Forced into early retirement and fed up with babysitting her demanding daughter's bratty children, fifty-nine-year-old Theresa is desperate for a change. Impulsively switching her town house in Highgate for a charming seaside flat, she makes the daunting but life-affirming move to the picture-perfect town of Bellevue-sur-Mer, just outside Nice. With its impressive villas and a shimmering cerulean sea, Bellevue-sur-Mer sparkles like a diamond on the French Mediterranean coast. Once home to countless artistic and literary visitors, nowadays the small town is home to the odd rock icon and Hollywood movie star and, as Theresa soon discovers, a close-knit set of foreigners with plenty of expat Brits among them. There's Carol, the infinitely glamorous American heiress, and her doting husband, David; the erstwhile British TV star Sally; the effervescent Guy and his partner, Gary; the ferocious business woman Sian and her wayward Australian poet husband, Ted, and the acerbic, older Zoe, who is rather fond of a drink, plus a little help from the surgeon's knife. And then of WC course there's the suave and charming Brian, who catches Theresa's eye. Brimming with a host of charming characters and narrated with effortless humour, Not Quite Nice is a story of secrets, friendships, and a lesson that it's never too late to have a new beginning.

A hugely enjoyable romp of a novel with eccentric characters, a delightful background and a savoury tang of crime * Katie Fforde *
A warm, light-hearted, fast-paced tale that fans of Peter Mayle will enjoy * Joanne Harris *
A very witty novel by a very witty woman. Hugely entertaining * Julian Fellowes *
Utterly delicious in every way * Joanna Lumley *
A sunny, funny debut novel … a keenly observed, rollicking tale of mature expats reinventing themselves on the French Riviera * Mail on Sunday *
This debut from national treasure actress Celia perfectly captures the colour of ex-pat life and the glitz and glamour of the South of France. A shaft of early summer sunshine, a funny, spirited read * Daily Mail *
A comic caper set among the tangled lives of a group of expats in a southern French village * Observer *
A delicious piece of entertainment … Theresa finds herself in a nest of bonkers, scheming expats, and soon suspects that this paradise comes with serpents ... Theresa is a fabulous cook and Imrie includes the recipes of her signature dishes. Read the book, then make the chocolate fudge tiffin * The Times *
In a delicious touch, the action is punctuated with recipes for the local dishes that are cooked by the characters so that readers can, if they wish, cook along with the action * Daily Telegraph *
Evocative detail and colourful characters, Imrie’s debut novel is a riotous tale of the highs and lows of life on the French Riviera * France Magazine *
This debut from national treasure actress Celia perfectly captures the colour of ex-pat life and the glitz and glamour of the South of France. A shaft of early summer sunshine, a funny, spirited read * Daily Mail *
It’s lots of fun, with adventure at a certain age as its driving force, and sun-kissed recipes as chapter breaks * Sainsbury’s Magazine *

Celia Imrie is an actress best known for her fun-loving roles in films such as Bridget Jones' Diary and Calendar Girls. She is also an established stage and television actress. She is due to appear in the sequel to the film of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel alongside Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, and Penelope Wilton, which will be released in March 2015. She is the author of a memoir, The Happy Hoofer. She splits her time between the Isle of Wight and Nice.