It’s been seven years since Chelsea Martin embarked on her yearlong post-college European adventure. Since then, she’s lost her mother to cancer and watched her sister marry twice, while Chelsea’s thrown herself into work, becoming one of the most talented fundraisers for the American Cancer Coalition, and with the exception of one annoyingly competent coworker, Jason Knightley, her status as most successful moneymaker is unquestioned.
When her introverted mathematician father announces he’s getting remarried, Chelsea is forced to acknowledge that her life stopped after her mother died and that the last time she can remember being happy, in love, or enjoying her life was on her year abroad. Inspired to retrace her steps—to find Colin in Ireland, Jean Claude in France, and Marcelino in Italy—Chelsea hopes that one of these three men who stole her heart so many years ago can help her find it again.
From the start of her journey nothing goes as planned, but as Chelsea reconnects with her old self, she also finds love in the very last place she expected.
Release Date: Jul 21, 2020
Heat Level: Sensual
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley
Price: $9.99
Paris is Always a Good Idea is a light-hearted romantic comedy novel by Jenn McKinlay that is a really good escape during this time where the majority of people are stuck in quarantine.
The novel follows the life of Chelsea Martin since her year-long, post-college gap year in Europe. Since then she has lost her mother to cancer, she has been present at two weddings for her sister and gotten more and more immersed with her career. She is now considering as being one of the best fundraisers in her company, with the exception of her annoying coworker Jason Knightley. Her world is jarred again when her father tells her that he’s getting married and Chelsea realizes that she has not had a truly happy moment in her life since she went to Europe. She decides to retrace her steps and find the men who gave her such happy memories from each place. Another benefit to reading this book during COVID times is that you get to take a trip to Europe without leaving your couch.
Even from that brief description, I think everyone will realize that you cannot find happiness by trying to recreate the past. However, it does make for a very entertaining novel to go back and explore three cities with Chelsea as she tries to find her old lovers. Her relationship with Jason reminded me of The Hating Game, and was filled with the same quick-witted conversations and insults that masked their attraction for each other. The story is not your typical romance story; at least it doesn’t follow the same predictable path that many do. I was pleasantly surprised as I read through Chelsea’s adventures before she finally got to her happily-ever-after.
I thought McKinlay did a good job of portraying someone who is clearly still not over the loss of her mother but is trying her very best to move on. There was a lot more to Chelsea that the reader discovers throughout the book than the uptight career woman that we met in the beginning. The pace of the story moved really well and I never found myself bored or wanting to just abandon the book. I recommend this for anyone who just wants a feel-good romance with a bit of travel and adventure thrown in.
~ Harshita
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