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thekibbs101's review against another edition
I think it’s just too young for me, I probably would have enjoyed it more 2 or 3 years ago when I initially put it on my tbr. And I was getting bothered by the constant time jumps, instead of just letting a scene play out it would stop and summarize a conversation that characters were just in the middle of instead of just showing us the rest of the conversation. I liked the beginning but then it starts constantly skipping time so I just couldn’t sink into the story.
halfbloodapril's review against another edition
3.0
*2.5 stars
Aw, I'm sad to give this book such a low rating. I was all set to write a review about this being one of the best contemporary romance novels I've read in a while. And for 75% of the book, it was! I really liked the romance in this one; it wasn't any of the Big C's I hate in romances (cheesy, codependent, contrived), and both of the characters in the relationship had their own goals and personality traits. Mia, the main character, was extremely passionate about ballet and hoped to get into an American ballet company called ABT, which made her far more interesting than some characters who forget everything for their significant other (is it just me, or do I hear the heavy breathing of Bella Swan?). The other characters in the book, like Mia's rival Audrey and her mother, were multifaceted and brought several good lessons to the table.
But the ending...oh, the ending. Long story short, it felt like the author threw a random plot twist in for dramatic effect. It was really out of the blue, with no foreshadowing or anything, and I couldn't believe all of Mia's hard work went out of the window like that. From there, the rest of the book (including the epilogue) was a complete blur. I couldn't keep up, and frankly, I didn't really want to. Basically, everything I wanted the story to be like--it was the opposite of that.
Sigh. This book was pretty great up until the final incident. What made me the saddest was that by the ending, I wasn't rooting for Louis and Mia anymore. They were so cute and fun, but too many things happened for it to seem like they should end up together. I think they eventually did (again, I didn't retain anything at the end), but honestly, for them to never see each other again would have been my ideal ending. Here's a goodbye kiss and a lot of croissants in commemoration of what might have been a lovely couple.
Aw, I'm sad to give this book such a low rating. I was all set to write a review about this being one of the best contemporary romance novels I've read in a while. And for 75% of the book, it was! I really liked the romance in this one; it wasn't any of the Big C's I hate in romances (cheesy, codependent, contrived), and both of the characters in the relationship had their own goals and personality traits. Mia, the main character, was extremely passionate about ballet and hoped to get into an American ballet company called ABT, which made her far more interesting than some characters who forget everything for their significant other (is it just me, or do I hear the heavy breathing of Bella Swan?). The other characters in the book, like Mia's rival Audrey and her mother, were multifaceted and brought several good lessons to the table.
But the ending...oh, the ending. Long story short, it felt like the author threw a random plot twist in for dramatic effect. It was really out of the blue, with no foreshadowing or anything, and I couldn't believe all of Mia's hard work went out of the window like that.
Spoiler
Mia gets hit by a car while she's out on Louis's Vespa and breaks her collarbone--right before her audition with ABT.Sigh. This book was pretty great up until the final incident. What made me the saddest was that by the ending, I wasn't rooting for Louis and Mia anymore. They were so cute and fun, but too many things happened for it to seem like they should end up together. I think they eventually did (again, I didn't retain anything at the end), but honestly, for them to never see each other again would have been my ideal ending. Here's a goodbye kiss and a lot of croissants in commemoration of what might have been a lovely couple.
worldsunlikeourown's review against another edition
4.0
Find this review and more on my blog at Worlds Unlike Our Own.
3.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Aspiring ballerina Mia Jenrow arrives in Paris for the summer to attend an elite ballet program with big dreams. If she can succeed in the next six weeks, she could qualify for an audition with some of the best ballet companies in the world. But already the summer isn’t going according to plan. For starters, her mother is less than supportive of her ballet dreams. Her rival from New York, Audrey, is her roommate for the summer, and Louis, a charming French boy whom she meets threatens to be a distraction from her goal. But as the weeks progress, she finds herself discovering the city and she and Louis find themselves on the trail of unravelling the truth behind an old family story of Mia’s, concerning an ancestor who was supposedly a ballet dancer in Paris herself.
Regular readers of my blog will know that I rarely, if ever, pick up contemporary novels. However, I couldn’t resist requesting this book because it just sounded so light-hearted and fun and also, it takes place in Paris – it’s one of my favourite settings for contemporary novels. After reading half a dozen 500+ page tomes, this short and sweet book was exactly what I needed. Frankly, it was nice for a change to read a book that didn’t get me worked up about who the villain was or what catastrophe was going to befall my favourite characters.
Paris was so beautifully described and I loved seeing it all through Mia’s eyes as she explores the city. It’s just such a magical setting and the iconic sights make it easy to get into the mood of the story. Equally interesting were the glimpses of how ballet works behind the scenes – a topic I knew very little about – in particular, how much time, hard work and dedication the art demands. The mystery aspect was also really nice and added a bit of adventure to the story.
Mia was a great character and it was very clear how passionate she was about ballet. What I liked however, was that as focused as she was, she also knew how to relax and have fun when the situation called for it. Mia’s relationship with Audrey, her rival eventually turned friend, was excellently portrayed. Louis was nice enough, but I felt he was a little underdeveloped as a character and could have used a little more complexity.
Overall, this book was pretty much exactly what I expected and the only criticism I can give it was that it was kind of predictable – but no less enjoyable for that fact. This was my first time reading a book by this author, but I’m looking forward to trying her other works too. Kisses and Croissant is a cute story that will make you smile and makes for a perfect summer read! Definitely recommended!
3.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Aspiring ballerina Mia Jenrow arrives in Paris for the summer to attend an elite ballet program with big dreams. If she can succeed in the next six weeks, she could qualify for an audition with some of the best ballet companies in the world. But already the summer isn’t going according to plan. For starters, her mother is less than supportive of her ballet dreams. Her rival from New York, Audrey, is her roommate for the summer, and Louis, a charming French boy whom she meets threatens to be a distraction from her goal. But as the weeks progress, she finds herself discovering the city and she and Louis find themselves on the trail of unravelling the truth behind an old family story of Mia’s, concerning an ancestor who was supposedly a ballet dancer in Paris herself.
Regular readers of my blog will know that I rarely, if ever, pick up contemporary novels. However, I couldn’t resist requesting this book because it just sounded so light-hearted and fun and also, it takes place in Paris – it’s one of my favourite settings for contemporary novels. After reading half a dozen 500+ page tomes, this short and sweet book was exactly what I needed. Frankly, it was nice for a change to read a book that didn’t get me worked up about who the villain was or what catastrophe was going to befall my favourite characters.
Paris was so beautifully described and I loved seeing it all through Mia’s eyes as she explores the city. It’s just such a magical setting and the iconic sights make it easy to get into the mood of the story. Equally interesting were the glimpses of how ballet works behind the scenes – a topic I knew very little about – in particular, how much time, hard work and dedication the art demands. The mystery aspect was also really nice and added a bit of adventure to the story.
Mia was a great character and it was very clear how passionate she was about ballet. What I liked however, was that as focused as she was, she also knew how to relax and have fun when the situation called for it. Mia’s relationship with Audrey, her rival eventually turned friend, was excellently portrayed. Louis was nice enough, but I felt he was a little underdeveloped as a character and could have used a little more complexity.
Overall, this book was pretty much exactly what I expected and the only criticism I can give it was that it was kind of predictable – but no less enjoyable for that fact. This was my first time reading a book by this author, but I’m looking forward to trying her other works too. Kisses and Croissant is a cute story that will make you smile and makes for a perfect summer read! Definitely recommended!
lexis_nook's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
hafsaaaa's review against another edition
3.0
Loved the Paris vibes and the romance was cute but the pacing was a bit slow for me.
bema's review against another edition
3.0
3.75 (im not rounding up bc i suck)
This book gives Dance Academy in a way that it should be made into a series (not a movie bc not enough time to develop and communicate the story). But if it was a series i want more content(is this the right word?) outside of the ballet classes and more on the mystery and relationship developments.)
I liked but could have been better. Maybe more emphasis and storyline on the Degas ancestor mystery could have slayed (yes im repeating bc its needed to be a slay). Mommy daughter communication needs work :/
Boyfie was cool, but girly and boyf fell in love way to fast for the amount of times they actually hung out both platonic and romantically aka needed more development. (Personal observation/pet peeve: people say ‘i love you’ way to fast and use it too casually).
I liked the friendship development with Mia and Audrey (prob my fave part) but not enough to eat this book up.
In conclusion i liked but it was kinda boring :/ + i wanted more
This book gives Dance Academy in a way that it should be made into a series (not a movie bc not enough time to develop and communicate the story). But if it was a series i want more content(is this the right word?) outside of the ballet classes and more on the mystery and relationship developments.)
I liked but could have been better. Maybe more emphasis and storyline on the Degas ancestor mystery could have slayed (yes im repeating bc its needed to be a slay). Mommy daughter communication needs work :/
Boyfie was cool, but girly and boyf fell in love way to fast for the amount of times they actually hung out both platonic and romantically aka needed more development. (Personal observation/pet peeve: people say ‘i love you’ way to fast and use it too casually).
I liked the friendship development with Mia and Audrey (prob my fave part) but not enough to eat this book up.
In conclusion i liked but it was kinda boring :/ + i wanted more
ottiline's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
majdaaa's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
kelseysxbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Sweet and easy read. It captures a summer in Paris for Mia - following your dream, adventure, and of course love (in the city of love)!