Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Published: December 2010

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

My Thoughts: This book has been on many bloggers top list of 2010, and that's a well deserved position. Anna and the French Kiss is a great contemporary novel, set in the romantic and historical settings of Paris, France. The book deals with the anxiety of starting a new life and meeting new people, in Anna's case moving to Paris to attend an international school. At first she's sad, insecure and she wants to go back home to her friend, family and the possible boyfriend she left behind. But with time she is getting more comfortable on her own, and she grows attached to the city. One small step at the time, she more secure, independent and suddenly she feels at home in Paris. A big reason for Anna's development and newfound independency is St. Claire, the loveable British-American guy in her school, as well as her other new friends.

Anna's story is soo realistic, and the settings well described. In the YA world where girls falls head over heels in love with a boy in a matter of a week (or a day), Anna and St. Claire's relationship offers a refreshing taste of reality. Their relationship is not based on good looks only, but on similar interests, trust, an equal understanding and a great friendship. There are conflicts and set-backs, insecurity, doubts, magical moments and every-day events – just like in real relationships.

Another thing I liked about this book was that it contained so much ”regular stuff” that other books leave out if it isn't crucial to the plot line - like eating breakfast, going to the movies, doing homework, and just talking – about anything and everything.

Though I thought the book was very good, in my mind it missed that little extra to make it truly fantastic. So I give Anna and the French Kiss a rating of 4.25 of 5