Synopsis: 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 Etienne St. Clair: 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?

Review: This book makes me want to read contemporary YA until I die! Stephanie Perkins you are amazing. Because anyone who can make me (aka heart of stone) litterally feel butterflies in my tummy as I am reading is talented. Beyond talented!

I wasn’t planning on finishing this book last night, but I was so hooked that I ended up staying up beyond midnight (on a work night! GAH!) to finish this book. It was so important to me at that time to know what happened next - I just know I wouldn’t have been able to sleep until it was done.

*swoon*

This book. So much to love about it. And let me just say to all those naysayers out there who don’t believe me, I need to point out something to you. I hated France before I read this book. Like didn’t think much of the French people (sorry!), wasn’t overly interested about travelling there, definitely not keen on the food. This book has completely changed all that for me. The description of the monuments and museums, the food (omg sounded amazing), the cinemas and even the language. It sounded absolutely beautiful. If it made a fan out of me, it will make a fan out of ANYONE.

And that was the tip of the iceberg, cause I am pretty sure I fell in love with Etienne St. Clair. He is all kinds of amazing. He is good looking, has a really cute accent, witty, fun to be with and overall caring. Too bad he has a girlfriend. For Anna, she can’t help how she feels for St. Clair. And St. Clair feels the same way for her too right? So why doesn’t he break up with his girlfriend? Seriously.. this tortured me! So many times throughout this book I felt like something was going to happen between them, and when it didn’t, well.. I felt about as disappointed as I am sure Anna herself did. This story builds and builds, and you know what is going to happen inevitably, but it never happens when you think it’s going to… so tension builds further to a crescendo point. It’s all sorts of amazing.

The characters in this story are fantastic. They have depth and we see more to them as well throughout the story. It’s not solely about just Anna and St. Clair. I love Anna - she is funny and she embraces sarcasm like I do. We don’t often get a sarcastic protagonist. I loved that! She was very real.

This is the first Stephanie Perkins book I’ve read, but it will not be the last! I know Lola & The Boy Next Door is being released very shortly and I’ll be picking it up immediately!

Rating: 5 out of 5