In the Bag

Sep 18, 2012 Chelsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kate Klise does a fantastic job of changing perspectives and channeling both female and male teenage characters as well as female and male adult characters. Each chapter is titled with the name of the character’s thoughts or actions that you are reading. Everything was kept organized and it was very easy to follow along with this story. Klise had amazing interpretations of how teenagers would react in this scenario and then used a more socially acceptable lingo when speaking as the adults, Andre...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Ste80 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

da www.sognipensieriparole.com

"Colazione a Parigi" è il primo romanzo, in corso di pubblicazione in molti Paesi, dell'autrice americana Kate Klise ed edito in Italia dalla Casa Editrice Sperling & Kupfer.

Un romanzo fresco, frizzante e piacevole. Una lettura spensierata ed esilarante. Una trama di cui sarebbe bellissimo vederne la trasposizione cinematografica con attori del calibro di Julia Roberts o Richard Gere. Una commedia dolce, delicata e divertente allo stesso tempo.

Ammetto che questo...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Paula Phillips rated it 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever had a mix-up with your luggage before ? Ever spotted someone in an Airport and thought, hmm I am going to ask them out but not had the courage to follow through ? Do you believe in fate or as In the Bag uses the word Kismet ?
This author has lived a fascinating life working as a correspondent for People Magazine , reporting everything from Celebrities to Serial Killers. It makes sense, that her first adult fiction book is one that will have readers hooked on from the very first page...more Have you ever had a mix-up with your luggage before ? Ever spotted someone in an Airport and thought, hmm I am going to ask them out but not had the courage to follow through ? Do you believe in fate or as In the Bag uses the word Kismet ?
This author has lived a fascinating life working as a correspondent for People Magazine , reporting everything from Celebrities to Serial Killers. It makes sense, that her first adult fiction book is one that will have readers hooked on from the very first page. In the Bag is a book for the romantics at heart , the ones who still believe in love at first sight , movies like The Parent Trap whether it be the Hayley Mills version or my generation the Lindsay Lohan, movies like Stranger on a Train, The Lake House. Those moments when you first meet someone you have been corresponding with and when you do meet it's like OMG, you could be my other half.
In the Bag is a romantic story , where Love doesn't seem to come naturally to these four people and how one flight seems to end up connecting them to their destinies. Single mother Daisy and her daughter Coco Sprinkle are headed to Paris for a vacation , when the pair reach the airport they discover two very strange things. Daisy has a mysterious note in her purse addressed to the Woman in seat 6B from the Man in 13C and Coco has the wrong luggage. In Madrid, we meet Single father Andrew and his son Webb Nelson. Andrew is on his way to present a Gallery opening , he is also the Man in 13C and his son Webb also has the wrong luggage. So begins, an email relationship between Webb and Coco as they try and reunite each other with their correct luggage and Andrew and Daisy try and get on with their lives but have the nagging thought of the note in their minds. When tragedy strikes, it forces Daisy to head to Madrid and she meets Andrew , whereas Webb meets Coco. But, of course Love is never simple and the foursome depart with unresolved feelings. When the time comes for all of them to return home, they end up mysteriously on the same flight and trouble brews as Webb and Coco are arrested as Terrorists ? Is this fate or as Solange in the novel kindly puts it Kismet ? Are the foursome meant to end up together ?
Find out in "In the Bag" by Kate Klise . (less)

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Jul 14, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Adorable...couldn't put it down!

"A successful chef and single mother, Daisy Sprinkle, is on vacation with her teenage daughter, Coco, who picks up the wrong duffle bag at the airport. That situation is not improved by the note Daisy finds tucked into her carry-on, apparently from the man in 13-C. Daisy is in no mood for secret admirer notes or dinner dates. Or even men, for that matter. Andrew doesn’t know what possessed him to do something like that. Hitting on strange women on airplanes is def...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, for-review

The main reason I wanted to read this book was the cover. I feel like I'm always saying this, but it's so true! If a book looks good, I'm bound to pick it up, often without even reading the back cover. But once I read the back cover, I knew I was going to love this book! So I sent a request to the publisher and was ecstatic to get a review copy!

This book is about a father and son who travel to Spain and a mother and daughter who travel to France. They're on the same flight when the son and daug...more The main reason I wanted to read this book was the cover. I feel like I'm always saying this, but it's so true! If a book looks good, I'm bound to pick it up, often without even reading the back cover. But once I read the back cover, I knew I was going to love this book! So I sent a request to the publisher and was ecstatic to get a review copy!

This book is about a father and son who travel to Spain and a mother and daughter who travel to France. They're on the same flight when the son and daughter's bags get switched. Their bags, however, are more than they have in common. Both families have strained relationships and everyone feels as if they'll never find the one in their lives. Many emails and phone calls later, they all end up meeting at some point or anther.

First off, I was so jealous of their adventures. I would love to be able to travel all over Europe like these characters, so this was just perfect for a summer read! Then, as you all know I'm a sucker for a romance, so the relationships that develop in here are so gosh darn cute! Webb and Coco (the kids) connect through email while the parents slowly grow closer (though they have no idea anyone knows each other). There's A TON of miscommunication and misinterpreting feelings that it is so true to life. Nothing is perfect in that they instantly fall in love and can't keep their hands off each other. These relationships develop, go through a lot of hesitation and doubt, and are far from perfect. But I think that's what made them so lovable!

The writing style of this book really made it a great read too. Each chapter switched from the four characters, either focusing on Webb and Coco's relationship or on the parents' relationship. It was fun to see how everyone thought about what took place and how the parents were completely misinterpreting how their kids were feeling. And the ending was great! I loved what happened, but I'll just leave it at that so you guys can read and see for yourselves!

So if you're looking for a light, summer read that's bound to put you in a good mood, pick In the Bag up! It'll have you hopping on the next flight to Europe to see if you can find your very own unexpected romance :)(less)

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Jun 09, 2012 Samantha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Fluffy, light romance that reads like a romcom. Single parents traveling with single tech-savvy teenagers leads to misunderstandings galore in this travel-inspired tale of love. This is a good vacation read, a good in between book, a good book to read before bed (if that's part of your nightly routine), overall it's something you can just sit back and enjoy.

That being said, there were some things that annoyed me about this book. While the teenagers were pretty well written in terms of motivatio...more

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May 24, 2012 Luanne Ollivier rated it 4 of 5 stars

I know where you might find copies of Kate Klise's adult debut novel In the Bag this summer ..... in quite a few beach bags! It's absolutely perfect for summer reading - sweet, charming, light and fun.

Chef and single mom Daisy is on her way to Paris to take a much needed vacation with her teenage daughter Coco. Single dad Andrew is on that same flight with his teenage son Webb on their way to Spain. When Andrew accidently spills a glass of wine on Daisy, he feels terrible....but also smitten. Da...more I know where you might find copies of Kate Klise's adult debut novel In the Bag this summer ..... in quite a few beach bags! It's absolutely perfect for summer reading - sweet, charming, light and fun.

Chef and single mom Daisy is on her way to Paris to take a much needed vacation with her teenage daughter Coco. Single dad Andrew is on that same flight with his teenage son Webb on their way to Spain. When Andrew accidently spills a glass of wine on Daisy, he feels terrible....but also smitten. Daisy is well - the kind of woman he could fall for. So he decides to tuck a note into her carry on luggage with his email contact information. You never know, right?

It is only when each pair arrives at their hotels that the teenagers discover that they have picked up someone else's luggage. Three guesses here. Yes - Coco and Webb have each other's bags. When they discover contact info in the bags, they begin conversing by email. And the conincidences don't stop there.....

Klise has conjured up a simply delightful plot, full of miscommunications, misperceptions, missed cues and misunderstandings. She has chosen to tell the story from the viewpoint of each of the characters, which really worked. The characters were believable and rang true. I nodded my head and chuckled at much of the parent's thoughts and dialogue. It brought back memories of my own two (now grown) teenagers. Klise also did a great job with Coco and Webb. Much of their communication is done through email and Kate wrote witty missives that seemed to capture the tentative beginnings of teenage relationships. Interestingly it is only when they meet in person that Coco and Webb have trouble communicating, mirroring today's dependence on electronic connections.

And no summer beach read is complete without a happy ending. Yes, you can see it coming but Klise makes the journey there so much fun. Chick lit fans will love it. And it would make a cute rom/com movie too!

And it was only when I finished the book that I discovered the idea behind the book. Klise found a hand written note in her own carry on bag. I wonder if she ever followed up?(less)

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May 16, 2012 Molly rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Molly by: TLC Book Tours

Shelves: book-review

Okay, so I'm a 30-something single mom of 2 boys, not yet teenagers but they both think they're 40. This book really hit home with me as a single parent and kept me hooked from first page to last. I really loved the writing style that Ms. Klise uses, telling the story between four alternate points of view. The four characters are wonderfully created and really capture the readers attention with their comedic ways!

I really enjoyed travelling to Paris, Madrid and Barcelona with this 4 amazing char...more Okay, so I'm a 30-something single mom of 2 boys, not yet teenagers but they both think they're 40. This book really hit home with me as a single parent and kept me hooked from first page to last. I really loved the writing style that Ms. Klise uses, telling the story between four alternate points of view. The four characters are wonderfully created and really capture the readers attention with their comedic ways!

I really enjoyed travelling to Paris, Madrid and Barcelona with this 4 amazing characters. Daisy Sprinkle, who gets wine spilled on her by a stranger on her flight. Andrew Nelson, said stranger and writer of a secret admirer note that Daisy is so not impressed with. Webb Nelson, Andrew's 17 year old son who, upon arrival in Madrid, realizes that he does not wear bras and panties so he must have the wrong bag. Coco Sprinkle, Daisy 18 year old soon-to-be-college-student-wanna-experience-life daughter who realizes that she must have some grungy guys bag when they arrive in Paris. That alone is enough to keep the reader hooked and laughing. But it's what happens after all this happens that really takes the reader for a fun, exciting, whirlwind ride!

Coco and Webb plot to return their bags to each other after Webb finds Coco's email address. Their emails are quite funny and very sweet between two teens who are very inexperienced in the dating world! Daisy meets Andrew in Madrid when she is recruited by her dear friend, Solange, to cater to the art display she's hosting. Little did Daisy know that Andrew is the man she emailed after receiving an admirer note that left her reeling!

I will stop there. I'll give the plot away with what happens to them all and I don't spoil it for anyone! I will tell you that this summer, you need to sit back, relax, and take a trip to Paris (and Madrid!)(and Barcelona!) with this fun loving characters. You'll be swept off your feet by the wit and charm that flows from these sweet characters and you'll learn that parenting isn't always easy, but that you need to relax and go with the flow.

I definitely recommend this book with 5 Books, two thumbs up, hats off and so much more! It is a fast paced read-short chapters, each one told from a character's point of view. You'll laugh and you'll....well, laugh! Ms. Klise has done a wonderful job at creating this light, airy novel and I am highly anxious to see what she releases next for her new grownup fans!(less)

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Apr 30, 2012 Kathleen (Kat) Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-humor, chick-literature, contemporary-fiction, romance-fiction, young-adult-fiction

Based on a true life circumstance that provided her with the incentive to write this amazing novel, Kate Klise takes readers from two different generations along on a world wind trip to Paris and Madrid in In The Bag.

As two unlikely passengers boarding a flight to Paris, Daisy Sprinkle, sitting in first class and having a complimentary glass of wine, encounters through a bump of fate, Andrew Nelson. He is the one who accidentally bumps her and causes her to spill her wine on her blouse while mak...more Based on a true life circumstance that provided her with the incentive to write this amazing novel, Kate Klise takes readers from two different generations along on a world wind trip to Paris and Madrid in In The Bag.

As two unlikely passengers boarding a flight to Paris, Daisy Sprinkle, sitting in first class and having a complimentary glass of wine, encounters through a bump of fate, Andrew Nelson. He is the one who accidentally bumps her and causes her to spill her wine on her blouse while making his way to his assigned seat. As a stewardess sweeps in to take care of the crisis, he is reprimanded to find his seat now. Feeling less than a man, he hand writes a personal note of apology offering to replace the blouse, or have it cleaned. But much more than that, he would love to take her to dinner once they return from Paris if that's at all possible. He ends the note with his email address. While they are waiting for their baggage in Paris, he slips the note into her carry on and hopes that she will respond.

Meanwhile, Coco, her daughter finds that she has retrieved the wrong duffel bag when they arrive at their apartment in Paris filled with a man's rumpled jeans, shirts and a well worn copy of Walden by Henry David Thoreau. What she soon realizes that someone else has her duffel bag filled with not only her clothes but also her worst underwear in it. Her mom advised her to pack her worst and they would buy new lingerie when they got to Paris and could throw the old stuff away.

Webb realizes that he has the wrong duffel bag when he opens his to find nicely organized and packed women's clothes and bras and underwear that certainly don't belong to him. When he locates a luggage tag with an email address attached, he finds an internet cafe in Madrid and sets off to locate the person who's bag he has. Lucky for him, she responds quickly enough via email and they soon set off on a series of unexpected, cute and witty email messages while their parents attend to their jobs. What they both soon realize is that they have a lot in common and agree to meet somehow and exchange bags if only they can escape their parents.

I received In The Bag by Kate Klise compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and LOVED it! It's like You Got Mail while traveling! This is such a cute love story that deal with two couples, Andrew and Daisy, and Coco and Webb, who soon realize that their ideas of romance and falling in love are much different that what they could ever hope to imagine. For Coco and Webb, they are part of the younger generation who text and email, while Andrew and Daisy come from a pre-digital generation of letter writers and simpler times. You can't help but smile after reading this novel told from four different points of view through the week they are traveling! A definite must read for the summer and one I highly recommend! This one is a 5 out of 5 stars!!(less)

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Apr 25, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads: A successful chef and single mother, Daisy Sprinkle, is on vacation with her teenage daughter, Coco, who picks up the wrong duffle bag at the airport. That situation is not improved by the note Daisy finds tucked into her carry-on, apparently from the man in 13-C. Daisy is in no mood for secret admirer notes or dinner dates. Or even men, for that matter.

Andrew doesn’t know what possessed him to do something like that. Hitting on strange women on airplanes is definitely not his typical...more Goodreads: A successful chef and single mother, Daisy Sprinkle, is on vacation with her teenage daughter, Coco, who picks up the wrong duffle bag at the airport. That situation is not improved by the note Daisy finds tucked into her carry-on, apparently from the man in 13-C. Daisy is in no mood for secret admirer notes or dinner dates. Or even men, for that matter.

Andrew doesn’t know what possessed him to do something like that. Hitting on strange women on airplanes is definitely not his typical style. But there was something about the woman in 6-B that could not be ignored. Of course, now he has no time to think about her, since his son Webb seems to have made off with a budding fashionista’s luggage.

Determined to make the best of a bad situation, Daisy cooks up a plan to calm her daughter’s panic over the lost bag with a week of fabulous food, shopping, and museum hopping. Andrew is busy woking on his latest project and hoping Webb finds enough to entertain himself. Little do they know the teens are making their own plan. . . one that will ultimately reunite Ms. 6-B and Mr. 13-C.

My thoughts: Ahhh. A relaxing, fun read. No allegories or metaphors (unless you count that awful song which I miss the meaning even now. Also, why would anybody leave a cake out in the rain and would someone really go crazy and segue into disco? I think not). Point of View changes quickly and you might get a little whiplash with the change but it definitely can't be told any other way.

Every character provides a different perspective and interpretation. In fact, misunderstandings are rampant, not unlike real life. I can attest to two POV being quite accurate; Coco and Daisy. I can totally understand Coco "knowing" she has turned Webb off because he saw her old, pink bra in the duffle bag. Because I have been a shallow teenager and would be caught up in that red herring. Also, Daisy simply does not understand her daughter's angst. She doesn't understand why her daughter is so emotional and irritating. She concludes that she definitely needs a vacation but she needs a vacation from Coco. She's a bad mom. What kind of mother wishes for time away from their beloved child? (Answer: a normal one).

It was fun, awkward, embarrassing, and heartwarming. I want to read it again.(less)

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May 14, 2012 Anjana rated it 3 of 5 stars

In The Bag is told from the POV of four people - Daisy, her daughter Coco, Andrew and his son Webb. As it can happen with identical bags, Webb picks up Coco's bag at the Paris Airport and Coco picks Webb's, obviously by mistake. This accident leads to 4 people finding love in the most unexpected way possible.

It was the cover that first attracted me to this book and after reading a sample chapter, I knew I'd like this.
This was such an adorable book! On one side we have Webb and Coco with their...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-book-for-teens, contemporary-romance, father-son, family-relationships, feral-dogs, friendship, humor, france, journeys, romance, women-medical-examiners, mother-daughter

Daisy and her daughter Zoe are traveling to Paris from St. Louis for Zoe's spring break. Daisy is a top-notch chef and recently left a restaurant job to clear her mind and decide what she wants to do next. Andrew and his ason are heading to Madrid for Andrew's job as an exhibit designer. On the plane, Andrew actually jostled a woman holding a glass of wine which spills on her silk blouse. Andrew feels terrible. The woman is very attractive and Andrew is drawn to her. Uncharacteristically, Andrew...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, for-review, rainy-day-reads, teen-ya, romance

At First Sight: Spring Break finds two single parents taking the same plane to Paris with their respective teenagers. Famous chef Daisy Sprinkle is taking 18-year old Coco to Paris, hoping they will both have time to relax, shop and eat good food. Andrew Nelson - exhibit designer extraordinaire - is taking 17-year-old Webb with him to Madrid while he works at a new exhibit, hoping to spend some time together.

Then Andrew spots - and spills wine all over - Daisy and is smitten. Daisy is not quite...more At First Sight: Spring Break finds two single parents taking the same plane to Paris with their respective teenagers. Famous chef Daisy Sprinkle is taking 18-year old Coco to Paris, hoping they will both have time to relax, shop and eat good food. Andrew Nelson - exhibit designer extraordinaire - is taking 17-year-old Webb with him to Madrid while he works at a new exhibit, hoping to spend some time together.

Then Andrew spots - and spills wine all over - Daisy and is smitten. Daisy is not quite so impressed and even less so when, once in Paris, she finds a note Andrew put in her purse basically asking for a date.

Meanwhile, Coco and Webb find themselves with luggage not their own. Luckily, Coco's bag had a tag with her email, which Webb uses to contact her. Soon they are exchanging emails back and forth, each utterly charmed with the other, sharing secrets and funny conversations.

Second Glance: I don't want to give away a lot of the plot because it's very cute and adorable to see it develop. and yeah, granted it's not that very surprising once you get going but still!

I first requested In The Bag because I found the cover adorable and I'm happy to report that the contents are equally so. Web and Coco are both very smart and their conversation topics might be a little adult, but they are also very teenage-ry in other ways (like they totally sulk and disagree with their parents and have weird mood swings). And their emails back and forth were a highlight of this book.

Andrew was easy to like - and I liked him more the more I learned about his situation - and it was adorable how smitten he was with Daisy - both before and after they actually meet. Daisy was a tough cookie to like, I understood a lot of where she came from, but at the same time she was WAY neurotic sometimes.

The writing is charming and fun, and light. This book is very brain candy friendly.

My one complaint is that the second part of the book felt rushed in comparison to the first part. In the end I liked it, the pace was mostly even but it did feel rushed after a while.

Bottom Line: Kate Klise wrote a very cute book, and I mean that in the best possible way. It was fun to read, easy to read and just relaxing. I liked Web and Coco's adventure just as I liked Andrew and Daisy's. Also, it's very PG, an adult can read it and have fun and a teenager can read it and have fun. (less)

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Mar 16, 2013 Beth Lilyan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oh, man.
I really didn't think I'd like this as much as I did - I thought it would be fun and cute, I was looking forwards to the travelling aspects, but I was also expecting to come across many of the same flaws I find in a lot of contemporary ya/adult fiction these days.
I sure did not.

In the Bag reminded me somewhat of both Amy and Roger's Epic Detour and One Day. It follows four characters, two single parents and their teenage children who travel from the US to Europe. Daisy and Coco to Paris,...more Oh, man.
I really didn't think I'd like this as much as I did - I thought it would be fun and cute, I was looking forwards to the travelling aspects, but I was also expecting to come across many of the same flaws I find in a lot of contemporary ya/adult fiction these days.
I sure did not.

In the Bag reminded me somewhat of both Amy and Roger's Epic Detour and One Day. It follows four characters, two single parents and their teenage children who travel from the US to Europe. Daisy and Coco to Paris, Andrew and Webb to Madrid. When Coco and Webb mix-up their luggage, it turns out that there is a lot more than just that connecting the two pairs. There are secrets, there's fate, and there's a healthy amount of sightseeing and armchair travelling for the reader.
There was a lot to love for me - I completely devoured it. The characters were all believable, they had distinct voices and opinions, and the way the author laid out the book (switching perspectives each chapter) was not nearly as confusing as I thought it may have been for a book with so many characters. The tone was efficient and modern, quirkiness and cuteness were appreciated, but it didn't go overboard. In fact, the book itself was incredibly modern - much thought and musing over love and life in the digital era versus love and life in the predigital age, the characters themselves - especially the high-profile, creative but efficient single parents and their children. I wouldn't normally seek out a book like this, but In the Bag really was wonderful.

The flaws were only personal ones, I found nothing wrong that I felt would make any other reader like it much less - and that was simply that it just wasn't that thought-provoking. It's a beach read, a summer read, so of course I get that it's not meant to be all that stimulating or whatever, but I still wish it had been just a touch less light, given me something to chew on. Still, the concept of peoples' lives being so intertwined by chance was very, very interesting - as well as that, some of Andrew's thoughts on art were quite interesting.

My final complaint was simply the names. Yes, the characters themselves did point out the ridiculousness of names like Webb and Coco, but what really did it for me was the surname Sprinkle. Like, Coco Sprinkle? Daisy Sprinkle? Surely Kate Klise could have tried a bit harder in that department!

It's a solid 4.5 stars.
(less)

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May 17, 2012 Julie (julie37619) rated it 4 of 5 stars

In The Bag is the perfect summer book. It follows a mother/daughter and father/son who are travelling in Europe and have an unlikely bag mix up that results in a flurry of emails, missed connections, and cute/quirky misunderstandings. It's short and light and the perfect beach read.

Writing
The author does an excellent job of capturing both adult and teen voices. The book is divided into sections narrated by each main character. In the adult-narrated sections, we see the angst and moodiness of te...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Cyndee Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, romance-adult-ya

Kate Klise gives the reader a "sit and read at one time"story about four
people who meet over a lost bag~A Mother and Daughter and a Dad and Son.
It may be a predictable story,however, Daisy and Andrew,the Parents, begin their introduction on the flight. Coco and Webb,the Teen children
meet over...yes,the lost bag. Read more to see the romance develop.Through the chapters, the story is set for each person to share their thoughts. Maybe its not deep for the reader who scoffs at the situations that o...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Kim McGee rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received an advance copy of this book and can't wait for it's debut in May. In the Bag makes you want to be Daisy and Coco and Andrew and Webb. It makes you want to laugh and cry at the same time and does what the perfect feel good book must do - it makes you feel warm and misty at the memory of and first love. I could identify with the characters easily and the change up between each person's view of what happens is magical. Coco and her chef mother Daisy are on a vacation to Paris as is Webb...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Maharet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: maharet-s-favorite-books

"Leggerlo è come mandar giù un calice di frizzantissimo champagne" - Booklist

Era un istinto,credo:sapere a quale posto apparteneva una determinata cosa,quale parte aveva nell'insieme,perchè doveva stare in un punto e non in un altro.Probabilmente era lo stesso istinto che mi aveva spinto a nascondere il bigliettino nella borsa di Mademoiselle 6B.Quello era il suo posto.E il mio posto era accanto a lei.

E' una di quelle commedie romantiche in cui vedresti bene Julia Roberts e Hugh Grant nei ruoli...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the Bag was our second January book pick for the FLICKS Book and Movie club. We all enjoyed this one as well. Chef Daisy has taken her teenage daughter Coco to Paris for a vacation. On her same flight from the U.S. to Paris is Andrew a single father with a teenage son, Webb. Andrew and Webb fly on to an art exhibit in Spain that Andrew is working on, but not before Andrew leaves a note in Daisy’s purse telling her of his attraction, and Coco and Webb accidently switch bags.

Coco and Webb start...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Brianna Soloski rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-in-2012, fiction, reviewed-for-blog

In the Bag by Kate Klise

320 pages

2/5 stars

The premise of In the Bag has potential, but the end result is far-fetched and boring. In the Bag tells the story of two teens and their parents who are traveling in Paris and Madrid. The teens take each others bags, unknowingly, which leads to a series of e-mails trying to figure out how they can exchange bags. What follows is a bunch of events that are unbelievable. The first part of the book hooks you and you root for Webb and Coco (the teens) to meet...more In the Bag by Kate Klise

320 pages

2/5 stars

The premise of In the Bag has potential, but the end result is far-fetched and boring. In the Bag tells the story of two teens and their parents who are traveling in Paris and Madrid. The teens take each others bags, unknowingly, which leads to a series of e-mails trying to figure out how they can exchange bags. What follows is a bunch of events that are unbelievable. The first part of the book hooks you and you root for Webb and Coco (the teens) to meet and start a relationship. The second half of the book sends Daisy (Coco’s mom) to Madrid to oversee the food for a friend’s art exhibition. Unbeknownst to her, Andrew (the exhibit designer and Webb’s dad) is the one who spilled wine on her during their flight from Chicago to Paris. Meanwhile, Webb is on a train from Madrid to Paris to meet Coco and return her bag. The book ends with a supposed terrorist attack and a happy ending.

The characters of In the Bag were one-dimensional. At first, I felt some connection to them, but as the pages went on they became boring. Webb and Coco were portrayed as typical whiny teens while their parents were workaholics who had no clue what their kids were doing. I mean, really, how do you not notice that your son went missing for almost 24 hours and hopped a train to a foreign country? Daisy is a chef who blows into a restaurant and works her butt off, until something annoys her. It’s mentioned that she has quit jobs over steak sauce and televisions in bars.

I didn’t like Andrew from the minute he slipped the note into Daisy’s bag. Who does that? He should have just apologized to her at the time and moved on. Of course, if he had done that, there wouldn’t be a story.

The book was split into seven days and told from four different perspectives. Normally, I don’t mind when books have multiple narrators, but in this case it didn’t really work. For example, Webb would narrate a chapter and then Coco would narrate what was essentially the same chapter. Ditto for Andrew and Daisy. It got repetitive on day two and we never really get to know the characters on more than a superficial level.

I try really hard to find something I like in each book I review. Sometimes it’s easy, other times it’s a little more difficult. This is one of those more difficult times. I found myself bored and not wanting to keep reading. I actually didn’t pick up the book for three days and it was okay. I didn’t find myself thinking about the characters like I do when I’m enjoying a book.

I can’t even recommend this for a beach read – it’s unlikely to hold your attention and keep you reading.

Disclaimer: Copy obtained from the local library.(less)

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May 24, 2012 Dan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Two single parents; two separate European vacations; one missing bag adds up to a fun, light romantic read. Coco is on a trip with her mother, Daisy when she realizes she took the wrong bag at the airport. Daisy is concerned about the not someone stuck in her bag on the plane. Webb has Daisy’s bag and his father Andrew is the note dropping culprit.

Written as a page in each of the four character’s journals, we get a glimpse of what is going on during the week of their trip to Europe. Although pre...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Katherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fun, easy read about misunderstandings in relationships between the parents and their kid, and between man/woman (boy/girl). It was interesting how Kate has written the book in the perspective of each character. It comes to show how each person's insecure thinking and non-communication led to misunderstanding between each of the character. As a mother of a teenage boy, I can totally relate to the parent/child relationship. The only thing I didn't like about the book is sometimes the thoughts and...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Sharon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction

3.5 stars
Start with a couple of single parents and their teenaged children, add an international flight, a clumsy accident, a bag mix-up, a misunderstanding and a lot of emails, and you get In the Bag, a sweet comedy of errors where two couples find that no matter how far you travel, there is no escaping fate.
I have long recommended Kate Klise to my grade school students, and I’m pleased that she has branched out into the adult realm. Hopefully there will be more to come, because this lovely and...more

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Apr 13, 2013 Michelle Wilson rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. The book is a modern and quirky book. I kept laughing throughout the book. It shows us even in this modern technology age life still comes down to our basic wants and needs. Sometime it seems like that modern technology is running this world but its definitely not! All we long for is happiness, love and financial stability. Like they say laughter is the best medicine and if that remains true YOU definitely want to read this book. In The Bag is a must read that captu...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Meg rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sent-for-review, women-s-fiction, read-in-2012

If Kate Klise's In The Bag sounds like a kooky novel relying on uncanny coincidences to further the plot, you’re right — and I liked it. Though far from unpredictable, it’s easy to see how fate plays a role in joining together four people; the whole novel has a sort of “Sleepless In Seattle” feel to it. You know what I mean? Like everything is destined to work out, but only the audience can see it. And we’re along for the ride.

Though Coco’s typical-teenage-character whining (“Mooooom! You’re rui...more If Kate Klise's In The Bag sounds like a kooky novel relying on uncanny coincidences to further the plot, you’re right — and I liked it. Though far from unpredictable, it’s easy to see how fate plays a role in joining together four people; the whole novel has a sort of “Sleepless In Seattle” feel to it. You know what I mean? Like everything is destined to work out, but only the audience can see it. And we’re along for the ride.

Though Coco’s typical-teenage-character whining (“Mooooom! You’re ruining my life!“) nonsense took a while to stomach, I eventually took a shine to her. Both Coco and Daisy are struggling to sort out their roles in the mother-daughter dynamic, especially as Coco gets older and prepares for college. Their trip to Paris is supposed to be a chance to reconnect and recharge their batteries, especially for Daisy, but nothing seems to be going their way.

After a luggage mix-up, they’re linked to Andrew and Webb, a handsome father-son pair, and it’s not complicated to see that Teen Girl A will feel a spark with Teen Boy B. Communicating exclusively through email, In The Bag focuses often on the role of digital courtship versus the more traditional ways of getting to know someone (like, you know, in person). Daisy is wary of technology while Andrew embraces it; Coco and Webb are, of course, glued to whatever Internet cafe they can find abroad. I liked the explorations of “modern” courtship — they made sense, and Klise wasn’t heavy-handed about it. The whole “OMG people don’t really talk anymore” overtures popping up in contemporary fiction are getting stale.

Those who love a side of scenery, French food and wicked descriptions of Europe with their love stories will definitely find plenty to enjoy in In The Bag. Flipping between sunny Madrid and romantic Paris, it’s the sort of novel that will have you wanting to pack a bag immediately. (Just hope it doesn’t get lost.) Though I got more of a sense of France than Spain, that’s probably because Webb spent his time in Madrid talking to Coco in Paris — so we see less of the city through his eyes. Still, the travel aspects were fun, and I enjoyed the “Americans abroad” perspective.

In The Bag definitely has crossover appeal. Adult readers and chick lit lovers will relate to the harried-parents-doing-the-best-they-can relationship between Andrew and Daisy; teens have plenty to get their blood pumpin’ regarding the sweet but flirtatious evolution of Webb and Coco’s emails. By the time the pair meet face-to-face, I was grinning — I mean, who wouldn’t root for those crazy kids? And when things don’t go exactly as planned, I could sympathize. For as much as I had to suspend disbelief at points, Coco and Webb’s meeting was painfully realistic.

So armchair travelers rejoice! Kate Klise has penned a funny, light and speedy read transporting readers through Madrid and Paris with two love stories entertaining enough for me to devour the whole thing on a three-hour train ride. And I have no regrets. (3.5 stars)(less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Light, cute story poking fun at the difference between teen romance and adult romance in the digital age and how each generation communicates, or, rather, fails to communicate with their own generation and the other. The teenagers are suitably self-absorbed and the adults struggle with their figurative "baggage" as they navigate Paris, Madrid, and Barcelona in a crazy jumble of coincidences. The story has a fun European vacation atmosphere that causes characters to do things they might not norma...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Courtney rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love this book! This book was on the giveaway list and I was one of the winners I just got it in the mail yesterday. I started to read it this afternoon and could not put it down I finished it within a couple of hours. I loved how it switches from each person's point of view It allows you to experience the book from different sides. You start to understand and relate to each character as they share their sides of each situation. The only thing I did not like about this book was the ending and...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Runa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really wish Kate Klise would stick with children's books, maybe venturing into YA. This was her first book for adults, and it deviated from her typical epistolary format, another disappointment, although much of the story was still told through e-mails and notes. Anyways, this was a simple, fluffy story, not at all a difficult read, great to just pass the time with nothing else to read, but by far not her best work. Looking forward to future epistolary novels from this author I hold in the hig...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Paty rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 20, 2012 Gmr rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: teens through adults

Recommended to Gmr by: publisher

This is Kate Klise’s first endeavor into the world of adult fiction…which due to the story itself, could easily be housed in the land of Young Adult without feeling like a wolf among sheep. In this story, we have a case of mistaken identity…of a case…a written note that was met with a heart full of skepticism despite its true intentions…and the mission of one bag to change the fate of four people for better or worse. It’s the actions of those that found and lost said bag that get things rolling,...more This is Kate Klise’s first endeavor into the world of adult fiction…which due to the story itself, could easily be housed in the land of Young Adult without feeling like a wolf among sheep. In this story, we have a case of mistaken identity…of a case…a written note that was met with a heart full of skepticism despite its true intentions…and the mission of one bag to change the fate of four people for better or worse. It’s the actions of those that found and lost said bag that get things rolling, but fate seems to have a big hand in it all as well. It’s hilarious, it’s touching, it’s sweet, it’s not to be missed….which of course you’ve heard all before, but trust me, it applies.

Fans of her children’s fiction will not be disappointed as her popular style of storytelling is not completely erased despite the older audience aimed for. The appearance of correspondence throughout the book from the handwritten note to the emails that fly back and forth between Coco and Webb work wonders to put you right there in the story while giving it that air of familiarity that can’t be denied. Another deja vue moment? The included illustrations when day turns to night. The images depicted give readers a glimpse of what’s forthcoming in the next few chapters, but only enough to peek your interest while not spoiling the fun. I know, I know…pictures in an ADULT fiction book, and yet…it works REALLY well. Now on to the characters…

Daisy and Andrew are the slightly jaded adults just trying to make their way through another trip abroad. Daisy is there for pleasure with her daughter Coco; Andrew is there for work with his son Webb. All work and no play makes for one stressed out papa, but the same can be said about all play when a work opportunity that will also help out a friend is staring you in the face. Let’s just say they’d be a match made in heaven if their paths would only cross…and cross they do but they end up more crossed than anything else. It’s rather funny and a great example of how one should not assume what another means nor what their intentions are….just ask them to speak their mind already! SO much confusion could be afforded. Now on to the teens…

Coco is just graduating high school with college right around the corner, a good girl (too good at times according to Mom) and smart as a whip….Webb is right along the same paths as well, though his Dad wishes he would become technology challenged for a while at least and enjoy the European landscape. Their chance email encounter due to the bag switcheroo is entertaining to say the least…especially when they are trying to sort out if they each are who they say they are. Never has a case of “mistaken identity” been captured so fully and full of life as this….well, that I’ve seen so far at least.

Plans are made, dates are set and gasp! They agree to meet, swap bags, and maybe numbers if all goes well….but as this one is more contemporary fiction, it is given free reign to have things go wrong that can go wrong. It mostly boils down to a lack of communication…which again is pretty ironic since that’s what they were doing this whole time…and bottled up feelings, but it translates to a story you won’t be able to put down. The pages fly by and before you know it, you’ve reached the end….and although its not the one you thought you were speeding towards, it’s perfect just the same.

A great summer reading pick for young adult readers and beyond! If you enjoy a fast flowing story of mishaps, chance encounters, potential connections missed and gained, as well as time spent in a foreign land, this one is most certainly for you. There are moments that are smile inducing, moments of frustration, kindness shown and forgiveness given…but mostly there are the moments we stumble and share through a life well lived that lead us down those often unexpected but truly worthwhile paths that memories are made of. A grand adventure you won’t be able to put down that celebrates the value of the written word...

*review copy received in exchange for my honest review(less)

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