Who: Stephine PerkinsWhat: Anna and the French kiss
When: December 2nd, 2010
Where: Penguin Group (Dutton)
Why: HYPE
How: Bought
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in
Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the
verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being
shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire:
perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy
accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna
might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.
As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end
with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?
Just...wow. Don't let that fluffy cover and title deceive you, because this was a beautiful, genuine, and slow (you KNOW I love slow!) first love story on the bright streets of Paris.
The main character, Anna, is right up there with funny protagonists near Sophie from Hex Hall and Evie from Paranormalcy. I loved how relatable she was (and easy to laugh with!) I mean, how many of us have seen ourselves in that bumbling "OMG, is he looking at me? He's looking at me isn't he?! OH GOD" way? A lot of us, which is what made Anna and the French Kiss so genuine. It was an budding and intense romance, but it was also awkward and sweet, plus they fumbled sometimes and misunderstood each other!
The plot's been done before, but Stephine has a unique and quirky writing voice that never made me feel like I had read something like this before. All the side characters are quirky, fun, and realistic. Meredith, Josh, and Rashmi were perfect to the story and definite comic relief when it came to tense moments. Meredith was a great friend, and that "moment" (Ha, not spoiling THAT), I totally understood her reaction! I mean, wouldn't you react like that too?
Finally, St.Clair. Etienne. Oh, how you make me swoon. He wasn't perfect, which again I looooove, but he was sweet and intense but he was also awkward and fumble-y and got pissed off as well! And it develops slowly and sweetly and god, you know I love slow romances. Anne and Etienne are friends, then best friends, and incredibly close as there relationship develops. PLUS, I love that she didn't throw herself at him because she KNEW he had a girlfriend! I mean, girlfriend? You don't go after dudes with girlfriends! I like that Anna keep herself (tried at least) under control.
My rating? AWESOMESAUCE, definitely.
Happy Reading!
-Harmony B.
-Harmony B.
