Elodie: Behind the illusion of her perfect life hides the truth Paperback – 18 Feb. 2021

Elodie Marchand is the vigneron, owner of a winery in the Sancerre region of France. She is the latest in her family line to own the vineyard and has taken it from debt to success. She is always in control and has no shortage of casual partners for sex, basing herself in a local spa. The cover of the book entices you, the reader, into her world of the Blue Room. Kaye Sykes is a holidaying Brit, escaping from the aftermath of a terrible marriage and the acrimonious divorce that follows it. Nichols is one of those writers with the gift of writing angsty romances, which will give you all the feels. Elodie is no different and beautifully written. I loved that in Elodie, Nichols provides us with a view of how sex with anonymous women could happen amongst the wealthy in France and shows how that can become a part of what makes a character; and whether it is enough.The descriptions of France and living on a narrowboat will transport you there, and if you add in the vineyards, you’ll have a treat. I could smell the river, the countryside, and the vines in that heat.The story flows along on wine, vineyards, and the French countryside. On attraction, sex, and romance. On different internal emotions and different dreams.Perfect.

Escape to the vineyards of France for a little romance – 4 StarsWith its sensual opening chapter, I was wondering if author, Emma Nichols, was about to venture in to erotic fiction (and, on the strength of this chapter alone, I hope she does), but after this heady start what follows is a classic and rather beautiful romance.Having divorced her abusive wife and secured a very nice financial settlement, Kaye decides to embark on a period of world travel. Beginning in Paris, she soon opts to forgo the city’s bustling streets and hotels for the quietude of life on a narrowboat. When she encounters local vigneron, Elodie Marchand, neither woman is able to resist their mutual attraction and it’s not long before Kaye is sharing Elodie’s bed.This is a wonderfully escapist story where wealth and privilege can be found at every turn. The characters are instantly likeable, the setting is idyllic, and the story is enchanting. It’s a gentle story that unfolds slowly as both Elodie and Kaye learn to put past hurts behind them and embrace the possibility of a future together.A lovely romance in a great setting, but it also includes several rather pointed references to universal truth and whilst I’m not adverse to philosophical threads, these often felt as though they were an addition to rather than an integral part of the story. Other than that, I enjoyed ‘Elodie’ immensely and was disappointed when it ended so soon - I very much wanted to be transported back to the villages of rural France.Overall: A wonderfully escapist romance with evocative descriptions of rural France.

Emma is a fantastic author and evokes the beauty and sights and smells of rural France for a beautifully atmospheric book, where the environment almost feels like a character in its own right.The romance between Elodie and Kaye is well paced and simmering with passion. It's all there, love, loss, fear and longing in one beautifully written package. Recommended.

This was an easy read of a book. If you enjoy angst and people fighting against what they want to do for old reasons then you will like this. I seem to enjoy books set in wineries for some reason. A feel good story in the characters end.

Yet another fabulous tale of human emotions, relationships, .... life. Elodie & Kaye are strong lead characters, and their stories draw you in. Both are flawed, not quite opposites, which as the story unravels, makes them perfect for each other. You`ll find yourself questioning Elodie`s actions & decisions at times, & possibly even getting frustrated with her, maybe with them both. The "support characters" are also interesting, as are the descriptions of every setting where things are happening. You feel as though you`re right there, seeing it all unfold in front of you.Emma is such an amazing author, who has, in my experience, yet to write a bad book.

An interesting story with great characters and a superb sense of setting. Very well written and evocative. An excellent plot and a convincing story line make for a great read. Recommended.

This book struck a deep chord in me, I loved the story line but the phycology within was so true and really brought home to me, in the most positive way, what love is all about. I shut myself off after a great loss in my life and thanks to this beautifully written book I am starting to re think my life even though I’m now in my seventies I feel I still have the time to re assess.Thank you Emma

A wonderful atmospheric love story set in the beautiful vineyards of France, where you could almost see and smell the grapes. Captivating descriptive story-telling at its best, I can still see Kaye in her yellow dress riding that bike. Sensual love scenes so well written by Emma Nichols. An enchanting love story that will be re-read over again.