4.5/5 Stars

This was such a cute summer adventure in Paris filled with ballet, dreams, romance, family, friends, and croissants.

Mia is accepted into a summer ballet program in Paris that she hopes will help her become a professional ballet dancer. Paris offers her more than just ballet when she meets Louis, a French boy, who helps her find the truth about her family’s ancestry with ballet.

Honestly, the food in this book alone makes me want to visit Paris. So much delicious food is mentioned!! Crêpes, croissants, the pastries!! All of it sounds amazing.

I also loved how Audrey’s character, Mia’s rival and roommate, changed and grew throughout the book. The book had a plot twist at the end that made the book 10x better in my opinion. I think in a way shows how you can’t control everything in life that happens. Journey’s aren’t all a straight line, some have pit stops along the way to the end of the line. That’s how Mia’s ballet journey is in Kisses and Croissants and it’s a lovely one!

The epilogue made me tear up. Such a sweet, cute ending to the book!! Loved it.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I was able to read an eARC of Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau in exchange for an honest review.*

This is my favorite type of YA. I love the contemporary romance stories that take place during a summer abroad, and you can’t beat Paris. It’s the summer before senior year and Mia is going to a summer ballet program in Paris even though she really wants to go to ABT back home in New York, I enjoyed her ballet journey, the cute romance with Louis, and also the loving friendship with Audrey. A perfect summer read, especially if you like swoony romance, the idea of exploring Paris on a Vespa, and lots of Parisian desserts!

See this review and more at my blog, The Scribe Owl!

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4/5 stars

Kisses and Croissants was an interesting look into the culture of France and the tribulations of being a ballerina in the city of love.

What a hidden gem! I was naturally excited to read Kisses and Croissants, but it was better than I expected.

In Kisses and Croissants, we follow Mia, a high-school girl with a passion for ballet. She was admitted into an exclusive ballet program in Paris far away from her home of New York state. All she wants is to focus on her dancing and get an audition with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), but that gets harder when she meets the charming Frenchman Louis.

One of the only problems I had with this read was Louis. For some reason, we just weren't clicking. Every time he and Mia hung out, I whole-heartedly thought that something bad would happen and he would ruin her career. I didn't think he was particularly charming either, but it seemed to work for Mia.

The author, Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau, was born and raised in France and it's evident in her descriptions of Paris. She expresses everything so well that I, who have never been to France, have a perfect mental picture in my head of the city.

I also loved all of the French in the novel! I mean, of course there's French in the novel that takes place in France, but she does it well. If you don't know French, don't worry! She does a spectacular job at putting a translation right after so that no one gets confused. I know I have during other books!

I loved the aspect of ballet. For all the beauty that is seen on stage, that's not how it is most of the time. We get to see the hours of stretching, the long days of practice, and the destroyed shoes and feet that come as the price for a ballerina's passion. Again, Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau did a fantastic job of putting the reader in the pointe shoes of a dancer.

All in all, this French reader was exactly what I needed at exactly the right time. I've been trying to improve my French for a little while now, and Kisses and Croissants brought me to Paris!

This is a very sweet, quick romance that I'm sure most YA romance fans will speed through. I read it in one day, mostly in one sitting, and enjoyed a lot of it! The settings are all wonderfully described and incredibly picturesque. It's a romance set in Paris and it's not afraid to lean into that, cliches or cheesiness and all. I was right there with Mia through so much of this, whether dancing in a studio or wandering the city.

The good: I'm really happy to see a ballet story that doesn't need an eating disorder plot. There is the question of how to keep your hobbies fun even when you're at a higher level like this which is so important for teens trying to make their lives around their extracurriculars, but without diving into the usual storylines of it. While EDs are obviously all too common in elite dance and sports, I think it's also important for teens to see stories of dancers without them. I also love the rivals to friends trope between Mia and Audrey. It was expected, but still very sweet!

The not great: There is a scene about 20 pages from the end (you will know the scene, I promise) that was just.... Very sudden and kind of throws a wrench in the overall tone of the book. While I understand what it was doing for the plot, it felt very unnecessary and in some ways, really does a lot to undo some of the work that Mia did to help gain more agency over her own life. I just wish there had been a little more thought about other alternatives to get the plot moving along in the same way. The whole cast is also very, very white and cishet, except for the occasional side characters who are POC (and only really there to help move Mia's plot along) and maybe one throw away line about a possibly queer but maybe not dancer. I can tell that the author realizes the need for more diverse dancers (Mia briefly reflects on it at one point) and I wish there had been more done to actually reflect that in the cast.

Overall, I think this could have used a little more care in keeping the right tone through it all or in being a little more sure of what story it really wanted to tell, but I did enjoy it and Ii'm sure that young dancers in particular will love it

My all time favorite contemporary has always been Anna and the French Kiss and no other contemporary romance has come close to it. Enter Kisses & Croissants.. my Goodness.. I adored this book!

I’ve always been a fan of ballet, every Christmas I’ve dreamed of going to see The Nutcracker (Thanks pandemic for not helping. Haha.) but reading this book.. it was above and beyond amazing.

Kisses and Croissants tells the story of Mia, a girl whose just gotten accepted into a prestigious ballet academy for a summer program in Paris. Here, she meets Louis (Vespa riding French boy 😍) who not only helps her get the white tutu her ballet teacher demanded after he moved her to the fifth and most top level in the academy but also helps her discover the truth on a family legend. This story was truly everything I needed and more & it was the perfect pre-summer read that I cannot recommend enough!

such an adorable, cute, and heartfelt story!! Mia was such a great character to follow, and the romance was AMAZING!! 5/5 stars for me!!!

Overall this was a cute read. It's a perfect book for summer, for that escapism we all so desperately need. I did think the character was a little juvenile but she did act her age, it could just be me because I am not the intended age range for this book.
Overall again, it was cute and fun.

Ballet is in Mia’s blood. She can feel it as she dances, and family legend says a many-great-grandmother of hers danced for the Paris Opera and was painted by Degas. Mia has devoted her life to becoming a professional dancer, and her dream is to dance for the American Ballet Theatre. The summer before her senior year in high school, she has the opportunity to attend an intensive program at the Institut de l’Opera in Paris. At the end of six weeks, she may be able to audition for the ABT. But she has to stay focused: Her dream is in sight, and she can’t get distracted.

Mia does decide, however, that she can at least appreciate summer in Paris and many of its beautiful, incomparable sights. And she will definitely admire some of Degas’ paintings in person.

Then a few hiccups: a girl from back home in the New York City area whom she has competed against for years ends up not only at the same program but as her roommate. And then she meets a boy — the cutest, hottest, most distracting French boy possible. Perhaps she can have a little fun with Louis and work extraordinarily hard too.

Kisses and Croissants is the book version of a macaron: mostly light, with some chewiness to sink your teeth into for a short time. It has its more serious moments when Mia faces the possibilities of not achieving her dream and of dealing with a mom who seems not wholly supportive. It is vivid and full of color as she describes all she’s seeing and experiencing in the gorgeous city of Paris, and those who have been can picture the sights and spots and reminisce, while those who haven’t visited can armchair-travel. The romance is cute, but it’s not so strong and cemented that I felt devastated at the possibility of the characters not being together. The book and Mia are so focused on ballet and all that she has done and dreams of that even I as a reader would have chosen ballet for her over the boy, if it couldn’t be both.

This romance is just as much an ode to Paris, ballet, and art as it is to a girl and a boy falling for each other, and that is just fine. Cherry on the top of the Berthillon ice cream? It’s clean reading.

Sadly I wasn't able to get to this book before it's release. I really wanted to read it, so I will be picking up a final copy.

This was first from me from this author & I was absolutely so happy through the entire book! I loved that I felt like I was actually in Paris! Such a dreamy setting! It was such sweet, heart melting, fun read! Mia is the star of this enchanting story! She’s our passionate ballerina working hard to get an audition for the Ballet Theatre in NY! So Mia heads to Paris for the summer for an elite ballet program. Not only does Mia work hard, she finds love, family, and self discover through her adventure in Paris! I really adored that Mai was so hard working to chase her dreams! This book gave me everything I was looking for in a YA story! I highly recommend this to all young readers looking for all the things! Just wonderful!

I enjoyed this escape to Paris! On this trip Mia learns how to balance what's required of her to accomplish her dream and to live her life outside of dancing. I was shocked that Mia had travelled to Paris on her own without any kind of adult supervision. That was the only issue I had with the book. At first I felt the book was a little to YA for my reading tastes. But I soon found myself absorbed in the book and looking forward to seeing what would happen next. I was shocked by the twist at the end though. It did work out well in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau is a YA romance novel about Mia, an 16-year girl who travels from America to Paris for the summer to attend an elite ballet program. As Mia tries to focus on standing out to be invited to audition with a renowned ballet company, she finds herself distracted by a magnetic Parisian boy as he helps her explore the city. However it won't be all Kisses and Croissants since Mia finds herself competing with her rival and new roommate, Audrey.

When I saw the premise of this story and the adorable cover I was instantly obsessed! This book felt fizzy, sparkling with Mia's excitement in a new city and a new romance. The whirlwind romance with Louis was perfect and seemed natural for a teenage girl experiencing Paris for the first time. I loved how present food was throughout this book and it made me wish I was back at Laduree eating a macaron! The writing was easy to read and I found myself flying through this book quickly. As someone who loves Paris, I loved the way the setting was described through Mia's rose-tinted eyes, which completely transported me. It was fun to see how the relationship between Mia and Audrey developed during their time in the camp and I appreciated that it resulted in two girls lifting each other up. I do wish there was stronger characterization for Louis, but still enjoyed their romance. Overall this is a frothy read perfect for reading on a sunny summer day!

Many thanks to the publisher Random House Children's - Delacorte Press and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Kisses and Croissants is a super cute YA romance for those who, like me, love Paris and books about ballet. As a teacher, it's always nice to find books that are clean. This is one is a safe pick--not extraordinary but a fun read.

This YA romance is adorable. It transported me to Paris with all its beautiful sights and sounds and tastes. It captured Mia's anxiety and hopes, her passions and her dilemmas. She wants to put all her energy into ballet, but without missing out on the enjoyment the city offers—or the thrill of falling in love. It's a delicious, emotional, and satisfying read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This book was really cute! Paris + ballet are two of my favorite things so this was bound to be a winner for me. I liked that the ballet school wasn't too crazy competitive/toxic and that the girls were (mostly) friends. The romance was cute and not over the top. It was fun reading about all the locations in Paris. It definitely made me wish I was there!

A YA ballet romance with a romantic Paris setting. It’s plumb full of delicious descriptions, secret shared moments, and adventures that will keep you on your toes! A warm-hearted read about first love and finding ones passion!

Mia travels to Paris to study for a summer with one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world. Although Mia is determined to focus on being the best and win a leading role in Swan Lake, she can’t help herself when it comes to Louis and their adventures. On the weekends she spends her time with Louis trying to find out the history of her relative, who may or may not have been painted by Degas.

This is such a whimsical and romantic novel. The setting and ballet descriptions took me on such a beautiful journey. I lived vicariously through Mia, experiencing Paris for the first time and feeling all the angst that comes with falling in love and trying to be the best at ballet. I really enjoyed everything about this book and it’s one I’d recommend to any teenager who loves a whimsical romance!

This book was such a delight and gave me major regret that I never had the chance to study abroad and spend several weeks in another country like Mia got to.

This was more than just a story about Mia and her ballet career; it was a story about her learning balance, discovering her family's history, learning to understand her mother, taking a chance in love and yes, get better at ballet. I loved the friendships Mia developed while in Paris and totally understand her decision to get on Louis' motorbike that first evening. It's just a delightful story; a quick and mostly very light read. If you loved Center Stage, this book will definitely speak to you!

I wanted to try a new review style of keeping my random thoughts at random page intervals/progress percentages.

my thoughts while reading:
(please note that these progress percentages are based off the digital review copy and might be different in the final product (and I’m using percentages bc the drc doesn’t have page numbers)!)
- 1%: swerving people in the airport via ballet moves? I’m listening
- 3% prediction: audrey = trash. this girl will. be. trouble.
- 4%: if the mc mia’s full name isn’t amelia mignonette thermopolis reynaldi I will be disappointed
- 5%: ~ oh my god they were roommates ~
- 8%: walking back to the dorms alone on your first day in paris while your crew takes the metro instead? this is going to go well. fool
- 12%: I am disappointed
- 14%: I’m in love with louis already
- 18%: that escalated quickly
- 29%: there’s no way she can have both. no way
- 32% oh SNAP 🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢
- 35%: I am learning so much about ballet! just took a break to watch videos. it’s beautiful
- 41%: thanks for the reminder that notre dame CAUGHT ON FIRE 😫😭😭😭
- 44%: THIS DATE HOLY CRAP HE IS THOUGHTFUL. what are espadrilles
- 47%: girl. tell your friends. lies are bad. sneaking around (with owen wilson, wow! - please watch that video if you haven’t seen it lol) never ends well
- 59%: wait they kissed? I missed something. things are going too well... they’re def going to fall apart soon
- 60%: they fell apart. girl I told you this would happen
- 68%: huh. guess they’re friends now
- 78% ok wait what? they’re together again? I’m confused. what happened to things being tense
- 80%: “the ancestor to the Cronut” lmaoooo yes, truly a dessert masterpiece
- 89%: AWWWWWW HE’S BEEN WORKING ON THE SURPRISE THE WHOLE SUMMER 😭
- 90%: OKAY NO THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING. NO
- 98%: ahhh, okay 💘 I can do this ending

overall this was a very cute book! it wasn't super deep or thought provoking, but it made my heart smile a lot. I loved learning about ballet and seeing how much mia truly loves it, and I loved travelling through paris with her:)


This quasi-review will be posted on Goodreads, Edelweiss+, Barnes and Noble, BooksAMillion, Amazon, Half Price Books, my local library, Kobo, and Target. :)

I was kind of teetering between 3.5 stars and 4 stars for this one, but I bumped it up to a 4 because there were so many things I really did enjoy. First off, I felt we got a really good picture of Mia right from the beginning which was great. I think one of the best aspects of this books was the way it explored more than just her romantic relationship, but also her parental relationship and a friendship. I also really enjoyed all the details that were woven into the different places she went as they really did a good job of painting a picture of the ever romantic Paris. Personally I think me at a younger age would have probably given this book a higher rating, so I think it is perfect for it's target audience. Overall I really enjoyed it and would definitely pick up more of the author's books as I did enjoy her writing style and pacing.

This book is sweet and charming. It is also a tiny bit predictable but predictable in the way that things that happen seem to be mandatory in YA set in Paris and with ballerinas.
But seriously, charming is the very best way to describe it. There is so much charm in this story, from the setting to the romantic hero to the way things evolve for Mia in her very intense ballet program.
Mia is a sweet girl with insecurities but confidence in what she wants to do with her life. She's a good contrast to Louis, who is confident in life but adrift in life. They make a cute couple and round each other out very well.
I love how well Jouhanneu manages to express how challenging and grueling ballet actually is. It's an insane amount of work and dedication, and you get to see different angles of it in Mia and the other girls in the program.
Jouhanneau also does a phenomenal job of painting Paris in the best light possible. It's not very realistic, but it's a magical setting to the story.
Overall, it's a great and light summer read that is sure to set you in the mood... at the very least for a good croissant.

Many happy thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the early read!