Review: "Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins

First off, I have to admit to being extremely resistant to the idea of reading "Anna and the French Kiss", the name clearly seemed to indicate that it would be one of the cheesy teen romance novels that I never enjoy. A persistent co-worker, however, kept reassuring me that it was a, “great book with the worst title in the world.” She was absolutely proven correct as "Anna and the French Kiss" is a surprisingly nuanced love story, with a likable cast of characters, and an excellent setting.

The book opens with Anna moving to a boarding school in Paris to complete her senior year of high school. While her new surroundings are an adjustment, she quickly fits into a group of friends, but feels an extra connection to Etienne St. Clair. The changes in the relationship between Anna and St. Clair feel natural as it evolves slowly starting as a close friendship then into something more; setting this book apart from other Young Adult romances where the two main characters seemingly instantly fall in love.

In addition to the central relationship between Anna and St. Clair, "Anna and the French Kiss" also features humor and beautiful descriptions of Paris. Stephanie Perkins really succeeds in making the city of Paris feel like another character in her novel. Recommended to readers who enjoy a good love story but with a little bit of humor and substance. Additionally, readers who enjoy "Anna and the French Kiss" will want to read "Lola and the Boy Next Door" (though it was not my favorite in the series) and "Isla and the Happily Ever After", the next two books in Stephanie Perkins trilogy, featuring friends of Anna and St. Clair.

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