A Tamsterdam Reads Book Review: Summer in Provence by Lucy Coleman

Summer in Provence by Lucy Coleman

I'm going to change up this book review and steer away from the norm. Why? According to book review standards, I'm supposed to provide my own synopsis, but since I want to share my thoughts on this book with you, I know that most people will take the time to read a book's synopsis outside of my own version. Plus, I'll include the synopsis at the end of my reviews going forward.

Summer in Provence by Lucy Coleman took me to a place that I have always wanted to visit. To be able to wander around the blue gold fields, inhale their intoxicating scent and visually see its purple beauty for myself, is high up on my bucket list. However, I was not enchanted by this novel as most reviewers have claimed. I really wanted to like this story, but there was too much focus on Nico’s moods and temperament and I didn’t feel like the relationship between him and Fern was truly explored. To me it just seems that their relationship just happened and that the story was concerned with validating what a kind and thoughtful person Fern was. As a result, I wasn’t drawn into the story like I normally am with most books that I read. It was almost a DNF but I wanted to stick it out to see if it got better. It didn’t. So although I’m glad I gave it a chance, it took me a lot longer to read and I ended up wanting to get it over and done with so I can move on to my next book.

On another note, I'm IN LOVE with this book cover!

What books have made you want to travel to where the story's setting takes place?

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Book Synopsis from GoodReads

Is a change as good as a rest?

When married couple Fern and Aiden have a windfall, their reactions could not be more different. While Fern is content to pay off their mortgage and build a nest egg before starting a family, her husband is set on traveling the world.

Fern’s not much of a back-packer so, before she knows it, the idea of a ‘marriage gap year’ takes shape. And, as Aiden heads off to the wilds of Australia, Fern chooses the more restful Provence for her year out.

Set amidst the glorious French scenery, Château de Vernon offers a retreat from the hustle and bustle of normal life, and Fern agrees to help out in return for painting lessons from the owner – renowned, but rather troubled, painter Nico.

As their year unfolds in very different ways, will the time apart transform their marriage, or will it drive Fern and Aiden even further apart…