Paulita Kincer

Falling for Provence is the second book in the series about Fia Jennings and her family. Fia is now working in her aunt and uncle's B&B. When a new handsome guest, Ali, checks in, Fia starts to fall for him and contemplates an affair. However, Ali is not all that he seems. Ali has a mission. To steal a valuable statue from the Louvre and return it to Iraq. He believes, that when the statue returns to it's home, peace will reign over the Middle East. When Christophe, Fia's old boyfriend shows up, the plot thickens. Mayhem ensues, when Christophe suspects Ali is a thief and Ali distrusts Fia.
I have read another book by the author, but not the first in the series. This is a standalone book and the author fills in background from the first. I love mysteries and thrillers, that have museums, as settings and plots, that involve art theft. At times, I felt like shaking Fia, but all was well in the end. Fia and Christophe make a beautiful couple. There is a twist at the end, that makes me wonder, if we are going to see a return of Ali the thief and who really won in this cat and mouse game.… (mer)

So, this was the second release in the New Life in Provence series, but I didn't really feel behind the curve. You get enough glimpses into what transpired previously to land Fia and her kids where they are now that you'll be on the same page...but that page is rather unusual. The story takes us along for the ride as Fia gets her feet back under her, trying to create a new life for herself and her family, while coming to grips with everything that happened not so long ago. The monkey wrench of love being thrown in sends her a bit off course, but sometimes exploring those deviations from our chosen path can have AMAZING outcomes. This time...umm, well, I can't REALLY tell you because it'll ruin the surprise, but let's just say that she DOES get closer to someone, while also cutting ties with several other someone's, and the ending sort of leaves you scrambling for solid ground. I suppose a few of the loose ends of a sort were to allow for further installments to be added to the series, but the one regarding the actual theft or rescue (depending on how you few it) of the artifact, simply left me to wonder. To me, it seemed to be more about the belief in the thing versus the actual thing itself, and how powerful that can be...at least, that's how I took it...trust me, that'll make more sense when you read it.

In the end, I enjoyed my visit to Provence, but I'm not certain I'd want to call it home. If you enjoy Women's Fiction with a bit of Mystery, and a dash of Suspense, this is definitely a book I'd check out.

**ebook received for review; opinions are my own… (mer)

What do you do when your 17 year old daughter runs away to Paris with her boyfriend without telling anyone? This is the dilemma facing Sadie Ford, when her daughter, Scarlett, turns up missing. Sadie jumps on the first flight to search for the missing teens. When she turns up no clues, she enlists the help of the boyfriend's father, Auguste, also a divorced parent. Auguste and Sadie travel to the south of France in pursuit of the teens. Along the way, the teens are not the only ones to find love .
This highly entertaining novel is the perfect summer read. At first Mother Sadie seemed very scatter- brained, a tad irritating even. But in her defense, she was worried about what trouble her daughter was in. As her own romance blossomed, she started to calm down and realize, what she herself was missing in life. If you have ever fallen in love with a Frenchman, you will recognize how special it can be, as epitomized in Auguste.… (mer)

Name of Book: Paris Runaway

Author: Paulita Kincer

ISBN: 978-1-365-18923-4

Publisher: self published

Type of book: France, gangs, trouble, Florida, love, relationships, family, 2000s, birds,Paris, autumn romance, defiance, parent/child relationships

Year it was published: 2016

Summary:

When divorced mom Sadie Ford realizes her 17-year-old daughter Scarlett has run away to Paris all she can imagine are terrorist bombings and sex slaves. After learning her daughter chased a French exchange student home, Sadie hops on the next plane in pursuit. She joins forces with the boy’s father, Auguste, and the two attempt to find the missing teens before they can stumble into more trouble. The chase takes Sadie and Auguste to the seedier side of Marseille, where their own connection is ignited. Since the divorce, Sadie has devoted herself to raising kids and putting her dreams on hold, but when her daughter needs her most, Sadie finds that concrete barrier to life beginning to crack. In her journey, she learns the difference between watching the hours pass and living.

Characters:

Main characters include Sadie Ford, a woman who has recently turned fifty years old and has two daughters. She has always put her family first, even above herself and I feel as if she needs an excuse to finally place herself first. There is also Sadie's daughter Scarlett who is seventeen years of age and is best described as rebellious and someone who follows her own mind, consequences do not matter. Luc is a foreign exchange student from France who has a troubled history with law enforcement as well as gangs. Auguste is Luc's father and is best described as charming and enchanting, He also enjoys showing Sadie what it is like to live in France

Theme:

You never know how things will turn out

Plot:

The story is in first person from Sadie's point of view. Although a bit improbable that requires suspension of belief, its something I'm willing to do to enjoy the story and to learn more about living in France and to enjoy the romance. What I also liked is that Sadie is an older woman who has been married and has two daughters and she is also someone whom any woman could relate to because she always put others above herself.

Author Information:
(From France Book Tour Pages)

Paulita Kincer
has an M.A. in journalism from American University.
She has traveled to France 11 times,
and still finds more to lure her back.
She currently teaches college English
and lives in Columbus, Ohio,
with her three children, two cats and one husband.
Visit her website www.paulitakincer.com and her blog at http://www.paulita-ponderings.blogspot.comor follow her on Twitter @paulitakincer
Like her Facebook page at Paulita Kincer Writer.
Email paulita@paulitakincer.com
Buy the book (print, ebook audiobook): Amazon

Opinion:

I'm a bit torn on whether to give this book four or five stars. Why? I really greatly enjoyed reading Paris Runaway and it felt as if it came at the right time because its a quick and light read that offered a lot of fascinating yet mundane details on how to live in Paris as well as how to get around the city, which I greatly appreciated. At the same time, I feel as if I built a reputation of sorts when it comes to five star books. Whatever the rating, I highly recommend Paris Runaway because its highly engage-able, has a romance with a much older woman and for me a wonderful cocktail of something light, informational and quick.

This is for France Book Tours… (mer)