Last Time I Saw Paris, The: A Novel [Hardcover]

The plot is absurd; there is no character development or any reason for these two to get together. Lara is not remotely interesting, and her gaggle of girlfriends are equally shallow and annoying. There isn't any explanation of why this guy would fall for her except the usual pandering to the intended audience of how shallow younger women are (and Lara is supposedly so deep, hah, given all she does is shop and whine and has the intellect of a bowl of jello and the maturity of a 12-year old girl). I gather the audience for these romance novels like to read about shopping and restaurants as there are many descriptions of those (vicarious shopping, I guess). I suppose the author went to France once and made notes of hotels and places to put in a novel with no plot and she learned a few French words she likes to throw around. I don't understand the appeal of that except it's probably some kind of snobbism (look how cool I am to name drop places of inns in the Dordogne, etc). She wouldn't have actually had to travel to these places as internet research could easily turn up names and descriptions of these hotels and restaurants. Some of the facts are not, actually correct, either, regarding place and street names.

I don't read romance novels so really can't compare to others, but that is what this is for those who aren't aware, as I wasn't, of what this author writes.

After almost 25 years of marriage, Lara plans a trip to Paris to celebrate this milestone anniversary. But more than this it is an attempt to revitalize her failing marriage. Remembering back to their honeymoon plans every detail exactly the same as it was during their honeymoon hoping they can recreate those fun-free and happy days. Or at least this is the way Lara chooses to remember them. But Lara's husband has a surprise for her. Not only doesn't he want to recreate their honeymoon 25 years later, he no longer wants to be married to Lara preferring the company of a much younger colleague. Licking her wounds, Lara retreats to their beach house where she meets the contractor they previously hired for some odd jobs. He is young, good looking and Lara is immediately attracted to him. During a hasty moment Lara invites him to accompany her on this trip and he accepts. As one can imagine these two are now in for some very madcap and hilarious moments as everything that can happen to tourists happens to them. They arrive in Paris to find their luggage is missing, they have no reservations in a small French town and during a violent rainstorm their car breaks down. In a rather predictable plot, Lara and Don find themselves beginning a relationship in the city of love. And things really become interesting when Lara's husband reconsiders and flies to Paris to spend the rest of the trip with her. Only then does Lara remembers her honeymoon the way it really was and not how she imagined.

This is not an altogether unpleasant read. It is a light fast paced book best suited for a vacation or time spent on the beach. For travelers to foreign cities it will remind them of their own travel escapades, wondrous sights and events as well as the disastrous moments. Ultimately I did enjoy this book and would recommend reading it. Be sure and read Summer in Tuscany too for a mouth watering reading experience.