Thank you NetGalley and Kathleen McGurl for the opportunity to read The Secret of the Chateau. I was absorbed from the first chapter, whisked away to the south of France and a beautiful chateau which has been purchased by five best friends relocating in their retirement for a better quality of life. The story switches between these new occupants and the story of Pierre and Catherine who were resident in the same chateau at the time of the French Revolution in the late 1700's. The story is told in an effortless, silky way as though you are being led along a winding path through the grounds of the chateau and the events of the book are happening around you. I absolutely adored it and whizzed through the whole book on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I haven't read any books by this author before but since reading this I've purchased several others. A gem of a book.