Grace has been planning a special anniversary trip to Paris for herself and David but when she presents him with the details he tells her he is leaving her and going to live with a girl close to their own daughter's age! Devastated she decides to make the trip on her own....... and who knows she might even look up her first love Philippe, Audrey has had a tough life with an alcoholic mother and can't wait to escape as soon as she leaves school and plans to head for Paris, securing a job in a bookshop. When Grace and Audrey meet they form an unlikely friendship and help each other with the problems in their lives.

Another lovely book by Sarah Morgan, as always warm hearted and full of great characters....I especially loved Mimi, Grace's grandmother, what a lovely colourful lady! The storyline was interesting and as always a book that you couldn't put down

A lovely, easy to read, romantic story of 2 women from different sides of the Earth and their summer in Paris. The 2 women who come from different lives that are actually not so different and their adventures in Paris makes for a great read. I loved the characters and how I could identify with some of them well. Recommended reading.

Grace, with her tight control on life avoiding chaos but stifling spontaneity, learns so much from Audrey. David leaving was the best thing that could have happened to her, shaking up her life, pushing her out of routine and safety to discover herself. I loved watching her make outer changes that reflected what was going on for her on an inner level.

Audrey, keeping emotions tightly in check and on the outside sassy but on the inside afraid. Grace’s friendship and care for her opened her heart in ways she didn’t see coming.

90 year old Mimi, grandmother to Grace, hiding her own past and pretending to be strong and independent but wondering if she made the wrong choices in life.

I identified with our three female characters and unusually for me, didn’t have a favourite. I loved them all!

Once scene surprised me because I hadn’t expected it to go the way I thought it would. It shows how deep the friendship between Grace and Audrey had become and I loved this.

Sarah Morgan is oh so good at writing intimate scenes and I was pleased we get to experience these still in One Summer in Paris. 🙂 Phillipe and Etienne are excellent characters, both bringing so much to the story.

The setting is of course magnificent. I felt as if I was in Paris that summer, walking alongside our characters and experiencing everything they did.

There are a couple of quotes I want to share.

One from Audrey made me laugh, she hates books and when she meets Etienne in the bookshop:

<snip>, some girls faked orgasms. She was going to have to fake book interest.

And this little nugget of wisdom from Grace:

Better to hope for the best and deal with the worst, than expect the worst and miss the best.

Running through the story there is a deeper theme. Peer pressure, mental health and misuse are all tackled with realism and sensitively.

One last note. If I had read this when I was younger and had a more idealised approach to life, I would have hated the ending for Grace. However, with age, I felt her dilemma and understood her thought processes. I thought she made the right decision.

One Summer in Paris is a story that is full of powerful emotions. It’s a page turner that will take you away to another place and you may experience things you didn’t think you ever would. Highly recommended.

I am so so happy every time the queen Sarah Morgan publishes a new book. She creates charming stories with engaging and always likable characters set in beautiful places (I still think about spending a Christmas in Scotland thanks to her latest novel, The Christmas Sisters). This time, she takes the readers to spend the summer in the romantic and evocative Paris. Here we meet Grace and Audrey who arrive to the French capital to escape their problems at home. Grace is in her late forties, she has a teenage daughter about to leave home to go to college, and she’s been happily married to David for twenty-five years. Or so she thought, because on Valentine’s Day, which is also their anniversary, he announces her that he wants a divorce. Heartbroken, Grace decides to escape to the place where she had been happy before her world crumbled down when she was young. Here she meets Audrey. She is an eighteen years old girl who left behind London, her alcoholic mother, and her troubles at school. For Audrey Paris is freedom, but freedom doesn’t look as good as she thought when her job in a bookshop proves more difficult than she thought.

I loved the characters of Audrey and Grace who could be both different and similar at the same time. Audrey’s life is chaos while Grace is the queen of lists and organization, but both have family secrets that make them lie to other people. During an unforgettable summer, they help each other face their problems and overcome their limits and their unlikely friendship kept me completely captivated. Of course, Paris is not only the city of new beginning, but also the city of love as both Grace and Audrey find charming and handsome French men to keep them busy.

Paris itself is a protagonist of the novel. The author evocative descriptions of the city, the food, and the people made me fall in love with the city all over again and made me wish to hop on a plane for this fascinating city. Heart-warming, entertaining, and fresh, ONE SUMMER IN PARIS is another must-read for new and old Sarah Morgan’s fans.

One Summer In Paris by Sarah Morgan is a wonderful contemporary offering about love and life, friendship and discovering yourself.
It is a book about being ‘real’ and not hiding who you really are. “Being yourself is the one thing every person should excel at.” Too often we present one face to the world, sometimes burying who we are in the process. The novel shows that in opening up and being vulnerable we may just rediscover ourselves. “I love me. For the first time in months.”
We all need a good friend. A good friend who will always be there for us. A good friend who sees beyond our stock, ‘I’m fine’ response. One Summer In Paris celebrates friendship.
There is the difficult theme of alcoholism and its effect on those around us. “If they loved you enough they’d stop.” Alcoholism is an illness. People do not have strength to just stop but it does not mean we are not loved. We are not destined to turn into our parents. One slip up will not make you an alcoholic.
The novel is about choices. Our choices always have consequences.
People say that Paris is the city of love. Within the novel there is a beautiful friendship of two women who have known rejection. They are real. They love and support each other. Love is not necessarily what we say but is seen in our actions. “Love isn’t what you say aloud… It’s what you do.”
Sarah Morgan has created a wonderful set of unique characters whose interactions are a delight to witness. I adored the witty camaraderie between Audrey and Grace. They built each other up and used their skill sets to impart knowledge, developing a firm friendship along the way.
One Summer In Paris is about forgiveness, trust and starting over. We must forgive or we will become bitter. Trust can be rebuilt. We are never too old to start again.
The novel shows the need for correct priorities. If our foundations are secure, wobbles will not topple us.
I adored One Summer In Paris. I always adore Sarah Morgan’s books. They are fabulous stories with realistic characters who leave me smiling.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Great holiday read, nice to read and lovely characters.

The author brought to life Paris and how it can be many things to different people..

Upbeat, warm and magical this book has everything I needed for a weekend read. Sarah Morgan sent me on a vacation to the idyllic streets of Paris when I could not get there myself. Grace is happy with her organised, married life until it takes an unexpected turn. The trip to Paris is not what she was expecting but with the help of a wonderful character Audrey it will be unforgettable.

Wonderful heart warming tale. Predictable but in a good way and characters and setting described beautifully. Initially hard to believe a friendship between a 47 year old and 18 year old but it just worked. Can’t wait for the next story already!

I loved this book about friendship, marriage and life, with all the problems that can be sent your way. Another fabulous read from Sarah Morgan, she just gets better and better. Will be keeping an eye open for the next one..

Grace and Audrey have never met, but have both run away to Paris to escape what is happening in their lives back home.

A great read in a great setting!

Grace has a perfectly organised life. She loves her husband of 25 years and although their daughter Sophie is about to fly the nest Grace is determined to be positive about the future and all the things she and her husband can do together. On their 25th Wedding Anniversary Grace presents her husband David with tickets for a summer trip to Paris David tells Grace he wants divorce. Devastated Grace discovers he has been having an affair with a much younger woman.
With the encouragement of her daughter and her French Grandmother Mimi, Grace goes to Paris alone. There she meets Audrey, who is a similar age to Sophie (daughter). Although very different they become good friends and they bring out the best in each other. To Audrey Grace is everything her own mother isn’t and Audrey helps Grace to become the woman she always should have been.
The summer in Paris will change them both in ways they never expected but will they be able to return to their “real” lives once the summer is over.

My favourite kind of read.

Love, betrayal laughter and friendship. A brilliantly written story which left me disappointed when it came to an end.

A must read for those lazy summer holidays

This was my first Sarah Morgan book and I have to say, I was enthralled!

A sympathetic and entertaining read that covers some pretty sensitive issues, from alcoholic parents and dyslexia, to unfaithfulness in long term relationships.

Grace, one of the main characters, is looking forward to celebrating her 25th wedding anniversary, but instead of a pleasant surprise, she is given the gift of a husband announcing an affair.

The news shocks her to the core, but somehow, she finds the strength to take a long-planned trip to Paris, by herself, to rediscover herself.

She meets the other main character, Audrey, a dyslexic teenager, who is trying to escape from a life of covering up for her alcoholic mother.

One speaks fluent French, due to her French grandmother; the other speaks none.

They meet in an encounter involving a handbag thief, and after a slight hiccup at the start of their relationship, the two very different women forge a unique friendship, exploring love, life and books!

I loved the way it was written from both perspectives, with the addition of Mimi, Grace's grandmother, in snippets too.

Goes to show that you don't have to be the same age, with the same interests, to be friends.

Unlikely friendships can be the strongest.

Absolutely loved this book, so yes, I guess I am now a Sarah Morgan convert!!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Publishing for an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me have an advanced copy of Sarah Mogan’s latest book. Once again Sarah has produced another fabulous read.

The story is set in Paris and is about Grace and Audrey. They are from very different backgrounds with differing ages struggling to cope with the cards that life has dealt them. A chance meeting during a summer vacation in Paris brings much enlightenment and encouragement to the pair of them. It's as if fate has played a hand to bring these two lost souls together. An unlikely friendship and strong bond is soon formed.

The old dusty, full to the ceiling bookshop in Paris is like the glue that helps seal the bond that these two unlikely friends have formed. However, in amongst the dusty aged pages of the books lies the secret to a love story that was so special it kept itself hidden for many decades.
I can’t recommend Sarah Morgan enough. If you are looking for a book that you can escape into with relatable characters, fantastic descriptions that make you feel part of the story then you will not be disappointed with any of her books. I can’t wait for the next one…..

What a beautiful story, loved the friendship between Grace and Audrey, and the support they give to each other. This is a book I would definitely recommend

I really enjoyed this book where you have a meeting of 2 generations who can help each other. Grace has strength and you can sympathise with her, but wonder why she takes her husband back, She has learnt through experience how to help Audrey to mature and have confidence and love life

I love the scene setting in Paris and the book shop is very easy to imagine. I would suggest this is a relaxing summer read and ideal for a holiday break.

I love Sarah Morgan's books, I love Paris and I love stories about friendship so it seemed pretty certain I was going to love this book, and for the most part I did. As always the writing is wonderful, the characters likeable (or at least the ones you're supposed to like) and it's very easy to become immersed in both the story and the setting. In fact I became so immersed in it that yet again I devoured the whole thing in an afternoon as I just couldn't stop reading.

The story itself follows, and is told from the pov of, two very different women, Grace and Audrey. Grace is approaching middle aged and happily married with a teenage daughter who is about the fly the nest when all of a sudden her marriage falls apart and she's left facing a future on her own. Audrey is a teenager, with a troubled home life who can't wait to make her escape. They both end up in Paris alone, but a chance encounter results in an unlikely friendship between them as they discover they have more in common than they thought.

I'm not always sure about books told from multiple pov's (I prefer to stick with one character) but I thought it worked incredibly well in this book. Grace and Audrey have very distinctive voices and I was impressed with how convincingly the author wrote from Audrey's perspective (although not being a teenager myself I can't really speak to authenticity). Both characters were likeable and even though I didn't initially connect with either one I definitely became emotionally invested in their stories (yep Morgan made me cry again).

The story is a little heavier than many of the author's previous books and deals with some serious issues making it an emotional read but as well as the tears there are a few laughs too and overall it has quite a hopeful and positive feel to it. There is a little bit of romance for both women but while it is quite sweet it's very definitely secondary to the friendship that develops between them. They seem like such a mismatched pair but each is exactly what the other needs in their life at that point and watching them grow to trust and support each other was wonderful. It also makes a nice change to read a book about female friendship.

If I had one criticism of this book however it's that I felt it didn't make the most of the Paris setting. There are various places mentioned but a lot of the story takes place within the bookshop or in the hotel. I mean I'm not complaining about a bookshop setting but it would have been nice to see them venture out a little more and to bring in more of the French culture and way of life.

Overall though, this is yet another wonderful story from Morgan.

When you pick up a Sarah Morgan book, you are guaranteed a good read. One that runs the gamut of emotions. After an unconventional childhood Grace lives her adulthood to a rigid plan. No time for unexpected changes. Grace & David are about to celebrate 25 years of marriage, wanting to do something special for her husband. She has booked them a surprise trip to Paris. Grace's whole world is rocked when David announces he has been having an affair. After some soul searching Grace decides she will go on the trip alone. Or her daughter wont want to go on her trip.
Audrey has just finished school and can't wait to escape her alcoholic mother and go to Paris.
Unfortunately she doesn't speak much French, but she refuses to let that stop her.
While out sightseeing Grace has her bag stolen, luckily Audrey sees it happens and chases down the thief. Its the start of a beautiful friendship for them. Each of them gives the other hope in a trying time. I urge you to go out and get a copy. I requested an ARC this is my voluntary review.

There's something very special about having a Sarah Morgan book on my list; I just know I'm going to love it and as I work towards it I'm filled with that certainty - and I've never been disappointed!

Grace is a planner; she has lists for everything, is very efficient and never forgets an occasion or a gift which needs to be organised. Very happily married to her soulmate, David, she arranges a very special gift for them both for their Silver Wedding Anniversary. What she couldn't have planned was that during their romantic restaurant meal, David announces than he wants a divorce. Stunned and hurt beyond measure, Grace retreats into herself until, encouraged by their daughter, she decide to enjoy the month long trip to Paris on her own.

Audrey is a young English girl, ages with Grace's daughter Sophie, but her life is a world away from the safe cocoon Grace has created for her family. With no one to cosset and care for her, Audrey has carefully planned her summer escape to Paris as she is desperate to spread her wings and move away from the heavy responsibilities the finds herself with at home. Separately, these two women aren't making the most of their break from the usual routine, but after they get acquainted the world - or at least the city of Paris - is their oyster.

The growing friendship between Grace and Audrey is something to savour; they each contribute a lot, but what they receive is monumental in changing both their lives and their outlook on life. This is a truly beautifully written story, and one which will make every reader yearn to spend a summer in the most romantic city in the world. In addition to Grace and Audrey, we also follow their families' along with the new - and old - friends who pop into their lives. An absolutely wonderful read, and one I have been completely immersed in, letting the descriptions wash over me in chilly Scotland! This isn't the touristy side of Paris, but a more realistic portrayal of a fabulous city and it's residents. I have loved everything about it and, as always, Sarah Morgan's writing flows easily and keeps the reader's interest from first to last. Such a sparkling read deserves no less than a full five, chubby stars and the highest recommendation I can give it. A superb light, happy read - with plenty of ups and downs - one which will put you in a super summery mood.

My thanks to publisher HQ for my copy via NetGalley. This is, of course, my honest, original and unbiased review.

The perfect summer read.

This story is about two women, Grace and Audrey, who spend their summer in Paris. Grace is in her forties and her husband has just left her on their 25th wedding anniversary, whilst Audrey is in her late-teens desperate to leave home and lead her own life.

The two are polar opposites and after meeting on their first day in the city they help each other find that balance that they are missing.

I got absolutely hooked on this book and felt like I was right there in Paris with Grace and Audrey. This book is the perfect summer read, and I urge you to get your hands on it. I read my first Sarah Morgan book at the end of last year and will definitely be going back to read more of her work.

This is a story about love, friendship and self-discovery led by two fantastic character in a beautiful and romantic setting.