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You Had me at Bonjour
If you’d asked Jessica a year ago, she would have told you that her life was pretty near perfect. But one year – and one very messy divorce – later, she’s not so sure. Which is how she found herself boarding a plane to the south of France, determined to put her past behind her… preferably via some deliciously chilled rosé.
Meeting a new man was never part of the plan. Yet when she meets Nino, her new neighbour’s impossibly sexy nephew, steering clear of romance seems easier said than done. Suddenly, Jessica finds herself right back where she started: with her heart on the line. But now she’s made a new start, perhaps it’s time for Jessica to throw caution to the wind, take a few risks… and learn to regrette rien!
Meeting a new man was never part of the plan. Yet when she meets Nino, her new neighbour’s impossibly sexy nephew, steering clear of romance seems easier said than done. Suddenly, Jessica finds herself right back where she started: with her heart on the line. But now she’s made a new start, perhaps it’s time for Jessica to throw caution to the wind, take a few risks… and learn to regrette rien!
134 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2014
455 people are currently reading
243 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Bohnet
39 books285 followersSixteen years ago Richard and I, with our then dog, 14 year old Holly in a trailer attached to Richard's bike, cycled down through western France via the canal paths, arriving in Antibes in July. With the exception of two fleeting visits back to the UK we have lived in France ever since.
For the past five years we have lived in a small cottage in central Brittany with one large collie dog called Viking, one fat cat known as Little’un and a young tortoiseshell cat called Missy. Oh, and there are various ducks and chickens in the garden, and a large pond with about a hundred fish in!
I have contributed short stories and serials to many of the UK women's magazines including, The People's Friend, Candis, My Weekly, Best, Yours and my stories have been published in Australia, Sweden, South Africa and Ireland.
I also write magazine features and my work has been published in national magazines and newspapers like, The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Home and Country, Devon Life. For over three years I had my own newspaper column in the South Hams Group of Newspapers, that took a wry look at family life.
I am a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and the Society of Authors.
For the past five years we have lived in a small cottage in central Brittany with one large collie dog called Viking, one fat cat known as Little’un and a young tortoiseshell cat called Missy. Oh, and there are various ducks and chickens in the garden, and a large pond with about a hundred fish in!
I have contributed short stories and serials to many of the UK women's magazines including, The People's Friend, Candis, My Weekly, Best, Yours and my stories have been published in Australia, Sweden, South Africa and Ireland.
I also write magazine features and my work has been published in national magazines and newspapers like, The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Home and Country, Devon Life. For over three years I had my own newspaper column in the South Hams Group of Newspapers, that took a wry look at family life.
I am a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and the Society of Authors.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 30, 2023
Unfortunately the diary format of this one didn’t work for me, and it just felt a little rushed (it’s more of a short story/novella).
After finding out her husband Ben has been cheating on her and has knocked up his side piece, Jessica escapes to the French Riviera. Their daughter, Katie, is unimpressed at Jessica ‘running away’ and blames her for her parents’ split. In France, Jessica starts writing a diary as well as a column for her old boss’ newspaper, and documents the people she meets and the events she goes to.
I usually enjoy Bohnet’s books, but I didn’t enjoy the diary format and this one just felt rushed. Not a recommendation from me.
After finding out her husband Ben has been cheating on her and has knocked up his side piece, Jessica escapes to the French Riviera. Their daughter, Katie, is unimpressed at Jessica ‘running away’ and blames her for her parents’ split. In France, Jessica starts writing a diary as well as a column for her old boss’ newspaper, and documents the people she meets and the events she goes to.
I usually enjoy Bohnet’s books, but I didn’t enjoy the diary format and this one just felt rushed. Not a recommendation from me.
September 26, 2014
I received a free copy of this book by the book's publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Jessica was a happily married mother who was quite content with her cozy life until her husband Ben went and ruined everything. He's now shacked up with Samantha, who is conveniently also pregnant and has completely flipped Jessica's life upside down. Deciding that if Ben can move on so easily, so can she, she's off to France on a 'Shirley Valentine' year. The people she meets, her daughter and new friends are sure to keep her new life on track and who knows, life in France might even lead to some fun surprises along the way.
This was a lovely short chick-lit which is written in the format of an angst filled blog. The diary was a great format for Bohnet to use as it showed the passage of time well and shows how she develops over the twelve month time period. It also emphasises the difficulties of the divorce and it's impact on both Jessica and her twenty year old daughter, Katie. Katie takes out her feelings on her mother, despite it being her father who has caused the divorce. I really empathised with Jessica, especially at some points where her relationship with Katie is anything but perfect. The same can be said of her relationship with her best friend at times too...
The friends that Jessica makes such as Eloise who is living is the same block as her is a brilliant character. Though she is flawed, she helps provide Jessica with motivation, courage and confidence to regain control of her life. She also introduces here to members of her family, her friends and even someone who might end up being a bit more special.
It's a lovely, sweet book which though can at times be predictable, is a fun quick read to pass the time. I'd happily read more books written by this author!
Jessica was a happily married mother who was quite content with her cozy life until her husband Ben went and ruined everything. He's now shacked up with Samantha, who is conveniently also pregnant and has completely flipped Jessica's life upside down. Deciding that if Ben can move on so easily, so can she, she's off to France on a 'Shirley Valentine' year. The people she meets, her daughter and new friends are sure to keep her new life on track and who knows, life in France might even lead to some fun surprises along the way.
This was a lovely short chick-lit which is written in the format of an angst filled blog. The diary was a great format for Bohnet to use as it showed the passage of time well and shows how she develops over the twelve month time period. It also emphasises the difficulties of the divorce and it's impact on both Jessica and her twenty year old daughter, Katie. Katie takes out her feelings on her mother, despite it being her father who has caused the divorce. I really empathised with Jessica, especially at some points where her relationship with Katie is anything but perfect. The same can be said of her relationship with her best friend at times too...
The friends that Jessica makes such as Eloise who is living is the same block as her is a brilliant character. Though she is flawed, she helps provide Jessica with motivation, courage and confidence to regain control of her life. She also introduces here to members of her family, her friends and even someone who might end up being a bit more special.
It's a lovely, sweet book which though can at times be predictable, is a fun quick read to pass the time. I'd happily read more books written by this author!
September 25, 2014
I received a copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for this, an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! A delightful chicklit written in the form of a blog about a our heroine, Jessica, who returns from a holiday with her husband of 23 years (Ben) only for him to take his suitcase to move in with someone else (Sam). Jessica decides to do a 'Shirley Valentine' and take a much belated gap year living in the south of France - I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to do something like that!
Jessica keeps a blog to share her angst, as well as discussing the new places, new people, new language and lots of new experiences. Her daughter, Katie, doesn't respond well to her parents splitting up and divorce, for a blaming her Mum for the split up and disappearing from contact with both parents. The neighbours in her apartment block add extra interest, especially Eloise and her relatives!
At less than 140 pages, this is bigger than a novella but doesn't take long to read - ideal for when you really just want something to escape into for a little while and I like this author's style of writing. The author describes many of the festivals and events in the region in a manner that makes the reader feel like they, too, have enjoyed them. Whilst some of the events are predictable, they are nonetheless enjoyably written and it is a great story to escape into.
I really enjoyed this book! A delightful chicklit written in the form of a blog about a our heroine, Jessica, who returns from a holiday with her husband of 23 years (Ben) only for him to take his suitcase to move in with someone else (Sam). Jessica decides to do a 'Shirley Valentine' and take a much belated gap year living in the south of France - I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to do something like that!
Jessica keeps a blog to share her angst, as well as discussing the new places, new people, new language and lots of new experiences. Her daughter, Katie, doesn't respond well to her parents splitting up and divorce, for a blaming her Mum for the split up and disappearing from contact with both parents. The neighbours in her apartment block add extra interest, especially Eloise and her relatives!
At less than 140 pages, this is bigger than a novella but doesn't take long to read - ideal for when you really just want something to escape into for a little while and I like this author's style of writing. The author describes many of the festivals and events in the region in a manner that makes the reader feel like they, too, have enjoyed them. Whilst some of the events are predictable, they are nonetheless enjoyably written and it is a great story to escape into.
September 29, 2014
A feel-good read that whisks you away to France! For lovers of wine, good food and romance - and anyone who's dreamed of taking a year off, away from it all. Has Jessica made the right decision, fleeing across the Channel in the wake of her divorce? Will her daughter forgive her? How difficult will it be to make new friends? Will her heart heal? A great light read!
January 30, 2021
Diary format didn't work for me
After Jess' marriage of 23 years breaks up she decided to have a break of her own. A 'Shirley Valentine' gap year in the French Rivera, her best friend advises her to write down her anxieties in a diary and this is the format of the book.
At present we're in lockdown and I wanted to regain my ability to concentrate on something, but this book wasn't the best choice. It was too easy to read a couple of pages and put down. I did make myself finish it but it wasn't one of this author's best books.
After Jess' marriage of 23 years breaks up she decided to have a break of her own. A 'Shirley Valentine' gap year in the French Rivera, her best friend advises her to write down her anxieties in a diary and this is the format of the book.
At present we're in lockdown and I wanted to regain my ability to concentrate on something, but this book wasn't the best choice. It was too easy to read a couple of pages and put down. I did make myself finish it but it wasn't one of this author's best books.
July 21, 2020
More about the woman than the man
Okay, there was a man and they did fall in love. So did some other people. Happily ever after, I like to believe. What I enjoyed the most about this book is the story of a woman not only reclaiming her life, but learning to have a good time doing it. It is told in journal form, which I think is the perfect format for this story. Very enjoyable read
Okay, there was a man and they did fall in love. So did some other people. Happily ever after, I like to believe. What I enjoyed the most about this book is the story of a woman not only reclaiming her life, but learning to have a good time doing it. It is told in journal form, which I think is the perfect format for this story. Very enjoyable read
June 6, 2024
After her husband Ben has confessed to cheating on her, Jessica decides to take a "Shirley Valentine" gap year to France. Her daughter Katie has decided to stay with her father and his new bed partner. Jessica soon befriends the locals and loves the food and wine plus the amazing scenery although her daughter finally comes round and her BFF pops over for a holiday. Great light read. Very enjoyable
April 11, 2020
Loved this book!
Reading this book was like I was taking in a vacation on the French Riviera. It brought back memories of my too short visits there and gives me inspiration to go back. This book starts out with some large challenges for Jessica, the main character. Very enjoyable.
Reading this book was like I was taking in a vacation on the French Riviera. It brought back memories of my too short visits there and gives me inspiration to go back. This book starts out with some large challenges for Jessica, the main character. Very enjoyable.
Read
May 28, 2020This book started slowly for me. To be honest I’m not really a fan of books that follow a diarised format but once I was familiar with the characters I really enjoyed it. I liked reading it from the perspective of one of the characters so maybe I’m a diary convert? Enjoyable read
June 8, 2020
Awesome book
Very well written, easy to follow despite being written like a diary. It has humour, romance and when you read the book you feel like you are part of the story and are in the south of France.
Very well written, easy to follow despite being written like a diary. It has humour, romance and when you read the book you feel like you are part of the story and are in the south of France.
July 12, 2024
Alles wat ik tot op heden heb gelezen van Jennifer Bohnet was leuk , vermakelijk , grappig etc… dit boek viel mij beetje tegen ….
Was niet onaardig maar om nou te zeggen top nee… misschien was het de “ dagboekvorm” waarin het was gegoten die mij niet zo aansprak … ok volgende x beter
Was niet onaardig maar om nou te zeggen top nee… misschien was het de “ dagboekvorm” waarin het was gegoten die mij niet zo aansprak … ok volgende x beter
September 3, 2025
Cute story!
I have fallen in love with the French Provence. S,, BBo, every time I read another story about, I am very simply - very happy. Jennifer Boehner makes every book special!!! Xxx
I have fallen in love with the French Provence. S,, BBo, every time I read another story about, I am very simply - very happy. Jennifer Boehner makes every book special!!! Xxx
January 6, 2019
Cute the kind of book you read for a chuckle. Was a very easy read.
December 16, 2019
Loved it light reading nice characters
August 3, 2020
Very enjoyable story of a woman making a new life for herself in the South of France. I liked the characters and the scenery, it would be nice to know what happens next.
June 29, 2021
Fun in southern France
Enjoyable read In The south of France. Makes you wish you could run away to Cannes! Hard to put down once you start reading.
Enjoyable read In The south of France. Makes you wish you could run away to Cannes! Hard to put down once you start reading.
July 17, 2022
Fun to read while in France for vacation.
August 27, 2025
Love Jennifer Bohnet's books. As you can see, I read this in 5 days, a bit of a record for me. Kept me interested from beginning to the end. Great ending too.
March 8, 2015
Posted originally http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk/2015...
You Had Me at Bonjour is the story of Jessica, who after a divorce from the cheating love of her life Ben, decides to take a gap year in France. Running away or trying to take control of her life – personally, I thought Jessica was brave to take a year out in France to try and get her life together and leave her problematic past behind her. Whether it would work would be left for us to discover… I really enjoyed this book for it’s a light, easy read. Nothing surprising really happens but You Had Me at Bonjour is a lovely escape from reality for a few hours.
The book is told in a kind of diary format – actually being an unpublished blog which Jessica intends on keeping up for the whole year as a new year’s resolution. It’s quite a short book so I was interested to see how a year’s worth of events would be told but the style of being diary entries helped because things could be told quite snappily and briefly yet not feel rushed. I’m starting to like books told in diary format a lot more but I still always find myself craving a bit more detail. I loved the author’s descriptions of some of the French culture – the Monaco Grand Prix in particular was described so effortlessly well, I felt like I was there too (and as a big F1 fan, I loved that it was made so easy to imagine). The author really showed that she could create a strong picture of settings and events and so I guess that’s why at times I wanted to see more detail and more colour, even though it probably wouldn’t lend to the format the book was written in.
You Had Me at Bonjour is different to a lot of other books in this style because the main character Jessica is actually a woman in her forties. The diary gives her the platform to be whiney and sometimes a bit bitchy too but I did connect with her character as I often do with characters that choose to work on improving their lives rather than burying their heads in the sand. Anyway, she was in no way as whiney as her daughter Katie who tended to act like she was about five years old. There’s a side story in this book with Katie, who decides she doesn’t want to live with her dad’s new woman and child on the way so chooses to run away from home. I kind of rolled my eyes at her a little bit and I had to smile at how after a little bit of time chasing, neither parent really seemed all that concerned that she’d disappeared. In my mind they were probably thankful for a bit of peace and quiet.
For Jessica herself, she is seeing the appeal of France – not least with the supposedly gorgeous Nino. She was drawn to him straight away but there are obstacles in the way and she doesn’t want to do a Samantha (the woman now shacked up with her ex-husband) and steal someone else’s man. I liked the romance element but if I’m honest, I found myself more interested in some of the other characters like Eliosa and Jamie. All the characters were really well written and all quite different too. Making new friends could surely, you’d think, only help Jessica in rebuilding her life and You Had Me at Bonjour may be easy to predict but it is a satisfying read nonetheless.
*Book received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2014
Oh, it seems that the titles "You Had Me at..." are very popular lately. I can't hide the fact that it was actually the title that had me very curious about the book and I moved it a little to the top of my TBR pile.
This is a story about Jessica who, after discovering her husband has an affair, moved to the south of France to gather her wits. She's planning to leave her past behind and enjoy her belated gap year with wine and baguettes. She also starts to write a diary about her stay in France and so we get to know her new neighbours, her new environment. New man was actually the last things on her list but as she learns Nino she starts to develops some feelings to him.
So, there are new neighbours, new friends, new job opportunities, but also troubles with daughter going AWOL because she doesn't want to live with her Dad, his new girlfriend and their baby boy (how old are you Katie? I thought maybe six. Really), non - communicative best friend and new men, also with a past but to be honest, I mostly had a feeling that I'm reading a very nice and interestingly written guidebook about south of France, Monaco and its festivals and places worth visiting. While I appreciate it very much, because the descriptions were great and very vivid and colourful, I missed a little real action, a little faster pace and some twists. It was a very predictable story and I have guessed a lot of things before Jessica herself put two and two together, and there were moments it felt a little flat.
Apart of Jessica and Nino we have the already mentioned big bunch of support characters but they were really minor in comparison to Jessica. There was Bella, her best friend and her daughter Katie but - and I'm not sure why - I couldn't warm to any of them. I much more preferred neighbours Lotta and Eliose, especially the last one, who relatively often entered the scenes, either as Nino's aunt or with her own story.
The story was written in a form of diary, which I usually love, and yes, it worked out for me in this book as well. It covers a year in Jennifer's life and shows us her development, from a shy, lost woman without a job to a confident sex - bomb. Because of the diary entries it was straight to the point and relatively short read about how to come to terms with a very unexpected divorce, how to get a grip with life and how to enjoy your life even when you thought it's already the end of it.
Altogether, "You Had Me at Bonjour" was a light story. Although it won't stay for long in your memory, it was a nice getaway from the reality. Yes, it was predictable, but not in this pushy, bad way. Written in an easy to follow way that is going to leave you with a great desire to visit South of France and some market in Monaco.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
This is a story about Jessica who, after discovering her husband has an affair, moved to the south of France to gather her wits. She's planning to leave her past behind and enjoy her belated gap year with wine and baguettes. She also starts to write a diary about her stay in France and so we get to know her new neighbours, her new environment. New man was actually the last things on her list but as she learns Nino she starts to develops some feelings to him.
So, there are new neighbours, new friends, new job opportunities, but also troubles with daughter going AWOL because she doesn't want to live with her Dad, his new girlfriend and their baby boy (how old are you Katie? I thought maybe six. Really), non - communicative best friend and new men, also with a past but to be honest, I mostly had a feeling that I'm reading a very nice and interestingly written guidebook about south of France, Monaco and its festivals and places worth visiting. While I appreciate it very much, because the descriptions were great and very vivid and colourful, I missed a little real action, a little faster pace and some twists. It was a very predictable story and I have guessed a lot of things before Jessica herself put two and two together, and there were moments it felt a little flat.
Apart of Jessica and Nino we have the already mentioned big bunch of support characters but they were really minor in comparison to Jessica. There was Bella, her best friend and her daughter Katie but - and I'm not sure why - I couldn't warm to any of them. I much more preferred neighbours Lotta and Eliose, especially the last one, who relatively often entered the scenes, either as Nino's aunt or with her own story.
The story was written in a form of diary, which I usually love, and yes, it worked out for me in this book as well. It covers a year in Jennifer's life and shows us her development, from a shy, lost woman without a job to a confident sex - bomb. Because of the diary entries it was straight to the point and relatively short read about how to come to terms with a very unexpected divorce, how to get a grip with life and how to enjoy your life even when you thought it's already the end of it.
Altogether, "You Had Me at Bonjour" was a light story. Although it won't stay for long in your memory, it was a nice getaway from the reality. Yes, it was predictable, but not in this pushy, bad way. Written in an easy to follow way that is going to leave you with a great desire to visit South of France and some market in Monaco.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
September 12, 2014
When Jennifer Bohnet emailed me a few days ago to offer me the opportunity to review her new book You Had Me At Bonjour, I had to tell that I was a little bit ahead of her, because I had already downloaded the book! As soon as I spotted it on Netgalley - I'd been waiting for it to pop up, in fact - I downloaded it, and I couldn't wait to get stuck in after thoroughly enjoying Jennifer's last novel I'm Virtually Yours. The best thing about Jennifer's novels is that they're quite short, and very, very sweet because sometimes you really don't want a 5 hour novel, you want something that can be completed in the time it takes to watch a film, or less. Before anyone starts panicking, though, You Had Me At Bonjour isn't a novella, it's just not a super long novel. It's whatever is between "novel" and "novella" in the dictionary ;)
I was very much looking forward to diving in to You Had Me At Bonjour, and I liked that it eschewed the typical Chick Lit fashion of being about a twenty-something, instead Jessie is a forty-something divorcee who after being left by her husband, decided to take a very late, but much needed gap year in France. I very much admired the fact that she was willing to take a year out of her regular life, and go live in France, along, by herself, in what was her first time living alone, ever. It's a very brave thing to do - something a colleague at work has done, and probably not something I could do myself (not in a foreign country, anyway - it's a different matter if you can speak the language, I suppose).
Jessica's year in France is chronicled in her diary, where she can be as grumpy and honest as she liked - and she was, at times perhaps a bit too much (calling her best friend a cow and a bitch, at the same time, which made me cringe). I also cringed at her text speak, that ommitted all vowels (in this day and age of autocorrect, there's no excuse for text speak!). But for the most part I loved the novel. Jessica has a lovely year in France, and it was lovely to be there on her journey with her as she made new friends, and had new experiences (including a trip to the Monaco GP that had me in jealous fits, even though it was fictional). I really enjoyed getting to know Jessie's neighbours, and it was fascinating to see how her time in France would change her and whether that would be for the better or not. A great read, and I can't wait for Jennifer Bohnet's next offering!This review was originally posted on Girls Love To Read
I was very much looking forward to diving in to You Had Me At Bonjour, and I liked that it eschewed the typical Chick Lit fashion of being about a twenty-something, instead Jessie is a forty-something divorcee who after being left by her husband, decided to take a very late, but much needed gap year in France. I very much admired the fact that she was willing to take a year out of her regular life, and go live in France, along, by herself, in what was her first time living alone, ever. It's a very brave thing to do - something a colleague at work has done, and probably not something I could do myself (not in a foreign country, anyway - it's a different matter if you can speak the language, I suppose).
Jessica's year in France is chronicled in her diary, where she can be as grumpy and honest as she liked - and she was, at times perhaps a bit too much (calling her best friend a cow and a bitch, at the same time, which made me cringe). I also cringed at her text speak, that ommitted all vowels (in this day and age of autocorrect, there's no excuse for text speak!). But for the most part I loved the novel. Jessica has a lovely year in France, and it was lovely to be there on her journey with her as she made new friends, and had new experiences (including a trip to the Monaco GP that had me in jealous fits, even though it was fictional). I really enjoyed getting to know Jessie's neighbours, and it was fascinating to see how her time in France would change her and whether that would be for the better or not. A great read, and I can't wait for Jennifer Bohnet's next offering!This review was originally posted on Girls Love To Read
September 11, 2014
You Had me at Bonjour tells the story of a year in the life of Jessica. Having been betrayed by her husband who has left her for another woman, Jessica decides to jet off to the south of France for twelve months to 'do a Shirley Valentine'.
The book is set out like a diary and during this time we see her go from a nervous newcomer, to a confident woman who makes friends and even finds some love interest in the form of Nino. I liked the format of writing it as a diary as it kept me aware of how quickly the twelve months were passing, but it was also snappy enough to flip between the events taking place.
Whilst Jessica and Nino are the main characters we also meet a number of supporting characters who really enhanced the story for me. Her best friend Bella seems like a real friend who can be relied on through good and bad. She pops over to see Jessica regularly and is also Godmother to Jessica's grown up daughter Katie. I couldn't help but feel for Jessica and Katie who are both struggling to come to terms with the marriage breakdown, albeit in different ways. There is a point in the book where their relationship is stormy and I really wanted them to work through it.
I really liked Eliosa who is an older lady living in the same block of apartments as Jessica. She came across to be as vivacious and wise woman. She takes Jessica under her wing and opens up her confidence and social life.
Whilst not the same as Shirley Valentine Jessica does have similarities in starting over and searching for happiness in life. I felt that Jessica got stronger as the year progressed and I loved her reaction when events occur with her ex husband later in the year.
The storyline is predictable and you could see what the outcome would be with her dilemmas. However the book was still enjoyable and I felt quite buoyed seeing her relax and grow in confidence. The book is well written and easy to follow. It is a quick read and I flew through it with it's lighthearted, snappy pace. It left me with a smile on my face....and a desire to travel and escape too. I am sure there are many more adventures to come and I would love to catch up with her again to see what happens next for them all.
Thank you to Carina UK for providing a copy of the book via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
January 10, 2015
The Review
You Had Me at Bonjour is a heart warming and extremely uplifting story of Jessica, a woman who thinks that her days of having adventures are over. Set in the monotony of everyday life as a mum, a wife and a worker she has become stagnant. However, when her philandering husband tells her that she is leaving her for another woman Jessica takes the opportunity to have her very own Shirley Valentine type of adventure.
What is truly great about this story is that it leaves you with the message that life isn’t just for the young – whether it be Jessica moving to France on a whim or her neighbour Eloise having romantic trysts – the fun doesn’t just stop because you are getting older.
There were certain things in the story that I didn’t necessarily find totally realistic such as Jessica’s reaction to Katie’s disappearance; I can only go on how my mother would behave in that situation and I think Jessica was a bit to blasé about it, a little bit c’est la vie. However, the fact that Katie was so petulant and unlikable made me care very little about her subplot.
Overall, You Had Me at Bonjour is a delightful read and Bohnet has made France seem exciting and cosmopolitan and strangely tangible, like you too could live there. Well done Bohnet.
You Had Me at Bonjour by Jennifer Bohnet is available now.
You can follow Jennifer Bohnet (@jenniewriter) on Twitter.
You Had Me at Bonjour is a heart warming and extremely uplifting story of Jessica, a woman who thinks that her days of having adventures are over. Set in the monotony of everyday life as a mum, a wife and a worker she has become stagnant. However, when her philandering husband tells her that she is leaving her for another woman Jessica takes the opportunity to have her very own Shirley Valentine type of adventure.
What is truly great about this story is that it leaves you with the message that life isn’t just for the young – whether it be Jessica moving to France on a whim or her neighbour Eloise having romantic trysts – the fun doesn’t just stop because you are getting older.
There were certain things in the story that I didn’t necessarily find totally realistic such as Jessica’s reaction to Katie’s disappearance; I can only go on how my mother would behave in that situation and I think Jessica was a bit to blasé about it, a little bit c’est la vie. However, the fact that Katie was so petulant and unlikable made me care very little about her subplot.
Overall, You Had Me at Bonjour is a delightful read and Bohnet has made France seem exciting and cosmopolitan and strangely tangible, like you too could live there. Well done Bohnet.
You Had Me at Bonjour by Jennifer Bohnet is available now.
You can follow Jennifer Bohnet (@jenniewriter) on Twitter.
October 2, 2014
This was a real feel good book about a woman wanting to take a Shirley Valentine break after her husband decides that he is isn't going to unpack his case after their holiday. He's going to move in with his girlfriend.
After she is made redundant she decides that she wants to escape the rat race whilst she decides what she wants to do with the rest of her life. She moves into an appartment and introduces herself to the other residents and enrols in some French lessons. After a slow and quite lonely start she starts to make friends and experience some of the luxury events going on within touring distance of the South of France. She attends parties, music Festivals and the Monaco Grand Prix.
The cast of characters are a charming mix - and her best friend and daughter come out to visit and add different dynamics to the burgeoning relationships.
Needing a way to support herself she starts to write articles about her adventures and they prove very popular.
Will she want to return to the Uk at the end of the year- or will she try adventures further afield.
This would make a perfect beach read and I really enjoyed the book. I will look out for more by this author.
With many thanks to Carina Uk, the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book.
After she is made redundant she decides that she wants to escape the rat race whilst she decides what she wants to do with the rest of her life. She moves into an appartment and introduces herself to the other residents and enrols in some French lessons. After a slow and quite lonely start she starts to make friends and experience some of the luxury events going on within touring distance of the South of France. She attends parties, music Festivals and the Monaco Grand Prix.
The cast of characters are a charming mix - and her best friend and daughter come out to visit and add different dynamics to the burgeoning relationships.
Needing a way to support herself she starts to write articles about her adventures and they prove very popular.
Will she want to return to the Uk at the end of the year- or will she try adventures further afield.
This would make a perfect beach read and I really enjoyed the book. I will look out for more by this author.
With many thanks to Carina Uk, the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book.
February 19, 2016
The gorgeous cover was one of the things that first attracted me to this book, and from the title I was expecting something French. And once you start it you get a wonderfully fast paced story, about a Jessica who has moved to the south of France for a year.
Jessica had the previous year suffered from a messy divorce, and then lost her job. So decides that she is going to have a gap year, "a la Shirley Valentine" to find herself, and decide what she wants out of the rest of her life.
The story is told predominately in diary form, with lots of short but informative entries about how Jessica is adapting to life in the south of France, the friends she makes and the news back home.
Although this is a relatively short novella, it really does give you a great idea about how a year in the south of France would play out, even featuring the Cannes Film Festival, Monaco Grand Prix, a luxury yacht, some gorgeous men, and all sorts of other events.
I found You Had Me At Bonjour was a fast paced, easy to read story, that whisked me away, from my gloomy winter's afternoon to the hot and sunny French Riviera. I would have loved to have joined Jessica on her Shirley Valentine year, and loved this book.
Jessica had the previous year suffered from a messy divorce, and then lost her job. So decides that she is going to have a gap year, "a la Shirley Valentine" to find herself, and decide what she wants out of the rest of her life.
The story is told predominately in diary form, with lots of short but informative entries about how Jessica is adapting to life in the south of France, the friends she makes and the news back home.
Although this is a relatively short novella, it really does give you a great idea about how a year in the south of France would play out, even featuring the Cannes Film Festival, Monaco Grand Prix, a luxury yacht, some gorgeous men, and all sorts of other events.
I found You Had Me At Bonjour was a fast paced, easy to read story, that whisked me away, from my gloomy winter's afternoon to the hot and sunny French Riviera. I would have loved to have joined Jessica on her Shirley Valentine year, and loved this book.
January 31, 2021
An okay read for a wet winter’s day in lockdown. If only all newly divorced women could head to the south of France and have a new life fall into their life.
October 6, 2014
This is a fun, easy to read book that left me feeling happy. It’s a perfect escapism read.
Jessica needs a gap year. Her marriage is over, her daughter is ready to fly the nest and with the help of her best mate she has made plans to spend a year in Provence. A year when all she has to worry about is herself, well that is her plan.
Written as a diary, which works really well, it’s a form of therapy for Jessica to rid herself of the hurt and anger caused by her ex-husband, and the loneliness she feels when she first arrives. I felt all her raw emotions, I fell in love with her new life in Provence and loved the subtle little snippets of life in France that show the author has lived there and experienced more than just French holidays. The other characters we meet, family, friends and neighbours, add some depth, a chance of romance and also some interesting twists to the plot.
I was sad to leave at the end of the year, but I’m hopeful that Jennifer could pick up Jessica’s story again.
Jessica needs a gap year. Her marriage is over, her daughter is ready to fly the nest and with the help of her best mate she has made plans to spend a year in Provence. A year when all she has to worry about is herself, well that is her plan.
Written as a diary, which works really well, it’s a form of therapy for Jessica to rid herself of the hurt and anger caused by her ex-husband, and the loneliness she feels when she first arrives. I felt all her raw emotions, I fell in love with her new life in Provence and loved the subtle little snippets of life in France that show the author has lived there and experienced more than just French holidays. The other characters we meet, family, friends and neighbours, add some depth, a chance of romance and also some interesting twists to the plot.
I was sad to leave at the end of the year, but I’m hopeful that Jennifer could pick up Jessica’s story again.
September 12, 2014
This book is what they call a ‘light, breezy read.’ It is a feel-good story, with a predictable happy ending. I enjoyed it because it is always reassuring to read about people getting up and pressing on however hard they are knocked down.
It is well-written because the story seems to stem from real experiences from Jennifer Bohnet’s life. The descriptions of places Jessica visits, her career and interests (gardening and wandering around vide greniers) all mirror the author’s life.
Note: This book was given to me by Carina UK in exchange for an honest review. I thank them for that.
Read the full review at My Two Pennies' Worth
It is well-written because the story seems to stem from real experiences from Jennifer Bohnet’s life. The descriptions of places Jessica visits, her career and interests (gardening and wandering around vide greniers) all mirror the author’s life.
Note: This book was given to me by Carina UK in exchange for an honest review. I thank them for that.
Read the full review at My Two Pennies' Worth
December 10, 2014
The diary format of this book just really didn't work for me. It was very dry and quite boring. I never really felt much about the main character, and definitely not any of the secondary characters. There was absolutely nothing to pull me into the story.
It was like if I picked up some random person's journal and started reading it, but it was all just boring day to day stuff. Not something I would read past the first couple of pages. But since this was a review book, and fairly short, I pressed on.
I thought I would like this since it's set in France, and I have liked diary formats before (like Bridget Jones's Diary). But the main character has to be interesting, and has to write in a voice that makes me want to read more. This book just fell flat.
It was like if I picked up some random person's journal and started reading it, but it was all just boring day to day stuff. Not something I would read past the first couple of pages. But since this was a review book, and fairly short, I pressed on.
I thought I would like this since it's set in France, and I have liked diary formats before (like Bridget Jones's Diary). But the main character has to be interesting, and has to write in a voice that makes me want to read more. This book just fell flat.
September 8, 2014
This book is about Jessica who is going through a divorce and decides to take a gap year in France.
Jessica decides to document her year but writing a diary describing her new life and how she feels about it.
Follow a year of Jessicas life and how she overcomes meeting new people and being welcomed into a culture and country.
Really enjoyed reading Jessicas story and how she adapted to her new life.
Jessica decides to document her year but writing a diary describing her new life and how she feels about it.
Follow a year of Jessicas life and how she overcomes meeting new people and being welcomed into a culture and country.
Really enjoyed reading Jessicas story and how she adapted to her new life.
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