ARC Review: ONE SUMMER IN PARIS by Sarah Morgan
One Summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan Also by this author: The Christmas Sisters
Published by Hqn on April 9, 2019
Genres: Fiction, Romance
Pages: 384
Source: Netgalley
Amazon
Goodreads
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
ONE SUMMER IN PARIS Review:
As soon as I saw the title of Sarah Morgan’s latest book, One Summer in Paris, I hit the request button on Netgalley. Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world, and I’ve wanted to go back there ever since I first visited several years ago. I read Sarah Morgan’s The Christmas Sisters this past winter and based on the way she transported me to the Scottish Highlands in that book, I knew she was the perfect choice to take me back to Paris. Once I actually stopped flailing about the book being set in Paris and read the synopsis, I knew I was going to love it.
One Summer in Paris follows two women, 47 year old Grace and 18 year old Audrey, both of whom are in Paris for the summer. Grace is supposed to be in Paris for a month with her husband, David, to celebrate their 25th anniversary. However, when Grace presents David with the tickets for the Paris trip, David informs her that he is having an affair and wants a divorce. Grace is devastated but decides to pluck up her courage and go to Paris alone. Audrey is also dealing with some issues at her home in London that have left her feeling unloved and just wanting to get away and taste freedom for a while. She decides that she needs an adventure, and even though she doesn’t speak the language, she boldly decides that she wants to live and work in Paris for the summer. When Grace and Audrey unexpectedly cross paths in Paris, they form an immediate and unlikely friendship that will change both of their lives.
The friendship between Grace and Audrey was what really made this book such a winner for me. Their personalities in many ways are polar opposites, with Audrey being the bold and daring one, while Grace is overly cautious and has lived an almost sheltered life. I really loved how even though Grace was 47 and Audrey was only 18, Audrey teaches Grace just as many life lessons as Grace teachers her, and it was just so heartwarming to watch them support each other. Audrey, who is a whiz with hair, makeup, and fashion, helps Grace really come out of her shell and enjoy her time in Paris to the fullest, while Grace, who is a language teacher, helps Audrey start to learn French so that she can more independently live and work in the city. Grace becomes the mother figure Audrey has never really had, and Audrey becomes the BFF that Grace has never had.
You knew Paris was going to make my list of highlights, right? Morgan describes the “City of Lights” perfectly, capturing everything about the city that makes it such a magical and romantic destination for so many. Between her lush descriptions of baguettes, croissants, delicious cheeses, and wine, and picnics by the Seine River, and her picture-perfect portrayal of iconic French landmarks and gently curving side streets that lead to charming bookstores and bistros, Morgan will make you feel like you are right in the heart of Paris.
I know those who follow my blog will be surprised to see romance in my highlights section, but Morgan has woven two of my favorite kinds of romance into this story and really did both of them very well. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I’m just going to say First Love and Second Chance Romance, and leave it at that. 😊
I love a story that is filled with complicated relationships and this book is chock full of them. There are complicated family relationships, as well as complicated romantic relationships. This is an uplifting and heartwarming story overall, but it also has its fair share of drama because of these relationships, which I think help ground the story and keep it from becoming saccharine sweet. Although, that said, I will say that I cried happy tears more than once as I got closer and closer to the end.
My only real complaint about One Summer in Paris was that a couple of plot points were a little predictable. They took the story in ways I wanted it to go, however, so they didn’t really bother me too much.
I think One Summer in Paris is the perfect read for anyone who enjoys an engaging story about complicated family relationships, the importance of friendship, love, and above all else, a story about taking chances and finding oneself. It’s light enough to be a perfect summer/beach read, but it still has plenty of weight to it because of what both women are going through.
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:
“Morgan is a masterful storyteller, and readers will be fully immersed in this realistic but magical summer in Paris. Packed full of love, loss, heartbreak, and hope, this may just be Morgan’s best book yet. For fans of Jojo Moyes, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Stacey Ballis” -Booklist Review on One Summer in Paris.
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…
About Sarah Morgan
USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes romance and contemporary women’s fiction and her trademark humour and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe. She is a 3 time winner of the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America and has been nominated five times. Sarah lives near London, England, and when she isn’t reading or writing she loves being outdoors.
Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Audiobooks to Try Even If You Think You Don’t Like Audiobooks
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is audiobook freebie. Now in year’s past, I’ll be honest — I probably would have skipped this topic because audiobooks have historically been a struggle for me. I’d lose track of what I’m listening to because I was trying to listen to them while I was working or else I’d just zone out because the narration was too slow for me. It always bummed me out because I loved the idea of audiobooks and everyone else I know seems to love them. Well, this past year, something finally clicked with me and now I can’t get enough of them. Instead of trying to listen to them while I’m at work, now I listen to them in the car, or while doing chores, or even in the evenings just before I’m ready to go to sleep. I also changed up the genres I was trying on audio and found that contemporaries were the best fit overall for me. Technology helped quite a bit too. Now that I can get audiobooks as mp3 files, I can speed up the narration to 1.25x, which really helps keep me focused on what I’m listening to.
Below are ten audiobooks that I’ve really enjoyed this past year. If you’re struggling to get into audiobooks, I’d definitely recommend giving any of these a try. I thought that the stories themselves were very compelling and that the narration in each case really added so much to the stories. I was an especially big fan of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. The audio version just really helped make Evelyn seem larger than life.
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10 Audiobooks to Try Even If You Think You Don’t Like Audiobooks
THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid
CRAZY RICH ASIANS by Kevin Kwan
WHAT IF IT’S US by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera
THE RAVEN BOYS by Maggie Stiefvater
CATWOMAN: SOULSTEALER by Sarah J. Maas
I HAVE LOST MY WAY by Gayle Forman
LOVE & GELATO by Jenna Evans Welch
GIRL OUT OF WATER by Laura Silverman
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS by Agatha Christie
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Do you enjoy audiobooks? Have you listened to any of these?
Early Review: SERIOUS MOONLIGHT by Jenn Bennett
Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett Also by this author: Starry Eyes, The Lady Rogue
Published by Simon Pulse on April 16, 2019
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 432
Source: Netgalley
Amazon
Goodreads
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
SERIOUS MOONLIGHT Review
Jenn Bennett has quickly become one of my favorite YA contemporary authors. Her stories are always so heartfelt and filled with wonderful characters in relatable situations, as well as a strong focus on family and friendships. I have yet to read a Jenn Bennett book that didn’t leave me with a smile on my face and her latest book, Serious Moonlight, was no exception.
Serious Moonlight follows Birdie Lindberg, an 18-year old teen, who lives with her grandfather on Bainbridge Island, just outside of Seattle. Birdie, who was orphaned at the age of 10, has lived a very sheltered life out on the island, and was home-schooled by her overly strict grandmother. She therefore hasn’t had many opportunities in life to make friends and/or date. Birdie’s grandmother has recently passed away when the story opens and her grandfather has agreed that it’s time for Birdie to “spread her wings” a bit and thus he gives her permission to get a summer job. She lands a job at a historical hotel in Seattle, working the graveyard shift.
When she starts her new job, Birdie finds herself immediately drawn to the hotel’s van driver, Daniel Aoki, a handsome young man she had a chance encounter with a few weeks earlier, but that ended on a most awkward note. Daniel is drawn to Birdie as well, but neither of them is sure how to proceed after that first less-than-stellar meeting.
Can they figure out a way to move from awkward acquaintances to friends and then maybe even to more than friends?
Honestly, I loved pretty much everything about this book. I was on my way to a serious reading slump when I started reading it, and Birdie and Daniel’s story just pulled me right out of it. They were both just so adorable!
Birdie was my favorite character. She’s an introverted, mystery-book loving teen who aspires to be a real-life Nancy Drew. I loved getting glimpses into her fantasy life where she imagines that she’s following clues and solving mysteries, and where she creates Nancy Drew-like profiles in her head to describe everyone she meets. She also always wears a flower in her hair every day, inspired by the legendary jazz singer, Billie Holiday. Just thinking about Birdie and how endearing of a character she is makes me smile.
Also endearing though is Daniel. Daniel is this sweet, soft boy who loves to do magic tricks and who is so obviously hung up on Birdie. He is so tuned in to what her interests are and even arranges what can only be described as the absolute perfect outing for her, a live action game of Clue. What could possibly be more perfect for a mystery-loving girl? I just loved that he recognized how unique and special Birdie is and was so patient with her in every way. Some of their heart-to-heart conversations as they get to know each other better are my favorite moments from the book.
Bennett is a master at creating secondary characters that add even more life to her stories, and in this story, Aunt Mona is that character. Mona is Birdie’s aunt and godmother, and she is just a force to be reckoned with. She’s an artist with a personality and fashion sense that is larger than life. Mona literally just brings so much color into Birdie’s life. For you Gilmore Girls fans out there, personality-wise, she reminds me so much of Miss Patty. She’s not just an aunt or a godmother either; she’s also Birdie’s best friend and confidante.
The setting of Serious Moonlight was also a huge draw for me. I loved the Seattle location, but I especially loved that Birdie lived on Bainbridge Island and took a ferry to and from the city every day. The view from her home is literally the Seattle skyline with its iconic Space Needle. It was so easy to visualize that spectacular setting and I loved that the ferry ride provided moments for Daniel and Birdie to spend even more quality time together.
I also really loved the Moonlight Diner, a neighborhood diner in Seattle where Birdie would hang out whenever she needed to wait for the next ferry home. Before Birdie’s mom passed away, she worked at the Moonlight and she and Birdie lived in an apartment upstairs. Birdie, therefore, practically grew up in this diner and everyone there was part of her extended family. I loved that the diner had such character and especially that they served the most delicious sounding pies. Seriously, this book will have you craving pie like you would not believe! I was practically drooling at the descriptions. And the pie names are so great too! They had me hoping Birdie would stop by the diner every single day just so that I could see what the pie of the day was called, lol. I think my favorite was the Beyonce-inspired name, a cherry pie called “Put a Bing on It.”
The mystery subplot involving the famous reclusive writer was probably my least favorite part of Serious Moonlight. That’s not to say there was anything really wrong with it, more just that some of the situations Birdie and Daniel found themselves in as they tried to solve the mystery seemed a little far-fetched. It was still a fun subplot though so I wasn’t too hung up on it.
Serious Moonlight is everything I want in a contemporary read. It’s a sweet story about two people trying to find their way in the world and their way to each other. It’s also a heartfelt story about family, friendship, and love. If you’re in the mood for a story that will leave you with a smile on your face, Jenn Bennett’s Serious Moonlight is the book you’re looking for.
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:
After an awkward first encounter, Birdie and Daniel are forced to work together in a Seattle hotel where a famous author leads a mysterious and secluded life in this romantic contemporary novel from the author of Alex, Approximately.
Mystery-book aficionado Birdie Lindberg has an overactive imagination. Raised in isolation and homeschooled by strict grandparents, she’s cultivated a whimsical fantasy life in which she plays the heroic detective and every stranger is a suspect. But her solitary world expands when she takes a job the summer before college, working the graveyard shift at a historic Seattle hotel.
In her new job, Birdie hopes to blossom from introverted dreamer to brave pioneer, and gregarious Daniel Aoki volunteers to be her guide. The hotel’s charismatic young van driver shares the same nocturnal shift and patronizes the waterfront Moonlight Diner where she waits for the early morning ferry after work. Daniel also shares her appetite for intrigue, and he’s stumbled upon a real-life mystery: a famous reclusive writer—never before seen in public—might be secretly meeting someone at the hotel.
To uncover the writer’s puzzling identity, Birdie must come out of her shell…discovering that most confounding mystery of all may be her growing feelings for the elusive riddle that is Daniel.
About Jenn Bennett
Jenn Bennett is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary romance books, including: Alex, Approximately; The Anatomical Shape of a Heart; and Starry Eyes. She also writes romance and urban fantasy for adults (the Roaring Twenties and Arcadia Bell series). Her books have earned multiple starred reviews, won the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award, garnered two Reviewers’ Choice awards and a Seal of Excellence from RT Book Reviews, and been included on Publishers Weekly Best Books annual list. She lives near Atlanta with one husband and two dogs.