Paris Hangover: A Novel

by Kirsten Lobe

A glamorous fish-out-of-water first novel, Paris Hangover stars Klein, a just-escaped New Yorker with trunk-fulls of fabulous footwear but without the significant relationship she'd really expected and longed to have by now, in her mid-thirties. Fleeing a live-in lover and their sleek Tribeca triplex as well as a career in fashion, Klein stars over in Paris-in a tiny walk-up in the 6th that she had to lie (in broken Franglais) and write a bad check to get, only to discover that, among other things, Parisian apartments don't come with kitchens.
Living out of her ten piece of (Louis Vuitton, natch) luggage, Klein plunges into the mysterious world of French men and dating. She muddles her way the sexy Renaud, the prototypical Frenchman; dating three men named Jean simultaneously; and one completely wrong Monsieur Married Man, who wants Klein for his very well-kept mistress.
Set against a backdrop of knowing references to Paris and its unique manners and mores, Paris Hangover is ultimately a very satisfying modern romance as Klein falls-- possibly permanently--for the least likely man to catch her eye.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, France, Romance, Travel, Comedy, Book Club

336 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2005

About the author

Kirsten Lobe is a former fashion designer, and the author of the novels Paris Hangover and French Trysts. She has lived in Tokyo, New York, Paris and Lake Geneva, and is now a citizen of the world."

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

Chick lit and horribly written. It has the feel of Sex in the City...but in Paris.

The plot was interesting, but has been done so many times. It wasn't done well here. Yet another American girl moves to Paris. The main character (Klein), a fashion designer/painter...if she wasn't so full of herself, this could have been a fun read. But seriously, how many times do we have to hear how hot she is and how French women hate her?

So many things annoyed me: she wanted to move to Paris to find the man of her dreams who would settle down and marry her and they would have children and live happily ever after. Yet she kept having these raunchy sexcapades with different men and then wondered why she couldn't find happiness. Ummmm, maybe because she was too interested in sex and not investing in the relationship?

This was on the discount rack at Barnes & Noble, so I didn't spend much ($3.98 I think), and it was really fun to re-live my life in Paris from 12 years ago. But Klein was uber-annoying and I felt myself rolling my eyes while reading...something I didn't realize I was capable of doing. :)

From another reviewer: The author obviously knows Paris and shares some delightfully expensive and romantic haunts to check out the next time you're there. The lack of clothes dryers and other quirky observations are also amusing. I really wanted to like this book, but the obnoxious Klein kept getting in the way.

[Dee W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Girly reading, though it did make me miss Europe. Sort of funny, though the main character was a little annoying sometimes.

[Lizzy Seitz]

DNFed after 4 pages

Couldn’t get passed the bratty sounding brags of how perfect her life was that was obviously going to fall apart. EYE. ROLL. I can’t care enough to wait for it to fall apart and then see how it comes back together. Not for me. Should have given this a try when I was in high school cuz this so isn’t for me now!

[Alexandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

As I mentioned in one of my updates while reading Paris Hangover, "I started reading this book to kill time, but instead, the book just ended up killing me."

So I'll start off by explaining my 1-star rating;
-1 star for the shallow, judgemental, and frankly unbearable protagonist
-1 star for the series of complete and utter jerks that this woman dates and doesn't have the self-respect to leave
-1 star for the number of chances Klein gave Alexandre even after he cheated on her and admitted he wasn't attracted to her
-1 star for the dig at Harry Potter... yes I am taking a whole star away for this
-1 star for the number of times that she claimed to be in love (most of the time just based on looks alone)
+1 star for her self-discovery at the end

Okay, so this book had me in a constant state of WTF? I think my eyes may be stuck in the back of my head from rolling them so often while reading. Sure I think it's courageous of Klein to drop her fabulous life in New York to follow her dreams, but in what universe are physically and emotionally abusive boyfriends a dream? She fell in love with practically every guy she set eyes on and judged most of them by their wealth, status, and appearance. She claims she wants to start a family yet all it seems like she's doing is sleeping around. I seriously only finished this book because (1) I hate not finishing things, and (2) I wanted to have the right to make this brutally honest review.

Mostly I expected Paris Hangover to be a sort of scandalous relaxing read similar to a romantic comedy. Instead, it was trashy and mind numbing. I seriously had the urge to meet this character in real life and slap some sense into her.

So long story short, I wouldn't recommend this novel to anyone because frankly it has no substance and leaves me feeling embarrassed of being a female if this is how people plan to portray us.

[Ket Lamb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sex in the City... of Paris. Yet another American girl moves to the City of Light to chercher l'amour. If the protagonist, a fashion designer-cum-painter named Klein, wasn't so full of herself, this would have been a deliciously fun romp. How many times do we have to hear how hot she is and how French women hate her? With a mindset like that, it's no wonder! Like all the other novels set in Paris that I've read lately, most of the men come off as shallow, philandering flakes who are hung up on the superficial. Not exactly the ideal ingredient for a love match. The author obviously knows Paris and shares some delightfully expensive and romantic haunts to check out the next time you're there. The lack of clothes dryers and other quirky observations are also amusing. I really wanted to like this book, but the obnoxious Klein kept getting in the way.

[Denise Covey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book of an expatriate American who moves to Paris to find Mr Right. A very autobiographical account of a life lived in a small Parisian apartment in Saint Germain and the tales of French men, French nightlife and French lovers, until she settles on Mr Right. A fun, episodic, tale of living in Paris.

[AudreyLovesParis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pleasure to read for the descriptions of Paris alone.

[Grace Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading the Paris Hangover when I was in Nice in the south of France, and then when in Paris, so it definitely had extra charm by circumstance. I loved the descriptions of Paris and Klein’s willingness to give up the glamorous life just for the privilege of living there. What did frustrate me was the focus on men and physical appearance. The misogyny of the early 2000s, when the book was published, is showing through. Yes, Klein had a moment of self-growth towards the end, realising that she was happy on her own (before inevitably ending up with a man - but hey that was her dream and I support her final choice)! But you can easily see the focus on thinking men will solve her (and Stella’s) loneliness issues, rather than some solid friends - even if she often complains about French women being the problem. Overall, I really did enjoy the casual, catch-up, journal entry vibe and the progression through the highs and lows of moving abroad, and it’s inspired me to try move to Paris one day!

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a fascinating idea, and there were anecdotes and scene-settings that I absolutely loved. I had two big problems with it: A) It was clearly written as a memoir (the author blurb states that the author also gave up life as a New York fashion designer to live in a tiny apartment in Paris) and then lightly fictionalized, but would have worked much better as a memoir than as fiction; B) the editing was so slipshod that whole chapters were almost unreadably distracting. I borrowed this book from the library, and someone before me had gone through with a pen and made copy corrections. I'm normally wholeheartedly against the marking of books, especially library books, but I don't blame them in this case.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm surprised I finished this book. The writing is SO dated, the main character seems completely egocentric and interested in little other than her appearance (flawless according to her), the appearance of others, name dropping fashion labels, and sex with creeps. And who lives in Paris for almost two years without bothering to learn the language - then resenting locals for speaking their native language in their own country? If this is semi autobiographical, I feel sorry for the author, or at least hope she has grown. I only kept reading the story - actually skimming at times - because I also love Paris.

[Anna Nemes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nekem ez újraolvasós élmény volt. Elöször 17 évesesen olvastam, amikor nagyon menőnek gondoltam h valaki nekiindul a világnak és megvalósitja az álmát. Most újraolvastam 31 évesen, amikor immár 2,5 éve élek Párizsban. Meg többet adott a könyv. Humoros, elgondolkodtató, csetlő botló néha de nagyon szerethető főszereplővel aki megmutatja milyen megerkezni egy varosba, milyen nehezsegek vannak.
Nagyon megérdemelne egy új kiadást egy tisztességes borítóval. A fordításért extra pontot adnék, ritkán van ennyire jól fordított könyv.

[Clarice · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the most awful chick lit book i ever read. its badly written, repetitive, the guy chasing is getting old quickly, the main character is so selfish and self obsessed... but what annoyed me most, as a french person, were all the mistakes about Paris, even in the words the author used. and we're supposed to believe she actually lives there ?
nah.
didnt even finish it, it was way too painful.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heavily qualified 3 stars: this book is preeetty trashy BUT if you're looking for a beach read after a trip to Paris, it hits the spot! I also thought the writing got substantially better in the second half (or maybe I just got used to it?).

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit much, enjoyed plenty of the stories, but mostly seemed super self indulgent. Not nearly as seductive in reading as the cover suggests. Pretty tame in description compared to the actual events that are described as happening. Definitely dragged a bit at the end...

[Bridget · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book because the premise sounded exciting and I love ALL things Paris, having lived there myself. I got lost in the unique writing and main character's rambling and internal dialogue. Bummer.

[Dee Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awful cover. Amusing book.

[Juliet Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be honest I skipped through this - it was kind of fun but the characters were poorly drawn. The writing towards the end seemed to improve somewhat. Some nicely realised Parisian scenes...

[Jacqueline]

Couldn't get past the mediocre writing to get into the story.

[Dawn Hatchett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like this book, but it took several chapters to get there. It was a fun adventure.

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strong Emily in Paris vibe. Fun backdrop, a great idea and environment, and the descriptions of Paris are great - but just like Emily, the main character is insufferable and hard to root for

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

""

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is probably the trashiest book I've ever read.

Lent to me by my aunt, I attempted to use this to help fill the 9 days til the release of the special edition of Eclipse, even though I didn't want to be looking at any other book, heheh. It's possible that my opinion of this book suffered some because of that, but I really don't think so.

Frankly, Klein (the main character) is just about the opposite of me - somewhat obsessed with high fashion, painting, Frenchmen and Proust. I suppose I sort of got a good glimpse into a world that I will never see - that's part of why I read anyway.

She's fairly likeable but as I said, the novel is extremely trashy, smutty, whatever you want to call it. There were some chuckle-inducing moments - moments that made my aunt laugh out loud, which is why she recommended the book to me in the first place.

The book veered between humor, smut, and then dramatic soliloquies on how wonderful Paris is, or isn't (in some of the details). It was interesting, but reminded me a zillion times over why I don't read chick lit.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't finish this book before it was due back at the library, and frankly I don't care that I can't renew it again. All the brand-name dropping was driving me crazy! You can establish the main character is a label whore very quickly - you don't have to keep saying what brand everything is throughout the whole book! The only thing that kept me reading was the fact that this was obviously a very thinly fictionalized version of the author's real-life adventure of dropping everything and moving to Paris. So the chapter on her excursion to the village where they filmed "Chocolat" was really neat because you know she wasn't making it up. Overall, this was completely insipid and unoriginal and really, really boring. But if you like France and reading about Paris, you might be able to stomach this for awhile.

[Lisa Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading Paris Hangover about a week ago and I found this prose extremely well written and very enveloping. Kristen Lobe, bring main character, Klein, alive. After traveling to Paris this summer I had really high expectations for this story and Lobe did not fail. Not only did she make believable and lovable characters but she knew the city like the back of her hand. It was absolutely wonderful and made me feel like I was in Paris again. Such vivid descriptions. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and anyone who wants to know a little more about the Parisian lifestyle.

[Kate Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book mostly because of the end. Throughout the whole story the main character, Klein, spends the majority of her time trying to define her life by chasing French men who treat her badly, play games and ultimately end up having so many issues she just moves on to another. I do admire her giving up her luxe lifestyle in NYC to move to France and follow her dream of becoming a painter, but she is SO promiscuous. Sheesh. The best part is when she finally decides to find herself and then true love falls in her lap.

[Gina · Rating 1 out of 5]

If this was the first chick-lit book I ever read, I would probably have never read another one.

Yes, it's trashier than most. I could get through that.

What I could not get through was how pretentious the main character was. If it wasn't the use of her last name as her first name, it was the constant designer name dropping that occurs on every single page.

The author literally waits until the last two chapters of the book to try to turn your opinion of the main character around.

I literally feel like it took me forever and a day just to finish all 322 pages.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book fulfilled my fantasy of running off and renting a tiny apartment in a beautiful old building in Paris. It reads partially as a journal, partially as a to-do list for a woman determined to find that perfect someone so she could have a baby. Of course, nothing ever turns out the way we plan, and her journey has lots of unexpected turns and lots of personal growth. I loved it mainly because I'm a Francophile. I'm not sure that anyone who isn't would enjoy this read as much as I did. For me it was an easy, fun read. Vive la Paris!

[Tasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Picked this book up in the hotel I was staying at when I finished my last one in Cusco. In my defense there was a limited choice of English books. I found this book terrible. The main character was pretentious and completely unlikeable. On and on and on about finding the 'right' man, hypocritically condemning men for selecting only the most beautiful women then in the same breath extolling the aesthetic virtues of every man she meets and crossing off potential lovers based on the lack of them. So annoying! Left it in the airport in Iquitos in the hope it makes its way to bin safely.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know why I like this book. Maybe it's bc my expectations were so low, but it's stuck with me. It's the first 'chick-lit' book I've ever read and because I liked it, i've read others. But I didn't like the others as much. Even the ones with the same premise. In this book the writing style isn't near as bad as others I've read and the character seems to know herself (maybe that's why she's so egotistical). This character seems a little more mature than in other books I've read.

I haven't read the subsequent books in the series but I'm thinking about giving them a go.

[Helen Pate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would probably always be considered chick-lit but it was different than average because the author actually did pack up and move to Paris just like her character. In the book everything doesn't go perfectly for Klein (the main character) and it doesn't end all happily ever after for her the way it does in most books of this genre. That's what sets it apart, gives it 5 stars and makes me recommend it to anyone and everyone even if they don't read chick-lit.