The French Honeymoon: A Novel
“An intriguing story set in one of the world’s most romantic cities, the novel expertly cuts between characters, building up suspense . . .”
“Sometimes Paris is a terrible idea. The shiny grey taxi spits me onto the narrow street then continues on before disappearing around the corner. This is the Paris of horsecar postcards or, rather, of Instagram. The cobblestones are charmingly uneven, centuries old church pecks peaks above leafy trees, and ornate lampposts lined the sidewalk. The air smells sweet and damp, the asphalt still wet from rain, but the sky is bright and cloudless. It's early afternoon on an otherwise lovely summer day. I have often dreamed of this trip, but I never imagined it would happen like this, with my mind in disarray and adrenaline coursing through my veins.”
It is not a marriage made in heaven, but it is certainly one made in haste. Cassie is eager to win back her ex-boyfriend, and marrying Olivier somehow seems like the right thing to do. Olivier is desperate to stay in the United States instead of returning to France where tax authorities are waiting. But he’s lost his job and his work visa and so marrying Cassie, who just inherited a ton of money from the father she hadn’t seen for years, seems like a clever idea. That is, if they can convince the authorities that the marriage is real and not just a ploy to get his citizenship. Of course, if they’re caught faking the relationship, there’s prison time involved.
And then there’s Cassie’s stepsister. Totally opposite of Cassie who is bold and brassy and busy Instagramming her life, the sister lives in the shadows of the decrepit old upstate inn where the two grew up. Somehow, Cassie has neglected to tell Olivier she has a sister, one who she hates and bosses around. But then there’s a lot these two don’t know about each other, and the unexpected honeymoon that Cassie has booked for them in one of the most expensive hotels in Paris, the last place Olivier wants to be, is another surprise.
There’s a third person on their honeymoon in Paris. Her name is Taylor, and she has arrived without luggage but with oodles of cash and a hedonistic streak to spend it as quickly as she can. She also is into stalking the supposedly happy couple, following Cassie’s social media posts, and following them around.
Who is Taylor? Is she just a wistful wannabe, jealous of an unknown but supposedly happy couple? Or is it more than that?
An intriguing story set in one of the world’s most romantic cities, the novel expertly cuts between characters, building up suspense as each tries to figure out the secrets of the others while holding on tightly to their own.
Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau is a bilingual French author whose young adult books have been translated into more than 12 languages. She moved to New York City where she currently lives with her Australian French Australian American family and two cats. After graduating from university in France, Jouhanneau resided in Amsterdam where she worked in advertising before moving to Melbourne. The Paris Honeymoon is her first adult novel.