Editorial note: I received a copy of One Summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan in exchange for a review.
One Summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan is an emotional but, ultimately, uplifting novel about two women trying to find their place in the world.
The first novel I read by Sarah Morgan was last year’s The Christmas Sisters, which I adored! I instantly became a fan of her writing so I was eager to read One Summer in Paris. While completely different storylines, it still features Sarah’s strong writing and relatable characters.
The story follows Grace as she’s all set to surprise her husband of 25 years with a trip of a lifetime: a summer trip to Paris. However, she’s blindsided when he reveals he wants a divorce. And on top of that, she finds out he’s having an affair with a woman not much older than their daughter. while heartbroken, she still decides to return to Paris alone.
Audrey has left behind heartache of her own when she arrives in Paris. When her and Grace have a chance meeting, everything changes for the two of them. They came to Paris to find themselves but this unbreakable friendship might be the best thing that’s ever happened to them.
Finding yourself in Paris
I recently read The Unbreakables by Lisa Barr, which is another story about a wrong wife who goes to France. While sharing a similar theme, the stories are actually quite different so if you’ve read one, I still highly recommend you read the other one! I personally love stories set in Paris so I’m all for more stories taking place there. The city definitely provides a setting of its own and you feel as if you’re there in the City of Light with these characters.
The friendship
I was all about the lovely friendship between Grace and Audrey. They both learn so much from each other and despite the big age difference, they have much more in common than expected. I love stories where women lift each other up. The friendship felt real and there wasn’t some misunderstanding fight that can be tiresome.
My only issue with the book were the story choices for two other characters – it took a bit away from a crucial character development of one of the protagonists in my opinion. But we don’t always have to agree with the decisions a character makes, right? And I definitely think book clubs will have plenty to discuss (click here for my book club questions) with this one.
Final thoughts: this is an enjoyable read about two women experiencing the power of friendship and learning that it’s never too late (or too early) to grow and evolve.
