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emjay2021's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I enjoyed the first story well enough—it was pleasant and entertaining for listening to on transit. However, I was much more lukewarm on a few of the other stories and found this collection to be quite uneven.
I don’t think I realized when I started this audiobook that all the stories featured women stuck in disappointing relationships. Overall, the theme is: there’s a long-suffering competent woman saddled with a lead weight of a boyfriend/husband. I know relationships are complex, and a couple of these stories were better about portraying that complexity, but dear lord I just wanted to shout at some of these women GET OUT NOW! And then, spoiler alert, a couple of them do in rather entertaining ways, but most just choose to continue plodding along with the man-shaped lump they are currently tethered to. Annoying.
I don’t think I realized when I started this audiobook that all the stories featured women stuck in disappointing relationships. Overall, the theme is: there’s a long-suffering competent woman saddled with a lead weight of a boyfriend/husband. I know relationships are complex, and a couple of these stories were better about portraying that complexity, but dear lord I just wanted to shout at some of these women GET OUT NOW! And then, spoiler alert, a couple of them do in rather entertaining ways, but most just choose to continue plodding along with the man-shaped lump they are currently tethered to. Annoying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
sony08's review against another edition
3.0
Reviews at: http://noemptyshelveshere.blogspot.co.uk/
I have always been a big fan of Jojo Moyes and I can honestly say she is one of my favourite authors so I was excited to be reading her newest book.
I needed to read something light and easy and this hit just the right spot. The main story ‘Paris for One’ is a heart-warming one, following Nell to Paris for a romantic getaway with her boyfriend. Only Nell actually finds herself alone, in a big city, knowing nothing of the language, customs or cuisine. And then she meets Fabian, the heartbroken writer-to-be.
I won’t spoil the rest of the story but it’s lovely and the characters are likable just like the main characters we know and love from any other of Jojo’s books.
The other short stories are easy to read and identify yourself with some of their characters and some have more surprising conclusions than others.
3 stars might seem harsh, but all they mean is that I enjoyed this book but feel that it is not as complex as Jojo’s other works. It is an uncomplicated novel asking to be read on holidays and spare time to cheer yourself up.
I am most grateful to the author, publisher and NetGalley for access to this book in return for this honest opinion.
I have always been a big fan of Jojo Moyes and I can honestly say she is one of my favourite authors so I was excited to be reading her newest book.
I needed to read something light and easy and this hit just the right spot. The main story ‘Paris for One’ is a heart-warming one, following Nell to Paris for a romantic getaway with her boyfriend. Only Nell actually finds herself alone, in a big city, knowing nothing of the language, customs or cuisine. And then she meets Fabian, the heartbroken writer-to-be.
I won’t spoil the rest of the story but it’s lovely and the characters are likable just like the main characters we know and love from any other of Jojo’s books.
The other short stories are easy to read and identify yourself with some of their characters and some have more surprising conclusions than others.
3 stars might seem harsh, but all they mean is that I enjoyed this book but feel that it is not as complex as Jojo’s other works. It is an uncomplicated novel asking to be read on holidays and spare time to cheer yourself up.
I am most grateful to the author, publisher and NetGalley for access to this book in return for this honest opinion.
socorrobaptista's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
4.0
Nunca havia lido Jojo Moyes, embora já tivesse ouvido falar bastante dela. Gostei deste conto, da forma como a protagonista dá a volta por cima e resolve aproveitar o momento. Sem cenas desnecessárias de sexo, sem apelação, uma boa narrativa.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
3.0
Jojo Moyes' story collection contains two novellas and a selection of short stories focused on relationships, particularly wives and girlfriends dissatisfied with their other halves. They don't have the emotional punch of Jojo's novels and there would appear to be a lot of unfaithful partners in the short stories.
The title story, Paris for One, is a perfectly enjoyable novella, previously published as part of the Quick Reads initiative. It is a bit predictable but sometimes that's what you want in a light read. Nell is the opposite of impulsive but she takes a leap of faith when she books a short break for her and her boyfriend, a romantic weekend in Paris.
But her boyfriend makes excuses and Nell is left alone on a train to Paris. It’s not a story about how exploring a city by yourself isn’t so bad, instead Nell meets a man. For a character described as getting anxious about everything, her anxiety doesn't really come through in the writing. She makes lists but overall, she seems to cope fine with a crappy situation.
The other novella is a prequel to The Girl You Left Behind. This is worth reading if you've read the novel but loses some of its significance without knowing the circumstances. Liv's disappointing honeymoon is heart-breaking knowing David's life was so short. As in the novel, the perspectives switch between past and present, giving the story of how the painting came to be.
Despite numerous people having a rubbish time in Paris, these stories still romanticise the place. I'm not sure I see the appeal of such a busy city, which has its fair share of problems. Not all the stories are set in Paris but the shorter ones didn’t work so well for me. Jojo’s stories are best when you have time to really connect with her characters and care what happens with their relationships.
Review copy provided by publisher.
The title story, Paris for One, is a perfectly enjoyable novella, previously published as part of the Quick Reads initiative. It is a bit predictable but sometimes that's what you want in a light read. Nell is the opposite of impulsive but she takes a leap of faith when she books a short break for her and her boyfriend, a romantic weekend in Paris.
But her boyfriend makes excuses and Nell is left alone on a train to Paris. It’s not a story about how exploring a city by yourself isn’t so bad, instead Nell meets a man. For a character described as getting anxious about everything, her anxiety doesn't really come through in the writing. She makes lists but overall, she seems to cope fine with a crappy situation.
The other novella is a prequel to The Girl You Left Behind. This is worth reading if you've read the novel but loses some of its significance without knowing the circumstances. Liv's disappointing honeymoon is heart-breaking knowing David's life was so short. As in the novel, the perspectives switch between past and present, giving the story of how the painting came to be.
Despite numerous people having a rubbish time in Paris, these stories still romanticise the place. I'm not sure I see the appeal of such a busy city, which has its fair share of problems. Not all the stories are set in Paris but the shorter ones didn’t work so well for me. Jojo’s stories are best when you have time to really connect with her characters and care what happens with their relationships.
Review copy provided by publisher.
sweetpeajoelle's review against another edition
1.0
I dont know why I try, these books are not for me
ashleysilver7's review against another edition
3.0
Very predictable...but not altogether un-enjoyable. It's a cliched romance about a British girl, aged 27, who has never colored outside the lines her whole life. She bought her "boyfriend" a ticket for a weekend getaway in Paris, to find herself in Paris by herself. She finds herself, so to speak, and love ensues.