Paris Mon Amour

A wonder and a delight, Isabel Costello’s debut, Paris Mon Amour has all the ingredients of an engaging novel that will definitely be hard to put down. Alexandra, the main character, is at a critical point in her life when she says, “I ask myself if, on average, other people are happier than me.” Waylaid between a past disaster and the present state of her marriage, Alexandra is a character I can relate to and empathise with, despite huge cultural differences. Each of the characters are so beautifully drawn that I was a part of Alexandra’s struggle for love and personal acceptance. Costello does an incredible job of balancing humour, passion, and evoking the atmosphere of one of the world’s most beloved cities. This is a novel I enjoyed living inside. Paris Mon Amour caused me to question many of the assumptions I hold dear about the nature of romantic love and what it means to find your identity when you are caught between cultures.

A delicious summer read

Pitch-perfect account of a woman's scandalous affair with a much younger man. The word 'psychological' is bandied about a lot in book marketing these days but I would say this book really does delve into the psychology of relationships in an insightful and compelling narrative. It's also rich in minutely-observed Parisian details which makes reading it all the more pleasurable. The perfect grown-up beach read.

This was certainly a Greek tragedy, albeit set in Paris. Illicit love, family dynamics and Paris all stirred together to make a story with an inevitable conclusion. I have always loved Paris and this story highlighted the some of the best of that fascinating city for lovers.