Book Review: Paris Lights by C.J. Duggan

Paris Lights 
Author: C.J. Duggan 
Publisher: Hachette Australia
Release date: December 2016
Pages: 291 pages
R.R.P: $17.99
Just when you think the world is your oyster, you end up with food poisoning...

Twenty-five-year old Claire Shorten had looked forward to spending a romantic weekend in Paris for as long as she could remember, and now it was here- three blissful days of strolling through cobbled streets arm-in-arm with her beloved, eating copious amounts of baked goods and soaking up the culture through each and every pore of her body. Well, at least, that was how she'd pictured it...

Even after her boyfriend dumps her rather unceremoniously in the most romantic place on earth, Claire is determined not to give up on her dream altogether-with or without her boyfriend. She finds herself a job in the kitchen of a small hotel; Michelin-starred it most certainly is not, but somehow Claire makes a place for herself amidst the dirty dishes and the foreign misfits who run the place.

When the restaurant attracts the attention of the enigmatic- and slightly terrifying- tycoon Louis Delarue, and Claire manages to survive his high-powered business luncheon from hell, she knows that she can survive anything, surely. But all bets are off when Louis makes a game-changing decisions: he's coming back for a second course...
My review
Thoughts on the book:   Paris Lights tells the story of Claire Shortan,a young twenty-five year old woman who comes to Paris for  hat she believes it a romantic weekend away with her boyfriend. They arrive at The Effiel Tower, one of the main attractions Claire has been looking forward to, only for her boyfriend to turn around and unceremoniously dump her. Left to wander back to the motel alone and pack, the next day when it's time to leave Claire decided that she is having none of it and refuses to go back with her ex-boyfriend. Instead she luckily gets a room at the hotel where they are staying, on the highest floor no less, and starts doing a little work in the kitchen for the hotel. Little does she know a big time celebrity is also looking at staying at the hotel and doing it up, but Claire makes a total fool of herself in front of him and it seems all is lost or is it?

For some reason Paris Lights sat on my TBR pile for a very long time. I don't know why exactly as I knew it would be a fairly quick read and that I would really enjoy it but obviously other books came along that I just had to read or I had to read some for blog tours. One of those books for a blog tour was the second book in the Heart of City Novels New York Nights (Paris Lights is the first book in the Heart of City novels). Once I had read it I immediately picked up Paris Lights and read it and of course, once again, I was reminded why I shouldn't leave books so long on my TBR for so long. 

Paris Lights was an amazing story of personal growth for our main character Claire. She finally took control of her life and did things she never really thought she was capable of with out her boyfriend by her side. Throughout the book I found myself really rooting for Claire to do well and not back down from the challenges that she was having to face including the unexpected dumping by her boyfriend to the love/hate relationship she had with Louis. Paris Lights isn't your typical love story and I think that's what makes it a fantastic book. Although the when I got to the end I wanted more, more of the relationship that was blossoming between Claire and Louis and more of the amazing supporting characters that are throughout the book. I wish I could stay at the Hotel Trocadero.

Rating: 4/5

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