The French House

"For grieving Nicole Clicquot, saving the vineyards her husband left behind is her one chance to keep a roof over her head and provide a future for her little girl. She ignores the gossips who insist the fields are no place for a woman: but one day, buying fresh croissants at the boulangerie, Nicole is shocked to hear a rumor about her husband. They say he died with a terrible secret. One that brings disgrace on Nicole and turns the whole town against her. Heartbroken, her reputation in tatters, and full of questions no one can answer, Nicole turns to her husband's oldest friend, travelling merchant Louis. His warm smile and kind advice seem to melt her troubles away. And as they taste her first golden wine of the season and look out over the endless rolling hills, Nicole starts to believe she can turn her fortunes around and be welcomed back into the local community. But when Louis avoids her after a long trip abroad, Nicole sees he has secrets of his own... and just as she doubts if he's on her side, she realizes how her feelings for him had grown. Desperately torn between her head and her heart, Nicole works day and night on a plan for her future: but to save her home and her little daughter from ruin, she must risk everything..."--

"On a tiny French island, a couple of American dreamers redefine their lives by restoring a ruin...The French House moves to a soulful, very funny rhythm all its own."-Meryl Streep Don and Mindy Wallace have always been Francophiles, so when they had the opportunity to buy a home on a small French island off the coast of Brittany, they jumped-sight unseen-into a crumbling mess that challenged their finances and their family. But when the Wallaces arrived on the island they found a building in ruin, and it wasn't long before their lives resembled it. Plagued by emergency repairs, a stock market crash, and very exasperated French neighbors, Don and Mindy could have accepted their fate. Instead, they embraced it. Redolent with the beauty and flavors of French country life, The French House is a lively, inspiring, and irresistibly charming memoir. Fans of Under the Tuscan Sun (Frances Mayes), Paris in Love (Eloisa James), and A Year in Provence (Peter Mayle) will be enchanted by this account of a family that rises from the rubble, wins the hearts of a historic village, and finally finds the home they've been seeking off the wild coast of France. What readers are saying about The French House "The French House is engaging and well-written and will make even non-Francophiles yearn for a trip to France." "With hauntingly beautiful descriptions of a tiny French island and its inhabitants, this book will take you to a different place, and might even inspire you to reconsider your life and finally follow your dreams where you and your family can become whole." "...charming and witty -- full of hope and despair about this crumbling structure they chose to inhabit and make a home." "I was captivated from the outset and felt like I was on their island living it all with them. A great read!" What reviewers are saying about The French House "Don Wallace has crafted a delicious French bonbon of a book...full of humor, hope, and lessons on how to live a life full of meaning."-Dani Shapiro, bestselling author of Devotion and Still Writing "Village life vignettes, the sensual celebration of island pleasures, eccentric neighbors, cuisine, beach life, natural history-readers will find a smattering of all that in these pages, but it's the story below, like the unshakeable foundations of the house itself, that makes this such a satisfying read."-Rain Taxi Review "The French House is a darling book that mixes local history, memoir, quirky characters, architectural challenges (what will the village elders do if they add windows to the second floor?) and humor...It was a lovely adventure and perfect for a summer read."-Under a Gray Sky "The French House is a detailed, delightful memoir of their journey to restore a dilapidated abode into a beckoning sanctuary in an idyllic coast French countryside.. I have thoroughly been devouring it, and I think you will too."-The Simply Luxurious Life "Author Don Wallace shares the heartwarming story about his family's 30-year journey to restore a ruined cottage on the tiny French island of Belle Ile off the coast of Brittany... readers are privy to the charming true story of a family's journey to create the perfect home away from home."--E! News

The sequel to The Case of the Missing Boyfriend finds C.C. making a drastic life change—but is it the right choice? C.C. is trapped by a job she no longer loves in an unfriendly city. So when her new boyfriend decides it's time to sell up and move to the South of France, she decides in seconds to change her life. After all, who wouldn't pick an azure sea, aperitifs, and sunshine over a dreary commute and a rainy climate? She hadn't expected a tumbledown farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, or a motley assortment of surly builders, eccentric farmers, and a resentful, terrifying neighbor—who also happens to be her boyfriend's aunt. Suddenly, C.C.'s dream of a place in the sun is looking more like a nightmare. Does she have the courage to stick it out and make a home of her French house?

Freedom worth fighting for. Love worth waiting for. 'The French House is a beautifully wrought exploration of love of all kinds. It's utterly gorgeous, convincingly written and completely captivating. Make sure you read it' MY WEEKLY 'A raw and honest love story, filled with a wealth of historical detail. The French House is a powerful depiction of the brutal intricacies of island relationships and loyalties in a time of war' FIONA VALPY 'Deeply involving . . . A fantastic debut by a gifted storyteller' JILL MANSELL 'A story of fraught secrets and tested loyalties . . . I found this beautifully told tale hard to put down' ANITA FRANK 'Heart-wrenching . . . A truly special novel' LOUISE FEIN 'Accomplished and atmospheric . . . I really enjoyed this uncliched yet deeply moving love story' TRACY REES 'A vividly written, refreshingly different World War Two love story, with a central character I adored. Just brilliant!' GILL PAUL 'Such an emotionally gripping novel portraying how love can be betrayed yet still endure' SUZANNE GOLDRING 'I have been swept away by Jacquie Bloese's gorgeous writing, completely transported into the rich, atmospheric, and incredibly moving pages of The French House. . . this is an absolutely stunning, beautifully original novel' JENNY ASHCROFT *** In Nazi-occupied Guernsey, the wrong decision can destroy a life... Left profoundly deaf after an accident, Émile is no stranger to isolation - or heartbreak. Now, as Nazi planes loom over Guernsey, he senses life is about to change forever. Trapped in a tense, fearful marriage, Isabelle doesn't know what has become of Émile and the future she hoped for. But when she glimpses him from the window of the French House, their lives collide once more. Leutnant Schreiber is more comfortable wielding a paintbrush than a pistol. But he has little choice in the role he is forced to play in the occupying forces - or in his own forbidden desires. As their paths entwine, loyalties are blurred and dangerous secrets forged. But on an island under occupation, courage can have deadly consequences... Lyrical, moving and compelling, this is a novel about wanting to hear and learning to listen - to the truths of our own hearts. Perfect for lovers of The Nightingale, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and All the Light We Cannot See. 'A wonderful story, powerfully written with beautiful characters' JAMES KENT, director of Testament of Youth 'A brilliantly moving historical novel' - 2020 Caledonian Novel Award panel

The ultimate interior design book for anyone who has ever dreamed of living in a French house

One grey dismal day, Janine Marsh was on a trip to northern France to pick up some cheap wine. She returned to England a few hours later having put in an offer on a rundown old barn in the rural Seven Valleys area of Pas de Calais. This was not something she'd expected or planned for. Janine eventually gave up her job in London to move with her husband to live the good life in France. Or so she hoped. While getting to grips with the locals and la vie Française, and renovating her dilapidated new house, a building lacking the comforts of mains drainage, heating or proper rooms, and with little money and less of a clue, she started to realize there was lot more to her new home than she could ever have imagined. These are the true tales of Janine's rollercoaster ride through a different culture - one that, to a Brit from the city, was in turns surprising, charming and not the least bit baffling.

Entertaining at home in gracious French style. Born from her experience of everyday living in France, Sharon Santoni reveals the gracious, easy French way of entertaining guests at her countryside home, year-round. Personal stories evoke the spirit of the French lifestyle, while gorgeous photos make us feel right at home. Santoni creates lush bouquets from her garden and utilizes resources from surrounding nature to lay gorgeous tables both indoors and outdoors. Venues range from a Sunday morning breakfast on the patio, to a ladies lunch in her lush garden, a formal dinner in her dining room, and a picnic by the river. Santoni also shares 15 favorite recipes utilizing seasonal foods. Find inspiration for your tables throughout the seasons, and discover the simple pleasure of entertaining friends and family. Sharon Santoni writes the popular blog My French Country Home. She is the author of My Stylish French Girlfriends (Gibbs Smith). She resides in Normandy, France.

If you own a house in France or if you are thinking of buying one, an understanding of the French domestic electrical rules and regulations is invaluable. Whether you wish to reassure yourself that the electrical system has been installed correctly, extend an existing system, or if you are considering a total renovation project, this practical guide explains in English the methods and materials used in a typical French domestic electrical installation. Also included are details about domestic communications regulations covering TV, telephone and internet systems. Throughout this indispensable guide, technical terms are included in the text in both English and French. In addition, the technical glossaries will help you to become familiar with these terms and will enable you to identify and purchase the materials required.