French Kiss

by Gloria Jean Goldsmith

It began with an innocent brush of fingertips. An unintentional graze of bare skin between a college graduate on holiday and a French Romeo results in a remarkable romantic adventure.
The charm of a gentle summer rain brought the chance encounter. His vision: the Maharishi Mahesh in India. Her dream: a breathtaking romance. An exciting escapade flourished based on actual events.

The sincere young Frenchman refreshed Nora's spirit and proved to let go of the past was the right choice. 'La bonne chose' sounded so buoyant and charming in French. In the sweet dawn of love, they explored southern France together. Their camping vacation was slow, flexing between tourist locations and the unsung natural wonders of France that only a native would know.

Visiting his parents, Jean Louis became severely ill. He writhed with pain while a distressed Nora insisted on hospitalization over the objections of his parents and the village doctor. Through relentless determination, she managed hospital transport for Jean Louis. His surgical recovery tore him from her life as quickly as he had entered it.

A haunting memory of his loving nature and tender caresses filled her every thought. Driven by love, passion, and time, Nora journeyed over mountains and seas for a second chance with her beloved, though it meant scouring all the hidden corners of France.

Would Nora ever meet up with the man she knew was her one true heart's desire? Could fortune summon a twist of fate that may allow her to find Jean Louis?

Exciting escapades based on actual events.

205 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 2, 2021

About the author

Favs- hot coffee, chocolate, & a good book.

Historical Regency Romance is where Gloria’s heart found a home. There is something charming, yet imperfect, about the social mores, politics, etiquette, and clothing of the Regency, Georgian, and Edwardian eras that intrigues audiences today.

Gloria follows hints and legends in historical records for her stories to create drama and the possibility of real-life adventures for readers to contemplate. All regency stories have an element of the struggle women confronted daily to be acknowledged as intelligent, thinking humans. The series is about women and men in the 19th century, particularly a man with both faults and a generous nature. Characters can sometimes become more than first imagined by the author. Regardless of one character’s flaws, I couldn’t help but find him a worthy and exciting subject. The fact that all the males learn life lessons from the women they love is purposeful.

Learn more about Robert and the women of his entire family in the Prequel, Knave of Hearts, and Book 1 of the Wylde Hearts series, That Wylde Woman, and in the future, look for Book 3, Wylde Hearts’ Rogue, in 2026.



Even after teaching English word structure and syllabication for years, I continue to be fascinated with the English language. Our language is a gloriously accommodating blend of Saxon, Norwegian, German, Latin, Greek, French, and a few others sprinkled in for good measure. I still marvel at how fluid it can be, changing and expanding over time.

My most pleasurable teaching moments were showing students how a wondrous story can take their imaginations to other times, places, even other worlds.

I started my first foray into publishing with a nonfiction book, *The Sensible Parent’s Little Homeschooler Handbook.*

Reviews

[Amanda Sheridan · Rating 5 out of 5]

French Kisses by Gloria J. Goldsmith is an excellent novel about a young woman, Nora, in the 1970’s.
I mention the year, because this is vital to the story.
Nora’s boyfriend, Ethan, has decided he wants a break from her. Honestly, he wasn’t much of a boyfriend to begin with. But, devastated and heartbroken, she decides to go on a mission to find out if the problem is her. Is she not sexually attractive?
She quickly discovers that her assumption about herself was wrong as she embarks on a journey of sexual encounters while on a trip to Europe.
I adored this book. Nora is a wonderful character and I loved how the story is part travelogue, part memoir and part erotica. The author combines these three elements into a wonderful journey of discovery and love.
I suspect young people reading this book today will find the fact that a young woman can travel Europe on her own, with hardly any money, and, in a time before mobile phones, very strange indeed. Add the fact that she hitchhikes a lot and enjoys sex a lot with men she hardly knows. But this was the 70’s.
Definitely five stars from me!

[Cathy Lynn Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nora is a young woman in the 70’s whose boyfriend, Ethan seems uninterested in her. She wants fun and sex and he continually wants to take a break. This seems to make her want him even more. After one break, Nora decides to give herself a test to see if she’s sexually desired, as Ethan has stripped her of her self-esteem. She immediately attracts a man at a campfire and this satisfies her.

She decides to take a European holiday with a girlfriend, where she meets a few different men and experiences passionate affairs. She continues to travel around Europe, visiting France, Italy and England. She has romances wherever she goes, finally returning to France. The author describes each country well and it’s fun to travel along with Nora from country to country.

This book has many sexually explicit scenes and includes drug use. It is definitely for adults, only.

[Timothy Dorr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love and desire unfold in France

Nora is a wonderful and excited woman full of desire for men she encounters in so many scenarios
I loved all the French wording and the way it entwined and added to a great story of sex, passion and travels to one of the great countries, France, to fall in love in Europe.
The story moved at a fast pace, easy to read and I kept wanting to read more to see the next passionate moment that Nora would find around the corner.
The sex scenes were excellently written and added a high arousal for the reader, with Nora’s appetite fulfilled throughout the novel.
I did give the Author a 4 star rating out of 5 due to the overuse of I, The, and other repetitive beginnings of sentences. Maybe, some better grammar usage in the next book, which I look forward to reading.
Ooh la la

[Ally Swanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a hot, steamy, passionate, intriguing, and entertaining read!!

This book followed the main character, Nora, a young, shy, timid, simple, plain, girl next door type. After her college boyfriend dumps her, Nora, feeling even more vulnerable and exposed, decides she needs to shake things up and sets off on a European adventure. Nora, hitting an all-time low self-esteem level as she sees herself as unattractive and undesirable, decides she needs to discover herself and her sexual anxiety and insecurities. Nora’s European trip is the perfect place for her to start her sexual journey.

Along this adventure, Nora meets many people, including several that quickly become lovers. I have to admit there were a few more steamy scenes than I was expecting, and hookups that took place sooner than I would have expected.

This book takes place during the early 1970's, decades before my time, so there was a bit of a disconnect for me. Normally I don’t find these older books to seem so puzzling or unimaginable. Perhaps with the generation gap, the unique 70’s culture, and the Euro setting, it all just felt more Greek Mythology (i.e., Ancient Erotica) than real life. Regardless, it seems there was definitely a different attitude, acceptance, and understanding of casual sexual encounters and inhibitions back then.

I enjoyed the strength, courage, and confidence Nora found in herself. I loved that Nora's character really grew over her character arc and fully developed into the strong, fierce women she was looking to become.

I really enjoyed the fun, sexy French phrases, which often gave an exciting, flirty accented scene more zest!! After I spent more than six years of learning French in school and hoping one day to go to Paris, to then have so much of it blurred away after working on a CDC project in Mexico, it was nice to actually recognize and remember the beautiful French language that I had fallen in love with so many years ago!!

I really liked that the author included Nora visiting the European tourist sightseeing hot spots!! This truly makes the story feel more realistic and credible when real life places are featured.

This book does contain many “R-Rated” scenes and references, not to mention other adult situations, including heavy drug usage. I guess, as they say, "it was the 70's," lol.

There are many so-called “acceptable,” norms featured in this book that many people in today’s society would definitely not approve of, encourage, or agree with. Not to mention, many of these things are viewed as taboo – as in don’t talk about them (i.e., a woman’s sexual awakening, casual sexual encounters, illegal drug use, etc.).

Overall, this book was a fun, interesting, and entertaining read!! However, there were many scenes that did make this millennial blush lol!! And I think if the reader was alive, especially as an adult during the 70's they would have a better understanding, connection, and appreciation for this book.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it!! I think all contemporary romance readers, romance fans, and admirers of books with strong sexual awakenings and desires, casual encounters, and NSA relationships will like this book too!! Furthermore, if you are a fan of the wild 1970’s sex, drugs, and rock and roll era, this book is for you!! So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading - you won't be disappointed!!

**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations**

[Aubrey Cleeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohh la la! French Kiss by Gloria Goldsmith is a treat for steamy romance lovers. It is clear that the author knows her audience and she certainly knows what they want. The story follows Nora, a young woman left devastated after breaking up with her partner, and her rebound relationship with Jean Louis, which turns out to be far more than a rebound as she starts to realise that her feelings for him are passionately growing. She must follow Jean Louis across France to prove her loyalty as love doesn’t come easy for poor Nora.

Goldsmith knows all the hallmarks of a romance and uses them to great effect; young lovers filled with heart and a hunger for one another, and enough trials and challenges to really test their relationship. All this combines to create two great leads. I liked both Nora and Jean Louis and thought that they were deserving of one another as they show true affection and care. And there were more than enough steamy scenes to really enhance the relationship and then the plot.

I also liked the way that this book was set in the 1970s. I think the author captured the era well. The county and its landmarks also play a huge part in this book and it is clear that France itself adds to the character, charm and romance. I loved the inclusion of the language, the cultural background, and the way of life. It is clear to me that the author has a great understanding of the country and it translates well onto the page.

French Kiss is for romance lovers who want something a bit more. It’s fun, engaging, cultural, rich in content, and throws in a number of unexpected events (it was the 70s after all). It paints a wonderful picture of love and life in a wonderful country.

[JoAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read my review on NovelsAlive.com by clicking on the link below. It is also posted in full.

https://novelsalive.com/2021/11/01/4-...



French Kiss by Gloria J. Goldsmith was a fast-paced read with engaging subtitles for each chapter that seemed to zone in on what the chapter would be about.

Nora was difficult for me to like initially because she seemed to be very selfish and focused on developing a sex attraction test that would enable her to hook up with various men who were more sexual than her college boyfriend. The book was not what I thought it would be about and was quite steamy in sections. However, Nora mellowed out as she traveled around Europe and made due when things didn’t go her way.

Nora definitely worked hard and played hard. She and the friends she made or met up with gave amusing and entertaining twists to the story. There was more of a drug culture than I would have thought, and it was scary to think that the story has a tie-in to the author’s past, and although fictional, it is based on some of her life. I liked Nora’s relationship with Jean Louis but didn’t expect it to last or for her to be all in. I loved how their romance played out with unexpected developments throughout. Jean Louis’ family—especially his mother and brother—left a lot to be desired. Some of her other hook-ups or boyfriends didn’t seem to be her style.

Ms. Goldsmith wrote beautifully vivid descriptions of the places and locales in Europe and filled them with details that made me feel like I was there.

There is nice closure and a happily ever after that left me wanting more. I felt the cover depicted the story well. Ms. Goldsmith has an historical regency romance coming out next, and she included a preview at the end of the book. Given the writing in this book, I’m looking forward to reading more books by Ms. Goldsmith.

[Christine Woinich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was about Nora traveling to and around Europe after breaking up with her boyfriend. There were many descriptions of the towns and sights she visited. She did find a new love, but things did not go smoothly. With some side trips traveling on her own, Nora finally found her way back to Jean Louis and her HEA.

I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.

[Elle Sie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a light-hearted enjoyable romp. I'll start by admitting that I don't read much romance, as erotic scenes in some past reads had occasionally made me cringe, but I was pleasantly surprised to find this well written. The story follows Nora, who at the start of the book, is romantically involved with Ethan although they haven't been intimate for a long time. Nora finds herself drawn to another man called Jim who fulfils her wild sensual side. When the chance to go to Europe arises, Nora leaps at the opportunity and becomes romantically involved with a French man called Jean Louis.

Nora, as our plucky protagonist was likeable. The seventies setting was subtle, apart from mention of bell-bottoms and wanton promiscuity with no strings attached. I felt for Nora, trapped in a situation of unrequited love at the start of the book with a man destined to be in a pre-arranged marriage by his parents. There was some fun humour in this story too, particularly as Nora and Jean Louis pursued a thief of her stolen luggage, including dildo. I also liked other bits that weren't central to the plot, but added nice characterisation, such as how Nora handled a pervert on the train pressing into her backside.

This book read like a travelogue, or even like a memoir in the sense that the daily happenings for Nora, including trivial matters to deal with along the way, made it a very visceral read and the descriptions as she travelled through France, Germany, Italy and the UK were very evocative. The use of French and broken English to show the language barriers also aided this. I did like how Nora found her happy ending too, even if different than what she might have imagined for herself at the outset.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the setting of this book, the time period and lack of modern tech added to the romantic feel of her wanderings around europe. It was very interesting in the way it was written, like diary entries, or more of an overview of a period of her life and the men she slept with in that time.
It had a lot of detail that made the locations and time period feel very authentic. The characters felt largely authentic too, maybe they laughed at everything too much, but otherwise good.
The biggest downside of this book was the main character, Nora. In the first half of the book I liked her well enough, but by the second half I couldn’t stand her any more. I get it was a different time, but she was just kinda pushy and sexist. Picking fights and getting cranky when a man didn’t step in front of her and protect her. Calling men spineless for not being aggressive the way she liked, or for feeling uncomfortable around guns. The way she treated her love interest was pretty nasty too. Ignoring him for long periods while sleeping with others, maybe I missed a bit but they seemed to be dating when she did this. She just became really judgy of others and by the end I didn’t care about her anymore.
But the writing was good, the story engaging and the detail fantastic, so still enjoyed the read.

[Gina Rae Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

French Kiss, set in the early 1970s, could easily fit the historical fiction genre. However, that pains my heart since that is my coming-of-age era. It's the tale of a recent college graduate, Nora, who sets out to discover herself during the sexual revolution.

Nora is your typical Midwest girl-next-door who is searching for more adventure, more sex, and more life.

She travels alone through Europe by bus, train, and hitching. Along the way, she meets new friends and lovers while taking in all the gorgeous tourist sights.

The pace of the story moves quickly, keeping your interest while reading this 200+ page romantic tale.

I am not sure readers of a younger age will comprehend the attitudes about sex and drugs that were prevalent in the 70s. But if they set aside their current era values and keep reading, they might learn a lot about their parents and grandparents' lives.

This book is not for the prudish, but still an entertaining, fast read. (3.5/5 rounded to 4)


I own a copy of this book and was also provided a copy for a Goddess Fish Promotional Book Tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nora is a college student who’s just been kicked to the curb by her boyfriend—they were on a “break.” At the peak of her sexuality, she begins to question her own attractiveness. It was time to explore her sexuality with other men and Paris seemed to be just the place.

We follow her as she tests out her sexual attractiveness with all these guys. It was rather interesting and we get her views through a nice, easy, diary-style narrative. However, it can be a bit slow and repetitive at times. Some of the dialogue felt superfluous and didn’t really seem to contribute to the story.

It takes a while to get to Paris, but when we finally do get there, we see and experience Europe through the eyes of a “virgin.” What I liked best about it was the travel memoir aspect—being a fish out of water and experiencing a new world.

In this journey, we enter a topsy-turvy world of “He loves me, He loves me now.”

It’s a nice New Adult read overall.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story, and not quite what I was expecting. It could be that the Meg Ryan film of the same name had set up certain expectations, but the clean and neat, good-looking young man on the cover of Gloria J. Goldsmith's 'French Kiss' helped uphold them.

Rather than the expected sentimental feel-good romance, however, I got Nora, 'Sex-Starved of Michigan', in the late twentieth century. Neglected by boyfriend Ethan, with whom she's only had sex three times in two years, Nora embarks on a couple of short-term physical relationships with the intriguingly-Native-American-named Spotted Pony, and the more ordinary Luke.

Having temporarily satisfied her physical needs, Nora sets off to visit friend Melody in Europe. There's nothing the slightest bit romantic about the situation she walks into though, living in Heidelberg on the colourfully-nicknamed 'S**t Street, where the hookers staying next door are friendly, and drugs of all classes can be found in abundance. They're used that way by Melody's French boyfriend Marc, who redeems himself by providing Jean-Louis, another Frenchman who teams up with Nora, and with whom she soon sets off for France and the need to overcome his illness and his nasty family. Separation looms, and a hitchhiking journey around Europe for Nora. Whether she'll get her Frenchman back remains to be seen.

Not so much a romance as an account of American Nora's travels on the other side of the pond, with which she invariably finds fault. The French are rude, Italian men oversexed, the British unfriendly and cowardly, preferring their outlandish warm beer to a conversation with Nora. I found her as cold as the type of beer she craves, and couldn't like her, I'm afraid. Hers was an interesting story, but ultimately didn't engage me.

[Cathy Demming · Rating 4 out of 5]

This holiday romance quietly creeped up on me. At first " glance" I did not like our protagonist Nora. She decided to do a "sex attraction test" after being starved for months with her then boyfriend Ethan. This test led her to chance encounters with different men throughout Europe.

That was until she came upon the gorgeous Jean-Louis. I truly adored him, he was the ying to her yang. I loved how attentive he was to her, not afraid to show his emotions. I was rooting for their love one hundred percent.

Obstacles like his family however, stirred so much anger in me. That was when my initial feelings toward Nora changed. She showed strength and resilience against negativity. She had a "no B.S". attitude and I just loved that.
Seriously I was like, " yeahhh Nora!! Grrl you show them!" 😁

This book had me on an emotional roller-coaster. It took me around Europe site-seeing. The descriptions were distinct, literally felt like I was on a vacation. Nora felt like, the stubborn little sister I never had.

French Kiss is a well paced, summer escape. The ending was a huge surprise, one that couldn't make me any more happier. Definitely recommend.

HAPPY READING❤

[Pauline Knox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable read, I liked it pretty much from the start.
We follow Nora, our main character, on her journey around Europe, where she encounters a variety of interesting characters. Some of these encounters were very amusing and I laughed out loud more than once,
Nora ultimately arrives in France, where she meets Jean-Louis, and I really liked him. His character was beautifully written in comparison to Nora who I did find a bit annoying at times. However, together they made a fabulous couple.
This is a great summer (or autumn, winter, spring!) romance read that I definitely recommend.