her sweetie. Sweetie is used 29 times in this book. I despised it the very first second I saw it tremble out of Renée's lips. That's something you say to a dog. Or a small child. Or an elderly person whose mind has gone. Or, grudgingly I say this, to a sweetheart. Vida is none of these things to Renée - at first usage of the word. The time Effie uses the word, sarcastically towards Renée, was good. And somewhere along the way Renée and Vida became vaguely sweetheart like to each other, so during that period using sweetie was slightly less annoying.
Let’s see . . . language – I’ve mostly already noted this part. Vida meet 4 people by the 74% mark, and about 7 people total in the book. Taxi driver (didn’t really know English), Renée (spoke English and French), Effie (English/French), café person (Vida talked to person in French), Sister Wendy (transferred in, is not from France – they spoke English), inn worker (barely knew English), taxi driver (barely spoke to each other – and, if I recall correctly, in French). So, go to France, meet, barely, seven people.
Oh. Heh. At 68% I had written as a status update: ‘I'm oddly quite happy at the moment. For an odd reason. Vida finally cleaned herself. I thought she might have tossed hygiene when she left her medical career. There were many occasions wherein she is described as changing her clothing. Waking up in the morning, putting on clothing, going to do stuff outdoors. Arriving in her room. Changing her clothing. Etc. But she finally actually took a shower. See, odd happy.’
Well, that’s the sum total of what I got from the book. Wasn’t bad. Just a little thin. And easy. Seriously, waking up and finding the love of your life just there bending over you? Shesh.
February 12, 2018
3 stars. Nothing much to say, it's basically a self insert fluff piece for lovers of all things French. Unknown dead relative who leaves you vast fortunes and a house in France - check. Insta love with a gorgeous, sexy, funny and talented French woman - check. Eiffel tower - check. Yea, it's a self insert fantasy written decently but in first person. There's a touch of mystery which kept my interest and the inner musings are well written but otherwise everything's just too convenient and manufactured.
The book seems to be specifically targeted at people who feel lonely, the main character is completely alone in the world with no attachments so moving countries and continents is a desperate attempt to find some connection. It's a setup that works because there's room for lots of growth, I just wish it wasn't so overly simplified and basically solved via insta love soul mates kinda theme.
Overall a good read if all you want is some light escapism.
The book seems to be specifically targeted at people who feel lonely, the main character is completely alone in the world with no attachments so moving countries and continents is a desperate attempt to find some connection. It's a setup that works because there's room for lots of growth, I just wish it wasn't so overly simplified and basically solved via insta love soul mates kinda theme.
Overall a good read if all you want is some light escapism.
November 1, 2015
All in all, I thought this was a very well-written book. The two leads had wonderful chemistry, their voices were consistent, and the mystery of the narrator's mother felt like a living thing. It did start to feel as though the secrecy and obfuscation maintained by the chateau's inhabitants went on far too long, however. I found myself groaning a time or two when yet another question was deflected or simply went unasked.
The mystery's ultimate reveal was well-constructed and did come as a surprise, though the purported reason for all the secrecy never was explained to my satisfaction. I would've liked to have heard more about Renée's experiences at school, too. It was touched upon, but it felt as though there was a lot of untapped emotion waiting to be explored. Even so, angst was in no short supply, and it added some layers to the story without ever feeling maudlin.
Mystery aside, this novel was, first and foremost, a romance. And the romance worked. The groundwork was laid, the tension built and built, the connection felt earned, and some of the passages managed to be entirely swoon-worthy. I'm an unashamed romance addict, constantly chasing my fix, and this book provided exactly what I needed. Now it's back to my dealer before I get the shakes. Thank God Amazon never closes.
The mystery's ultimate reveal was well-constructed and did come as a surprise, though the purported reason for all the secrecy never was explained to my satisfaction. I would've liked to have heard more about Renée's experiences at school, too. It was touched upon, but it felt as though there was a lot of untapped emotion waiting to be explored. Even so, angst was in no short supply, and it added some layers to the story without ever feeling maudlin.
Mystery aside, this novel was, first and foremost, a romance. And the romance worked. The groundwork was laid, the tension built and built, the connection felt earned, and some of the passages managed to be entirely swoon-worthy. I'm an unashamed romance addict, constantly chasing my fix, and this book provided exactly what I needed. Now it's back to my dealer before I get the shakes. Thank God Amazon never closes.
January 10, 2016
Very well written story. It kept me guessing all the time what might happen next. I will read more of Natalie Vivien's books for sure.
December 7, 2021
Stretching out a mystery over the course of an entire novel and teasing the reader with it until the very end can work. Unless the resolution is disappointingly stupid. For about 90% of the novel, the author gives out basically no information about "the mystery", except for alluding to it a few times... and then: information overload. But now the novel is basically over, so I don't really care about all of the information that has been dumped on me.
Apart from said mystery, the entire novel has surprisingly little actual content. You could probably compress the entirety of the novel into a few pages without missing any real information. And yet despite most of it being fluff, I feel like I don't really know any of the characters even superficially. The dark mystery and supposedly very emotional revelation scene fell completely flat because I couldn't get myself to care about any of the characters. Same for the romance aspect: I see absolutely no reason to root for them, because they don't feel like actual people.
Also: don't, for the love of god, choose the audiobook version... unless you want to listen to an american narrator constantly butchering over the top British and French accents. It's incredibly hard to listen to if you have ever heard an actual French person talk.
Apart from said mystery, the entire novel has surprisingly little actual content. You could probably compress the entirety of the novel into a few pages without missing any real information. And yet despite most of it being fluff, I feel like I don't really know any of the characters even superficially. The dark mystery and supposedly very emotional revelation scene fell completely flat because I couldn't get myself to care about any of the characters. Same for the romance aspect: I see absolutely no reason to root for them, because they don't feel like actual people.
Also: don't, for the love of god, choose the audiobook version... unless you want to listen to an american narrator constantly butchering over the top British and French accents. It's incredibly hard to listen to if you have ever heard an actual French person talk.
March 17, 2022
It could have been good, and yet it wasn't. The writing is all right, and the plot, although far-fetched and implausible, could have worked. However... when you write about a country - in this case France - you have to know a minimum about it and its culture. Europe is made of different countries - France is not the UK, people are not served scones and tea in the train, nor do they eat brie with apples etc etc. Same for the few words of the language - "très bon" and "très bien" are not the same. It's also better to ensure that the narrator of the audiobook - who I actually really like - knows how to pronounce the foreign words.
If we didn't have the internet, beta readers, sensitivity readers... well, I wouldn't say anything, but we do.
If we didn't have the internet, beta readers, sensitivity readers... well, I wouldn't say anything, but we do.
March 9, 2020
Very interesting storyline
The doctor was a very confused and seemingly depressed woman while Ms. Chanda appeared to be a very complexed woman and Effie was very mysterious. All three made for a very dramatic story that captured this readers attention and held it from beginning to ending. The suspense leading up to the sex scene was brilliant and was worth waiting for and being teased with all throughout the book. Over a very good book. Thanks for writing it. Looking forward to reading more from you.
The doctor was a very confused and seemingly depressed woman while Ms. Chanda appeared to be a very complexed woman and Effie was very mysterious. All three made for a very dramatic story that captured this readers attention and held it from beginning to ending. The suspense leading up to the sex scene was brilliant and was worth waiting for and being teased with all throughout the book. Over a very good book. Thanks for writing it. Looking forward to reading more from you.
June 6, 2018
I really enjoyed listening to this romance/mystery. I have never read anything by this author but I am glad a took a chance on this novel!
Main characters are lovable and fun! Plot keeps you interested and in suspense which makes you desperate to finish.
I thought I had figured it out but the twist had me thrown.
Now I am off to fill my library with more books by this author...
Correction I have read one book by this author but it was written with her wife.
Main characters are lovable and fun! Plot keeps you interested and in suspense which makes you desperate to finish.
I thought I had figured it out but the twist had me thrown.
Now I am off to fill my library with more books by this author...
Correction I have read one book by this author but it was written with her wife.
April 20, 2020
Brilliant
Beautifully written story of secrets, so many secrets that will break your heart. I loved the characters. They and the plot were well developed and intriguing. Never saw the ending coming, but I did so want Vida to go to the ends of the earth to find Renee. A very good read. I heartily and enthusiastically recommend this book. Thank you. Peace
Beautifully written story of secrets, so many secrets that will break your heart. I loved the characters. They and the plot were well developed and intriguing. Never saw the ending coming, but I did so want Vida to go to the ends of the earth to find Renee. A very good read. I heartily and enthusiastically recommend this book. Thank you. Peace
August 29, 2018
Absolutely fell in love with the characters. I could feel the passion and heat between the Two women. Absolutely well written.
May 3, 2019
Catastrophically cheesy. The audiobook narration was pretty good though.
September 1, 2014
Chicago doctor, Vida Toujours has always worked hard for everything she has and has achieved. She is an all work and no play woman. She has a habit of pushing people away when they become too close, preferring to remain aloof and detached. But in the process, she is lonely.
When Vida receives a letter from France right out of the blue, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever.
Vida’s aunt, an aunt she never knew existed, has died. She’s left Vida her chateau in the countryside in France and a sizeable fortune. Vida is delighted. She resigns from her post at the hospital and flies out to France immediately.
Vida arrives at her chateau and it’s there she meets the beautiful and alluring Renée Chanson. Vida is enchanted and smitten with Renée. But, she’s unprepared for the all consuming mystery surrounding her family. Deep dark secrets begin to emerge. Will Vida open her heart and mind to love and trust Renée? Or will she do what her mother did decades before and run away, leaving the love of her life behind?
I’ve read several of Natalie Vivien’s books and find her books well written and edited and her storytelling pleasant and consistent. I’ve enjoyed all the stories I’ve read so far.
This book is a romance, with a mysterious theme running through it, although not a mystery book. The three main characters are multidimensional and easy to get to know. Although the story is primarily about Vida and the family she never knew, Renée is her romantic interest and Effie, a housekeeper of sorts adds a lot to the story.
The book is a fast paced page turner right the way through. Not too long, so I was able to finish it in one sitting. I’m looking forward to reading more from Natalie Vivien soon.
When Vida receives a letter from France right out of the blue, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever.
Vida’s aunt, an aunt she never knew existed, has died. She’s left Vida her chateau in the countryside in France and a sizeable fortune. Vida is delighted. She resigns from her post at the hospital and flies out to France immediately.
Vida arrives at her chateau and it’s there she meets the beautiful and alluring Renée Chanson. Vida is enchanted and smitten with Renée. But, she’s unprepared for the all consuming mystery surrounding her family. Deep dark secrets begin to emerge. Will Vida open her heart and mind to love and trust Renée? Or will she do what her mother did decades before and run away, leaving the love of her life behind?
I’ve read several of Natalie Vivien’s books and find her books well written and edited and her storytelling pleasant and consistent. I’ve enjoyed all the stories I’ve read so far.
This book is a romance, with a mysterious theme running through it, although not a mystery book. The three main characters are multidimensional and easy to get to know. Although the story is primarily about Vida and the family she never knew, Renée is her romantic interest and Effie, a housekeeper of sorts adds a lot to the story.
The book is a fast paced page turner right the way through. Not too long, so I was able to finish it in one sitting. I’m looking forward to reading more from Natalie Vivien soon.
November 14, 2016
Sweet like French pastries.
An enjoyable novel which tells a multilayered story with just the right pacing. It's clever without any pretensions. I liked the characters and felt Vida's grief concerning her mother. Leaving her lonely life behind in America, she arrives in France to uncover the truth her mother neglected to share with her. She finds Renee and Effie waiting to meet her.
It was lovely to read this book for the second time. I'm glad that I could revisit such a sweet lesbian romance.
An enjoyable novel which tells a multilayered story with just the right pacing. It's clever without any pretensions. I liked the characters and felt Vida's grief concerning her mother. Leaving her lonely life behind in America, she arrives in France to uncover the truth her mother neglected to share with her. She finds Renee and Effie waiting to meet her.
It was lovely to read this book for the second time. I'm glad that I could revisit such a sweet lesbian romance.
February 8, 2016
This is a nicely written short story. The characters are interesting, and they do spend a lot of time together, even though this is a novella. The fact that it's a novella means the pacing is quick, too quick really for all that the story covers. I would love to have explored more of Renee's background, but there wasn't time, and the story is Vida focussed. The 'mystery' isn't terribly compelling, I had it figured from the get go, but there's enough here to enjoy.
June 17, 2016
I listened to this from Audible.com, as I do more and more these days. I have to admit I found the first 2/3 just okay. It was kind of slow and dragged on. However, the last third really packs a punch, and made up for the rest. So I'd still recommend it, but it wasn't my favorite.
December 26, 2014
Lovely story, book hard to put down....it reminds me a little of my own life story :)
October 25, 2016
Interesting Story
I liked this story and I liked the characters. I will say I was surprised by the ending and I liked how it turned out.
I liked this story and I liked the characters. I will say I was surprised by the ending and I liked how it turned out.
December 19, 2016
I read a bunch of lesbian romance novels this year. Most of them very early in the year, in like January-February.
This was... OK. I can't remember a ton of detail about it.
This was... OK. I can't remember a ton of detail about it.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews