Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Can Anna find love in the City of Light?

Anna is happy in Atlanta. She has a loyal best friend and a crush on her coworker at the movie theater, who is just starting to return her affection. So she’s less than thrilled when her father decides to send her to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year.

But despite not speaking a word of French, Anna meets some cool new people, including the handsome Étienne St. Clair, who quickly becomes her best friend. Unfortunately, he’s taken —and Anna might be, too. Will a year of romantic near misses end with the French kiss she’s waiting for?

Read (finished): June 10, 2019

Rating: ⭐ 5/5

“How can I have been so stupid? How could I have ever for a moment believed I wasn’t in love with him?” – Anna, Anna and the French Kiss

When Anna is sent to a boarding school in Paris, she doesn’t know if she will ever move past the loneliness. Luckily, she meets a group of new friends…and St. Clair. Soon, Anna is exploring the city streets that she now calls home. As she navigates both old and new relationships, however, Anna learns that home can sometimes be a person.

Two days. It took me two days to finish this book (one day if my eyes could keep up). This book is just so cute and romantic!

Anna is an easy character to relate with (or at least for me). Thinking back to my high school years, I was always afraid of being adventurous on my own. Like Anna, I was scared of failure and embarrassment. Luckily, I had a group of supportive friends. Anna finds the same encouragement in her new group of friends, which leads to her own growth.

Another thing that stuck out to me was the lack of “fluff.” The obstacles that arise throughout the plot are all important and plausible. Some contemporary and romance books bring in too much drama, but Stephanie Perkins explores the deeper connections of navigating relationships. Without giving any spoilers, I liked how the book included the idea of communication being important in a relationship. Anna and St. Clair’s relationship is not the only important relationship in the story. Friendship and family ties are just as important, and both are affected by the presence of communication.

If you like traveling as much as I do, then read this book. The descriptions made me feel like I was actually walking down the cobblestone roads or watching movies at a vintage cinema. My cravings for Parisian pastries and desserts definitely doubled too.

Anna and the French Kiss was relatable, cute, and romantic. After falling in love with this book, I am excited to read Stephanie Perkins’s other novels.

Until next time, happy reading! ♡