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Убежище в Париж
В сърцето на Париж, в стара аристократична къща с душа, съдбата събира три млади жени, прелетели океана, които бягат от тягостното си минало, за да преоткрият себе си, да срещнат любовта и да намерят своето достойно място в една невинаги уютна среда. С непринудения език на пъстрото ежедневие и с неподправена емоция авторката умело преплита техните истории – понякога забавни, друг път горчиви, но никога скучни и неизменно пораждащи симпатия и разбиране.
Тънкият френски хумор, духът на Париж с неговото обилие от кипяща жизненост, дарбата на французите да се отдават на кулинарните изкушения и на радостта от живота са благодатно убежище, способно да възвърне самочувствието и душевната хармония на разноликото женско трио. Ала онова, което най-вече спасява от стаени кошмари и потискащо обкръжение, е приятелството, обичта, съпричастието и топлотата – явления, не толкова чести в съвременния свят, за да пропуснем възможността да ги съпреживеем с героините на Корин Ганц.
Тънкият френски хумор, духът на Париж с неговото обилие от кипяща жизненост, дарбата на французите да се отдават на кулинарните изкушения и на радостта от живота са благодатно убежище, способно да възвърне самочувствието и душевната хармония на разноликото женско трио. Ала онова, което най-вече спасява от стаени кошмари и потискащо обкръжение, е приятелството, обичта, съпричастието и топлотата – явления, не толкова чести в съвременния свят, за да пропуснем възможността да ги съпреживеем с героините на Корин Ганц.
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Corine Gantz
9 books91 followersCorine Gantz was born in France where she spent the first twenty years of her life. She studied Contemporary Art at the Sorbonne and worked in advertising and marketing in Paris, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
She is the author of Hidden in Paris and The Curator of Broken Things trilogy.
She has two grown sons and lives between Los Angeles and Bennington Vermont with her husband.
She is the author of Hidden in Paris and The Curator of Broken Things trilogy.
She has two grown sons and lives between Los Angeles and Bennington Vermont with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
April 22, 2012
I really struggled to finish this book and I have to say its one of the worst books I've read in quite a while. I had lots of issues with this book despite thinking when I bought it for my kindle that I would absolutely love it. Paris? Women in need helping each other? What's not to like? Well, a lot it seems.
Firstly we have Annie, the main character, who's personality comes across as so, well...unformed. For example she spends almost the entire book bashing Lola and her abusive husband and then when he arrives unannounced in Paris she leaves Lola alone with him and goes to the coast with her boyfriend for a few nights? Who would do that? And Annie seems far more eager to help Lola than Althea who has a life threatening illness whereas Lola has effectively kidnapped her children from their father and flown them to a different country. I found the whole thing confusing and I hated the introduction of Jared who really added nothing to story apart from pointless drama at the end.
Long story short, I ended up not caring about what happened to any of these characters and I was so haooy to get the things finished. Very disappointing.
Firstly we have Annie, the main character, who's personality comes across as so, well...unformed. For example she spends almost the entire book bashing Lola and her abusive husband and then when he arrives unannounced in Paris she leaves Lola alone with him and goes to the coast with her boyfriend for a few nights? Who would do that? And Annie seems far more eager to help Lola than Althea who has a life threatening illness whereas Lola has effectively kidnapped her children from their father and flown them to a different country. I found the whole thing confusing and I hated the introduction of Jared who really added nothing to story apart from pointless drama at the end.
Long story short, I ended up not caring about what happened to any of these characters and I was so haooy to get the things finished. Very disappointing.
May 21, 2011
I have fallen in love with a house, three women, two men and five children. I have fallen in love with this book.
The author brings her characters to life and you find yourself not only liking them but rooting for them. You want the happy ending.
You meet Annie, the mother of three young boys, whose husband died three years ago. She uses her home and food as permanent occupations for the time her sons are in school. She renovates the house and cooks wonderful meals to fill her days but now money is running out and she needs to think what to do. Filled with her own insecurities, she now fills her home with roomers with insecurities.
Lola, the former model turned mother of two, escapes from her husband and perfect California life. She arrives in Paris with her children and finds a hidding place in Annie's home. Althea flees a loneliness that has trapped her and taken hold of her life. Jared has his own demons to escape. Then there is Lucas, Jared's godfather and Annie's best friend.
You will come to know these people and will at times like and dislike them and the decisions they make but they will keep you interested.
I laughed out loud and even shed a tear. There is no perfect happy ever after in life but this book leaves you hoping there could be.
This was a First Reads Giveaway.
The author brings her characters to life and you find yourself not only liking them but rooting for them. You want the happy ending.
You meet Annie, the mother of three young boys, whose husband died three years ago. She uses her home and food as permanent occupations for the time her sons are in school. She renovates the house and cooks wonderful meals to fill her days but now money is running out and she needs to think what to do. Filled with her own insecurities, she now fills her home with roomers with insecurities.
Lola, the former model turned mother of two, escapes from her husband and perfect California life. She arrives in Paris with her children and finds a hidding place in Annie's home. Althea flees a loneliness that has trapped her and taken hold of her life. Jared has his own demons to escape. Then there is Lucas, Jared's godfather and Annie's best friend.
You will come to know these people and will at times like and dislike them and the decisions they make but they will keep you interested.
I laughed out loud and even shed a tear. There is no perfect happy ever after in life but this book leaves you hoping there could be.
This was a First Reads Giveaway.
February 5, 2022
Sometimes I just want to read a book for the sheer joy of it. I don't want to think to deeply or analyze the faults and merits of the book. I don't want to wonder if the characters are multifaceted enough. I don't want to worry about plot development and pacing. For me Hidden in Paris was the perfect book to just get lost in.
I could pretend I was living in the 16th arrondissement of Paris in a houseful of friends and children and just enjoy the daily goings-on and that is just what I did.
I could pretend I was living in the 16th arrondissement of Paris in a houseful of friends and children and just enjoy the daily goings-on and that is just what I did.
August 12, 2018
За пореден път се убеждавам колко е важен конкретният момент на прочит на дадена книга. По друго време бих дала една звезда на "Убежище в Париж", а най-вероятно изобщо нямаше и да я довърша.
Напоследък обаче ми се четеше нещо точно такова - клиширано, без претенции, за прочистване на мозъка, така че 2.5 звезди от мен :) Книжката е непретенциозно чиклитче с малко по-възрастни героини от обичайното и прелюбимия мотив за започване на живота от начало. Разбира се имаме и Париж като безотказната примамка за окото и портфейла, която винаги работи. Много се смях на безумните диалози в романа, всички неизменно ревяха ("стичаше се вода по бузите им", за да цитирам оригиналния изказ на авторката), кокореха се или крещяха. Няма обикновена емоция или спокоен диалог, читателят винаги трябва да бъде на нокти ;) Имаше някакъв бегъл опит да се засегне сериозната тема за анорексията, но не се беше получило определено.
Книгата е 450 страници, които мога да ви преразкажа с 3 изречения, но няма да ви отнемам удоволствието да се похилите от сърце на нелепиците, които се случват на героите неизменно по един и същи начин. Идеално ми дойде това забавление край морския бряг.
Само не мога да си обясня защо в повечето книги с Франция или Италия в заглавието трябва непременно да има и приложение с местни рецепти. Може би това просто добавя още няколкостотин продадени бройки от тиража, но за мен е напълно излишно. Ако искам ще си купя готварска книга, посветена на дадения регион.
Напоследък обаче ми се четеше нещо точно такова - клиширано, без претенции, за прочистване на мозъка, така че 2.5 звезди от мен :) Книжката е непретенциозно чиклитче с малко по-възрастни героини от обичайното и прелюбимия мотив за започване на живота от начало. Разбира се имаме и Париж като безотказната примамка за окото и портфейла, която винаги работи. Много се смях на безумните диалози в романа, всички неизменно ревяха ("стичаше се вода по бузите им", за да цитирам оригиналния изказ на авторката), кокореха се или крещяха. Няма обикновена емоция или спокоен диалог, читателят винаги трябва да бъде на нокти ;) Имаше някакъв бегъл опит да се засегне сериозната тема за анорексията, но не се беше получило определено.
Книгата е 450 страници, които мога да ви преразкажа с 3 изречения, но няма да ви отнемам удоволствието да се похилите от сърце на нелепиците, които се случват на героите неизменно по един и същи начин. Идеално ми дойде това забавление край морския бряг.
Само не мога да си обясня защо в повечето книги с Франция или Италия в заглавието трябва непременно да има и приложение с местни рецепти. Може би това просто добавя още няколкостотин продадени бройки от тиража, но за мен е напълно излишно. Ако искам ще си купя готварска книга, посветена на дадения регион.
May 30, 2011
Puzzled by the 5 star reviews that led me to read this book. It had some nice moments, especially the descriptions of Parisian life and glimpses into the circumstances that made the main characters act the way they did. However, there were too many moments that made me wince. First and least, the misspellings, which the author does urge readers to report to her. I found 'heals' instead of 'heels', 'pocked' instead of 'pocket' and, worst of all, 'Les Deux Maggots' instead of 'Les Deux Magots'. Second, much of the dialogue was unbelievable, especially the too-sophisticated talk among the children. Third, as much as I wanted to like the characters I ended up disliking almost all of them, which in itself isn't necessarily bad, but these are the characters that are supposed to be sympathetic. Annie, the central figure in the story, is not the warm, nurturing, down-to-earth widow I expected from the book description. She was a screechy, annoying, tacky, bizarre, and unappealing Dr Jekyll and Ms. Hyde. I fail to see how any handsome, urbane, intelligent, wealthy man could find her attractive in the least. It's pure fantasy. Some of her actions that bothered me were responding to Mark's F-bomb tirade by saying he has Tourette's Syndrome then later calling him a 'retard'. Really? In her icing on the cake moment of moral decisions, she abandons a van full of sleeping children to have sex on the beach. Stay classy, hon.
May 9, 2011
I just LOVED that book and I couldn't put it down. Everything I have been missing about Paris is in it (the good things about the French as well as the annoying ones!). I got attached to the characters right away, I like that they were multi dimensional (how boring when everyone is either wonderful or evil with no in between). It made me want to move into that beautiful house and be nurtured by Annie and fed her amazing cooking. This book makes you travel to France without having to buy a plane ticket.
May 25, 2011
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. I loved this book! I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but with this one, you should do just that! The beautiful picture on the front opens up to a wonderfully rich, beautiful and inspiring slice of life, set in Paris, which makes it even better! You'll fall in love with each of the characters in this book, they are all very human, with problems we can all relate to in some way. This is a story of old hurts, new beginnings, friendships and love, and fresh hope for the future. I recommend this book very highly!
March 28, 2024
A delightful read! What better place to escape than Paris. Fun characters, good food, the markets, the house. I felt as if I were on vacation.
June 10, 2016
Толкова дълго четох тази книга, че буквално се изгубих в нея. Вероятно поради факта, че не можа да ме завладее до край и да прикове вниманието ми.
Сюжета е интересен, но е прекалено обстоятелствена.
Типично френски, малко шантав стил ( нищо обидно не влагам ).
Разпокъсани мисли , загатвания за които забравяш.
Но в крайна сметка любовта тържествува.
Сюжета е интересен, но е прекалено обстоятелствена.
Типично френски, малко шантав стил ( нищо обидно не влагам ).
Разпокъсани мисли , загатвания за които забравяш.
Но в крайна сметка любовта тържествува.
April 14, 2012
I so badly wanted to like this book because the author shares the same first name as my mom (and it's spelled the same way - which it rarely is). I know I'm not enjoying this book because I've been attempting to read it for over a week and I'm only halfway through. I think the author forgot that she revealed a piece of information at the beginning of the book - or wanted to pretend that the reader didn't comprehend a piece of information. At the beginning of the book, the main character, Annie, and her husband are going out for dinner. While driving to the restaurant, he drops the bomb on her that he's leaving her. She makes him get out of the car (she's driving). She drives off, returns home - and later that night her husband is in a fatal car accident with a man named Steve. However, throughout what I've read, she acts like the devastated widow and never mentions him leaving her. And the way she acts is as if him leaving her never happened (and this is even when the dialogue is within her own mind). Everything is written is as if that "leaving her" part never happened. And we're supposed to believe that Lucas is this great ladies man? From the beginning I pictured him as a shorter version of Charles Nelson Reilly. The writer never describes his appearance - and really gives very little in the form of physical description of any of the characters. So I'm sure my vision of Lucas is my own doing based on the dialogue of this character. Don't get me wrong, I loved Charles Nelson Reilly as much as the next person. But no one would mistake him for a ladies man. Needlesstosay, I'm admitting defeat and have stopped reading this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2011
I loved Hidden in Paris! Ms. Gantz has created a story that should be read and savored - much like the Parisian lifestyle she depicts. The characters were deep and immensely likable and the plotline was smooth and delicious. They say every writer has one great novel inside them somewhere. Well, I dearly hope Ms. Gantz has another one to follow up this masterpiece! The undertones of love and motherhood, self-loathing and hidden anger are so palpable that it's bound to keep readers up way past their bedtimes. Truly, truly, truly an excellent novel that leaves its reader pondering the characters' lives and choices long after the last page. I'd recommend this book to anyone and everyone!
*Happily won in the Goodreads First Reader contest
*Happily won in the Goodreads First Reader contest
May 4, 2016
¡Me encanto!
Annie es un personaje magnífico y Lucas soberbio.
Los conflictos planteados son tan reales y actuales, tan complejos y difíciles de solucionar, muy bien planteados por la autora. La narrativa es ágil, dinámica y te lleva a querer saber más: sobre Annie, sobre sus hijos, sobre su no-relación con Lucas, sobre Lola y su "no sé para qué vivo", sobre Jared y su necesidad de buscar un lugar en el mundo, sobre Athenea y sus conflictos internos...
Temas como engaños, muertes repentinas, maltratos, manejo de ira, anorexia, son algunos de los que podemos encontrar en el libro pero, sobre todo, una palabra muy valiosa: amistad.
Entrañable, imperdible, maravilloso. ¿Se nota que me gustó?
Annie es un personaje magnífico y Lucas soberbio.
Los conflictos planteados son tan reales y actuales, tan complejos y difíciles de solucionar, muy bien planteados por la autora. La narrativa es ágil, dinámica y te lleva a querer saber más: sobre Annie, sobre sus hijos, sobre su no-relación con Lucas, sobre Lola y su "no sé para qué vivo", sobre Jared y su necesidad de buscar un lugar en el mundo, sobre Athenea y sus conflictos internos...
Temas como engaños, muertes repentinas, maltratos, manejo de ira, anorexia, son algunos de los que podemos encontrar en el libro pero, sobre todo, una palabra muy valiosa: amistad.
Entrañable, imperdible, maravilloso. ¿Se nota que me gustó?
March 26, 2020
Изпълни целта си-разнообразни деня ми, без да ме затормозява. Точно това се иска по време на домашна карантина.
December 19, 2020
Бозичка, но симпатична някакси и вкусна!
May 10, 2011
If you're like me, you relish the thought of long rainy days as an opportunity to snuggle up with a good book and your favorite beverage (hot chocolate or champagne---either is nice, right?). What's more precious than several hours of private reading pleasure? Especially if you're lucky enough to have a book that draws you into the characters the way "Hidden in Paris" does. Reading the book I saw a little piece of myself in every female character and they reminded me of my own circle of wildly disparate friends, too. These characters come off as real people with real problems but they all have a great deal of heart.
It's a romance but mainly about the friendship these 3 very different women share. Annie, the lead character, doesn't get out much even though she lives in Paris but she brings Paris inside to hang out with her in her wonderful kitchen. Cooking is Annie's way of showing love, nurturing friends, and just expressing her joie de vivre. If you live near a French bakery, be sure to buy some brioche or some chocolate croissants or some foie gras and baguette to munch on while reading the book...
Where was I? Oh yeah...the author writes with the same wry commentary and humor that you may already know from her "Hidden in France" blog. This book has many funny passages in it including a great one about the use of the letters "W T F". It's a gem of a book and I suggest you get it for that rainy day or for the beach this summer. I have it on my Kindle.
It's a romance but mainly about the friendship these 3 very different women share. Annie, the lead character, doesn't get out much even though she lives in Paris but she brings Paris inside to hang out with her in her wonderful kitchen. Cooking is Annie's way of showing love, nurturing friends, and just expressing her joie de vivre. If you live near a French bakery, be sure to buy some brioche or some chocolate croissants or some foie gras and baguette to munch on while reading the book...
Where was I? Oh yeah...the author writes with the same wry commentary and humor that you may already know from her "Hidden in France" blog. This book has many funny passages in it including a great one about the use of the letters "W T F". It's a gem of a book and I suggest you get it for that rainy day or for the beach this summer. I have it on my Kindle.
May 23, 2011
I won this book in one of the Goodreads giveaways. I made a prediction that I wasn't going to like it. What a stupid thing to do. It took me awhile to read the first 3o pages or so and then I was hooked. I couldn't put it down, I took it everywhere with me, much to my children's dismay.
The characters were delightful, bad, good and in-between. I wanted to hate Mark, but the way he was portrayed I just knew he wasn't all bad and there was hope for him yet. I also wanted to label Lucas as a womanizing French snob but again, the way Ms. Gantz described him, I knew there was more to him than met the eye. Jared was a mystery and a surprise altogether. Althea's situation was heartbreaking, I wanted find her mother and punch her in the nose. Lola and Annie were fun and reminded me of some of my friends from my single days. When you have a talented writer like Ms. Gantz to develop and put all these characters together with such a clever storyline you have one hell of a novel.
The storyline kept me interested, it was not at all predictable and as I said before I couldn't put it down once I got started. Ms. Gantz has the ability to make you fall in love with a location and it's inhabitants to the point that you wish they were real so you could make a visit!
Brava Ms. Gantz! Please continue writing and keep us all posted on your next novel.
The characters were delightful, bad, good and in-between. I wanted to hate Mark, but the way he was portrayed I just knew he wasn't all bad and there was hope for him yet. I also wanted to label Lucas as a womanizing French snob but again, the way Ms. Gantz described him, I knew there was more to him than met the eye. Jared was a mystery and a surprise altogether. Althea's situation was heartbreaking, I wanted find her mother and punch her in the nose. Lola and Annie were fun and reminded me of some of my friends from my single days. When you have a talented writer like Ms. Gantz to develop and put all these characters together with such a clever storyline you have one hell of a novel.
The storyline kept me interested, it was not at all predictable and as I said before I couldn't put it down once I got started. Ms. Gantz has the ability to make you fall in love with a location and it's inhabitants to the point that you wish they were real so you could make a visit!
Brava Ms. Gantz! Please continue writing and keep us all posted on your next novel.
April 30, 2021
I really loved this book. I listened to the audiobook version, which I think lead me to love it and enjoy it as much as I did. If it hadn't been for the narration, I may have experienced characters negatively.
Annie is such a riot, I love how unapologetic she is. She's a tough cookie but, at the same time, a big cry baby. I absolutely love it!
Lola's story ended different than I expected, which I appreciated. I like being wrong sometimes, and in this case, I was wrong! I was beautifully wrong.
Althea and Jared, while not my favorite story arch, was still a good one, and it lead to a good climax.
All in all, I don't usually enjoy adult fiction novels (YA for lifeee), but I AM OBSESSED with this story and the characters. I can't say enough about this book!
Annie is such a riot, I love how unapologetic she is. She's a tough cookie but, at the same time, a big cry baby. I absolutely love it!
Lola's story ended different than I expected, which I appreciated. I like being wrong sometimes, and in this case, I was wrong! I was beautifully wrong.
Althea and Jared, while not my favorite story arch, was still a good one, and it lead to a good climax.
All in all, I don't usually enjoy adult fiction novels (YA for lifeee), but I AM OBSESSED with this story and the characters. I can't say enough about this book!
November 23, 2015
Fantastic idea, worst execution I've attempted to read. Made me want to throw up a little.
August 20, 2017
3.5 stars
Read
July 11, 2018Liked it. Liked the characters.
August 10, 2021
Lighthearted pleasure, nothing new or literary but a nice diversion and being set in Paris is a winner.
April 10, 2013
Look - I'm obsessed with just two things at the moment. Light, easy reads - preferably women/friendship centred and France. So this was a no-brainer for me. In fact, a month or so ago I bought literally about 20 books written about people moving to Paris or Provence. Almost all of them fiction and as light as this.
And it's fine. It's not the Great American Novel. But it's not supposed to be, is it?
The book centres around an American woman, Annie - who moved to Paris 12 years ago to marry Johnny. It's 3 years on and she's widowed now and her life is a mess. She is falling apart, has almost no friends other than a debonaire Frenchman named Lucas. Her entire life revolves around her 3 sons, her beautiful-but-falling-apart home in the 16th Arrondissement that she can't afford to keep anymore.
Determined not to give in to Lucas' insistence that she sell the house and either move to the dreaded suburbs - she takes drastic action for a hermit - she advertises for three boarders.
And so follows the story of Annie, Lucas and his godson Jared, the beautiful but terrified Lola and her two damaged children - and perhaps the most damaged of them all - Althea.
We follow over the next months as they all start to heal {or not} in their own way.
I've read criticism about Lucas' character - first that they could not believe him attractive as the author gave no insight at all to his physical appearance, nor his love for Annie in those first chapters. We hear how he is there, a constant presence in her life, every morning checking on her and the house - showing what she sees as his disapproval of her. They express surprise chapters later when we read the first chapter told from his point of view.
But it makes sense to me. The state that Annie is in - mentally, emotionally, even physically means that she would be unable to perceive his presences as anything other than a)annoying or b)a sign of his disapproval. Because her husband's death and the events immediately preceding it left her shattered, her confidence dashed entirely, her belief in her own worth died with him. So of course, in her POV chapters, we won't see that Lucas might love her. How could we if she could never imagine herself lovable? And in that same vein, she isn't ready to see him as beautiful {at least on a sexual and available-to-her way} because she's isn't ready to let go of what happened with her husband and allow herself to feel that way yet.
So in this way, her reactions to him, his steadfast frienship and discreet love for her were, to me more beautiful than the story might have been had they just described him as a delicious but vulnerable man and amped up the unresolved sexual tension.
Anyway. I was invested {if somewhat irritated by Lola and became fascinated even by Mark's development. I wanted to parent Lia where her mother couldn't and I wanted to hug and cheer on little Simon.
I was less invested in Althea {and really not at all in Jared} though I had hoped for a last-minute scene of her father reaching out to her, so perhaps I was a little invested in her story too.
Again. 3 stars. It's not Grapes of Wrath or Persuasion but for a fun, rainy day read for someone obsessed with France {and who's ready to read lots of French inside the story} - it did the job.
And it's fine. It's not the Great American Novel. But it's not supposed to be, is it?
The book centres around an American woman, Annie - who moved to Paris 12 years ago to marry Johnny. It's 3 years on and she's widowed now and her life is a mess. She is falling apart, has almost no friends other than a debonaire Frenchman named Lucas. Her entire life revolves around her 3 sons, her beautiful-but-falling-apart home in the 16th Arrondissement that she can't afford to keep anymore.
Determined not to give in to Lucas' insistence that she sell the house and either move to the dreaded suburbs - she takes drastic action for a hermit - she advertises for three boarders.
And so follows the story of Annie, Lucas and his godson Jared, the beautiful but terrified Lola and her two damaged children - and perhaps the most damaged of them all - Althea.
We follow over the next months as they all start to heal {or not} in their own way.
I've read criticism about Lucas' character - first that they could not believe him attractive as the author gave no insight at all to his physical appearance, nor his love for Annie in those first chapters. We hear how he is there, a constant presence in her life, every morning checking on her and the house - showing what she sees as his disapproval of her. They express surprise chapters later when we read the first chapter told from his point of view.
But it makes sense to me. The state that Annie is in - mentally, emotionally, even physically means that she would be unable to perceive his presences as anything other than a)annoying or b)a sign of his disapproval. Because her husband's death and the events immediately preceding it left her shattered, her confidence dashed entirely, her belief in her own worth died with him. So of course, in her POV chapters, we won't see that Lucas might love her. How could we if she could never imagine herself lovable? And in that same vein, she isn't ready to see him as beautiful {at least on a sexual and available-to-her way} because she's isn't ready to let go of what happened with her husband and allow herself to feel that way yet.
So in this way, her reactions to him, his steadfast frienship and discreet love for her were, to me more beautiful than the story might have been had they just described him as a delicious but vulnerable man and amped up the unresolved sexual tension.
Anyway. I was invested {if somewhat irritated by Lola and became fascinated even by Mark's development. I wanted to parent Lia where her mother couldn't and I wanted to hug and cheer on little Simon.
I was less invested in Althea {and really not at all in Jared} though I had hoped for a last-minute scene of her father reaching out to her, so perhaps I was a little invested in her story too.
Again. 3 stars. It's not Grapes of Wrath or Persuasion but for a fun, rainy day read for someone obsessed with France {and who's ready to read lots of French inside the story} - it did the job.
June 23, 2015
Hidden in Paris is about the kind of house I definitely would like to live in and to "start over" as the owner advertises her rooms. She has had a rocky several years and is in danger of losing her beloved home in Paris. It has become her sanctuary so she takes on two (sometimes three) boarders who all arrive with more baggage than just their luggage. They are about as different as any human beings could be. The homeowner is an American who has lived in Paris for over ten years and whose husband died three years ago leaving her with debts and three sons. One of the boarders has two children and is a former model escaping an abusive marriage. The second is an anorexic young woman who will die if she cannot find some human connection. The third is a on-again off-again tenant who is a Parisian who is the embodiment of the anguished, starving artist. But his anguish and pain are very real.
Sounds like a recipe for disaster and there are many within the several months these three (and sometimes four) share a home. But they are disasters that wake everyone up to the joy that life can be if people see it and reach out. This whole turmoil set in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. And cooking, cooking, cooking, food, food, food. The book revolves, in so many ways, around the culture of the enjoyment of food. And what it means to really enjoy it. (And how can it be that so many French are thin (especially in Paris) and stylish when there is so much food involved!!!! So not fair!!!
Sounds like a recipe for disaster and there are many within the several months these three (and sometimes four) share a home. But they are disasters that wake everyone up to the joy that life can be if people see it and reach out. This whole turmoil set in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. And cooking, cooking, cooking, food, food, food. The book revolves, in so many ways, around the culture of the enjoyment of food. And what it means to really enjoy it. (And how can it be that so many French are thin (especially in Paris) and stylish when there is so much food involved!!!! So not fair!!!
August 23, 2012
I've been contemplating this review for a few days because I really don't know how to express just how wonderful this book was. Corine Gantz has landed on my automatic buy list for authors, and I dearly hope she's hard at work on her next novel because I can't wait to read it! I picked up Hidden in Paris because I love all things Paris. I had no idea how deeply I would fall in love with this book and the characters that populated it. They were exquisitely complex, beautifully flawed, and endearingly charming. Told from 6 points of view, Corine expertly weaves their tales in and out of each other, revealing secrets, hopes, fears, desires, and lots of drama. And the writing. Wow. Simply beautiful. At times it was hilarious. Other times, naked and heartaching. But it was always compelling, absorbing. I wanted to live inside the book with Annie and Lola and Althea. Rent a room in Annie's beloved house and mingle with the tenants myself. And I just didn't want it to end. From the vivid descriptions of the scenery, the sights, sounds, smells, to the complicated relationships and dark secrets, I was completely transported, moved to a world that was fascinating, enchanting, and even unsettling. It was a wonderfully absorbing journey, following all six characters as they confronted their demons and their fears, forged ahead in the face of doubt and anxiety, and finally found their way to happiness. Honestly, I'm counting it among one of my top reads ever. Absolutely loved it!
June 3, 2018
I liked it. I enjoyed the characters and looked forward to each added piece of their story.
February 2, 2022
Very good
I really enjoyed this book. The characters seemed real. The relationships between friends were heartwarming.
I would love to have Annie as a friend!
I really enjoyed this book. The characters seemed real. The relationships between friends were heartwarming.
I would love to have Annie as a friend!
June 26, 2011
I received this copy as a Goodreads First Read.
It was an enjoyable book, albeit a few typos due to the fact that it is self-published. The author was generous to send a list of the typos and really for the most part didn't distract from the reading.
What would you do if you were an American widow with 3 kids who has lived in Paris for 10 years, with financial worries? If the choice was selling your home or opening it to tenants, I would do the same thing that Annie did and bring in the tenants.
Not only Annie, but each of her tenants, needs to confront their past in order to heal themselves to reach the future. Each one does it in their own special way that makes it seem realistic in the end.
It was an enjoyable book, albeit a few typos due to the fact that it is self-published. The author was generous to send a list of the typos and really for the most part didn't distract from the reading.
What would you do if you were an American widow with 3 kids who has lived in Paris for 10 years, with financial worries? If the choice was selling your home or opening it to tenants, I would do the same thing that Annie did and bring in the tenants.
Not only Annie, but each of her tenants, needs to confront their past in order to heal themselves to reach the future. Each one does it in their own special way that makes it seem realistic in the end.
July 2, 2017
I'm glad that I read the author's notes at the end of the book before I read this book. Knowing that it was self-published, and that she didn't have an editor, made me read it with a more generous heart and mind. That said, I hope that the author is able to use an editor in her future offerings.
I enjoyed the Paris setting and the development of the romance between Annie and Lucas. However, I felt that Althea's story line was awkwardly handled, and it was hard to believe the actions of those around her and her internal dialog leading up to the climax of her story.
I enjoyed the Paris setting and the development of the romance between Annie and Lucas. However, I felt that Althea's story line was awkwardly handled, and it was hard to believe the actions of those around her and her internal dialog leading up to the climax of her story.
June 12, 2015
Well, I am not good at reading feel good love stories or those of meek women overcoming bad relationships and things like that. But, I love reading about Paris, and, temporarily, I also lived a parisienne lifestyle like this story's ex-pats in the 16th. arrondissement. I walked with them on their visits to the shops and parks, so I put up with the other stuff. As always, vive la France. I need to go again -- soon.
Forget the story -- it is not my taste. Sorry.
Forget the story -- it is not my taste. Sorry.
February 18, 2016
I really enjoyed Hidden in Paris. The characters were well-developed and the story line, focusing on the friendships between three very different women, kept me interested and intrigued. As another reviewer stated, it was an easy book to come back to each night. Corine Gantz asks us to look out for editing issues, but I didn't find any, and I consider this to be an important issue. Très bien!
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