Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Remember what Professeur Cole said when he was talking about the lack of translated novels in America? She said it's important to expose ourselves to other cultures, other situations.

What can I say? I adored this book!

I was first introduced to this title when I was still living in Paris. I heard about it via John Green (one half of the Vlogbrothers and the author of The Fault in Our Stars). He talked about it being very well-written and incredibly witty, so I decided it was necessary that I read it.

Yet every time I spotted it on the bookshelf, I couldn't bring myself to buy it. I just couldn't get past the cheesy title and the almost-as-cheesy cover. Yes, I know I shouldn't judge books by their covers, but I can't help it! It just looked so overwhelmingly girly and stereotypical and even the summary made me think that I had the entire story already figured out. So when I made it back to Texas, I decided I'd just get it from the library so I wouldn't have to spend money on it.

Let me tell you, when I finally cracked this book open, I tore through it. No seriously. I started reading it yesterday around nine and finished it at approximately noon today. Yeah, it was that good!

Anna and the French Kiss is about a girl who gets flung into Paris by her well-meaning, but very-much-a-tool father who thinks it will be good for her to go to a boarding school where she will become cultured and sophisticated. She enrolls in the American school there (a school my own dad considered putting my brother and I in while we were both in high school) and quickly joins a small group of friends that includes the most handsome, charming British-American boy she has ever set eyes upon.

But there's more to all of this than meets the eye. The moment she meet St. Clair, she knows he's off-limits. He's been dating Ellie, who graduated last year and now seems to be too good to associate with anyone in their circle of friends besides her significant other. As the school year continues, Anna starts having mixed feelings for St. Clair. Not only is he swiftly becoming her best friend, coming to her defense on all occasions and helping her adapt to the French culture around her, but the undercurrent of mutual attraction between them is steadily on the rise.

As they say: What's a girl to do?

I was honestly surprised with how much I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was all-around wonderful and every bit as clever and witty as John Green said it would be. Stephanie Perkins captures the "City of Love" quite well. (Though I'll admit that there ought to be a tad more of the strangers that accost you on the street and rude people if she wanted to make it entirely realistic.) I loved every second of the book and it made me miss Paris even more.

Anna and the French Kiss was an incredibly lovely book despite it's cringe-worthy title. I encourage anyone who wants a good read to snatch it up immediately. I'll be buying myself a copy of this book as soon as possible so I can have it on my bookshelves. It shall be money well-spent.

And when I go back to Paris this Christmas to see my family, I will most definitely find Point Zero (which I didn't know about until I opened this book) and make a wish.

Rating: ★★★★★

"You say that I'm afraid of being alone, and it's true. I am. And I'm not proud of it. But you need to take a good look at yourself, Anna, because I am not the only one in this room who suffers this problem."