Väike Prantsuse külalismaja. Tagasitulek

La Cour des Roses #2

by Helen Pollard, Raili Puskar (Translator)

Uus elu, uus ja seekord päris armastus, sõbrad, päike, sinine taevas ja klaasike hõrku Bordeaux’ veini!
Kõlab nagu tõeline idüll, eks ole.

Kui Emmy kolib Inglismaalt Prantsusmaa õdusasse väikelinna, et hakata juhtima viinamarjaväljade keskel asuvat külalismaja, pole tal aimugi, et selle juurde võiks käia ka näiteks üks uneskõndija, kes ei pea vajalikuks pidžaamat kanda. Ja nipsakas klient, kellel on hästi palju soove, aga vähe empaatiat. Ja külalismaja peremehe Ruperti fuuriast eksnaine, kes teatab vihahoos midagi väga šokeerivat, mis paneb proovile nii Emmy kui ka kõigi teiste kannatuse.
Kas kõik laguneb koost? Kas ta peab taas kord armastuses pettuma?
Ent Emmyl pole kahtlustki, et ta saab kõige sellega hakkama – eriti pärast väikest enesehaletsushoogu ja patja poetatud pisaraid.

„Väike Prantsuse külalismaja. Tagasitulek“ on kauaoodatud järg esimesele, 2018. aastal ülimenukalt eesti keeles ilmunud Helen Pollardi romaanile „Väike Prantsuse külalismaja“, milles lugejad kohtuvad taas armsaks saanud tegelaste ja lummava Lõuna-Prantsusmaa eluga.

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary, France, Audiobook, Ebooks

384 pages, Paperback

First published August 26, 2016

About the author

As a child, Helen had a vivid imagination fuelled by her love of reading, so she started to create her own stories in a notebook.

Now a bestselling author of contemporary romance, she believes that good characterisation is the key to a successful book and loves infusing her writing with humour and heart.

Helen is a member of The Society of Authors.

You can find her online at:
viewauthor.at/HelenPollardAmazon

Reviews

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow! I absolutely loved, lived, laughed and cried with this brilliant, addictive tale. I ADORED the first book in the series and reading this one was like meeting up with much loved old friends. Emmy is such an amazing woman and it was wonderful to be reunited with her and Rupert, read about their adventures, travails and ups and downs and how they overcome them. The author writes so evocatively, with oodles of humor thrown in. A beautiful, fun tale, set in stunning surroundings, with characters that you don't want to leave behind. Highly recommended!

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having decided to return to the little French guest house, Emmy Jamieson just isn't anticipating all the problems awaiting her. With the departure of Gloria, many arrangements she had made prove not to have been recorded. With Rupert still reeling from his wife's adultery with Emmy's ex and his medical problems, nothing is going to be straightforward. As a sleepwalker causes unexpected problems,ma mammoth family reunion for far too many people needs organising and, to top it all, Gloria returns! What a first season this will prove to be - complete with possible romance that Gloria will also endeavour to ruin. You'll just have to read this brilliant novel to discover what happens and how things are finally resolved!

This author is a highly talented artist, painting vivid images in the imagination of her readers, bringing to life in full colour the characters, scenery and events in this rural French landscape. She made me want to hug some of the characters - and for a few others to use what my family refer to as my "teacher voice" to get them to see sense or reprimand them! I wanted to all of these for the heroine, who took me through the whole gamut of emotions at different points in the story. There are some laugh out loud moments - you just have to giggle when a critic inadvertently exposes himself to an elderly lady twice! Coping with the Thomson invasion creates more than a few headaches and laugh out loud incidents. Through it all, Alain is such a superb character, quick to forgive, heartwarming and considerate- the antithesis of some of the others! I've loved escaping to this delightful community and really hope there are more stories to come in this series!

Many thanks to NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this superb novel.

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emmy has decided to stay in France, so she can help Rupert with La Cour des Roses. She's now the manager and she wants to make a success of the guesthouse. It's such a lovely place to spend a holiday, so that shouldn't be too hard, or should it? There are difficult guests to deal with, there's a travel blogger with terrible habits who needs to be taken extra good care of and Elly has the responsibility to organize a huge event, which came as a complete surprise. Emmy needs to learn quickly and she has to be creative to make sure things won't fall apart. When Rupert's ex-wife Gloria returns she can't help but panic. Will Emmy be able to keep working at the guesthouse now that her nemesis is back?

Emmy likes Alain, Rupert's bookkeeper, a lot, but being together turns out to be more problematic than she initially thought. Alain is there for her when she needs him, but is he everything Emmy thinks he is? She made a mistake with Nathan and she doesn't want to repeat that. Will her stay in France be happy for Emmy or will it end in a total disaster?

Return to the Little French Guesthouse is another amazing summer story set in France. I love Helen Pollard's vivid descriptions of the French countryside. She makes La Cour des Roses come to life superbly with colorful guests, funny incidents and mouthwatering food. I loved the atmosphere at the guesthouse, Helen Pollard shows her readers exactly how things really are in France. She made me dream about gorgeous gardens, delicious food and lazy days in the sun. I could almost see, feel and taste it all, which is a fantastic experience to have while reading a book.

Emmy is a sweetheart. She wants to take care of everyone and she sometimes forgets herself while she's doing that. She's generous with her time and skills and her cheerful personality makes it easy to like her. Rupert is a wonderful man and I loved him from the start. His cooking skills are excellent and he's a perfect host. Alain is a sexy bookkeeper who has hidden depths. I enjoyed reading more about him. Every person in this story is interesting and I love that Helen Pollard gives her characters such distinctive personalities. It's fun to read about their adventures, both the big and the little ones.

Helen Pollard has a great distinctive writing style and I like her tone of voice. Her beautiful dignified sentences suit Emmy's character very well. While I was reading Return to the Little French Guesthouse I stopped noticing what happened around me, I was completely spellbound by the story set in my favorite romantic country. I love La Cour des Roses and its inhabitants, it's a magical place and I highly recommend you to take a fictional holiday by reading this book.

[Liina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emmy moved to France and is the manager of the guesthouse, where she works with Rupert, who is the owner. She hopes to get a good start to her new life-new job opportunities, new friends and some romance in her life. Without knowing, Gloria, who is Rupert's cheating wife had agreed to take a huge booking, but as she's not there anymore Emmy and Rupert have to deal with it all. The whirlwind that the guest and old secrets have caused, there's a lot going on. Emmy and Rupert have to deal with different and difficult situations, which makes them think about their priorities and what really matters in life.

It's the sequel to the first book, which continues where the first one ended. It was so good to be back in the familiar guesthouse in France. I enjoyed it from the beginning til the end. I was glad that everything worked out well for Emmy and Rupert and Gloria finally showed who she really was and is. I hope to visit the guesthouse and the village again, it was a real treat.

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read The Little French Guesthouse earlier in the year I definitely had to make sometime in my busy reading schedule to catch up on this sequel. If you haven't read the first book then you really should before picking up this one to get the most out of it!

I just loved immersing myself back into the lives of Emmie and Rupert and all the rich and colourful characters who make up this seriously warm and sunny feel good romance. Although it's more a book about friendships I think and how true friends always come back together to help each other through life's adversities. There's a huge bombshell dropped into the cosy and settled lives at Last Cours Des Roses when Gloria comes back, not with her tail between her legs but with her head held high and an eye for causing trouble. Emmie has her work cut out when a large party come to stay and it needs to go well after The Silver Fox has had his say on his blog about his holiday there.

I absolutely love the way the author makes you feel as if you are there in the warm sunshine with Emmie and co, this really does feel like a real place to me! I can imagine the house and the gardens and the kitchen with all the delicious food prepared there. Even the local town and chateaux feels familiar as if I've visited there before and this book is a real memory of that time! I'm actually missing the place and people already now that I've finished.

This is a book that lives up to its "feelgood" tagline and anyone taking a holiday to France would be well advised to pack a copy to take with them. Even the cover makes me smile!

I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

[Nina Draganova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Въпреки , че стила е малко телеграфен, това ни най-малко не попречи на историята да остане интересна.
В тази част имаше толкова обрати , които не те оставят да си поемеш дъх.
Станаха ми симпатични голяма част от героите и доброто приятелство , което създадоха и затвърдиха.
Не липсва и чувство за хумор.
Виждам , че има и трета част, сигурно ще имаме удоволствието да я прочетем и ние.

[Triinu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minu arvamuse leiab blogist https://triinuraamatud.wordpress.com/...

[Joanne D'Arcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you go away and find a lovely place to stay, all you want to do is go back there and experience it all again.That can be the same with reading books I am sure and is certainly the case when you can actually return to a story.

This is the follow-up to The Little French Guesthouse which I read earlier this year. Without wishing to give away any of the first book, Emmy did not have a very good start when she first arrived at this little guesthouse. It was never meant to be a life changing holiday but it was in more ways than one and not just for her but also for the owner, Rupert. I do think you need to read that one before you pick up this one, although there is enough contained in this novel to get an understanding of how the characters get to where they are in this second book.

Emmy is back at the guesthouse and it is about to host the biggest ever amount of visitors than before, However the booking and a number of the details seem to somehow been lost and it falls to Emmy and Rupert to try and fill in as much of the blanks without appearing unprofessional. It is going to be a difficult task because the guest Mrs Thomson and her extended family are rather demanding in their requirements.

The little guesthouse is about to get a whole lot bigger!

Emmy is settling into the French way of life, and whilst she is working hard she is still able to take time off and explore the area, something which the author does very well. Like the first book I felt I was there, I was driving around, experiencing all these wonderful places with the sun on my back and glass of wine in my hand.

However the idyll that seems to have been created is about to be shattered when a face from the past turns up and it seems Emmy is once again going to face a life changing moment. Will she still be able to rely on the support that Rupert has given her? And what will happen to the blossoming relationship with the dishy accountant Alain.

Will Emmy and Rupert be able to carry on together without Mrs Thomson and her family know there is anything going wrong?

As in the first book, Helen Pollard's skill at creating a story is that it draws you in. I cared and disliked in equal measure the main characters to the point where I became frustrated in thinking what their actions might end up being.The rich description of the countryside, just adds more substance to the book. You really do feel you are there.

Follow up books can sometimes fall a bit flat, this one certainly didn't and I devoured it very quickly. I hope there will be more because I am sure that guesthouse has a lot to offer in the autumn and the winter as well!

[Il confine dei libri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ciao, readers.

Ricordate il primo libro, che mi aveva entusiasmato tanto, di Helen Pollard? Grazie alla serie dei ricordi perduti, oggi sono qui per parlarvi del secondo libro: "Ritorno alla casa dei ricordi", edito Newton Compton.
Emmy ha deciso di tornare a Cour des Roses per iniziare una nuova vita. Fin da subito la nostra protagonista si dà da fare per valorizzare l'albergo, ma non tutto va come sperato. Tra clienti sonnambuli, persone egocentriche, prenotazioni perse da Gloria, si creano dei problemi che metteranno in difficoltà anche il saggio Rupert. Questo però non li scoraggia, specialmente perché Emmy sta iniziando a conoscere il bel commercialista Alain e ciò sembra portare un senso di equilibrio alla situazione. Un equilibrio che si sconvolgerà con l'arrivo di Gloria, l'ex moglie fedifraga di Rupert. A quanto pare la sua cattiveria non ha limiti e creerà non pochi problemi.
Se il primo libro mi è piaciuto tanto, questo secondo capitolo non è da meno.
Emmy sembra aver superato la batosta di Nathan, anche se è ancora insicura sul suo futuro. Non riesce ad affittare il suo vecchio appartamento e il momento in cui la sua attività decolli sembra lontano. Non è facile sapere di aver lasciato un porto sicuro per l'incertezza e, tra momenti tristi e altri più felici con Alain, accompagneremo la nostra protagonista su una giostra di emozioni.

"Adoravo stare sul retro della casa; il mio piccolo nascondiglio personale. Adoravo prendermi le pause caffè in quello splendido giardino con la testa di un cane appoggiata sulle ginocchia, invece che in una città affollata o nel cucinotto in ufficio, pieno di tensione."

Rupert si è sempre dimostrato imperturbabile, anche dopo la fuga della moglie, eppure quando lei ritorna non sembra più lo stesso. Non sa cosa vuole, non sa più se è più importante restare con sua moglie e abbandonare il suo albergo o lasciarla e continuare il suo sogno.Mi è dispiaciuto tanto per Rupert, l'unica persona che abbia mai amato sa solo essere una persona spregevole che lo costringe a scegliere tra

l'amore per lei e quello per il suo albergo. Senza lei sa che rimarrà solo, ma senza il suo albergo non avrà più uno scopo.

Se nel primo libro abbiamo odiato Gloria, in questo arriveremo a picchi di rabbia mai visti. Non ha nessuna pietà per un uomo che avrebbe dovuto amare per la vita. In più prova odio per Emmy, alla quale ha rubato il ragazzo. Dovrebbe essere il contrario ma la sua follia non ha limiti.

Ritroveremo tutti i personaggi che ci hanno allietato fin dall'inizio: Sophie, Ellie, Jonathan, Ryan e Alain.
Complimenti all'autrice che non è caduta in ripetizioni o in zone piatte che avrebbero minato l'interesse del lettore. Tra i vari protagonisti e le loro vicende non avremo modo di annoiarci, anzi ci sembrerà di essere lì con loro.
Per concludere posso dire che il finale vi lascerà di stucco. Non perché sia qualcosa fuori dal comune, perché finalmente, dopo tante avventure, la nostra Emmy avrà modo di essere felice. In più verrà insinuata una relazione che potrà sembrare strana per i personaggi coinvolti, ma non nego che spero ci sia con tutta me stessa.
Anche in questo libro non ci viene narrata solo una storia, ma ci viene "mostrata" la bellezza di un paese. Grazie alla passione di Emmy verso questo luogo e i suoi abitanti, mi ha fatto venire voglia di andare a passare un weekend a Cour des Roses per potermi rilassare in giardino e assagiare le prelibatezze di Rupert. Buona lettura.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

All reviews can be found on my blog - thecosiestcorner.blogspot.com

Another great book to join the first La Cour des Roses series. It made me so happy to return to this story you have no idea! I absolutely loved the first and couldn't wait to read the second. The cover, once again, drew me in and I found that I couldn't say no (even though I have a ton on my TBR pile!).

The story follows Emmy after her very recent move to France and you find yourself reading about her settling in to her new role as guesthouse manager for La Cour des Roses. I was thrilled when old faces joined the story and couldn't wait to read more about Emmy's adventures into French everyday life.

I loved reading about the French markets, the cobbled streets of the town and the crisp and chilled wine. I will admit one thing, and it's that this series has made me long to go to France! I found that Emmy's relationship with Alain was lovely to read and it made me feel all warm inside when they finally came together! I loved all the characters and enjoyed reading about their lives as well as Emmy's.

There is some more drama in this book as well as the first, what with the gargantuan booking that Gloria simply forgot to tell them about, the return of said ex-wife Gloria and a huge bombshell that Gloria (can you see a pattern here?) dropped just before she left. The book leaves you hanging on to every chapter, dying to know what happens next.

Overall, a brilliant second part of the series. I've just finished the third and final instalment (boo!) and the review shall be up on my blog soon!

[Ренета Кирова · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5*
Приятна книга, но не мога да кажа, че е разтоварваща. На моменти героите преживяват тежки ситуации и несправедливости.
Еми вече се е установила във вила "Дворът на розите" като мениджър. Още отначало започват неприятностите с гости, дошли на почивка. Негативните и несправедливи отзиви отчайват Еми. С Рупърт са вече много добри приятели и си помагат. Очаквано още от предната книга, взаимоотношенията между нея и Ален се развиват в сериозна връзка. Глория решава да се появи във вилата в най-неподходящия момент и да нарани хората, близки с Еми. Разкриват се някои тайни, но приятелствата са силни и всички си помагат. Еми е щастлива в това пасторално и райско кътче в Прованс.
Има и още една книга, но стилът на авторката ми се видя леко тромав в сравнение с предния роман от поредицата. На моменти прекалено подробно се описваха действията на героите, което ми беше излишно в такава книга. С описанията на природата и френските забележителности авторката се е справила по-добре. Потапяш се в една атмосфера на приказна красота и идиличност. Ще прочета и третата книга, за да завърша цялата поредица.

[~☆starlight · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the first book I couldn't wait to get stuck into this and I wasn't disapointed. The Story takes place pretty much where we left off with Emmy returning to La Cour Des Roses the idyllic holiday home which has now become Emmys permanent home and she's determined to make it work expecially considering everything she gave up. However things don't go as smoothly as Emmy hoped due to unfair guests and Glorias unwelcome shocking return not to mention a massive booking nobody knew anything about which Emmy is determined to make work to bring back business, and then there is Alain, Emmys boyfriend things start off extremely well but go pair shaped due to misunderstandings and manipulations. Will Emmy get the happy ending she deserves? I'll let you find that out!! I thoughly enjoyed this book like the first I couldn't put it down Helen Pollard takes us straight into idyllic France oh how I wish La Cour des Roses was a real place I'd move in tomorrow!! I love all the characters I find them relatable and I loved finding out more about their lives, It's a beautifully written story perfect for fans of Jo Thomas or Jenny colgan. I'm now getting stuck into the third !!

[Vesper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tre stelle e ½.
Mi ha intrattenuto piacevolmente, portandomi in una ambientazione rilassante e con personaggi simpatici.
Forse è un po' carente nella trama.

[Alison Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book just as much as the first.

[Ro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant follow up to the first in the series. Sometimes the sequels leave a lot to be desired but this certainly doesn't. The characters just seem so real to me and I feel like I am in the Loire Valley with them!
A great read. Can't wait for the next one!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous book with characters you can fall in love with and relate to. I'd recommend that you read 'The Little French Guesthouse' before this one so you can get to know all the characters properly.

[Best Crime Books & More · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** If you are planning on reading the first book please don't read my review as it will inevitably contain spoilers ***

Kat's Review. It's official....Helen Pollard can do NO wrong. I read her book The Little French Guesthouse and fell in love. I fell in love with France, with the Guesthouse and with all of the characters. In the return to La Cour des Roses with this next book I have fallen in love all over again. Emmy Jamieson has packed up her bags and made the permanent move to France. Following her boyfriend Nathan cheating on her with the guesthouse owner Rupert's wife Gloria, she is now moving in with Rupert at the Guesthouse and together they will build the business back up.

Emmy hadn't planned on her beautiful French adventure starting off with seemingly everything going wrong. As the book picks up where the last one left off it feels like returning to your favourite holiday destination! Emmy soon realises that Gloria has left things in a right mess and with the upcoming arrival of the Thomson family which they knew nothing about she has her work cut out.

Rupert is slowly adjusting to life without Gloria and the addition of Emmy helps him along his way. He has faith in her along with a whole host of friends that make a welcome return. Rupert's accountant Alain once again appears and it seems that Emmy may have met a man that is worth paying attention to. However, she hadn't bargained on naked sleepwalking guests, or the return of Gloria,

I love how we see Emmy and Rupert try but struggle to get everything done in time for the Thomson's arrival as well as seeing how all the additional friends help in their own way. Helen Pollard manages to sweep you along with all the excitement and the pitfalls of this beautiful guesthouse. Her writing is so easy to fall in with and I could almost imagine myself sipping coffee in their glorious gardens. There are some wonderful moments in this book and the characters are just people I want to read more about. This really is a wonderfully feel good read, and I absolutely cannot wait to return to the village and read more about everybody. I just hope I get what I wish for!

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first I’ve read in this series, Helen Pollard takes us to a small guesthouse in France, as we follow the story of Emmy, back at La Coeur des Roses after a rather spectacular breakup. She wanted a change, and felt that her connection to Rupert and his desperate need of help would be a good option for a new start.

While the pairing of Rupert and Emmy seems strange, it was his wife Gloria who ran off with Emmy’s boyfriend Nathan, the two are building a solid friendship and a good working relationship, even with the hiccups.

From a well-known and wholly unclothed sleepwalking hotel critic to a massive 50th wedding anniversary not marked in the calendar by Rupert’s now absent ex-wife, it seems as if the challenges will never end. From near disaster to wholly laugh out loud mishaps, the newly present dog Gloria (as opposed to ex-wife, Gloria), a hard working French cleaning woman, a couple of Rupert’s aged friends and the steady worries around garnering positive reviews on the guesthouse’s website, the action is non-stop. Oh, it briefly goes left with the return of the very dislikable ex-wife Gloria and when all her secrets come to life, everyone is turned upside down.

Pollard made a story that is simply fun to read, with commiserating with Emmy’s lack of French, her worries about her London property, her bookings and her own determination to make the guesthouse a success. Anyone who has ever dreamed of retreating to the French countryside to live and perhaps run a gîte should be reading: the rest of us will just enjoy! I can’t wait to get back to this story with the first book.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picking up from where The Little French Guesthouse left off, I was delighted to be back at La Cour des Roses and even happier to say the book is a fabulous continuation of this series.

If you haven't read the first book, you are missing out, but equally, this can easily be read as a standalone so you should be able to pick up on the key back story points.

Emmy has now moved to France to make a go of life as the manager of the guesthouse, and the book starts how it is going to continue with some outlandish behaviour from some of the guests which is just very funny but involves a known travel blogger which worries Emmy a lot.

They then discover that there is a huge booking that they weren't previously aware of, and it has all sorts of demands which is a large focal point of the book. Then there is also the return of Rupert's wife which shakes everything up, and Emmy's own new fledgling relationship with Alain.

I loved all the characters, apart from Gloria (the human) who was as vile as the first book, whereas Gloria (the dog) was a fantastic judge of character. Emmy's new friends Sophie and Ellie are determined to show Emmy some of the tourist sights in that part of France, and as a result we get a real feel for the area.

Helen Pollard's writing style draws you into the story, and transports you to a world that you don't want to leave. I am like I was at the end of the first book, already hoping there will be a third book in this series, as I am convinced there is still more to Emmy's story and I definitely want to read it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

The top of this book cover says “A feel good read to make you smile.” Well, it’s quite more than that. Yes, Emmy’s optimism and hard work make for a cheery read. Her support of guesthouse-owner Rupert will endear any reader to her, as will her deference and friendly respect for the very French guesthouse-keeper. Accountant Alain’s adoration of Emmy is the cutest thing ever. And the Thompson clan spending the week at the guesthouse brings all the joy and camaraderie you’d expect from a family celebration.

So, yeah, it’s a feel good read.

But here’s the “more” —

Return to the Little French Guesthouse is full of love. Real, deep, abiding love. Love for friends and family. Love for one’s country. Love for neighbors and those in need. Love for the cute gardener. Love for one’s spouse. Old love. New love. Without being syrupy or contrived, this book uplifts and fulfills the reader with an authentic look at relationships and the choices we make that weaken or strengthen them.

I finished this book feeling full of hope for humanity, knowing it all starts with just a little love.

https://randombookmuses.com/2016/08/2...

[Sally Coles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emmie has decided to give up her marketing career in England and return to France to La Cour des Roses guesthouse as manager and to set up her own business in the area....the gorgeous Alain might have had a bit to do with her decision!

Once installed she sets about putting the guesthouse on to tourist map and invites a well known blogger to come and stay and write a review......this does not go down well when he sleep walks naked and unintentionally exposes himself to an elderly guest...twice!

Things go downhill rapidly though when Gloria (Rupert the owners ex wife who ran off with Emmie's boyfriend) decides to return and very definitely wants Emmie out! Will Rupert fall for her charms again and ruin Emmie's chances and what chaos can she cause in the meantime!

A lovely book with all the old great characters from the first book turning up again - perfect for sitting out in the sunshine to read

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful return to La Cour des Roses. Emmy has taken on a management role and is keen to raise the profile of the Little French Guesthouse. She has a nightmare booking that threatens to age them . You can feel the tension whilst willing the holiday to be a dream for all those involved. You are enveloped in friendship as the characters develop even more throughout the book. You really feel that you could settle down with a coffee and enjoy a meal with Rupert and enjoy seeing Emmy blossom into her new role and friendships.

The guests are cleverly drawn to add humour and there is a strong romantic element running throughout. A delightful book to settle down with on a lovely summer evening and I am hoping we're going to get a return Christmas visit??

With many thanks to Bookoutre and Net Galley for another wonderful read.

[Karschtl · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 Sterne

Während mir der erste Band um das kleine französische Landhaus etwas zu sehr dahin plätscherte, ist im 2. Band nun wirklich einiges los. Kaum angekommen in ihrem neuen Heim & Job, hat Emmy schon alle Hände voll zu tun mit anstrengenden Gästen und nicht abgesprochenen Buchungen. Ein paar Freundschaften hat sie ebenfalls bereits gemacht, die nun gepflegt werden wollen, inklusive dem netten Buchhalter Alain.

Selten gefällt mir eine Fortsetzung besser als der erste Band einer Serie, doch hier war es so. Es war interessant, Emmy bei ihrem Neustart in Frankreich zu begleiten. Genau wie sie hätte ich auf einiges Verzichten können, wie z.B. das Wiedersehen mit Gloria (der Frau, nicht dem Hund). Aber so kommt immerhin ein wenig Pfeffer in die Geschichte, der mir im 1. Teil ja gefehlt hat.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book left me feeling much like after reading the author's first book! I'm in love - with France, the countryside and the characters. I ran through so many emotions reading this - laughter, tears, anger. While the book itself is pretty light reading, the message, if there is one, is plain to see: live each day, make every day count."

The characters continue to grow on readers and the storyline is so much fun. Highly recommended.

I received this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.

[Beverly Dodson · Rating 5 out of 5]

No, Don't be over. I'm just not ready!

Loved this book and it's predecessor; hated having to eventually go to sleep each night and leave Rupert, Emmy, the descriptive insights to the beauty of places I'll never see and the lives of all the characters who actually come to feel real very quickly. So sad that I finished "Return to the Little French Guest House so quickly though and hope to get the next book by Helen Potter asap! Wonderfully written, emotional, and endearing.

[leigh brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast passed romcom

Great sequel ! The fun starts straight away with the warm & believable characters. Funny, touching friendship's and lots of romance.

[Anniek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emmy has decided to take a leap of faith and left her life in England behind to stay with Rupert, the owner of La Cour des Roses. She's the manager of this beautiful guesthouse now and is determined to learn everything she needs to know to help Rupert make La Cour des Roses a success. Emmy fell in love with this place from the moment she arrived. Although the short holiday made her see the true colors of her boyfriend Emmy chooses not to dwell on it and wants to follow her dreams. Emmy has built a life for herself and is making loyal friends along the way. When an unexpected and unwanted return of Gloria, Rupert's ex-wife, is about to mess things up, Emmy is devastated. What will this mean for her job at La Cour des Roses?

Emmy has taken on the responsibility of her job with a lot of enthusiasm. She's thinking outside the box to attract more customers. Not all of them are as easygoing as Emmy hoped they would be. She invites a well know travel blogger, who has a lot of followers, to hopefully gain a positive rating. She doesn't know that this blogger has some rare character traits that might disturb the other guests. She also receives a massive booking with a lot of extras and Emmy has no idea how to pull it off. The days at La Cour des Roses are never dull and Emmy needs all of her skills to meet everyone's expectations. Will she be able to show everyone what she's made of or did she make a rash decision when she moved to France?

Emmy is such a sweetheart. She's full of life and even though she doesn't know everything there is to know about her job yet, she always tries to make the best of it. I love it when a person is looking on the bright side of life. I had a huge smile on my face when I was reading about the way Emmy interacts with people. She's a hard worker and she's never been one to crumble in the face of a crisis. Emmy has taken a huge risk, but I totally understood her motivations and I could easily imagine her living in France. Emmy has gotten burned by love and now that she has met Alain she's slowly trying to let someone in again. I loved to read about the journeys of the main characters and found them all incredibly interesting.

Ever since I read The Little French Guesthouse I fell in love with La Cour des Roses. Rupert is such a colorful character and the descriptions of the food that he cooks made my mouth water. I would be perfectly happy to spend my holiday reading in his beautiful garden and enjoying the peace and quiet at La Cour des Roses. Helen Pollard managed to take me with her on her journey to France. I have been in France when I was younger and while I was reading Return to The Little French Guesthouse all I could think about was packing my bags and start driving. Return to The Little French Guesthouse is an enchanting and heartwarming story that had me mesmerized from the beginning until the very end. I can't wait to read the next book in this series and to return, once again, to the beautiful La Cour des Roses.

[Le cercatrici di libri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recensione:
Una serata calda, un ambiente bellissimo, del delizioso vino freddo e un uomo attraente e per metà francese. Cosa potevo chiedere di più?

Eccoci ritornate a La Cour des Roses, la pensione in un piccolo paradiso nella campagna francese, troviamo Emmy Jamieson appena insediata come responsabile nella gestione.
La storia è sempre e solo dal pov di Emmy.
Questa volta la nostra eroina dovrà dimostrare a se stessa che può affrontare un futuro all'inizio nebuloso e ricco di imprevisti e quasi tutti non piacevoli. Sarà la spalla su cui Ruben si appoggerà quando lo scoraggiamento prenderà un po' il sopravvento fra i due amici per futuro della pensione, sia economicamente che per Gloria la moglie di Ruben che ritorna su suoi passi e creerà non poca tensione e confusione.

Mentre mi beavo delle allegre chiacchierate e di tanto cameratismo, prestando ascolto ai bei ricordi della serata serbati dagli ospiti, avrei tanto voluto poter imbottigliare quell’atmosfera e poi distribuirla tra coloro che avessero voluto ricevere un assaggio della Cour des Roses nel suo massimo splendore

.Ma non ci saranno solo momenti poco piacevoli, Emmy finalmente potrà esplorare quella attrazione condivisa con l'attraente commercialista Alain, che mi ha conquistato per la sua dolcezza e sincerità nei confronti di Emmy. Lui è il suo punto fermo, anche se non saranno tutte rose e fiori, purtroppo una rivelazione buttata lì solo per cattiveria farà non pochi feriti.
Una girandola di avvenimenti con un gran bel numero di amici e non, faranno da cornice a questo secondo volume.

E poi le sue labbra si avvicinarono alle mie, e lì, tra le pozze di luce del frutteto, con la sua bocca che faceva faville, il corpo che fremeva e il cuore gonfio di gioia, seppi con certezza che, qualsiasi cosa la vita mi avesse riservato, il mio futuro era lì davanti a me.

Come nel precedente anche questo secondo libro della serie dei ricordi parte lento, vi dirò sino al 30% ho fatto un po' fatica ma superato lo scoglio la storia ha preso un bel ritmo fino alla fine. Lo stile rimane lo stesso, pulito e fresco. L'autrice è stata molto brava a portarci in giro tra le pagine facendoci visitare le campagne francesi, ne gusteremo i cibi e loro tradizioni.
Insomma un viaggio in piena regola che non vi farà pentire di averlo intrapreso.
Alla prossima!

Virgy
LCDL

[Elizabeth Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

In January, I decided to chase away the winter blues by reading Helen Pollard’s “Little French Guesthouse.” Now on a sunny Spring break I have picked up Return to the Little French Guest House. It was a delight to join heroine Emmy as she began her new job as Rupert’s right hand woman. Filled with enthusiasm and great ideas she relished the task of putting the Guest House on the map, starting her own online business and developing her budding relationship with charming Anglo-French solicitor, Alain. But it is not all plain sailing. A critical review by a vindictive travel blogger instigates cancellations, a major booking for a large family was never recorded by Rupert’s wife, Gloria, and both she and Emmy’s ex-partner Nathan are still causing trouble.

However Emmy does manage to spend time with new friend Sophie visiting chateaux and nearby towns and she becomes closer to Rupert’s friends, especially Jonathan, who is beginning to feel his advancing age. It is a warm community, always willing to help each other out and most of the guests enjoy their holidays immensely. Once Alain returns from Paris, he and Emmy grow closer but will their previous relationships cause them grief?

There are some very humorous scenes occurring in the guest house and delightful repartee around Rupert’s dinner table. Combining these scenes with lovely descriptive passages and the romantic experiences of a likeable heroine, make this an entertaining follow-up not to be missed by those who read the first book.

[Meggy Chocolate'n'Waffles · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her second book, Helen Pollard invites us to spend a few days in a small French heaven for a well-deserved break. So I packed (heavily, as usual) and wrote a list of everything I am looking for in the perfect summer story, before diving head first into Return To The Little French Guesthouse. Now let’s see if our stay at La Cour Des Roses fits the criteria!
For a perfect summer holiday, you need:

#1 Lots of sun, a beautiful setting and the yummiest food

Who wants to get stuck in a dank basement with no view?
If you know me, you already know I am a creature of the cold. Yet, I enjoy summer days. In a limited number, with sunscreen and my favorite hat.

This book irradiates so much sunshine my vitamin D level is good for the next 12 months. The pages are filled with the warmth and scent of summer. Helen’s descriptions of the surroundings transport you once again to the gorgeous guesthouse. She captures the essence of the season and sparkles her story with it. I could picture the flowers, the shutters, the kitchen filled with people, the life going in and out of the house’s walls in that constant vibrant energy the holiday gives people and objects.

I wanted to lie down on one of those deck chairs and read all afternoon, I wanted to play with the gardener dog, I wanted to help prepare the dishes. I enjoyed rediscovering the house, with its flaws, its new arrangements, and feel Emmy’s touch to the whole place. I did no feel like a stranger loitering around, but like a friend welcomed to a place that looked like a real home.

#2 Outings

While I enjoy spending lazy days in a garden, most of us are expecting to discover the place where we choose to spend our vacation. Thankfully, the author knows France and the Loire region enough to treat you to a tour of the Château Chenonceau, the winding fields of vineyards, and the small roads of the countryside. As I said in my review of The Little French Guesthouse, I am always a little leery of foreigners choosing to set their story in my country, because clichés are never far and it is very hard to capture and understand the beauty of a place if you have never been there. But Helen Pollard knows France and her love for the country shines through. I had the feeling I was right there with Emmy, seeing with my own eyes the beauty of the places Helen chose to show us. Who said one needed to travel to see the world?

#3 Friends

Having a barbecue on your own is no fun.
What had made the first book so special to me was the array of lively characters who inhabited the pages. I was so happy to meet them again as if no time at all had passed. When I picked the book, I was wondering if everyone would be here again and if the story would have a part to play for each of them. Well, everyone was here, and everyone had a say in the events. I really appreciated the development the author gave to every character, especially Jonathan and Ellie. I find it quite uncommon to have such a large number of different characters written so well, each bringing something different to the story. It is always difficult to find the right balance so that no one looks or sounds like a cardboard character, but no one was left outside in the rain.

Emmy and Rupert’s relation is as strong as ever, and I was moved by the respect and love they share, through the good and bad times. Emmy finding her place among this little world made me so happy, probably because I too made the jump to live abroad and discovered a family away from home. I was keen to know what would become of her love life and relieved to be treated with a real relationship, filled with hot moments and hard talks, tenderness and doubts. Every season is the season of love at Rupert’s!

#4 A hundred small disasters and bad news

Who says holiday says disaster. That is the way the world works. There’s always something going wrong, whether it is a burnt dish, a loud row, or a lost suitcase. You can’t escape it. Emmy and Rupert definitely have their share of bad news coming their way in Return To The Little Guesthouse. Running such a house requires flexibility and a decent amount of diplomacy and patience when dealing with clients. And of course, personal issues are never far away. We had left Emmy choosing a life à la française, with the promise of a new love relationship, a new career path, and plenty of hope. Now her dream has come true. She is in France, she works with Rupert, Alain will be back soon. Everything is perfect until an incident reminds her that her French is far from sufficient, that you are never far from a disaster stay that can impact your reputation, and that the past’s horror can resurface! I had no idea what to expect from the story as I had thought the first book would be a standalone. I was a little afraid of the characters being let down by a weak plot. There’s always a fear of the sequel being a disappointment. But then I was reminded I was in good hands. The fact everything does not go as planned was a relief to me. I did not want to read the world is pink and everything is solved in the blink of an eye. Life is a giant roller coaster with its good and bad days, and big life-changing decisions come with a cost, nights of doubts and unplanned hardships. I witnessed Emmy grow, test her feelings, and test herself in a genuine and moving way.

#5 Laughs and the best time of your life

I had no problem finding my way back to La Cour Des Roses. The easy and descriptive writing makes it hard not to fall for the wonderful characters all over again.
Return To The Little French Guesthouse is a refreshing, warm and sunny read that deserves a place on your bookcase. This is a tale of friendship, love and laughs that enables you to taste life à la française directly from your bed, couch, or from the bus that drives you to work.

I would like to thank Bookouture for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review was originally posted on my blog https://chocolatenwafflesblog.wordpre...