Review: A New Season

If you’re a reader in need of a book that will make you laugh, think, feel, and laugh some more (all while being unapologetically Canadian), Terry Falls is your man. I have loved every book of his I’ve read and his latest, A New Season, was no exception. In fact, it may have just become my favourite of all his books. It was full of so much…*waves arms around*...life! It had humour, grief, and love of all kinds as well as some soul searching and travel thrown in for good measure. It was, if we want to get right down to basics, a damn good novel.

Here’s the book’s description:

Jack McMaster seemingly has it all. A beautiful house, a loving son of many talents (including cooking, which is great news for Jack, if not for his waistline), even a special bond with his buddies in his ball hockey league. But he's also learning to live with loss, leaving a gaping hole in his life--a life that will never be the same as before. Jack passes his days knowing he has the support of his family and his friends, but he can't shake the feeling that his life has gone gray, and that time is slipping by so quickly.
Then, a short and shocking video from an unexpected source gives him the gumption to make a change and maybe even haul himself out of his melancholia. Inspired by his lifelong fascination with 1920s Paris, Jack finally visits the City of Light, following in the footsteps of Hemingway and Fitzgerald, and wandering the Left Bank. Slowly, the colour seeps back into his life, aided by a chance encounter in a café that leads Jack into the art world, and a Paris mystery nearly a century old.
Full of sincerity and warmth, A New Season shows us all that sometimes, making a change in your life can save your life.

For a book about a man dealing with overwhelming grief, it’s quite funny. Which isn’t a surprise for anyone who’s read Fallis’ books before. His humour isn’t for everyone but I adore it. It’s quick and dry and there were many literal lol moments as I was reading this one (always interesting when one is reading in a full staff room on one’s lunch break). I wish I could include some of the most excellent quotes to give you an idea of how witty the book is but 1. I read an egalley so it’s always possible some things may change and 2. We’d be here all day while I tried to choose some of the best quotes. This book isn’t humorous in an obvious way - it’s not like those blockbuster comedies many of us love to watch - but it’s quieter and Fallis uses his humour at just the right moments.

OK, so this bit is hard to write without giving anything away and I really like that the book’s description gives you enough information to know what you’re reading but is still vague enough to keep the book’s secrets, well, secret. First, the book is set in the summer of 2022 when the world is emerging from major pandemic restrictions and I want you to beware of that if you’re sensitive to these storylines and/or lost someone due to COVID-19. Second, and this is the doozy, I have been wrestling with the idea that if this novel had been written by a woman, it could be categorized as a romance. Not a typical romance where the love story is the only real objective of the narrative, but my favourite kind of romance where there’s a whole lot of life happening for the main character but, at the end of the day, there’s going to be a Happily Ever After. I love Fallis’ work, that’s not what’s up for debate here. What is, however, is how books are marketed and how publishers treat books written by men and women differently. I think if this book had been written by, say, Theresa Fallis, the illustrated cover would look a whole lot different and we’d be having a totally different conversation. I’m not sure if I have a real point here - it’s just something that’s stuck in my brain as I considered the book and how I’d write this review and recommend it to others.

But putting the notion of this being considered a romance or contemporary fiction aside, this book is a love story. Or, perhaps more accurately, a love song. Jack is an amateur songwriter and guitar player - he enjoys it but knows he’s not good enough to make it professionally so he’s just had fun creating and playing for the past few decades. So, music and songs are a big deal to Jack and that’s why this book kind of feels more like a love song. He’s even written a couple of love songs that are included in the novel (which, yes, were written by Fallis). This book isn’t just a love song about love. It’s also an ode to friendship, family, Paris, and, yes, even ball hockey and the good buddies one makes playing it.

I loved that this book was a bit of an ode to Paris and the writers of the Lost Generation (Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald being the most famous). Jack is unapologetic about his love and (mild) obsession with the time and the writers and it was so lovely to see him go after his dream of living in Paris and walking the same streets as those authors he’d long admired. The extra little twist added in was such a delight and really elevated the story (why, yes, that is purposely vague).

A New Season is an uplifting book, even amongst all the grief, that shows it’s ok to live life after a tragedy and perhaps, it’s even more important to do so now after what we’ve all lived through. Terry Fallis has written a novel that is funny and heartwarming and will keep you entertained (and feeling all the feels) from the first page to the last.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, McClelland & Stewart (an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada), via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Paris Deception

You know I love a good historical fiction set during the wars. What you may not know is how interested I am in any storyline that references the theft of art from (mostly Jewish) individuals by the Nazis. I’m horrified by it but also fascinated by those who did everything they could to hide pieces, make lists of what was stolen, and tried to track the artwork down after the war. So, it was no surprise I was interested in reading The Paris Deception by Bryn Turnbull. I was fascinated from the start and the historical tale she told was entertaining and engaging.

Here’s the book’s description:

Sophie Dix fled Stuttgart with her brother as the Nazi regime gained power in Germany. Now, with her brother gone and her adopted home city of Paris conquered by the Reich, Sophie reluctantly accepts a position restoring damaged art at the Jeu de Paume museum under the supervision of the ERR—a German art commission using the museum as a repository for art they’ve looted from Jewish families. 
Fabienne Brandt was a rising star in the Parisian bohemian arts movement until the Nazis put a stop to so-called “degenerate” modern art. Still mourning the loss of her firebrand husband, she’s resolved to muddle her way through the occupation in whatever way she can—until her estranged sister-in-law, Sophie, arrives at her door with a stolen painting in hand.
Soon the two women embark upon a plan to save Paris’s “degenerates,” working beneath the noses of Germany’s top art connoisseurs to replace the paintings in the Jeu de Paume with skillful forgeries—but how long can Sophie and Fabienne sustain their masterful illusion?

Sometimes dual narrative storylines bother me. Usually because one character doesn’t have as much to do with the story and it can seem obvious that the author is padding the novel because there isn’t enough historical detail to fully flesh out one character’s story. That wasn’t the case with this book. Sophie and Fabienne had very different roles to play even while they were working towards the same goal. They also had very different backgrounds which allowed the reader to gain a better understanding of what life would have been like during this time. Sophie’s past, especially, was eye-opening. I know it’s just fiction but I felt Turnbull was able to illustrate how it would have felt for anyone living in Germany as Hitler gained more and more power prior to the outbreak of World War II.

I must say that I don’t think I cared about the main characters as much as I think I was supposed to. I liked them and was rooting for them, of course. But I don’t know if I was particularly invested. I cared far more about the art and the work they were doing to save it. Was this a personal bias? Perhaps. This is a part of history that fascinates (and saddens) me. Maybe I was just too focused on that rather than making sure I was caring more about the characters.

As with many war novels, I found myself wondering what I would do if I found myself in Sophie or Fabienne’s positions. Would I have smuggled art out of a museum at the risk of my own life? Would those small acts of resistance been enough or would I, unlike the women in the book, have formally joined the Resistance? Would I have hid Jewish families in my home? Or would I have turned a blind eye and just tried to survive the Nazi occupation in my city? We all hope we’d be brave and on the right side of history (you know, the side where people weren’t being murdered for their beliefs), but we can’t really know. Not until we’re faced with that choice. It’s a sobering thing to think about and I’m glad authors like Turnbull write books that show the shades of grey that was just trying to survive the war. It’s not as black and white as our history books make it seem.

The Paris Deception was my first Bryn Turnbull novel but it certainly won’t be my last. She’s a talented author with a knack for finding interesting parts of history to write about. Lovers of art and historical fiction should think about checking this one out.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.* 

Review: 24 Hours in Paris

Full disclosure before we get rolling: I’ve known Romi Moondi/her work for over a decade, having read her indie books and helped plan an event that she was a featured author at back in 2013. I was so thrilled that she was finally being traditionally published because I knew she deserved it. Therefore, I was pretty pumped to read 24 Hours in Paris. I say this to explain there was a bit of bias and a whole lot of really high expectations going into reading this new rom com. While I can’t say that I loooved 24 Hours in Paris, I can say that it was funny, entertaining, and enjoyable.

Here’s the book’s description:

All bets are off in the City of Light . . . where life and love can change in less than a day
After calling off her engagement, Mira escapes on an all-expense paid business trip to Paris. Despite the delicious food and flowing wine, she can’t forget the ache of leaving her fiancé behind or the fact that she’s just blown up her personal life. And messing up simply isn’t Mira.
She’s used to being in control. Meticulously planning. But now she’s at the mercy of the travel gods, and they are not acting in her favor. Subways are missed. Trains don’t run. Flights are overbooked. And by the time she arrives at the airport to go home, there are no new flights to NYC until the next day. The worst part? She’s now stuck in Paris for twenty-four hours with her arrogant and insufferable co-worker Jake whose constant flirting and annoying optimism is more than she can handle.
But as they spend the next twenty-four hours in Paris, exploring the city in all its beauty, Mira realizes that she and Jake have more in common than they thought, and he may turn out to be the best thing she discovers in the City of Love.

One thing you must know about Moondi is that she is funny. I found myself laughing throughout this story and I just love how clever Moondi is and that, by extension, her characters are whip smart too. That was probably my favourite thing about both Mira and this book. Too many rom coms these days are light on the “com” – but not Moondi’s novel. (In fact, you might even argue it’s light on the “rom”.) I wish I had noted some of the particularly humorous quotes but, alas, I was enjoying my reading experience too much to stop and write anything down or take pictures! You’ll just have to read it to see what I mean!

A few other reviewers have noted something that I think bothered me but I wasn’t able to put my finger on exactly what it was. Mira had never been to Paris and yet moved around the city extremely effectively. Would it really have been that easy for her? It’s not a small city but I can’t recall a single moment where she was even remotely lost or struggling with the city. Other than, of course, the initial hullaballoo that led her to being “stuck” in the city for an extra day. And I know a lot of people in Paris speak English but Mira didn’t seem to have many language barrier issues at all either. It just didn’t ring very true to me and must have stuck with me more than I realized.

What 24 Hours in Paris does really well is inspire strong wanderlust. My goodness, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to travel to Paris more than when I was reading Moondi’s novel. There were a few places I recognized as I read the book (recognized based almost entirely on other books and a few movies that I’ve watched based in the city) as well as several new spots that I’d love to visit someday. This part of the story was a balm during a time where travel has been really limited.

24 Hours in Paris isn’t just a romantic comedy. Romi Moondi’s novel is also a love letter to Paris. This is a book to read if you enjoy armchair traveling and characters who are funny and smart and may or may not fall in love by the time you get to the last page.

*An egalley was provided by the publisher, Wattpad, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Sisters of the Resistance

I'm not sure I knew the sister of Christian Dior was involved in the French Resistance until I read Natasha Lester's (amazing) The Paris Secret. Catherine Dior was a passing secondary character in that novel so when I heard that Christine Wells was writing a novel that focused more on Dior's role in World War II? I was immediately intrigued. Sisters of the Resistance was a riveting read that shines a light on the women who worked behind the scenes, at a great risk to their own lives, as they fought to liberate their country from Nazi Germany.

Here's the book's description:

France, 1944: The Nazis still occupy Paris, and twenty-five-year-old Gabby Foucher hates these enemies, though, as the concierge of ten rue Royale, she makes it a point to avoid trouble, unlike her sister Yvette. Until she, like her sister, is recruited into the Resistance by Catherine Dior—sister of the fashion designer, Christian Dior.
Gabby and Yvette are both swept into the world of spies, fugitives, and Resistance workers, and it doesn't take long for the sisters to realize that their lives are in danger.
Gabby discovers an elderly tenant is hiding a wounded British fugitive, and Yvette becomes a messenger for the Resistance. But as Gabby begins to fall in love with her patient and Yvette’s impulsiveness lead her into intrigue at an ever-higher level, both women will discover that their hearts and even their souls hang in the balance as well.

I may have been interested in this book at first because of the Catherine Dior connection but the novel isn't actually about her. Sure, she plays an extremely important role and is featured prominently but the story isn't told by her. The reader follows sisters Gabby and Yvette as they each do work to help Dior's resistance network. It shouldn't matter that it wasn't really about Dior. I believe I've read that there isn't actually a lot of material on Dior and her part in the resistance for researchers and writers to pull from. It makes sense that authors, like Wells, don't want to put fictional thoughts in the minds of real people when the information just isn't there. That's all fine. What I don't love is when publishers try to capitalize on a Big Name in History to sell books. I think historical fiction fans are interested enough in learning more about the people (women especially) that we haven't read about before. Those lesser known stories that are only just being talked about now, decades later. None of this is a bad thing, exactly, but I think readers need to temper their expectations when going into this novel as it is not told from Dior's point of view.

All that said, this novel is a fascinating look at what it would have been like in Paris during the Occupation and as residents worked together to fight back. The French Resistance is so interesting. The number of people, especially women, who put their lives in danger to protect their Jewish neighbours or to provide a safe house for injured Allied soldiers or pilots is astounding. And many of them believed that they were just doing what any normal person would do. But the thing is, a lot of people didn't do anything. It was a terrifying time so it's understandable that some people just weren't able to justify risking their own lives to save someone else's. So many women were left widowed because their husbands had to go off to fight at the front. Why would they risk what little they had left? But others? Like Catherine and the other Resistance Fighters? There was no question. They did everything they could. And there were so many ways that people were helping. I don't want to spoil anything but Wells does a good job of highlighting the many different types of things Parisians were doing to save their city. It was awe-inspiring. 

The story is told from both Gabby and Yvette's perspectives (third person) and in two time periods. During the war, in 1944, and afterwards, in 1947. It's similar to what Kate Quinn did in The Rose Code but it wasn't quite as nimbly done. I listened to both novels - they're actually narrated by the same person, Saskia Maarleveld, who I find incredibly talented - so I know it wasn't a listening vs reading thing that had me comparing the two. I can't put my finger on what didn't work but it wasn't as well done as I was expecting. Not to say that it was bad! I find the post-war period really interesting because it did take years for Europe to emerge from the shadow of war and I think that's a time period that should be explored a bit more. *searches for more novels set in the late 1940s*

As I said, I listened to the audiobook of this novel. Maarleveld put on a French accent (Parisian, not Quebecois like I'd be used to hearing in my own country) when the sisters and other French characters were speaking. It was a bit more of a reminder that, technically, they would have been speaking French most of the time and yet I was reading (listening) in English. It's always a bit weird to read novels like that but what else is there to do? I can't read a book in another language! (Even if I am trying to learn French online. It's slow going.) Maarleveld has a really pleasing voice and I'll definitely be looking into more of the novels that she narrates.

Overall, Sisters of the Resistance was an interesting read that shone a light on the important work French Resistance members, like Catherine Dior, did during World War II. Christine Wells' novel is a good one for historical fiction fans who are looking to learn even more about the time period.

*An egalley and an advanced listening copy of this novel were provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada/Harper Audio, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Paris Library

I had been sitting with my copy of Janet Skeslien Charles' The Paris Library for almost a year before I finally read it. You see, the book was originally supposed to be released in 2020 but was only just published this month. I was even lucky enough to be able to get a physical ARC at the last event I attended in early March 2020 before the world shut down. I enjoyed hearing from Skeslien Charles herself and looked forward to reading her book. Fast forward eleven months and I enjoyed my time spent getting lost in Paris as I read the novel.

Here's the synopsis:

Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.
Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.
A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors—The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places.

The cover and opening chapters of this novel are completely swoonworthy. Odile is a bookworm, desperate to work in her favourite place: the American Library in Paris. I completely identified with her love of reading, and even with hoping she'd be able to work at the library where she feels most at home as my first job was at my hometown library and I adored it. Skeslien Charles did the library (where she had worked herself years ago) credit and I really felt like I was there with Odile and the whole cast of characters who loved the library as much as she did. This love of books and the library being a sacred space was my favourite part of the whole novel.

This is a quiet historical novel. There isn't a whole lot that seems to happen - there are no battles being fought here - but everything changes over the course of the story. As the war begins, things gradually get deteriorate until Paris is occupied and German soldiers are crawling all over the city and imposing rules that impacted all citizens and the library. And things get even worse from there. Jewish subscribers were no longer welcome in the library and Miss Reeder (the real life American directress at the time) could not let that stand. The librarians arranged to deliver books to those who were no longer allowed into the library and continued to send books to soldiers when they could. It seems like such a small thing but they were risking their lives by doing this. They could have been arrested, or worse, for providing reading material, of all things, to Jewish subscribers or by having a banned book in their possession. Other libraries and museums had been pillaged already by the Nazis and Miss Reeder made sure to have some of their collection hidden in case their library was next. As we're learning now, during this pandemic, culture isn't going to cure us of COVID-19. It isn't going to feed us or find housing and safety for those who need it. But it is important for our mental wellbeing and we need libraries, and other institutions like them, to be around when we're finally able to emerge from this world we're living in right now. I think the librarians knew that, too.

I didn't like the dual timeline. I'm being increasingly picky when there is a historical and a present-ish day storyline woven together. I want it to have purpose and I didn't really feel like Lily's story in 1980s Montana really had a purpose. I wanted to know more about Odile and the secrets that she was apparently keeping but Lily's story didn't hook me. It was sort of clunky too and just didn't flow well. I would have much rather the story be told chronologically. Maybe in parts with the final part in 1983 as Lily helped Odile finally lay her ghosts to rest. I think this was a huge part of why I didn't like the book more than I did. I didn't want to be taken out of the story and I was whenever a chapter from the eighties came up. 

I wanted to love The Paris Library but it didn't quite make it. I would still recommend Janet Skeslien Charles' novel for those who want a different perspective on World War II and how difficult it would have been to live in Occupied Paris. I look forward to what she writes next!

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Little Bookshop on the Seine

Rebecca Raisin's books have been on my radar for awhile now but, for some reason or another, I just never picked one up. That changed when I had the chance to review the newly rereleased The Little Bookshop on the Seine. It seemed like a perfect read for me as it featured a (bit too) dreamy bookshop owner who travels to Paris to explore a brand new world and tries to jumpstart her stagnated life.

Here's the synopsis:

It’s The Holiday on the Champs-Élysées in a great big love letter to Paris, charming old bookstores and happily-ever-afters!
When bookshop owner Sarah Smith is offered the opportunity for a job exchange with her Parisian friend Sophie, saying yes is a no-brainer—after all, what kind of romantic would turn down six months in Paris? Sarah is sure she’s in for the experience of a lifetime—days spent surrounded by literature in a gorgeous bookshop, and the chance to watch the snow fall on the Eiffel Tower. Plus, now she can meet up with her journalist boyfriend, Ridge, when his job takes him around the globe.
But her expectations cool faster than her café au lait soon after she lands in the City of Light—she’s a fish out of water in Paris. The customers are rude, her new coworkers suspicious and her relationship with Ridge has been reduced to a long-distance game of phone tag, leaving Sarah to wonder if he’ll ever put her first over his busy career. As Christmas approaches, Sarah is determined to get the shop—and her life—back in order…and make her dreams of a Parisian happily-ever-after come true.

I think I might have been burned just a little bit by high expectations. I had already seen some glowing reviews from bloggers I trust so I went in expecting something fantastic - which may have been a mistake. The book was really sweet and a nice read but it didn't completely wow me. 

Sophie (the owner of the Paris bookshop who came up with the whole swap idea) is completely unreasonable. I was so frustrated with how she was reacting to the issues Sarah was facing. What did she expect would happen? And even though it was part of her story arc, Sarah's inability to stand up for herself - at first - was hard to read. Maybe it's one of those cases of it's hard to read because I sometimes feel like that too and it's a part of my personality that I'd like to work on. Too much psychoanalysis for a book review? Moving right along!

The other thing that nagged at me a little was that, while this is a stand-alone novel, it does follow a novella about Sarah and how she and Ridge originally started dating. Do I think you need to read it first? Not necessarily. I didn't, after all (though I learned I do have it on my kobo and have for some time...). But there were a few moments when I felt Raisin was relying too heavily on readers already knowing Sarah (and her past), Ridge, and the girls at The Gingerbread Cafe. I also felt like Sarah, at times, used British phrases instead of American ones. She calls a macaron a biscuit, for example. Americans (or Canadians, even, and we use a lot of Britishisms) would not use "biscuit" to refer to a cookie. A weird thing to bother me, perhaps, but bother me it did. 

I did adore the people Sarah met, and connected with, in Paris. Raisin created some wonderful characters and I was fully invested in all of their lives. Even Beatrice who was completely awful to Sarah (side note: I totally called Beatrice's secret and am shocked none of the characters figured it out). It was just a wonderfully fun cast of characters who were so great to read about.

And the setting! Swoon. I've never been to Paris (it's on the never-ending bucket list) but I kind of felt like I was there with Sarah, experiencing the city for the first time. Plus, the magic of the bookshop was just...oh, it was wonderful. I wished I could explore Once Upon a Time (and Sarah's shop in small-town Ashford, too!) and run my hands over the spines to see what sorts of stories the books would want to tell me.

All in all, The Little Bookshop on the Seine was sweet and heartwarming. Rebecca Raisin has created a character and a story that is a love letter to both book lovers and Paris. 

Buy the book 
Harlequin * Indiebound * Amazon * Barnes & Noble* Google * iBooks * Kobo

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About the Author
Rebecca Raisin is the author of several novels, including the beloved Little Paris series and the Gingerbread Café trilogy, and her short stories have been published in various anthologies and fiction magazines.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration for the purposes of a blog tour. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: One Summer in Paris

Over the last few years Sarah Morgan has become one of my favourite romance authors. Her books are always delightful and full of fun and lots of emotion, too. She's been writing books that aren't strictly romances lately, which has been a nice change of pace. One Summer in Paris is her latest and it was a joy to read.

Here's the synopsis:

USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan returns with this heartwarming novel about the power of friendship, love and what happens when an ending is just the beginning…
To celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, Grace has planned the surprise of a lifetime for her husband—a romantic getaway to Paris. But she never expected he’d have a surprise of his own: he wants a divorce. Reeling from the shock but refusing to be broken, a devastated Grace makes the bold decision to go to Paris alone.
Audrey, a young woman from London, has left behind a heartache of her own when she arrives in Paris. A job in a bookshop is her ticket to freedom, but with no money and no knowledge of the French language, suddenly a summer spent wandering the cobbled streets alone seems much more likely…until she meets Grace, and everything changes.
Grace can’t believe how daring Audrey is. Audrey can’t believe how cautious newly single Grace is. Living in neighboring apartments above the bookshop, this unlikely pair offer each other just what they’ve both been missing. They came to Paris to find themselves, but finding this unbreakable friendship might be the best thing that’s ever happened to them…

Fun fact about me: I've been trying to learn French for the last year or so using a couple of different apps. Mostly I'm doing it for fun but I am Canadian and feel that I should have a better handle on our other national language. Reading this book reminded me of the other reason I started learning and that's to travel more confidently. I have no plans to go to Europe any time soon (though I'd love to get there within the next five years) but I would like to be able to speak French when I do. I really liked reading as Grace taught Audrey French and wished she could teach me too! (Side note: any French learning tips would be greatly appreciated. Merci!)

One thing I constantly wondered about is how Grace's daughter might feel that her mom has befriended someone who's basically the same age as her. Don't get me wrong, I love that Morgan had the women become friends because I think it's good to have friends, or acquaintances at the very least, who are different ages. I just feel that Grace's daughter, Sophie, might have some thoughts on the matter. Or maybe she's a lot more aware than I give her credit for. It's a weird, small thing to be focused on but there we have it.

But what about the actual story? It was a really good one. It had pretty much everything I want in a novel: laughs, broken and then mended hearts, some sad and tender moments, traveling, and amazing friendships between equally amazing women. In these kinds of books, the characters can make it or break it for me. If I can't find something to like about them, I'm not invested. But Grace and Audrey were both fantastic. They were both really broken when they found each other and I adored reading as they helped each other become stronger women.

I was so invested in Grace that I was feeling incredibly protective and would have loved to give David, her husband, a piece of my mind. And maybe thrown a few things at him too. I therefore appreciated that Audrey was fiercely protective of Grace as well. That all being said, I was really hopeful Grace and David would be able to actually talk and work out what went wrong (or not exactly right) with their marriage. They seemed so solid that I was sure they would be able to overcome the bullshit David was putting them through. I was also really invested in Audrey and felt very much like a big sister as I was reading what she was going through. I was rooting for her the entire way through the novel and hoped she'd be able to smooth some of the prickles she had due to her upbringing.

One Summer in Paris was a delight and Sarah Morgan will continue to be on my must-read list, especially when I'm in the mood for a great story with equal parts light-hearted and realistic moments. Life isn't perfect but by the end of her novels you remember how we can make it through all those bumps in the road - because there's usually a wonderful Happily Ever After at the end.

*An e-ARC of this novel was provided via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris

I was expecting a super sweet and fun read when I started The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris by Jenny Colgan. What I got was a chick lit story with much more depth than expected and a story that will make you think about the choices you make in life and living every day to the fullest.

Here's the synopsis:

As dawn breaks over the Pont Neuf, and the cobbled alleyways of Paris come to life, Anna Trent is already awake and at work; mixing and stirring the finest, smoothest, richest chocolate; made entirely by hand, it is sold to the grandes dames of Paris.
It's a huge shift from the chocolate factory she worked in at home in the north of England. But when an accident changed everything, Anna was thrown back in touch with her French teacher, Claire, who offered her the chance of a lifetime - to work in Paris with her former sweetheart, Thierry, a master chocolatier.
With old wounds about to be uncovered and healed, Anna is set to discover more about real chocolate - and herself - than she ever dreamed.

It took me ages to finish this novel. That was, in part, due to the fact that I was glued to my TV watching the Olympics and out visiting friends over the couple of days it took me to read the book. It was also because I couldn't bring myself to read the book because I wasn't totally into it. I wanted to finish it so I could move on to my next read but I had no real desire to finish it. It wasn't bad, don't get me wrong. I think many people would love it much more than I did. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for this story. It could also be because I really was expecting a typical Brit chick lit story and there were more serious issues discussed than I anticipated. 

I do think the novel should have been shorter. Goodreads tells me it's 416 pages, my eARC said it was 384. I did a quick look at the chick lit novels I've read this year and can see that most of them are between 200 and 300 pages. More pages means more story which is usually awesome...except when it seems to be unnecessary. I think there should have been some trimming done - especially at the beginning, which I found to be very slow. 

The story was told in two perspectives, which I both liked and disliked. The majority of the story was told in first person, through Anna's eyes. We also got to see Claire's perspective in the present, in third person, and her past, also in third person and italicized and set apart from the rest of the story (if that makes sense...). It was a little jarring but I really did like Claire's story. In fact, I think it could be a lovely historical story in its own right. 

My favourite part of the entire book was the setting. I've never been to Paris (someday, maybe) but I felt like the book really showed what the city is really like. The people who live there, not the tourists. The shops. The buildings. It was all so clear and I loved reading the scenes where Claire experiences the secrets Paris has to offer. And, of course, I loved every single scene that took place in the chocolate shop. Yum.

I liked that the romance kept me on my toes. It wasn't exactly typical. I found myself wondering if what I thought was going to happen actually would happen. It wasn't super romantic either. The male love interest was a little...brash, I suppose, and you never really know where he stands. I'm not usually a huge fan of epilogues or final chapters that totally and perfectly wrap things up but I was glad that the last chapter in this book let me know exactly how the characters were doing after the traumatic event that occurs near the end of the novel. And I don't just mean that I was glad to know if there was a romantic Happily Ever After or not. I really did need to know if the characters were all ok. I may not have loved them all but I wanted to see them do well.

I'll say it again: I may not have been thrilled by Jenny Colgan's novel The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris but that doesn't mean you won't be. If you like your chick lit with a lot of depth, read this one. If you want to read about the real Paris, read this one. I hope you enjoy it!

*An advanced ecopy of this novel was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Review + Giveaway: Kissing My Old Life Au Revoir

When author Eliza Watson asked me to review her novel Kissing My Old Life Au Revoir I read the synopsis and was hooked by the first two words: event planner. After my undergrad I did a diploma in event management and have since planned a few events so I was interested to see what Samantha's life was like. The novel was enjoyable, if a little dramatic at times.

Here's the synopsis:

Event planner Samantha Hunter is prepared for a few challenges when escorting a group of good ole boy beer distributors to Paris, the city of haute cuisine and fine wines. However, she doesn’t foresee being passed up for a promotion because she is too professional and doesn’t knock back beers with her clients.
Her focus soon switches from landing the well-deserved promotion to finding her free-spirited sister, who lives in Paris and has disappeared, leaving behind family secrets to be uncovered. A sexy puppeteer helps Samantha search for clues to her sister’s whereabouts and teaches her to embrace her inner child. And a funeral-crashing psychic demonstrates the importance of living life to the fullest. It takes Samantha’s life spiraling out of control for her to finally get a life.

I know I was looking forward to reading this one because of the event planning aspect but I was happy that this didn't take centre stage. Samantha's not really working for the good majority of the book but it is clear from her personality that she's a planner. She's totally an A-type personality, which is great for event planners (and probably why I'm not actually working in events, haha), and is so focused on her work that she hasn't had a life. I don't think there are enough novels about planners and that's a bit of a shame. Yes, there are many wedding planner books but there are other options. I think this is an untapped source because, like weddings, event planning provides lots of built in drama. One of the first things I learned in school was that something always goes wrong! :)

There were a few things in the book that I felt could have been cut out. There was one unnecessary bit of drama around a situation that is not mentioned in the synopsis and I won't mention it either because it's a surprise in the book. (Confused yet?) Let's just say it involves two men and not knowing how they're involved in things. Moving on! There was also this crazy painter that was obsessed with getting paintings back from Libby and Samantha had to deal with him. I have no idea what the point of this was.

I liked that there was some intrigue in this novel. I think that, in part, helped the novel move along and made sure the story didn't stall or get boring. The family secrets that are uncovered were really interesting and it added more depth to the overall story. I'm really happy with how things turned out, family wise especially, for Samantha and Libby. I also liked that I didn't quite know how the story would end. I had some guesses but I really couldn't predict exactly what would happen.

Overall, Kissing My Old Life Au Revoir by Eliza Watson was enjoyable but there was sometimes too much excess to work through that the main story got a little lost. I'd still recommend this one to women's fiction lovers who are looking for a little something different.

Now, time for the info about the giveaway the title of this post references! Eliza has been kind enough to offer an autographed print copy of her book to a US/Canada winner or an ebook gifted from Amazon, B & N or Smashwords if the winner is international. Entry will be super duper easy. Just leave a comment and let me know why you'd want to travel to Paris (or your dream destination if Paris isn't your cup of tea) or what made you want to travel to Paris (if you're one of those lucky people who have visited). Make sure you leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. Since this review is part of a tour, I'll have the contest open until the last day - August 23rd. You'll have until midnight EST to enter. I've had some people have issues with comments before so if you're unable to comment, tweet me @KaleyS23 or send me an email books.etc.blogger AT gmail DOT com. Good luck!

*I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.*

Congrats to Steph (from Steph the Bookworm) for winning the contest! Thanks to those you entered :)

Vacation Reads Challenge: A Year in Europe

Bonjour! I've finished my fifth read for the Vacation Challenge hosted, in part, by Ruby's Reads. I decided to read A Year in Europe by Rachel Hawthorne because it took place in three major European cities - London, Paris, and Rome. I would love to visit any of these cities, especially London and Paris.

Let's start off with the synopsis from Goodreads:

MEET THE GIRLS of A Year in Europe, a collection of three interconnecting novels about the adventures of traveling abroad.
Robin: Her junior year abroad in London takes a surprising turn when she falls for British hottie Kit.
Dana: Paris is the City of Love, and Dana's on a mission to find a gorgeous French boyfriend.
Carrie: She's crazy about Antonio, her Italian dream guy. If Carrie tells him the truth about her American heritage, she might lose him forever.
A Year in Europe. Three unforgettable stories. One unforgettable journey.

Overall, I thought this was a fun read. It was actually kind of nice to read about teenage girls who just wanted to have their first boyfriend instead of reading about women who are looking to jump into bed with someone or a teenage girl who wants to become immortal *cough Twilight cough*. I have to admit that I kept thinking, why are these girls so obsessed with getting a boyfriend and worrying about whether boys like them? Partway through Dana's story I realized that my friends and I used to act like Robin, Dana, and Carrie when we were 16. After that, I put my 16 year old self in their shoes and started to enjoy the book a little more.

I liked that the novel was based around the girls going abroad for a year and living and learning in another country. This is something that I never would have done myself in high school, since I was pretty quiet and liked staying close to home. I could really understand the tough emotions the girls found themselves having while they were away from their hometown, friends, and family. However, I couldn't quite understand why they were so clueless in their new cities. Carrie was the only one who had no problem where she was because her father's Italian and she's fluent in the language. Robin and Dana, on the other hand, had some difficulties - and Robin was only going to London! She had no idea that the "tube" meant the subway and the "boot" meant the trunk of a car. Maybe I'm judging too harshly, but I'm pretty sure I had a rough idea of the most common English lingo when I was their age. I do applaud Dana for heading to a country where she is not fluent in the language though - I can't imagine how difficult that would have been!

England is one of my top dream travel destinations (Scotland, Ireland, and Australia are also up there) so I was definitely most envious of Robin and her year abroad. I'd love to go to Paris as well, but since I'm nowhere near fluent in French, it would be a little more challenging. I took French up until grade 10 (one year past the mandatory French classes us Canadian kids have to take) but I didn't retain much - just enough to excel at the French questions on Jeopardy! :) Regardless, I would love to travel to Paris sometime in my life.

This novel was a fun read, nice and light for the summer. I would definitely recommend it to teenagers who are looking for a good book to lose themselves in. I've read quite a few of Rachel Hawthorne's books before and I've always enjoyed them. It goes to show that just because you're no longer a teenager doesn't mean you can't enjoy a good YA novel every once and awhile. Especially one that takes you to so many wonderful cities!

Happy travels...er...reading, everyone! :)