Villa on the Riviera

By: Elizabeth Edmondson

Narrated by: Nicolette McKenzie

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

A Good Storyline

This book has a good storyline that is easy to follow. It is well read.

Lively and entertaining

A fun light listen with engaging characters and a series of revelations. Lots of coincidences but just roll with them and enjoy the froth. NOT pornography, no explicit sex, despite a couple of reviews here - I expect it’s because there are some LGBTQ characters and people are referred to as having sex as, you know, people do. Full of humanity and charm.

Intriguing story!

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but not the last! I enjoyed the cast of characters. The storyline moves at a good pace without dragging, which is important for a book of this length. It has enough intrigue to keep you interested without being intensely stressful. I would have liked for the depth of feeling or attachment between character to have been stronger, as you feel it rather superficially. But all in all, an enjoyable read!

The only hitch is the narrator. Her voice is too mature for the central character, and her voicing of the teenager is shrill and annoying. Her pronunciations are often odd or even comical. Most of all, though, everyone has the same accent! Even the Scottish man, who speaks proudly of being a Scot - in a posh London accent.

Enjoyable

I enjoyed this light fiction. The minor themes of normalized female sexuality, the repression of homosexuality, and family identity were interesting. I had a difficult time keeping all the characters straight, and the shifts in perspective in the narrative. But I followed it well enough to enjoy both the story and the narration.

Mentally Engaging

Loved it! Kept my attention. Made me think. Flowing storyline. Interesting characters. Definitely will listen to this one again.