When a strange reindeer – story in France is the catalyst

Synopsis

Things aren’t going well for travel writer Orla Bradbee.

With Christmas fast approaching, her boss is insisting Orla must travel to a rural village in France to interview a man who doesn’t speak. But with trouble at home – her teenage sister Erin is in a ‘situationship’ with a man online – Orla’s only plan is to take Erin with her.

Get the interview done, find out more about this online Romeo and still be back in time for Christmas dinner. Easy, right?

Saint-Chambéry is a picturesque French village nestled in the snow-capped mountains, but Jacques Barbier – gorgeous and brooding, yet a man of few words – makes it clear that Orla is wasting her time here.

Orla can’t deny that Jacques intrigues and infuriates her, but what is the mysterious Frenchman hiding exactly? And can she get close enough to uncover his secrets without risking her own heart?

Escape to the beautiful French Alps with Mandy Baggot for a romantic, heartwarming story to get you through the cold winter months!

My review

Orla Bradbee enjoys travelling the world for her stories. Of course her dream is to write for Time Magazine. But as  Christmas is approaching, she isn’t really happy to take of the France, for a weird story about a pregnant reindeer. And it’s not that she is taking off to a fancy place, rather she is going to the rural village of Saint-Chambéry, set in the mountains. Once there, Orla must try to write a captivating story about the reindeer, and for that she needs may need the help of Jacques Barbier. But Jacques isn’t that eager to talk to Orla, and isn’t absolutely willing to help Orla, in any way. But even if Orla and Jacques irk each other annoyingly, there is something simmering between them. Yet the more Orla and her sister are in Saint-Chambéry, the more Orla wants to discover what secrets Jacques is hiding. But Jacques doesn’t give up his secrets that easily, and he for sure wants to get to know the real Orla, and not just the Orla that everyone sees. Is Orla ready though to open her heart?

I am not the adventurous type of person. Don’t ask me, even for the sake of a wonderful story, to go to a remote place, as I will refuse even for all the money of the world!

But even if I like the comfort of my own home, I can truly enjoy stories about people going on adventures, chasing reindeer – stories in a rural yet quaint place like Saint-Chambéry.

Orla is the adventurous type, she isn’t afraid of going to the world’s end to write a great story and capture a touching picture. With every story, not only she hopes that it will be the story to truly launch her career, but she also hopes to give her readers something special.

But while she loves discovering stories and the world, she is also a family person. She worries about the members of her family, and tries to be a great daughter and big sister. Even if there is a big age difference between her and her little sister Erin, and also some kind of generation issue, she does her utterly best to be there for Erin. And that is how Orla finds herself with Erin going to Saint-Chambéry.

I have to say, I was very quickly enthralled by Saint-Chambéry and its inhabitants! It for sure has that something special about it, and it warmed my heart to see how a whole community join forces over everything, from the beanbag contest to a real search party…

Obviously in such a wonderful place like Saint-Chambéry, there must be a grumpy inhabitant too. And this time, it comes in the form of Jacques.

Jacques is living not only on his own, and he wants to keep his peace, but in a way he is also haunted by what he has been through, what he has done and has seen. His past job for sure scarred him and made him seek refuge in a quiet and peaceful place, where no one knows about him or his past.

But we also quickly see a gentle side of him. Even if he tries to keep Orla away, he just cannot just walk away from her. And we also see his care and his gentle nature and kindness in his actions towards animals. Isn’t it that we see one’s real character in the way he acts towards animals?

Seeing Orla and Jacques growing closer, was just great. Their worlds couldn’t be further apart yet there is just something. And that something is that they are more alike than they might think. It’s what they are hiding from everyone that they share with each other.

And it takes great courage and trust to open to someone. It’s not easy, to let someone see the most hidden secrets and fears you have. But we also see how opening up can lift a burden, how it can put some light back in your eyes.

I truly enjoyed reading this book, that despite the obvious cold it is set in, emanates so much warmth. Because not only this is a great story about two people finding each other in the most peculiar and particular of stories, but it’s also a story about family, community, friendship and just love in general and in all its aspects.

Mandy Baggot managed to write so many emotions in just one story, keeping me captivated, hung on to every word of this book! And I finished it while a warm feeling inside, like I was truly enveloped in warmth!