Colazione a Parigi

by Kate Klise, Valentina Zuffagnini (Translator)

Chi ha detto che in amore non contano le coincidenze? Tutto comincia con un bigliettino. Daisy è una chef famosa, una donna affascinante, una mamma single e una che ha volontariamente, consapevolmente, definitivamente chiuso con gli uomini. E infatti quando, sul volo che porta lei e la figlia Coco a Parigi, il passeggero del posto 13C le fa scivolare un biglietto nella borsa, Daisy pensa solo una cosa: che tutte le sue teorie sugli uomini - fanfaroni, impudenti, e così patetici! - sono più che fondate. E non le interessa nemmeno sapere chi è stato a scriverle quelle frasi da cottarella liceale. D'altra parte, non ha tempo di rimuginarci più di tanto: ormai sono arrivate a Parigi, e il vero dramma è un altro. Coco si è appena accorta di aver preso al ritiro bagagli la borsa sbagliata...
Addio settimana parigina tra croissant, shopping e passeggiate: avete idea di cosa vuol dire essere in vacanza con un'adolescente che ha appena perso tutti i suoi vestiti più carini? Dal canto suo, il passeggero del 13C, architetto, papà single e un po' imbranato, specie in fatto di donne - quelle creature incomprensibili e anche un po' inquietanti - non sa come gli sia saltato in mente di scrivere quel bigliettino...
Provarci con le passeggere sui voli intercontinentali non è certo il suo stile. È che quella donna lo ha proprio folgorato. Ma pazienza: il suo viaggio prosegue per Barcellona, dove ha una mostra importante, e dove potrà passare un po' di tempo con il figlio Webb, in piena crisi adolescenziale.
Il fatto che, una volta a destinazione, il ragazzo scopra di aver preso per sbaglio dal nastro trasportatore la borsa con sopra l'indirizzo e-mail di una certa Coco non aiuterà di certo. Se cercavate una lettura frizzante, deliziosa, per ridere di gusto, emozionarvi e commuovervi come davanti a un fi lm con Hugh Grant e Julia Roberts, l'avete trovata. Con un avvertimento: preparatevi a scoprire qualcosa di vero sulla vita, sulle relazioni, e su quella cosa pazza e irresistibile, quasi sempre inaspettata, che si chiama amore.

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Fiction, Young Adult, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Adult

300 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2012

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

Catherine "Kate" Klise is an American author of children's literature. Many of her books are illustrated by her sister, M. Sarah Klise. Their popular Regarding series is presented in a scrapbook style format, with letters, journal entries, and related ephemera telling the story. She is also known for her picture books as well as the bestselling 43 Old Cemetery Road series. Kate Klise's first adult novel, In the Bag, was released in 2012.

Reviews

[Dd · Rating 2 out of 5]

Funny and sweet.The story of two single parents and their teenage children.The story has been written from all of their perpectives alternately.But it lacked any real solid point.The author tried to present something like the comedy of errors but it was not so interesting.The ending was a bit stupid too.

Overall it was an o.k read.Recommended for people who want to layoff intense for a while and want a light,uncomplicated read.

[Tina(why is GR limiting comments?!!) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I decided to read this because the story seemed cute and light. It's a quick easy read but pure fluff!

[Utha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suka dengan eksekusi penulis! Idenya simpel, tapi jadi menarik! Resensi lengkap di http://www.tsaputrasakti.com/2016/01/... ya!

Terkadang, orang memang suka salah paham dan terlalu mudah (atau terlalu dini?) menyimpulkan sesuatu. Kayak yang terjadi sama Webb dan Andrew, ayahnya. Juga kayak yang terjadi sama Coco dan Daisy, ibunya. Secara keseluruhan, suka!

[Ali · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book to be incredibly banal. The story is told in alternating chapters from the perspective of the 4 main characters, Daisy and her daughter Coco and Andrew and his son Webb; however, all 4 characters are incredibly boring and self-absorbed! The book is predominately spent on the characters inner monologues which are all self-absorbed, insecure, and dull.
The plot of bags being mixed up at the airport and the teens plot to switch them back and the hijinks that ensued had such potential, but instead of filling out this plot line, we are subjected to endless inner dialogue by 4 of the most insecure people to ever exist.
After the insipid first few chapters, I rapidly skimmed the remainder of the book. Overall, a very disappointing read.

[Chelsey Wolford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Klise does a fantastic job of changing perspectives and channeling both female and male teenage characters as well as female and male adult characters. Each chapter is titled with the name of the character’s thoughts or actions that you are reading. Everything was kept organized and it was very easy to follow along with this story. Klise had amazing interpretations of how teenagers would react in this scenario and then used a more socially acceptable lingo when speaking as the adults, Andrew and Daisy. I was extremely impressed with her ability to switch characters so frequently and still hold the reader’s attention.

This book is somewhat predictable in a sense, but that does not take away from the joy of reading it. It has embarrassing and awkward moments, experienced by the characters, and also the happiest moments that made me smile from ear to ear! I loved getting to individually getting to know each character and trying to predict what they would do next. Daisy and Coco were extremely easy for me to relate with as mother and daughter because I believe that my mother and I behaved the same way when I was a teenager!

The whole idea of this book, I can imagine, could be hard to write. Klise incorporates so many minor details that paint one huge masterpiece. We travel to many different settings and locations and Klise does an amazing job of making you feel as if you are really visiting each place she takes you. There are even wonderful graphics and pictures on the pages that say Day 1, Day 2, etc. I loved the entire concept of developing relationships as you send your characters halfway around the world. The idea of travel and adventure was the ribbon that tied the book together.

Having never read a book by Kate Klise, I would now say that I will continue to be a devoted fan who patiently awaits her upcoming books!

***A copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher for review purposes.***

[Kimberly Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute fun read!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main reason I wanted to read this book was the cover. I feel like I'm always saying this, but it's so true! If a book looks good, I'm bound to pick it up, often without even reading the back cover. But once I read the back cover, I knew I was going to love this book! So I sent a request to the publisher and was ecstatic to get a review copy!

This book is about a father and son who travel to Spain and a mother and daughter who travel to France. They're on the same flight when the son and daughter's bags get switched. Their bags, however, are more than they have in common. Both families have strained relationships and everyone feels as if they'll never find the one in their lives. Many emails and phone calls later, they all end up meeting at some point or anther.

First off, I was so jealous of their adventures. I would love to be able to travel all over Europe like these characters, so this was just perfect for a summer read! Then, as you all know I'm a sucker for a romance, so the relationships that develop in here are so gosh darn cute! Webb and Coco (the kids) connect through email while the parents slowly grow closer (though they have no idea anyone knows each other). There's A TON of miscommunication and misinterpreting feelings that it is so true to life. Nothing is perfect in that they instantly fall in love and can't keep their hands off each other. These relationships develop, go through a lot of hesitation and doubt, and are far from perfect. But I think that's what made them so lovable!

The writing style of this book really made it a great read too. Each chapter switched from the four characters, either focusing on Webb and Coco's relationship or on the parents' relationship. It was fun to see how everyone thought about what took place and how the parents were completely misinterpreting how their kids were feeling. And the ending was great! I loved what happened, but I'll just leave it at that so you guys can read and see for yourselves!

So if you're looking for a light, summer read that's bound to put you in a good mood, pick In the Bag up! It'll have you hopping on the next flight to Europe to see if you can find your very own unexpected romance :)

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started reading this book, then set it down and completely forgot I was reading it until I noticed it again. I guess that kinda shows how invested I was in the story. Supposedly this is aimed at adults, but it really reads more like a young adult novel, both in the fact that two of the four main characters are teens and the writing is very fluffy YA-ish.

A dad and his son (Andrew and Webb) and a mom and her daughter (Daisy and Coco) are on the same flight to Paris. Andrew finds Daisy attractive but doesn't actually introduce himself, and Webb and Coco's bags are identical and get mixed up. Webb and Coco start emailing each other to arrange to swap their bags, and they start flirting and both get interested in each other. Meanwhile, Andrew and Daisy meet and get interested in each other too. A lot of misunderstandings and such follow.

I skimmed a good chunk of this book once I picked it up again. The story had potential, but it was bogged down with all the coincidence and misunderstandings. Everyone continually hid how they were truly feeling about the other and each chapter (which rotated points of view between all four main characters) spent a good chunk of time with the narrator debating what X meant and whether the other person understood how they felt, etc. The story was predictable and unrealistic, and the characters all felt way younger than they were supposed to be. This needed a stronger plot, more likable characters, or some grounding in reality. I sighed a number of times at the sheer number of convenient coincidences in here.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fluffy, light romance that reads like a romcom. Single parents traveling with single tech-savvy teenagers leads to misunderstandings galore in this travel-inspired tale of love. This is a good vacation read, a good in between book, a good book to read before bed (if that's part of your nightly routine), overall it's something you can just sit back and enjoy.

That being said, there were some things that annoyed me about this book. While the teenagers were pretty well written in terms of motivations and the way they think/speak, the way the 2 parents related to the teens and talked to each other about them was a little off. It felt like they were discussing much younger children in almost all of these sequences. The scene where it was especially apparent was the one in which the group of four meets and has dinner before the blowup over exchanging emails.

Some of the problems the characters faced in this story were funny, but seemed a little too over the top which is what made me feel like this was a romcom in text. The scene on the plane where Webb is believed to be the head of a terrorist group is a perfect example: very dramatic, funny. but not entirely realistic.

I like this author's other work and am excited to see what else she has in store for adults, but I think on the whole I ended up wanting to love this more than I did.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucu, kocak dan seru ceritanya. Jadi ingat masa masa kuliah, bacaannya ya kaya gini hehe. Ini serasa kombinasi chick lit dan teen lit. Salah paham, perjalanan berliku, salah paham dan happy ending.

[Sinta Nisfuanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Salah satu tema novel yang menarik untukku adalah hubungan orangtua-anak. Tema yang tidak kalah sarat konflik dibandingkan dengan cinta-cintaan atau misteri pembunuhan, apalagi jika usia anak menginjak remaja. Bukan sesuatu yang aneh lagi, jika menemukan banyak kesalah-pahaman antara orangtua-anak yang masing-masing merasa lebih mengerti tentang pemikiran atau pendapatnya.

“Putriku. Putri delapan-belas-tahun-ku yang cantik…. Dia juga akan memprotes kenyataan bahwa aku mencintai saat-saat langka ketika dia membutuhkanku. Saat-saat seperti ini adalah perubahan yang sangat menyenangkan selama tahun-tahun terakhir, ketika aku bagai daging tumbuh yang tidak diinginkan.” (Daisy – h. 26)


“Aku tahu seharusnya aku berusaha lebih keras untuk membuatnya merasa diperlukan dalam hidupku. Dia benar-benar ketakutan ketika kukatakan aku tidak memerlukannya lagi. Tapi bukankah itu tujuannya tumbuh dewasa?” (Coco – h.96)


In The Bag berkisah tentang empat tokoh sentral, Daisy - Coco, dan Andrew – Webb, masing-masing adalah pasangan single parent dan anaknya. Keempat tokoh ini dikaitkan dengan kejadian tertukarnya tas Coco dan Webb di bandara. Tanpa sengaja, Webb menemukan email Coco yang terselip pada tas. Saling berbalas email pun terjadi dan berlanjut ke obrolan mereka yang ‘nyambung’. Rasa saling penasaran dengan sosok di balik email mulai muncul dan mereka membuat kesepakatan bertemu, tapi kesepakatan tersebut harus dibayar dengan menciptakan kebohongan kepada orangtua masing-masing

Di sisi lain, tentang para single parent, Andrew dan Daisy yang mengawali ‘pertemuan’nya dengan selipan pesan di tas. Konflik mereka berdua menurutku lebih asyik dan lucu. Perasaan campur aduk menghadapi remaja di masa yang labil sering membuat mereka stress dan bertanya-tanya. Berusaha memberi ruang pada remaja mereka tapi tetap waspada saat terlihat sesuatu yang tidak lazim. Meski sering Daisy dan Andrew menyerap kesabaran tingkat tinggi atas prilaku para remaja yang sulit dipahami. Dilema para orangtua.

“Suatu hari nanti dia akan berterimakasih kepadaku karena telah membelikan celana itu untuknya. Atau tidak? Apakah aku akan pernah dihargai atas jutaan hal kecil yang telah kulakukan untuknya, yang tidak dia sadari? Ataukah orangtua memang tidak akan pernah diganjar ucapan terimakasih?” (Daisy – h.105)


“Kalaupun dia ingin membangkang, aku lebih suka jika setidaknya dilakukan dengan cara menarik. Bukannya asyik dengan permainan computer yang menumpulkan otak atau apapun itu yang sedang dia hadapi…. Tapi kalau dia tidak ingin bersamaku, kenapa dia tidak bisa bersama seseorang atau sesuatu yang lebih menarik daripada computer? Kenapa saingan untuk mendapatkan perhatian putraku harus sesuatu yang begitu kering dan menjemukan?” (Andrew – h. 103)


Kisah cinta Andrew – Daisy pun tak kalah seru, efek dari selipan pesan membuat Andrew ketakutan dan gelisah, di sisi lain karakter Daisy yang naik-turun dengan prasangka yang selalu muncul membuat hubungan mereka antara iya dan tidak. Kisahnya mungkin klise tapi yang menarik adalah konflik yang membelit sepanjang cerita. Perseteruan dan kekalutan orangtua menghadapi anak-anaknya, serta kisah cinta masing-masing pasangan. Saya suka chemistry yang dirajut penulis pada setiap pasangan dan juga dengan karakter yang ditampilkan.

“Semenit sebelumnya dia menangis, berikutnya cekikikan kegirangan. Dialah makhluk paling tidak bisa ditebak di muka bumi. Tapi satu hal yang pasti: dia perfeksionis, seperti ibunya, yang artinya dia jengkel ketika kehidupan tidak berjalan sesuai keinginannya.” (Daisy – h. 45)


“Aku senang Dad memercayaiku untuk pergi sendiri ke museum. Tapi kalau dipikir-pikir, tipis bedanya antara dipercayai dan ditelantarkan. … Lalu merasa bersalah karena telah mempertanyakan motivasi Dad. Dia sungguh-sungguh berusaha sebaik mungkin… Dia sudah menjadi orangtua tunggal jauh sebelum hal itu menjadi tren.” (Webb – h. 91)

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads: A successful chef and single mother, Daisy Sprinkle, is on vacation with her teenage daughter, Coco, who picks up the wrong duffle bag at the airport. That situation is not improved by the note Daisy finds tucked into her carry-on, apparently from the man in 13-C. Daisy is in no mood for secret admirer notes or dinner dates. Or even men, for that matter.

Andrew doesn’t know what possessed him to do something like that. Hitting on strange women on airplanes is definitely not his typical style. But there was something about the woman in 6-B that could not be ignored. Of course, now he has no time to think about her, since his son Webb seems to have made off with a budding fashionista’s luggage.

Determined to make the best of a bad situation, Daisy cooks up a plan to calm her daughter’s panic over the lost bag with a week of fabulous food, shopping, and museum hopping. Andrew is busy woking on his latest project and hoping Webb finds enough to entertain himself. Little do they know the teens are making their own plan. . . one that will ultimately reunite Ms. 6-B and Mr. 13-C.

My thoughts: Ahhh. A relaxing, fun read. No allegories or metaphors (unless you count that awful song which I miss the meaning even now. Also, why would anybody leave a cake out in the rain and would someone really go crazy and segue into disco? I think not). Point of View changes quickly and you might get a little whiplash with the change but it definitely can't be told any other way.

Every character provides a different perspective and interpretation. In fact, misunderstandings are rampant, not unlike real life. I can attest to two POV being quite accurate; Coco and Daisy. I can totally understand Coco "knowing" she has turned Webb off because he saw her old, pink bra in the duffle bag. Because I have been a shallow teenager and would be caught up in that red herring. Also, Daisy simply does not understand her daughter's angst. She doesn't understand why her daughter is so emotional and irritating. She concludes that she definitely needs a vacation but she needs a vacation from Coco. She's a bad mom. What kind of mother wishes for time away from their beloved child? (Answer: a normal one).

It was fun, awkward, embarrassing, and heartwarming. I want to read it again.

[Julie N · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Bag is the perfect summer book. It follows a mother/daughter and father/son who are travelling in Europe and have an unlikely bag mix up that results in a flurry of emails, missed connections, and cute/quirky misunderstandings. It's short and light and the perfect beach read.


Writing
The author does an excellent job of capturing both adult and teen voices. The book is divided into sections narrated by each main character. In the adult-narrated sections, we see the angst and moodiness of teenagers through an adult's eyes. In the teen-narrated sections, we get a great glimpse into how teens see their parents. I was really impressed with the author's ability to capture both age ranges effectively.


Entertainment Value
I read it in one sitting if that tells you anything. It's funny and cute (if somewhat predictable) in a great summer romantic comedy way. I'd definitely go see it if it were turned into a movie.


Overall
I definitely recommend it, especially as a vacation/beach/summer-type read. It's cute and light and interesting enough to keep your attention through a flight or in a crowd by the pool. One word of caution: the teenagers in it may inadvertently make you feel old. At one point Webb gives a description of "old guy" music and uses Elliot Smith as an example. My jaw seriously dropped. I never thought I'd hear someone I listened to in college described as "old guy" music. It hasn't been that long!!!!!!

[Samantha March · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say that I didn’t love this book. The premise sounded good, the cover was cute, and I liked the short and quick chapters, which made for a fast read. I understand that sometimes fate does work in strange ways, but the believability started to get stretched a little thin for me as the book carried on. The ending was a little confusing as well, and I can honestly say that I would have preferred none of the “terrorist” angle be included in the story. I like reading books that are based outside of the US because I love traveling, so reading about Paris and Barcelona and Madrid sparked my interest. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t held for the duration of the book.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute idea for a story!

I was a little confused by the ending since it seemed so abrupt and I thought they were having dinner still. I enjoyed the description of Daisy through Andrew’s eyes, but other than that the characters didn’t really seem to grow on me as actual personalities. I felt like I was just reading someone’s emails as they told me about an experience they had. Otherwise it was a nice, detached summer read. 3 stars.

[Christina Tirta · Rating 4 out of 5]

sukkaaaaa deh

[Amy Brown (amylikestoreadalot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story! Light read about two couples meeting cute-and they happen to be parents and children. The author usually writes YA, and since I love YA, I liked her style. The characters were pretty likable, too.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light-hearted fun read that really hit the spot for me!

[Luanne Ollivier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know where you might find copies of Kate Klise's adult debut novel In the Bag this summer ..... in quite a few beach bags! It's absolutely perfect for summer reading - sweet, charming, light and fun.

Chef and single mom Daisy is on her way to Paris to take a much needed vacation with her teenage daughter Coco. Single dad Andrew is on that same flight with his teenage son Webb on their way to Spain. When Andrew accidently spills a glass of wine on Daisy, he feels terrible....but also smitten. Daisy is well - the kind of woman he could fall for. So he decides to tuck a note into her carry on luggage with his email contact information. You never know, right?

It is only when each pair arrives at their hotels that the teenagers discover that they have picked up someone else's luggage. Three guesses here. Yes - Coco and Webb have each other's bags. When they discover contact info in the bags, they begin conversing by email. And the conincidences don't stop there.....

Klise has conjured up a simply delightful plot, full of miscommunications, misperceptions, missed cues and misunderstandings. She has chosen to tell the story from the viewpoint of each of the characters, which really worked. The characters were believable and rang true. I nodded my head and chuckled at much of the parent's thoughts and dialogue. It brought back memories of my own two (now grown) teenagers. Klise also did a great job with Coco and Webb. Much of their communication is done through email and Kate wrote witty missives that seemed to capture the tentative beginnings of teenage relationships. Interestingly it is only when they meet in person that Coco and Webb have trouble communicating, mirroring today's dependence on electronic connections.

And no summer beach read is complete without a happy ending. Yes, you can see it coming but Klise makes the journey there so much fun. Chick lit fans will love it. And it would make a cute rom/com movie too!

And it was only when I finished the book that I discovered the idea behind the book. Klise found a hand written note in her own carry on bag. I wonder if she ever followed up?

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE COVER IS BEAUTIFUL AND THE BOOK IS WONDERFUL AND I JUST LOVE ALL OF IT!
Plot
One big mix-up at the airport is just the start of the destined romance between a pair of teens hoping to find themselves in the world, and two single parents who need to be reminded that your job doesn't have to be your whole world.
Characters
Coco- Personally, she is my favorite. She's 18 years old and ready to go off to college to be a psychologist. Coco doesn't date, her school work is her life. She's a perfectionist, but when her bag falls into the wrong hands, she finds herself to be emailing an adorable boy who happens to be her age, and as fate would have it, maybe her future boyfriend.
Webb- Webb isn't sure what he wants in life, but when he finds himself emailing a charming, smart girl who may actually like him, he can't help but to be enthralled. Then, when he finds a way to meet possibly the girl of his dreams, he jumps at the chance.
Daisy- Daisy is a work-a-holic who has anxiety problems. She wants to be a good mother, but it's hard when your daughter doesn't need her anymore. Then with the whole bag mix-up, Daisy believes her vacation to be ruined. Then with some creep emailing her, hitting on her and evens says he's with someone else, she can't help but be irritated the only male attention she attracts are pigs.
Andrew- Andrew is on his way to Spain for an art museum opening. He is constantly thrown into his work, and he tries to be a good father to his adopted son. When he sees a beautiful woman on the plane, he slips what he believes to be a romantic love letter, and by a chance of fate finds she has come to fill in as the caterer for the museum opening.
Plot Continued
As fate works her magic, they all find themselves thrown out of their element and into a whole bunch of adorable awkward.
Overview
I loved this book. The beautiful cover enticed me, the synopsis hooked me, and the book enraptured me. This is one of my favorite books of the summer, and I suggest it for anybody who is looking for an adorkable romance in the most marvelous setting then In the Bag is the book for you.

[Anjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Bag is told from the POV of four people - Daisy, her daughter Coco, Andrew and his son Webb. As it can happen with identical bags, Webb picks up Coco's bag at the Paris Airport and Coco picks Webb's, obviously by mistake. This accident leads to 4 people finding love in the most unexpected way possible.

It was the cover that first attracted me to this book and after reading a sample chapter, I knew I'd like this.
This was such an adorable book! On one side we have Webb and Coco with their witty and totally charming e-mail exchange(s) that had me laughing the entire time I was reading the book.
On the other side there's Andrew and Daisy's really sweet story of two adults still looking for love. All four characters play a main role in the book and it's impossible not to root for them!

I did some googling and found out that this is Klise's first adult book and I have to say that she's certainly good at creating/writing about teenage characters because Webb and Coco kept me amused throughout the novel. I'd love to see Klise write some YA romance.

Light, funny and really cute, In The Bag is a perfect beach read. Chick Lit/Romance lovers will eat this up, especially if you're looking for a quick and happy read.

[Melissa Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable...couldn't put it down!

"A successful chef and single mother, Daisy Sprinkle, is on vacation with her teenage daughter, Coco, who picks up the wrong duffle bag at the airport. That situation is not improved by the note Daisy finds tucked into her carry-on, apparently from the man in 13-C. Daisy is in no mood for secret admirer notes or dinner dates. Or even men, for that matter. Andrew doesn’t know what possessed him to do something like that. Hitting on strange women on airplanes is definitely not his typical style. But there was something about the woman in 6-B that could not be ignored. Of course, now he has no time to think about her, since his son Webb seems to have made off with a budding fashionista’s luggage. Determined to make the best of a bad situation, Daisy cooks up a plan to calm her daughter’s panic over the lost bag with a week of fabulous food, shopping, and museum hopping. Andrew is busy woking on his latest project and hoping Webb finds enough to entertain himself. Little do they know the teens are making their own plan. . . one that will ultimately reunite Ms. 6-B and Mr. 13-C."

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this within three hours while I was waiting between classes. Kate Klise is ranked my second favorite author, behind Kresley Cole. While In the Bag was not completely epistolary, I appreciated the emails, plane tickets, and especially notes interspersed into the novel. In the Bag is the story of a case of mistaken luggage at a Parisian airport. Gentle art designer father Andrew and his laid-back son Webb catch a flight to Paris for an art gallery exhibit in Spain. Uptight sous chef Daisy and her dramatic daughter Coco are on the same flight for vacation. Andrew is smitten with Daisy and accidentally spills wine on her on the airplane. He apologizes by slipping a note in Daisy's bag, doubling as a secret admirer. Webb and Coco pick up the wrong bag because their duffel bags are identical. I really liked this book and was able to finish it quite quickly. Surprisingly, I liked Andrew and Daisy's story way more than the children's. The teens were immature and didn't have much chemistry. This was a cute little book that I recommend specifically for airplane rides.

[Maria Elmvang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up on a whim after seeing it on a "Top Ten Travelling Books" list somewhere. It sounded cute, so I figured "why not" - and as so often happens when I have no particular expectations, I ended up being utterly charmed by it :)

The story itself is nothing special - pretty run-of-the-mill YA - but the characters are so real that I couldn't help being taken in by them. I like the way the story chances POV in each chapter, giving us insight into all four main characters that we wouldn't have had otherwise.

If you enjoyed Anna and the French Kiss and 13 Little Blue Envelopes, this book should be right up your aisle. A quick read too - I read it in one lazy Saturday :)

[Annalynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this cute little book! I picked it up because my nine year old son likes the author's "Regarding the Fountain" series and her "43 Old Cemetery Rd" series, and I was more than a little intrigued when I saw this cover that looked more like a book which I would like than he would. Turns out I was right. I've rounded up my 4.5 stars because I enjoyed the book so much - its set in Paris, Madrid and Barcelona, and involves a mother-daughter and a father-son and how they come to meet and fall in love. I liked the format for the book - each chapter alternated between the four leads, and you can see their relationships developing over hidden notes in bags, emails, and voice-mails. Its a fun, modern story, and did I mention its set in Paris, Barcelona and Madrid? Armchair traveling!

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished 5/26/16. I'm clearly gearing up for vacation, with all these quick reads. This was a cute, light story with some grating characters. I wished they would get out of their heads more and speak to each other. I don't NEED to know everything the character is thinking especially surrounding a certain pink padded bra. There were very cute parts and I was especially amused to see an actual ending for the sparklers...was wondering about that little stopover in sub-plot-town. All in all, it was alright, probably closer to 2.5 stars, but I give bonus stars for the great food references throughout. It probably won't be a memorable book for me, but I'm not disappointed I read it either.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute, fun, easy beach/pool read. It made me laugh out loud, long to travel to Paris, Madrid, and Barcelona, and miss all the flirty fun that comes with meeting someone that you have a connection with. I really was rooting for all the characters to figure out their complications and missed connections and misunderstandings, so they could come to a happy ending, which it did. I will highly recommend this book for a quick, entertaining read.

[JoCy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute, and a quick read.

I understood that the story needed to be-bop around to tell everyone's point-of-view, but after a while I got tired of it.
It was a great read, none-the-less.

[Sheena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this one. Couldn't put it down!

[Connie N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd rate this a solid 4.5 stars, but because it was such an unexpected pleasure I'm rounding it up to 5 stars. So cute! It's supposedly Klise's first "adult" book, but really it felt more like a YA book, which is apparently her forte. We follow 2 single-parent families to Europe, with the time frame lasting just about a week. Webb came with his father to Andrew's job in Madrid as an exhibit display guru. And Coco goes with her mom to Paris for a brief trip that turns into a working vacation for Daisy, a top chef. When their suitcases get switched, Webb and Coco end up finding each other and starting an on-line relationship which develops into more. Andrew, on the other hand, checked out Daisy on the plane and sent her a cheesy note, which she rejected, but they meet again anyway. Loved the format, with a diary-like entry for each character in turn, which allows us to see the entire story from the eyes of each participant. The mix-ups and misdirection were hilarious at times and totally fun to watch. You would cringe as you waited for the obvious to happen, then you'd cheer when things worked out even better than you expected. There was a lot of light-hearted and often unintentional fun. Very entertaining, with a warm and satisfying ending. I will definitely look for more from this author.