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Paris is Always a Good Idea
It's been seven years since Chelsea Martin embarked on her yearlong post-college European adventure. Since then, she's lost her mother to cancer and watched her sister marry twice, while Chelsea's thrown herself into work, becoming one of the most talented fundraisers for the American Cancer Coalition, and with the exception of one annoyingly competent coworker, Jason Knightley, her status as most talented fundraiser is unquestioned.
When her introverted mathematician father announces he's getting remarried, Chelsea is forced to acknowledge that her life stopped after her mother died, and that the last time she can remember being happy, in love, or enjoying her life was on her gap year. Inspired to retrace her steps--to find Colin in Ireland, Jean Claude in France, and Marcelino in Italy--Chelsea hopes that one of these three men who stole her heart so many years ago, can help her find it again.
From the start of her journey nothing goes as planned, but as Chelsea reconnects with her old self, she also finds love in the very last place she expected.
When her introverted mathematician father announces he's getting remarried, Chelsea is forced to acknowledge that her life stopped after her mother died, and that the last time she can remember being happy, in love, or enjoying her life was on her gap year. Inspired to retrace her steps--to find Colin in Ireland, Jean Claude in France, and Marcelino in Italy--Chelsea hopes that one of these three men who stole her heart so many years ago, can help her find it again.
From the start of her journey nothing goes as planned, but as Chelsea reconnects with her old self, she also finds love in the very last place she expected.
334 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2020
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May 3, 2021I went into this book with little to no expectations because I hadn't heard of it before. I just saw it on sale at Indigo one day and decided to go for it, but it was actually so cute! This was the perfect amount of fluff and heart. I also loved that the romance story went an entirely different way than I was expecting. It ended up being an enemies to lovers plot line, and even though that's not usually my favourite, this one was really cute. You're watching a character find herself again after losing herself after the death of her mother. She goes to Ireland, France, and Italy as she did when she was younger to try and find the happiness she experienced there again. Her adventures in the countries were a lot of fun. It was a transportive read, exactly what I need right now. It did get a little cheesy at times but overall it was just the cute read I was looking for at the moment!
March 8, 2024
3.75/5 ⭐
I honestly have no idea what to say about Paris being a good idea, never been there and I’m not sure I will any time soon but this book was, indeed, a good idea.
What to expect from it at the beginning? No idea. I mean I haven’t even read the blurb from the beginning to the end. I just added it and then I was suddenly in a mood for some travelling romance so I started reading it sooner than initially anticipated.
And I liked it.
The main character started off by annoying the hell out of me – she was a grumpy workaholic, straight-up arguing with everybody she had a conversation with; the girl honestly needed a break long enough to reach over and pull out that stick from up her butt.
Which was going to happen, actually.
She was working with a purpose though – after her mother died of cancer, she decided that she wanted to help others with the same problem and she was one hell of a shark when it came to raising money for people in need. She was smart, but she was working too hard. The break was heaven-sent.
Before her mother’s death, Chelsea was having the time of her life, too good to be true – working around Europe, learning, meeting people, falling in love…with three different men in three different countries (Ireland, France and Italy). Her trip had to be cut short and that was the moment when everything went to hell for her.
Seven years later, Chelsea was ready to redo that trip and find love once again.
The story is funny and easy to follow and I loved the whole travel vibe of the story that was laced with the desire to find love, laughter and self once again.
Chelsea’s trip started as a break from her work and ended up being a metaphor for one’s wellbeing and mental health because – let me break it down to you – mental health is very important.
You don’t even realise how much you needed a laughter break until your tummy hurts and you have happy tears in your eyes, heart light as a feather and mind calm.
With a few surprises on the road, a twist, a funny story to tell, another one to forget and so on, Chelsea finally finds what she needs and she realises that it wasn’t that far away from her as she initially thought.
From the very beginning, I sensed a hate-to-love trope. And oh yeah, I was right and I loved that, hands down best trope.
Jason was a smartass at the beginning, but he wasn’t completely repulsive. He just became better and better and honestly, I was definitely rooting for him and Chelsea to end up together from the beginning.
The story became sweeter and more comical, but it was also mixed with some sort of drama that covered a number of serious issues: the loss of a loved one, the solitude, the incapacity of picking yourself up, the loneliness, the desire for a better world.
Expectations vs. reality. Chelsea was still broken by the sudden loss of her mum but with the unexpected shoulder offering of Jason, she somehow managed to get out of the dark turmoil of her soul and find some light in her life. She and Jason made an amazing team and they were the perfect friend for each other first, and then the perfect partner in a relationship.
I honestly thought this book was good and the unexpected mental health elements were a pleasant surprise.
A cute and easy read, I think this is a perfect book for a weekend away. I personally really liked it!
I honestly have no idea what to say about Paris being a good idea, never been there and I’m not sure I will any time soon but this book was, indeed, a good idea.
What to expect from it at the beginning? No idea. I mean I haven’t even read the blurb from the beginning to the end. I just added it and then I was suddenly in a mood for some travelling romance so I started reading it sooner than initially anticipated.
And I liked it.
The main character started off by annoying the hell out of me – she was a grumpy workaholic, straight-up arguing with everybody she had a conversation with; the girl honestly needed a break long enough to reach over and pull out that stick from up her butt.
Which was going to happen, actually.
She was working with a purpose though – after her mother died of cancer, she decided that she wanted to help others with the same problem and she was one hell of a shark when it came to raising money for people in need. She was smart, but she was working too hard. The break was heaven-sent.
Before her mother’s death, Chelsea was having the time of her life, too good to be true – working around Europe, learning, meeting people, falling in love…with three different men in three different countries (Ireland, France and Italy). Her trip had to be cut short and that was the moment when everything went to hell for her.
Seven years later, Chelsea was ready to redo that trip and find love once again.
The story is funny and easy to follow and I loved the whole travel vibe of the story that was laced with the desire to find love, laughter and self once again.
Chelsea’s trip started as a break from her work and ended up being a metaphor for one’s wellbeing and mental health because – let me break it down to you – mental health is very important.
You don’t even realise how much you needed a laughter break until your tummy hurts and you have happy tears in your eyes, heart light as a feather and mind calm.
With a few surprises on the road, a twist, a funny story to tell, another one to forget and so on, Chelsea finally finds what she needs and she realises that it wasn’t that far away from her as she initially thought.
From the very beginning, I sensed a hate-to-love trope. And oh yeah, I was right and I loved that, hands down best trope.
Jason was a smartass at the beginning, but he wasn’t completely repulsive. He just became better and better and honestly, I was definitely rooting for him and Chelsea to end up together from the beginning.
The story became sweeter and more comical, but it was also mixed with some sort of drama that covered a number of serious issues: the loss of a loved one, the solitude, the incapacity of picking yourself up, the loneliness, the desire for a better world.
Expectations vs. reality. Chelsea was still broken by the sudden loss of her mum but with the unexpected shoulder offering of Jason, she somehow managed to get out of the dark turmoil of her soul and find some light in her life. She and Jason made an amazing team and they were the perfect friend for each other first, and then the perfect partner in a relationship.
I honestly thought this book was good and the unexpected mental health elements were a pleasant surprise.
A cute and easy read, I think this is a perfect book for a weekend away. I personally really liked it!
July 10, 2020
Beautiful illustrated cover, promising and hopeful plot taking us to the self-discovery and fantastic journey to my favorite three European cities: Italy, Ireland and Paris. (When you wrote the names, my heart started aching. I’m sending my prayers and wellness wishes to everyone live in those cities. I hope the days will come sooner and we may still visit those remarkably spectacular countries and enjoy our lives!)
This book is about Chelsea’s taking gap year after suffering hurtful grief of losing her mother to the battle of big C and having problematic relationship with her over competent coworker a.k.a. superficial asshole Jason Knightley and getting tired to witness her sister’s marriages. She is suffocating, she isn’t happy with her life. She needs a break. She needs to learn how to have a fulfilled life. She needs joy, happiness, fun! But mostly she needs love. (All You Need is Love plays at my head as soon as I wrote those words.)
So Chelsea takes her European vacation (not kind of National Lampoon’s European kind: I know it would be fun if this story is about Griswold family’s absurd vacation adventures.) , meets three different guy at three different cities, turning herself into a sailor having different girlfriends at different ports.
Marcelino in Italy is my favorite but we also have charming Jean Clause in France and Colin in Ireland (which reminded me of sexy images of Colin Farrell) and at some parts I really thought she was gonna choose three of them and have a fantastic polygamous life. A woman can dream, right?
Of course it didn’t happen and you need to read the rest of the story to learn how Chelsea found her HEA!
This was entertaining, soft, sweet book. I didn’t have any problem with story-telling and pacing. But only thing I got irritated was the heroine who acted like immature and annoying from the beginning. Especially at romance parts I stopped my reading and screamed with frustration. So she was the only reason that I cut my points and gave three stars to my reading.
It was still a great choice, feel-good story with motivational and heartfelt parts. I’d also like to read more works of the author because I mostly enjoyed her story-telling skills and great plot.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this enjoyable ARC with me in exchange my honest review.
This book is about Chelsea’s taking gap year after suffering hurtful grief of losing her mother to the battle of big C and having problematic relationship with her over competent coworker a.k.a. superficial asshole Jason Knightley and getting tired to witness her sister’s marriages. She is suffocating, she isn’t happy with her life. She needs a break. She needs to learn how to have a fulfilled life. She needs joy, happiness, fun! But mostly she needs love. (All You Need is Love plays at my head as soon as I wrote those words.)
So Chelsea takes her European vacation (not kind of National Lampoon’s European kind: I know it would be fun if this story is about Griswold family’s absurd vacation adventures.) , meets three different guy at three different cities, turning herself into a sailor having different girlfriends at different ports.
Marcelino in Italy is my favorite but we also have charming Jean Clause in France and Colin in Ireland (which reminded me of sexy images of Colin Farrell) and at some parts I really thought she was gonna choose three of them and have a fantastic polygamous life. A woman can dream, right?
Of course it didn’t happen and you need to read the rest of the story to learn how Chelsea found her HEA!
This was entertaining, soft, sweet book. I didn’t have any problem with story-telling and pacing. But only thing I got irritated was the heroine who acted like immature and annoying from the beginning. Especially at romance parts I stopped my reading and screamed with frustration. So she was the only reason that I cut my points and gave three stars to my reading.
It was still a great choice, feel-good story with motivational and heartfelt parts. I’d also like to read more works of the author because I mostly enjoyed her story-telling skills and great plot.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this enjoyable ARC with me in exchange my honest review.
July 22, 2020
Happy Pub day!!! This book is out today!!!
Have you ever experienced such a loss that it literally takes a piece of you with it? It is such a profound loss that a piece of your very soul goes along with it and you never quite feel the same? You go on through life, you manage to be successful, yet there is still a piece of your happiness that you just can't get back? Well this is exactly what happened to Chelsea Martin.
After losing her mother to cancer while in her early 20's Chelsea threw herself into her career. She became a rising star in the nonprofit world, raising money for cancer. This girl was a superstar at her job. Yet her job was all that she had. One day it occurs to her that her "happy" is gone. She wants to get her mojo back but isn't sure how. So she decides to head back to where she last was happy and carefree right before the loss of her mother. She had been "finding herself after college" in Ireland, Paris and Italy. So off she went to find her happiness again.
Okay there Chelsea, first off- you can't go back home or so they say. I was highly doubtful that she could turn back the clock and find her happy by doing so. Yet it was highly entertaining watching her do so. Stalking- I mean finding her old boyfriends...learning how to use a stripper pole...among other things.
The part I enjoyed the most was her "relationship" with her co-worker Jason. I loved their snarky banter that left me laughing. It reminded me a bit of The Hating Game type of snarky coworker, love-hate. Highly entertaining and I really loved the chapters when he tried to worm his annoying way into her business. He was her Goose to her Maverick. Will she find her happy? Will she get her mojo back? All while trying to land a 10 million dollar deal? I loved Chelsea even though she made she bad decisions....cow pjs in front of your coworkers anyone? Go Chelsea find your mojo girl! I am cheering you on!
This was the perfect little rom-com escape and I loved it. Thank you so much to Berkley for providing me with this ARC for an honest review. I hope you all love it too!
Have you ever experienced such a loss that it literally takes a piece of you with it? It is such a profound loss that a piece of your very soul goes along with it and you never quite feel the same? You go on through life, you manage to be successful, yet there is still a piece of your happiness that you just can't get back? Well this is exactly what happened to Chelsea Martin.
After losing her mother to cancer while in her early 20's Chelsea threw herself into her career. She became a rising star in the nonprofit world, raising money for cancer. This girl was a superstar at her job. Yet her job was all that she had. One day it occurs to her that her "happy" is gone. She wants to get her mojo back but isn't sure how. So she decides to head back to where she last was happy and carefree right before the loss of her mother. She had been "finding herself after college" in Ireland, Paris and Italy. So off she went to find her happiness again.
Okay there Chelsea, first off- you can't go back home or so they say. I was highly doubtful that she could turn back the clock and find her happy by doing so. Yet it was highly entertaining watching her do so. Stalking- I mean finding her old boyfriends...learning how to use a stripper pole...among other things.
The part I enjoyed the most was her "relationship" with her co-worker Jason. I loved their snarky banter that left me laughing. It reminded me a bit of The Hating Game type of snarky coworker, love-hate. Highly entertaining and I really loved the chapters when he tried to worm his annoying way into her business. He was her Goose to her Maverick. Will she find her happy? Will she get her mojo back? All while trying to land a 10 million dollar deal? I loved Chelsea even though she made she bad decisions....cow pjs in front of your coworkers anyone? Go Chelsea find your mojo girl! I am cheering you on!
This was the perfect little rom-com escape and I loved it. Thank you so much to Berkley for providing me with this ARC for an honest review. I hope you all love it too!
August 6, 2020
Three men. Three countries. And a whole lot of food. Jen McKinlay will tug at your heartstrings and feed your travel bug with this delightful story. Chelsea’s Life completely changed seven years ago after the death of her mother. She has thrown herself into her job where she works for a Cancer nonprofit. She excels at fundraising, but has no personal life. When her father announces he is getting remarried Chelsea is distraught. BUT the unwelcome news makes her realize she has not been happy for a long time. Determined to find her happiness again Chelsea decides to return to the place she was last happy... on her European gap year trip. So off to Ireland, Paris, and Italy Chelsea goes. Not only to find her happiness, but to also rediscover who she once was and perhaps fall in love with one of the men she left behind.
What a fun book! The food... the setting... the amour... did I mention the food? Loved traveling around Europe with Chelsea! There were so many laugh out loud moments and I loved meeting all these charming or perhaps not so charming men. Although I have to say I was partial to Jason her American coworker who showed up in Paris unannounced, because of course Chelsea had some work to do on her vacation. Jason really perfectly balanced out uptight Chelsea. I love the banter and the chemistry between these two. From the second he showed up in front of her door with her suitcase in hand (long story) I was rooting for him. I really can’t say enough good things about this book, it truly was romcom perfection!
This book in emojis ☘️ 🥖 🧀 🍇 ☕️ 🍷 👗 🧳
***Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
What a fun book! The food... the setting... the amour... did I mention the food? Loved traveling around Europe with Chelsea! There were so many laugh out loud moments and I loved meeting all these charming or perhaps not so charming men. Although I have to say I was partial to Jason her American coworker who showed up in Paris unannounced, because of course Chelsea had some work to do on her vacation. Jason really perfectly balanced out uptight Chelsea. I love the banter and the chemistry between these two. From the second he showed up in front of her door with her suitcase in hand (long story) I was rooting for him. I really can’t say enough good things about this book, it truly was romcom perfection!
This book in emojis ☘️ 🥖 🧀 🍇 ☕️ 🍷 👗 🧳
***Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
April 14, 2020
3.75 stars
tw: death of a parent; death of a sibling; cancer; brief mention of self harm
This book had a lot of things I liked and a number of things I didn't, which makes it hard to rate. I'd go from really enjoying a moment, to there being something I don't like in the next sentence.
This is a combination of so many different tropes: young woman travels back to Ireland (small town), France (Paris), and Italy (vineyard) to re-discover who she is by trying to reconnect with three men she fell in love with in those places 7 years ago before her mom died. She also has a rivalry with a ~handsome co-worker~. All of these things are tropes I love! I loved the locations, the will they won't they of meeting up with old flames, the banter between her and her co-worker, etc.
With that being said, there's also some tropes in here I didn't enjoy. The main character originally goes on this trip because her dad is remarrying to a woman he recently met, and the narrative makes it seem like the main character is "unreasonable" and has "forgotten how to love" because she doesn't approve of him marrying someone he met 2 weeks ago. Also, the love interest gets in a fist fight (with blood) over a sense of protective-ness for the main character. This theme of protective weaves together with mild-possessiveness (on both of their parts) throughout the story that I felt could have been left out. Some readers may find it to be a cute layer to the rivalry though, as he is constantly trying to thwart her plans. I also, personally, found the rivals-to-lovers pacing to be a little quick based on where these characters started, but I've had those complaints about other hate-to-love in popular contemporary romances that other readers have enjoyed.
I did enjoy the themes of travel, re-discovery, and finding someone who is a good fit for who you currently are, I just wish that self-discovery had been a little separated from the romance element. This was a quick read with a lot of tropes I think fans of The Hating Game especially will enjoy.
tropes:
- travel romance
- rivals-to-lovers w/ co-workers
tw: death of a parent; death of a sibling; cancer; brief mention of self harm
This book had a lot of things I liked and a number of things I didn't, which makes it hard to rate. I'd go from really enjoying a moment, to there being something I don't like in the next sentence.
This is a combination of so many different tropes: young woman travels back to Ireland (small town), France (Paris), and Italy (vineyard) to re-discover who she is by trying to reconnect with three men she fell in love with in those places 7 years ago before her mom died. She also has a rivalry with a ~handsome co-worker~. All of these things are tropes I love! I loved the locations, the will they won't they of meeting up with old flames, the banter between her and her co-worker, etc.
With that being said, there's also some tropes in here I didn't enjoy. The main character originally goes on this trip because her dad is remarrying to a woman he recently met, and the narrative makes it seem like the main character is "unreasonable" and has "forgotten how to love" because she doesn't approve of him marrying someone he met 2 weeks ago. Also, the love interest gets in a fist fight (with blood) over a sense of protective-ness for the main character. This theme of protective weaves together with mild-possessiveness (on both of their parts) throughout the story that I felt could have been left out. Some readers may find it to be a cute layer to the rivalry though, as he is constantly trying to thwart her plans. I also, personally, found the rivals-to-lovers pacing to be a little quick based on where these characters started, but I've had those complaints about other hate-to-love in popular contemporary romances that other readers have enjoyed.
I did enjoy the themes of travel, re-discovery, and finding someone who is a good fit for who you currently are, I just wish that self-discovery had been a little separated from the romance element. This was a quick read with a lot of tropes I think fans of The Hating Game especially will enjoy.
tropes:
- travel romance
- rivals-to-lovers w/ co-workers
July 22, 2020
2.5 to 3 stars
Chelsea, our female MC, annoyed the living shit outta me, and that's kinda hard to forgive.
Chelsea, our female MC, annoyed the living shit outta me, and that's kinda hard to forgive.
May 9, 2024
I've been a big fan of Jenn McKinlay's mysteries for almost a decade... and when she branched (back) into romcoms, I decided to give one a chance. It went so well, I picked up another, hence my thoughts on Paris is Always a Good Idea. Throw together a man and a woman who instantly (dis)like each other at work, force them to deal with each other, and then drop in a game-changing event. Guaranteed comedy and romance will bloom. In this one, we travel to Ireland, Italy, and Paris, so of course it's going to be over-the-top beautiful. With each man the protagonist visits in an attempt to figure herself out, I think... 'oh, he's the one,' but it doesn't work out that way. The path to get there is fun, elaborate, and educational. Enjoyed it a lot; my only concern was the premise of her journey back to Italy was her father's sudden remarriage plans, yet the final chapter barely covers the marriage and ultimately doesn't convince me she was totally on board. Needed a few more chapters to show a bond between with the new stepmother. That said, it needed a HEA, so it got one... and I'll keep reading more from the author!
May 24, 2021
„Irgendwo ist immer irgendwer verliebt“ von Jenn McKinlay ist ein wunderschöner Wohlfühlroman für den Sommer. 🥰
Ich habe mich total in die Charaktere verliebt - Chelsea und Jason sind einfach super sympathisch und liebenswert. Stellenweise empfand ich Chelsea aber als anstrengend und übertrieben tollpatschig.
Der Schreibstil hat mir sehr gut gefallen, ich bin nur so durch die Seiten geflogen. ☺️
Alles in allem ein unterhaltsamer Liebesroman, der Fernweh auslöst. 😄 Er hat mich zwar nicht vom Hocker gehauen, aber ist definitiv lesenswert! 😍
Ich habe mich total in die Charaktere verliebt - Chelsea und Jason sind einfach super sympathisch und liebenswert. Stellenweise empfand ich Chelsea aber als anstrengend und übertrieben tollpatschig.
Der Schreibstil hat mir sehr gut gefallen, ich bin nur so durch die Seiten geflogen. ☺️
Alles in allem ein unterhaltsamer Liebesroman, der Fernweh auslöst. 😄 Er hat mich zwar nicht vom Hocker gehauen, aber ist definitiv lesenswert! 😍
August 30, 2020
Edit to add, it's lines like this that had my attention swerving away with the roll of my eyes back to my brain: "There was a manly man knuckle dragger quality to Jason Knightly that I had to admit I found attractive." That about sums up her mindset, perspective on men, and priorities. Gross. Run around and kiss whoever, but she's looking toward MEN to help her find herself and what she's lost, and she's crushing on a "knuckle dragger" who is basically stalking her. It's so problematic and...again, boring.
First pass at a review when I was about to DNF at 83% (I punished myself by finishing it on a skim, and it was awful. Just awful.):
This was so boring. I like the concept, but that's mostly all it is. There is zero depth. The author said the story appeared in her head fully formed, which I believe because it reads like an outline, hopping from one event to another with flat side characters and lots of telling and not showing. I didn't feel the journey, relegated to the role of observer as the female MC discussed everyone else's motivations and belabored the points about her self-discovery or whatever. It was very easy to get distracted by basically anything shiny during this. I was flip flopping between two such books (How to Date Your Dragon), wanting something light for a stressful time...and I got it, I guess. Light, insubstantial, forgettable.
First pass at a review when I was about to DNF at 83% (I punished myself by finishing it on a skim, and it was awful. Just awful.):
This was so boring. I like the concept, but that's mostly all it is. There is zero depth. The author said the story appeared in her head fully formed, which I believe because it reads like an outline, hopping from one event to another with flat side characters and lots of telling and not showing. I didn't feel the journey, relegated to the role of observer as the female MC discussed everyone else's motivations and belabored the points about her self-discovery or whatever. It was very easy to get distracted by basically anything shiny during this. I was flip flopping between two such books (How to Date Your Dragon), wanting something light for a stressful time...and I got it, I guess. Light, insubstantial, forgettable.
August 26, 2020
I don’t know what I’m missing here. The reviews of this book are overwhelmingly positive. I didn’t care for this book at all and have no idea why I finished it except maybe I kept hoping it would get better. I found the writing to be awkward and juvenile. Some of the most annoying words or phrases repeated throughout the story:
“Ack!”
“Oof.”
And my personal favorite, “going banana balls.”
This is supposed to be an adult woman talking?
All of this plus I found the story to be trite and beyond predictable. Skip it. There are so many good books out there. This is not one of them.
“Ack!”
“Oof.”
And my personal favorite, “going banana balls.”
This is supposed to be an adult woman talking?
All of this plus I found the story to be trite and beyond predictable. Skip it. There are so many good books out there. This is not one of them.
December 31, 2020
4.5/5
Paris Is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay is one of those books that just makes your heart happy. Sure, there are sad parts, but the overall feel was happy and uplifting. There were so many moments that I burst out laughing, and this book had me right from the beginning all the way to the end. The audio is narrated by Brittany Pressley who is one of my favorite narrators of all time, and she did an outstanding job voicing this book. She made the perfect Chelsea and there is something about listening to her read the steamier sections that doesn't make them feel awkward to listen to! I am one of those weird people that feels squirmy when I listen to sex scenes, and although there aren't any of those, this one does have some steamy bits. But don't worry, because Pressley narrated the heck out of them and everything else.
Chelsea was a great and relatable character, and I loved seeing the places she traveled through her eyes. She meets up with some past loves and creates some hilarity, experiences plenty of awkward moments, kills it at her job, and ducks inappropriate men all while trying to come to terms with her dad getting remarried. The fact that she lost her mom to cancer really hit home with me since I did as well and adding in the end with her coworker Knightley got me practically bawling. I adored McKinlay's writing style and I can't believe I haven't read anything by her before! I loved the experience of reading Paris Is Always a Good Idea, and I am already looking forward to picking up more books by this author. Pretty sure she just became an instant autobuy author for me well!
Thank you to the publisher for my advance review copy via Edelweiss. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Paris Is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay is one of those books that just makes your heart happy. Sure, there are sad parts, but the overall feel was happy and uplifting. There were so many moments that I burst out laughing, and this book had me right from the beginning all the way to the end. The audio is narrated by Brittany Pressley who is one of my favorite narrators of all time, and she did an outstanding job voicing this book. She made the perfect Chelsea and there is something about listening to her read the steamier sections that doesn't make them feel awkward to listen to! I am one of those weird people that feels squirmy when I listen to sex scenes, and although there aren't any of those, this one does have some steamy bits. But don't worry, because Pressley narrated the heck out of them and everything else.
Chelsea was a great and relatable character, and I loved seeing the places she traveled through her eyes. She meets up with some past loves and creates some hilarity, experiences plenty of awkward moments, kills it at her job, and ducks inappropriate men all while trying to come to terms with her dad getting remarried. The fact that she lost her mom to cancer really hit home with me since I did as well and adding in the end with her coworker Knightley got me practically bawling. I adored McKinlay's writing style and I can't believe I haven't read anything by her before! I loved the experience of reading Paris Is Always a Good Idea, and I am already looking forward to picking up more books by this author. Pretty sure she just became an instant autobuy author for me well!
Thank you to the publisher for my advance review copy via Edelweiss. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
September 7, 2020
I really liked the idea is this one because it takes place in France, Italy, and Scotland and j just loved the settings so much. I have to take a star off because I did not like our main female oc. She was dealing with grief over her mother's passing but she became almost childish when she saw people were falling in love etc. She also ran away for silly reasons and left me frustrated.
However, I love the office romance trope plus the enemies to lovers trope. It was so freaking cute at a lot of times.
However, I love the office romance trope plus the enemies to lovers trope. It was so freaking cute at a lot of times.
September 15, 2020
Wanted to read this because I was looking for a light silly book but this was just terrible. The concept was a cute idea but the writing felt like a preteen trying to hit a word count and had never actually traveled to these places.
August 1, 2020
Paris might always be a good idea but reading this book is NOT a good idea!
This book was very, very disappointing. To the author's credit, a few paragraphs of the book delivered the fun and witty rom-com that I was seeking. (Yes, the book did have great potential!) The rest of the book , however, was slow, repetitive, contrived and predictable.
I listened to the audio version and narrator Brittany Pressly usually is excellent. In this book, Brittany Pressly somehow lost her mojo and delivered a narration of the main character that was whiney and irritating. Perhaps that is why I found the main character to be very self-centered and annoying with unrealistic expectations.
More about the unrealistic plot: The main character had expected to return to Europe seven years after her first trip and expect all three of her boyfriends to want to rekindle a relationship with her after she had ceased communicating with them. When does something like that happen?
I have a huge respect for all authors and don't like leaving 2-star reviews. This book simply was not one of my top reads of this summer.
This book was very, very disappointing. To the author's credit, a few paragraphs of the book delivered the fun and witty rom-com that I was seeking. (Yes, the book did have great potential!) The rest of the book , however, was slow, repetitive, contrived and predictable.
I listened to the audio version and narrator Brittany Pressly usually is excellent. In this book, Brittany Pressly somehow lost her mojo and delivered a narration of the main character that was whiney and irritating. Perhaps that is why I found the main character to be very self-centered and annoying with unrealistic expectations.
More about the unrealistic plot: The main character had expected to return to Europe seven years after her first trip and expect all three of her boyfriends to want to rekindle a relationship with her after she had ceased communicating with them. When does something like that happen?
I have a huge respect for all authors and don't like leaving 2-star reviews. This book simply was not one of my top reads of this summer.
July 14, 2020
There is always that one book that makes your heart feel warm and fuzzy. PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA is one of them. I really took to heart Chelsea’s character who went through great lengths to get over her grief, and eventually find the joy that is missing in her life.
Chelsea is going through some life difficulties - from the death of her mother to cancer, to her father remarrying and moving on with his life. I was captivated with the story line where to re-discover some things in life, you may have to look back and retrace your steps – for Chelsea, it was the time when she traveled to Europe during her gap year. I found it delightful to read about the beautiful Irish countryside, the elegant city of Paris and the charming Tuscany wineries.
I thought Jenn McKinlay was able to capture the human spirit of someone navigating loss and grief, while taking her readers along to a journey to find love in order to love and be loved again. Really enjoyed this one!!
Chelsea is going through some life difficulties - from the death of her mother to cancer, to her father remarrying and moving on with his life. I was captivated with the story line where to re-discover some things in life, you may have to look back and retrace your steps – for Chelsea, it was the time when she traveled to Europe during her gap year. I found it delightful to read about the beautiful Irish countryside, the elegant city of Paris and the charming Tuscany wineries.
I thought Jenn McKinlay was able to capture the human spirit of someone navigating loss and grief, while taking her readers along to a journey to find love in order to love and be loved again. Really enjoyed this one!!
October 25, 2023
Paris is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay. I am terrible at reading in-depth what a book is about before choosing to read it. I did not know this book is a romance. Obviously it held my attention. I detest romance books. They are so cheesy and unrealistic. I guess I am just a sour puss. It wasn’t bad. The “L” word tossed around a lot. I mean seriously how can one woman truly fall in love with 3 men in a few months. Yes, romance 🚫
Want to read
May 21, 2020Mmmm the idea of a vicarious vacation is so appealing right now
August 5, 2020
For me just meh, pretty predictable with two main characters I really didn't care about.
August 6, 2020
In these stressful times, this is exactly the book I wanted to read. It's got Ireland, and Paris, and an Italian vineyard, plus romance and an appealing heroine.
December 23, 2020
I'm getting tired of the "Eat. Love. Pray" trope where white women venture off to various international spots to find themselves. The trope leaves an uninspiring aftertaste in its wake, leaving readers, like me, numb.
2/5
2/5
July 20, 2021
Paris might always be a good idea but reading this book is not.
March 28, 2020
Chelsea is very good at her job, working to solicit big donations for a cancer charity. But when her father surprises her one day, informing her that he's marrying a woman he met two weeks ago, Chelsea is understandably upset. However, when her sister confronts her, Chelsea realizes that since her mother does seven years ago, she's shut herself off and has completely forgotten how to have fun. So, she gives notice at work and heads off for a three stop tour if Europe to revisit the three men she fell in love with seven years ago on a gap year trip that was cut short when her mom's cancer was diagnosed.
This book just made me happy. The romance was sweet and the wonderful settings in Ireland, France, and Italy were a wonderful way to travel while being stuck at home.
I've read all of McKinlay's cozy mystery books and she's one of my favorites. But I had never read any of her romances. I was SO happy when the publisher sent me this ARC as it was definitely on my list. Now I just have to go back and read the rest of her books!
This book just made me happy. The romance was sweet and the wonderful settings in Ireland, France, and Italy were a wonderful way to travel while being stuck at home.
I've read all of McKinlay's cozy mystery books and she's one of my favorites. But I had never read any of her romances. I was SO happy when the publisher sent me this ARC as it was definitely on my list. Now I just have to go back and read the rest of her books!
July 24, 2020
3.5 stars
Jenn McKinlay’s new book, PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA, is a fun romp of a book. There’s not much behind it that draws a reader in except for the setting and the comical characters, but I think it’s a great book if you’re in the mood for something light.
If you’re a person who enjoys reading about a lot of traveling, then I think you’re going to enjoy Chelsea’s story. There are a lot of funny and sweet moments in this book, but the romance didn’t really take off for me. Chelsea has the tendency to be immature and so I wasn’t always on board with a lot of her decisions made in this book. For a twenty-nine year old, she seemed kind of inexperienced and immature. I think this is the case because of the tone that the author was going for. Light and funny, it made the more important decisions feel a bit flat. I think that might be the reason why Chelsea’s character might fall flat with some readers.
So while there are some good and bad things about this book, I think readers who just want something light might find this book enjoyable, especially if you’re interest is the travel rather than character development or plot.
Jenn McKinlay’s new book, PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA, is a fun romp of a book. There’s not much behind it that draws a reader in except for the setting and the comical characters, but I think it’s a great book if you’re in the mood for something light.
If you’re a person who enjoys reading about a lot of traveling, then I think you’re going to enjoy Chelsea’s story. There are a lot of funny and sweet moments in this book, but the romance didn’t really take off for me. Chelsea has the tendency to be immature and so I wasn’t always on board with a lot of her decisions made in this book. For a twenty-nine year old, she seemed kind of inexperienced and immature. I think this is the case because of the tone that the author was going for. Light and funny, it made the more important decisions feel a bit flat. I think that might be the reason why Chelsea’s character might fall flat with some readers.
So while there are some good and bad things about this book, I think readers who just want something light might find this book enjoyable, especially if you’re interest is the travel rather than character development or plot.
April 6, 2020
From it’s heart-melting romance, to the gorgeous travel destinations, to the beautiful emotional journey the main character goes on, PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA is a delight and an absolutely beautiful distraction.
Undoubtedly one of my favorite reads of the year, if I could recommend one book to everyone during this stressful time, it would be this one. It’s not only about finding oneself and discovering love along the way. It’s also about honoring the people we’ve loved and lost and moving forward with them forever in our hearts.
An absolute joy.
Undoubtedly one of my favorite reads of the year, if I could recommend one book to everyone during this stressful time, it would be this one. It’s not only about finding oneself and discovering love along the way. It’s also about honoring the people we’ve loved and lost and moving forward with them forever in our hearts.
An absolute joy.
January 9, 2021
Funny and entertaining! Exactly what I needed to read right now. I really enjoyed Chelsea's journey to find her happiness again. Her encounters with her previous boyfriends and snarky relationship with Jason (co-worker) provided plenty of entertainment of the rom-com variety. This story reminded me of The Hating Game.
March 29, 2021
love and loss are forever entwined, making us love more cautiously but also more deeply
This book gave me the feeling of having warm chocolate on a winter night.This book made me extremely giddy and giggly.
Jason Knightley, I love you.Such a charming gentleman!!!!!!!!
Ireland, France and Italy are beautifully depicted in this book.Loved this book💕
This book gave me the feeling of having warm chocolate on a winter night.This book made me extremely giddy and giggly.
Jason Knightley, I love you.Such a charming gentleman!!!!!!!!
Ireland, France and Italy are beautifully depicted in this book.Loved this book💕
May 16, 2022
No I haven’t read it even though it is shelved as if I have. Can’t for the life of me imagine why I had put this on my to-be-read list. It is an insult to anyone possessing just an average kind of intelligence. I mean, a 55-year old father who tells his 30-year old daughter that he is going to remarry and is more concerned with the colours for the wedding than how she will react and said daughter does not even know there is a new love interest in his life. This is plain wrong on so many levels, and I would not even recommend it to someone half my age who would be the real target for this crap. Not to mention the blurp, I and probably everyone else can easily guess who the so-called heroine is going to end up with.
Oh, sorry, a rare rant from me, just because this book was not for me. I am not being fair.
Oh, sorry, a rare rant from me, just because this book was not for me. I am not being fair.
June 22, 2020
Cheesy, but cute love story that felt right out of a romantic comedy (or a Hallmark movie). The travel bits were what really fun for me as a reader!
November 25, 2020
I am beyond surprised by the good average rating.
This was spectacularly bad.
The main character is immature, extremely self-centered and, apparently, has been phenomenally stupid all her life. Yet, we are to believe that she is this gorgeous lovable intelligent professional who is loved and respected practically by everyone she meets and knows.
Now, the charming "hero" is a disgusting abusive frat culture specimen. Stalking - check. Manipulative withholding of vital information - check. Macho posturing - check. Violent outbursts - check. Ultimatums in a public setting and using social pressures and threats of public embarrassment to get his way - check. Yeah... what a catch... Yuck! The author even chose to hang a lantern on it, so then she has to make his "rivals" the "prostituting an old friend for personal gain" level of abusing and horrible, just so the "hero" would come out as a winner in that comparison... Yeah.
But it's all dressed up as "romantic" gallivanting around Europe, nostalgic reminiscences and positive self-discovery... complete with a completely gratuitous detailed sex scene, because genre, apparently...
Uhm, no.
I am very sad that I wasted time on this in my naive hope that it might get somewhere positive with its setup. Plus, one of the worst examples of the hero's "charming" behavior happen at the very end, so that was another nasty surprise. But, hopefully, now you all, who chose to read this, will be spared!
This was spectacularly bad.
The main character is immature, extremely self-centered and, apparently, has been phenomenally stupid all her life. Yet, we are to believe that she is this gorgeous lovable intelligent professional who is loved and respected practically by everyone she meets and knows.
Now, the charming "hero" is a disgusting abusive frat culture specimen. Stalking - check. Manipulative withholding of vital information - check. Macho posturing - check. Violent outbursts - check. Ultimatums in a public setting and using social pressures and threats of public embarrassment to get his way - check. Yeah... what a catch... Yuck! The author even chose to hang a lantern on it, so then she has to make his "rivals" the "prostituting an old friend for personal gain" level of abusing and horrible, just so the "hero" would come out as a winner in that comparison... Yeah.
But it's all dressed up as "romantic" gallivanting around Europe, nostalgic reminiscences and positive self-discovery... complete with a completely gratuitous detailed sex scene, because genre, apparently...
Uhm, no.
I am very sad that I wasted time on this in my naive hope that it might get somewhere positive with its setup. Plus, one of the worst examples of the hero's "charming" behavior happen at the very end, so that was another nasty surprise. But, hopefully, now you all, who chose to read this, will be spared!
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