Book Review: Paris for One by Jojo Moyes

paris-for-one

Title: Paris for One & Other Stories
Author: Jojo Moyes
Publisher: Penguin, Michael Joseph
Date: February 9th, 2017
Pages: 336
Format: Hardback
Source: from Publisher for review

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads): From the #1 “New York Times” bestselling author of “Me Before You” and “After You,” a sensational collection featuring the title novella and eight other stories. Quintessential Jojo Moyes, “Paris for One and Other Stories” is an irresistibly romantic collection filled with humor and heart.
Nell is twenty-six and has never been to Paris. She’s never even been on a romantic weekend away to anywhere before. Everyone knows travelling abroad isn’t really her thing. But when Nell’s boyfriend fails to show up for their romantic mini-vacation, she has the opportunity to prove everyone including herself wrong. Alone and in Paris, Nell uncovers a version of herself she never knew existed: independent and intrepid. Could this turn out to be the most adventurous weekend of her life? Funny, charming, and irresistible, “Paris for One”is vintage Moyes as are the other stories that round out the collection.”

Paris for One
Between the Tweets
Love in the Afternoon
A Bird in the Hand
Crocodile Shoes
Holdups
Honeymoon in Paris
Last Year’s Coat
Thirteen Days with John C.
Margot
The Christmas List

vrpca

Review:

Paris for One is collection of two novellas and 9 short stories.

My favorite story (or I should say novella) was Honeymoon in Paris. It is a standalone novella, but is also connected to Moyes’ full lenght novel The Girl You Left Behind. 80 pages long, the story follows two couples placed in different time, separated by 80 years, who’s stories together make a whole. Even though I really liked it, I think I would appreciate it even more if I have read the novel.

Paris for One is second best in this collection.
It is fun and easy to read, but I think it would be better if the story was set in 90’s, because characters were really bad when it comes to communication. If there were no mobile phones, the story would make more sense.

Other two stories that I really enjoyed were Between the Tweets and Crocodile Shoes.

As for other pieces, I think they were put into this collection just for sake of having enough stories for the whole bind up.
Some were forgetable (Love in the Afternoon), some were there so Jojo Moyes’ fans would have something new to read, and one was so…. silly and ridiculous (I don’t mean it in a good way). The story I’m talking about is Holdups. I really didn’t like that one.

I don’t want to sound rude here, but I’ll say this anyway: some stories sounded like someone’s practice writing, so I couldn’t help but wonder if they were written before Moyes found her voice, before she became a successful writer.

To be fair, when it all comes down together, I think three stars rating is realistic.

I would recommend this collection to fans of Jojo Moyes.
If you haven’t read anything by her before, and you come upon this book, I would still recommend four stories I mentioned as my favorites. It would be a shame not to read them, if you already have a chance to do so.

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6 thoughts on “Book Review: Paris for One by Jojo Moyes”

  2. ” it would be better if the story was set in 90’s, because characters were really bad when it comes to communication. If there were no mobile phones, the story would make more sense.” Haha, this made me laugh so much! I totally understand what you mean. Sometimes characters are terrible at communication and you wonder if they don’t belong to another century. I’ve read both Me Before You and After You, and… I won’t be reading anything else from the author because I was so bored during both books! But I’m glad some stories worked for you here 🙂 Great and honest review!

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    1. Thanks Donna! I totally get what you’re saying, I think with today’s technology, there’s no excuse to lack of communication, so it would be better for authors set their stories in another, closer to us time, if that is what carries the story.
      oh, too bad Moyes didn’t click with you. I only read her Me Before You, but I heard that her book Last Letter from your Lover is beautiful, so maybe I will give that one a try.

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  4. I had no idea this was a collection of short stories (I clearly didn’t read the small print on the cover I see now). It’s a bit strange that some stories were not as good as others but I must say that her writing is indeed a bit the same for me. I’ve read Me Before You which was great, After You was okay, The Girl You Left Behind was amazing but then I read The Last Letter from Your Lover and I haven’t even finished that one, it was too boring. So it’s a bit up and down with this author in general.. Thanks for your lovely review!

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