Summer at the French Bakery

Author: Jo Thomas

Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)

Published on 4 June 2026 by PAN MACMILLAN (Pan Books) in the United Kingdom.

Paperback | 336 pages
197 x 131 x 22mm | 232g

Set in the beautiful south of France, Summer at the French Bakery is a story of one woman's determination to revive the heart of her new home from Jo Thomas, much-loved author of Love in Provence.

A new adventure is on the menu . . . Juliet has learnt that life is too short not to chase your dreams. But when she buys an old watermill in France, her tranquil new start is quickly kneaded into something far more ambitious when the local mayor offers her a deal she can’t refuse: reopen the village’s derelict boulangerie.

With a formidable rival – the owner of the local bread vending machine – determined to crush her, Juliet faces disgruntled villagers, her own lack of baking skills, and hidden secrets within the mill itself.

But with help from her outspoken neighbour and the charming Tabac owner, Juliet battles to bring back the aroma of freshly baked bread – and with it, the heart of the community.

Can she prove that even the biggest dreams start with just a little pinch of courage?

Praise for Jo Thomas

‘Jo sweeps you away to a better place with every book’ – Veronica Henry

‘Joyful and life-affirming’ – Milly Johnson

‘Filled with fun and summer sunshine in the south of France!’ – Jill Mansell

‘A delicious escape to the sun’ – Phillipa Ashley