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Karen Clarke

Nina Bailey loves Christmas. Except this year she doesn’t. Because it turns out that her husband-to-be has been cheating on her – and her beautiful wedding ceremony in the snow is cancelled. 

She’s not really in the mood to be jolly, sing carols, or go anywhere near gingerbread men – in fact, what Nina wants is to avoid the whole thing. So she’s come to stay at her Aunt Dolly’s cosy café in the south of France to nurse her broken heart.

Nina is determined to get through Christmas with no tinsel, no fuss – and definitely no flirting. So when she arrives and meets infuriatingly handsome Ryan Sadler, with his gorgeous forest-green eyes, she is not best pleased. 

And when Nina overhears him making fun of her, she is furious. (There might have been an incident with a koala onesie and a spilled bottle of milk, but that really wasn’t her fault!) So despite the spark between them, and the fact that he can whip up a fabulous dinner faster than she can say Michelin star, romance and Christmas are off the menu this year.

This heart-warming romantic comedy will have you reaching for eggnog, roasted chestnuts and gingerbread cookies! The perfect festive book to read curled up in front of the fire, for fans of Sue Moorcroft, Holly Martin and Debbie Johnson. 

Readers are falling in love with "I’ll Be Home for Christmas!"

‘From the heartbreak to the emotional moments, to the touching and hilarious ones. This book had everything for me and I would quite happily read it again in an instant.’ The Writing Garnet 

‘Melted my heart!... Had me cracking up laughing hysterically!... A brilliant storyline!!’ Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews

‘The pages flew... Charming characters, beautiful landscape, snow and hot chocolate, pastry and love, humour and romance. What more could I ever want in a Christmas book?!!’ Goodreads Reviewer 

Previous series has sold over 150,000 copies to date. Amazon UK top 100 author. Escape to the Little French Cafe and Summer at the Little French Cafe are also available

For fans of Debbie Johnson, Zara Stoneley and Debbie Macomber

After giving up her job as a library assistant, Karen now writes full-time. She’s had over 300 stories published in women’s magazines in the UK and abroad, and has written three paranormal romantic comedies, published by Little, Brown/Corsair. When she’s not writing she reads avidly, walks dogs at her local rescue centre, and is eagerly awaiting the next season of The Walking Dead. She lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband and three grown-up children.

Lucy Bromilow

SAGA Egmont

Little French Café Series

I'll Be Home for Christmas

On the beautiful French coast lies the Café Belle Vie, a peaceful haven offering a warm welcome and delicious pains au chocolat – and where Natalie’s quiet life is about to be turned upside down...

When thirty-one-year-old Natalie Bright’s boyfriend dumps her and immediately gets engaged to his ex-girlfriend, she escapes her heartbreak and moves to the charming village of Chamillon on the Île de Ré. 

She’s determined to build a new life there: writing about farmer’s markets for a local magazine, exploring the local vineyards on her bike, and taking advantage of the sunshine. And in the Café Belle Vie she finds a bustling community – including new best friend Charlie – and a near-constant supply of cakes.

All in all, things are looking pretty good.

So when a blast from the past – her teenage crush Jay Merino – suddenly turns up in Chamillon, Natalie’s thrown. She’s sworn off men ever since she moved to France, but she and Jay have a connection that stretches back years.

But could taking a chance on an old flame complete her new life – or ruin everything she’s worked so hard for?

A gorgeous rom-com full of sunshine, croissants and sparkling romance! Perfect for fans of Imogen Payne, Polly Babbington and T. A. Williams. 

What readers are saying about Escape to the Little French Café:

‘Oh I did laugh!! I absolutely bloomin' LOVED reading this... Such an uplifting, cosy novel which will make your heart leap with joy.’ The Writing Garnet

‘So many laugh-out-loud moments that I lost count of them and the story reeled me in from the very first page! I became so absorbed within the storyline that I forgot where I was... Grab yourself a little bit of romantic escapism to France... You won’t regret it!’ Stardust Book Reviews

‘Perfect and laugh-out-loud funny. Brilliantly written. I enjoyed every minute of it. If you need a pick me up this is the book you need, guaranteed giggles throughout... I actually devoured this book in a day... Highly recommended. Full of fun, giggles and romance.’ Between the Pages Book Club

Previous series has sold over 130,000 copies to date. Amazon UK top 100 author

After giving up her job as a library assistant, Karen now writes full-time. She’s had over 300 stories published in women’s magazines in the UK and abroad, and has written three paranormal romantic comedies, published by Little, Brown/Corsair. When she’s not writing she reads avidly, walks dogs at her local rescue centre, and is eagerly awaiting the next season of The Walking Dead. She lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband and three grown-up children.

Escape to the Little French Cafe

In the beautiful village of Chamillon lies the Café Belle Vie, where you’ll always find croissants and friends when you need them the most – and where Elle is hoping to uncover the truth about her past...

Thirty-year-old Elle Matheson has decided it’s finally time to find the mother who gave her up as a baby. With a faded postcard from the Café Belle Vie in hand – one of the very few things she has from her mother – she heads straight to the Île de Ré to begin her search.

With only the postcard and the ivory shawl she was wrapped in as clues, finding her mum is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, even with the help of friendly – and gorgeous – café-owner Charlie. And since Elle hasn’t exactly told her younger sister what she’s up to, the little white lies about where she is are starting to add up...

But Elle is really starting to feel at home on the beautiful island. The locals are welcoming, the café is homely, and Charlie is always there with a helping hand, a listening ear, and a pain au chocolat.

Is Elle about to discover not just where she came from – but where she belongs?

A hilarious rom-com perfect for reading in the sunshine! Fans of Debbie Johnson, Zara Stoneley and Debbie Macomber will love Karen Clarke!

Readers are loving Summer at the Little French Café! 

‘I was hooked in really quickly into the wonderful, summery book, and read it in a few short hours... I loved every moment of this delightful book and there was even a mystery that had me stumped but equally eager to find out the outcome. This was a pure pleasure to read.’ Rachel’s Random Reads, 5 stars

‘A fabulous sunny, summery read that sparkles and delights. I was engrossed in this lovely story from page one. Lovely imagery and a really pretty cover, a must read for the beach!’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars

‘You can’t help but kept swept away... The added aspect of it all being set in France was just the icing on the top of an already scrumptious story... a wonderful and entertaining read.’ By the Letter Book Reviews, 5 stars.

Previous series has sold over 130,000 copies to date. Amazon UK top 100 author

After giving up her job as a library assistant, Karen now writes full-time. She’s had over 300 stories published in women’s magazines in the UK and abroad, and has written three paranormal romantic comedies, published by Little, Brown/Corsair. When she’s not writing she reads avidly, walks dogs at her local rescue centre, and is eagerly awaiting the next season of The Walking Dead. She lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband and three grown-up children.

Summer at the Little French Cafe