Fast moving memoir about a young family from Greer, South Carolina moving to France as her husband has a job transfer with Michelin. Rebecca Ramsey writes short, descriptive chapters about her family of five's stay in another country that lasted four years and how it felt to 'fit in'. I found it most interesting how the cultures were different yet similar and how life ebbs and flows with this mother of three. I was sad when they left and would love to know that she keeps in touch with her nosy neighbor!

"French By Heart" falls into a genre of travel books that fortunately isn't overcrowded. Two over-worked themes are "My Summer House Overseas -- Troubles Making It Liveable", and "Moving Abroad After Marrying A Foreigner -- Adjusting To A Strange Place". This book falls into the category of those spending a few years abroad, and while remaining fundamentally American want to make the most of their experience. There are a few other books in this genre I've read and preferred to this book; I'll mention them at the end of the review.

"French By Heart" starts off very promising. The family is moving to France for the husband's job at Michelin, and they've decided for the full immersion experience. Unlike many ex-pats who cluster together and seemingly avoid France to the extent they can make it disappear, Rebecca Ramsey and her husband deliberately decide on a small village with no other Americans. The writing at this point is bright and witty. In fact her young son Ben gets off some of the most amusing lines of the book as he reacts to the news the family is going to France.

The disappointing thing to me is that the book went downhill from there. As with many neophyte writers, Ramsey puts too many adjectives in her sentences as she tries to convey to the reader the wonder of what see sees. It's the verbal equivalent of Baroque art, a little over the top and just as difficult to comprehend. One appreciates skillful writers when encountering writing like this, realizing only in contrast what a delight it is to read someone who captures the experience with a few deftly chosen words instead of sentences so jammed with descriptives they are difficult to read.

Not only was the writing style disappointing, so too the content. A little village in France, someone dying to take part in it. As she writes, "Could we be French too, just for a little while?" The reader might be forgiven for assuming at this point that Ramsey intends to adopt the values, mores, and habits of those in her rural village. Well, she doesn't. I'm not sure after reading the book what it is that Ramsey loves about France. It's not the small shops and village life, since Ramsey shops at the local supermarket and has hardly a mention of local festivals and events. Aren't small villages supposed to be filled with them? The bulk of the book details her interactions with the elderly misanthrope who lives next-door, a lady who criticizes everything about Ramsey and her family. One or two chapters was enough to get the point across.

Missing from the book is much of what I hoped to find in the story of an American family endeavoring to adapt to life in France. We learn little of the school except parents aren't welcome to visit and of a field trip Ramsey helps chaperone. What were her kids learning, how did it differ from the States, how did they get along with the other native kids? Nary a word, just chapter upon chapter about the miserable lady next door. And even though this is her story and not her husbands, what of his job? Surely after 4 years she has some stories to relate how working life is different in France than here. Missing too are stories to bring the small village to life, of the small shops, churches, parks, buildings, and people that presumably led the family to choose to live in a small village.

Interesting to me was how someone can be face-to-face with something, even relate stories about it, and yet fail to see it. Ramsey professes to want to adapt French ways and take part in French culture, yet she somehow fails to see that her children are not making the cut. Several times she reports being chided by the French for the way her children behave. She reports how well-mannered the French children she meets are. Yet the thought never seems to strike her that perhaps childhood behavior is under parental control and not the result of French genes or some vaccination.

My guess is that this work is a diary turned into a book. Keeping a diary isn't a bad thing, its just that it tends to focus on the day-to-day events and not the bigger picture. The day to day events in Ms. Ramsey's life were her run-ins with the crabby neighbor, and I think Ms. Ramsey never stepped back from her diary to reflect on the overall experience when she was turning it into a book. So the book is filled with those day-to-day experiences rather than the story of a family in France. I'd also guess she started the diary when she moved to France, because the best writing of the book by far are the earlier chapters where she's probably reconstructing the decision to move from memory rather than from the pages of a diary.

In the end I'd say this is a decent book. Not unreadable by any means, but not the first one I'd reach for if I wanted to give someone who likes France a good book to read. For expat stories, let me recommend two other titles. These 2 books are by professional writers, and while it is no disrespect to Ramsey since this is her first book, the difference shows. "Paris to the Moon" by Gopnik is a delightful story of a family spending a few years in Paris that really brings the experience alive. "From Here, You Can't See Paris" by Sanders is what this book wants to be; the author spends a year in a French village and captures the local people and town in a way Ramsey's book simply can't. And Sanders immerses himself in the rural life; no supermarkets for him!

"French By Heart" falls into a genre of travel books that fortunately isn't overflowing. Two over-worked themes are "My Summer House Overseas -- Troubles Making It Liveable", and "I Moved Abroad After Marrying A Foreigner -- Adjusting To A Strange Place". This book is the story of a family that knows they just have a few years to spend in a country they've always dreamed of living in, so they want to make the most of it. There are a few other books in this genre I've read and preferred to this book; I'll mention them at the end of the review.

"French By Heart" starts off very promising. The family is moving to France for the husband's job at Michelin, and they've decided for the full immersion experience. Unlike many ex-pats who cluster together and seemingly avoid France to the extent they can make it disappear, Rebecca Ramsey and her husband deliberately decide on a small village with no other Americans. The writing at this point is bright and witty. In fact her young son Ben gets off some of the most amusing lines of the book as he reacts to the news the family is going to France.

The disappointing thing to me is that the book went downhill from there. As with many neophyte writers, Ramsey puts too many adjectives in her sentences as she tries to convey to the reader the wonder of what see sees. It's the verbal equivalent of Baroque art, a little over the top and just as difficult to comprehend. One appreciates skillful writers when encountering writing like this, realizing only in contrast what a delight it is to read someone who captures the experience with a few deftly chosen words instead of sentences so jammed with descriptives they are difficult to read.

Not only was the writing style disappointing, so too the content. A little village in France, someone dying to take part in it. As she writes, "Could we be French too, just for a little while?" The reader might be forgiven for assuming at this point that Ramsey intends to adopt the values, mores, and habits of those in her rural village. Well, she doesn't. I'm not sure after reading the book what it is that Ramsey loves about France. It's not the small shops and village life, since Ramsey shops at the local supermarket and has hardly a mention of local festivals and events. Aren't small villages supposed to be filled with them? The bulk of the book details her interactions with the elderly misanthrope who lives next-door, a lady who criticizes everything about Ramsey and her family. One or two chapters was enough to get the point across.

Missing from the book is much of what I hoped to find in the story of an American family endeavoring to adapt to life in France. We learn little of the school except parents aren't welcome to visit and of a field trip Ramsey helps chaperone. What were her kids learning, how did it differ from the States, how did they get along with the other native kids? Nary a word, just chapter upon chapter about the miserable lady next door. And even though this is her story and not her husbands, what of his job? Surely after 4 years she has some stories to relate how working life is different in France than here. Missing too are stories to bring the small village to life, of the small shops, churches, parks, buildings, and people that presumably led the family to choose to live in a small village.

Interesting to me was how someone can be face-to-face with something, even relate stories about it, and yet fail to see it. Ramsey professes to want to adapt French ways and take part in French culture, yet she somehow fails to see that her children are not making the cut. Several times she reports being chided by the French for the way her children behave. She reports how well-mannered the French children she meets are. Yet the thought never seems to strike her that perhaps childhood behavior is under parental control and not the result of French genes or some vaccination.

My guess is that this work is a diary turned into a book. Keeping a diary isn't a bad thing, its just that it tends to focus on the day-to-day events and not the bigger picture. The day to day events in Ms. Ramsey's life were her run-ins with the crabby neighbor, and I think Ms. Ramsey never stepped back from her diary to reflect on the overall experience when she was turning it into a book. So the book is filled with those day-to-day experiences rather than the story of a family in France. I'd also guess she started the diary when she moved to France, because the best writing of the book by far are the earlier chapters where she's probably reconstructing the decision to move from memory rather than from the pages of a diary.

In the end I'd say this is a decent book. Not unreadable by any means, but not the first one I'd reach for if I wanted to give someone who likes France a good book to read. For expat stories, let me recommend two other titles. These 2 books are by professional writers, and while it is no disrespect to Ramsey since this is her first book, the difference shows. "Paris to the Moon" by Gopnik is a delightful story of a family spending a few years in Paris that really brings the experience alive. "From Here, You Can't See Paris" by Sanders is what this book wants to be; the author spends a year in a French village and captures the local people and town in a way Ramsey's book simply can't. And Sanders immerses himself in the rural life; no supermarkets for him!

"French By Heart" falls into a genre of travel books that fortunately isn't overflowing. Two over-worked themes are "My Summer House Overseas -- Troubles Making It Liveable", and "I Moved Abroad After Marrying A Foreigner -- Adjusting To A Strange Place". This book is the story of a family that knows they just have a few years to spend in a country they've always dreamed of living in, so they want to make the most of it. There are a few other books in this genre I've read and preferred to this book; I'll mention them at the end of the review.

"French By Heart" starts off very promising. The family is moving to France for the husband's job at Michelin, and they've decided for the full immersion experience. Unlike many ex-pats who cluster together and seemingly avoid France to the extent they can make it disappear, Rebecca Ramsey and her husband deliberately decide on a small village with no other Americans. The writing at this point is bright and witty. In fact her young son Ben gets off some of the most amusing lines of the book as he reacts to the news the family is going to France.

The disappointing thing to me is that the book went downhill from there. As with many neophyte writers, Ramsey puts too many adjectives in her sentences as she tries to convey to the reader the wonder of what see sees. It's the verbal equivalent of Baroque art, a little over the top and just as difficult to comprehend. One appreciates skillful writers when encountering writing like this, realizing only in contrast what a delight it is to read someone who captures the experience with a few deftly chosen words instead of sentences so jammed with descriptives they are difficult to read.

Not only was the writing style disappointing, so too the content. A little village in France, someone dying to take part in it. As she writes, "Could we be French too, just for a little while?" The reader might be forgiven for assuming at this point that Ramsey intends to adopt the values, mores, and habits of those in her rural village. Well, she doesn't. I'm not sure after reading the book what it is that Ramsey loves about France. It's not the small shops and village life, since Ramsey shops at the local supermarket and has hardly a mention of local festivals and events. Aren't small villages supposed to be filled with them? The bulk of the book details her interactions with the elderly misanthrope who lives next-door, a lady who criticizes everything about Ramsey and her family. One or two chapters was enough to get the point across.

Missing from the book is much of what I hoped to find in the story of an American family endeavoring to adapt to life in France. We learn little of the school except parents aren't welcome to visit and of a field trip Ramsey helps chaperone. What were her kids learning, how did it differ from the States, how did they get along with the other native kids? Nary a word, just chapter upon chapter about the miserable lady next door. And even though this is her story and not her husbands, what of his job? Surely after 4 years she has some stories to relate how working life is different in France than here. Missing too are stories to bring the small village to life, of the small shops, churches, parks, buildings, and people that presumably led the family to choose to live in a small village.

Interesting to me was how someone can be face-to-face with something, even relate stories about it, and yet fail to see it. Ramsey professes to want to adapt French ways and take part in French culture, yet she somehow fails to see that her children are not making the cut. Several times she reports being chided by the French for the way her children behave. She reports how well-mannered the French children she meets are. Yet the thought never seems to strike her that perhaps childhood behavior is under parental control and not the result of French genes or some vaccination.

My guess is that this work is a diary turned into a book. Keeping a diary isn't a bad thing, its just that it tends to focus on the day-to-day events and not the bigger picture. The day to day events in Ms. Ramsey's life were her run-ins with the crabby neighbor, and I think Ms. Ramsey never stepped back from her diary to reflect on the overall experience when she was turning it into a book. So the book is filled with those day-to-day experiences rather than the story of a family in France. I'd also guess she started the diary when she moved to France, because the best writing of the book by far are the earlier chapters where she's probably reconstructing the decision to move from memory rather than from the pages of a diary.

In the end I'd say this is a decent book. Not unreadable by any means, but not the first one I'd reach for if I wanted to give someone who likes France a good book to read. For expat stories, let me recommend two other titles. These 2 books are by professional writers, and while it is no disrespect to Ramsey since this is her first book, the difference shows. "Paris to the Moon" by Gopnik is a delightful story of a family spending a few years in Paris that really brings the experience alive. "From Here, You Can't See Paris" by Sanders is what this book wants to be; the author spends a year in a French village and captures the local people and town in a way Ramsey's book simply can't. And Sanders immerses himself in the rural life; no supermarkets for him!

"French By Heart" falls into a genre of travel books that fortunately isn't overflowing. Two over-worked themes are "My Summer House Overseas -- Troubles Making It Liveable", and "I Moved Abroad After Marrying A Foreigner -- Adjusting To A Strange Place". This book is the story of a family that knows they just have a few years to spend in a country they've always dreamed of living in, so they want to make the most of it. There are a few other books in this genre I've read and preferred to this book; I'll mention them at the end of the review.

"French By Heart" starts off very promising. The family is moving to France for the husband's job at Michelin, and they've decided for the full immersion experience. Unlike many ex-pats who cluster together and seemingly avoid France to the extent they can make it disappear, Rebecca Ramsey and her husband deliberately decide on a small village with no other Americans. The writing at this point is bright and witty. In fact her young son Ben gets off some of the most amusing lines of the book as he reacts to the news the family is going to France.

The disappointing thing to me is that the book seemed to go downhill from there. As with many neophyte writers, Ramsey puts too many adjectives in her sentences as she tries to convey to the reader the wonder of what see sees. It's the verbal equivalent of Baroque art, a little over the top and just as difficult to comprehend. One appreciates skillful writers when encountering writing like this, realizing only in contrast what a delight it is to read someone who captures the experience with a few deftly chosen words instead of sentences so jammed with descriptives they are difficult to read.

Not only the writing style was disappointing, so was the content. A little village in France, someone dying to take part in it. As she writes, "Could we be French too, just for a little while?" This is going to be a great book!, I'm telling myself. Except it wasn't. I'm not sure after reading the book what it is that Ramsey loves about France. It's not the small shops and village, since Ramsey shops at the local supermarket and has hardly a mention of local festivals and events. Aren't small villages supposed to be filled with them? The bulk of the book details her interactions with the elderly misanthrope who lives next-door, a lady who criticizes everything about Ramsey and her family. One or two chapters was enough to get the point across.

Missing from the book is a lot of what I hoped to find reading the story of an American family endeavoring to adapt to life in France. We learn little of the school except parents aren't welcome to visit and of a field trip Ramsey helps chaperone. What were her kids learning, how did it differ from the States, how did they get along with the other native kids? Nary a word, just chapter upon chapter about the miserable lady next door. And even though this is her story and not her husbands, what of his job? Surely after 4 years she has some stories to relate how working life is different in France than here. Missing too are stories to bring the small village to life, of the small shops, churches, parks, buildings, and people that presumably led the family to choose to live in a small village.

Interesting to me was how someone can be face-to-face with something, even relate stories about it, and yet fail to see it. Ramsey professes to want to adapt French ways and take part in French culture, yet she somehow fails to see that her children are not making the cut. Several times she reports being chided by the French for the way her children behave. She reports how well-mannered the French children she meets are. Yet the thought never seems to strike her that perhaps behavior is under parental control and not the result of French genes or some childhood vaccination.

My guess is that this work is a diary turned into a book. Keeping a diary isn't a bad thing, its just that it tends to focus on the day-to-day events and not the bigger picture. The day to day events in Ms. Ramsey's life were her run-ins with the crabby neighbor, and I think Ms. Ramsey never stepped back from her diary to reflect on the overall experience when she was turning it into a book. So the book is filled with those day-to-day experiences rather than the story of a family in France. I'd also guess she started the diary when she moved to France, because the best writing of the book by far are the earlier chapters where she's probably reconstructing the decision to move from memory rather than from the pages of a diary.

In the end I'd say this is a decent book. Not unreadable by any means, but not the first one I'd reach for if I wanted to give someone who likes France a good book to read. For expat stories, let me recommend two other titles. "Paris to the Moon" by Gopnik is a delightful story of a family spending a few years in Paris that really brings the experience alive. "From Here, You Can't See Paris" is what this book wants to be; the author spends a year in a French village and captures the local people and town in a way Ramsey's book simply can't. These 2 books are by professional writers, and while it is no disrespect to Ramsey since this is her first book, the difference shows.

"French By Heart" mines a genre of travel books that isn't overflowing with me-too books. Two over-worked genres of travel books seem to be "My Summer House Abroad -- The Troubles I Had Making It Liveable", and "I Married A Foreigner And Moved Abroad -- The Story Of My Life Adjusting To A Strange Place". This book is the story of a family that knows they just have a few years to spend in a country they've always dreamed of living in, so they want to make the most of it. There are a few other books in this genre I've read and preferred to this book; I'll mention them at the end of the review.

"French By Heart" starts off very promising. The family is moving to France for the husband's job at Michelin, and they've decided for the full immersion experience. Unlike many ex-pats who cluster together and seemingly avoid France to the extent they can make it disappear, Rebecca Ramsey and her husband deliberately decide on a small village with no other Americans. The writing at this point is bright and witty. In fact her young son Ben gets off some of the most amusing lines of the book as he reacts to the news the family is going to France.

The disappointing thing to me is that the book seemed to go downhill from there. As with many neophyte writers, Ramsey puts too many adjectives in her sentences as she tries to convey to the reader the wonder of what see sees. It's the verbal equivalent of Baroque art, a little over the top and just as difficult to comprehend. One appreciates skillful writers when encountering writing like this, realizing only in contrast what a delight it is to read someone who captures the experience with a few deftly chosen words instead of sentences so jammed with descriptives they are difficult to read.

Not only the writing style was disappointing, so was the content. A little village in France, someone dying to take part in it. As she writes, "Could we be French too, just for a little while?" This is going to be a great book!, I'm telling myself. Except it wasn't. I'm not sure after reading the book what it is that Ramsey loves about France. It's not the small shops and village, since Ramsey shops at the local supermarket and has hardly a mention of local festivals and events. Aren't small villages supposed to be filled with them? The bulk of the book details her interactions with the elderly misanthrope who lives next-door, a lady who criticizes everything about Ramsey and her family. One or two chapters was enough to get the point across.

Missing from the book is a lot of what I hoped to find reading the story of an American family endeavoring to adapt to life in France. We learn little of the school except parents aren't welcome to visit and of a field trip Ramsey helps chaperone. What were her kids learning, how did it differ from the States, how did they get along with the other native kids? Nary a word, just chapter upon chapter about the miserable lady next door. And even though this is her story and not her husbands, what of his job? Surely after 4 years she has some stories to relate how working life is different in France than here. Missing too are stories to bring the small village to life, of the small shops, churches, parks, buildings, and people that presumably led the family to choose to live in a small village.

Interesting to me was how someone can be face-to-face with something, even relate stories about it, and yet fail to see it. Ramsey professes to want to adapt French ways and take part in French culture, yet she somehow fails to see that her children are not making the cut. Several times she reports being chided by the French for the way her children behave. She reports how well-mannered the French children she meets are. Yet the thought never seems to strike her that perhaps behavior is under parental control and not the result of French genes or some childhood vaccination.

My guess is that this work is a diary turned into a book. Keeping a diary isn't a bad thing, its just that it tends to focus on the day-to-day events and not the bigger picture. The day to day events in Ms. Ramsey's life were her run-ins with the crabby neighbor, and I think Ms. Ramsey never stepped back from her diary to reflect on the overall experience when she was turning it into a book. So the book is filled with those day-to-day experiences rather than the story of a family in France. I'd also guess she started the diary when she moved to France, because the best writing of the book by far are the earlier chapters where she's probably reconstructing the decision to move from memory rather than from the pages of a diary.

In the end I'd say this is a decent book. Not unreadable by any means, but not the first one I'd reach for if I wanted to give someone who likes France a good book to read. For expat stories, let me recommend two other titles. "Paris to the Moon" by Gopnik is a delightful story of a family spending a few years in Paris that really brings the experience alive. "From Here, You Can't See Paris" is what this book wants to be; the author spends a year in a French village and captures the local people and town in a way Ramsey's book simply can't. These 2 books are by professional writers, and while it is no disrespect to Ramsey since this is her first book, the difference shows.

"French By Heart" mines a genre of travel books that fortunately isn't overflowing with knock-offs. Two over-worked genres of travel books seem to be "My Summer House Abroad -- The Troubles I Had Making It Liveable", and "I Married A Foreigner And Moved There With Him -- The Story Of My Life Adjusting To A Strange Place". This book is the story of a family that knows they just have a few years to spend in a country they've always dreamed of living in, so they want to make the most of it. There are a few other books in this genre I've read and preferred to this book; I'll mention them at the end of the review.

"French By Heart" starts off very promising. The family is moving to France for the husband's job at Michelin, and they've decided for the full immersion experience. Unlike many ex-pats who cluster together and seemingly avoid France to the extent they can make it disappear, Rebecca Ramsey and her husband deliberately decide on a small village with no other Americans. The writing at this point is bright and witty. In fact her young son Ben gets off some of the most amusing lines of the book as he reacts to the news the family is going to France.

The disappointing thing to me is that the book seemed to go downhill from there. As with many neophyte writers, Ramsey puts too many adjectives in her sentences as she tries to convey to the reader the wonder of what see sees. It's the verbal equivalent of Baroque art, a little over the top and just as difficult to comprehend. One appreciates skillful writers when encountering writing like this, realizing only in contrast what a delight it is to read someone who captures the experience with a few deftly chosen words instead of sentences so jammed with descriptives they are difficult to read.

Not only the writing style was disappointing, so was the content. A little village in France, someone dying to take part in it. As she writes, "Could we be French too, just for a little while?" This is going to be a great book!, I'm telling myself. Except it wasn't. I'm not sure after reading the book what it is that Ramsey loves about France. It's not the small shops and village, since Ramsey shops at the local supermarket and has hardly a mention of local festivals and events. Aren't small villages supposed to be filled with them? The bulk of the book details her interactions with the elderly misanthrope who lives next-door, a lady who criticizes everything about Ramsey and her family. One or two chapters was enough to get the point across.

Missing from the book is a lot of what I hoped to find reading the story of an American family endeavoring to adapt to life in France. We learn little of the school except parents aren't welcome to visit and of a field trip Ramsey helps chaperone. What were her kids learning, how did it differ from the States, how did they get along with the other native kids? Nary a word, just chapter upon chapter about the miserable lady next door. And even though this is her story and not her husbands, what of his job? Surely after 4 years she has some stories to relate how working life is different in France than here. Missing too are stories to bring the small village to life, of the small shops, churches, parks, buildings, and people that presumably led the family to choose to live in a small village.

Interesting to me was how someone can be face-to-face with something, even relate stories about it, and yet fail to see it. Ramsey professes to want to adapt French ways and take part in French culture, yet she somehow fails to see that her children are not making the cut. Several times she reports being chided by the French for the way her children behave, she reports how well-mannered the French children she meets are. Yet the thought never seems to strike her that perhaps behavior is under parental control and not the result of French genes or some childhood vaccination.

In the end I'd say this is a decent book. Not unreadable by any means, but not the first one I'd reach for if I wanted to give someone who likes France a good book to read. For expat stories, let me recommend two other titles. "Paris to the Moon" by Gopnik is a delightful story of a family spending a few years in Paris that really brings the experience alive. "From Here, You Can't See Paris" is what this book wants to be; the author spends a year in a French village and captures the local people and town in a way Ramsey's book simply can't. These 2 books are by professional writers, and while it is no disrespect to Ramsey since this is her first book, the difference shows.

"French By Heart" mines a genre of travel books that fortunately isn't overflowing with knock-offs. Two main genres of travel books seem to be "my summer house abroad -- the troubles I had making it liveable", and "I married a foreigner and moved there with him -- the story of my life adjusting to a strange place". This book is the story of a family that knows they just have a few years to spend in a country they've always dreamed of living in before they return, and they want to make the most of it. There are a few other books in this genre I've read and preferred to this book; I'll mention them at the end of the review.

"French By Heart" starts off very promising. The family is moving to France for the husband's job at Michelin, and they've decided for the full immersion experience. Unlike many ex-pats who cluster together and seemingly avoid France to the extent they can make it disappear, Rebecca Ramsey and her husband deliberately decide on a small village with no other Americans. The writing at this point is bright and witty. In fact her young son Ben gets off some of the most amusing lines of the book as he reacts to the news the family is going to France.

The disappointing thing to me is that the book seemed to go downhill from there. As with many neophyte writers, Ramsey puts too many adjectives in her sentences as she tries to convey to the reader the wonder of what see sees. It's the verbal equivalent of Baroque art, a little over the top and just as difficult to comprehend. One appreciates skillful writers when encountering writing like this, realizing only in contrast what a delight it is to read someone who captures the experience with a few deftly chosen words instead of sentences so jammed with descriptives they are difficult to read.

Not only the writing style was disappointing, so was the content. A little village in France, someone dying to take part in it. As she writes, "Could we be French too, just for a little while?" This is going to be a great book!, I'm telling myself. Except it wasn't. I'm not sure after reading the book what it is that Ramsey loves about France. It's not the small shops and village, since Ramsey shops at the local supermarket and has hardly a mention of local festivals and events. Aren't small villages supposed to be filled with them? The bulk of the book details her interactions with the elderly misanthrope who lives next-door, a lady who criticizes everything about Ramsey and her family. One or two chapters was enough to get the point across.

Missing from the book is a lot of what I hoped to find reading the story of an American family endeavoring to adapt to life in France. We learn little of the school except parents aren't welcome to visit and of a field trip Ramsey helps chaperone. What were her kids learning, how did it differ from the States, how did they get along with the other native kids? Nary a word, just chapter upon chapter about the miserable lady next door. And even though this is her story and not her husbands, what of his job? Surely after 4 years she has some stories to relate how working life is different in France than here. Missing too are stories to bring the small village to life, of the small shops, churches, parks, buildings, and people that presumably led the family to choose to live in a small village.

Interesting to me was how someone can be face-to-face with something, even relate stories about it, and yet fail to see it. Ramsey professes to want to adapt French ways and take part in French culture, yet she somehow fails to see that her children are not making the cut. Several times she reports being chided by the French for the way her children behave, she reports how well-mannered the French children she meets are. Yet the thought never seems to strike her that perhaps behavior is under parental control and not the result of French genes or some childhood vaccination.

In the end I'd say this is a decent book. Not unreadable by any means, but not the first one I'd reach for if I wanted to give someone who likes France a good book to read. For expat stories, let me recommend two other titles. "Paris to the Moon" by Gopnik is a delightful story of a family spending a few years in Paris that really brings the experience alive. "From Here, You Can't See Paris" is what this book wants to be; the author spends a year in a French village and captures the local people and town in a way Ramsey's book simply can't. These 2 books are by professional writers, and while it is no disrespect to Ramsey since this is her first book, the difference shows.

FRENCH BY HEART is a great read. The 320 pages went by very quickly. I read it in two sittings. It might help to have a year or two of French under your belt to enjoy this novel more, but it's not extremely important. It's very funny, and slightly nerve wracking at the beginning. I can't fathom picking up my family and moving like Ramsey did. That family has guts. Highly recommend this book.

A wonderful book about living with the French, yet it was realistic in that there are always going to bumps in any relationship. I loved the chapter about the family cat, pate and gazing at the moon. I wish Ms Ramsey would live somewhere else (Florence? Tokyo?) and write about the experience.

In "French By Heart: An American Family's Adventures in La Belle France" Rebecca Ramsey chronicled her adventure living in France for four years after her husband, Todd was relocated due to work. The couple sold their house in Greer, South Carolina and together with their three children and cat, they were eager for their new home in France. Most of the book focused on Rebecca's attempt to learn French, absorb the culture, and basically adjust to living in France. In addition, her children were unfamiliar with the language and it took a lot of adjusment for them to study at a French school. The family lived across from Madame Mallet, an old French lady who took it upon herself to educate Rebecca and her family on proper French manners.

This was an average read for me. The author focused a lot on her conversations and irritation with Madame Mallet and even though it was somewhat interesting at the beginning of the book, it was a little dull for towards the end. If you are looking for travelogue type read, "French by Heart" would not be the right choice as the author spent little time writing on her travels. Instead, the book dealt primarily with the family adjusting to living in a foreign country.

Delightful book about a typical American couple who decide to move themselves and their three young children to France. Everyday life there proves at times a challenge often filled with small adventures. Particularly engaging are their interactions with their French neighbor Madame Mallet. They leave with love for France and it's people and having learned much about themselves. This is a wonderful summer read.

I loved this book. As a Southerner and a Francophile, I was endeared by her American spirit mixed with all things French. While living among the quirky yet lovable French for a season of her life, we are allowed an intimaite window to her life. I was intrigued by her beautiful relationship with native French and ex-patriots. Their experience is to be envied, and I lived vicariously through her wonderful account of her family life through "La Belle France." Brava, I cannot wait until she writes again.

This book is cute enough, and easy to read but doesn't offer much new to the genre. There is a particular exchange in the book which bothered me. On page 58 the author is speaking with her main protanonist in the book Madame Mallet. They are speaking about WWII casualties and the author proclaims (to us )that her Grandfather 'had given his life for people he didn't even know.' Excuse me. He gave his life for his children, his family, his neighborhood, his town, so that this entire country and world could be free. It was not in vain, it was a terribly important sacrifice but it was not for people he did not know. It was called World War II for a reason - the entire world was involved including the United States who did ignore the problem for many years before they intervened. Madame Mallet is right in that, and in that there were many casualties in many countries. I just had to say this because I think it's irresponsible for the author to make statements such as this for readers who may be too young to think of such things and believe that WWII did not have to do with the US.

In France, one would call this a very good "summer" book - light and lots of good stories. The text is lively and it is easy to picture the people and the events. For example, the first day of school where the teachers call the students and march them into the school, or the search for the circus poster where I can imagine the French driver stares as Becky tries to pull a poster from a pole. The stories are told clearly from a love of France - they make fun of French people, but in a nice way. Americans are not left out, as Becky correctly points out "You can always tell an American by white tennis shoes."

If you are an American who plans on living in France for a few years this book is a must read - these are some of the surprises in store for you. If you have ties to France, you will laugh along as Becky relates her tales that you should easily relate to. And if you are neither, the book will be a fun introduction into French culture.

I was given this book as a gift, and it is not like most of the dark books I read - Swedish mysteries being my current binge. I was thrilled to find such an enjoyable book that compelled me to read. Each chapter is a vignette that is funny or touching or both, and I found myself really identifying with the author and her family. I think this book will have appeal far beyond the "travel" genre, and recommend it to all.

Imagine your husband taking a job transfer from dependable Greer, South Carolina to LeBelle, France. Now imagine taking your three young children, your English to French dictionary and your cat. The adventure only begins when you get there, meet your neighbors, learn the customs but you know you are home when September 11th strikes and your new French neighbors are there for you. And just when you think you are truly French, you find out you have so much more to learn. This is Rebecca's true adventure complete with quirky characters and laugh out loud moments. And don't forget Madame Mallet a grandma character that will rival anything Janet Evanovich can throw at you. There is a sequel being written that will encompass their first year back in the states, can't wait to read it.

I loved reading this book. Lyrical, thoughtful and funny! The perfect read for a summer afternoon.

As a French teacher, I am always looking for books to recommend to my students who have not had the pleasure of visiting, much less living in, a foreign country. Rebecca Ramsey has allowed the reader to live in a French town vicariously. I could hear, see, smell and taste almost every experience she described...we need more like this!

I could not put this book down! I am a fellow Michelin wife who has also lived in France. I do not know Rebecca Ramsey; but I really enjoyed this book. It brought back a lot of memories.

Whether you have lived in France or not this is one of those books where it is enjoyable to read about someone's experiences living in a foreign country, especially with small children. I'm always trying to find books about expats in different countries, but this one hit closest to home. I'm happy to see a Michelin wife has written about her life in France. Good for you Rebecca Ramsey!

French By Heart is all that a travel memoir should be. Not only does it transport you to France, but it's funny, charming, and reads like a good novel. You won't be able to put it down!

This book follows the true story of the Ramsey family, who move from the deep South to the heart of France when the husband is transferred there for work. They even bring their piano and their aging cat!

And as you watch them acclimate, you fall in love with the Ramsey family, their quixotic French neighbors, and life in la belle France.

If you love travel memoirs or books about France, this is next up on your reading list. It's the best travel memoir I've read in a very long time.