Book Review Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Disclaimer: Reading is all about exploring new worlds, but this Book Review does not shy away from spoiling specific scenes as this is more of a look inside the good and bad of a book.
The Analysis:
This book has been on my TBR list for a while. I read the first chapter as a little taste and fell in love with the writing style. Yet, it was still another year before I actually got around to it. This was a wild ride. So, let’s book review the first book. But first, follow me on Goodreads.
Here’s The Blurb:
Anna can’t wait for her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she’s less than thrilled when her father unexpectedly ships her off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Clair, the perfect boy. The only problem? He’s taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her crush back home. Will a year of romantic near-misses end in the French kiss Anna awaits?
Cover Critique:
This is a perfect example of a simple cover done right. Definitely, one that looks beautiful on a book shelf and a perfect representation of what awaits you inside. The title also adds an extra little magic.
Now The Story:
Book Info:
Pages: 400
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Available: Google Play
This book is a bit slow in the beginning as we get to know our heroine, Paris, and the boarding school she’s settled into. Nothing good or bad jumps out at me. There is only one point of view, the heroine’s, and I like her. She seems like your average, American teen transplanted in a foreign world.
I don’t think I truly related to her until she was sitting with her friends trying to figure out what to do for the weekend without any adult supervision and coming up with nothing. Even at her age, I could totally see myself in Paris, planning nothing, other than watching French movies on TV. It wouldn’t even occur to me to get buck wild lol. So, I thought her friends were great in that way. Although it was St. Clair that came through with the save and the first of their many connections.
Their first cute moment together was at Point Zero Des Routes De France. I thought this was a sweet little moment between the two. I also picked up on the not-so-subtle double meaning of his words. From the reader’s perspective, I hoped it meant that the story was going to start picking up.
And it sort of did with the introduction of the hero’s girlfriend. She’s plain-looking but friendly, and if anything is in her favor it’s her sultry voice. And of course, the heroine takes an immediate dislike to her because hating whoevers with your crush is a must. My first thought is no, please don’t do this.
In this story, the heroine is the other woman. The truth is, the hero doesn’t have a good excuse to cheat on his girlfriend. While some might say there is never a good reason to deliver a poison pill like cheating. I disagree. At the very least, she could be this raving monster as a plausible excuse. However, not spending time with her old friends simply doesn’t count. And we don’t get to know her that well. I think the author keeps the reader at arm’s length for a reason as to not risk us getting too attached to the OG girlfriend. But that’s still difficult for me. So it’s hard to root for the relationship that eventually develops. In fairness to the story, this is more emotional cheating than physical.
The hero also comes across as disingenuous in the way that he lets her know his true feelings. For lack of a better word to describe it, I’m going to call it grooming. Their feelings don’t seem to be unfurling naturally between each other. Instead, it all seems carefully orchestrated by him with this push and pull effect to make her needy. For example, he flowers her with attention and then disappears. They go out on a pseudo friendship/date and the next day he won’t say anything about it. It goes on like that for a while in the heroine’s own words. It doesn’t make me like him, but I love the angst.
This all continues until the hero suffers a devastating blow in his personal life on Halloween. It’s at this moment that he finally has the courage to reveal his feelings. The way it happens puts things in perspective and I completely understand why things unfold the way they do. But it’s her reaction to it that has me thinking of…of all things…celebrities. Specifically, married celebrities. If you choose to be the other woman, the why should matter. The hero just being, quote: beautiful, perfect, wonderful is not enough. Yet, if given a chance with a married celebrity many women would knock themselves over getting to him, wife be forgotten. Based on those 3 words.
When it should be: He understands my soul. I want to be with him on a random Tuesday and not just because he puts fun into my Saturday. I hate his quirks, but if I go a moment without them my life looks strange. [Sorry, writing a romance novel.]
Ruminations on love aside, I thought the heroine was fairly mature. Sure she lacked experience in certain areas, but I never truly held it against her. I definitely spoke too soon. If you like the heroine, just wait, she’s a hypocrite. Her immaturity shows through more when she’s back at home. For instance, she’s comparing her ex to her new crush and they look similar. But the way she describes it seems harsh and unfair. It sounds more like she has a type than the guy is ugly which is what she’s implying. Heck, I’ve tasted fancy chocolate and it’s all the same chocolate to me. But her biggest downfall is her nervous breakdown over her bestie liking her crush. Talk about get a grip. You sharing a bed with somebody else’s man. Her ability to be a good friend is giving me Bella vibes from Twilight.
And then I thought, maybe I was being too hard on the whole cheating aspect (married woman here). They hadn’t actually crossed the line. Then he tells the heroine that his girlfriend keeps suggesting that he go visit his sick mom. I think she wants me gone. If this ain’t the most, villainize the girlfriend f***boy moment, so you’ll sleep with me I don’t know what is. I was back to finding him barely tolerable.
They have several more inappropriate friendship/flirting moments that don’t cross the line, but make you feel crazy.
The American ex-boyfriend being the biggest hero of this story was a pleasant surprise. He made me cackle lol. But it also helped me realize how toxic, the hero and heroine’s “friendship” is and how that needed to end one way or another. That also made me feel crazy because the lines were blurry. It will have you second-guessing yourself and your definitions for things.
At the end of the day, I do believe that they think they are in love. Should they be in love with each other? Will it last? Those are different questions and ones that leave this a firm 3 stars for me.
Now, I say this a lot, but this book really is too long. At the halfway point, she’s just making it home for Christmas break. Anyone else feel like this should be the end? Like she should’ve cheated, gotten heartbroken, found new love, and recovered by Christmas break. This book was still going and we were still waiting on major plot points. I only say this because this book reminded me of a movie and in a movie, Christmas break is the end, lol.
Side note (ranty book review): The American in me balked at some of her comparisons. If you want to talk about the prison system, health care, etc is better in another country, I’m there. Let’s dig deep. You want to get superficial and talk about chocolate, bowling alleys, and fashion, you lost me. Oh, they dress better in France now that I see things through their eyes. You mean in America we like to be comfortable and not like we stepped out of GQ magazine on a random Wednesday. Oh, the struggle, Anna Wintour needs to get us together. Eye roll.
Now, I picked this book apart, but I did really enjoy it. I will DNF a book in a flash and I finished this. It’s just enough drama to keep you hanging on, and clearly, I was invested.
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Book Review At A Glance:
Recommendation: 3 out of 5
Book Cover Appeal:
🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓
Story & Narration:
🍓🍓🍓🍓
Romance:
🍓🍓🍓
Character/(s) Personality:
🍓🍓🍓
