Review: Christmas in Paris by Anita Hughes

Title: Christmas in Paris

Author: Anita Hughes

Published: Paperback, St. Martin’s Griffin

Format: Paperback, 277 pages

Source: Personal copy

Summary: 

Hughes will fill your heart with the sights, sounds, and flavors of new love, glamorous fashion, and decadent holiday cuisine.

Isabel
Lawson is standing on the balcony of her suite at the Hotel Crillon as
she gazes at the twinkling lights of the Champs Elysee and wonders if
she’s made a terrible mistake. She was supposed to be visiting the
Christmas tree in the Place de la Concorde, and eating escargots and
macaroons with her new husband on their honeymoon. But a week before the
wedding, she called it off. Isabel is an ambitious Philadelphia finance
woman, and Neil suddenly decided to take over his grandparents’ farm.
Isabel wasn’t ready to trade her briefcase for a pair of rubber boots
and a saddle.

When Neil suggested she use their honeymoon tickets
for herself, she thought it would give her a chance to clear her head.
That is until she locks herself out on the balcony in the middle of
winter. Thankfully her neighbor Alec, a French children’s illustrator,
comes to her rescue. He too is nursing a broken heart at the Crillon for
the holidays. With a new friend by her side, Isabel is determined to
use her time in the city of lights wisely. After a chance encounter with
a fortune teller and a close call with a taxi, she starts to question
everything she thought was important.

Christmas in Paris is a
moving and heartwarming story about love, trust, and self-discovery. Set
during the most magical week of the year, the glorious foods and
fashions of the most romantic city in the world are sure to take your
breath away.

My thoughts: A couple years ago, I read and loved Christmas in London by Anita Hughes and so when I saw she had another Christmas book, I thought I would give it a try. I’ve never been to Paris and it is on my list of places to visit. 

One of the things I love most about London book is how well I felt Anita brought the sites and sounds, and even the tastes of the holiday, to life and I was hoping that we would get the same here – and I was right. I’m finding that this author really has a knack for bringing her setting to life. I felt as if I was right there with Isabel as she walked down the streets of Paris.

As far as the love story goes, you do have to suspend a bit of belief here. For a smart woman, Isabel doesn’t seem all to bright – believing everything the fortune teller told her. I really wanted to smack her for insisting she follow all the steps in order to find true love. If she had gotten out of her own way, I think it would have been a little easier to believe, but that’s just me.

As love stories go, it’s predictable, as most are, but of course, we read these for the journey and this one is full of interesting turns. There are some sweet moments and all in all it was a good holiday read and still has me wanting to go to Paris one day!