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Twenty-One Nights in Paris
'An utterly gorgeous romantic read. It made me want to pack my bags for Paris!' Sandy Barker
Irena and Sacha come from two very different worlds.
An heiress to a fortune, Ren’s home-from-home is the Ritz, while the handsome and brooding Sacha has grown up in Paris’s less salubrious suburbs. So when an accident brings them together, romance seems an unlikely outcome.
When Ren’s society engagement reaches a very public end, Irena’s over-protective grandmother wants her home in London. Ren needs an excuse to stay in Paris, and so after some persuasion, Sacha agrees to pose as her new boyfriend. But only for the twenty-one days Ren's grandmother has allowed her to nurse her broken heart before heading home to face the music.
Over the course of three weeks, Ren realises the world outside her exclusive bubble is more beautiful than she could have imagined. While Sacha reluctantly begins to see the goodness of the woman behind the wealth. When their time is up, will Ren want to return to her gilded cage, and will Sacha be able to let go of the woman he’s been ‘pretending’ to fall in love with…
Let Leonie Mack whisk you off to the City of Lights for a tale of love against the odds, and of following your dreams. Perfect for fans of Mandy Baggot, Jo Thomas and Sarah Morgan.
Irena and Sacha come from two very different worlds.
An heiress to a fortune, Ren’s home-from-home is the Ritz, while the handsome and brooding Sacha has grown up in Paris’s less salubrious suburbs. So when an accident brings them together, romance seems an unlikely outcome.
When Ren’s society engagement reaches a very public end, Irena’s over-protective grandmother wants her home in London. Ren needs an excuse to stay in Paris, and so after some persuasion, Sacha agrees to pose as her new boyfriend. But only for the twenty-one days Ren's grandmother has allowed her to nurse her broken heart before heading home to face the music.
Over the course of three weeks, Ren realises the world outside her exclusive bubble is more beautiful than she could have imagined. While Sacha reluctantly begins to see the goodness of the woman behind the wealth. When their time is up, will Ren want to return to her gilded cage, and will Sacha be able to let go of the woman he’s been ‘pretending’ to fall in love with…
Let Leonie Mack whisk you off to the City of Lights for a tale of love against the odds, and of following your dreams. Perfect for fans of Mandy Baggot, Jo Thomas and Sarah Morgan.
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First published October 6, 2022
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About the author
Leonie Mack
20 books221 followersAfter leaving Australia ‘for a year’, Leonie never went home and now travels across Europe jotting down love stories wherever she goes. She has a degree in languages and is an expert at taking public transport and travelling under her own steam on foot or by bike. ‘Home’ is now in central Germany, in the vineyards along the Main river, where she spends her time writing happy endings in English and speaking German with bad grammar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
September 15, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
1.5⭐
I really wanted to like this — the premise sounded wonderful, and I was ready to get into the holiday spirit. But unfortunately, this book didn't live up to my expectations at all.
First off, I was very disappointed by the casual racism displayed toward Sacha. I understand that it was necessary to show the differences between him and Ren, their backgrounds and personalities, but I don't think it was done well. I found it all extremely distasteful, especially Sacha's own thoughts and reactions to the way others treated him. I'm not sure if the author is white, but if she is, that would explain a lot.
In addition, the writing style was extremely underdeveloped and weak. I felt like I was reading someone recounting the events instead of being with the characters as they lived them. The romance was unconvincing and happened way too quickly, the twists were predictable and badly timed, and the history and literature loaded bits were hard to follow and boring.
None of the characters were developed well, and some were so one-dimensional that they actually seemed parodic. The characters' motivations and intentions were murky at best, and it seemed like the author was much more concerned with including a bunch of popular tropes in the story than developing it. I also think the author didn't really handle the language switching that well, but that might just be me.
The one thing I did like were the descriptions of Paris. It really felt like I was right there in the city at times, which shows that Mack does have skill. She just needs to spend time honing it. As it is, it indeed needs a lot of work.
If you enjoyed this one — good for you. But it definitely wasn't for me.
1.5⭐
I really wanted to like this — the premise sounded wonderful, and I was ready to get into the holiday spirit. But unfortunately, this book didn't live up to my expectations at all.
First off, I was very disappointed by the casual racism displayed toward Sacha. I understand that it was necessary to show the differences between him and Ren, their backgrounds and personalities, but I don't think it was done well. I found it all extremely distasteful, especially Sacha's own thoughts and reactions to the way others treated him. I'm not sure if the author is white, but if she is, that would explain a lot.
In addition, the writing style was extremely underdeveloped and weak. I felt like I was reading someone recounting the events instead of being with the characters as they lived them. The romance was unconvincing and happened way too quickly, the twists were predictable and badly timed, and the history and literature loaded bits were hard to follow and boring.
None of the characters were developed well, and some were so one-dimensional that they actually seemed parodic. The characters' motivations and intentions were murky at best, and it seemed like the author was much more concerned with including a bunch of popular tropes in the story than developing it. I also think the author didn't really handle the language switching that well, but that might just be me.
The one thing I did like were the descriptions of Paris. It really felt like I was right there in the city at times, which shows that Mack does have skill. She just needs to spend time honing it. As it is, it indeed needs a lot of work.
If you enjoyed this one — good for you. But it definitely wasn't for me.
October 6, 2022
This is another fake romance story – they seem to be quite popular at the moment! Diving into this book, I was frustrated with the obvious plot developments but loved the vivid descriptions of Paris. It was this element that saved the story as otherwise, it felt rather tedious and lack lustre.
Starting the novel, I thought I had missed several opening chapters. It felt like I had jumped into the middle of the action and I then spent the rest of the story trying to play catch up. In my opinion, I thought Mack had rushed into the fake romance theme, rather than spending time to develop the main characters a bit more. I would have liked to have learnt more about Ren’s rather lavish background, to understand the relationship she has with her family and the family business. Whilst I’m not expecting a biography so early on in the narrative and anticipate writer’s to add this information as the story progresses, I thought too much was lacking before the plot really took off. It was too much, too soon.
The fake relationship between Ren and Sacha felt too forced and I did not believe in it when genuine feelings started to develop. There is a lot of emphasis placed on the differences between Ren and Sacha: in terms of culture, wealth and social background. For me, it felt like they were being defined by these characteristics, or allowing those around them to do so, and it meant the characters were trapped in these judgements. I think this added to my feeling that they were largely underdeveloped in the story.
I loved the descriptions of Paris. It brought back vivid memories of my own trip and I think this was the best element of the writing. I would not say that this book was overly Christmassy, but I do believe that Mack really captures the magic of such a city, especially the scenes at night. On the other hand, there was plenty of French dialogue in the story that I tended to gloss over; it did not help that no English translations were provided at what I thought were key parts.
Overall, I think I was let down by this story and definitely did not enjoy it as much as the cover and title promised. The lack of character development, obvious plot directions and genuinely bland story meant I could not fall in love like Ren and Sacha.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Starting the novel, I thought I had missed several opening chapters. It felt like I had jumped into the middle of the action and I then spent the rest of the story trying to play catch up. In my opinion, I thought Mack had rushed into the fake romance theme, rather than spending time to develop the main characters a bit more. I would have liked to have learnt more about Ren’s rather lavish background, to understand the relationship she has with her family and the family business. Whilst I’m not expecting a biography so early on in the narrative and anticipate writer’s to add this information as the story progresses, I thought too much was lacking before the plot really took off. It was too much, too soon.
The fake relationship between Ren and Sacha felt too forced and I did not believe in it when genuine feelings started to develop. There is a lot of emphasis placed on the differences between Ren and Sacha: in terms of culture, wealth and social background. For me, it felt like they were being defined by these characteristics, or allowing those around them to do so, and it meant the characters were trapped in these judgements. I think this added to my feeling that they were largely underdeveloped in the story.
I loved the descriptions of Paris. It brought back vivid memories of my own trip and I think this was the best element of the writing. I would not say that this book was overly Christmassy, but I do believe that Mack really captures the magic of such a city, especially the scenes at night. On the other hand, there was plenty of French dialogue in the story that I tended to gloss over; it did not help that no English translations were provided at what I thought were key parts.
Overall, I think I was let down by this story and definitely did not enjoy it as much as the cover and title promised. The lack of character development, obvious plot directions and genuinely bland story meant I could not fall in love like Ren and Sacha.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2022
‘What help do you need?’ She squared her shoulders and looked him in the eye. Her voice didn’t waver as she said, ‘I need you to have a wild affair with me.’
I adored Sacha & Ren's fake dating story. It was engaging and amusing at the same time. It was the first time that I read a book by this author and I quite liked the writing style. The side characters however were annoying (except Nadia, Joseph and Malou) but I grew to like Ren's grandma towards the end. When the mystery surrounding Sacha's job was finally cleared, I was surprised because I wasn't expecting that. Ren was such a softie and she had a good heart. Being an heiress, she didn't have an ounce of attitude or superiority complex like her grandmother and Ziggy did. She was a breath of fresh air, she just needed help for standing up for herself in front of her grandma and Sacha provided her just that. He was equally selfless, caring and helped her by often going out of his way. The setting of the story gave off strong Paris vibes and the plot was well thought of. Both Ren & Sacha were caught up in insecurities but whenever they saw themselves through each other perspective, I could feel how much they adored each other. It was a wonderful and light-hearted story, I finished it in the matter of just a few hours.
ARC received from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review
I adored Sacha & Ren's fake dating story. It was engaging and amusing at the same time. It was the first time that I read a book by this author and I quite liked the writing style. The side characters however were annoying (except Nadia, Joseph and Malou) but I grew to like Ren's grandma towards the end. When the mystery surrounding Sacha's job was finally cleared, I was surprised because I wasn't expecting that. Ren was such a softie and she had a good heart. Being an heiress, she didn't have an ounce of attitude or superiority complex like her grandmother and Ziggy did. She was a breath of fresh air, she just needed help for standing up for herself in front of her grandma and Sacha provided her just that. He was equally selfless, caring and helped her by often going out of his way. The setting of the story gave off strong Paris vibes and the plot was well thought of. Both Ren & Sacha were caught up in insecurities but whenever they saw themselves through each other perspective, I could feel how much they adored each other. It was a wonderful and light-hearted story, I finished it in the matter of just a few hours.
ARC received from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review
September 10, 2022
“Love is your blank page…”
Author Leonie Mack understands that fairytales aren’t just for kids. Her upcoming release, a Parisian romance, is an Aladdin-inspired winter fairytale featuring three popular tropes: the rich heroine and poor hero trope, the fake relationship trope, and the forbidden love trope. In addition to seeing similarities with Aladdin, readers will also notice hints of Sleeping Beauty, the Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Lady and the Tramp! In fact, I had flashbacks of Pretty Woman and Sleepless in Seattle. Not only has Mack mastered the reverse Cinderella, but she also rocks the tropes and keeps readers glued to the pages with her loveable characters and believable plot. Mack also does Paris justice by capturing the atmosphere and sights of this beautiful city perfectly. What’s not to love about twenty-one nights in the City of Love? I’d love to find out!
Kudos to Mack for nailing the fake relationship trope! I was totally convinced that pretending to be in a fake relationship was Ren’s only option in dealing with her family and her broken engagement. I giggled and gasped at the awkward moments and the times when Ren and Sacha questioned if they were acting or if the feelings were real. Mack brought to life those exciting moments of discovering love! I don’t know how she does it but she keeps me swooning, gasping, and giggling. I loved the frozen margarita scene, the brazen scene where she tells Sacha, still a stranger at this point, that she needs him “to have a wild affair” with her, and the explanation of the French translation of ‘Wren’. I appreciated the exploration of how creative works touch our lives, how love isn’t about what we deserve, and the importance of making the most of each shared moment. I was fascinated with ‘verlan’ and will investigate it further!
“Who was he, this man who weaved history with threads of meaning and wielded words so powerful they made her heart beat wildly?”
We all need a Sacha Mourad in our lives - someone who listens to us and helps us see the world in a different way and someone who doesn’t just love us, but belongs with us. What a swoon-worthy hero!
“I don’t mean forget, forget. But I have to cross out the mistake and continue on. Every mistake leads here, to now. Crossing things out is ignoring them and losing the thread of what makes us who we are.”
I love this pivotal moment! I have a fresh appreciation now for mistakes. I love the reference to them being threads that make us who we are.
I’m excited to see what Leonie Mack has in store for readers in 2023!
Clean romance. Some swearing.
I was gifted this advance copy by Boldwood Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Author Leonie Mack understands that fairytales aren’t just for kids. Her upcoming release, a Parisian romance, is an Aladdin-inspired winter fairytale featuring three popular tropes: the rich heroine and poor hero trope, the fake relationship trope, and the forbidden love trope. In addition to seeing similarities with Aladdin, readers will also notice hints of Sleeping Beauty, the Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Lady and the Tramp! In fact, I had flashbacks of Pretty Woman and Sleepless in Seattle. Not only has Mack mastered the reverse Cinderella, but she also rocks the tropes and keeps readers glued to the pages with her loveable characters and believable plot. Mack also does Paris justice by capturing the atmosphere and sights of this beautiful city perfectly. What’s not to love about twenty-one nights in the City of Love? I’d love to find out!
Kudos to Mack for nailing the fake relationship trope! I was totally convinced that pretending to be in a fake relationship was Ren’s only option in dealing with her family and her broken engagement. I giggled and gasped at the awkward moments and the times when Ren and Sacha questioned if they were acting or if the feelings were real. Mack brought to life those exciting moments of discovering love! I don’t know how she does it but she keeps me swooning, gasping, and giggling. I loved the frozen margarita scene, the brazen scene where she tells Sacha, still a stranger at this point, that she needs him “to have a wild affair” with her, and the explanation of the French translation of ‘Wren’. I appreciated the exploration of how creative works touch our lives, how love isn’t about what we deserve, and the importance of making the most of each shared moment. I was fascinated with ‘verlan’ and will investigate it further!
“Who was he, this man who weaved history with threads of meaning and wielded words so powerful they made her heart beat wildly?”
We all need a Sacha Mourad in our lives - someone who listens to us and helps us see the world in a different way and someone who doesn’t just love us, but belongs with us. What a swoon-worthy hero!
“I don’t mean forget, forget. But I have to cross out the mistake and continue on. Every mistake leads here, to now. Crossing things out is ignoring them and losing the thread of what makes us who we are.”
I love this pivotal moment! I have a fresh appreciation now for mistakes. I love the reference to them being threads that make us who we are.
I’m excited to see what Leonie Mack has in store for readers in 2023!
Clean romance. Some swearing.
I was gifted this advance copy by Boldwood Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
September 21, 2022
Cute Christmas reads.
The main characters, Ren and Sacha are from opposite ends of society however they meet in a lovely way by colliding into each other. Later, they develop a relationship which can help Ren out of a situation with her family.
Ren is from a very wealthy family, but she is incredibly naive; She hasn’t explored and knows very little about real life, to the point where it’s almost frustrating. Sacha leads a relatively normal life as a teacher, helping out his family and travelling around Paris on his bike. As Ren persuades Sacha to act as her boyfriend in the lead up to Christmas so that she doesn’t have to go home and deal with her family-business crisis, they spend more time together and you start to understand more about the way they both are.
I wasn’t particularly keen towards Ren the beginning, she comes across as spoilt, but the way the author develops her throughout the story, giving up pieces of her background slowly throughout made me empathise with her.
In the end, their relationship felt equal with them both being able to teach the other something about themselves.
Review on: https://clife.blog/2022/09/28/book-re...
The main characters, Ren and Sacha are from opposite ends of society however they meet in a lovely way by colliding into each other. Later, they develop a relationship which can help Ren out of a situation with her family.
Ren is from a very wealthy family, but she is incredibly naive; She hasn’t explored and knows very little about real life, to the point where it’s almost frustrating. Sacha leads a relatively normal life as a teacher, helping out his family and travelling around Paris on his bike. As Ren persuades Sacha to act as her boyfriend in the lead up to Christmas so that she doesn’t have to go home and deal with her family-business crisis, they spend more time together and you start to understand more about the way they both are.
I wasn’t particularly keen towards Ren the beginning, she comes across as spoilt, but the way the author develops her throughout the story, giving up pieces of her background slowly throughout made me empathise with her.
In the end, their relationship felt equal with them both being able to teach the other something about themselves.
Review on: https://clife.blog/2022/09/28/book-re...
September 11, 2022
Twenty-One Nights in Paris
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 10/6/22
Author: Leonie Mack
Publisher: Boldwood Books
GR: 4.05
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Boldwood Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: An heiress to a fortune, Ren’s home-from-home is the Ritz, while the handsome and brooding Sacha has grown up in Paris’s less salubrious suburbs. When Ren’s society engagement reaches a very public end, Irena’s over-protective grandmother wants her home in London. Ren needs an excuse to stay in Paris, and so after some persuasion, Sacha agrees to pose as her new boyfriend. But only for the twenty-one days Ren's grandmother has allowed her to nurse her broken heart before heading home to face the music. When their time is up, will Ren want to return to her gilded cage, and will Sacha be able to let go of the woman he’s been ‘pretending’ to fall in love with…
My Thoughts: I adored Ren and Sacha, both with a good heart, even though Ren was an heiress. This follows the classic trope of fake dating, one of my favorites tropes to read. The tone set in Paris felt authentic and as if I was there with them. Ren’s grandmother, not so likable in the beginning, however, she grew on me towards the end. Mack really made this a swoon-worthy read and to really believe in love. One of the impacts this book had on me was to be present in each moment in your life, no matter how big or small. The characters were flushed out well and well developed with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and creatively written. The author’s writing style was complex, swoony, humorous, and kept me engaged. This was just a cute book and I would recommend picking up when it releases next month.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 10/6/22
Author: Leonie Mack
Publisher: Boldwood Books
GR: 4.05
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Boldwood Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: An heiress to a fortune, Ren’s home-from-home is the Ritz, while the handsome and brooding Sacha has grown up in Paris’s less salubrious suburbs. When Ren’s society engagement reaches a very public end, Irena’s over-protective grandmother wants her home in London. Ren needs an excuse to stay in Paris, and so after some persuasion, Sacha agrees to pose as her new boyfriend. But only for the twenty-one days Ren's grandmother has allowed her to nurse her broken heart before heading home to face the music. When their time is up, will Ren want to return to her gilded cage, and will Sacha be able to let go of the woman he’s been ‘pretending’ to fall in love with…
My Thoughts: I adored Ren and Sacha, both with a good heart, even though Ren was an heiress. This follows the classic trope of fake dating, one of my favorites tropes to read. The tone set in Paris felt authentic and as if I was there with them. Ren’s grandmother, not so likable in the beginning, however, she grew on me towards the end. Mack really made this a swoon-worthy read and to really believe in love. One of the impacts this book had on me was to be present in each moment in your life, no matter how big or small. The characters were flushed out well and well developed with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and creatively written. The author’s writing style was complex, swoony, humorous, and kept me engaged. This was just a cute book and I would recommend picking up when it releases next month.
November 1, 2023
It was pretty sweet and lovely. Full of lessons and motives.
Funny and light. Full of interesting information about history, Paris and much much more! I loved these parts, i had to pause and appreciate some indeed.
And ugh, listening to its audiobook, hearing an accent, and listening to some french words got me wondering, how would it feel like to have a French boyfriend? I bet adorable and romantic.
The reason for its low rating for me personally, that I wasn’t intrigued, and didn’t feel attached to it sadly. Maybe reading a physical copy would change my perspective on it? Who knows!
Funny and light. Full of interesting information about history, Paris and much much more! I loved these parts, i had to pause and appreciate some indeed.
And ugh, listening to its audiobook, hearing an accent, and listening to some french words got me wondering, how would it feel like to have a French boyfriend? I bet adorable and romantic.
The reason for its low rating for me personally, that I wasn’t intrigued, and didn’t feel attached to it sadly. Maybe reading a physical copy would change my perspective on it? Who knows!
September 22, 2022
This needs to be made into a film - it would be utterly perfect on the big screen. It feels like an adult fairy-tale, wrapped up in a love letter to Paris, set at Christmas, and has echoes of Aladdin running through it.
It's wonderful and without a doubt my favourite book from Leonie Mack so far. I even started to think about Paris in a whole new light, as Sacha was showing Ren his Paris, and including many fascinating snippets of history about the city at the same time.
And Ren watching her grow from the slightly naïve, completely un-streetwise pampered heiress, into who she truly is once she has acquired some freedom, had me hooked and smiling throughout.
Seeing Ren's wide eyed wonder at Paris at night at Christmas is magical to see, and I just loved the character development at play here.
And also I fell for Sacha early on, they had a memorable meet cute and from there we get a really entertaining fake boyfriend plot that, that feels different to others in the trope.
The writing is warm, evocative, descriptive and painted a vivid picture in my mind, one that I would love to see matched on a big screen. After all this book has a little bit of everything you could possibly want in a story, and I was just hooked.
A wonderful addition to this year's festive reading TBR list, and is completely and utterly recommended by me.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
It's wonderful and without a doubt my favourite book from Leonie Mack so far. I even started to think about Paris in a whole new light, as Sacha was showing Ren his Paris, and including many fascinating snippets of history about the city at the same time.
And Ren watching her grow from the slightly naïve, completely un-streetwise pampered heiress, into who she truly is once she has acquired some freedom, had me hooked and smiling throughout.
Seeing Ren's wide eyed wonder at Paris at night at Christmas is magical to see, and I just loved the character development at play here.
And also I fell for Sacha early on, they had a memorable meet cute and from there we get a really entertaining fake boyfriend plot that, that feels different to others in the trope.
The writing is warm, evocative, descriptive and painted a vivid picture in my mind, one that I would love to see matched on a big screen. After all this book has a little bit of everything you could possibly want in a story, and I was just hooked.
A wonderful addition to this year's festive reading TBR list, and is completely and utterly recommended by me.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
March 24, 2025
Excellent uplifting story. Well narrated.
October 7, 2022
I really wanted to read this book, fake relationship in Paris is one of my favorite tropes and as if that were not enough, Paris
.
But with a different twist as it is full of historical data about the city and as Ren rediscovers the city with Sacha the images come to your head
.
.
Ren is heiress to a world-famous antiques house and a very known it girl, very much in the Gosip girl style, she also has a family and environment that watch every step she takes, but when her fiancé goes out in all the media on the arm of another woman, she realizes that she cannot hide the truth any more and has to return to London to submit to the measuresof control of damage by her family
.
But halfway through the trip she manages to knock Sacha out of his bike and from the first moment they both look into each other's eyes their destinies and priorities change
.
Desperate to take care of Sacha, she misses her train and when the matriarch of the family shows up demanding that she return to London, Ren asks Sacha to pretend to be her boyfriend to show her family that she is okay and can get on without her ex-boyfriend
.
But with more time spent with Sacha discovering the city she traveled to so many times and the mysterious Sacha who knows everything about this mythical París, can't help but feel like she owns her own for the first time in her life and start to discover other things like love
.
.
At first it was difficult for me to connect with the story, and the characters, especially with so much historical data and because I didn't understood why Ren was so dependent on the opinion of her family, but as the history progressed it kept my attention until the end
.
.
A bit of Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn, a bit of gossip girl with delicious pastries, poetry and romance in Christmas, this is a fake relationship between a heiress and humble teacher in the most beautiful city
.
.
.
.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and Leonie Mack for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion
.
.
But with a different twist as it is full of historical data about the city and as Ren rediscovers the city with Sacha the images come to your head
.
.
Ren is heiress to a world-famous antiques house and a very known it girl, very much in the Gosip girl style, she also has a family and environment that watch every step she takes, but when her fiancé goes out in all the media on the arm of another woman, she realizes that she cannot hide the truth any more and has to return to London to submit to the measuresof control of damage by her family
.
But halfway through the trip she manages to knock Sacha out of his bike and from the first moment they both look into each other's eyes their destinies and priorities change
.
Desperate to take care of Sacha, she misses her train and when the matriarch of the family shows up demanding that she return to London, Ren asks Sacha to pretend to be her boyfriend to show her family that she is okay and can get on without her ex-boyfriend
.
But with more time spent with Sacha discovering the city she traveled to so many times and the mysterious Sacha who knows everything about this mythical París, can't help but feel like she owns her own for the first time in her life and start to discover other things like love
.
.
At first it was difficult for me to connect with the story, and the characters, especially with so much historical data and because I didn't understood why Ren was so dependent on the opinion of her family, but as the history progressed it kept my attention until the end
.
.
A bit of Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn, a bit of gossip girl with delicious pastries, poetry and romance in Christmas, this is a fake relationship between a heiress and humble teacher in the most beautiful city
.
.
.
.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and Leonie Mack for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion
.
November 26, 2022
I tried to like like this book,honestly, I did, it's Christmas book after all. But I was very disappointed.
Already from the start I felt like I was missing parts of the story, that made me check if I haven't skipped a few pages (read the digital version of this book). The story was also predictable, and not in the cute Hallmark way, where you always know what's gonna happen, but in a way, that makes you want to put a book down, because what's the point anymore.🤷🏼♀️
Wanted to see some character development and some unexpected twist but that didn't happen.
Already from the start I felt like I was missing parts of the story, that made me check if I haven't skipped a few pages (read the digital version of this book). The story was also predictable, and not in the cute Hallmark way, where you always know what's gonna happen, but in a way, that makes you want to put a book down, because what's the point anymore.🤷🏼♀️
Wanted to see some character development and some unexpected twist but that didn't happen.
October 15, 2022
Thank you to @bookandtonic for this advanced copy of Twenty-One Nights in Paris by @leoniejmack in return for an honest review. Thank you also for having me on the Blog Tour for this lovely book.
Description 🔖
An heiress to a fortune, Ren’s home-from-home is the Ritz, while the handsome and brooding Sacha has grown up in Paris’s less salubrious suburbs. So when an accident brings them together, romance seems an unlikely outcome.
When Ren’s society engagement reaches a very public end, Irena’s over-protective grandmother wants her home in London. Ren needs an excuse to stay in Paris, and so after some persuasion, Sacha agrees to pose as her new boyfriend. But only for the twenty-one days Ren’s grandmother has allowed her to nurse her broken heart before heading home to face the music.
Over the course of three weeks, Ren realises the world outside her exclusive bubble is more beautiful than she could have imagined. While Sacha reluctantly begins to see the goodness of the woman behind the wealth. When their time is up, will Ren want to return to her gilded cage, and will Sacha be able to let go of the woman he’s been ‘pretending’ to fall in love with…
General Thoughts 🤔
This book was all of the loveliness and light heartedness that I was expecting and wanting it to be. It was a bit of a mix between meet cute, fake relationship and forbidden love which written down sounds like it could be a bit much, but I thought that it worked well. It was very easy to get carried away with Ren and Sacha’s relationship and want them to get their happy ending.
Characters 👫👭👬
Ren and Sacha were quite naturally the main characters in the book, however there were plenty of other characters that I fell in love with along the way. I instantly liked Joseph and I really liked that he knew from the very beginning that this unlikely pairing was going to end in love. I didn’t take the same liking to Ren’s Grandmother. She was very hard faced and cold. Considering that Ren was all of the living family she had left, she wasn’t too concerned about her well being and feelings.
Sacha was so easy to love, it was completely understandable that Ren fell head over heels. He had all of the attractive traits of a rough around the edges Parisian man whilst maintaining a very sensitive and caring side of his personality. I didn’t think that I would like Ren at the very beginning as I didn’t think she would have the courage to follow her own heart. However she grew in strength as the story progressed and I ended up feeling quite proud of her by the end.
Writing Style ✍️
I liked that the story was uncomplicated, easy to read and I was able to switch my brain off and indulge in the romance. I can sometimes find romance books a little frustrating as they can be unrealistic. I’m not saying that everything in this book felt like real life, but it was definitely a dreamy tale that I was able to get behind without feeling super cringey.
Having read the acknowledgements, I understand that the author has spent some time living in Paris and it certainly showed through her writing. The scene setting of the different areas of Paris was great and made me feel transported to all the different places Ren and Sacha found themselves exploring.
Conclusion & Scoring 🎖
I’ve not read a Leonie Mack book before, but after reading this one, I think I’ll definitely reach for another the next time I want to feel all the mushy feels. I’m really grateful to be included on the blog tour for this heart warming book. The timing couldn’t be better for me as I am off to Paris next weekend so this story did a fantastic job of setting all of my dreamy, happy ending expectations. If you’re in the mood to be romantically swept off your feet in Paris, then definitely cuddle up with this book and live Ren and Sacha’s dreamy romance through the pages.
Description 🔖
An heiress to a fortune, Ren’s home-from-home is the Ritz, while the handsome and brooding Sacha has grown up in Paris’s less salubrious suburbs. So when an accident brings them together, romance seems an unlikely outcome.
When Ren’s society engagement reaches a very public end, Irena’s over-protective grandmother wants her home in London. Ren needs an excuse to stay in Paris, and so after some persuasion, Sacha agrees to pose as her new boyfriend. But only for the twenty-one days Ren’s grandmother has allowed her to nurse her broken heart before heading home to face the music.
Over the course of three weeks, Ren realises the world outside her exclusive bubble is more beautiful than she could have imagined. While Sacha reluctantly begins to see the goodness of the woman behind the wealth. When their time is up, will Ren want to return to her gilded cage, and will Sacha be able to let go of the woman he’s been ‘pretending’ to fall in love with…
General Thoughts 🤔
This book was all of the loveliness and light heartedness that I was expecting and wanting it to be. It was a bit of a mix between meet cute, fake relationship and forbidden love which written down sounds like it could be a bit much, but I thought that it worked well. It was very easy to get carried away with Ren and Sacha’s relationship and want them to get their happy ending.
Characters 👫👭👬
Ren and Sacha were quite naturally the main characters in the book, however there were plenty of other characters that I fell in love with along the way. I instantly liked Joseph and I really liked that he knew from the very beginning that this unlikely pairing was going to end in love. I didn’t take the same liking to Ren’s Grandmother. She was very hard faced and cold. Considering that Ren was all of the living family she had left, she wasn’t too concerned about her well being and feelings.
Sacha was so easy to love, it was completely understandable that Ren fell head over heels. He had all of the attractive traits of a rough around the edges Parisian man whilst maintaining a very sensitive and caring side of his personality. I didn’t think that I would like Ren at the very beginning as I didn’t think she would have the courage to follow her own heart. However she grew in strength as the story progressed and I ended up feeling quite proud of her by the end.
Writing Style ✍️
I liked that the story was uncomplicated, easy to read and I was able to switch my brain off and indulge in the romance. I can sometimes find romance books a little frustrating as they can be unrealistic. I’m not saying that everything in this book felt like real life, but it was definitely a dreamy tale that I was able to get behind without feeling super cringey.
Having read the acknowledgements, I understand that the author has spent some time living in Paris and it certainly showed through her writing. The scene setting of the different areas of Paris was great and made me feel transported to all the different places Ren and Sacha found themselves exploring.
Conclusion & Scoring 🎖
I’ve not read a Leonie Mack book before, but after reading this one, I think I’ll definitely reach for another the next time I want to feel all the mushy feels. I’m really grateful to be included on the blog tour for this heart warming book. The timing couldn’t be better for me as I am off to Paris next weekend so this story did a fantastic job of setting all of my dreamy, happy ending expectations. If you’re in the mood to be romantically swept off your feet in Paris, then definitely cuddle up with this book and live Ren and Sacha’s dreamy romance through the pages.
March 6, 2023
Excellent audiobook version of a "Cinderfella," fake-dating romance
Ren is a 30-year-old, red-headed, extremely white, British woman from a wealthy background. Sacha is a 34-year-old, second-generation Lebanese Frenchman, who is an underpaid public school teacher who barely makes ends meet. Their Meet Cute happens when klutzy Ren carelessly opens the passenger door of the chauffeured limousine she is traveling in without checking to see if anyone is traversing the bike lane. Sacha is moving at a rapid clip on his bicycle and plows into her open car door.
The best part of this book for me personally is Sacha, who is an adorable "cinnamon roll" hero. As is typical for this type of hero, virtually all of the sacrifices for love that are made in this book are from Sacha, who is constantly doing favors for Ren, in his role as her fake boyfriend.
Lebanon is an Arab nation which is 65% Muslim and 35% Christian, and Sacha's father raised him as a Christian. We are not directly told this information until the middle of the book, but long before that, I assumed that this was going to be the case, because Sacha has many tattoos, something which is forbidden by the Muslim religion. A great deal of prejudice is directed toward Sacha throughout this novel by Ren's snooty grandmother, her grandmother's personal assistant, and Ren's obnoxious ex-fiancé. However, the author goes to a great deal of trouble to make it directly and indirectly clear to her audience that this prejudice is purely class bias, rather than religious or ethnic bigotry. As a result, the vibe of the novel in general seems more appropriate for a historical novel, in which an aristocrat falls for a plebeian, rather than a modern romance novel.
In addition to the romantic conflict of class, an additional issue keeping the lovers apart, until the expected HEA of every romance novel, is Ren's low self-esteem and eternal bowing down to anything and everything her grandmother wants from her, as well as Sacha's unwillingness to take a chance on love.
I had the opportunity to obtain the Kindle version of this book through Amazon Prime Library, and I also had access to its audiobook version through Hoopla. As a result, I went back and forth between both versions. This book is filled with French phrases and even some Arabic dialects, given that Sacha is multilingual, and the narrator does an excellent job pronouncing all those languages.
The author states in the notes at the end of this novel that she has visited Paris many times, and it shows. There is a great deal of vividly accurate description of different sights in Paris. Having lived in Paris myself many years ago, I tended to skim over those parts, because I was more interested in the romance than a travelogue. But people who have not been to Paris might enjoy that part of the novel.
This is a slow-burn romance, with no sex until after 75% of the novel. There are two on-stage sexual encounters, but there is zero overt mention of any physical contact that occurs between the two lovers other than kissing. The author focuses on their emotions instead. In addition, what little cussing there is in this book is in French. So most English speakers who don't understand French will probably not even notice it. For that reason, I would say this book is barely in the PG range.
Ren is a 30-year-old, red-headed, extremely white, British woman from a wealthy background. Sacha is a 34-year-old, second-generation Lebanese Frenchman, who is an underpaid public school teacher who barely makes ends meet. Their Meet Cute happens when klutzy Ren carelessly opens the passenger door of the chauffeured limousine she is traveling in without checking to see if anyone is traversing the bike lane. Sacha is moving at a rapid clip on his bicycle and plows into her open car door.
The best part of this book for me personally is Sacha, who is an adorable "cinnamon roll" hero. As is typical for this type of hero, virtually all of the sacrifices for love that are made in this book are from Sacha, who is constantly doing favors for Ren, in his role as her fake boyfriend.
Lebanon is an Arab nation which is 65% Muslim and 35% Christian, and Sacha's father raised him as a Christian. We are not directly told this information until the middle of the book, but long before that, I assumed that this was going to be the case, because Sacha has many tattoos, something which is forbidden by the Muslim religion. A great deal of prejudice is directed toward Sacha throughout this novel by Ren's snooty grandmother, her grandmother's personal assistant, and Ren's obnoxious ex-fiancé. However, the author goes to a great deal of trouble to make it directly and indirectly clear to her audience that this prejudice is purely class bias, rather than religious or ethnic bigotry. As a result, the vibe of the novel in general seems more appropriate for a historical novel, in which an aristocrat falls for a plebeian, rather than a modern romance novel.
In addition to the romantic conflict of class, an additional issue keeping the lovers apart, until the expected HEA of every romance novel, is Ren's low self-esteem and eternal bowing down to anything and everything her grandmother wants from her, as well as Sacha's unwillingness to take a chance on love.
I had the opportunity to obtain the Kindle version of this book through Amazon Prime Library, and I also had access to its audiobook version through Hoopla. As a result, I went back and forth between both versions. This book is filled with French phrases and even some Arabic dialects, given that Sacha is multilingual, and the narrator does an excellent job pronouncing all those languages.
The author states in the notes at the end of this novel that she has visited Paris many times, and it shows. There is a great deal of vividly accurate description of different sights in Paris. Having lived in Paris myself many years ago, I tended to skim over those parts, because I was more interested in the romance than a travelogue. But people who have not been to Paris might enjoy that part of the novel.
This is a slow-burn romance, with no sex until after 75% of the novel. There are two on-stage sexual encounters, but there is zero overt mention of any physical contact that occurs between the two lovers other than kissing. The author focuses on their emotions instead. In addition, what little cussing there is in this book is in French. So most English speakers who don't understand French will probably not even notice it. For that reason, I would say this book is barely in the PG range.
October 8, 2022
I have loved all of Leonie Mack’s books up until this one. The story here just didn’t work. The writing about Paris and the history was wonky at best. What kind of heiress doesn’t know how to take the metro or peel a potato or any other mundane thing but suddenly knows exactly how to use a defibrillator in detail? Most of this story made no sense. The rich characters were completely vile.
My copy was provided by NetGalley for review.
My copy was provided by NetGalley for review.
August 22, 2022
What a fantastic story by Leoni Mack!
Heiress Ren is used to a luxury lifestyle and living in hotels like the Ritz.
Sacha is a man from the wrong side of the Parisien tracks.
One night, they meet in rather unfortunate circumstances, yet their meeting was fated.
Ren is trying to understand her life or the lack of control that she has over hers. Sacha is dealing with his ghosts.
Somehow, he gets roped into helping Ren get over a broken relationship, to the horror of her grandmother,
But, as we know will happen, acting soon turns into reality.
But, just how they end up at that stage is an endearing, deep story filled with poetry and exploration of feelings.
I really enjoyed reading this, as well as now wanting to go and revisit Paris!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Heiress Ren is used to a luxury lifestyle and living in hotels like the Ritz.
Sacha is a man from the wrong side of the Parisien tracks.
One night, they meet in rather unfortunate circumstances, yet their meeting was fated.
Ren is trying to understand her life or the lack of control that she has over hers. Sacha is dealing with his ghosts.
Somehow, he gets roped into helping Ren get over a broken relationship, to the horror of her grandmother,
But, as we know will happen, acting soon turns into reality.
But, just how they end up at that stage is an endearing, deep story filled with poetry and exploration of feelings.
I really enjoyed reading this, as well as now wanting to go and revisit Paris!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 13, 2022
Ren is an a sheltered heiress and Sacha is a man who's lived a life. After a social media infested break up for Ren she and Sacha come crashing into each other's lives! He agrees to pretend to be her boyfriend while the social media storm dies down, but only for 21 days, then she has to go home and face the music.
Sacha and Ren although worlds apart are so similar, each has a secret past that's causing them to not truly live in the now and they're allowing other people's perceptions to over-shadow their potential.
Sacha turns out exactly to be what Ren needs and vice versa. As the 21 days come to a close they realise they're no longer pretending. The references to light are a theme through out and are stunningly beautiful.The opposites attract theme reminded me of Jack and Rose in titanic how her world is so different to his but they still fall hard!
This book has it all , from descriptive scenes of Paris, to history and a bit of suspense, a manipulative grandmother some serendipity and drama!
I enjoyed this book and liked Ren for her naïvety and child like awe. I love that she gained independence and strength and that they both realise that "all lives have meaning and purpose " I loved the rough exterior of Sacha and how soft he really was.
Read this if you :
Love fake dating
Love opposites attract
Love Paris
Found family
A teeny touch of spice (mild, one scene)
Thank you to netgalley and boldwood books for the arc copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
Sacha and Ren although worlds apart are so similar, each has a secret past that's causing them to not truly live in the now and they're allowing other people's perceptions to over-shadow their potential.
Sacha turns out exactly to be what Ren needs and vice versa. As the 21 days come to a close they realise they're no longer pretending. The references to light are a theme through out and are stunningly beautiful.The opposites attract theme reminded me of Jack and Rose in titanic how her world is so different to his but they still fall hard!
This book has it all , from descriptive scenes of Paris, to history and a bit of suspense, a manipulative grandmother some serendipity and drama!
I enjoyed this book and liked Ren for her naïvety and child like awe. I love that she gained independence and strength and that they both realise that "all lives have meaning and purpose " I loved the rough exterior of Sacha and how soft he really was.
Read this if you :
Love fake dating
Love opposites attract
Love Paris
Found family
A teeny touch of spice (mild, one scene)
Thank you to netgalley and boldwood books for the arc copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
November 4, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.
Twenty-One Nights in Paris
by Leonie Mack
Pub Date: 06 Oct 2022
While I have read many "fake relationship" tropes this had a slight twist being it takes place in Paris. The writing was descriptive and draws you right into the Parisian setting. Our heroine, Ren, is the misunderstood rich girl and Sascha is the boy from "the wrong side of the tracks" with a heart of gold. Yes, I have read similar, but the main couple was cute (just had to overlook they seemed young and not grown adults!), and I enjoyed the side characters in Sascha's world. Ren's people not so much...
3 stars
Twenty-One Nights in Paris
by Leonie Mack
Pub Date: 06 Oct 2022
While I have read many "fake relationship" tropes this had a slight twist being it takes place in Paris. The writing was descriptive and draws you right into the Parisian setting. Our heroine, Ren, is the misunderstood rich girl and Sascha is the boy from "the wrong side of the tracks" with a heart of gold. Yes, I have read similar, but the main couple was cute (just had to overlook they seemed young and not grown adults!), and I enjoyed the side characters in Sascha's world. Ren's people not so much...
3 stars
March 11, 2023
This is such a lovely, heartwarming and beautiful love story of, not just two people falling in love, but of the wonderful, romantic city that is Paris or (Par-ee). The history and a sense of walking in the infamous and famous people of history’s footsteps as well as the food… mmm Moulès Frites just yum. There were moments where I wasn’t too sure of the characters back story, but I did love the whole plot. I am not sure I quite got Ren, but her vulnerabilities, her little quirks and yes flaws are synonymous with all of us, and yes we all deserve ourselves a Sasha. Would highly recommend for all lovers of the romantic city.
November 24, 2022
I loved this book from start to finish! After a brilliant opening line, it captivated me from the very start with Aladdin-inspired fairytale romance, fantastic characters and breathtaking descriptions of Paris! Off-the-charts chemistry between the main characters, Ren and Sacha, along with wonderful and heart-warming side characters who were also a pleasure to get to know, and a few hidden secrets to work out along the way. Unbelievably this is the first book I've read by Leonie Mack, but it definitely won't be the last! The setting and vivid descriptions are an absolute highlight - I feel like I've actually spent the winter in Paris! A gorgeously romantic winter read - 5 stars from me!
December 20, 2022
When Ren collides into Sacha’s life it has the setup for a great holiday romance but I think it falls short. The book felt rushed and some story lines half developed. I think there was a lot packed into the “twenty-one nights” that it didn’t give amble time to each twist in the plot. Character growth is good and the setting / vivid descriptions of Paris helped to propel me to the end of the book.
July 17, 2023
Cute romance. I loved the setting of Paris. When a young heiress opens her car door into the path of a cyclist, a whole series of events take place. She is expected to travel back to London to meet with her grandmother, but decides she wants to stay in Paris a while longer. She makes up a whole fake romance with guy she hit with the car door.
June 10, 2023
A lovely story! Loved the characters and how they connected. Great descriptions of Paris.
December 22, 2022
All around MEH. Set up like the perfect hallmark movie, fake dating, Paris scenery, opposites attract, one bed but the execution was mediocre at best.
Two stars only for the Paris descriptions.
Two stars only for the Paris descriptions.
October 9, 2022
I was really excited to read this book as Leonie has a knack of taking you to the real settings of her books. She doesn’t just show you the tourist sights (although these do get included) but she shows you the back streets, the unknown places and the locals version of these cities. I really like this as it makes you feel like you’re getting an exclusive look into the place and the characters, plus whenever I go on holiday we like to explore those lesser known places as they’re often the best places to go!
This book was no exception and it really helps you to look beyond the exterior. Ren looks like a pampered princess with no idea how to catch the metro or cook, her life being confined to the luxuries of The Ritz on her regular visits to Paris, but we soon realise that there is so much more to her than you may first think.
Sacha is the opposite and quite possibly ‘the last man in Paris for Ren’ but it’s a case of opposites attract in this book. Although again, there is a lot more to him and his family than you would first think.
I really liked seeing how things would progress with Ren and Sacha although I had that unsettling feeling that something was going to go wrong and that there would be that misunderstanding that you often see in fake dating tropes. However I think Leonie worked this definitely and it played out in a way that I wasn’t immediately thinking which helped to make this feel like a different story to others and gave it that genuine touch.
This book was no exception and it really helps you to look beyond the exterior. Ren looks like a pampered princess with no idea how to catch the metro or cook, her life being confined to the luxuries of The Ritz on her regular visits to Paris, but we soon realise that there is so much more to her than you may first think.
Sacha is the opposite and quite possibly ‘the last man in Paris for Ren’ but it’s a case of opposites attract in this book. Although again, there is a lot more to him and his family than you would first think.
I really liked seeing how things would progress with Ren and Sacha although I had that unsettling feeling that something was going to go wrong and that there would be that misunderstanding that you often see in fake dating tropes. However I think Leonie worked this definitely and it played out in a way that I wasn’t immediately thinking which helped to make this feel like a different story to others and gave it that genuine touch.
October 6, 2022
Ren is a heiress whose society engagement has just ended, and her grandmother is determined to bring her home to London. The only way to keep this from happening is to tell her she is dating someone else in Paris, and the stranger she met in an accident, Sacha, would be the perfect candidate...
This fake dating, opposites attract romance was cute, with good character development, and the descriptions of Paris were great. But it was a bit redundant with the two MCs trying to convince each other that a relationship between them could never work because they come from very different backgrounds, it felt forced at times, and so did the dialogues. Points for the French; French being my mother tongue, I often see it butchered in English novels. It was cute, and the balance between the two MCs was great, but that's about it for me.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This fake dating, opposites attract romance was cute, with good character development, and the descriptions of Paris were great. But it was a bit redundant with the two MCs trying to convince each other that a relationship between them could never work because they come from very different backgrounds, it felt forced at times, and so did the dialogues. Points for the French; French being my mother tongue, I often see it butchered in English novels. It was cute, and the balance between the two MCs was great, but that's about it for me.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 7, 2022
Ren has been sheltered and overly protected her whole life. Sacha has lead a life in complete opposite to her but when they meet there is something that sparks to life that neither can deny even if they don't speak of it aloud.
This book fell right in that ok area. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. I had some frustration with the story for sure. The first part of the book felt quite slow and dragged out. I was very on edge because I just wanted something gripping to happen. Ren annoyed me a fair amount. I understand that there is something from her past that stops her from exploring the world outside of her little sphere but for God's sake the woman is 30 but comes off as a naive teen. Sacha was a more intriguing character but not enough to carry the whole book on his own.
Overall I really enjoyed some parts of it while others felt a little tedious.
** Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**
This book fell right in that ok area. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. I had some frustration with the story for sure. The first part of the book felt quite slow and dragged out. I was very on edge because I just wanted something gripping to happen. Ren annoyed me a fair amount. I understand that there is something from her past that stops her from exploring the world outside of her little sphere but for God's sake the woman is 30 but comes off as a naive teen. Sacha was a more intriguing character but not enough to carry the whole book on his own.
Overall I really enjoyed some parts of it while others felt a little tedious.
** Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**
June 17, 2023
Intrigued by the title, I started reading this book and it never disappointed me. Paris and romance goes hand-in-hand and being someone who has only dreamt of visiting this city, I enjoyed reading this story. Yes, it is a lot of mush. The lead pair, so different from each other, interweaves a story that’s cozy and comforting to read. I loved the narration style, seamless and interesting. Although the story did became predictable, I still enjoyed reading it until the end. For someone who is a sucker for romance, this book was unputdownable. Recommended to read once, if you enjoy the genre.
April 27, 2023
May contain spoilers
"You must feel the things you feel, it must be allowed"
Irena Asquith-Lewis, heiress to the Asquith-Lewis auction, member of the elite, has just found herself the star of the newest scandal. Her ex-fiancé, Charlie has recently announced their separation, potentially ruining the merger between the two wealthy important family businesses. On her way to the train station, Irena knocks Sacha off his bike, and disregards her trip to London in earnest, to ensure that he's okay and taken to the hospital, and quickly the two find it hard to stay away from each other, in spite of the many obstacles and their differences in social classes.
I really loved the idea of the premise for this story, but it just wasn't executed as well as I was expecting. I adored the Christmas aspects of the story, and how beautifully descriptive the writing was, you feel instantly transported to Paris. The relationship on the other hand, moved too quickly for my liking. It was very insta-love and I personally love a bit of angsty tension but they only knew each other an hour and already wanted to kiss each other. There is the fake-dating trope, to appease Irena's racist, arrogant, pompous and downright rude grandmother.
Ren is intent on rebelling against her domineering matriarch, she wants to live a more free and independent life, where her every decision and move isn't manipulated or used to determine her worth and her fortune. However, she's not used to being independent and is definitely a whirlwind of chaos. At times I found her to be a little annoying and selfish. She's got very little confidence in herself, and it felt like the majority of the interactions between her and Sacha were her apologising for not being good enough for him, or for causing him bad luck.
Sacha on the other hand was an absolute breath of fresh air. He's tender, sweet, and knowledgeable particularly about Paris and it's history. Just an incredibly kind and warm hearted young man, whose incredibly insightful and profoundly poetic. He was such a strong character for most of the story but I found near the end he sort of lost his resolve and fight, becoming more reserved and just allowed people to talk down to him or treat him horribly, which was really disappointing to see.
I think in general I just felt like the characters lacked depth, and the storyline kept losing me and didn't grip me like I was hoping. There's also this constant stream of doubtfulness and fear radiating from both Ren and Sacha, of them both being bad for the other, that it felt like that was all they both said to one another, or thought about, and it was just very repetitive and boring. I also really couldn't understand why the characters were so eager to just move on, particularly with Sacha being treated so abhorrently by Ren's grandmother and ex, for being 'beneath' them. Ren just doesn't do much at all, she almost allows it to happen and doesn't really stand up for him, and Sacha just seems to absorb it all, and forgets that it happened, or that how he's being treated is not okay, which was really frustrating because he doesn't deserve it, and Ren should've stood up for him and made her intentions and feelings clear, but she just sits there.
Overall, it was an okay romance, but too insta-lovey, and I didn't enjoy how little conviction the characters had by the end, they all felt kind of wishy-washy and forgettable, but the setting is very immersive and picturesque. Great if you like insta-love and fake dating.
"You must feel the things you feel, it must be allowed"
Irena Asquith-Lewis, heiress to the Asquith-Lewis auction, member of the elite, has just found herself the star of the newest scandal. Her ex-fiancé, Charlie has recently announced their separation, potentially ruining the merger between the two wealthy important family businesses. On her way to the train station, Irena knocks Sacha off his bike, and disregards her trip to London in earnest, to ensure that he's okay and taken to the hospital, and quickly the two find it hard to stay away from each other, in spite of the many obstacles and their differences in social classes.
I really loved the idea of the premise for this story, but it just wasn't executed as well as I was expecting. I adored the Christmas aspects of the story, and how beautifully descriptive the writing was, you feel instantly transported to Paris. The relationship on the other hand, moved too quickly for my liking. It was very insta-love and I personally love a bit of angsty tension but they only knew each other an hour and already wanted to kiss each other. There is the fake-dating trope, to appease Irena's racist, arrogant, pompous and downright rude grandmother.
Ren is intent on rebelling against her domineering matriarch, she wants to live a more free and independent life, where her every decision and move isn't manipulated or used to determine her worth and her fortune. However, she's not used to being independent and is definitely a whirlwind of chaos. At times I found her to be a little annoying and selfish. She's got very little confidence in herself, and it felt like the majority of the interactions between her and Sacha were her apologising for not being good enough for him, or for causing him bad luck.
Sacha on the other hand was an absolute breath of fresh air. He's tender, sweet, and knowledgeable particularly about Paris and it's history. Just an incredibly kind and warm hearted young man, whose incredibly insightful and profoundly poetic. He was such a strong character for most of the story but I found near the end he sort of lost his resolve and fight, becoming more reserved and just allowed people to talk down to him or treat him horribly, which was really disappointing to see.
I think in general I just felt like the characters lacked depth, and the storyline kept losing me and didn't grip me like I was hoping. There's also this constant stream of doubtfulness and fear radiating from both Ren and Sacha, of them both being bad for the other, that it felt like that was all they both said to one another, or thought about, and it was just very repetitive and boring. I also really couldn't understand why the characters were so eager to just move on, particularly with Sacha being treated so abhorrently by Ren's grandmother and ex, for being 'beneath' them. Ren just doesn't do much at all, she almost allows it to happen and doesn't really stand up for him, and Sacha just seems to absorb it all, and forgets that it happened, or that how he's being treated is not okay, which was really frustrating because he doesn't deserve it, and Ren should've stood up for him and made her intentions and feelings clear, but she just sits there.
Overall, it was an okay romance, but too insta-lovey, and I didn't enjoy how little conviction the characters had by the end, they all felt kind of wishy-washy and forgettable, but the setting is very immersive and picturesque. Great if you like insta-love and fake dating.
October 26, 2022
Twenty-One Nights in Paris by Leonie Mack is a fake-dating rom-com that takes place in Paris. Ren is a British heiress to an auction house who’s home away from home in Paris is the Ritz. Our male lead is Sacha, a Lebanese Parisian who grew up in a low-income part of Paris. They meet when her town car hits him on his bike.
I am generally a huge fan of romances where one of the lead characters moves or is on a long holiday and romance ensues with a local, so I was very excited about this. Unfortunately, this did not deliver for me.
As other reviewers have mentioned there was casual racism all over this novel. Sacha is from a poor part of Paris and his family is originally from Lebanon and all throughout the novel we get ways in which he would experience racism whether it be from Ren’s family, friends, coworkers, or random people. The issue isn’t these experiences are in the novel, but they do not feel authentic – they feel like what a white person thinks they would feel like, which makes sense as the author is a white woman. I don’t think this was the intention of the author, but I did feel a bit cringe reading parts of it. There is also no resolution within the story about it – it just kind of ends and everything is all the sudden great. Sacha’s race and experiences feel like they’re in there to make him more “interesting” and I’m not down with that.
I also felt like the writing was a bit underdeveloped and clunky. It can be seen very early on when the fake dating starts. Ren’s broken engagement has finally reached the media and she is trying to lay low and not return to London, and she somehow convinces Sacha to fake date her. We don’t get any real backstory to Ren’s life in London, nor something in Sacha’s past that may allow him to agree to do this, he just accepts. Time after time it’s more telling rather than showing. I also never felt the sparks between the characters and the pacing of their romance felt a bit strange. It was very, very, slow where nothing happened and then all of the sudden we’re super in love. Unfortunately, the more I think about it the worse I think it is. If you’re just casually reading you may question some things, but if you’re ok to just say yes, and accept things as they are it may not bother you. For me I found myself putting the book down more frequency and for longer than normal – it wasn’t pulling me back in.
The best part of all of this is Paris itself. The descriptions were great, I felt like I was there, and you can tell the author loves the city. The Christmas market scenes are great, and she makes it feel magical. The only difficult part about Paris was a lot of dialogue was in French and there were no footnotes with translations. Maybe they will be in the final copy because I could not be bothered to google translate that frequently. If you read both English and French I think it could be fun though.
Overall, I wanted to and expected to love this book, but it just fell flat. If you want a romance based in Paris during Christmas time, I would maybe skip this one and find something else, but if you do end up picking it up, I hope you love it!
Thanks you to Netgalley and Boldwoods Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am generally a huge fan of romances where one of the lead characters moves or is on a long holiday and romance ensues with a local, so I was very excited about this. Unfortunately, this did not deliver for me.
As other reviewers have mentioned there was casual racism all over this novel. Sacha is from a poor part of Paris and his family is originally from Lebanon and all throughout the novel we get ways in which he would experience racism whether it be from Ren’s family, friends, coworkers, or random people. The issue isn’t these experiences are in the novel, but they do not feel authentic – they feel like what a white person thinks they would feel like, which makes sense as the author is a white woman. I don’t think this was the intention of the author, but I did feel a bit cringe reading parts of it. There is also no resolution within the story about it – it just kind of ends and everything is all the sudden great. Sacha’s race and experiences feel like they’re in there to make him more “interesting” and I’m not down with that.
I also felt like the writing was a bit underdeveloped and clunky. It can be seen very early on when the fake dating starts. Ren’s broken engagement has finally reached the media and she is trying to lay low and not return to London, and she somehow convinces Sacha to fake date her. We don’t get any real backstory to Ren’s life in London, nor something in Sacha’s past that may allow him to agree to do this, he just accepts. Time after time it’s more telling rather than showing. I also never felt the sparks between the characters and the pacing of their romance felt a bit strange. It was very, very, slow where nothing happened and then all of the sudden we’re super in love. Unfortunately, the more I think about it the worse I think it is. If you’re just casually reading you may question some things, but if you’re ok to just say yes, and accept things as they are it may not bother you. For me I found myself putting the book down more frequency and for longer than normal – it wasn’t pulling me back in.
The best part of all of this is Paris itself. The descriptions were great, I felt like I was there, and you can tell the author loves the city. The Christmas market scenes are great, and she makes it feel magical. The only difficult part about Paris was a lot of dialogue was in French and there were no footnotes with translations. Maybe they will be in the final copy because I could not be bothered to google translate that frequently. If you read both English and French I think it could be fun though.
Overall, I wanted to and expected to love this book, but it just fell flat. If you want a romance based in Paris during Christmas time, I would maybe skip this one and find something else, but if you do end up picking it up, I hope you love it!
Thanks you to Netgalley and Boldwoods Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 6, 2022
There was so much I enjoyed about this lovely book – a really different exploration of Paris during the festive season, a romance I really believed in, the “fake boyfriend” trope I always so enjoy, and a very unusual fairy tale quality to the story’s telling.
Ren is very much the princess – she lives a life of privilege and luxury, but with an absence of any kind of privacy as the public face of the Asquith-Lewis corporation. She was on the verge of a marriage that would only increase the family’s wealth – the company is run by her austere grandmother, who has made her expectations clear and never shown her any warmth or affection – but her fiancé has moved on, and when the news of his new relationship breaks she needs to do whatever she can in the way of damage limitation.
But as she flees for home, her life collides with that of Sacha – literally, when her car knocks him off his bike – and she sees the possibility of escaping her high profile existence for a while. They agree to a fake romance – he really is the archetypal unsuitable boyfriend – that will allow her to spend some anonymous time in Paris until the time comes when she has to face the music. And as he introduces her to a side of Paris that she’s never seen before, he grows to see that there’s a lot more to her than the spoilt rich girl he first encountered – and she finds he’s far less unsuitable than she at first believed, as the loyalty and affection between them grows.
While Ren is at home amid the opulent surroundings of the Ritz – and frightened by the dark backstreets for reasons that later become clear – Sacha is at home in the city’s busy street markets, the way he makes his living a bit of a mystery for a while, the son of a Lebanese immigrant father, and with a perhaps slightly shady back-story of his own. The contrasts between their lifestyles are starkly drawn – but there’s a real warmth about the relationship that develops between them, as she steps into unknown territory and really blossoms, and he steps up very bravely to help her in the battle with her grandmother.
The Paris of this book is just wonderful – the author shows all the same attention to detail that distinguished her Italian settings, moving away from the usual tourist destinations and focusing on the vibrant street markets, viewing the more iconic attractions from a really different perspective. It’s all very Christmassy, and Ren discovers it all with an infectious sense of wonder and enchantment – although the story does have its moments of darkness and shadows of the past that prevent it ever becoming cloying.
I enjoyed both the main characters – Ren’s naivety and the warmth she allows to emerge, Sacha is totally loveable (and distinctly swoon-worthy) from the very start, and the chemistry between them is palpable. The romance that developed between them – unlikely as it seemed at first – was beautifully handled, and one I really believed in. But there’s also a well drawn supporting cast – the important people in Sacha’s life, the “family” relationships slowly made clearer, and that far more difficult relationship between Ren and her grandmother (and her horrendous assistant Ziggy).
Yes, I really enjoyed this one – perhaps not quite my new favourite (I’m perhaps too wedded to the author’s Italian settings), but an excellent story quite beautifully told, and a Christmas read with a real difference. Recommended by me!
Ren is very much the princess – she lives a life of privilege and luxury, but with an absence of any kind of privacy as the public face of the Asquith-Lewis corporation. She was on the verge of a marriage that would only increase the family’s wealth – the company is run by her austere grandmother, who has made her expectations clear and never shown her any warmth or affection – but her fiancé has moved on, and when the news of his new relationship breaks she needs to do whatever she can in the way of damage limitation.
But as she flees for home, her life collides with that of Sacha – literally, when her car knocks him off his bike – and she sees the possibility of escaping her high profile existence for a while. They agree to a fake romance – he really is the archetypal unsuitable boyfriend – that will allow her to spend some anonymous time in Paris until the time comes when she has to face the music. And as he introduces her to a side of Paris that she’s never seen before, he grows to see that there’s a lot more to her than the spoilt rich girl he first encountered – and she finds he’s far less unsuitable than she at first believed, as the loyalty and affection between them grows.
While Ren is at home amid the opulent surroundings of the Ritz – and frightened by the dark backstreets for reasons that later become clear – Sacha is at home in the city’s busy street markets, the way he makes his living a bit of a mystery for a while, the son of a Lebanese immigrant father, and with a perhaps slightly shady back-story of his own. The contrasts between their lifestyles are starkly drawn – but there’s a real warmth about the relationship that develops between them, as she steps into unknown territory and really blossoms, and he steps up very bravely to help her in the battle with her grandmother.
The Paris of this book is just wonderful – the author shows all the same attention to detail that distinguished her Italian settings, moving away from the usual tourist destinations and focusing on the vibrant street markets, viewing the more iconic attractions from a really different perspective. It’s all very Christmassy, and Ren discovers it all with an infectious sense of wonder and enchantment – although the story does have its moments of darkness and shadows of the past that prevent it ever becoming cloying.
I enjoyed both the main characters – Ren’s naivety and the warmth she allows to emerge, Sacha is totally loveable (and distinctly swoon-worthy) from the very start, and the chemistry between them is palpable. The romance that developed between them – unlikely as it seemed at first – was beautifully handled, and one I really believed in. But there’s also a well drawn supporting cast – the important people in Sacha’s life, the “family” relationships slowly made clearer, and that far more difficult relationship between Ren and her grandmother (and her horrendous assistant Ziggy).
Yes, I really enjoyed this one – perhaps not quite my new favourite (I’m perhaps too wedded to the author’s Italian settings), but an excellent story quite beautifully told, and a Christmas read with a real difference. Recommended by me!
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