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Villa on the Riviera

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Villa on the Riviera

By: Elizabeth Edmondson
Narrated by: Nicolette McKenzie
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Summary

Absorbing and escapist, The Villa on the Riviera is perfect summer listening for fans of Rachel Hore and Santa Montefiore.

Polly Smith is struggling to make a living as an artist when her friend and patron, Oliver, invites her to the south of France. But her world is unexpectedly turned upside down when she digs out her birth certificate to apply for a passport. Her parents are not who she believed them to be - even her name is different.

Fleeing to the Riviera, Polly finds that the serenity and sunshine brings her art to life as never before. But all is not well in the grand house. Oliver's father was forced to leave England in a cloud of scandal and his past is about to catch up with him. And Polly's own future begins to take on a new and fascinating shape....

The perfect listen for fans of The Villa and Summer's Child, this is a beguiling and evocative tale that will transport you away to the Riviera itself.

©2015 Elzabeth Edmondson (P)2015 Audible, Ltd Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Urban Women's Fiction Feel-Good Funny
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The story is ridiculous, and yet I was still committed to the end. I think this was because I had pretty much guessed the way the various threads would lead to the denouement and I wanted to see if I was right (I was, you will be too, once you are 25% in) - but also, I was keen to see how many ludicrous coincidences could be shoe-horned into one 14 hour long listen.

The start is deadly slow, the end is a mad rush of hugely improbable events, all piled up in a heap in the last 5% of the book. And yet, I kept going. It was weirdly addictive; though in the last 1/3rd, as each new coincidence was unveiled, I actually had to laugh out loud - too silly. I also completely failed to see why the main character didn't just tell everyone who needed to know about her real identity once she herself found out - not a spoiler as this is very early on.

I admire the narrator's resilience. She did her best with some grim lines and deadly characters, chiefly the main one, and the Enid Blyton style school girl she conjured was light relief.

Absurd! But I still Carried on

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Really enjoyed this book, good characterisation. Well read. Takes you to the time and place.

Good book.

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Slow starting but once she arrives in France it takes off as who she is unravells.

Polly Smith's isn't who she thought she was...

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Likable characters (except the ones who are obviously meant to be baddies).
Take a long time to reach some pretty obvious conclusions (ie: the fiance is a toad and should be dumped) but still an enjoyable listen. Nice ending.

A thoroughly good (if not too demanding) listen

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Sorry. Too many people, not enough plot. I began to wonder if we would ever get to the blinkin villa !
It was only curiosity that kept me going to the end and I’m not sure that it was worth the time and effort. Not often I feel relief at the end of a book.

Too long, too much un-necessary detail.

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