absolute bilge what a c*w - Rated 
what a selfcentred selfish woman she is,god knows how her poor family put up with her.what possesed a publisher to pander to her?Don't waste your money on this drival
Not the run-of-the-mill ex-pat struggle for survival among the natives - Rated 
I enjoyed this book although I was somewhat disconcerted at the beginning by the chapters dedicated to the author's mother and their close relationship. Then the whole picture started to emerge. Mature, intelligent and 50, Mary Moody was obviously a bit over-accompanied at all times - a situation very few of us complain about, it's the loneliness that gets all the airing. She wondered what it would be like to lose all the constant lifelong loving support first from her own mother then from husband, children and grandchildren. Very intelligently in my opinion, she took just six months away from close ties, and moved first to the semi-shelter of a friend. It says much to her credit that she immediately made many more friends and was accompanied on her quest to discover more about herself. Covering her bets in this way, her solo journey was a success, and most of us who have become ex-pats have also been accompanied in our adventures. Her story is different, well written and revealing, but definitely not a 'What happens when you abandon everything for a shack in the back-of-beyond in a country whose language you don't speak'. A success story in its way, I recommend reading Amazon's synopsis carefully so as not to be disappointed - I did and I wasn't.
Please don't' get the impression that this is life in rural France: - Rated
Please don't' get the impression that this is life in rural France: this is not! French village inhabitants close their doors around 9 and sit in front of the TV; the only French people that party, wine and eat al fresco are Parisians who spend their holydays in their country house, and they also, congregate amongst their own kind. And no one drops uninvited for dinner: food is taken seriously, prepared with great passion for discerning guests.... and reciprocated. The few remaining authentic farmers have no time for it: when they prepare a large meal it is for their family and on very few occasions.
Binge drinking is not a French thing
The life of this woman is boring, empty and worst of all the description of her daughter giving birth is really uncalled for.
I know a lot of women over 50 and they are usually fascinating, this one is the exception. You can safely give this book a miss
dont bother. - Rated
this book is a conceit, self indulgent,self important and unnecessary. Likewise her other similarly grandiose titled Last Tango in Toulouse, torn between two lovers. please...
boring tales of boorish behaviour. dont waste your life [reader. writer and publisher]
Smg and self satisfied "freeloader" - Rated
The impression one has (fair or not) of Australians is that they are freeloaders. I lost count of the number of free meals, free beds for the night, free use of goods etc etc that this author managed during her sojourn in France. She went with high hopes of learning the language and integrating into the french rural life - instead she latched on to the safe option of the ex-pats in the area. I finished the book but was left with a feeling of extreme irritation at the smugness of the author - her children are perfect, her marriage is perfect... the list goes on! Certainly not a book I will be keeping.
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