I love Veronica Henry's feel good fiction and have adored most of her novels.
Thirty Days in Paris centres on Juliet, recently separated from her husband, who returns to Paris, where many years ago she was an au pair for a family there.
I love Paris and the author really brought to life the romantic and atmospheric side of the city. The novel is told in a dual time frame and I liked the character of the grown up Juliet. I found it harder to connect with the younger Juliet and her experience of Paris. Overall this was a light and warm hearted read, characteristic of Veronica Henry's novels but not one of my favourites.
3.5 stars.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

It has been some time since I have read a Veronica Henry novel and after finishing her recent release Thirty Days in Paris I think I have been missing out!

This novel was chic and charming from start to finish as we journey along with newly separated Juliet as she adjusts to single life after a long and loving marriage. Juliet decides to give herself thirty days in Paris to reinvent herself but also to have a second chance at the life that could have been after having to leave Paris abruptly in her early years.

The story is full of exploring old wounds and hidden secrets but all were explored in such a gentle way and there is the hope of new beginnings and being able to put the past behind to be able to truly move forward with a life that could have been.

The descriptive writing in this novel is incredible, this authors writing style made everything feel so vivid as if I was walking the streets of Paris with Juliet and gazing upon all the breath taking sites the city has to over as well as being tantalised with mouth-watering food too.

The storyline in the first half of the novel jumps forward and back in time so we get to build the full picture as to what happened on Juliet’s first time in Paris and then jumps back to the current day as we see the changes in hr life now that is allowing her to return after so long and this worked perfectly for this book.

Juliet was a wonderful character who I loved from the start she was so graceful and classy with a soft natured edge to her too and she had such fabulous characters around her too in her old friend Nathalie and the charming Olivier.

A perfect read to escape with this Summer.

Thirty Days in Paris by Veronica Henry

Because Paris is always a good idea...


Years ago, Juliet left a little piece of her heart in Paris - and now, separated from her husband and with her children flying the nest, it's time to get it back! So she puts on her best red lipstick, books a cosy attic apartment near Notre-Dame and takes the next train out of London.

Arriving at the Gare du Nord, the memories come flooding back: bustling street cafés, cheap wine in candlelit bars and a handsome boy with glittering eyes. But Juliet has also been keeping a secret for over two decades - and she begins to realise it's impossible to move forwards without first looking back.

Something tells her that the next thirty days might just change everything...

I hadn’t read any of Veronica Henry’s novels until I did a blog tour for her novel The Impulse Purchase. I found it delightfully escapist and optimistic while exploring female relationships, especially familial ones, in an interesting way. In her new novel we’re more focused one one woman; Juliet is a middle-aged, ghost-writer who’s at a huge crossroads in life. She and her husband have taken the very brave decision to separate as their last child leaves home for university. Most of their friends think they’re crazy, because the couple still get along, they’re probably the best of friends in fact. However, they feel they’ve drifted into two different paths. As her husband has embraced all things cycling - including the Lycra and the diet - Juliet isn’t enamoured and would rather curl up with a good book or go to the theatre. They’ve each become comfortable in their own routines and as the time to sell their large family home has come around, they can’t see the point of trying to meld their differing lifestyles into another joint home. So each will take half of the house sale and do their own thing and Juliet would like to take a trip into her past. Years ago, when she was still a teenager, Juliet went to work as an au pair in Paris, but returned in shame and sadness only a few month later. She has rented an apartment for a month to reacquaint herself with the city and spend some time writing her own story. However, revisiting the past is never easy and Juliet finds there are experiences she still needs to process and come to terms with.

I found reading this book a little lie watching Sex and the City or perhaps more aptly, Emily in Paris which I binge-watched over the Christmas period. Everything about Juliet’s time in Paris is simply gorgeous from the description of the patisseries near her apartment, to the clothes worn by her friend ….. and the work Juliet starts on her book project. Thanks to the two series mentioned, along with a teenage diet of Judith Krantz novels, I find Paris ridiculously romantic and imagine it full of quirky shops, artists, vintage bookshops and incredibly elegant women. Every walk she takes I was imagining the decorative shop windows, acres of pastel coloured macarons and fairy lit trees, not to mention the incredible bridges, cathedrals and art galleries. I’m also a sucker for transformation shows like the old Gok Wan and those wedding shows where people choose their dress and I also had that vibe too. This might seem like I’m making the book sound trivial or all about appearances, but it’s far from that. This isn’t just about visual transformation. The author takes what can be a difficult period in a woman’s life: empty nest syndrome; menopause; relationship breakdown and that sense of having lost who you are. Veronica Henry takes us into that process of grieving and growth and I kept reading in the hope Juliet would come to that place of finding herself - the person she is now and the way she wants the rest of her life to be. Before she can do that she needs to face what happened all those years ago when she was such a young girl and just starting out in life.

I really felt for the younger Juliet and these sections leapt off the page. I loved how brave she was in leaving her cozy home and family to do something completely different. That sense of being a fish out of water really comes across as she tries to settle into the apartment of the French family she’ll be living with. Her French is minimal and I could feel the nerves as she tries to fit in, especially when the children’s mother is quite volatile and erratic in mood. However, the father seems kind and tries to make Juliet feel at home by taking her out for Sunday lunch with the children. Juliet comes across as a kind young girl, good with the children and concerned about their mother whose moods fluctuate between treating Juliet like a little sister and angry, tearful outbursts. I warmed to Juliet because she doesn’t become angry or resentful, but is worried that her employer is struggling as a working mum of three children and perhaps needs extra support. I had concerns about the way the children’s father acted around Juliet early on and couldn’t decide whether he was trying to make her feel like family, or whether the late nights, sharing a bottle of wine, might lead to more. Juliet’s affections are completely engaged by Luke as soon as they meet. Her friend calls it a ‘coup de foudre’ or love at first sight and it does seem to be an immediate connection, as if their souls know each other before they even speak the same language. In the present day sections, Juliet hints at a disastrous ending to her time in Paris and a separation from Luke that leaves unfinished business. I wondered whether she would feel the urge to reconnect and explain what happened all those years before.

If you’re looking for an enjoyable, escapist read this winter/spring then this is definitely the book for you. Juliet is interesting and her earlier years in Paris really help us understand her character’s choices later on. I wondered how much her stable, but safe, marriage was a response to these early romantic mistakes and terrible heartbreak. I would say that her return to Paris, especially her rekindled friendship with Nathalie, brings out her spontaneous and playful side. Nathalie takes risks, from visiting less salubrious parts of the city, to accepting random invitations and wearing some quirky outfits. Their friendship picks up where they left off and I would definitely be the demographic buying Nathalie’s memoir and cookbook. I loved the way Juliet tackled what happened in the past and it showed the difference in attitudes between then and now; where once Juliet took on a lot of the blame, she can now see other people’s part in what happened and how they took advantage of her naivety. While I wasn’t necessarily rooting for a romantic ending to the story I was rooting for Juliet to build a totally new life for herself where she’s with the people who inspire her. I enjoyed the ending and felt it worked well for the character, especially when a call from home dangles her old safe life in front of her. I wanted her to continue growing and trying new things, because just reading about it felt like taking a holiday.

I really enjoyed this book and the fact that Juliet is a middle aged woman looking to find herself. It was refreshing to have a relationship end so amicably and I really liked Stuart! Whilst I did enjoy reading Juliet’s perspective of what happened when she first visited Paris (and found the method the author used very clever) I did think from all the alluding to it that the thing that made her leave Paris and the love of her live was going to be a lot more serious than it actually was.

Nevertheless I really enjoyed this book and will look out for more of the authors novels.

Having always wanted to visit Paris, I thought that I would love this book. I did enjoy this book, but I felt some of the details were a little lost on me. The street names meant nothing to me and I felt I had to translate some of the french in case I missed part of the story. In the end, I started skimming as I felt there was too much distracting from the story in places.

I did enjoy that it was about a woman rediscovering herself in Paris. However, I felt a little disappointed with Juliet's behaviour after she left Paris the first time. I just couldn't understand her logic behind it all. She wrote to Nathalie but not to Olivier? She thought it would be better to provide no explanation instead of some? "My host family asked me to leave and I was homesick".

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. 3.5⭐️

It was a nice change to have a story about a middle aged lady and romance between two people of that age. I enjoyed reading Juliet's story both in the present and back when she was in her 20's when she first moved to, and fell in love with Paris. Having separated amicably from her husband of 25 years, she returns to Paris to recapture the places and memories of her past and in doing so lays some ghosts and re-connects with people who were influential in her younger life. I loved how well the author described the city which really brought it to life including the sights, sounds, smells and atmosphere. I really felt as if I was there. The one small negative for me was the numerous parts written in French which I wasn't able to understand short of stopping and translating which would have broken the flow of the book. Otherwise, this was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for NetGalley for providing me with this book for review. Absolutely delightful, very heart warming read. Author is fast becoming one of my go to authors.

A light hearted, coming of age , falling in love with more than just Paris. I enjoyed reading this.

The book goes back and forth between the present day version of Juliet to her past. It was nice seeing the enthusiasm that Juliet had for Paris and the descriptions of food, shops and streets of Paris gave a good feel of the city. The story was easy enough to follow and I liked the link to writing / reading books throughout.

Thirty Days in Paris is the perfect book to get lost into the chic, alluring appeal of Paris. I found myself being swept away with Juliet’s tale of finding herself both in her youth and later on after many years of a happy marriage. I think many readers will resonate with a life that whilst happy can often lack passion and where you loose yourself along the way. Juliet shows how by reconnecting with a place that brings out the best in you, it is still possible to reconnect with the true you.

Juliet is 50 and is writing a book about her time in Paris from when she was younger. Set between the present and past a romantic Paris is drawn. A good escapist read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

Thirty Days in Paris was an absolutely beautiful story. I loved how Juliet tells her story of her earlier life in Paris by writing her book. She describes her life in Paris with so much love and enthusiasm.
Juliet and her husband Stuart have decided after 25 years together that it is time to go their separate ways.
There is only one place Juliet wants to revisit and that’s Paris.
Juliet has ghosts in Paris that she needs to address and getting touch with her friend nathalie makes her return almost complete until she rekindles her passion for Olivier.
Can Juliet recover from the ghosts that haunt her.
I loved every page of this story but found it a bit of a struggle not being able to understand some of it being written in French.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this lovely Parisian story.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Juliet, who has just come out of an amicable divorce, goes to paris, to spend thirty days, to decide what she wants to do next and finish her book.

The story flips between her life now and when she first came to Paris in her 20s, and worked as an au pair, and why she then had to leave.

Its a beautifully written story and I loved how Paris is described and make you feel as you’re there with the characters.

I recommend this book.

I've read all of Veronica Henry's books and Thirty Days in Paris has already staked its claim to be one of my favourites.

The story alternates between the present and past, when the protagonist first went to Paris as a youngster. Although I thought I was tired of reading books with dual timelines, this worked so well and it was interesting to compare the young version of our main character with the more mature person. This structure was extremely effective in highlighting just how much her experiences had shaped her and how much she had developed. I particularly appreciated seeing how she confronted those who had previously caused her problems.

As someone who has spent her own year abroad in Paris, I can't read enough about the city and this was a well-written, romantic treat, full of colourful characters. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for a free, advance copy of Thirty Days in Paris in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-arc, I loved this warm and comforting novel about finding yourself, a kind of second coming of age story with humour and really likeable characters. Veronica Henry at her best.

look at me, a french girl reviewing a book set in paris! now, as a foreigner, the first thing you need to know is that what was shown in this book was not what the most part of the city looks like. sad, i know, it sounded so dreamy and magical and some places are! but, like emily in paris, they are not representative of the life in the city. it was a fun read, yes, easy to get through and it transported me to this fictional paris for a few hours. the book is very much grounded in reality (apart from the romanticizing) with mentions of ✨that✨ pandemic, all the names of the streets, THE FOOD (i was extremely hungry while reading this), the shops, etc. i’m not big on coming-of-age stories, and even more when the main character is over twice my age but that’s on my side😅. overall it was fun, even if it was very much romanticized, well i like this version of paris (the one where you don’t take the subway or go outside of certain neighborhoods pretty much). oh and the few typos in French🫠 i appreciated the effort of putting so many sayings and little things in there but those were avoidable with a quick google translate or search🙃. 3.5⭐️

I have been reading books by Veronica Henry for years and really enjoyed "Thirty Days in Paris". There are dual time lines as Juliet reminisces about her time in Paris some 30 years earlier. It is interesting to contrast the naive 20 year old au pair with the mature woman in her fifties who is looking to carve out a new life for herself.

A number of serious issues are addressed, but the heart of the story is a romance, and where could be more romantic than Paris. That is not to say that the seedier side of the city is ignored, but the better aspects are more significant. This is a relaxing, feel-good read for all romantics.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

I devoured this book and absolutely loved everything about it. From the scenic depiction, plot, characters and to the message it intended to make. Also, the ending was quite beautiful too. Overall, it’s a full 5 stars read for me!

I love Veronica Henry. Thirty days in Paris is a great book but unfortunately, something was missing for me to give it 5 stars.

Wow, this was such a heart-warming and romantic book! The gorgeous Parisian setting serves to enhance the atmosphere of everything being possible even later in life!

I absolutely adored this book. It's so well written, you can feel.yourself there on the street of Paris. A heartfelt, emotional, funny read that I will definitely be recommending to others. It was lovely as well for our main character to be slightly older than 'normal' main characters, this was an aspect I forund most entertaining. Thanks to Netgalley and Orion for an early review copy in return for an honest review.