A review by melissad75
Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale

4.0

Really delightful! A solid 4 rating, I'd say. It's much lighter in tone than the other Kinsale books I've read, but many of her hallmarks are still there -- depth of characterization, lovely and insightful prose, and a story that grabs me emotionally and stays with me after I've shut the book. There's a lot of humor in the story, but also a vein of melancholy and loneliness as the hero and heroine, both of whom are quite lovable, finally find their way to each other.

I typically expect a novel by Laura Kinsale to rip my heart out and stomp on it with its dramatic plot and tortured hero and heroine, and to tell the truth I love being put through the wringer like that! But there's also something to be said for having a book where there are some genuine laughs, and where the characters have problems, but not ones that leave the reader prostrated in a teary heap on the floor. Sometimes you want something light and fun, and Lessons in French is that, but it's light and fun with substance, which for me is a perfect combination.

Once again I read along with the audiobook narrated by Nicholas Boulton. He does such a brilliant job with these books, bringing all the characters to life and adding such emotion to my reading experience. And, on a shallow note, you haven't lived until you've heard his beautiful, sexy voice whispering sweet nothings in your ear. Especially when they're in French. ;)