One Paris Summer

May 23, 2016
Swank, author of the Rose Gardener Mystery series for adults, explores the complicated family dynamics that result from divorce. Sixteen-year-old Sophie, an aspiring pianist, and her 17-year-old brother, Eric, are a long way from forgiving their father for abandoning them to work in Paris, as well as recently remarrying. To make amends, he invites the siblings to spend the summer with him, wife Eva, and Camille, Eva's daughter, who is just as angry as Sophie and Eric are about her new family. Even the beauty of Paris isn't enough to smooth over Sophie's deep feelings of hurt toward her father, while Camille's antagonism robs Sophie of enjoying the sights and making potential new friends. Writing from Sophie's point of view, Swank handles the teen's powerful and sometimes conflicting feelings with insight and sensitivity. When tensions ease, Sophie is eventually able to open up to Paris, her father, and Mathieu, a handsome boy who invites her to practice piano at his family's apartment, in this family drama about forgiveness and starting fresh. Ages 13âup.

July 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-A summer in Paris should be a dream come true for talented pianist Sophie, but the circumstances of her sudden trip don't leave her with much hope for a good time. Her father, who left the family behind for a great job opportunity, is getting remarried. Sophie planned to spend the summer practicing for an important audition-but her father doesn't even have a piano. When she and her brother, Eric, arrive, they discover that they'll be spending most of their time with their new stepsister Camille, who seems about as excited as they are about this development-in fact, she's outright angry. The addition to the group of Dane, Eric's friend from home, and Camille's Parisian friends adds plenty of opportunities for drama and romance. They all have two months to get to know one another, and for a while it doesn't seem as though it will ever happen. One of Camille's friends offers Sophie real friendship and access to a piano, and things finally start to look up. But as romance starts to bloom, it becomes clear not everyone is being entirely truthful. Sophie could lose both a friend and her chance to practice for her auditions. This is a fun, light novel with relatable characters that will resonate with high school readers also struggling with romantic disappointment, difficult parents, and the stress of college exams and auditions. VERDICT A great summer read that will appeal to fans of Stephanie Perkins's Anna and the French Kiss.-Sarah Jones, Clinton-Macomb Public Library, MI

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