The Right Place

by Sophia Money-Coutts

If Maggie is living her best life, why doesn’t it feel like she's in the right place?

'Great fun, delicious food, beautiful excellent summer reading' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Sophia's best book yet' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The perfect read for a bright summer's day' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ☀️☀️☀️

From the outside, Maggie Lemon has a perfect life. But she and her husband have been trying for a baby for five years and she’s exhausted. She’s seen countless fertility experts and followed dozens of diets and homeopathic recommendations, and even gave up her dream restaurant in London when doctors suggested the stress might be too much. And now her estranged aunt has died, leaving her hotel in Provence to Maggie.

It's been years since Maggie visited Le Figuier. There’s a lot of work to be done and she knows she should sell it. But when a disgraced Hollywood actor hiding out at the hotel lends a hand, the load feels a lot lighter. Is it just the chemistry with this handsome stranger, or is it starting to feel like Maggie might finally be in the right place?

Perfect for fans 💕Grumpy X Sunshine

💕Forced proximity

💕Celebrity romance

Readers LOVE The Right Place: 'A perfect summer read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'An unexpected gem of a novel' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Funny, heartwarming but also poignant' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I couldn't put it down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A sprinkling of magic throughout' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A beautiful read with fantastic characters, and a stunning location' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Praise for Sophia ‘As fun and fizzy as a chilled glass of prosecco…this is the perfect read for your holiday’ Daily Express

‘A beach cocktail in book form’ Metro

‘A laugh-a-minute page-turner, perfect for poolside reading’ HELLO!

'I'm a huge fan of all of Sophia's books but this is my new favourite…it helped me remember that the sun will come again. Summer holiday read simply doesn't do it justice!' Cleo Watson, author of Whips

‘Romcom writer extraordinaire’ OK

'Delightful, witty romcom' Red Magazine

'A lovely summer read' Bella Magazine

Genres: Romance, Summer, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Audible Audio

Published August 15, 2024

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophia is one of my go-to authors when I need a heart -warming read that makes me smile and even chuckle. I got what i craved in this one. It was a lovely story about taking chances, finding yourself and conquering fear. It felt real and it really cheered me up.

[Sian]

I wanted so badly to love this. It seems right up my alley but once I started reading it, it just felt... slow? I couldn't relate to the MC and found the long flashback chapters to be so interruptive and frustrating.

A lot of people will love this, but it wasn't for me. DNF at 53%.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ✨

So glad I was wrong!
This was almost a DNF. A slow start and a new author to me, had me tempted to move on. But I forged ahead and the story BLOOMED!

I now need to check out her back list.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brilliant story that I could not put down; I loved it from start to finish! It is perfect escapism and I thoroughly enjoyed being in the French countryside, surrounded by views, a chateau and a pair of donkeys. What more could you want from a summer read?!

My most favourite read from this author to date, I warmed to the characters, plot and setting very quickly. Readers follow Maggie Lemon to Provence, where she has been left a rundown hotel after her aunt’s death. It’s a mammoth task and with mountains of debt, Maggie knows that realistically, she must sell this property – despite having such wonderful memories of the place. However, guests start to turn up and Maggie finds herself absorbed into Le Figuier’s walls as she returns to her love of cooking. As Maggie works harder at the chateau, she realises her life perhaps was not as fulfilling as she had realised, and this is not helped by the unexpected arrival of handsome Gray Hudson…

There were so many layers to this story but it didn’t make it a complicated read. In fact, I think this is perfect for the beach – and when the weather is a bit dreary! The writer’s depiction of the setting – both the chateau and the surrounding area – was fantastic and I could vividly imagine accompanying Maggie to the French markets. Whilst Le Figuier is so rundown, it still seemed incredibly idyllic and, with so many stories told about Maggie’s aunt, Phil, I could easily picture how much love, warmth and fun used to take place within the walls of the chateau. It needs a bit of love and I was forever hoping that Maggie would change her mind about selling Le Figuier.

With a bit of spark between Gray and Maggie, readers are left questioning whether a relationship will develop, especially as both characters are married. In this story, Money-Coutts explores the pressures of fame and pursuing a career that you love. On the other hand, the sensitive issue of fertility is presented with Maggie and I really admired the way this was shown in her character. I really sympathised with Maggie and thought it was an accurate and sobering portrayal of what so many couples experience. However, the way that Maggie handles this made her an even more admirable character and I think Le Figuier helped with the healing process that Maggie so definitely needs.

A great summer read with a equally great cast of characters, I was quickly absorbed into life at Le Figuier. I loved how the story switched back to Maggie’s life, charting the rise of her career as a chef and how much of an influence her aunt had in her life. This became an unputdownable read and I found I was swept away to the charming countryside of Provence.

With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Courtney J · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the premise and the setting, but the romance doesn't really happen until right at the end and it's lacking, there's random paragraphs from different POVs, and the throwback chapters are very randomly placed.
Also Mungo is a dumb name.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5) I was a bit concerned in the middle (that it was going to glorify infidelity) but I ended up really enjoying it.

[Witchetty Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A rundown hotel. A handsome bad boy. One summer to finder her happily ever after.”

Our girl Maggie has just inherited a Chateau in south of France, well fantastic….right? Oh but there’s catches, it’s rundown and comes with baggage. It’s far from its heyday.
Surely this place was left to her for a reason.
It just so happen our man Gray is in town escaping after his Hollywood antics.

Sophia creates a world of the past interacting with the present. The lost dreams and unknown paths. The sacrifices and expectations that we make. This book will make you laugh, think, cry and wonder.

I adored this book and the adventure we went on. I really like the way the back and forth in time giving insight to the why and how. Sophia has created a wonderful story and the way decisions influence our lives. I liked the way it was approached with some big subjects and felt realistic and relatable. It showed so many aspects of society and our own expectations on ourselves. The realities of the wider world and differences in people’s perspective. It wasn’t afraid to broach some tough topics that are often swept under the rug. Especially the realities of trying for a family and the heartache involved. Also the pressure to settle down and be on the supposed ‘path’ you were meant to take.

“I feel like I’ve done all the right things, so I don’t understand why everything doesn’t feel right.”

This is my second Sophia Money-Coutte book and it certainly won’t be my last. It was not quite what I expected and that was a good thing. I felt transported to what Maggie’s life had been like, the heartache, the settling for safety, the fertility issues. This on the surface looks to be a sweet romance but it incorporates so much more. It shows it’s ok to change plans, to not be on the path you thought you were meant to be on.


Thanks to HQ and romance.com.au for my copy these are my totally honest and totally awesome opinions.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

This book does include mentions of fertility struggles throughout, this may be a trigger for some readers.

Normally I love a Sophia Money-Coutts book but this one just missed the mark for me.

I just wasn't really invested in the characters, I didn't hate them but I just didn't really grow to care about them. I think my fabourite parts were when we flashbacked to Phil running the hotel.

I wouldn't call the book a romance, which may be where I was disappointed. It defintely felt more contemporary to me. All glimpses of romance involved having to watch the main character flirt while married to another man. These narratives just make me uncomfortable.

This book wasn't for me but Money-Coutts books have been in the past so this book will definitely be loved by others!

[Izzy Wilkinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I normally fly through books, and struggle to put them down but this book took me about a month to trudge through. I think this was partly due to the really slow and dull pacing of the book which didn’t introduce a main character until about 40% of the way through the book. And partly because the plot was not very interesting and the characters frustrating.

The main issue with this book is that it essentially uses the whole story (with various flashbacks) to justify the infedelity by both main characters on their respective partners in order to end up together which, cheapened the other ( more well written issues) of grief and infertility.

[Charlotte Higginson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Gray is adorable.

I flicked through the flash backs other than the time they explained why Phil and Maggie fell out.

My only set back is that I wish we had more time between Gray and Maggie. It felt a tad rushed.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just didn’t take to it. The storyline of getting a failed business up and running again is a bit predictable.

[Gabrielle Bodle · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute! So fun!! Lighthearted holiday read

[Frida]

There didn't happen much in this book, but it was very comforting and exactly the kind of chill easy book i needed.

Also her husband is an idiot.

[Tia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely more women’s fiction than a romance but for the most part I enjoyed this book. I liked the setting and the quirky side characters and the overall premise. What I didn’t like was the fact that the FMC was MARRIED for the majority of the book (and not to the love interest). Plus, Mungo Lemon is a stupid name.

[Natasha Brooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a bit disappointing! I felt like it was marketed (taglines, blurb & cover) as a romance book between a British woman and a Hollywood star hiding out at said British woman’s inherited chateau in the south of France. But alas it was more about said British woman’s relationship with her late aunt who left her said chateau and about her stupid husband and their unsuccessful IVF journey. Also so many flashbacks to her meeting her dumb husband and showing us why he sucks when the present day chapters convinced me enough!!

Spoiler alert the FMC and her husband seperate towards the end of the book but not before she cheats on him with the Hollywood star! (Meant to be romantic and she’s technically on a break with her spouse but still!!) I liked their story but I do not understand why they both had to be married while falling for each other. To me it doesn’t matter how crappy their respective spouses were (hers controlling and generally posh and irritating and his cheating on him and getting pregnant to someone else off page), the cheating always cheapens things I think! I loved the FMC’s personality - she’s interesting and a chef and so much of the book is about getting to know her which was great. However, every other character was just pretty meh or repetitive in their actions/dialogue/motivations.

It wasn’t a totally bad book, it had some lovely moments but I’d probably rate it a 1.5 ⭐️ just because it wasn’t deep enough at times and then the author happily wrapped everything up in about 5 pages at the end in a way that didn’t fit with how lengthy and fluffy the rest of the book was. Truly why is any contemporary romance book 430 pages!! If you could even classify this as a contemporary romance given the MMC didn’t show up until after 100+ pages and their interactions make up about 20% of the book.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to HQ Stories via NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Firstly, I really enjoyed reading this story. It is so refreshing to read a book where the main character is beyond her early twenties/late teens and still trying to work out what to do with her life. I thought that the pacing of the book was a bit slow to begin, but reflecting back now, I think it was a perfect fit. After all, doesn't life feel a bit slow and confusing after you lose a loved one unexpectedly?

This story follows Maggie, as she returns to France after inheriting her recently deceased aunt's hotel. She's left behind her husband and their IVF struggles to work out exactly what to do about the hotel, which she discovers in a bit of a state of disrepair. Feeling, I think, a little guilty, she decides to not cancel reservations, but instead continue to welcome guests while trying to fix up the hotel for sale.

I thought the development of Maggie, as she works out what she really wants to do with both her life and the hotel, was so relatable. It is so hard to decipher what is the right and wrong thing to do when it seems like the world is falling apart, but it was lovely to see her falling back into what she loves most. From the beginning of the introduction of Mungo though, I couldn't stand him. His obsession with having a baby was completely disrespectful of Maggie, and it felt like he simply viewed her as a vessel to carry his child. It wouldn't surprise me to see him do it again with another woman. Jamie was the comic relief that this sad yet real story needed. He brought so much life and light into the novel, without stealing the limelight. Gray was an interesting addition too, and I was very intrigued to read how his relationship with Maggi would develop.

I loved that the story had more characters involved than just the four mentioned above, and they all had their own important roles to play. I could really picture myself in France as I read this novel, and it swept me away.

I think after reading this I will explore more of Sophia Money-Coutts' stories, as I also thought the writing was wonderful, and kept me captured in the story at all times.

[Ritu Bhathal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Sophia Money-Coutts read.
Maggie Lemon finds herself in Provence after inheriting a hotel once run successfully by her eccentric aunt Phil, a retired supermodel.
She's not seen her aunt for many years after a falling out, but they used to be close. She could credit her aunt for igniting her passion for cooking and food.
But her passions have dimmed recently after a tumultuous time of trying to have a family with her husband, Mungo LE-Mon. (Pretentious? Yup!)
The thing is, once she is back where her dreams started, her feelings about her future begin to change, or rather, the fog of infertility clears.
And then, there is that rather hot Hollywood hunk and current bad boy, Grey, who's just rolled up, wanting a place to be where he won't be discovered.
This was a great read with some interesting characters, and I think I'd like to stay at the hotel and meet the donkeys!
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC.

[Leni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not the book I thought it was going to be and I loved it even more for that. The romance was not the main focus and developped quite slowly which I personally L O V E. I could totally see myself in the South of France, near the pool waiting for an amazing dinner to be served. God, this book made me want to pack my bags and leave. This is the kind of book you cannot put down. Maggie's aunt was this amazing, huge personality and throughout the book, we get to know her better through the eyes of her niece, which is a really interesting take on things.

[Georgi 🌸 · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I would like to thanks NetGalley, the author and to the publisher for offering me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was an enjoyable read, though it falls a bit short of being truly memorable.

The story is light and entertaining, with witty dialogue and charming characters that keep the reader engaged.

However, it feels like it's missing a certain depth or spark that could have made it more impactful. The plot is predictable, and while it's an easy, pleasant book to get through, it doesn’t leave a lasting impression.

Overall, I'd rate it 3/5—a fun, lighthearted read, but not one that will stick with you long after you've finished.

[Larissa Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ended up really enjoying this story but it took about 180 pages for the story to get going, and initially seemed like I was continuously reading a stream of different recipes. Once I’d got more into this book, and grimaced through really disliking her husband, Mungo, I started to really enjoy this story. It touched on grief, loss and discovering who you really are, but I also felt like the ending was slightly anticlimactic. I would have liked to hear more about the hotel and its transformation.

[Casey Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was suggested to me by a lady at whitcoulls.
I really enjoyed the characters and the whole story- while it was a love story it wasn’t overrun with cringy spice like some of the others are.
Lovely story set in France ❤️

[Faye Hollands · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This was a cosy read. The main characters were pleasant, but I questioned a lot of Maggie's choices. I also could have had a bit more provincial France world building (I wanted more markets!!).

I don't think I would label this a romance book because it wasn't really the main plot.

[Zoë · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this on the recommendation of a friend as she was loving it, and I thought the cover was lovely. I enjoyed it. It was a slow start, and didn’t love the flashback chapters chucked in - it kinda seemed very disruptive to the flow, though the book still whizzed by. I thought both Veronica and Mungo were the wettest rags ever, and Mungo just made my eye twitch.

Anyway. Jamie was fun, and I liked the setting of the hotel and France, the cooking, and even the useless Audrey. A nice, fluffy, fun, if predictable, read. Genuinely just what I needed, have been in a bit of a funk for a while. I will check out more of Sophia Money-Cotts’ work, especially if I want a relaxing, easy read.

[Katie Cherlet · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 / 4 ⭐️ BRB off to find a French chateau

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️
A lovely book, loved the setting in France. The writing was brilliant and loved the relationship with all the characters apart from the romance, didn't like the ‘cheating’.

[Georgia McDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book but just felt a bit meh. I am deep in a reading slump. Loved the French setting

[Heather McCorriston · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect holiday read, light and joyful 🏖️

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Loved this such a good holiday read. Also can Jamie be my best friend?!

[Sidonie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really liked this book way more than I thought I was going to! It lost a point or two because the FMC was married throughout and it could have gone without that but was really good!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this was so good