Thank you to Love Notes PR and Annabelle McCormack for an ARC of “One Time in Paris” in exchange for an honest review.
Book title: One Time in Paris by Annabelle McCormack
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.75-4ish
Take a trip to Paris and Paris, and oh, Paris, in Annabelle McCormack’s “One Time in Paris.” If you’re looking for a fun, romantic book, then this is it. Let’s dig in!
What Worked…
I really enjoyed the concept of this book. Isla is a retired actress who now runs her family’s hotel in Costa Rica. When she drunkenly signs on to host a travel show her friend is producing, she goes on an adventure that leads her to facing what she wants to do with her life. Along the way, she also finds out she married her friend from childhood in Vegas. Whoops!
My favorite part of this book wasn’t the romance, honestly, it was Isla traveling to all the Parises in the United States. This was such a fun storyline. You got to witness all the drama that unfolds behind the scenes of a reality show, and the author did not hold back with the drama. I don’t think any of the drama was too far-fetched, either. The idea of heading to different Parises was a unique storyline.
As far as the main characters go, I liked Isla! She knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself. She was portrayed to be a strong, likable character. She didn’t make me cringe or annoyed at all through the book, which is a huge win. I liked the journey she went on in realizing that her choice to retire from acting was the right one. I also liked that she was able to stand up to everyone who tried to get in her business about her job and love life. Isla didn’t let anyone control her own narrative, including the MMC, Aidan.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the writing of “One Time in Paris.” McCormack is a great writer. As someone who cringes at grammar errors that sometimes wind up in books, this one was flawless!
And What Didn’t Work…
The pacing was a bit slow for me. I really liked the first 60-65% of the book the best. As soon as Isla and Aidan became more serious, I found myself getting a bit bored.
Which leads me to the MMC, Aidan, and the romance. Normally, the romance of a book is one of my favorite aspects to read. However, the romance between Isla and Aidan fell flat. There wasn’t any tension between them, and I didn’t really understand why they actually liked each other, aside from their attraction. Aidan was a very bland character, as well. Nothing about him made me swoon, so I didn’t understand the appeal of him. He’s not a bad character — there was just nothing too special about him that made him a good book boyfriend.
Also, I wish they would have spent more time in the actual Paris. I thought it would lead up to that, but then it happened so quickly that it didn’t fulfill this writer’s love for Paris.
What To Expect While Reading “One Time in Paris”
🥐 A friends-to-lover/accidental marriage trope
🥐 A MMC who would do anything for the FMC
🥐 Lots of travel
🥐 Amazing writing
🥐 A different take on common tropes and some good ole spice
Overall, this was a cute and fun read that’s perfect for a rainy day. “One Time in Paris” is out now, so be sure to grab your own copy!
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