In the depths of winter – it’s cold and wet here – what better read than a feel-good novel set in the warmer climes of Burgundy, France. Even better when the book was free. Amazon does have many free books to discover so daily newsletters from the likes of BookBub, Book Raider, and The Fussy Librarian can help narrow down the search.
Laura Bradbury is a new author for me, and she writes in the mould of Peter Mayle. Not Provence this time but instead the beautiful vineyards of Burgundy. She has an easy style and the travails in renovating a “bargain” are woven into the back story of the family move from England to France. She has an eclectic bunch of neighbours and workmen (work not always the operative word) who amuse, delight and terrify in equal measures. She takes the reader on a romantic adventure into the heart, soul, and people of la belle France. Filled with sunny skies, delicious food, love, and laughter.
The essence of the story: Laura has emerged from her final law exams at Oxford and intends to follow the well-trodden path of establishing a prestigious legal career in London. Her husband hails from a small village in Burgundy and they fall in love with a nearby cottage. Alas, the sale falls through after a disastrous decision to employ a rogue Notaire who sees a quick buck with rich clients! Eventually, they buy an eighteenth-century ruin near her husband’s village in Burgundy.
After a long and tortuous renovation, the story has a happy ending as Laura rekindles her love for Frank. Heart-warming, funny and a warning to others who dream of escaping to France.
Laura Bradbury Books in Order
My Grape Escape (2014) | Burgundy (France)
“A twenty-six year old newlywed on the path to a prestigious legal career in London buys a decrepit, revolutionary-era ruin…
My Grape Village (2014-10-16) | Burgundy (France)
Five years after “My Grape Escape,” Laura and Franck are back in Burgundy to tackle their newest project, a derelict…
My Grape Year (2015-10-01) | Uncategorized
My Grape Year takes fans of Laura Bradbury’s ‘Grape’ series back to where it all began. In a last-minute twist…
My Grape Wedding (2016-07-21) | Uncategorized
My Grape Wedding takes fans of Laura Bradbury’s ‘Grape’ series back to the enchanting world of Burgundy five years after…
My Grape Paris (2018-04-25) | Uncategorized
My Grape Paris takes fans of Laura Bradbury’s Grape Series to the captivating world of Paris, where Laura has managed…
A Vineyard for Two (2019-05-13) | Uncategorized
Up-and-coming winemaker Cerise Desloires believes in soul mates. Trouble is, she’s sure she’s already found-and lost-hers. Now the young widow…
My Grape Cellar (2019-12-17) | Biography & Autobiography
“Laura Bradbury’s writing will make you hungry for life.” – Amazon reviewer My Grape Cellar takes fans of Laura Bradbury’s…
Love in the Vineyards (2020-10) | Uncategorized
What could go wrong when New Yorker Sadie spends Christmas in France with her best friend Luc on his incredible…
Not in a Fairy Tale (2020-11-10) | Uncategorized
“She loved better, with no sugar in her coffee” Not in a Fairy Tale is a poetry collection describing the…
Oxford Wild (2021-12-06) | Fiction
Cedar Wild came to Oxford University to learn, but it turns out it’s her aristocratic young advisor who needs the…
Unlikely Match (2022-05-31) | Man-woman relationships
A enemies-to-lovers romance where workplace rivals become inextricably intertwined when Tom, a techbro C.E.O. with a troubled past, learns that…
Bisous and Brioche (2025-05-06) | Cooking
Nominated for a 2021 Taste Canada Award and now available in paperback, Bisous & Brioche will transport you to a…