The Paris Connection

by Cerella Sechrist

Sparks are flying in the City of Light

Emma Brooks, single mom and managing director at the leading recruiting firm in Paris, was against their merger with an American company from the start. Not only was her firm losing its autonomy, she was losing her well-deserved promotion to Cole Dorset—a handsome, arrogant interloper from New York!

How did Cole's ex-girlfriend's dream of moving to Paris become his nightmare? Now he's got to find his way in a new country, and the woman showing him the ropes wants to string him up by one. But as he gets to know Emma and her daughter, he realizes Paris may have more to offer than he thought….

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin

380 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

CERELLA SECHRIST lives in York, Pennsylvania with two precocious pugs, Darcy and Charlotte, named after Jane Austen literary characters. Inspired by her childhood love of stories, she was ten years old when she decided she wanted to become an author. A former barista, Cerella could spend hours discussing coffee origins and flavor profiles. She’s been known to post too many pug photos on both Instagram and Pinterest. You can see for yourself by finding her online at http://www.cerellasechrist.com.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

 

Once again I've been thoroughly impressed with this newest release from the Harlequin Heartwarming line of books.  The Paris Connection is quite simply a cute, fun, enjoyable read.  A great escape with family values mixed in with a clean romance.

I loved the chemistry between the main characters who went from misunderstanding each other to falling for each other by the end of the story.

Set in Paris this story was one that I enjoyed getting lost in.  Great characters, great setting, great story line and clean romance, just what I look for in a great book!

 



 

Rating: 4 Stars - Great Book

Content: Clean

Source: Ebook review copy

Purchase: Amazon.com (less than $5)

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was cute, but the pacing seemed off. The characters and relationships also seemed really underdeveloped.

[Latla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really exceeded my expectations. Set within the lovely backdrop of Paris, Cechrist wrote a believable and enjoyable story, with a great summer vibe. I love the cast. Avery is a very cute child and Marc’s snakiness made me laugh.

I loved how Emma’s character was written and how, even in fear and vulnerability, she kept her head high and made sure to act in dignity. Seeing the good in people, earnest and ethical, sympathetic, hardworking, dignified, intelligent and optimistic. I respect that her character isn’t afraid to stand behind her ethics either. The growth from hate to love in both mc’s is realistically written.

Only complaint is that Emma is described as an ‘expat’. She is an immigrant. She ‘moved’ —immigrated— (yes, the dirty I word) to France. She came to France as a poor student, married, later found a job there and fell in love with France. To be labelling her an ‘expat’ just because she’s white just rubs me the wrong way. If someone from let’s say Pakistan had moved to the US to marry someone and lived and worked there for decades, they’d likely be called an immigrant. (Because they’re brown)

I’ve seen people who wanted to move to Australia and haven’t even found a job yet, saying that they’re gonna be ‘expats’ in Australia. Just because you’re white, doesn’t mean that you aren’t an immigrant.

4 stars and would definitely consider reading other books from the same author

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having leaving the United States for Paris to marry who she thought was the man of her dreams, Emma Brooks finds herself divorced and raising her 5-year-old daughter on her own. To make matters worse, the promotion she was hoping to snag was offered to a big shot American, Cole Dorset who would rather be any where but France. Despite clashing on the first day they met, Emma and Cole learn to work together. Cole must learn to like Paris and Emma must decide if a workplace romance is worth the risk. When it's discovered that a mole is selling out to a rival company Emma just might lose everything she holds dear, including her old friends and the new one she's found in Cole.

Emma and Cole's story is the first one I've read from the Harlequin Heartwarming Line (I think. I've read so many books from a lot of their lines they sometimes blur, plus it's been ages since I've read ANY Harlequin...) and if it's any indication of the other stories they feature, it's going to be a must-read line for me from now on. I loved Emma, from her reluctance to open her heart to a new love, to accept anything new, and her dedication to her work and family. From every angle, she's a great character. The atmosphere of the story wasn't as fun and relaxed as some of the Paris-set stories I've read in the past, so it didn't quite have that magnetic pull. Still, each of the characters including Cole and Avery were easy to connect with and care about, so I didn't mind that Paris didn't sizzle so much. ;-)

I've read a few absolutely delightful romances set abroad and I have to say, The Paris Connection, ranks up there as one of the better stories. Once again Cerella Sechrist has created a tale of light-hearted romance with a pleasant backdrop, and of course, some delicious food to pull it all together. This is not Christian fiction, but it's squeaky clean and suitable for romance readers of almost any age! A nice, quick read that won't bust your book buying budget!

*I receive complimentary books for review from the publisher. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I say I loved it, and leave it at that?
Probably not. Emma Brooks is an American living in Paris. She's made it her home in the last eight years, loves her daughter, and loves her job as managing director at a corporate recruiting firm. Everything is going well until her boss announces that their company is merging with an American one, and that one of the Americans will be getting the promotion her boss had promised her.
Emma is the one in charge of picking Cole Dorset up at the airport and things go from bad to worse when she shows up late, making Cole late for his meeting with the board of directors. After starting off on such a bad foot, all Emma wants to do is avoid Cole, but she's been assigned as his cultural liaison. Will Emma and Cole be able to work past their initial first impressions to help their company succeed, avoid corporate espionage, and maybe even find love in the city of lights?
I'm the type of person that ends of skimming descriptions when they get too wordy, but I fell in love with the setting in Paris Connection. I felt like I had enough information to understand what it was like in Paris, but not so much that my eyes glazed over. Cerella Sechrist made me want to be there!
I also enjoyed the corporate story line, especially when the team went on a team building retreat. Oh the trust exercises!
The relationship between Cole and Emma was sweet and plausible. It wasn't an instant relationship, but one that developed over time, filled with tension. I kept waiting for their coworkers to call them on their feelings for each other, because they were so obvious. I also loved Cole's relationship with Emma's daughter. He obviously loved her, and not just her mother.
Throw in a bit of a mystery with some corporate espionage, and we had a sweet, but slightly suspenseful book. I highly recommend it!

Content: Clean
Disclosure: I got this book free from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

[Brooke (i blog 4 books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!!!

Review originally posted on i blog 4 books: http://iblog4books.blogspot.com/2014/...

Cerella Sechrist is a new-to-me author, but this definitely won't be the last time I read one of her books! When I realized that we were going to dive into the world of inter-office romance, I was skeptical of how it would play out. But, the story played out nicely—with a decent amount of tension but still with a happy ending.

The Paris Connection is an incredibly romantic story. Not steamy, mind you, as this is classified as a "wholesome" romance. But there was just so much romance and sweetness throughout, and I loved watching how the relationship between the main characters grew.

While Emma was a single mom, living abroad, without much family to speak of (not at all similar to me!), I still found her super relatable. Cole was a great guy. He respects Emma's desire for a "friendship only" relationship but still pursues her in the sweetest way. And I'm a sucker for kids that play a big role in stories like this, so Emma's daughter was just icing on the cake for me!

In addition to the sweet romance and the lovable characters, Cerella does a fantastic job showcasing Paris. Although she has never visited Paris, she manages to make the city come alive. I enjoyed visiting some of the sites alongside Emma and Cole, and it made me really want to plan a vacation to Paris!

I fell in love with the story from the first chapter and literally read the book in one day! It was just too good to set aside. (Thank goodness I didn't have much going on that day!) I highly recommend The Paris Connection to anyone who enjoys wholesome romance novels!!! [5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my fair and honest review.

[Meagan | The Chapter House · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Paris Connection is a delightful read! Take this book along on your next trip … it’s the perfect vacation read to whisk your mind away to Europe.

I’ll admit I was hesitant at the prospect of office-romance-as-main-plot; I work in an office setting and have mixed feelings about office romances. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how nicely this one worked. (Think Jim and Pam from “The Office” … yep, I’m that fan!) I particularly enjoyed the tour of Paris; Cerella does a wonderful job of making the city come alive on the page, and certainly has inspired me to add a few new things to my to-do list when I make it there! The Rue Cler market sounds enchanting; I’m also inspired by her idea to see the Eiffel Tower in the daytime – and again at night. C’est magnifique!

I was also intrigued by the very different lifestyles in Paris, particularly around education and au pairs. The French organize their education (with a mandatory start by the age of 6) into enseignement primaire, secondaire, and supérieur. The Paris Connection primarily focused on maternelle, but it was interesting to watch the characters navigate the French schooling system and plan ahead for primary school. Au pairs, as well, feature heavily in the book, and I think had I been more interested in baby-sitting growing up, I would have completely wanted to participate in this program abroad! I read “The Babysitters Club” obsessively, but when push came to shove … I infinitely preferred being the helper (not the teacher!!) in the church nursery, and realized that my strengths were not in that area by any stretch.

Now, work, on the other hand … if only I can figure out a way to travel Europe to “represent the office”!! (Just kidding, Mom. Mostly.) ;)

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from the Harlequin Heartwarming line. This book fulfilled my expectations for an enjoyable wholesome romance story, and then some. I loved the corporate environment setting in Paris, France. I appreciated how the romance between Emma and Cole flawlessly developed. It was believable. Sometimes authors don't take the time to show the progression of a romantic relationship between characters, and the resulting connection seems contrived. This was not the case between Emma and Cole. The author convincingly brought the two together from their initial enemy-like state. This is so significant for me when I'm reading and anticipating how a relationship between two people unfolds in a romantic fiction book. It can be so disappointing when you can't connect with the main characters because you were never convinced that they should be together. This was certainly not my experience with The Paris Connection. I loved the characters, even the ones I loved to dislike. There were comical parts, tender parts and even a little mystery and suspense. I liked the female character Emma because of her admirable qualities: loyalty, strength, devotion and endurance. And although she was a driven, hardworking woman, she also exhibited vulnerability and uncertainty at times which made her a relatable character. I thoroughly enjoyed The Paris Connection, and if you're in the mood for a sweet, wholesome romance book with a great storyline, I know you will too.

[Abbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet book! I found myself swept away to Paris and thoroughly enjoyed my time there! All of the characters were absolutely fantastic especially Emma, Cole, and Emma's daughter Avery. And even the characters that you didn't love as much, still had redeeming qualities. I loved how the whole book had this lighthearted and romantic feel that was so refreshingly beautiful! Honestly I was just wrapped up in the book and it's hard to pull myself out enough to find the right words for it. I will say that it did remind me a lot of Sandra Byrd's French Twist series that I read last year, though it was different enough that I loved them both! I also hadn't heard of Cole and Emma's job before so it was interesting to learn about that!
So I will leave you by saying that it is a cute, clean, and fun read that I definitely recommend!

[Kathryn Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed on Kathryn Cooper Writes

This was such a pleasant read. I have never been to Paris, but now I must go!

It’s so fun when the two main characters hate each other from the start. It always makes me laugh. Cole and Emma did not get off to a good start, but things get better. I mean, look at the cover! No seriously look at it. :D Cole was seriously charming and Emma was strong and likable. I really enjoyed this book!

I recommend The Paris Connection to contemporary romance lovers and Paris lovers. You’ll enjoy it!

Content Ratings
Sexual: mild
Language: none
Violence: none

*I received the eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I am not paid for my reviews. My reviews are solely my opinion.*

[Cathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Paris Connection by Cerella Sechrist is a romance with an unusual premise--two Americans meet in Paris as coworkers. Emma has lived in Paris for years and is raising her daughter on her own. She is a person of integrity who knows that the world can't be considered in black and white terms only--that individuals need to be given consideration. Cole arrives in London and fills the position that Emma had been promised. He is a bit resentful at being relocated into a foreign country into a position he didn't ask for. Not a promising beginning to a romance. I especially liked the bond that Cole quickly developed with Emma's daughter Avery...and the work place tensions were quite believable. This is a good solid romantic read with just a bit of Paris sightseeing thrown in...enjoy.

[Hina Tabassum Khatri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding the real deal when you think you have had it all along. Cole comes to Paris after his marriage proposal is rejected and given the position that was intended for both; the woman who rejected him and the woman he eventually fell in love with.

Emma had been in love with Paris, the City of Lights (not the only one in the world, though), since she first came to Paris. Divorced with one little daughter she has learnt to close of the romantic within her but when love knocks at your door, it does not wait for the door to be opened; it just crawls from any space available.

A tale of learning that not all affection is love and that love could happen twice in a lifetime, it is a tale full of hope and friendship and loyalty.

[Tressia Avellar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will grab you right from the beginning. It brings some of the characters from Cerella's book "Gentle Persuasion" and adds to the story, or at least it did for me. It was one of those books you just hate to set down till it's finished, but the housework was still there after the book was finished (sigh).

Emma Brooks is the type of woman many of us hope to be. She is able to balance the job she loves while still being able to be a wonderful mom to her daughter she adores. She is given the challenge of teaching the new "American" boss how to do the job that was supposed to be her's before her company merged with an American company. In the process she learns it's OK to let your walls down and let someone in, because you never know when "the one" may show up.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear endings like this book ruins any chances of meeting a great, romantic guy. Good things I have books like this one to have my little escapes. I loved this book and the characters. I loved that there was more then one point of view. I loved Emma character she is a a strong, independent mother who is also a hopeless romantic. She is a also a loyal friend, and selfless risking her hide to help another. I liked that she takes things as she goes and isn't really bitter about how things turned out. This book was beautifully written and I enjoyed every minute I spent reading this book . Highly Recommend! 5 of 5 stars!

[Roz ~ My Written Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

My other reviews can be found at My Written Romance.

I do love Paris. Even though it has been many years since I have been there, the glimpses of the city as described in The Paris Connection bring memories back of the days I spent wandering its streets.

This is a very sweet story and perfect for those who are not so keen on the spicy side of things when it comes to romance fiction. I enjoyed the read and it left me with a smile. I don't typically read from the Heartwarming or Love Inspired lines, however I did like this one.

3.5 out of 5

I received this ARC from Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Salon Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

*What Mary Thought*

Emma moved to Paris for love but stayed for the city. Five years after her divorce, Emma is a successful business woman about to take the next step in her career. That is until a new American boss takes over the office. Cole is not impressed with Emma or the City of Light. To make matters worse, corporate espionage is afoot and may ruin both Emma and Cole’s careers for good. Now they must work together to clear Emma’s name and prove Cole’s leadership.


Read The Full Review Here

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and clean romance. I liked Emma and Cole a lot. I enjoyed seeing their relationship change, they started out disliking each other and by the end of the book it was completely different. Emma is a great mom, because she thinks about what's best for her daughter - I have a specific scene in mind, but can't say without spoiling. A perfect book to read when you're looking for a light, fun read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't typically read romance, but I picked this up because I was drawn to the setting, and it did not disappoint. The characters were likable and well-drawn (and not nearly as annoyingly frustrating as those I've often found in romance), and there was more to the story than just the relationship between the two people you knew would get together in the end (because it is, after all, romance). I would definitely read more by this author, whose work, if this book is any indication, has more meat to it than the romance I've read.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read over the weekend. It really makes me want to visit Paris and experience all it has to offer. I love it when an author can really make you feel like you are there experiencing what the characters are. I had won this book from a giveaway the author had going along with a prize pack all things Paris. Looking forward to reading her other books.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to come

[Melmo2610 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a wonderful clean romance story. I loved the setting of Paris and all the sights mentioned. The characters were extremely likable especially little Avery.

[Paula Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and clean. If you are looking for that kind of book this is it.