Rating: 2.5/5

I can definitely see what This Christmas in Paris was trying to do and honestly, it was very well written, but the main characters were completely insufferable. Carys could have been a really great character with complex issues, but she just wasn’t likeable.

Anyway, let's start with a positive because I have quite a few negatives to talk about. There’s a particularly funny moment near the beginning where Mat’s dad talks about staying with a friend. The exact quote is: “We’re staying at Roddie's place. You know Roddie Williams, the singer?” I’m going to assume this is a parody of Robbie Williams because it’s funnier that way, I literally laughed out loud when reading this.

I found it kind of funny that Carys talks about firing Aurélie like she has the authority to do so. It’s not actually your business, you’re just looking after it for a few months. Imagine being the owner and coming back to different staff because your stand-in didn’t like who you hired.

After having this thought, Carys seems to think she can make changes to the café. She calls a team meeting to discuss it and then acts surprised when the staff get defensive. I have a feeling the author wants you to feel sorry for Carys in this situation, but I really don’t. She’s been there barely two weeks, she has no right to ask the chef to completely change his dessert menu. The absolute cheek of it.

Just as I thought she’d hit the ceiling of “What’s the biggest change I can make to this business I don’t own?” Carys decides to redecorate the place and I’m not just talking about adding a couple of throws and cushions, oh no, she completely repaints the interior and exterior and from the sounds of it, it’s garish and hard to look at.

I actually really didn’t like either of the main characters. Carys tried to take over a business she doesn’t own, making changes without the owner's permission. I liked Mat right up until he was rude to the restaurant worker and was then surprised when he had a bad experience. He then had the nerve to write about it on his blog like the whole situation was done with malice. Mistakes happen, I’m sure restaurants mess up reservations all the time, there’s no need to be so entitled about it.

It took 269 pages (over halfway through) for the word Christmas to be said. I’m not entirely sure why this is called This Christmas in Paris, the majority of the book takes place in September and October. When you finally get to December, it’s over in less than 30 pages, which is a shame. Christmas had no real effect on what was happening in the story so I really don’t think this should have been categorised as a festive romance.

It was very obvious that the one-star cafe reviews were a metaphor for book reviews. You could tell the author felt passionate/hurt by the one-stars, from Carys’s perspective and I do get it. I only leave one-star reviews if the book is problematic, or I didn’t finish it.

Despite my issues with the main characters, this is a very well-written book. The plot was a bit all over the place, but it was an interesting concept. I’m just being nitpicky because it has Christmas in the title and it was hardly festive at all.

I absolutely adored this book. The characters are location were both incredible and so perfect for the story! There are so many delicious food mentions in this book, my mouth did water several times!
The story itself is just beautiful! Honestly it would make you book a flig straight to Paris, especially at Christmas time.
I will definitely be reading more from this author as I just loved her style of writing!

Although Christmas is in the title, it is actually only a small element of the story so it means that this book can be enjoyed all year round!
It is essentially a romance fiction but it has so much more to is as it exposes the harmful, as well as the positive, side of social media. It is a gripping read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A gorgeous festive book featuring characters from previous books. I loved how the story evolved, the food was described (yes, I did but some macarons last week), and the main characters got to slowly know each other. A lovely story wrapped up in festive packaging

It feels a little wrong to be rating this book after it being all about ratings and negative/positive impact but happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed this little trip to Paris at Christmas time! Felt so much for Carys (especially being a cafe manager myself!) and the struggles she went through - I could definitely put myself in her position so when she met Mat I was overjoyed she had someone to spend time away from it all with. Loved the little glimpses of Paris and getting to know more off the beaten track. The third act troubles were really hard to read through as it just made me quite sad but glad we got that HEA!

This is the first book by Sophie Claire that I have read and it was quite enjoyable. I liked the different points of view from Carys and Mat and the feeling of a reverse ‘You’ve Got Mail vibe. I did like Mat and understood why he did what he did but I couldn’t take to Carys sometimes and did wonder where the money came from to completely renovate the cafe, it seemed a bit implausible. Probably would have been better if I had read it nearer to Christmas time.

I received a free copy of, This Christmas in Paris, by Sophie Claire, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, Carys is starting over after being in a bad car accident that left in a coma for awhile. Carys seems to have ptsd, since her accident and decides to go to Paris, to work at a cafe there. I really liked the book before this one, A Winter's Dream, I really liked Liberty, and was happy to see her in this book too, I did not connect with Carys the way I did Liberty though, its a good book, I prefer, A Winter's Dream though.

What could be more romantic than Paris at Christmas? Carys and Matt are two unlucky in love people in the City of Love at the same time. Are they meant to be together?

Find out in this romantic book by Sophie Claire.

This was a fab read . I absolutely loved it. Set in Paris. Carys was a teacher in a small village and she needed to escape so she applied to a job in Paris.running a cafe. You got staff who needed support , interesting customers, ace cakes, a great love story . Some lovely twists . Secrets always come out.. Getting what you really want is not always worth the price you pay. You learnt about journalism as well.A perfect Christmas read.. Read it.

I liked that Cary's went to France but it was spoilt for me because it was another food book and I feel the market is saturated with books about romance and food. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

This Christmas in Paris by Sophie Claire is a heart-warming and enchanting holiday romance set in the beautiful city of Paris. Carys seizes the opportunity to run a French café and embrace the chance to fulfil her dreams in this magical city. Mat, a journalist, is searching for love in the City of Love. Their paths intertwine in a serendipitous encounter, igniting a potential romance. However, both Carys and Mat harbour secrets that threaten their budding relationship. Sophie Claire delivers a tale filled with Christmas cheer, hope, and the power of opening one's heart. With its delightful Parisian setting, festive atmosphere, and endearing characters, This Christmas in Paris is a delightful read that will warm the hearts of readers and evoke the spirit of the holiday season.

Oh, the burden of the feeling that you think you are not good enough. I am so glad it was mentioned (and emphasized) in this book. It is definitely a timely theme, alas. Life is hard enough as it is... expectations and stuff.

But don't go thinking that made This Christmas in Paris a miserable book, quite the opposite! Go read for yourself :)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

Very excited for this beautiful Christmas themed book. Especially with a Parisian twist. I cannot wait to share this with our readers and see there love story unfold.Will be sharing more thoughts and a full review soon.