KISSES AND CROISSANTS made me want to hop on the next plane to Paris. This book is full of vivid description (seriously, where can I get a good croissant?), swoony romance, and a main character you can root for.

Mia is a gifted ballerina who attends a prestigious ballet program in Paris for the summer. The premise alone hooked me. Mia’s passion for dance lifts off the page and I found myself cheering her on as she trained for her coveted spot in the showcase. She meets Louis, a charming Parisian and the son of Mia's ballet teacher. Mia and Louis fall for each other while strolling the city of lights but have to keep their romance a secret. All the while, Mia never loses her determination to shine as a dancer, especially knowing she may get invited to audition for ABT (her lifelong dream) if she nails the showcase.

It’s impossible to read KISSES AND CROISSANTS and not fall in love with Paris, ballet, and love itself.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the e-ARC.

The ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sixteen-year-old Mia, an American girl at an elite summer ballet program, has six weeks to achieve her dreams: to snag an audition with one of the world’s best ballet companies. But there’s more to Paris than ballet—especially when a charming French boy, Louis, wants to be her tour guide—and the pair discover the city has a few mysteries up its sleeve.

In the vein of romances like LOVE AND GELATO, this is the perfect summer adventure for anyone looking to get swept away in the City of Love.

KISSES AND CROISSANTS is a delightfully fun, romance-filled young adult summer novel, perfect for fans of EMILY IN PARIS, ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, and TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE.

I was unexpectedly delighted by this novel. I used to dance, from age three to high school, but I haven’t at all since, and this book had me doing swan-like arm movements in the reflection of my television (well, trying them, at least). Mia is an interesting character. She’s extremely passionate about dancing--it is her whole life--but at the same time, she embodies that “suck the marrow out of life” kind of philosophy. She gets distracted from her passion between Paris, Louis, and her family’s legend about an ancestor who was painted by Degas. I understood her inner conflict between devoting herself to dancing and also just being interested in other aspects of being alive, and like how this was resolved.

Mia’s nemesis from home, Audrey, also gets into the ballet program, and what starts out as a bitter rivalry eventually thaws into friendship, with Mia teaching Audrey how to loosen up and Audrey helping Mia with her technique. This was a good, unexpected twist to the story; I’m tired of stories about women being pitted against each other, and I liked how they helped each other become better dancers.

Louis was a true sweetie, and I did like the development of the relationship, though I would have liked to see more of his passion--painting--earlier on, just to give him a bit more personality in the book, because for most of it, they really only even discuss things about Mia and her family. I sort of get why, but it still bothered me.

I loved how the author brought Paris to life in the novel. It seems like she did a lot of research, and the city was a character in and of itself. I’ve been to Paris before, but I was 10, and I don’t think I was old enough to appreciate it (except for the pain au chocolat; everyone can appreciate a chocolate pastry that good). Anyway, this book made me want to learn French and hop the next flight to the City of Lights.

Lastly, this was a book where I actually didn’t have a problem with the ending! I thought it wrapped up pretty nicely, and, blessedly, there was an epilogue.

Overall, Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau’s American debut was an utter delight to read, and I’ll be looking out for her work in the future!

What a treat to get to read this book when travel in real life isn’t an option, because Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau’s KISSES AND CROISSANTS is a delightful trip to the city of love. Mia Jenrow arrives in Paris for a summer ballet intensive. Her heart is set on earning a prestigious apprenticeship, but she’s swept away by the gorgeous and charming Louis, who just happens to be the son of her maître de ballet. There’s a bit of a mystery, as well, as Mia scours Paris’ museums to try to figure out whether the family legend – about her being descended from a famous ballerina – is really true. Mia is a great protagonist. She’s driven and focused, and therefore conflicted about her relationship with Louis distracting her from her goals. That conflict makes Mia and Louis’ sweet romance that much more real. The descriptions of Paris will make you pine for a visit, and the food descriptions will make you drool. As Mia learns, nothing can compare to a French croissant. Or a French kiss. Many thanks to Delacorte Press for the eARC.

Super cute read! I think it would be perfect for summer.

It was light and fun, and though I don't usually gravitate towards contemporary or romance, this was a light and refreshing read.

I though the characters were fun, and the romance was (a little cliche) enjoyable to read and easy to root for. I also really loved the setting, and the writing style was a bit simple, but made this a quick read.

I would recommend this!

This is a book about following your dreams, chasing your heart and learning to overcome all the obstacles life throws at you.

Kisses and Croissants is a cute YA romance novel filled with love, dance, and all things Parisian. Mia Jenrow is heading to Paris for the summer for a chance of a lifetime, study ballet at a prestigious school. While her dream has always been to be at ABT (American Ballet Theater) she knows if she works hard, she'll get there. When she lands the coveted role of the Black Swan in the program's production of Swan Lake, Mia unexpectedly meets Louis, French boy that overtakes her concentration. Mia is destined to be a professional ballet dancer but sometimes life has other plans.

If you have readers who are passionate about life and what it could bring, this book is for them.

I didn't know how much I actually needed this until I started it. This was such a light, fluffy read with wholesome characters in Paris! I loved reading about Mia and her experiences with ballet. She is a character that you'll end up rooting for. Louis complemented Mia perfectly, and I loved them together.

Overall, I really enjoyed Kisses & Croissants, and it was a solid debut.

This book was a lot of fun! I loved that it took place in Paris and I learned a lot about ballet too!

The setting is detailed and beautifully written. I truly felt as though I were experiencing Paris with Mia! I am now craving French food, especially the pastries. Yum! I also loved reading about the places Mia saw while she was in Paris. I spent a semester in Rome and fell in love with the place, but I unfortunately never made it to Paris. It was the next best thing though to read this book and see Paris through Mia’s eyes!

I really loved the mystery aspect of Mia’s ancestor; it was fun to follow Mia and Louis as they tried to track down information. I was also really impressed with the descriptions of ballet and what it all meant to Mia.

I also really appreciated that this was a clean book; if there was any swearing it was mild enough that I didn’t notice it, and the romance was sweet and beautiful.

I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to reading future books by this author!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Kisses and Croissants

2020 has really taken me out of my comfort zone in a lot of ways, and I’ve used reading as a means of escape (as I’m sure you all are doing, too). I’ve really enjoyed the stories I’ve read that get me out of my house, out of NJ, and out of pandemic. “Kisses and Croissants” is a light and beautiful story about a 17 year old named Mia who spends her summer in Paris at an intensive ballet program that could decide her entire future. Of course, throw in a little young-love romance and you’ve got a story you won’t want to put down.

Paris! Dancing! Art! Love! Croissants! Someone take me now! I need a vacation and an adventure stat and I’d love a croissant from Paris. Can’t wait to have a physical copy of this for my shelf.

This was such a cute read and everything I needed right now. The plot was pretty predictable but it really was exactly what I was looking for. A fun, light read that made me wish I was strolling down the streets of Paris.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

I really liked this book. It's a cute chick flicky book but also has good plot and details beyond just the romance. Love the ballet elements, france france france, cute boys, friendships, etc. It's a cute good read that I really enjoyed

This ended up being so cute with just the perfect amount of cheese! I really loved every single aspect of this book from the setting to the characters to the plot. Truly no complains. I adored it.

This book! I felt everything so keenly. Even though I was never a aspiring ballerina with a uber talented frenemy and a dreamy french boyfriend, I still resonated with this book. There was always that girl or boy how maybe unknowingly was your secret competition/enemy, pushing you to do better and be better. Who doesn’t love the spice and romance that only a French lover boy can provide. Read this fast paced, at times heart breaking, book.

*Review will be posted on my blog on 3/22/21, closer to publication date.*
I Liked:
*Aesthetics ~ Paris, ballet and a romance? What’s not to like? And that cover too? It screams cuteness!
It’s set in Paris, I’ve been there once and it was way too short, but Mia’s romantic ideas about Paris is what I felt too when I was there. It’s a beautiful city and I was jealous at how many croissants she was eating in the book. Even Mia’s insta-romance with Louis was perfect because come on, it’s Paris.

*I love ballet stories ever since I saw the movie Center Stage (remember that oldie but goodie?). And then there was Black Swan which was pretty wild. So my love for ballet started with movies and I could see this book turned into a movie or tv series. Ballet is so intense with competition between dancers but mostly the competition within oneself to be the best, it’s drama and always makes a great story.

*Speaking of drama? I love Audrey and Mia’s relationship the best. When they finally get to know one another, they make realize they have made each other better dancers. I like seeing two top girls supporting one another! I really enjoyed their friendship journey.

*As for the romance, Mia and Louis fall in love after 6 weeks. Quick? Oh for sure, but it fits Mia’s character, she feels about everything strongly, love and heartbreak equally. I enjoyed her adventure with Louis as they looked for Mia’s ancestors who maybe was in a painting by Degas.

Random Notes:
*This is a super quick, light and fluffy read which charmed me the moment Mia touched down in Paris. There were some issues Mia had to deal with like her mother not being supportive of her passion for ballet, but other than that Mia pushes forward because she knows what she wants.

*I did like that Mia pointed out to Louis just because she knew what she wanted she had to remember some people are still trying to find out what theirs is. So true.

Final Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this sweet story about a girl with a dream and chasing after it in Paris! Mia makes new friends, she improves her craft and her french. She even finds family and love. What more could you ask for? I felt as light as this book by the end and wish I could hop on a plane to Paris to eat some amazing croissants.

💘 ~ Yolanda

This was super cute! I would say this would be a really nice beach read.
Learning about all of the ballet stuff was super interesting to me because I have no idea about any of that kind of stuff. I also really enjoyed the main character's development, along with all of her friends.

In the age of no travel (although hopefully we can begin to travel again by the time this releases??), transport yourself to Paris, France in this delightfully charming YA romance. It reminds me a bit of Anna and the French kiss, but with that more modern (?), polished writing that comes in the age of YA rom-coms on Netflix; a veneer that makes the story and characters feel a little less real, but delightful nonetheless.
Mia is a ballerina, traveling to Paris in hopes of capturing an audition with one of the world's most revered ballet companies (no pressure!). Louis is a local who hopes to show her both the city and his heart. What ensues is a lovely romp through Paris, filled with croissants and young love.

This was a romantic and heartwarming book, exactly what I needed right now, and I believe it will be the perfect spring/summer read when it is released next April! It's hard to go wrong when you set a book in the most beautiful and inspiring city in the world. I loved seeing it through Louis and Mia's eyes, and following their journey through the city of lights and love. This is story is about more than romance though – it's about dreaming, following your passion, the mistakes that are inevitable in life and overcoming them, and learning to make choices for yourself.

If you want a feel-good story set in a city that simply leaps off the page, this is the book for you!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/ Delacorte Press and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC!

To start, it's a book about an aspiring ballerina living in Paris for the first time, plus with an adorable love story peppered in. What isn't there to love, because I'm like obsessed already. Here, Mia is an aspiring ballerina from New York about to spend her summer in Paris training at an exclusive ballet intensive summer program. Soon, she discovers there's more to the city when she meets a charming French boy Louis in an adorable meet-cute moment. He wants to be her tour guide as he takes her on all sorts of adventures in the city together. In a first-person account, we see Mia's a dreamer who works her butt off to dance and wants this as a career so badly. As a former dancer, I can totally understand that, it's part of what makes her such a relatable narrator and character. The book is chock full of rich language that makes me feel like I'm there too, right there with these characters. Her relationship with Louis gets complicated due to his father being her ballet instructor and mentor, plus she's battling with roommate Audrey to be the best in the class and earn the main role in the end of program production of Swan Lake, and she's desperate to meet her greataunt and discover if a story from her grandma about an ancestor and the artist Degas is true because that's part of her reason for dancing. There's so much going on and it's just so interesting and fun. This one-sitting read makes me want to be in France right now so badly and have my own journey like Mia's. Also, OMG, that HEA and epilogue was darn adorable and precious. Super cute YA romance book for fans of dance, Paris, and love stories.

3 stars
~
Kisses and Croissants follows Mia during her summer abroad in Paris at a prestigious ballet program. Mia intends to focus on nothing but ballet during her stay in Paris, but the city, a family legend, and a cute French boy derail those plans. If you like novels set in Europe and cute summer romances, give this book a try!
I enjoyed the book. In theory, it’s everything I love in a contemporary: sweet romance, European tourism, and the forming of a strong female friendship. The synopsis even calls it “a book in the vein of Love & Gelato”—one of my all-time favorite books, but something about Kisses and Croissants just fell flat for. I never got into it. There’s nothing I can pinpoint as inherently bad about the book. The friendships were well-written, the romance cheesy in the best way, but the plot dragged. The pacing was often too slow.
In the first two chapters, it seemed as if Mia couldn’t take three steps across the room without a pirouette or some other ballet move. It felt tedious and a bit obnoxious, but after the second-ish chapter Mia moved like a normal person, so it wasn’t a big issue with the book.
Louis felt a little bland and underdeveloped for the love interest. A little too much like a cookie cutter cliché. I usually completely forgot that Lucy and Anouk existed until they’d pop back in. They were pretty two-dimensional characters. Audrey, however, felt really well developed to me, and I loved watching the friendship between her and Mia form. It might be my favorite part of the novel.
Overall, it’s a decent book. It’s just a little slow and missing that little oomph that takes a good book and makes it great.

This was such a sweet read. Perfectly crafted by a native of France, I truly felt like I was traveling in Paris with Mia! I enjoyed reading along as Mia journeyed to Paris for ballet. I loved the connections that she and Louis formed in their short time together. This truly was a wonderfully read!

This is a sweet & fun YA novel, perfect for fans of Emily in Paris and To All the Boys I Loved Before on Netflix. This romance set in Paris is a quick beach read for teens and adults alike.