4 Stars

One Liner: Touching!

Laura Gilchrist makes sensible choices and follows the rules. She doesn’t have time for fun and is wary of love after having to grow up fast. However, the laidback and irresistible Noah Dufour, the real estate agent who handles their inherited property makes her a little more impulsive. 

Laura decides a weekend romance fling would get it out of her system. Back home, she tries to return to her routine only to find out that the fling led to an unexpected pregnancy. Now, Laura goes back to South France to see if there’s more to their connection and whether it can survive the new developments. 

The story comes in Laura (more %) and Noah’s third-person POVs. 

This is the second book in the series. Though it works as a standalone, reading the first book might help. 

It is divided into three parts. The first part and a solid portion of the second occur parallel with the first book. They share the same timeline but here the focus is on the other sister. There might be a bit of repetition but since we see it from Laura’s POV, it works (and fills the gaps for those who didn’t read book #1). 

I love, love the description of the setting. South France sounds so beautiful with its old-world charm and nature's bounty. The scene at lavender fields is my favorite; the descriptions were so vivid that I could feel myself breathing in the scent of lavender. While we also get details of food which I liked, the location takes the spotlight. 

Laura’s arc in the first book, especially at the beginning doesn’t do her much favor. We see her soft side later but this one reveals her layers wonderfully. Seeing her love for her little sister is like a warm hug. Her vulnerability is well presented, making it easy to empathize with her. 

Noah is easy enough to like though he does make you want to whack sense into his head at times. However, he is a good guy and he steps up when necessary. He has a sad backstory which shows he is not an idiot; just someone afraid. 

While the romance is a bit insta, there’s no pretense about it. Moreover, enough emotions are woven into the scenes to slightly slow the pace. I appreciate this decision. 

I’m a bit surprised that there’s no real progress on the overarching plot. I thought there would be some development. Maybe it’ll have more focus in book three. Also, we know almost nothing about the other sister, Fiona, so her book will be interesting. 

To summarize, From Provence, With Love is a heartwarming story set in a beautiful location. While it is primarily a romance, the parts that appealed the most to me were family bonds and personal growth. 

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley