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Alexa & Holly #2
French Kiss
Get your drama on as the girls from the NEW YORK TIMES bestseller, SOUTH BEACH, strut back into the limelight in another sizzling spring break tale of romance, friendship, and crushes gone bad.
Two beautiful girls. One sexy city.
Endless opportunities for l'amour.
When ALEXA ST. LAURENT falls in love, she falls hard. Can she keep her cool after meeting a French guy who's too good to be true and too hard to resist?
For HOLLY JACOBSON, being in love with her boyfriend, Tyler, is as natural as breathing. But there's no denying that Alexa's Parisian cousin Pierre takes Holly's breath away....
On a whirlwind rendezvous in Paris, the City of Love, Alexa and Holly are about to discover that everything sounds sexier in French.
Two beautiful girls. One sexy city.
Endless opportunities for l'amour.
When ALEXA ST. LAURENT falls in love, she falls hard. Can she keep her cool after meeting a French guy who's too good to be true and too hard to resist?
For HOLLY JACOBSON, being in love with her boyfriend, Tyler, is as natural as breathing. But there's no denying that Alexa's Parisian cousin Pierre takes Holly's breath away....
On a whirlwind rendezvous in Paris, the City of Love, Alexa and Holly are about to discover that everything sounds sexier in French.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2005
12 people are currently reading
440 people want to read
About the author
Aimee Friedman
17 books873 followersAimee Friedman was born and raised in Queens, New York, in an apartment filled with books and different languages. She wrote her first story at the age of five, and was off and running from there. Aimee wrote all through her years as a student at the Bronx High School of Science and then Vassar College. After graduating from college in 2001, she became a children's book editor, a job she still does, and loves, to this day! Aimee published her first novel, the New York Times bestseller, South Beach, in 2005, and is now the author of several novels for young adults, the latest being Two Summers. Aimee lives in New York City, where she can usually be found writing in cafes, window-shopping, or searching for the perfect iced latte.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 4, 2009
This was a pretty fun read, but I have to wonder how much the author is getting paid for all the product placement in this book. Seriously. It even mentions the brands of the characters' CELL PHONES, not to mention their clothes. This annoyed me because I wanted to read a novel, not a brand-name clothes catalog. Seriously.
July 31, 2018
Again, loved this one! The writing was easy to read and super fun! Summary: Alexa is going to Paris for spring break with Diego. Holly is going to England for a track meet with her team and two friends. She’s still dating Tyler, but when she decides to have sex with Jim on the way to the airport, he declines. He thinks they should wait and she feels like he doesn’t like her in that way. In Paris, Diego wants to see the Eiffel Tower and after they go to another touristy stop, Alexa has had enough and they part ways. Then she gets mugged by a guy before going to her cousin’s house, so she calls Holly. Holly hurt her ankle at practice ao she can’t compete but since she’s the captain she should be at all practices and meets. But she goes anyway and has her friends cover for her by saying she has migraines, got food poisoning, and has family issues back home. When Holly gets to Alexa’s cousin’s house she falls for Pierre who is a freshman on college I think. They hang out twice and on the second time they kiss. Then Holly says Tyler’s name and confesses what she has a boyfriend. They agree to stay in touch, even if Holly and Tyler stay together. Meanwhile, while Alexa is taking picture, she meets Xavier who is a famous painter. They have a fling and he takes her to his house. Alexa finds out about a showing for him and surprises him at the gallery with Holly. Turns out he’s engaged. Alexa is devastated and Holly realizes this is the first time Alexa has had her heart broken. Sometime during the trip the girls get in an argument about Holly and Tyler. After the gallery, Holly tells Alexa the truth. Alexa explains the regret Tyler had after having sex with her and that he loves Holly. Holly realizes everything will probably be okay between them and that they just need to talk. They decide they’re going to hang out more when they get home and they aren’t going to care about what their friends think. When Holly gets back to the hotel, after missing the meet she promised her friends she’d be at, her friends are sleeping and she meets her coach while going to the shower. Turns out her coach really got food poisoning and is just starting to feel better. So she off the hook but will have to miss a meet or two at home. When she gets home, Tyler is at the airport instead of her parents. They make up and everything is good!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2022
Literally don’t even know how Holly manages to always forgive alexa by the end of these books… alexa is so insufferable 😭😵💫
March 9, 2010
I picked up this book on the basis of having read South Beach and been pleasantly surprised by it. Unfortunately, having read South Beach, too much of this book wasn't a surprise. The beginning pages feel almost bizarrely forceful in whittling away any and all extraneous characters in order to force Alexa and Holly back into each other's orbits -- which in and of itself was, if not a little strange, then at least disappointing. Anyone reading South Beach likely would have hoped that the book's unwritten coda would be the two becoming friends again, rather than having it be a "(Don't You) Forget About Me" moment a la The Breakfast Club. Will Alexa walk on by? Or will she call Holly's name? Well, until increasingly bizarre circumstances force her hand, apparently she'll walk on by. Once the girls are reunited, things get much more interesting.
While I actually did find it an enjoyable read, all in all there were a few too many elements that rang false for me. This was really disappointing, as I never once got this feeling from South Beach, and thus it's the main reason my rating is so low. Diego suddenly going all tacky tourist felt completely wrong, though the scene -- while grating -- allowed Alexa to act hilariously oblivious and self-centered. Worse though was Holly's sudden turnaround toward Tyler, which made no sense at all given everything that had happened up until that point. Yes, her romance with Pierre felt wayyy too wish-fulfillment-y, but that was more or less okay for me. However, when she suddenly scraps 200+ pages of "boring old Tyler" and instantaneously transforms him into "comforting and infinitely wondrous Tyler," I just couldn't suspend disbelief. But I have to say worst of all was the assertion that a stylish French woman would have been wearing camouflage capri pants. Zut alors!
Now don't get me wrong -- it's not like I was looking for gritty verite here. I think it's more just that I really dislike it when something in a book nags enough to be distracting. Fashion quibbles aside, if I just can't bring myself to believe in something that a character does -- like throwing herself back into the arms of a boyfriend back home who she's just spent more than 2/3 of the book having absolutely zero warm feelings toward -- that just drags it all down for me. Yes, teenage love is fickle, but it's not schizophrenic. But what really happened with Holly and Tyler? I'll have to find out in Hollywood Hills, which I picked up when I bought this book.
While I actually did find it an enjoyable read, all in all there were a few too many elements that rang false for me. This was really disappointing, as I never once got this feeling from South Beach, and thus it's the main reason my rating is so low. Diego suddenly going all tacky tourist felt completely wrong, though the scene -- while grating -- allowed Alexa to act hilariously oblivious and self-centered. Worse though was Holly's sudden turnaround toward Tyler, which made no sense at all given everything that had happened up until that point. Yes, her romance with Pierre felt wayyy too wish-fulfillment-y, but that was more or less okay for me. However, when she suddenly scraps 200+ pages of "boring old Tyler" and instantaneously transforms him into "comforting and infinitely wondrous Tyler," I just couldn't suspend disbelief. But I have to say worst of all was the assertion that a stylish French woman would have been wearing camouflage capri pants. Zut alors!
Now don't get me wrong -- it's not like I was looking for gritty verite here. I think it's more just that I really dislike it when something in a book nags enough to be distracting. Fashion quibbles aside, if I just can't bring myself to believe in something that a character does -- like throwing herself back into the arms of a boyfriend back home who she's just spent more than 2/3 of the book having absolutely zero warm feelings toward -- that just drags it all down for me. Yes, teenage love is fickle, but it's not schizophrenic. But what really happened with Holly and Tyler? I'll have to find out in Hollywood Hills, which I picked up when I bought this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2011
My review of French Kiss by Aimee Friedman is based on a copy of the book that I purchased myself from a book sale at my local library. The following review is my honest opinion of the story.
For me French Kiss was an impulse buy, I was on my way to check out when I saw it lying on one of the tables and scooped it up without bothering to read the back cover. I was surprised to find that it was a YA novel, something about the cover led me to believe it would be an adult romance novel. Though now as a I look it more I recognize the cover as being part of the Gossip Girl type trend that went around for awhile.
I did find myself about to relate more to Holly more than Alexa. Because of this I also preferred her storyline. Having been one myself I can relate to goody two shoes, not daring to disturb the universe or anyone else for that matter. Like Holly I was the good girl who did as she was told and while I might have occasionally fantasized about doing something wild and reckless it wasn't likely that I ever would really experience it for myself. But all of this doesn't mean that I didn't like the character of Alexa, because I did, I enjoyed seeing her change throughout the story. I just wasn't able to relate as well to being the popular girl having never been one myself. She was still a likeable character though.
I liked this book because despite being about finding love in France or wherever else it might be lurking it was about the friendship between the two girls. It was about them growing up, experiencing life, independence and realizing how important it is to have someone that you can depend on.
I'm giving French Kiss by Aimee Friedman a three out of five stars review. It was a nice light read that put me in mind of Zoey Dean's A-List series which was exactly what I needed as I wait ever so impatiently for the last volume to be delivered. On it's own though French Kiss was a good story, I enjoyed reading about the girls and will probably pick up the first in the series just to see how the two of them became friends. But you don't need to have read the first book in order to read and enjoy this one.
For me French Kiss was an impulse buy, I was on my way to check out when I saw it lying on one of the tables and scooped it up without bothering to read the back cover. I was surprised to find that it was a YA novel, something about the cover led me to believe it would be an adult romance novel. Though now as a I look it more I recognize the cover as being part of the Gossip Girl type trend that went around for awhile.
I did find myself about to relate more to Holly more than Alexa. Because of this I also preferred her storyline. Having been one myself I can relate to goody two shoes, not daring to disturb the universe or anyone else for that matter. Like Holly I was the good girl who did as she was told and while I might have occasionally fantasized about doing something wild and reckless it wasn't likely that I ever would really experience it for myself. But all of this doesn't mean that I didn't like the character of Alexa, because I did, I enjoyed seeing her change throughout the story. I just wasn't able to relate as well to being the popular girl having never been one myself. She was still a likeable character though.
I liked this book because despite being about finding love in France or wherever else it might be lurking it was about the friendship between the two girls. It was about them growing up, experiencing life, independence and realizing how important it is to have someone that you can depend on.
I'm giving French Kiss by Aimee Friedman a three out of five stars review. It was a nice light read that put me in mind of Zoey Dean's A-List series which was exactly what I needed as I wait ever so impatiently for the last volume to be delivered. On it's own though French Kiss was a good story, I enjoyed reading about the girls and will probably pick up the first in the series just to see how the two of them became friends. But you don't need to have read the first book in order to read and enjoy this one.
June 26, 2010
Friends once again, Alexa St. Laurent and Holly Jacobson couldn’t be more thrilled for their last spring break of high school. Alexa is off to Paris to celebrate her one year anniversary with her boyfriend Diego, and Holly is going to England for an international track meet. Nothing could be better, right? Wrong. Early on, Holly hurts her ankle and is set to be benched for the rest of the week, and Alexa’s romantic getaway turns sour when she and Diego break up and she is robbed. A true friend, Holly sneaks off to help Alexa in Paris, and the two girls decide to salvage what’s left of their spring break and just have fun. But in the City of Love, Alexa and Holly just might be in over their heads.
Friends Alexa and Holly are at it again in their next scandalous adventure. French Kiss picks up a year after its prequel South Beach leaves off, and although there are several details that are carried over, French Kiss is still easy to understand on its own. I enjoyed this Parisian vacation as much as if not more than Alexa and Holly’s South Beach excursion. There were the shopping and clubbing excitements of course, which, coupled with the international factor, made this novel a glamorous read. Better yet though, both Alexa’s and Holly’s characters grew. Holly’s growth wasn’t very dramatic; it was an extension of her growth from South Beach into a more independent and self aware young woman. Alexa, on the other hand, experiences a complete paradigm shift when she becomes the victim of a player; it shows Alexa’s more vulnerable side and makes her easier to sympathize with. Although it was unrealistic how the girls manage to avoid all real trouble except the romantic kind, I did thoroughly enjoy reading French Kiss.
Readers who enjoyed South Beach by Aimee Friedman will also want to check out its sequel, as will fans of Kissing Snowflakes by Abby Sher and Faking 19 by Alyson Noël.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
Friends Alexa and Holly are at it again in their next scandalous adventure. French Kiss picks up a year after its prequel South Beach leaves off, and although there are several details that are carried over, French Kiss is still easy to understand on its own. I enjoyed this Parisian vacation as much as if not more than Alexa and Holly’s South Beach excursion. There were the shopping and clubbing excitements of course, which, coupled with the international factor, made this novel a glamorous read. Better yet though, both Alexa’s and Holly’s characters grew. Holly’s growth wasn’t very dramatic; it was an extension of her growth from South Beach into a more independent and self aware young woman. Alexa, on the other hand, experiences a complete paradigm shift when she becomes the victim of a player; it shows Alexa’s more vulnerable side and makes her easier to sympathize with. Although it was unrealistic how the girls manage to avoid all real trouble except the romantic kind, I did thoroughly enjoy reading French Kiss.
Readers who enjoyed South Beach by Aimee Friedman will also want to check out its sequel, as will fans of Kissing Snowflakes by Abby Sher and Faking 19 by Alyson Noël.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
June 13, 2014
I gave this book 3 stars instead of 2, because I read the first book in the Alexa & Holly series, and the third book in the series, back as a Junior in high school. I thoroughly enjoyed those two books in high school, and I think were I not reading this book 7 years later, I probably would've loved it just as much. I still love Alexa & Holly's friendship just as much as I did when I was first reading these books. I think as for the plot, I've just grown out of these kinds of stories. I can't relate to high school crushes anymore. I read it because I've had this book for a good 5 years if not more, but never picked it up and read it. It's a simple, easy read. It actually sparked a little bit of interest into visiting Paris for me. Alexa still gets on my nerves with her materialism, but I think that may have been the intention of Aimee Friedman (the author).
Alexa is the stereotypical rich blonde girl who is into labels, Holly is the stereotypical high school jock. They're Seniors in high school, and their friendship is an unlikely one, but it works. Being from New Jersey, it's a plus that Alexa & Holly go to high school in New Jersey. It was cool to see Rutgers mentioned a few times in the book, even though that's not where I went to college! Alexa has a trip to Paris planned for spring break with her boyfriend she met in Miami, the spring break of the previous year. Holly has a track meet in England over spring break. Alexa, despite being in Paris with her boyfriend, bumps into a mysterious hot Parisian guy who sweeps her off her feet. Holly has a mishap at one of her track meets, and ends up taking a train from London to Paris to spend some time with Alexa. Once they're together, even more shenanigans happen. Holly's character develops a lot towards the end of this book, and that was really cool to see.
Alexa is the stereotypical rich blonde girl who is into labels, Holly is the stereotypical high school jock. They're Seniors in high school, and their friendship is an unlikely one, but it works. Being from New Jersey, it's a plus that Alexa & Holly go to high school in New Jersey. It was cool to see Rutgers mentioned a few times in the book, even though that's not where I went to college! Alexa has a trip to Paris planned for spring break with her boyfriend she met in Miami, the spring break of the previous year. Holly has a track meet in England over spring break. Alexa, despite being in Paris with her boyfriend, bumps into a mysterious hot Parisian guy who sweeps her off her feet. Holly has a mishap at one of her track meets, and ends up taking a train from London to Paris to spend some time with Alexa. Once they're together, even more shenanigans happen. Holly's character develops a lot towards the end of this book, and that was really cool to see.
Currently reading
March 7, 2014The main character of this story is Alexa St. Laurent and Holly Jacobson. The story took place in France, high school on a spring break. This story was about alexa last year of high school, it was spring break, her and her boyfriend went off to pairs to celebrate their one year anniversary. her friend holy went to England for an track meeting she was into. Everything was going so well until she got a phone call saying alexa got robbed and her and her boyfriend broke up. She was such a wonderful friend she left to pairs and help her out. Their was only a few days left of spring break, they enjoyed it until it was over.
Something i like about this book was, how romantic it was at first and than it turned out to an enjoyable novel. 2nd thing i liked was how they use "Show NOT TELL". THEY DESCRIBE EACH ACTION. Something i dislike about this story is how lovely the guy was with her. But ended up hurting her. i would recommended this to someone who is interested in books about love.
Something i like about this book was, how romantic it was at first and than it turned out to an enjoyable novel. 2nd thing i liked was how they use "Show NOT TELL". THEY DESCRIBE EACH ACTION. Something i dislike about this story is how lovely the guy was with her. But ended up hurting her. i would recommended this to someone who is interested in books about love.
January 19, 2014
3.5/5 stars
I have to say, after reading all three books in the trilogy in a day, I think that this was the worst one. It was by far the most cheesiest and boring out of the three, not that it was bad. I thought that it overall was okay, but you know, could've been better.
First of all, PARIS? Couldn't they have gone somewhere more unique and different? Paris is a beautiful city, don't get me wrong, but I find that it's too much captured by the media these days and that other places, such as South Beach, really isn't. I liked the first novel even because of the location they went to. It was different and.. nice.
I know that the author wanted Pierre, Alexa's cousin in the book, but maybe she could've done it in some surprising way? And Alexa is from France, which makes it even more all about her. :/
As the usual, the characters were great, but the whole setting wasn't.
I have to say, after reading all three books in the trilogy in a day, I think that this was the worst one. It was by far the most cheesiest and boring out of the three, not that it was bad. I thought that it overall was okay, but you know, could've been better.
First of all, PARIS? Couldn't they have gone somewhere more unique and different? Paris is a beautiful city, don't get me wrong, but I find that it's too much captured by the media these days and that other places, such as South Beach, really isn't. I liked the first novel even because of the location they went to. It was different and.. nice.
I know that the author wanted Pierre, Alexa's cousin in the book, but maybe she could've done it in some surprising way? And Alexa is from France, which makes it even more all about her. :/
As the usual, the characters were great, but the whole setting wasn't.
November 5, 2016
I originally read this book about 10 years ago, rereading book 1 and 2 because I found book 3. This book was better than book 1. I guess I finally was able to look past the fact that these girls are in HIGH SCHOOL!!!! Ok, so maybe I'm not totally looking past that! But it was more tolerable than book 1. I did find myself scanning words every time a brand was mentioned, which seemed excessive in this book compared to book 1.
December 16, 2007
This book was okay, but a little too bit of a chick flick. It has two main characters in the book. It's about a girl who takes her boyfriend to Paris, but breaks up with him there. There is also another girl who goes to England for track, but ends up spraining her ankle. It was a but over the top for me.
September 12, 2011
I actually really enjoy reading this book.
I can relate somewhat to it & gives a good understanding and percise point of view from the author that she knows what us girls go thru. Im excited to finish this book & I'm looking foward to finding out what happens with Alexa & Diego ; Holly & Tyler & of course Alexas' cousin, Pierre :)
I can relate somewhat to it & gives a good understanding and percise point of view from the author that she knows what us girls go thru. Im excited to finish this book & I'm looking foward to finding out what happens with Alexa & Diego ; Holly & Tyler & of course Alexas' cousin, Pierre :)
July 2, 2008
Really, I don't think this book was as great as the first one. It was pretty good until it started nearing the end, then it just started to drag out and get super boring. I found myself forcing myself to read it just so I could finish it. I really have to say that I expected more out of it.
January 16, 2010
I almost got in touble when i was reading this book @ school. They really didn't like the title but i think its totally awesome. The title totally fits the book and in the beginning, its totally awesome... just don't have a teacher reading over ur shoulder.
September 9, 2010
umm.....mehh? Or how they say in french...
Ce n'était pas très divertissant et plus ennuyeux. Je ne peux pas croire c'était un best-seller liste, peut-être pour 12 ans, mais le contenu était alors beaucoup pas pour 12 ans. Très déçues. Horrible !
Ce n'était pas très divertissant et plus ennuyeux. Je ne peux pas croire c'était un best-seller liste, peut-être pour 12 ans, mais le contenu était alors beaucoup pas pour 12 ans. Très déçues. Horrible !
March 3, 2011
Read South Beach by Aimee Friedman before you read this book, it will help with background information. Other than that this book is really quiet well. I love the fact that they are in a different country for 90% of the book!
April 23, 2009
I LOVED THIS BOOK. I loved that Holly went to save Alexa. I loved how Alexa's cousin was described so hot!!! I just loved this book. Don't know why, but I did.
June 12, 2008
good but first was better
December 1, 2008
This book is about a girl falls in love while in France after her boyfriend dumps her.
Read
April 7, 2009good book :)
May 22, 2009
this was really good!
June 25, 2009
i liked this book ! I thought it was better than the first one
September 29, 2009
Christina Palacios
Period 5/6
French Kiss
Aimee Friedman
10
Tyler is a minor character in the story but is really important because he is dating Holly who is a main character.
Period 5/6
French Kiss
Aimee Friedman
10
Tyler is a minor character in the story but is really important because he is dating Holly who is a main character.
March 5, 2015
Sequel to South Beach. Alexa and Holly head to France for spring break, and discover that Paris really is the City of Love.
March 11, 2010
pretty good actually!
July 31, 2011
Love it too!!
June 24, 2015
ADORED this book when I was younger. So fun!
October 24, 2013
I never read south beach but I certainly loved this book!! Very exciting and keeps you hooked
November 19, 2007
it was okay not as god as the first but still a good book.
December 20, 2007
THIS BOOK ROCKS IF ANYONE WANTS TO BORROW IT I HAVE IT. CHECK IT OUT!!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews