One Paris Summer - by Denise Grover Swank (Paperback)

About the Book

Sophie Peterson knows that she should be excited to spend a summer in Paris, but feels anger at her father for divorcing her mother and moving to France. When a friendship with a boy named Mathieu turns into more, Sophie must decide if she can stay in France, forgive her father enough to live with him, and trust her heart with her first love.

Book Synopsis

New York Times bestseller! In this romantic coming-of-age YA novel, Sophie Brooks agrees to spend the summer with her father and his soon-to-be new wife, as well as share a room with her stepmom's daughter, Camille. But what should be a lovely time in the City of Lights, preparing for her audition at the prestigious French music academy she's dreamed of attending, becomes a nightmare due to the lack of a piano and less than sisterly relations ... until the attractive boy next door invites Sophie to practice at his home. But just as everything is looking up, Sophie's first love--and musical future--are in danger.

One Paris Summer:

• Is a perfect escape read for teens and fans of contemporary YA romance
• Combines the complexities of blended families and finding your own path in life with the thrills of falling in love for the first time
• Will appeal to fans of Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, and Stephanie Perkins

Review Quotes

Swank, author of the Rose Gardener Mystery series for adults, explores the complicated family dynamics that result from divorce. Sixteen-year-old Sophie, an aspiring pianist, and her 17-year-old brother, Eric, are a long way from forgiving their father for abandoning them to work in Paris, as well as recently remarrying. To make amends, he invites the siblings to spend the summer with him, wife Eva, and Camille, Eva's daughter, who is just as angry as Sophie and Eric are about her new family. Even the beauty of Paris isn't enough to smooth over Sophie's deep feelings of hurt toward her father, while Camille's antagonism robs Sophie of enjoying the sights and making potential new friends. Writing from Sophie's point of view, Swank handles the teen's powerful and sometimes conflicting feelings with insight and sensitivity. When tensions ease, Sophie is eventually able to open up to Paris, her father, and Mathieu, a handsome boy who invites her to practice piano at his family's apartment, in this family drama about forgiveness and starting fresh.--Publishers Weekly