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Kissing Adrien
In this fresh and humorous tale, 29-year-old Claire agrees to supervise the renovation of the Paris apartment her parents have inherited. Ignoring her romantic surroundings, Claire is all business and in a hurry to return to her job, home, and an almost dating relationship with Brian, an associate pastor.
When Adrien, a handsome and flirtatious friend of the family, agrees to help Claire, his spontaneity and "joie de vie" drives her crazy. But in time, even Claire cannot resist the City of Lights' offerings, including the Rodin museum where the sculpture The Kiss raises the questions...who will be the love of her life? And will she ever learn to enjoy the life God has placed right in front of her.
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2005
40 people are currently reading
707 people want to read
About the author
Siri L. Mitchell
5 books33 followersalso published under the name Siri Mitchell & Iris Anthony
Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.
But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a speaker and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.
Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.
Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.
But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a speaker and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.
Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
November 25, 2007
My friend let me borrow this book, because I thought it would be very interesting. I heard it was Christian, so I thought, "What the heck?" So I leafed through it and to my surprise, it was very chick-ish and dripping with heavy romance. Mind you, I am a teenager and I am also a hopeless romantic, but I cannot read romance for this reason: it puts ideas into my head of how men are 'supposed' to treat women. Like, men are supposed to know exactly what their mistake was. Or, how they always know when to bring you flowers. That's romance for you. It secretly whispers while you're reading it, "This is how a real man treats his lover. This is what you must expect." The truth is, it is not. I am not saying the book wasn't well written or unrealistic. Not at all. I am only saying that I don't recommend it for teens. I wasn't even on the third chapter when I was bombarded with adult situations and romance. Maybe I should have read the back, first...but I didn't. =] I really believe this was for adults, maybe married and not in a relationship or single.
If you tend to fantasize a lot and dream up how you're going to meet your man, I recommend you not read this book, especially if you're my age or younger (15). Now, if you have a huge grip on the real world (unlike myself) and you know it's not non-fiction, then more power to you. I just know how it affected me. I only want to help. =]
Enjoy!
If you tend to fantasize a lot and dream up how you're going to meet your man, I recommend you not read this book, especially if you're my age or younger (15). Now, if you have a huge grip on the real world (unlike myself) and you know it's not non-fiction, then more power to you. I just know how it affected me. I only want to help. =]
Enjoy!
February 23, 2022
I remain a steadfast fan of Siri Mitchell's writing. She isn't sappy or cheesy. Her character's seem fairly real to me, added in with a mix of witty dialog. This is probably one of my favorite books she has written. You fall in love with Paris, just as much as you fall in love with Adrien. Its rich in descriptions of Paris and the culture of France. The one danger from reading this book, is that it will make you want to grab the next plane to France, immediately.
August 12, 2024
Ms. Mitchell has a way of putting you right in the setting which adore. Her characters always have a great sense of humor and Ms. Mitchell adds a message that has me pondering and examining my own beliefs. A worthwhile read.
January 1, 2016
This was pretty much the most one-sided romance I've ever read. The hero can do no wrong. He constantly tells the heroine that her views on religion are wrong, her politics are wrong, her clothing is wrong, and he is always right. She changes everything, he changes nothing. In addition, the traumatic event that happened when she was 17 and affected her life in so many ways is never resolved; she doesn't even tell him about it, even though she hints once.
The funny thing is, I picked this up because I remembered liking A Constant Heart, but when I reread my review I realized that I liked the history, but hated Mitchell's writing style. Now I remember why. On the bright side, it was a library book, so I'm not out any money.
The funny thing is, I picked this up because I remembered liking A Constant Heart, but when I reread my review I realized that I liked the history, but hated Mitchell's writing style. Now I remember why. On the bright side, it was a library book, so I'm not out any money.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2012
Ok, here we go.. this was a very well written book but I waited the entire book for just one kiss! Give me a break there should have been so much more after the kiss but the book just ended. I would have been happy to skip some of the stuff in the middle and to hear what happened after the kiss.
August 22, 2009
This book was a tease. Tons of build up, no satifaction until the very end. That being said it was all very cute and enjoyably romantic.
April 16, 2012
I liked this book--it was a light, easy read. But I disappointed in the ending. There was a lot of buildup for this awesome ending and it was over in 2 pages. A little bummed about that.
September 1, 2022
Did I read this book really fast?
Yes.
Did I give this a low rating?
Yes.
Therefore based on those statements the author always knows how to capture my interest. Her characters are entertaining and I like her writing.
But the story got me. It was so frivolous. Literally the book is the title...how can the MC kiss Adrien?
And see Adrien is just so out there. He's a Christian but one of those shocking Christians cause you know he's French.
Sarcasm aside, the premise that life is boring if you follow your conscious and don't want to make a show of yourself or drink or maybe shock of all shocks you want to follow the Bible, made me frustrated.
No scripture was used to support any of the characters convictions.
That's why a low rating.
I do agree you should view yourself well in order to live happily. There's a fine balance of not being prideful but thanking God for how He made us. I think Adrien had some good points there.
Passion and zest for life is good but only to a point. I think Adrien missed the reality you can be passionate without undressing. And you can be passionate without drinking wine.
Just a thought 🤪
All in all not a book I'd recommend but it gave me some thoughts to ponder and reevaluate.
Yes.
Did I give this a low rating?
Yes.
Therefore based on those statements the author always knows how to capture my interest. Her characters are entertaining and I like her writing.
But the story got me. It was so frivolous. Literally the book is the title...how can the MC kiss Adrien?
And see Adrien is just so out there. He's a Christian but one of those shocking Christians cause you know he's French.
Sarcasm aside, the premise that life is boring if you follow your conscious and don't want to make a show of yourself or drink or maybe shock of all shocks you want to follow the Bible, made me frustrated.
No scripture was used to support any of the characters convictions.
That's why a low rating.
I do agree you should view yourself well in order to live happily. There's a fine balance of not being prideful but thanking God for how He made us. I think Adrien had some good points there.
Passion and zest for life is good but only to a point. I think Adrien missed the reality you can be passionate without undressing. And you can be passionate without drinking wine.
Just a thought 🤪
All in all not a book I'd recommend but it gave me some thoughts to ponder and reevaluate.
January 5, 2011
This book was all over the place - romance yes, but also religion, politics, WWII history, details about Paris and art. It was the weirdest sensation to be inside the girl's head, but know less about her than you do about anyone else. You read from her perspective, descriptions of Adrien is doing, his reactions, but somehow even though the way she describes his reaction makes it CLEAR what he is thinking or feeling, she is oblivious.
I was also a little bugged by his view of religion. Yes, I agree that maybe she wasn't living life to it's fullest and had a bit of a narrow view, but using religion as a REASON to dress more skanky, drink alcohol and wear more makeup was kind of annoying to me.
All in all though, the story would make a really cute chick flick and was clean and fun to read. But the writing was not my favorite.
I was also a little bugged by his view of religion. Yes, I agree that maybe she wasn't living life to it's fullest and had a bit of a narrow view, but using religion as a REASON to dress more skanky, drink alcohol and wear more makeup was kind of annoying to me.
All in all though, the story would make a really cute chick flick and was clean and fun to read. But the writing was not my favorite.
July 18, 2009
I usually think of Christian chick lit as well...pretty stupid. But this is good! There's a lot of romance and sweetness in it, but not overly sugary. The culture issues between France and America are interesting too. Although no man is a charming, loving, sweet superman like Adrien, who wants absolute realism when it comes to a romance novel? Claire is pretty dense and has a case of arrested development when it comes to picking up romantic signals though.
On a side note don't be discouraged by the stupid day-glo color scheme of the cover.
On a side note don't be discouraged by the stupid day-glo color scheme of the cover.
July 29, 2017
I loved this story! It was a surprising, delightful read all the way through. The characters made me smile. Mitchell tackles some tricky issues in thought-provoking ways. The way she brought in two different cultures, as well as a slip-time thread was nuanced and well-developed. I loved the interplay and romantic tension between the two main characters.
The book is set in Paris, and it reads as though the author spent time there. The city (which I've yet to visit) came alive through her descriptions of the city itself. It was almost another character in the story.
Highly recommended!
The book is set in Paris, and it reads as though the author spent time there. The city (which I've yet to visit) came alive through her descriptions of the city itself. It was almost another character in the story.
Highly recommended!
January 28, 2012
I found this book to be quite annoying! Claire didn't stop complaining the entire time and was overly picky about everything.
July 30, 2025
I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved that it was set in Paris, and enjoyed the descriptions of it. It is very clean, and there are a few humorous parts.
However, Adrien is perfect and expects Claire to change everything about herself. No, she was not living her life to her fullest potential, but she literally changed everything for him. There are some unresolved things, and the story ends abruptly. Not that there necessarily needed to be more, but it would have added so much to the story for there to have been more.
Overall, it is an easy, light read, but not one I would pick up again.
However, Adrien is perfect and expects Claire to change everything about herself. No, she was not living her life to her fullest potential, but she literally changed everything for him. There are some unresolved things, and the story ends abruptly. Not that there necessarily needed to be more, but it would have added so much to the story for there to have been more.
Overall, it is an easy, light read, but not one I would pick up again.
October 4, 2025
I remember this book being a major comfort read when I was younger, and I was so looking forward to rereading it!
Something things haven’t changed: Claire is still an irritating, rigid American, Adrien is still a whimsical, flirty Frenchman, and somehow they still find a way to (finally!) meet somewhere in the middle.
I suppose what I liked the most about this book is watching Claire lose some of her Americanness, and being opened to the possibility that a wider world with richer interpretations can be found (esp in regards to her ultraconservative views on Christianity).
But good grief the burn was so slow, if I hadn’t known they’d finally end up together I would almost expect the fire to just die out…
Sidenote, wtf was with her ‘relationship’ with boring Brian? Ma’am, he clearly doesn’t respect you as a human. Move on faster please.
Something things haven’t changed: Claire is still an irritating, rigid American, Adrien is still a whimsical, flirty Frenchman, and somehow they still find a way to (finally!) meet somewhere in the middle.
I suppose what I liked the most about this book is watching Claire lose some of her Americanness, and being opened to the possibility that a wider world with richer interpretations can be found (esp in regards to her ultraconservative views on Christianity).
But good grief the burn was so slow, if I hadn’t known they’d finally end up together I would almost expect the fire to just die out…
Sidenote, wtf was with her ‘relationship’ with boring Brian? Ma’am, he clearly doesn’t respect you as a human. Move on faster please.
November 29, 2011
Kissing Adrien took place in France and was a cute Christian chick-lit book by one of my favorite chick-lit authors, Siri Mitchell.
Claire is a woman who has her life all planned out: she has a good job and recently bought a house in the suburbs of Seattle. She is dating an associate pastor and lives life quite small. She thinks this is the way she was meant to live life.
When her dad breaks her back, she takes a long leave from her job as a budget coordinator for a university to help care for him. While caring for him, they find out someone in his family has died. She had a house in France and they need someone to go there to sell the home.
So it's up to Claire to figure out what to do about the house and the woman's assets. Since Claire's father is a Frenchman who moved to the States when he met Claire's mother, they had vacationed in France many summers where she met Adrien. Adrien is an old family friend, a few years older than Claire, and someone she has always had a crush on.
Through the story, Adrien opens Claire's eyes to her lifestyle and how much bigger she could be living it. They learn about "Mademoiselle" and Claire begins to see how much meaningful life can be when you take risks and chances. When you stop being afraid of what can happen if things don't turn out the way you want them to.
I really, really enjoyed this story. Siri did a great job of creating these characters and the setting. I am not as interested in France as some people so I can't accurately say how she depicted the people and the place, but my untrained eye enjoyed it. I did get annoyed with Claire and Adrien's missed kisses. (It kept happening over and over!) I was also annoyed with how critical Adrien was of how we do things in the States. It was VERY stereotypical.
But through it all, it was a book I couldn't put down as I kept wanting to see what happened next. Claire and Adrien's friendship was so sweet and adorable and I loved watching it develop into something more. And the fact that Claire was a strong female lead for a chick-lit? Even better.
Claire is a woman who has her life all planned out: she has a good job and recently bought a house in the suburbs of Seattle. She is dating an associate pastor and lives life quite small. She thinks this is the way she was meant to live life.
When her dad breaks her back, she takes a long leave from her job as a budget coordinator for a university to help care for him. While caring for him, they find out someone in his family has died. She had a house in France and they need someone to go there to sell the home.
So it's up to Claire to figure out what to do about the house and the woman's assets. Since Claire's father is a Frenchman who moved to the States when he met Claire's mother, they had vacationed in France many summers where she met Adrien. Adrien is an old family friend, a few years older than Claire, and someone she has always had a crush on.
Through the story, Adrien opens Claire's eyes to her lifestyle and how much bigger she could be living it. They learn about "Mademoiselle" and Claire begins to see how much meaningful life can be when you take risks and chances. When you stop being afraid of what can happen if things don't turn out the way you want them to.
I really, really enjoyed this story. Siri did a great job of creating these characters and the setting. I am not as interested in France as some people so I can't accurately say how she depicted the people and the place, but my untrained eye enjoyed it. I did get annoyed with Claire and Adrien's missed kisses. (It kept happening over and over!) I was also annoyed with how critical Adrien was of how we do things in the States. It was VERY stereotypical.
But through it all, it was a book I couldn't put down as I kept wanting to see what happened next. Claire and Adrien's friendship was so sweet and adorable and I loved watching it develop into something more. And the fact that Claire was a strong female lead for a chick-lit? Even better.
October 12, 2015
This was actually a rereading of this book. I had read it years ago and put it on my bookshelf. Recently I was skimming through my bookshelves and came across it. Since I was feeling a little homesick for Europe, I decided to reread it. It was as delightful as it was the first time I read it. It brought back memories of Paris, gave me a desire to add to my "need to check out next time I'm in France" list; and now that I'm closer to the heroine's age now than when I first read it, I definitely sympathize with her more. What do you do when life doesn't turn out like you thought it would? When the place you are at is SO completely different than where you hoped you would be at by this point? When you realize that somewhere along the road, you've given up your passion (if you can even remember what that passion was) in exchange for something that is "safe" -what is expected of you; even though in it of itself, that "safe" thing isn't bad, but unfortunately it is the very thing that is slowly killing your very soul. Claire is awakened to this reality in this story. Claire takes a break from her job as a budget coordinator for the University of Washington in Seattle to help her American mother take care of her French father after he broke his back at their home in Miami, FL. However, while there her father finds out that a distant cousin had died and had left him an apartment in Paris! Since he cannot travel because of his broken back, Claire is sent in his stead to sort everything out. Adrien, her childhood crush who is very handsome and very French, helps her on this inheritance adventure; and while doing so, he also introduces her on ways to embrace le joie de vivre. Combining this new outlook with her faith, Adrien surprisingly also makes her find answers to the hard questions she must answer. Definitely a fun book filled with discovery, romance, European flair all the while makes you think about those hard questions for yourself and how they apply to your own life.
February 17, 2012
Though contemporary fiction is not my usual cup of tea, I was willing to take a chance because Kissing Adrien is by Siri Mitchell. I've yet to read a novel by her that I didn't enjoy, and this one was so much fun!
What I liked--
The characters: Claire's characteristics were so well-grounded in the story. She was a practical, no nonsense kind of girl, and I really enjoyed watching her make the journey from over-thinking everything and being overly critical of everything to realizing that life is meant to be enjoyed and savored. Adrien and the other secondary character's were great too. Adrien
The setting: I really wanted to hop on a plane bound for Paris. I really felt immersed in the city and the culture. From the street vendors, to the museums, to the Eiffel Tower, I was loving it all.
Historical aspects: I love how the mysterious life of Clair's distant and recently deceased relative was involved in the story. In fact, I wish Mitchell had incorporated more of Madame's life into the story. I wanted Claire to go on a hunt for clues about her, and while that never really happened fully, I did love the parts that were included.
A minor issue--
In my opinion, Claire was a little bit naive for someone that was 29 years old. Some of the romantic hints were so incredibly obvious that I just didn't understand how she could not see them. I never had the impression that she was choosing not to see them, but rather that she literally did not see them. This didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the story, but it is something I noticed.
This has nothing to do with the content of the book, but I don't think the cover fits the content of the book. It just gives off the wrong vibe. While the story has light-hearted aspects, there is quite a bit of depth to the story, which was a pleasant surprise for me.
Recommended :)
What I liked--
The characters: Claire's characteristics were so well-grounded in the story. She was a practical, no nonsense kind of girl, and I really enjoyed watching her make the journey from over-thinking everything and being overly critical of everything to realizing that life is meant to be enjoyed and savored. Adrien and the other secondary character's were great too. Adrien
The setting: I really wanted to hop on a plane bound for Paris. I really felt immersed in the city and the culture. From the street vendors, to the museums, to the Eiffel Tower, I was loving it all.
Historical aspects: I love how the mysterious life of Clair's distant and recently deceased relative was involved in the story. In fact, I wish Mitchell had incorporated more of Madame's life into the story. I wanted Claire to go on a hunt for clues about her, and while that never really happened fully, I did love the parts that were included.
A minor issue--
In my opinion, Claire was a little bit naive for someone that was 29 years old. Some of the romantic hints were so incredibly obvious that I just didn't understand how she could not see them. I never had the impression that she was choosing not to see them, but rather that she literally did not see them. This didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the story, but it is something I noticed.
This has nothing to do with the content of the book, but I don't think the cover fits the content of the book. It just gives off the wrong vibe. While the story has light-hearted aspects, there is quite a bit of depth to the story, which was a pleasant surprise for me.
Recommended :)
April 27, 2012
Siri Mitchell's books are always great fun, and Kissing Adrien is no exception. The first-person writing style puts you inside Claire's thoughts where her "voice" and view of things are extremely amusing. She's very easy to like and relate to.
Adrien is completely charming and fun to tour Paris with, however I think to meet him in real life could be a bit awkward. He claims to be a Christian but unfortunately some of his ideas seem slightly misguided. Claire's Christian beliefs are more standard, which causes the two to butt heads several times over their different views. Amusingly, Adrien has a knack for using logic to force Claire into agreeing with his ideals, which is annoying to Claire but extremely fun to see play out. Though Adrien's beliefs don't match up with mine, early on I decided to not take him too seriously and just enjoy the story, which is exactly what I did.
The vast cultural differences between America and France are prominently featured, with both Claire and Adrien being equally horrified by the way things are done in each other's country. This leads to some lively banter and great entertainment, all while providing food for thought as to why the cultures are so different. It also raises the idea that some things in religion are more cultural rather than moral, which is interesting to ponder. In reading this book I actually feel that I've learned quite a bit about Paris and it's people.
If you've ever wondered what it would be like to spend the summer in Paris: read this book. You'll feel like you did spend your vacation there, but without the cost of an airline ticket!
Adrien is completely charming and fun to tour Paris with, however I think to meet him in real life could be a bit awkward. He claims to be a Christian but unfortunately some of his ideas seem slightly misguided. Claire's Christian beliefs are more standard, which causes the two to butt heads several times over their different views. Amusingly, Adrien has a knack for using logic to force Claire into agreeing with his ideals, which is annoying to Claire but extremely fun to see play out. Though Adrien's beliefs don't match up with mine, early on I decided to not take him too seriously and just enjoy the story, which is exactly what I did.
The vast cultural differences between America and France are prominently featured, with both Claire and Adrien being equally horrified by the way things are done in each other's country. This leads to some lively banter and great entertainment, all while providing food for thought as to why the cultures are so different. It also raises the idea that some things in religion are more cultural rather than moral, which is interesting to ponder. In reading this book I actually feel that I've learned quite a bit about Paris and it's people.
If you've ever wondered what it would be like to spend the summer in Paris: read this book. You'll feel like you did spend your vacation there, but without the cost of an airline ticket!
March 31, 2014
If you've always dreamed of going to Paris, planning a trip, or have been there and would like to go again, Kissing Adrien is the perfect book for you.
I didn't have a clue that the book would be as spectacular as it was. Using story world, Siri took me through the city streets of Paris, to all the famous and not as well know places to see, we ate meals, and her characters taught me French. Magnifique!
As an added bonus, Siri has a tab dedicated to helping us fledglings decide what to do while in Paris on her website She gives tips what to avoid and how to get to the shorter lines. Here is the link for this great tab: Siri's Tips for Travel in Paris
In Kissing Adrien, Claire has made a simple life in Seattle, working many hours to pay her bills on time. Her wardrobe is comfortable, nothing fancy and her pastor boyfriend treats her like a piece of furniture. Isn't this how everyone lives?
So life seems until Claire's parents send her to Paris to check out an apartment left to their family by a cousin, a cousin with many secrets. Arriving during the holiday season, Claire stays with friends of her family--renewing a friendship with the handsome, flirtatious, and French-culture savvy Adrien while solving the mysteries surrounding her cousin.
Adrien stays in Paris during his vacation to show Claire not only the sights, but also fashion and the French way of life. He shows her a lifestyle that allows two hour lunch breaks and longer holidays. One is to enjoy this life rather than living a job.
I highly recommend this delightful book. Take a trip to Paris as you turn the pages!
I didn't have a clue that the book would be as spectacular as it was. Using story world, Siri took me through the city streets of Paris, to all the famous and not as well know places to see, we ate meals, and her characters taught me French. Magnifique!
As an added bonus, Siri has a tab dedicated to helping us fledglings decide what to do while in Paris on her website She gives tips what to avoid and how to get to the shorter lines. Here is the link for this great tab: Siri's Tips for Travel in Paris
In Kissing Adrien, Claire has made a simple life in Seattle, working many hours to pay her bills on time. Her wardrobe is comfortable, nothing fancy and her pastor boyfriend treats her like a piece of furniture. Isn't this how everyone lives?
So life seems until Claire's parents send her to Paris to check out an apartment left to their family by a cousin, a cousin with many secrets. Arriving during the holiday season, Claire stays with friends of her family--renewing a friendship with the handsome, flirtatious, and French-culture savvy Adrien while solving the mysteries surrounding her cousin.
Adrien stays in Paris during his vacation to show Claire not only the sights, but also fashion and the French way of life. He shows her a lifestyle that allows two hour lunch breaks and longer holidays. One is to enjoy this life rather than living a job.
I highly recommend this delightful book. Take a trip to Paris as you turn the pages!
February 2, 2025
I've read other more serious things by Siri Mitchell, so I was disappointed with this ill-conceived story. It is a modern Pygmalion story. Parts are well-written and humorous; however, it has two major irritations that ruined what enjoyment I might have gotten from it. I did not enjoy how the author described every detail of clothes, rooms, and stuff in tedious detail. I find characters and story more interesting than stuff. What really turned me off is the overall plot of every Pygmalion story: your love interest insists on changing every aspect of your clothes, make-up, attitude, values, and choices. If so, does he love YOU or just some image he created in his head? Personally, I think that if he can't love and accept you for who you are without carping, criticizing, and remaking that's not love, that's control freak issues! Sending a message that control and criticism are okay and an indication of "love" is a grave disservice to young women readers, IMHO.
October 6, 2016
I didn't realize that this was a Christian novel before purchasing it, and I wish I had - I never would've read it. I thought Claire was overwhelmingly naive and closed-minded. I found her sour, bitter, and not very likable, but boy did she go on about how men did double takes when they saw her. Blech. Adrien was very one dimensional. Was there nothing imperfect about him? The whole thing was a mess. Even the mystery wasn't mysterious enough or a big enough part of the story. No thanks. I won't be reading another of Siri's novels. I don't want her religious right views forced down my throat again. Reading should be a pleasure; I don't want to be accosted by backwards (so-called traditional) views. A twenty-nine year old woman who's never been kissed? Give me a break.
February 2, 2013
I feel as if I've just come home from a wonderful vacation in Paris. The sites, the fashion, the food, an English speaking church, and the art. Wonderful visits to art galleries and tidbits about artists and their work are delightful.
Claire,(serious American) and Adrien (fun-loving Frenchman) see the sites, investigate the mystery of the distant cousin, and have all-out clashes over fashion, having fun, drinking, spending, politics, and love. In the final analysis, I sometimes didn't agree with Adrien, but he did cause me to examine my views. Both characters are charming and likeable.
I found myself looking forward to sitting down to "see what Claire and Adrien are up to" because it was always a surprise. I didn't want the story to end.
Claire,(serious American) and Adrien (fun-loving Frenchman) see the sites, investigate the mystery of the distant cousin, and have all-out clashes over fashion, having fun, drinking, spending, politics, and love. In the final analysis, I sometimes didn't agree with Adrien, but he did cause me to examine my views. Both characters are charming and likeable.
I found myself looking forward to sitting down to "see what Claire and Adrien are up to" because it was always a surprise. I didn't want the story to end.
February 8, 2017
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The only reason I read it was because I was looking for a quick read with a happy ending (it was one of those days). I found this on my Kindle for free. It is listed as “Christian Fiction”, which I had never tried, and was pleasantly surprised! I found the story to be refreshing and relevant, and while love scenes don’t typically bother me (I just skip over them), I found the lack thereof surprisingly enjoyable. I appreciated that I didn’t have to gloss over anything. The book also took place in Paris, a city I love, which was a big plus. This is a perfect beach/pool read. I would highly recommend it
October 29, 2015
This book took me forever to read. Not because it was bad, I just wasn't totally captured by the story-line and thus didn't feel drawn to reading it. It was still a cute read though and it was fun to watch Claire blossom during her time in France. Adrien was a bit too French for my taste but he was a great guy and I loved how he was determined to bring Claire out of her shell and to show her how beautiful she really was. There was all that much to the plot beyond Claire's journey of self-discovery but it was a sweet one-time read that I'm sure others will enjoy more than I did.
February 28, 2017
Everybody and Their Flying Penguin Should Read This
I absolutely loved this book and have recommended it to like... everybody and their flying penguin. It is a different tone than the normal Christian book and it is set in Paris. But it is a book that left me thinking long after I read it. And when I went to Paris I had to go see the catacombs and climb up to the top of Notre Dame and hug a gargoyle because of this book. If you love books on Paris - Anna and the French Kiss is also another of my favs.
I absolutely loved this book and have recommended it to like... everybody and their flying penguin. It is a different tone than the normal Christian book and it is set in Paris. But it is a book that left me thinking long after I read it. And when I went to Paris I had to go see the catacombs and climb up to the top of Notre Dame and hug a gargoyle because of this book. If you love books on Paris - Anna and the French Kiss is also another of my favs.
May 20, 2012
**may contain spoilers** This book was very good; a romance story without the smut. It was very engaging, and I not only identified with the heroine but wanted to step into her life, at least for that summer. But I was a little upset that this guy who is supposed to love this girl could constantly criticize everything about her and try to change her. It kind of reminded me of "Grease" in that the heroine completely remakes herself to satisfy the man who already loves her. I also didn't like the ending; it felt like the the climax came at the last page and there was no resolution.
September 25, 2012
I'll give this somewhere between a 3 and 4 stars. I really liked some parts of it, but other parts really bugged me. If I had been at all interested in French cuisine, French travel, French tourist sites--basically anything French--I think I would've like this book more. It is chock-full of descriptions of Paris everything. I just have no interest in any of that; in fact, I skimmed through most of those sections. But I like the provoking questions that are brought up by the main character--regarding self, religion, outlook on life, happiness, etc. It's a well-written book.
March 10, 2010
Siri Mitchell has a unique voice that can be hard to find in the Christian market. A lot of Christian fiction portrays people who live in a bubble where everyone believes exactly the same. Don't get me wrong, this is a light, fun read, but the characters also encounter controversy. Claire may be a little dense, but the Paris setting drew me in, and this author's attention to detail and unworn description were a treat to read.
July 28, 2014
The Parisian setting was fun; I enjoyed reading about all of the sights and sounds and culture. That, and the mysterious cousin, were the only reasons I finished the book. Claire was unlikeable as a main character: moody, ungrateful, superficial. The story needed the firm hand of a better editor who could have fixed the pacing and transitions, cut out a lot of scenes that were not needed, and added in a few that were.
December 10, 2010
This one was almost a 4 for me but I couldn't because of his ideas of religon. As a clean romance book I really liked it but I didn't like his arguing about their differences in religon, just agree to disagree. It was perfect for a vacation. I had never been to paris and I really liked how she went around town sightseeing and described that eating was an event and not just something to get over with. very cute book.
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