It probably can’t be said enough but I am a sucker for countryside-themed stuff (I actually enjoyed Escape to the Country and was disappointed when it was taken off Netflix). So when I saw the subtitle “In Pursuit of the Rural Dream”, I thought this would be the perfect read as I’m cooped up at home.

My Good Life in France is the story of how Janine went to France for a day trip and came back to England determined to buy a house. After shuttling back and forth between England and rural France, Janine and her husband Mark decide to make the move to live in France full time and dedicate their time to restoring the run-down house that they bought.

As expected, I enjoyed reading this! It’s a light read about the various adventures that Janine and Mark have in France, from being nicknamed Madame Merde to having to try escargot cake to how she adopted all her animals. Janine has a very readable style and reading this felt as though I was catching up with a friend’s about what had been going on in their life.

One thing I appreciated is that Janine is honest about the fact that while she loves her neighbours and her life in France, she is still a “Townie” at heart. It’s a feeling that I can relate to – no matter how much you love a country and its people, there’s only so far you can assimilate because you did not grow up there. Of course, when you move home you get the same feeling in reverse but that is the topic for another book.

Overall, this was a fun memoir and it helped me satisfy the need to go somewhere else while staying home the whole day. I don’t think you need to be a Francophile to enjoy this – if you like memoirs on moving and cultural clashes, I think you would enjoy this!

Featured Image: Photo from Canva