Review ~ ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins

ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS

(Anna and the French Kiss, #1)

Stephanie Perkins

BLURB

Anna can’t wait for her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a good job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she’s not too thrilled when her father unexpectedly ships her off to boarding school in Paris – until she meets Etienne St. Clair, the perfect boy. The only problem? He’s taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her crush back home. Will a year of romantic near-misses end in the French kiss Anna awaits?

Anna and the French Kiss charms [readers] with its Parisian setting and très bien boy.”
MTV.com

★★★

Is it possible for home to be a person and not a place?

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Anna and the French Kiss is a sweet and endearing love story that really showcases the fragile and unsure transition into adulthood. What makes this story truly shine is its unique and intimate writing style. The plot is not filled with twists or over-the-top scenarios; it is gentle, relatable, and just boils down to some really fabulous storytelling.

Anna has been sent by her father to complete her senior year at a boarding school in Paris. She is alone and afraid, but her fierce determination shortly rewards her with quirky friends, and a new, sexy love interest…

Étienne St. Clair seems to have it all; looks, brains, charm…a very sexy English accent. Only problem is, he also has a girlfriend. Anna and Etienne develop a solid friendship quickly as they attempt to bury away any stronger feelings igniting between them.

I truly loved the slow and progressive build up to their relationship. It was exciting and had a very believable feel. Anna’s character was a breath of fresh air; she was fun, slightly sarcastic, and not at all afraid to speak her mind. I appreciated her lack of naivety. She wasn’t perfect, and her flaws only enhanced her genuine persona.

For all those steam-lovers out there: this book is definitely clean and ‘chaste’ for the most part, but I was happy to see it lacked the typical teenage drama found in most YA’s. Although the characters are seniors in high school, living on their own at a boarding school in France gave them a worldly feel and added tremendous maturity.

This is the kind of story that sits in your head throughout the day even while you’re not reading. Its youthful tone is inspiring and definitely makes for a feel-good read. The tender love composed will touch your heart and these lovable characters will, no doubt, become your friends. Very sweet read!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Book Stats:
▪ Genre/Category: Romance/Young Adult
▪ Steam Caliber: Clean
▪ Romance: Slow-building, charming, with just a touch of angst.
▪ Characters: Richly constructed, lovable, and fun cast. Sweet hero/heroine.
▪ Plot: Coming of age. Embracing independence, and taking a chance on love.
▪ Writing: Polished, engaging, and witty. Successfully creates a solid reader/character bond.
▪ POV: 1st Person: Heroine
▪ Cliffhanger: None
▪ Next Installment: Separate story in series.

(originally read & reviewed on May 9, 2012)

Author: Kristin (KC)

2 thoughts on “Review ~ ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins

  1. I am doing a reread of this via audio right now. Such a great book. Lovely review!

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