Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Have you ever read a book where it just sweeps you off your feet and you realize you're not even past page 20? No? Try reading Anna and the French Kiss and you'll see what I mean.

Title: Anna and the French Kiss Author: Stephanie Perkins
Pages: 372
Release Date: December 2, 2010
Published by: Dutton
Source: Borrowed (thanks Tina!)
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Summary:

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?

Anna, our seventeen year old protagonist, has been shipped to a boarding school in France, specifically in Paris, which everyone knows is the most romantic city in the world. But Anna has a life in Atlanta, friends to leave, including a POTENTIAL love life, and she hates her father for sending her away, alone, for one year, in a foreign land, just so her dad can brag about his "money" and status to his friends. But Anna's sucky life in Paris had an interesting turn when she met Etienne, and the year she thought would be the worse of her life turned out to be the one she will never forget. Because Etienne, as it turns out, is the one guy she can never have.

I don't know where to begin telling you the things I love about Anna and the French Kiss. From page one, I was able to relate to the story. I know the feeling of being left alone in an unfamiliar country, barely speaking the language, and being stuck there for one whole year. Anna and I just clicked, because at some point in my life, I WAS HER, and she didn't let go of my heart until I turned to the last page.

Anna has every single familiar thing we can all relate to. I'm sure we all have our own Bridgette, that one friend who can cheer us on when we think the world can't get any worse. Our own Meredith. Our own Rashmi, who I learned to love. She's a great friend, not too emotional, but someone who can knock some good sense to you when you need it. Our own Josh, that one male friend who we can all rely to when things get tough. And our own Etienne, of course.

And I am not ashamed to say this, but the only other "person" who I have rooted for, screamed for, fangirled for this much was ASH of The Iron King. Etienne is not a fairy, nor is he a Prince, but he's just that someone close to reality, that one you wish is THE ONE. For a lot of us, Etienne is the epitome of that one ideal person we'd want to fall in love with. I am so glad that Etienne's character felt real. He wasn't perfect, heck, his life is one big mess. Etienne is not your typical tall, dark and handsome boy who is a usual staple in YA novel. He's that eighteen year old boy, short, with fantastic accent, and despite his obvious popularity, is plagued with the same insecurities as everyone else. He's afraid of change, like everyone is! The conflicts and the ups and downs he experiences made Etienne a flawed, but very believable guy.

Anna is just fantastic. This confused, OC teenage girl, homesick and alone, who tends to overthink and over analyze anything and everything. I can't remember when I've laughed so much because of a female lead. Anna is hilarious!

Anna captured perfectly a teenager's life in that one year in Paris, her struggle in life and in love.

Anna and The French Kiss has everything, drama, a healthy dose of comedy, overflowing with romance, and filled with lessons we can all learn, teenager or not, kids and adults alike, all set in one of the most fascinating, beautiful and romantic place in the world. So if you're looking for a contemporary YA novel, you don't need to search too far! This is one of the best contemporary stories I've ever read.

If you're not yet in love with Paris, Stephanie's descriptions of the city will make you love it! I wanted to pack my bags right away. If only I can!

If I can give Anna and the French Kiss 10 butterfly ratings, a hundred, maybe more, I will in a heartbeat! I only have 5, the maximum, but it far exceeds my qualifications for a mind-blowing book!

My rating

Content (plot, story flow, character):

Stunning: Worthy of a Goddess' Praise!

Book Cover:

Don't you just love the Eiffel Tower as the backdrop? I do!