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There are currently 23 member reviews
for Paris in Love
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Jane D. (Boulder, CO)
A Window on Paris
This book gives a delightful picture of an American family's year in Paris. The brief episodes are entertaining and frequently thought provoking. My only regret was that I sometimes found myself wishing for a more detailed story.
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sadie
Francophiles Rejoice!
For those who love all things Parisien(ne), Paris in Love will delight. Eloisa James aka Mary Bly has crafted a charming tale of romantic observations and vicarious adventures. Its form is lovely, too. Just dip in anywhere for a brief moment of pleasure.
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Monica G. (San Antonio, TX)
Le Bonne Vie!
Paris in Love by Eloisa James is a memoir of sorts but not written in typical memoir fashion.
After her mother’s death and her own diagnosis of cancer, the author, now a cancer survivor, decides it’s time for a sabbatical so she, her Italian husband and two kids, pull up temporary stakes and head for Paris, France.
This is a light, easy read that made me want to find a nice meadow with a bubbling brook nearby, throw down a blanket and read the day away. Paris in Love isn’t so much a story, as it is a compilation of short introductory paragraphs and collections of short facebook entries and tweets by chapters.
Ms. James doesn’t shy away from talking about the dark side of living in Paris but her joie de vivre over the simple pleasures overshadows the negatives. She also doesn’t strive to make her family life the picture of perfection. In the small snippets of daily living, we are privy to the ups and downs of day to day family life with husbands, kids, in-laws, and visiting family and friends.
We learn that Paris is not without its faults. There is bad weather. There are homeless people living on the streets. Some Parisians look down their noses at Americans. Not every French restaurant serves perfect French cuisine (gasp!).
Although these little snippets may seem disjointed at times, Ms. James’ little Parisian vignettes relayed warmth and painted some wonderful pictures in my head that kept me reading.
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Carol N. (San Jose, CA)
A Quick Read
After a bout with cancer, romance novelist Eloisa James takes a sabbatical and moves her family to Paris to enjoy a year of nothing but experiencing life in the City of Lights. While there she “Tweets” and updates her “Facebook” followers with the quirks and joys of Paris living ... this book is a collection of those posts. Most of her posts are no more than a few sentences long, consisting of witty, observant updates on food, shopping, her kids, her Italian husband and a plump little dog. However for me, these loosely connected paragraphs, no matter how well written, are not the kind of material I want to experience when I sit down with a book. Perhaps her well-polished posts would make great reading for times when only a few minutes are available such as waiting for an doctor’s appointment, getting your hair done, or experiencing the commute travel to the city.
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Kristen H. (Baltimore, MD)
Paris in Love
The best part of this book for me was that it made me nostalgic for Paris, where I lived for a year following college. I loved reading about the places and customs and traditions and idiosyncrasies that we're such a joy to experience, when I was there. But beyond the personal memories, I enjoyed the book. The intimate nature of the writing makes the reader feel like they are part of the family - and in some ways the story could be a year in the life of the family in any city in the world. I liked the book, but I wished that it had been deliberately written as a memoir of her life in Paris, rather than a collection of extremely short missives. I would have preferred the story with slightly more real narrative. I don't think I will read it again, and I am not sure that it was memorable enough for me to recommend to anyone else.
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Helen M. (Petaluma, CA)
What's missing?
I was so looking forward to a memoir about a year in Paris but this book fell short for me. I found the method of very short posts that Eloisa wrote in distracting and more often left me wanting for more. Sometimes it was appropriate but more often it felt disjointed. On the positive side, there were bright and beautiful insights to the people, the places and the food. I always just wanted more. Or perhaps, the thread that connected the whole work was what was absent. Absolutely delightful insights into parenting and a light sense of humor did keep the pages turning. People who love Paris, or just love to travel will enjoy the read if they can stick with the format.
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Nancy E. (Whitehouse Station, NJ)
Not What I Expected
I must have enjoyed Peter Mayle's books about Provence too much, as I was expecting this would be about Paris in a similar way. It is not. I enjoyed the first few pages of the book but as it went on it became very boring. The little snippets of information became annoying to read, and there was too much about the author's children and was of little interest to me, although I can understand a mother's desire to write about her children.
