Blame It on Paris

August 7, 2006
Florand's debut novel is the semiautobiographical story of the intercontinental courtship of Laura H— and Sébastien Florand. Laura, in Paris for a year on a Fulbright in 2001, isn't looking for love, but after her friends dare her, she invites to a party the hot bistro waiter she's been salivating over. They, of course, hit it off; Sébastien proves to be suave, romantic and smart, and a talented artist to boot. When Laura's scholarship ends, she returns to America, but unable to bear their separation, she quits her Ph.D. program and returns to Paris to live with Sébastien in an apartment "smaller than most American cars." Clashing cultures—she's from rural Georgia—supply much of the humor; after Laura and Sébastien decide to marry, his extended family flies to Georgia to see the couple wed at her family home, and though the French contingent's reactions to American culture—no wine on Sundays?— are funny, preparations for the epic French village wedding are much more interesting. The lovers' quarrels, however, are tedious, and Florand's lengthy descriptions of the vast spools of red tape the couple encounter while trying to secure work permits and visas seem extraneous in this frothy French confection of a novel.

September 15, 2006
Southern belle Laura is perfectly happy to spend her time as a graduate student in Paris gorging on chocolate, complaining about rude locals, and eschewing any sort of romance. Enter Sebastien, a cute waiter-aspiring graphic artist. What starts as a crush turns into a full-fledged relationship, and soon Laura is contemplating staying in Paris, and maybe even marrying. What follows is a sometimes hilarious and sometimes ridiculous adventure involving four weddings, two in rural Georgia and two in France. Florand's romance relies heavily on cultural stereotypes and misunderstandings to set up humorous situations. Ultimately, it's how well Laura and Sebastien's families take to each other, and to helping the newlyweds, that generates the sweet surprise. This is a fun, frothy tale for anyone who has ever conjured up a dashing foreigner to sweep her off her feet. Readers will be happy to live vicariously in Laura's French fairy tale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)