Paris Mon Amour

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The central storyline of infidelity was really well told. Alexandra’s extra-marital affair sizzled with passion and I think Costello accurately described what an affair would be like – the drama and the secrecy. It is what I imagine that situation to feel like. Costello managed to present this affair whilst maintaining the likeability of her protagonist. I don’t mind admitting that the ending of Paris Mon Amour did take me by surprise. I’ll even confess to shedding a tear or two along the way. I don’t often cry at books, but this is a very emotional book, and I loved Isabel Costello’s sensuous style of writing. I really hope that there will be a second novel from her before too long! We also meet Vanessa, who is Phillipe's teenage daughter. She comes to live with him after being thrown out by her mum. She is difficult and comes across as not a nice person but as the story developes we learn she just needs a bit of love and attention. Alexandra trys hard to give her that. I must admit that after reading some of the titles on the Baileys Prize shortlist, I was feeling pretty depressed. Seriously, these are some grim stories. Being that I am off to Paris for a weekend in a couple of weeks the setting of this novel appealed to me to get me in the mood.

Overall, Paris Mon Amour wasn’t for me but that is not to say that it isn’t well written. It is, I just couldn’t identify with Alexandra. Whilst I felt sympathy for her I didn’t empathise with he and for me, that fact kept me at a distance rather than feeling completely immersed in the novel. A candid and seductive debut from a writer with plenty more to give based on this emotional but ultimately uplifting tale. With every increasingly passionate liaison, Alexandra is pulled deeper into a situation that threatens everyone she holds dear.

Paris Mon Amour is beautifully written. It is effortless in absorbing you onto the streets of Paris and into the Parisian lifestyle. I think even if you haven’t been to the city before, you will feel as if you have been transported there through the detailed descriptions, not just of the city itself but of the emotions that being there evokes in the writer.

It talks about love. About solitude. About relationships we have with our mothers. About choices we make, and how they influence us even if we avoid them as much as we can. About life. Sometimes you come across a book that you start to read and realise that it's nothing like you had expected it to be. This book was a breath of fresh air really as it went beyond the usual women's fiction path and took us more on an emotional, very grown-up journey of an adulterous affair and the rippling effect it has on all those involved. Paris Mon Amour is a story of love, lies and deceit. We meet Alexandra, a British American living in Paris who is married to Philippe. When Alexandra's mum tells her she knows Phillippe is having an affair, Alexandra embarks on an affair of her own with Jean-Luc. Jean-Luc is a sexy 23 year old and just happens to be the is son of Philippe’s best friend. Revenge is sweet or is it?. Beautifully told through the boulevards and arrondissements of the City of Light, Paris Mon Amour is a sensual novel about inescapable desire and devastating betrayals. It is the story of one woman and two men, and what happens when there is no way out.

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Disclosure: I was sent a review copy of ‘Paris Mon Amour‘ by Isabel Costello, but the opinions in this post are my own and unbiased.

More than anything, we feel for Alexandra – her marriage has lost its sparkle and passion and whilst that doesn’t justify her actions we can see why this may have influenced her decision to cheat on her husband.It is Jean-Luc, seventeen years younger than her, and the son of Philippe's best friend who becomes her answer and she embarks on a sensuous and compulsive affair with him.

When we meet Alexandra she is at the end of her story and begins to recount to us how she came to be at this point. What starts with the discovery of her husband Philippe having an affair, turns into a story of love and redemption, as she herself embarks on an extramarital relationship, whilst dealing with uncertain and evolving family dynamics. Just when I was about to write this post, I found out about Christina Grimmie, a 22-year old singer who I happened to listen to, and was amazed with her beautiful edgy voice. She was killed yesterday by a guy few years her senior. Why? We won't fond out since he shot himself shortly afterwards. That incredibly sad story shades yet another light onto the book I wholeheartedly recommend reading. On the occasion of the inauguration of the operation, Nicolas Houzé, CEO of Galeries Lafayette, declared: "As we all gradually return to normal life, it was essential for us to take part in the revival of Paris by placing it at the heart of our summer event. Paris Mon Amour is also a way of celebrating the resilience we have all shown, and our ability to look forward to a brighter future by promoting what makes it a must-see destination for French and international visitors.Alexandra is an English woman, living in Paris with her husband Philippe. They have a busy, fairly glamorous life and when Alexandra's waspish Mother slyly implies that Philippe is having an affair, Alexandra reacts in an unusual way. Though I would have preferred a greater exploration of Jean-Luc's troubles, Alexandra's journey though, is one of discovery, of self-understanding and realisation of what she is capable of. I imagine the thrill of an illicit affair is pretty good escapism for many of us right now. Overall, a convincing and enjoyable read. Despite that little niggle I honestly couldn’t recommend this book enough. It is a very honest look at infidelity and how it’s effects on all the parties involved. This is a magnificent story. It was my love of Paris that made me request Paris Mon Amour. As a self-confessed Francophile, I love France – Paris, in particular – and therefore make the rather foolish assumption that I will love anything to do with France. That isn’t always the case.