sonia_reppe's review against another edition
4.0
A pretty girl who has two attractive, desirable men after her. One takes her to Paris and helps her art career by putting her paintings in a show (and he also sells them). Add to that the expert beautiful writing from Christine Sneed and what's not to love? Possibly some people might say it's not realistic that the main character has it so good and easy, but this story is not without tension and conflict (mostly inner).
prompted_ink's review against another edition
3.0
Unlike Little Know Facts and Portraits of the Few People I've Made Cry, which I enjoyed thoroughly, Christine Sneed's latest work was a different story. The descriptions and experimental point-of-view changes were as spot on as ever, but the narrative did not draw me in nor intrigue me enough to keep going. The vivid details, while brilliantly done and similar to a travel memoir, took me away from what was going on between Jayne and Laurent, although this was not the case in the beginning.
There was also quite a bit of lecture on French culture, which I both liked and disliked. Same reasons as the descriptions.
Those who are more familiar with romance novels, or more literary ones will figure out what I missed out reading this. In all honesty, I wanted to enjoy this one more.
There was also quite a bit of lecture on French culture, which I both liked and disliked. Same reasons as the descriptions.
Those who are more familiar with romance novels, or more literary ones will figure out what I missed out reading this. In all honesty, I wanted to enjoy this one more.
jaclynday's review against another edition
3.0
The Paris-based self-discovery book is a well-trod road and it’s hard to find writers saying anything new about it. Drinking game: sip when the protagonist sits at a cafe by herself and feels renewed. I’m not as cynical as I sound–really–and that’s mostly because sitting at a cafe by myself in Paris sounds absolutely delightful. So I get it. Anyway, this book surprised me in ways good and bad. It was deeper and darker than I anticipated, with interesting reflections on relationships, family, and human connections. The main character Jayne is believably flawed: she’s insecure and confused in ways that might reach parts of all of us.
gracescanlon's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
slow-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? It's complicated
3.75
mbarron57's review against another edition
2.0
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was very excited to read this book as I am a huge Paris-fan and love any book that uses it as their backdrop; however, I was a little disappointed in this story. I felt from Chanpter 1 you knew how the book was going to end which didn't compel me to want to finish reading this book. In fact, I had a particularly hard time staying interested in this book. Jayne, I found, was not a character that I could identify with and to be honest, her personality was a little lacking. I felt like most of the book she reminded me of that friend we all have who knows she's dating a guy whose bad for her but can't bring herself to leave him so we're all stuck listening to her whine about him. And then, in Part Two when the POV switched to Laureant I was completly thrown! I think the juxtaposition of POVs would have worked better if every other chapter had been written from his perspective but to suddenly change the book felt like the author got bored and didn't really know how to transition to an ending.
I was very excited to read this book as I am a huge Paris-fan and love any book that uses it as their backdrop; however, I was a little disappointed in this story. I felt from Chanpter 1 you knew how the book was going to end which didn't compel me to want to finish reading this book. In fact, I had a particularly hard time staying interested in this book. Jayne, I found, was not a character that I could identify with and to be honest, her personality was a little lacking. I felt like most of the book she reminded me of that friend we all have who knows she's dating a guy whose bad for her but can't bring herself to leave him so we're all stuck listening to her whine about him. And then, in Part Two when the POV switched to Laureant I was completly thrown! I think the juxtaposition of POVs would have worked better if every other chapter had been written from his perspective but to suddenly change the book felt like the author got bored and didn't really know how to transition to an ending.
susemcdonald's review against another edition
4.0
At first I wasn't certain if I "liked" this novel, but then when I started reading from Laurent's point of view, it took off. I enjoyed the alternating perspectives of Jayne and Laurent...and the many nuances of life and relationships which were captured and shared by their thoughts and actions. Although the I was hoping for an epilogue (I felt the story ended rather abruptly), I was able to ponder and imagine my own ending of the lives of Jayne and Laurent.
ahpotts's review against another edition
4.0
Gorgeous writing, with a plot that seems light but resonates after you finish.
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