Review: Cocktails at Le Carmen by Isabelle Andover

Title:  Cocktails at Le Carmen

Author: Isabelle Andover

Publisher: 19^th May 2015 by Simon & Fig

Pages: 299 pages

How I Read It: ARC ebook

Genre: womens fiction; chick lit

My Rating: 3 cups

Synopsis:

When job cuts at Chloe Saddler’s London communications firm result in an unexpected transfer to Paris, she finds herself leaving behind her friends, family, and boyfriend Scott to start a new life in the City of Light. Getting to grips with La Vie Parisienne and keeping a long-distance relationship afloat is not made any easier by the culture shock. Committing the odd French faux pas and inadvertently indulging in a few too many flirtations with her very sexy (and very taken) boss, Jean-Luc, is just the start of it. Factor in her bridezilla of a sister’s wedding (the hottest event of the year in the Saddler family’s social calendar), an unexpected session of hot, naked yoga, a slightly psychotic stalker, and one incredible kiss at an infamous Montmartre nightspot, and Chloe can say au revoir to her old, safe London life and bonjour to the romance, splendour, and glamour of Paris.

A delightful debut that harks back to the early days of Chick Lit when heroines were flawed, funny, and forever battling for love and happiness. With quirky characters and classic comedic charm, Cocktails at Le Carmen is pure fun from page one.

My thoughts:

Cocktails at Le Carmen is a very light, fun story about shopping, girlfriends and of course cocktails, all in the city of light, 'Paris'. Simple as that - a light easy chick lit. No deep and meaningful revelations, no mysteries to unravel. Just a story about a girl called Chloe and her move from London to Paris to live.

It was enjoyable to read about the settings as they came across as interesting and realistic. It could be described as somewhat down-to-earth, as it was not all glamorous and smooth sailing. Chloe encountered problems that any person could come across in moving to a new country for work.

"Oh right, the meeting, "I said, turning fifty shades of pink".

If you are into designer labels as well, the clothing references - footwear inclusive - will be of interest. You will appreciate the references to designer labels girlfriends lend her or Chloe comes across on her own shopping trips. 

Both the characters of Amanda and her Bridezilla sister were bordering on annoying - meaningfully placed - but ridiculously so. Overall, however, it's light and simple humour that provides for easy going reading:

"a map of the city, which was an absolute necessity, as my sense of direction was so poor, I'd once got lost in Westfield shopping centre".

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.