Saturday, 26 July 2014

From Paris with love - Samantha Tonge

                                                                       

Every girl dreams of hearing those four magical words Will you marry me? But no-one tells you what’s supposed to happen next…
Fun-loving Gemma Goodwin knows she should be revelling in her happy-ever-after. Except when her boyfriend Lord Edward popped the question, after a whirlwind romance, although she didn’t say no….she didn’t exactly say yes either!
A month-long cookery course in Paris could be just the place to make sure her heart and her head are on the same page… And however disenchanted with romance Gemma is feeling, the City of Love has plenty to keep her busy; the champagne is decadently quaffable, the croissants almost too delicious, and shopping is a national past-time! In fact, everything in Paris makes her want to say Je t’aime… Except Edward!
But whilst Paris might offer plenty of distractions from wedding planning – including her new friends, mysterious Joe and hot French rockstar Blade - there’s no reason she couldn’t just try one or two couture dresses is there? Just for fun…

About the author

                                                    


Samantha Tonge lives in Cheshire with her lovely family, and two cats who think they are dogs. When not writing, she spends her days cycling and willing cakes to rise. She has sold over 80 short stories to women’s magazines. Her bestselling debut novel, Doubting Abbey, came out in November 2013.

Links

My Review


It was lovely to catch up with Gemma and Edward again – although this time they’re in Paris, practising their cookery skills. At least they are until Gemma is approached to be part of a secret mission. It’s part spoof James Bond and part romantic comedy. There are some fantastic characters and a few twists and turns. Some of them you will be able to spot and then suddenly a big one hits you in the face. I’m not saying any more as I don’t want to spoil it.
Gemma’s arch nemesis is also well done. I loved the way that Samantha Tonge describes her through Gemma’s eyes. She’s everything she isn’t – elegant, intellectual, sophisticated and no wonder that Gemma dislikes her.
Gemma’s fantasies at the beginning of the chapter work quite well at first but after a while they do become rather predictable – a case of less is more in this case.  The ending also pushes the reader to the bounds of plausibility. That aside though, it’s a lovely story with great characters and if you’re looking for something light and amusing to read on holiday then I can thoroughly recommend it. Oh and the descriptions of Paris and the food alone should make you buy it. So, superb setting, marvellous characters and a wacky plot – what more could you ask for in a rom-com?

4.5/5


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