The Witchy Storyteller: From Provence, With Love by Alison Roberts - Book Review

Series: A Year in France #2

Publication Date: 25th Feb 2025

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/ProvenceWithLove

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219294344-from-provence-with-love

Genre: Contemporary Romance

4 Stars

One Liner: Touching!

Book Blurb:

A life-changing encounter, a whirlwind affair... an unexpected consequence

Laura Gilchrist has always made sensible choices. But a trip to Provence to sell an inherited stone house leads her face to face with Noah Dufour. Her wild, irresistibly attractive real estate agent. And within an instant, she’s bewitched. Without a second thought, she decides she’s going to accept his offer to ride on the back of his motorbike and see the beauty of the South of France through his eyes. She’s never acted on impulse before, but Noah makes her feel spontaneous and free – and a little bit excited.

Weeks later, with the memories of their passionate fling refusing to fade, Laura waits for her life to return to normal. But she can’t shake the feeling something has changed. And then her instincts are confirmed by the sight of two blue lines. Their connection was a whirlwind; perfect yet brief. But Noah has become a chink in her buttoned-up armor and she knows her news is going to blindside him. Now she must return to Provence to find out whether they can both take a leap of faith based on one brief yet perfect holiday romance…

***

My Thoughts:

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

***