Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

J'aime le livre!  From what I remember of my high school French, I think I'm saying that I loved this book! From the very start, Anna and the French Kiss was a fun escape from the doldrums this cold, yucky afternoon. It brought a freshness and a sunshine to my day that would definitely not have otherwise come. I loved it.

A little bit of the plot. Anna is forced to move to Paris by her fame-seeking father. He's the author of several books-turned-to-movies and wants his daughter to go to school with the children of the international set. At first, Anna absolutely hates this plan and rebels against it mightily, but she finally gives in after she starts school in Paris and makes some new friends.

And one of those friends is a handsome American-English-Frenchman named Etienne St. Clair. And he's handsome. And smart. And funny. And he has a girlfriend of more than a year. So, he's off limits to Anna as a boyfriend, but not as a best friend. They quickly find that they have everything in common, including a similar wit.

The problem? As soon as Anna's able to, she goes back to Atlanta for her holiday break. She quickly realizes that life back home went on without her. Her best friend has changed, and her high school crush might not have the attention span for an across-seas romance. Even her family acts differently toward her.

It's as though Anna is facing the separation and the adjustment that happens when teens go to college, but she's still in high school. She's having to redefine her relationships and what it means to be "home."

Again, I loved this book. It was a lighthearted, but funny and smart read. I enjoyed the banter-filled dialogue of the characters and the relationship between Anna and Etienne. It was fun to romp around Paris from the comfort of my living room. I did manage to eat a few macarons whilst reading today, which I am happy to have read about in this book. They are a favorite dessert of mine!

Remember: I am giving away a copy of this book in a giveaway that ends tomorrow night. There's still time to enter if you haven't already!