If I could just put one hundred hearts in this review and leave it at that, I would. An uplifting book which will have you laughing, crying and enjoying every page, meet One Summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan.
The plot:
Grace can’t believe it when her husband announced he doesn’t want to join her on their 25th wedding anniversary trip to Paris – instead, he wants a divorce. Reeling from the shock, she finds herself in the most romantic city in the world: alone.
Audrey leaves behind heartache of her own when she arrives in Paris. A job in a bookshop is her ticket to freedom, but with no money and speaking no French, her summer adventures seems doomed to fail. Until she meets Grace, and everything changes…
Living in neighbouring apartments above the bookshop. Audrey and Grace form an unlikely friendship. They came to Paris to find themselves, but finding each other might be the best thing that’s ever happened to them.
One Summer in Paris will always have a special place in my heart
As I can’t insert heart emojis, it’d be easier to say what I disliked about the book: literally nothing.
Now I’m a HUGE Paris and France girl, so I knew that this book would be perfect for me despite not being my usual genre. And I tell ya, I’ve never wanted to board a Eurostar direct so quickly before. It really throws you in deep and shows you what One Summer in Paris can really mean for different people.
Chapters are predominantly split between Grace and Audrey, with the occasional chapter from Mimi, with it all flowing seamlessly. The tone between the two is relatively the same, but you know that they have their individual characteristics, and as the story develops, you can see how their relationship is changing.
I’m a big believer of ‘everything happens for a reason’ and this book definitely portrays that in so many ways. It really resonates with me as a reader, and for this reason, One Summer in Paris will always have a special place in my heart.
There were different stories all intertwining which meant there was never a dull page; one second, I was crying, the next minute I was laughing. Then blubbering. Then smiling like I’d just received the best news ever.
These emotions were all down to the characters – they were likeable, witty and my type of people. It felt like a very realistic read, and I honestly wanted to say au revoir to London and move to Paris just to be with them. Received a friendly reminder that they were fictional characters.
It’s such a loveable book from cover to cover, and it just made me so happy as a reader. It has different levels and isn’t just your typical ‘move away to Paris and fall in love in the city of love’ book but has real-life issues and reflects the stereotypical Paris we all know and love.
Is it a book which requires a re-read asap? I think it’ll probably be one I pick up in a few years so I can relive and feel everything all over again, but not one I’m dying to re-read straight away. This would make for the perfect holiday read – whether you’re in Paris or not, it’s mesmerising and relaxing.
This is the first book I’ve read by Morgan, and I assure you it will not be the last. May or may not have ordered another whilst writing this review (I did).
One Summer in Paris, Sarah Morgan, RRP £7.99 (paperback); Book Depository
Pages: 439
Publisher: HQ Stories
Genre: Fiction
