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Laura Bradbury
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My Grape Year (The Grape Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Laura Bradbury (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 1,341 ratings
See where it all began in the first book of the #1 Bestselling Grape Series.

Sent on an exchange to France, Laura becomes not only enamored with la belle vie but falls madly in love with a local Frenchman. Can she abide by the rules while still managing to follow her heart?

At the age of seventeen in a last-minute twist of fate, Laura Bradbury is sent to Burgundy, France, for a year’s exchange. She arrives knowing only a smattering of French and with no idea what to expect in her first foray out of North America. With a head full of dreams and a powerful desire to please, Laura quickly adapts to Burgundian life, learning crucial skills such as the fine art of winetasting and how to savor snails.

However, the charming young men of the region mean Laura soon runs afoul of the rules, particularly the no-dating edict. Romantic afternoons in Dijon, early morning pain au chocolat runs, and long walks in the vineyards are wondrous but also present Laura with a conundrum: How can she keep her hosts happy while still managing to follow her heart? Follow along on Laura’s journey to I’amour in My Grape Year.

#1 Amazon bestseller. Thousands of copies sold. Hundreds of 5 star reviews.

Praise for Laura Bradbury's Grape Series:
"Bradbury’s Grape Series feels like a series of honest and funny letters sent from a friend about her fascinating (and sometimes baffling) life in France. A beautiful read.”
—JANICE MACLEOD, New York Times bestselling author of Paris Letters and A Paris Year

“Bradbury’s Grape Series takes the reader on a romantic adventure into the heart, soul, and people of la belle France. Filled with delicious food, love, and laughter, Bradbury’s writing proves that you have to dare to follow your heart wherever it leads you...and that sometimes we have to step outside our comfort zone to truly live.”
—SAMANTHA VÉRANT, author of How to Make a French Family and Seven Letters from Paris
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  1. Book 1 of 10
    The Grape Series
  2. Print length
    392 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    23 Sept. 2015
  6. File size
    1.3 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Review

"Bradbury's Grape Series feels like a series of honest and funny letters sent from a friend about her fascinating (and sometimes baffling) life in France. A beautiful read."
--JANICE MACLEOD, New York Times bestselling author of Paris Letters and A Paris Year

"Bradbury's Grape Series takes the reader on a romantic adventure into the heart, soul, and people of la belle France. Filled with delicious food, love, and laughter, Bradbury's writing proves that you have to dare to follow your heart wherever it leads you...and that sometimes we have to step outside our comfort zone to truly live."
--SAMANTHA VÉRANT, author of How to Make a French Family and Seven Letters from Paris

About the Author

Bestselling author Laura Bradbury published her first book—a heartfelt memoir about her leap away from a prestigious legal career in London to live in a tiny French village with her Burgundian husband in My Grape Escape—after being diagnosed with PSC, a rare autoimmune bile duct/liver disease. Since then Laura has published three more books in the Grape series about her enchanting adventures in France, with more Grape books in the works. Laura also plans to delve into the worlds of romance and women’s fiction. Ooh la la! Now living and writing on the West Coast of Canada with a new liver and three Franco-Canuck daughters (collectively known as “the Bevy”), Laura runs four charming vacation rentals in Burgundy with her husband, has an enviable collection of beach glass, and does all she can to support PSC awareness and research.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B015QZDVNQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grape Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 23 Sept. 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.3 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 392 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0992158361
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 10 ‏ : ‎ The Grape Series
  • Customer reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 1,341 ratings

About the author

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Laura Bradbury

Laura Bradbury

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Laura Bradbury is the author of the bestselling Grape Series, an award-winning cookbook Bisous and Brioche, the Winemakers Series, and "huggable" rom coms such as Oxford Wild.

She has a law degree from Keble College, Oxford but Laura’s true love was always storytelling.

She married a Frenchman and ran off to France after graduation so she would have something to write about. Now Laura lives between Burgundy, France and an island off Canada's West Coast with her French husband and their three daughters. She can be found writing, reading, or eating snails with a nice glass of Pinot.

Sign up for her beloved monthly Grapevine at www.bit.ly/LauraBradburyNewsletter or find her on IG at https://www.instagram.com/laurabradburywriter or www.laurabradbury.com

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
1,341 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a delightful summer read with a charming story that holds attention throughout. The writing style is easy to follow, and customers particularly enjoy the descriptions of French cuisine and wine. The narrative provides an excellent account of moving to France, with one customer noting its realistic portrayal of rural life.

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32 customers mention ‘Readability’29 positive3 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a charming and enjoyable light summer read.

"A well-written and charming book about a young Canadian girl on an exchange year in France...." Read more

"...Laura has written a 'sympathique', realistic account that is certainly not a rose-tinted glorification of everything/one French, and is thus a..." Read more

"...A lovely, warm read, right from the outset. Laura writes about discovering the wonderful foods. And wine. The foods are so gorgeously described...." Read more

"It is a nice book, especially if you know a little bit about Burgundy" Read more

14 customers mention ‘Story quality’14 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, with reviews describing it as charming, utterly enchanting, and holding attention on every page.

"...What Laura Bradbury has done is to write lovingly, but realistically, about the people she met...." Read more

"...Laura has written a 'sympathique', realistic account that is certainly not a rose-tinted glorification of everything/one French, and is thus a..." Read more

"...this memoir - it's well written - it's full of fun, grace, learning & romance (soul mate searching/finding!) oh yes some emotional 'tests' too...." Read more

"...Laura Bradbury takes you in to her story immediately and holds your attention on every page. I feel I know her friends and her host families...." Read more

11 customers mention ‘Writing style’11 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style of the book well-crafted and easy to read, with one customer noting how the words form clear images of the people.

"...What Laura Bradbury has done is to write lovingly, but realistically, about the people she met...." Read more

"...I loved this memoir - it's well written - it's full of fun, grace, learning & romance (soul mate searching/finding!)..." Read more

"...Laura writes so fluently and evocatively that the reader is carried effortlessly along with the story, meeting familiar characters from the first..." Read more

"...If you, like me, are a francophile, then you will enjoy this easy read...." Read more

8 customers mention ‘Taste’8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the food and wine descriptions in the book, with several mentioning the delicious wines tasted and enjoyed, and one customer noting the extensive coverage of regional cuisine.

"...She is particularly good on the strong family relationships and on food and wine...." Read more

"...the language, attending the French school, meeting boys, eating wonderful food, and tasting delicious wine...." Read more

"...And wine. The foods are so gorgeously described. A great read and a way to totally immerse yourself in France...." Read more

"...reading the accounts of food served and eaten and the delicious wines tasted and enjoyed...." Read more

6 customers mention ‘Pacing’6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with one mentioning the lovely houses and villages, while another describes it as a marvellous picture of rural France.

"...The descriptions of the surrounding areas, the houses and the villages are just lovely...." Read more

"...A lovely, warm read, right from the outset. Laura writes about discovering the wonderful foods. And wine. The foods are so gorgeously described...." Read more

"...amount about the food and wine of the region, as well as its delightful landscape and people...." Read more

"I liked the portrayal of place. The characters were a little 2 dimensional" Read more

5 customers mention ‘Narrative style’5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the narrative style of the book, particularly its excellent account of moving to France and realistic portrayal of rural life there. One customer notes how it provides great insight into French school culture.

"...dedicated to the production of fine wine, the French way of life is beautifully described in this book." Read more

"...A great read and a way to totally immerse yourself in France. This book is an absolute delight, and a feast of foods." Read more

"A lovely, well written memoir which makes you want to pack up and head off to France. I’ve laughed, cried and felt hungry for most of the story!!" Read more

"An excellent account of moving to France in your youth - I did the same although I didn't meet my Prince Charming...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Scribbler
    5.0 out of 5 stars At last, a realistic story of life in rural France.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2015
    Verified Purchase
    A well-written and charming book about a young Canadian girl on an exchange year in France. Since it is longer ago than I care to remember that I was a teenager I wondered whether it would really interest me. It did, and I now plan to read the others in the series. Too many English and American writers are well-meaning but patronising about the French and end up with caricatures instead of real people (I've yet to hear a Frenchman say ''Zut, alors" for instance"). What Laura Bradbury has done is to write lovingly, but realistically, about the people she met. She is particularly good on the strong family relationships and on food and wine. Set in Burgundy, with its towns and villages dedicated to the production of fine wine, the French way of life is beautifully described in this book.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Sarah Hague
    4.0 out of 5 stars Charming story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 August 2017
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    Charming book about Laura's year in Burgundy, starting off with a dream of a host family where maman cooks beautiful meals twice a day. This is the early 1990s - there is much bewailing nowadays that the French don't cook like they used to, preferring the frozen aisles in supermarkets to save time.

    So, Laura landed on her feet with the family, and set about enjoying her time in France learning the language, attending the French school, meeting boys, eating wonderful food, and tasting delicious wine. It didn't all go smoothly and her host families were a mixed bunch, but she had a life-changing experience, and really that's what it's all about.

    As one who met her French (future ex-) husband at her French penfriend's wedding, I can totally empathise with the efforts to learn French, deal with French people (especially 'family'), and cope with cultural differences. Laura has written a 'sympathique', realistic account that is certainly not a rose-tinted glorification of everything/one French, and is thus a pleasure to read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • TrishieB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great title - lovely memoir
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 January 2017
    Verified Purchase
    The author - then 17 - arrives in Burgundy, France from Canada on a year exchange - she has very little French but she does have some 'goals' - go to a lot of cafes, drink wine, falling in love and learn French - but not necessarily in that order! I loved this memoir - it's well written - it's full of fun, grace, learning & romance (soul mate searching/finding!) oh yes some emotional 'tests' too. Laura Bradbury describes her four host families and her friends so well - you actually feel like you could be there. The descriptions of the surrounding areas, the houses and the villages are just lovely. I need to know what happens next so I must now get Book 2 in this wonderful Grape Series.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Julie Haigh
    5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute delight!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 March 2018
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    From Vancouver, Canada, Laura went on her exchange year abroad in 1990. She was 17 and would be graduating soon. Her first choice of country for the exchange had been Switzerland. She ends up going to France, a year in Burgundy. All the students were presented with a list of 'Don'ts'. Would she keep to it-or would she break it?

    This series of books came highly recommended to me, many of my friends have read and loved them-and I can see why. A lovely, warm read, right from the outset. Laura writes about discovering the wonderful foods. And wine. The foods are so gorgeously described. A great read and a way to totally immerse yourself in France. This book is an absolute delight, and a feast of foods.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Stephanie Comley Hendriksen
    3.0 out of 5 stars Nice and easy book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 September 2019
    Verified Purchase
    It is a nice book, especially if you know a little bit about Burgundy
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  • PaddyG
    5.0 out of 5 stars A true Burgundy adventure
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 June 2016
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    We are having super weather here in Scotland at the moment and there is nothing more relaxing than sitting in the garden in the sunshine with a good book. This is a MUST read book that I could not put down. Laura Bradbury takes you in to her story immediately and holds your attention on every page. I feel I know her friends and her host families. I have so enjoyed her Burgundy adventure (an area I have visited often) reading about her food experiences including her attempt at making dessert for her friends!! I really am anxious to know now where she goes from here and I am about to start on her next book. Hope the sunshine continues to allow me to keep reading in the garden !!
    One person found this helpful
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  • C. Saunders
    4.0 out of 5 stars Going boldly into a new country can be a joy
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 July 2017
    Verified Purchase
    What a fascinating account of a non-French speaking Canadian girl's discovery of the joys of living in France. This whole adventure could have been a disaster but is a triumph of optimism and a willingness to immerse herself in the culture of the country. Indeed, I found the tale something of a torment reading the accounts of food served and eaten and the delicious wines tasted and enjoyed. My only complaint was the spoiler in the author's afterword which takes some of the suspense out of reading the sequels.
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  • Susan Clark
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent read from Laura Bradbury.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 January 2016
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    As always with a Laura Bradbury book this is a delightful read. It was a joy to be taken back to Laura's first experience of France and to share the highs and lows of her time there. Laura writes so fluently and evocatively that the reader is carried effortlessly along with the story, meeting familiar characters from the first two books as if they are old friends. Her words form clear images of the people and places with no long, drawn out descriptive passages.
    Reading this book I found myself sharing Laura's worries, happiness and dilemmas and fell in love with Burgundy and with Frank all over again. I look forward to the next instalment.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Michellefrance
    5.0 out of 5 stars A bumpy ride - baby bump!
    Reviewed in France on 26 June 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Once again Laura Bradbury leads us on a trail of the near-disasters and awkward moments that is her life, but as always, she and Franck manage to pull through and get the most of la vie en rose that Burgundy offers - good food, wine and friends and family to share them. Laura finds the experiences of pregnancy and childbirth, and the expectations of pregnant mothers, are very different in France than in her native Canada, but her friend Marie is there to help and advise. A lovely addition to the tales of Laura's life in France.
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  • Jane Juanita Roberts
    5.0 out of 5 stars A real life love story
    Reviewed in Spain on 21 July 2017
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    I loved this book very much, and once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. It was so interesting to see how a young Canadian girl coped with all the cultural differences when she went to France, including the differences between French and Canadian mealtimes, the schools, the language and the young people. These are just a few things she had to cope with. Fascinating to read, and I have now bought number 2 in the series as I am hungry for more.
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  • Nicole
    5.0 out of 5 stars Herzerwärmend
    Reviewed in Germany on 22 March 2017
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    Von der ersten Seite an war ich hingerissen von Laura Bradburys Schreibstil - lebensnah, sehr witzig und voller Lebendigkeit. "My Grape Year" ist alles, was man sich von einem Buch nur wünschen kann: Nachdenkliche Episoden wechseln sich mit derart lustigen Szenen ab, dass ich selbst an der Bushaltestelle beim Lesen laut loslachte. Laura Bradbury schreibt mit einer solchen Begeisterung über Frankreich, dass ich am liebsten sofort alles hätten stehen und liegen lassen und selbst zu einem Urlaub in Frankreich aufgebrochen wäre. "My Grape Year" ist, im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes, ein herzerwärmendes Buch.
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  • LP
    5.0 out of 5 stars A joy to read
    Reviewed in Australia on 8 December 2020
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    The first book in an autobiographical series. Laura is a 17 year old Canadian given the opportunity to spend a year in France as an exchange student. She is placed in Burgundy, smack dab in the middle of wine country. From practically nothing she learns the French language, is taught how to appreciate wines of many types, takes the reader on a gastronomic journey and meets the love of her life. Along the way she makes a number of friendships, makes a place for herself in school and returns home a different person to the young girl who left Canada. Laura is a wonderful writer. The book was a joy to read.
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  • I like Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars GRAPE Read -- Hurry with More!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on 20 December 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I read MY GRADE ESCAPE and MY GRAPE VILLAGE before reading MY GRAPE YEAR. All three of these books were very, very, very enjoyable. I’ve been to France, in which I spent the majority of my time on these two trips in Provence and the South of France. After reading these books, set in the Burgundy region of France, I would love to visit Burgundy and drink lots of those Burgundy Red and Grand Cru wines.

    I read MY GRAPE YEAR last, of the three Grape memoirs.

    I’m so glad Laura didn’t go to Belgium or Switzerland but to France. The Ursus Club had a trip to Burgundy and the members in Laura’s country felt Laura was mature enough to go to France, except one of them. This member was very much against students taking yearlong assignments in France because he stated every student they have sent on a France exchange has met with disaster.

    Laura has an exchange with four families during her year in France, it’s usually two families. She attended one year of High School there and was lucky gain a good friend in Sandrine. One of the goals of this exchange was to learn the language, in which Laura was fluent in by the time her year was up. I don’t know if she would have been this fluent with Flemish.

    Laura experienced many things during her year in France. Good eating and wine drinking were two of them. She was given wine to drink with no reservation at each host family’s home, even though at the last home the family was rarely at home -- at least they didn’t lock her out the door (read the book to know why I made this statement).

    Along the way of enjoying the food, wine, learning the language and attending school in France, she fell in love with a local from a village, Franck. There was some controversy about this courtship, because one of the rules was NO DATING. Laura prevailed and followed her heart and she is the better for it.

    What I enjoyed about the Grape books? The description of the foods and wines of this region -- when I do visit this region, I’ll know what to eat and drink. When in other countries, states, and regions I’ll try the local foods, but I’m with Laura on that pig’s blood dish at the Girard’s house.

    What I learned from the Grape books? I learned there are things that are regional in France. I remember while in Nice, France I went to some wine stores looking for the winetasting cup called a tastevin. You would have thought I was speaking a foreign language when I asked for this item. After reading this book, I see it is probably regional to the Burgundy region in France. I did find one of these cups at a store in the city I live in. When I told the store clerk I knew what it was, they told me I was the first person to know what a tastevin was for that comes into this store. I wonder if Burgundians know what a santon is.

    I was also able to brush up on my French which reading this book. I took a French course in 2011 before my two trips but these three books help me brush up on it, thanks for that Laura.

    I know this author is writing a book about her Grape Wedding. I would love to know what happened to a lot of the people in the first book like: Sophie, Elise, the host families, Mémé, Thibaut, these people we met along with way of Laura’s Grape Year. I would recommend this book to anyone who is traveling to France, who has been there and who love all things French. Great read.
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