Two women, both at crossroads in their lives. Grace, an American, has just been told, on her twenty-fifth anniversary no less, that her husband is having an affair. Audrey is British and is ready to get out of her alcoholic mother's house. She's not going to college, that's for people who are smart and not dyslexic. Their lives will collide when Grace is mugged and Audrey comes to her rescue. Eventually they realize that they each need something from the other; a chance to step out of their day-to-day.
I really wish this book had been a bit longer. There were some real problems in this book but it felt like the solutions were glossed over or rushed through. I liked Ms. Morgan's other step toward romance light but this book, while worth reading, was not as successful.

Three stars
This book came out April 9
ARC kindly provided by publisher and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

To celebrate her 25th wedding anniversary, Grace books the trip of a lifetime - a month in Paris for herself and her husband. Except, her husband wants a divorce. Instead of doing what is expected of her and cancelling the trip so she can mourn the loss of her marriage, Grace goes to Paris alone. She meets a teen from London who has come to Paris to figure out her life and the pair become unlikely friends. They both manage to secure jobs at a used bookstore that Grace's grandmother used to frequent when she was a young woman living in Paris. Told in three voices (Grace, Audrey, and Grace's grandmother), this is an enjoyable read that allows everyone to have a very plausible happy ending.

One Summer in Paris looked exactly like my type of book when I first saw it. When I started reading it, I was quickly drawn into the story and it was very easy to feel immersed in the story.
We have Grace and anniversary celebration gone wrong, changing her life completely. On the other hand, we have Audrey, looking for an escape from her life and problems. They are both in Paris, but… could they be any more different? Once they meet, they realize that they might not be so different after all.
I loved both characters. Grace was interesting, it was nice to know her story, and how she was dealing with it and how kind she was, especially with Audrey. Audrey was a very cool character, a quirky, snarky girl that was very refreshing and likable. I liked the side characters as well, although David not so much and I am struggling with some of the things that happened towards the end of the book.
The story was warm and filled with strength and hope, it talked about real issues and I loved reading about the relationship between Grace and Audrey, and how they helped each other.
I liked the rhythm and pace of the story, I like the writing style that was so light and fresh. The story was amusing and gripping, however, I did not like the ending. I have nothing against that kind of ending, but after everything that happened, I was certainly expecting something different.
SPOILER ALERT!!!!!
I did not like how everything was easily forgiven, I would have liked she ended up alone, because after all her development that was the clearest path. I also was fond of Mimi’s behavior that changed toward David and then how it meant nothing what she did about Toni.

Nonetheless, I think the story is fun and entertaining, it was great characters and writing and it is a perfect summer read. I hope you read it and like the ending more than I did.

I loved this book. The biggest thing about this book that I loved was the focus on female friendships. That it doesn’t matter your age or background that when you least expect it you may find a friend. Also how someone can go from being a stranger to a friend to someone who is like family. I loved everything about the friendship between Grace & Audrey. . How Audrey a young woman with an alcoholic mother who she seems to be more of a mom to her own mom. How Audrey feels as if she has no one she can confide in but then she meets Grace. Then Grace is a woman always in control and always has a plan. With a mixture of friendship & a changing the way when lives this book brings you on a journey of love, friendship & changing your life a little. Loved it!,

The best books are one with characters you can relate to. That’s how I felt Reading one summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan. I could relate to a piece of each character - Grace’s need to plan and control and Audrey’s anxiety over her mother’s addiction. The world and characters that Sarah Morgan creates are so deep and complex and real that while you’re reading you feel as if you are a part of their world. I truly loved this book - and now I have a deep desire to visit Paris in summer! 😊

Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about heartbreak, friendship, and learning to find yourself afterwards as an adult. Grace and Audrey are both totally different but yet become fast friends. They both are trying to find themselves in Paris and what they do find is an unbreakable friendship. These two women find out how strong they really are and how they can overcome devastation and life as an adult!

Title: One Summer in Paris
Author: Sarah Morgan
Genre: Women’s fiction
Rating: 4.2 out of 5

Grace has been married for twenty-five years, and she has a surprise all planned out for her husband: a romantic trip to Paris. But he has a surprise as well: he wants a divorce. With her world in pieces, Grace decides to take the trip anyway and spend the summer in Paris—where memories of the one who got away haunt her.

Audrey has worked for years to get away from her alcoholic mother. A summer in Paris and a job at a bookstore is her way out, and she intends to enjoy every moment to the fullest. Now she’s in Paris, but doesn’t speak French, and has no money, so maybe she’ll be wandering the streets of Paris alone.

Then she meets Grace, and the unlikely pair form a bond that draws them together even as they help each other spread their wings.

One Summer in Paris made me want to visit the city…and I’ve never had the impulse to go there before. I would love to visit this bookstore—let alone work there—and the city came alive on the pages of this book. I’m more like Grace than like Audrey, but I thoroughly enjoyed this read!

Sarah Morgan is a bestselling author. One Summer in Paris is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/HQN via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

I loved this book. It is so refreshing to see the interested working of a marriage and how you can find friends wherever you are.

An enchanting tale of amour et amitié, set in the city of lights!

Sarah Morgan Rights such beautiful stories that completely ensnare my heart! This book was such a treat, amazing characters, a gorgeous setting, and a heart felt plot. The story was so real and raw, full of emotion and hope. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to spend their summer living above a bookshop in Paris?

Grace is a planner, and she has planned the ultimate surprise. A trip to Paris for her husband and herself for their 25th wedding anniversary. But the surprise is on her at their anniversary dinner her husband David announces to her that he wants a divorce and is in love with another woman. Graces vacation is now a trip for one, a trip to regroup and to lick her wounds. Audrey is an 18-year-old girl living in the UK, struggling with dyslexia and dealing with an alcoholic mother. She needs a little time away and decides to spend the summer in Paris working and trying to figure out who she is. A chance encounter brings these two women together and they forge an incredible friendship. Even though over 20 years apart in age there is so much respect, trust, and love between Grace and Audrey.

Grace and Audrey were both tremendously likable and relatable. They were both vulnerable and kind people who you would love to be friends with. I was rooting for both of them the entire book. Wanting them to find themselves and discover their inner strength. I also wanted both of them to realize that they were amazing and worthy! There is also some romance in this book... a little sweet, a little steamy, a little swoony! The thing I liked most about the romance is that it played a backseat to the friendship and the character growth in the story. I mean I love the love, but I also like women to stand strong on their own! The ending left me a bit conflicted. Part of it I absolutely loved, part of it I found a bit unbelievable, and part of it didn’t necessarily sit well with me. But just like when a good friend makes a choice you don’t necessarily agree with you get over it and support them. That’s how I feel about the book, didn’t necessarily agree with something that happened at the end, but I still absolutely adored the story and absolutely recommend! I will definitely read everything that Sarah Morgan writes going forward!

*** many thanks to Harlequin for my copy of this book ***

To celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, Grace had planned to surprise David with a trip to Paris only to find out he actually wants a divorce. Refusing to grieve the loss of her marriage, Grace decides to go on the trip alone. There, she meets a young woman, Audrey, who has escaped her own struggles in London. Audrey is staying above the bookshop where she has secured a job, yet she’s having a hard time being in a country where she doesn’t speak French. When Grace and Audrey’s paths cross, they don’t realize the effect that the two women will have on each other. Grace’s normally ordered and carefully planned life mixed with Audrey’s spontaneous and outspoken nature creates a friendship that they both didn’t realize they needed.

I initially thought this book was going to be a contemporary romance set in Paris yet, while there was some romance, it was definitely more about the friendship between the two women. In a sort of “odd couple” kind of way, the two women could not be any more different: by geography, age and personalities. They both were so accustomed to what they knew and how to be that they didn’t initially realize what they were missing, the other actually provided. The development of this friendship was so wonderful to see unfold, surpassing age differences and perceived social standings.

With the romantic relationships, some felt a bit quickly introduced and paired off but boy were some of them swoony and others more infuriating. I felt conflicted with how charmed and disappointed I was with a particular character but I think it served its purpose to illustrate a bigger lesson. I did find, however, that some of the turning points in the novel felt a little bit repetitive. Every time something was about to happen, a phone call would come through to derail the story with some urgent matter. It worked to propel the narrative along, but I wished that it wasn’t the same plot device every time.

All that being said, I still really enjoyed this novel. I loved that a bookshop features so prominently in the story. I loved the vivaciousness of Grace’s grandmother, Mimi. This was more than a love story between a man and a woman. It was a love story between friends & family, past lovers and a book store carrying so much history.

I am ALL about reading summer themed books at the moment, so when I discovered One Summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan, I knew I would have to add it to my reading list! I have had a few of Sarah’s books on my TBR for a while now, but have not had the opportunity to read them yet, and One Summer in Paris sounded like a great place to start!

First of all, reading this book totally made me want to visit Paris. (Something I hope to do, one day, if I can get over my fear of flying!) The setting for the book was one of my most favorite things. Sarah did a great job of describing Paris, and I could picture it clearly in my mind. I do wish that the characters had visited more places throughout the story, but I loved the places they did visit. (Hopefully I will get to as well one day!)

Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the characters. The story is told from a couple of different ladies’ viewpoints, which I enjoyed, and though each lady was from different age groups, I still managed to relate with each of them. (I love when that happens!) I think I related to Graces story the most, and I enjoyed watching her character grow over the course of the story.

Overall; One Summer in Paris is a quick, interesting read, and it was just the book I needed to kick off my summer reading list! I am definitely now excited to read more of Sarah’s books, and I do believe I will be checking out How to Keep a Secret and the From Manhattan with Love series soon!

Happy Reading!

Grace is a PLANNER. She takes care of every little detail, believing that in doing so, she’s helping. That she’s showing her love. Imagine, then, her shock when she plans a romantic 25th-anniversary getaway to Paris on the very night that her husband asks for a divorce. Much to her own surprise, she decides to go to Paris on her own.

Meanwhile, over in England, Audrey finds herself struggling. Her pain is a bit different from Grace’s but no less significant. Young enough to be Grace’s mother, Audrey is both an old soul and a youthful burst of freshness. When she and Grace meet, it’s a wonderful moment. Grace, who has carefully plotted her life to within the second, finds herself rescued by Audrey.

There is a third POV, that of Grace’s grandmother. The mystery surrounding her is not as satisfactory as Grace and Audrey’s perspectives, but she is the force behind Grace going to Paris and, later, Grace’s realization and acceptance of something important in her life.

Sarah Morgan always writes love stories that make you feel good. This one feels a little more angsty at times, but that’s not a complaint. Audrey’s back story is sad, and her escape to Paris feels a little desperate at times, a little forlorn, a little hopeful. Claire, meanwhile, discovers herself in a way. She reconnects with someone from her past, which helps her remember who she was before she had to plan everything.

Ultimately, this is a story of forgiveness. Both Audrey and Claire (and Claire’s grandmother) have to forgive themselves and their loved ones. The steps they take to get there make this a wonderful book to read.

Really great book! Two sides of life collide to show that friendship and loving support can make all the difference in the world as you travel the roads of life. I really enjoyed the emotional upheaval they each had to go through before settling in to what was meant to be. Highly recommend!

Grace Porter thought she'd be setting off on this magical trip to Paris with her husband of twenty-five years, but he decided to spring the news that he wants a divorce on her the night she presented him with the anniversary present. What's a gal to do but go by herself? Alone in Paris sounds ideal at a difficult time like this until she's living the loneliness of seeing the sights she meant to share with David.

Audrey Hackett would do anything to get out from under the weight of taking care of her alcoholic mother after graduation. She has been saving for years for this special trip, and though her mother throws up roadblock after roadblock, she needs this time. Even if she's heading somewhere she can't speak the language of with little money to her name.

An unlikely friendship strikes up between this woman on the verge of upheaval and this teen just coming into herself as they both live over top of a quaint bookshop. They support each other throughout their growing pains, and realize that life isn't always handing you the thing you need, but you can achieve anything if you have the right support by your side.

Sarah Morgan is one of my favourite authors and she is back with a fantastic and heart-warming new novel. Grace and Audrey don’t know each other. Forty-something Grace is heartbroken after her husband announces he wants a divorce after twenty-five years of marriage. Audrey is an eighteen-year-old girl just out of school who is looking forward to escaping her troubles at home for a summer of freedom.
What they have in common? Paris, where they are both spending the summer hoping for a new beginning. An improbable meeting leads to a strong and unlikely friendship and the two women spend more time together helping and confiding in each other.
With its evocative descriptions, its engaging characters, its entertaining and captivating plot, you will fall in love with this novel, an absolute must-read for all fans of Sarah Morgan.

I love Sarah Morgan!! I loved that this book was set in Paris. I really enjoyed reading it and imagining the city with the characters. I wasn't a superfan of the ending but hey, it was a good time.

Over the last few years Sarah Morgan has become one of my favourite romance authors. Her books are always delightful and full of fun and lots of emotion, too. She's been writing books that aren't strictly romances lately, which has been a nice change of pace. One Summer in Paris is her latest and it was a joy to read.

Here's the synopsis:
USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan returns with this heartwarming novel about the power of friendship, love and what happens when an ending is just the beginning…
To celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, Grace has planned the surprise of a lifetime for her husband—a romantic getaway to Paris. But she never expected he’d have a surprise of his own: he wants a divorce. Reeling from the shock but refusing to be broken, a devastated Grace makes the bold decision to go to Paris alone.
Audrey, a young woman from London, has left behind a heartache of her own when she arrives in Paris. A job in a bookshop is her ticket to freedom, but with no money and no knowledge of the French language, suddenly a summer spent wandering the cobbled streets alone seems much more likely…until she meets Grace, and everything changes.
Grace can’t believe how daring Audrey is. Audrey can’t believe how cautious newly single Grace is. Living in neighboring apartments above the bookshop, this unlikely pair offer each other just what they’ve both been missing. They came to Paris to find themselves, but finding this unbreakable friendship might be the best thing that’s ever happened to them…
Fun fact about me: I've been trying to learn French for the last year or so using a couple of different apps. Mostly I'm doing it for fun but I am Canadian and feel that I should have a better handle on our other national language. Reading this book reminded me of the other reason I started learning and that's to travel more confidently. I have no plans to go to Europe any time soon (though I'd love to get there within the next five years) but I would like to be able to speak French when I do. I really liked reading as Grace taught Audrey French and wished she could teach me too! (Side note: any French learning tips would be greatly appreciated. Merci!)

One thing I constantly wondered about is how Grace's daughter might feel that her mom has befriended someone who's basically the same age as her. Don't get me wrong, I love that Morgan had the women become friends because I think it's good to have friends, or acquaintances at the very least, who are different ages. I just feel that Grace's daughter, Sophie, might have some thoughts on the matter. Or maybe she's a lot more aware than I give her credit for. It's a weird, small thing to be focused on but there we have it.

But what about the actual story? It was a really good one. It had pretty much everything I want in a novel: laughs, broken and then mended hearts, some sad and tender moments, traveling, and amazing friendships between equally amazing women. In these kinds of books, the characters can make it or break it for me. If I can't find something to like about them, I'm not invested. But Grace and Audrey were both fantastic. They were both really broken when they found each other and I adored reading as they helped each other become stronger women.

I was so invested in Grace that I was feeling incredibly protective and would have loved to give David, her husband, a piece of my mind. And maybe thrown a few things at him too. I therefore appreciated that Audrey was fiercely protective of Grace as well. That all being said, I was really hopeful Grace and David would be able to actually talk and work out what went wrong (or not exactly right) with their marriage. They seemed so solid that I was sure they would be able to overcome the bullshit David was putting them through. I was also really invested in Audrey and felt very much like a big sister as I was reading what she was going through. I was rooting for her the entire way through the novel and hoped she'd be able to smooth some of the prickles she had due to her upbringing.

One Summer in Paris was a delight and Sarah Morgan will continue to be on my must-read list, especially when I'm in the mood for a great story with equal parts light-hearted and realistic moments. Life isn't perfect but by the end of her novels you remember how we can make it through all those bumps in the road - because there's usually a wonderful Happily Ever After at the end.

*An e-ARC of this novel was provided via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

I adore Sarah Morgan, and when I received and ARC of this book I was super excited to read it! A big thanks to Harlequin Publishing for providing me with an ARC of One Summer in Paris.

The story itself starts off with some majorly bad news for the main character, but as the story goes on it really develops well and we get to know each character and why they do the things they do.

This was a perfect spring/summer read. It was so lovely to read a book about friendship and also about Paris! Good god it made me really want to go to Paris and eat various cheeses with a glass of pinot. This book really transports you there in such a beautiful way. It’s quite a realistic story actually, about Grace and her failed marriage, you could see why these events took place, and I like that it wasn’t so rosey and perfect, and that in the end, everything worked out but with a lot of work put into it. One summer in Paris also reminds us to take care of ourselves, and find our own happiness, which Grace had to do and overcome. The friendship between Grace and Audrey was interesting and really sweet. It’s funny how complete strangers can totally transform each other’s lives. Grace needed Audrey as much as Audrey needed Grace. It’s a lovely and trustworthy friendship. Loved it.

I have to say, this was a much more emotional and raw story compared to a past book I had read from Sarah Morgan. It was heartfelt, and heartwarming. If your after a book filled with laughter, friendship and wanderlust, then this is the book for you. It’s a great lazy summer read, perfect for wasting time in the sunshine with a glass of cool white wine. A great book from a wonderful author.

I am very torn about this latest Sarah Morgan book. On the one hand, I love the unlikely friendship between Grace and Audrey. They are at different stages in their lives but have more in common than either one of them do with their peers. Audrey brings youthfulness to Grace, while Grace lends and air of experience to Audrey, without trying to be her mother.
I love the flow of this story and Grace's grandmother, Mimi, is a hoot and a half!! The backdrop of Paris is wonderful and makes me want to visit, even though it's not really a city I care about touring! That to me is a sign of a great author...painting a picture so beautiful, you want to live in that painting!
My issue is later in the book, and has to do with both Grace's so-to-be-ex (and an old friend from the past, to an extent). While I'm not going to get into specifics, I felt the choice Grace ultimately makes is neither in her nor best interests or shows her growth.
Overall, I loved this book and it's a solid 3.75 stars.

Grace and Audrey come from different countries, different backgrounds, and different generations. But a chance encounter on the street in Paris brings them together, and changes the course of the summer for both of them.

I really enjoyed this novel! The story itself was terrific, but what really made this a good read for me were the characters. The author did a magnificent job of building a background for each woman and bringing each to the point where they find one another. The bond that develops between Grace and Audrey is magical, and proves that family is where you find it.

As a forty-something woman who has been married over twenty years, I found Grace in particular rather relatable: her insecurities, her routines, her impending empty nest. Now, I don’t know if I would have made the same decisions she did… at many moments, I found myself wondering: is that would I would have done? Sometimes, the answer was no.

Audrey, too, was well written and interesting. And I enjoyed the development of both women, and seeing how things changed for them over the course of the book. And Mimi? Grace’s elderly grandmother was absolutely charming… and she was keeping some secrets of her own!

This story was, in a word, delightful. It’s a beautifully written tale of broken hearts, fresh beginnings, and fierce female friendship. I love finding new authors to enjoy, and I’ll definitely be reading more of Morgan’s work.

Five fierce stars for this one… I highly recommend One Summer in Paris for a heartwarming, lovely read!

One Summer in Paris is about two women, Grace Porter and Audrey Hackett. They live in different worlds until their worlds collide in the City of Lights.

Grace lives in Connecticut. She's married and has a teenage daughter, Sophie. She visits her grandmother, Mimi frequently who's living in an assisted living. Grace is happy with her life and she's excited about celebrating her twenty-five-year anniversary. She has planned to surprise her husband with a vacation of a lifetime, a trip to Paris for one month. At dinner and before she's able to discuss her plans, her husband David proceeds to let her know that he has fallen in love with another woman. A younger woman who's closer to her daughter's age. David wants a divorce.

Thousand of miles away, Audrey Hackett is trying to save enough money to leave her home in London and move to France. Audrey is dyslexic and going to college is not in her plans. Her mother is an alcoholic. Growing up with her mother was difficult and Audrey is ready to leave it all behind. Lately, things have been better after her mother starting dating Ron. Audrey has felt responsible for her mother but with Ron in the picture, she thinks she can move on.

Grace, not wanting to lose her vacation, decides to go to Paris by herself. Here she meets Audrey. Their paths will cross and a new friendship will blossom.

One Summer in Paris was quite entertaining. I like both female characters. Despite having different personalities, they complemented each other quite well. They were there for each other when one needed the support. They also help each other grow and defeat their fears.

Cliffhanger: No

3.5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by HQN Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.