The Golden Gals’ French Adventure – Judy Leigh.

In this age of uncertainty, I take great solace in having been gifted the opportunity to review Judy Leigh’s latest novel, The Golden Gals French Adventure. I love her down to earth heroines and the way that they steer so far from the usual stereotypes.

I do like a bit of fun in my reading and found myself chuckling from the very first page, at the thought of a ‘Viking’s Testicle’ cocktail. I also laughed at some of the ‘lost in translation’ English in Brittany, such as ‘will you caper with me’ and ‘what are you dubbed’ and Macey and Shirl were certainly able to dampen former mayor Bernard’s ardour in the most unique fashion! The funniest moment of all though, involved Maurice, Fliss, a towel and a big misunderstanding!

In the UK neither Fliss nor Shirl seemed to be living their best lives, and I opined that they needed some kind of change in their lives and they needed it quickly! I did find it sad though, however flippantly (or not) that the comment might have been intended, when Fliss announced that her Mother had hated her from birth onwards! I really laughed out loud though at Fliss’s spoonerism of Shirl’s baby Grandaughter’s name, making (I wasn’t sure whether she was being deliberate or not!) Racy Moo, from Macey Roux! I suspect deliberate mischief on Fliss’s part; it almost had to be done, it was such a terrible name! The trouble is, that once it had been said, it couldn’t be unsaid , and so thereafter, in my head, the baby was unfortunately named ‘Racy Moo’! It was strange but it was as though Shirl and Fliss’s relationship was evocative of that between Macey and her Grandmother, Shirl, with Shirl having to stand firm and put up with no nonsense from either party. Of one thing, there was no doubt. Fliss’s initial idea of being ‘normal’ around a baby, was about as far removed from normal as could realistically be possible, but Racy Moo did seem to grow on her over time!

I coveted the strength of the affinity between Fliss and Shirl – it gave the impression of being the kind of relationship that had been simmering along nicely for many years, rather than its actual 18 months. I do however confess to being rather devastated at Fliss’s ‘She wasn’t sure what joy was’. How utterly terrible! I was equally floored by Shirl’s admission that she hadn’t ‘had food cooked by someone else in a long, long time.’ Two women that couldn’t be any further apart in terms of what they may or may not have, yet united in needing some kind of change in their lives – a chance to get away from it all – a need for some kind of synergistic relationship or collaboration.’

Fliss perhaps doesn’t really realise how inherently unhappy she is with life – but can a chance, ‘what Fliss sees as an invitation’ from an old flame change her outlook on life; restore some of her joie de vivre? For all of Fliss’s faults, she is an inherently kind and generous lady, eager to make long lasting friendships. Shirl isn’t unhappy as such, but she is most certainly taken advantage of by her Daughter Gemma, in the most enormous way. The situation seems to be getting out of control, with Shirl constantly letting Gemma get her own way, when it comes to shirking the responsibility for her own Daughter. Shirl was the kind of person who always put herself last when it came to her Children and his history was repeating itself with her Granddaughter. Gemma had her own problem – one could argue not due to a physical lie as such, but more to a major omission of information. She had dug herself into a metaphorical hole, that was getting progressively bigger by the day!

Fliss and Shirl’s trip to France with Macey, seemed to inject life into our two heroines, with Shirl relishing picking up the French language and Fliss somehow learning to let go, for example when she went into the sea, and seemed to feel truly alive for the first time in a while! Fliss seems to clash horribly with Théo – but could it be that they are just do much alike, and are ultimately destined to become close?

• Will Gemma start to take responsibility for her Daughter?
• Will either of our heroines find the change in their lives that they need? Will they be bitten by the Brittany bug?
• Could either of our strong (in different ways) leading ladies end up staying in France.

It’s up to you to read this rip roaringly funny, whilst simultaneously oozing with poignancy, novel to find out for yourself. Can these Women find what they are missing in their lives whilst in France, or will it be back to normal when (and if) they go back to the UK.

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