I loved experiencing the firsts of Paris and falling in love in this story! There were so many times when I wished I could just jump through the pages to be in romantic Paris with our lovely ballerina.

As if I didn't already want to be in Paris on a regular basis, this book romanticized the city and made me want it even more! Along those lines, I was so happy the book didn't just take place inside of a ballet studio. There were loads of opportunities to tour Paris with our main character, Mia, and handsome Louis as they went on a bit of an artifact hunt. I loved the adventures this book took me on all throughout the city and as it explored new relationships and old ones.

Speaking of relationships, there are lots to comment on here! There is the obvious romantic one, which wasn't my favorite but had its cute moments. Then there were the nemesis-to-friend, misunderstood child-to-parent, and really tough ballet mentor ones. All of these relationships were showcased really well throughout the book and I'm so happy the author chose to explore them. This book could have easily just focused on finding romance in the city of love, but I'm happy that was only part of it.

But onto the romantic side of this book...At first, I was scared Louis was going to corrupt our dear Mia and "lead her astray" and away from her dreams, but that wasn't the case (thank goodness!). Louis is actually a really good guy and had so many really cute moments. There were a few moments when I wished I was the one in his (totally muscular) arms looking out at the Eiffel tower at night while firecrackers lit up the sky. However, the ending was kinda wishy-washy with their relationship. I expected things to go in a different direction for them and was a bit disappointed to see how things actually went. It wasn't all bad; I had just hoped for more.

Really, the ending in general felt a bit off. It was sudden and unexpected and felt like the author just needed some way to redirect the characters down new paths. I wasn't a fan of that.

Overall, however, I really liked this book. It was adventurous and romantic and a great place to learn more about ballet!

Mia is off to live out a dream—spend the summer at an elite dance program in Paris. Dancing is in her blood, tracing back more than a century with a familial myth that a woman in her family was one of the dancers highlighted in a famous Degas ballet painting. While furthering her dance training, Mia hopes to connect with a distant relative to try and confirm what she knows to be true in heart. And then comes Louis.

Give me a dance book and I'm there, wholeheartedly. This book felt like a warm hug. It was incredibly atmospheric—I felt like I was Mia on the back of Louis's vespa, riding around Paris. Their relationship—albeit a little insta-love in a way that is so very YA contemporary romance—felt genuine and lovely. I loved reading about their budding relationship as they investigated her family history.

One of my favorite parts was obviously the dancing. Mia ends up at the conservatory with her hometown "frenemy". It would have been so easy to have put them up against each other with forms of sabotage like other dance books do. Instead, these girls learned more about each other on a personal level. They help to make the other better through support and rehearsals.

Perfect summer read that just put a smile on my face.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was super cute and you can never beat Paris as a setting. If you like ballet, you will love this book! The characters were well written and the ballet descriptions were explanatory but not boring. I really enjoyed this cute YA and definitely recommend it.

Kisses & Croissants comes out tomorrow on April 6, 2021 and you can purchase HERE.

"You should go ahead. I ..." I pick up the tube and open it. "I need to do something."

Audrey gives me a funny look, her big brown eyes framed by thick but perfectly curved eyebrows. I'm sure she's going to run out the door and not speak to me for the rest of the summer. Instead, she retrieves the few pins from the corkboard above the desk and kicks off her shoes. "Quick," she says.

I'm too shocked to respond as I join her on my bed. A moment later, I smile as I take in the image I've woken up to for as long as I can remember: Ballet Rehearsal on Stage, the Edgard Degas painting featuring tulle-clad ballerinas rehearsing on the stage of the Paris Opera. It's so striking; I can practically sense the tension before the curtain lifts.

Thank you @delacortepress for a copy of this book in exchange for a review. Pub Day is tomorrow!

This is just the cutest little YA book about a girl named Mia who goes to a summer ballet academy in Paris. Mia is cast as a co-lead in their production of Swan Lake but she also meets a Parisian boy (who happens to be the son of her ballet instructor). Throw in a little family drama with her mom, long lost great aunts, and some Degas painting.

I read this one yesterday afternoon. It was really cute and made me want to go back to Paris like right now. I mean, who doesn’t want to ride a Vespa through the streets of Paris? That is until being on the back of the Vespa almost steals Mia’s dream from her!

This book seriously made me want to watch the movie Center Stage again. The ballet world is just fascinating to me.

"Here's the ugly truth about having an 'impossible dream,' as Mom calls it. Very often, you're alone with it. Your passion fills up all the space inside and around you, making it hard for anyone to get through."

Kisses and Croissants tells the story of ballet dancer Mia, who has earned a spot at a prestigious ballet camp in Paris for the summer. Mia is determined to do her best to earn a coveted role in the summer's production of Swan Lake. Mia is initially frustrated when she discovers that her biggest competitor, Audrey is not only at the camp but is also her roommate. Mia is determined not to let this ruin her summer or her dream of earning an audition for ABT, her dream dance school. After the first day of dance class, Mia is placed in the top dancing class. She has to go out and buy a white leotard for her new Level 5 class and that's when she meets Louis, the cute French boy who helps her get her leotard. While Mia knows she should be focusing on dance and nothing else, she finds herself getting wrapped up in Louis' charm and the idea of falling in love in the most romantic city on Earth.

I have seen this book compared to Love & Gelato and I can certainly see why: a teenage girl travels overseas and falls in love with a swoon-worthy boy - what's not to love? I definitely enjoyed the falling in love montage with Mia and Louis. I mean, who doesn't want to picture falling in love in Paris, of all cities? I loved discovering different parts of Paris I'm not familiar with, especially La Coulée Verte. I also really enjoyed Mia getting to know some of her distant relatives while she was in France and discovering the mystery behind the Degas paintings in her family. I'm not sure I realized going into this book just how much ballet was a part of this story. For me, it was a little too much ballet. I think I would have enjoyed this story more if Mia's family had played a bigger role in the story or if her relationship with Audrey had been more fleshed out. It seemed like they were enemies and then all of a sudden they were willing to work with each other to get their roles in Swan Lake down. I also was not a big fan of the last little bit of the book: unnecessary trauma is not a good look for any story.

TW: car accident

📚Release date: 4/6/21📚

17 year old Mia has been a dancer her entire life and truly believes it's her fate. She is about to spend a magical summer in Paris doing what she loves more than anything. Though she gets some curveballs at first such as getting stuck rooming with her arch nemesis Audrey as well as having a very strict dance instructor that seems hard to please, Mia is determined to get everything this opportunity has to offer. Little does she know how spectacular this summer is about to be. Filled with romance, bonding friendships, the breakthrough of a long ago family mystery, and much more, this book is a breath of fresh air. I absolutely loved it! It was cute and even had its twists that had me tearing through the pages. I really enjoyed this story. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful eARC. I rate this ⭐⭐⭐⭐

🥐Travel to Paris
🥐Ballet, scooters & French food
🥐Love, friendship & adventure
🥐For fans of Anna and the French Kiss

This is exactly the kind of book I would have loved as a teen (and I still loved as an adult). It is very well written and has all the staples of a contemporary YA romance; self-growth, family issues to work through, friendship and a slow-burn love story with a beautiful setting. Do you know a teen? Buy this book for them and then borrow it when they are done.

Kisses and Croissants is a beautiful, sweet, enjoyable journey about self-discovery and love set in the city of Paris.

Mia, 16, is a ballet dancer that has been accepted in a prestigious dance program in Paris for the summer. Hoping to achieve her dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer, Mia will let nothing stop her from achieving her dream. From rooming with her arch nemesis to exploring the city with her French beau to digging to learn the truth about a family secret, Kisses and Croissants is a cute, fun, and enchanting read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for receiving an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

France has always been vaguely on my bucket list, but I feel like I visited Paris in this adorable YA and can't wait to experience it in person one day!

Kisses and Croissants is the best YA I've read in a while. The writing is amazing, and I was completely immersed from page one. I truly felt like a teenage ballerina in France for the summer, falling in love and chasing my dreams.

If you're looking for fun YA to add to your summer TBR, this is it! I will definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau writes next.

Unfortunately I have an unpopular opinion of this book, it just was not for me. I DNFed it around 50%, I really was giving it a try because the premise of the book was so cute, but for me I found myself bored with it and not really excited to read it. Mia annoyed me with all her self doubt and hiding of Louis and not wanting anyone to know that they were friends. It also really annoyed me that she felt that she needed to know that she came from a long line of ballerinas to believe that she was good. I just really annoyed that she kept doubting herself when clearly she was good and that she kept comparing herself to her roommate. I wanted to love this book because others said it was good but for me it was just boring and annoyed me more than I wanted it too.

KISSES AND CROISSANTS was such a sweet YA story that provided the perfect European escape. I loved tagging along on Mia's adventures in Paris as she navigated a new city, new friendships, and first loves. Though I wasn't a dancer, reading about the summer ballet program made me feel like I was one, attending practice and performing, giving it my all and leaving everything out on stage. ballerinas are some of the toughest dancers out there, and I'm grateful for the little peek I got into their world.

Mia also gets to chance to connect with her relatives who live in France, and who may hold the answers to whether or not the famous painter Degas once painted Mia's ancestor--a ballerina, like she aspires to be. Mia befriends Louis, a charming French boy who helps her on her quest, and while they explore the City of Love together, their friendship blossoms into something more. I also loved the friendship that strengthened between Mia and Audrey, who is first portrayed as Mia's nemesis (as they both know each other from dance in high school). As the story progresses they begin to understand one another more, and seeing them cheer the other on at the end made their story that much sweeter to me.

I visited Paris a few years ago and this story brought me right back to the time I spent in the city. From seeing the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame for the first time, to climbing the steps of the Sacre-Coeur and exploring Montmartre, I was transported to one of the most memorable summers I've had so far. I could feel Mia's excitement of being in a new city and experiencing a new culture, and of course, trying all the food. Would a trip to Paris be complete without eating your weight in flaky pastries? No, it would not.

I'd recommend KISSES AND CROISSANTS to anyone looking to escape to Paris from the comfort of their own home. It's fun, and fast-paced, but doesn't skimp on the making you feel all the things. Just make sure you have some croissants around when you read this--you'll be craving them if you don't!

Kisses and Croissants is an adorable YA romance that will make you wish you could hop on a plane to the city of lights. What I loved:

💋As always, these teens in YA books are wise and talented beyond their years. I loved Mia’s drive, her kindness, and watching her learn about herself and the world.
💋I learned a lot about ballet - which is a topic I know very little about.
💋The Paris setting was perfectly described and really transported me through the city.
💋The romance was adorable and I definitely felt their connection. Louis was wonderful and his grand gestures perfection.

I was heartbroken at the late twist, but she satisfied me with the ending!

I definitely recommend this one for fans of YA romance - and even adult romance fans wanting to give the genre a try! As a rare YA reader, I can say that I felt the book was mature and so bingeable!!

Thank you to @delacortepress for the #gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review!! 💋🥐

This book was such a perfect mix of romance and feminism and I cannot wait to read more from this author! It was like Center Stage in Paris but somehow 'brighter' - which I LOVED!

If Centerstage was one of your favorite movies then you must read Kisses and Croissants. To me this felt just like Centerstage but set in Paris. Who wouldn’t want to be in Paris and perfecting their art of ballet? You will also be dreaming of walking the Parisian streets and having many croissants throughout the day. This is a perfect story is read during the Spring season.

Kisses and Croissants follows the story of Mia who goes to Paris for a summer ballet intensive program. Though the backdrop of Paris is romantic, she knows that participating in the program might be a way for her to make waves in the dance world. Is she up to the challenge and can she succeed?

While dancing ballet Mia is so focused on dance, but has no time to really explore the city of love. That is until she bumps into Louis, one of her teacher’s son. They have an instant connection when they meet and it soon sparks a small romance. When she’s not dancing they whiz through the streets of Paris on his Vespa, dine at cozy cafes, and explore what the city has to offer. She feels conflicted as she never really had a life outside of ballet. When Mia gets too swept up in her whirlwind romance life becomes tricky as she has to make some tough decisions.

Overall this is a fun, cozy read about growing up and falling in love and making choices. Each character in this novel is presented with multiple crossroads. Choosing dance or living your life? Following one path or being open to multiple options? It discusses trying to navigate your own personal path as Mia knows that in her heart that she’s a dancer but doesn’t know if she can beat the competition. I loved the background of Paris, it’s calm and exciting at the same time. It definitely sparks a wanderlust among readers to travel to the famous city. It wasn’t too heavy and for the most part, it was lighthearted which I enjoyed. If you like stories about travel, romance, and pursuing your passions, check out Kisses and Croissants.

I'm normally a sucker for an American girl who goes to Europe and finds true love, but this book didn't live up to my expectations. I think the main issue was that the writing style of this book would be perfect for a younger audience, but as twenty two year old, it felt way too young. The storyline was fairly cliche with the main character being roomed with the mean girl, and falling for the French boy. I think this story has potential, but for me, it fell flat and did not keep me engaged.

Releases April 6, 2021

I received an ARC of Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau thanks to the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb thanks to Goodreads:

"Seventeen-year-old Mia, an American girl at an elite summer ballet program, has six weeks to achieve her dreams: to snag an audition with one of the world’s best ballet companies. But there’s more to Paris than ballet—especially when a charming French boy, Louis, wants to be her tour guide—and the pair discover the city has a few mysteries up its sleeve.

In the vein of romances like Love and Gelato, this is the perfect summer adventure for anyone looking to get swept away in the City of Love."

Review:

Kisses and Croissant sheds a light on the brutal world of ballet and the beauty of Paris. This is definitely a very classic YA contemporary-romance with this ballet layer. Picture Love & Gelato mixed with The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss, both of which are 5 stars on my list. This is joining that list.

I really liked Mia and her passion for ballet was felt in every page but it was not overwhelming. I am not well versed on ballet, but the author made it completely accessible with high-stakes. I could not put it down. There was mystery, romance, competition, and tons of character development. And the event(s) at the end.... oof. It hit me HARD in all the right ways.

If you like summer flings, family mystery, and beautiful characters and scenery this is a must read this Spring and Summer.

Kisses and Croissants is the latest entry in the American girl goes to Europe genre, and if that is your thing, I would recommend checking this one out! Mia is a ballerina who is spending her summer at an elite ballet program in Paris. I thought Mia was a very lovely and likable character, and the ballet storyline was my favorite part of this book. There's also a cute French boy, because isn't there always, and a storyline involving Mia's ancestors and a Degas painting. The boy was a little vanilla, but cute. I couldn't bring myself to care about the paintings because the stakes felt so incredibly low. In short, this was a sweet, but mild YA read. As a teen, I may have loved it, but as an adult, I'm not sure I was the right audience.

3 1/2 stars

Mia has won a spot in a world-class ballet summer program in Paris. She hopes she can make herself known and get a spot in the coveted New York City Ballet. Six weeks in Paris was meant to be fully focused on ballet, but when Louis shows up one day on his scooter to save the day, she gets hooked on his sense of adventure. Can she juggle ballet and a new friend? Or will this new friendship completely derail her life-long dream of dancing professionally?

Very cute story. I enjoyed all the ballet references and the look at Paris. I really enjoyed all the characters and was invested in them. A super cute, quick summer read for sure!

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a cute book. It gave me Center Stage vibes at first (I loved that movie). It’s also a love letter to the city of Paris and it made me reminisce about my trip there. The romance was cute and I loved the overall arc of the book, including the art! There was a twist near the end that really threw me but I still loved the ending.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.