This reminded me of the hulu show Find Me in Paris, without all the time travel. Strong female characters who learn and grow. It's fairly light and fluffy, but that's ok. Sometimes that's what what you want to read.

Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau is such a lovely, sweet book, just as delightful as any pastry from a Paris patisserie! The cover is darling and I was instantly drawn in to Mia’s story of spending the summer before her senior year at an intense ballet summer program. To add to the story there is a family legend that one of her relatives was a ballerina that Degas painted and Mia wants to see if there’s any truth to the legend. It couldn’t be Paris without love right? While there is a male lead I found that Mia saw love in other places: her friends, ballet and the city itself. Jouhanneau wrote beautiful descriptions of Paris, I felt like I could walk out of my door and be there. I enjoyed this book now and think my late middle school and early high school self would have loved it!

This was a sweet and lighthearted read about following your dreams and your heart. The book was set in Paris, and included beautiful descriptions of the scenery and the food.

Our main character Mia was a delight. She was positive, hardworking, and friendly. Even though this book was set at a ballet school, it didn’t focus on the dark side of ballet, which was a welcome relief after some heavier reads.

Some of the scenarios felt pretty contrived and like the stakes could not be higher, even though they obviously could, but overall this was a fun escapist read. It was fun to be in Mia’s pointe shoes for a while, where the most stressful thing is your roommate finding out that you’re dating a cute Parisian guy.

Mia is trying to race to the other side of Paris. I like the name Mia. She is part of an elite ballet program in Paris. Audrey is also a part of the program and far from friends. Mia's mom thinks her ballet should be a hobby. I was hooked from beginning. I didn't think the tone was too cutesy. Mia is trying to get along with Audrey and meet new friends in Paris. I loved the characters. Mia meets a cute boy Louis who is the son of a ballet teacher. I loved mias interest in ballet. I loved reading about Mia's adventures with Louis. Mia is hoping for both love and ballet.

Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau takes the reader to Paris in her charming debut novel about a young girl following her dream. Mia is a sixteen-year-old whose greatest passion in life is ballet. When she earns the opportunity to attend a competitive summer ballet program in Paris, she believes that this will be the start of her career in dance. What she does not realize is that while she has always loved ballet, there can also be room in her life for other loves- Paris, a cute boy, and even croissants.

While reading this book I was transported back to Paris and I was reminded of all the things I love about the city. Anyone reading this book that has not been to Paris will be booking their flight as soon as possible and can use this book as a guide of what to see and do once they get there. There are so many great relationships developed in this book, but the one between Mia and Paris may be the best.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the world of ballet in this novel. I took some advice from the girls in the book and watched videos of Swan Lake performances and that enhanced the reading experience dramatically. I could picture the girls dancing perfectly. I have a greater appreciation of ballet after reading this novel and hope to attend more in the future. I also enjoyed learning more about Degas and the secondary storyline concerning the missing Degas painting of her ancestor was a nice addition to this novel.

All the characters in the book were so likeable and relatable. Mia struggled at finding a balance between ballet and living her life to the fullest. Audrey struggled at letting her emotions show and having fun. Louis struggled at believing in himself and following his passion. Mia and Louis had such a sweet romance and they really did bring the best out in each other. Audrey and Mia were so different from each other but still both passionate about ballet and one of my favorite parts of this novel was watching them support each other and make each other better.

My only complaint is that while Kisses and Croissants is an adorable book, it is somewhat vanilla for the majority of it. Every obstacle that Mia faces is easily overcome. Which is why the ending felt so jarring- it came out of nowhere and felt very out of place compared to the rest of the novel. Overall, it was a very sweet book that is a perfect read for a plane ride to Paris while snacking on croissants, dreaming about meeting a cute guy and falling in love in the City of Love.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Full disclosure - I am super not into ballet of any kind. That being said, the book led me a little outside my comfort zone to learn more about a topic that is not my forte.

I felt like the storyline was sweet and I enjoyed the Mia's chance to shine doing something she loved and worked hard at.

The only part I could not quite wrap my head around was the ending - the last 15-20% of the book. I felt like the wreck was a little unnecessary to the overarching storyline and the book would have been perfectly lovely and meaningful without it.

Can I start off by saying this book gave me some serious cravings for French pastries? Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau was a lovely story about a girl’s passion for dance and unexpected summer love. A lot of the time I find myself disliking the young, ambitious protagonist characters, however Mia Jenrow was relatable and fun and I never grew tired of reading her thoughts. Mia is a character for people with passions that they feel like are threatening to burst from their chest at any moment. The love interest, Louis Dabrowski is cute and charming and everything a girl could want from a lover met in the magic of Paris. After reading so many fantasy/thriller books lately, Kisses and Croissants was a refreshing contemporary break. From start to finish, I was enamored by Mia’s passion for ballet, her ancestors, and obviously for Louis. I can’t help but think what a wonderful, lighthearted movie this would make (ahem Netflix, we’re gonna need you to get on that).

I absolutely loved it!!!!! Quick read and full of goodness on every page. Highly recommend this one.

Center Stage meets Ballet Shoes

A cute, teen romance that combines art and ballet.

Mia is a 17 year old ballerina from New York. After getting offered a summer apprenticeship in Paris for six weeks, she takes off to the city of romance in hopes of dancing, exploring the city, meeting her aunt for the first time, and looking at real Degas paintings. What she wasn’t expecting was to find love with a guy named Louis. Balancing her love life and ballet, Mia overcomes obstacles and finds out what truly makes her happy.

This is a charming, light-hearted, clean romance. I really liked the descriptions of Paris and the research behind the paintings. One thing I would have changed.. I liked when Mia and Audrey switched roles- it seemed obvious they were happier dancing each other’s parts. I would have liked them to switch roles permanently before opening night.

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for sending me an ARC!

Kisses and Croissants is such a fun rom-com story and one that I could totally see Netflix doing a series on, which I would binge the whole season the first night. It’s about 16 year old Mia whose doing a summer abroad ballet program in Paris, and had to deal with the hardships of ballet, frenemies, all the while falling in love with a boy named Louis. This book had me smiling the whole time and I loved it till the end. There were a few parts at the end where I was like, really?!, and it felt kind of rushed but it did not distract from the overall enjoyment of the book.

I found myself enjoying this book. It's a fun, lighthearted story revolving on Mia and her trip to France which was supposed to be tres perfect, but of course we all know that life never goes that way and I'm glad the author showed this flawlessly.

While I understood the need to tell us that Mia was passionate for ballet... I don't know. I didn't really feel the passion. It seemed more of a hobby she enjoyed before she hit the epiphany stage, cried a little and THEN showed us her passion. Her romance with Louis is cute, although I still think she fell too fast for him. It reminds me of Anna and the french kiss and her romance with Ettienne (I can't remember for sure if that was how you spelled it) world-building was good, the characters were relatable and well-written and I definitely enjoyed it

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book!

This book was super cute! I loved seeing our main character Mia grow and learn that sometimes our lives don't always follow our carefully laid out plans. She was a great narrator and I liked her, even if there were times I wanted to shake her a bit. It was also really cool to experience Paris along with her because it is a place I have always wanted to visit.

There were a couple of things that I wasn't a huge fan of though. For example, we're told from the very beginning how passionate Mia is about ballet and I love that. My issue is that for most of the book I felt like she was telling me how much loved ballet instead of showing me. Like I completely get how easy it can be to get caught up in fancy new places and exciting new people. (Though I did feel she was a little too caught up in Louis way too quickly, but hey maybe that's the Paris appeal). However, Mia came to France to follow this dream that she claims is her entire life and it felt like the minute she got there ballet took a backseat to everything else. The romance and the family mystery were great aspects of the story but they really took away from the ballet part. Basically, I wanted more dancey and less lovey which I never thought I'd say. But, around chapter 21 things changed. She had an epiphany about everything that had happened, and after some tears (on her part) I felt like I really got to see how much ballet meant to her and how serious was about it. Ballet became her main focus while the other 2 parts of the story took on a more supporting role and that was the moment I felt I really got invested in this book. I also thought the majority of what happened after that moment was très bon!

So, as I mentioned earlier, this was a cute, fun book. The characters were cool and I definitely have no complaints about the setting. I thought the ending was great for Mia's journey. Overall it was a very enjoyable read.

P.s Having some knowledge of ballet terms and French geography and landmarks would be beneficial when reading this. But not knowing them won't impede your enjoyment of this story.


Thank you Random House Children’s Books, Annie-Sophie Jouhanneau, and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to review this book!

There’s a reason Paris is called the city of love


Charmante !!

Well, seeing that my Paris trip for next week was cancelled ( le sigh ) this is the next best thing! I adored this book! I’ve spent a lot of my life living and going back to France -
like Mia, I know what it’s like to first step into Paris and think this is where I’ve always belonged. The little faux pas when you first arrive-the sparkling city, the winding streets filled with love. I feel this Book was made for me - I read a lot of books taking place in Paris, it’s my go to book location - and not many “take you to Paris” but I feel this book did - it explored it and brought you the sights -
They say you can’t Judge a book by the cover but I feel you can with this, it’s just as adorable.

The book brought me lots of joy, smiling entire time while reading- I read it in many sittings mainly because I didn’t want it to end because it kept making me smile. (Much needed during this time of life)

Netflix needs to make this a movie stat - ! Calling all kissing booth fans and to all the boys I’ve loved before

In French there is a saying - profites au maximum - - live life fully and take advantage of it while you can - I feel mia does this in Paris , yes ballet rules her life but she also recognizes the importance of simply being a girl in Paris - I also love the way Audrey and mia end up helping each other enjoy life and the friendship that forms.

The only reason I’m not giving it 5 stars is because the ending felt too abrupt - I needed a bit more especially since the character development was so thorough throughout the rest of the time- but of course still love how in the end everything came together.

Merci merci to NetGalley, Anne Sophie Jouhanneau, Random House for bringing this story to light and allowing me a chance to review

A fun and light hearted romance! Set in Paris. Mia is an American girl visiting France for the first time in pursuit of a career in ballet. When she meets Louis, her tour guide, sparks ignite in this contemporary romance you'll be sure to enjoy! The book incorporates relatable details from French culture and its fun to read about Mia's blunders as she interacts with the locals. I recommend this book, perfect timing for a release in spring 2021! Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review.

From the title of this book you might assume that this is just a fluffy YA contemporary, and while moments of it definitely are, it’s also so much more than that. When Mia steps into Paris to study ballet for the summer she doesn’t expect to find love, but boy is she wrong. Instead she finds a cute French boy and has to learn to balance ballet and love, but is it truly possible to do when ballet is so demanding? This book is a beautiful story of finding your passion and doing whatever it takes to purse it and make the dream a reality, but it also reminds us that we must also take risks and chase adventures. Thank you so much to NetGalley for the early ARC of this. I loved it so much.

Kisses and Croissants follows aspiring ballerina Mia as she heads to Paris to train with the best of the best. While there she wants to focus on her craft and find answers to a family mystery. She wasn't expecting Louis to come into the picture and shake things up for her.

There is a lot of technicality in ballet and I think there is a lot of technicality in this book as well. The book deals with romance and trying to find the balance between work and play. Mia has been given an amazing opportunity to train in Paris and doesn't want to let anything distract her, however, upon meeting Louis, she finds herself struggling with the balance and starts to lost herself. I really enjoyed most of the characters and their development. The developing friendship with Mia and Audrey was really great as they come to a mutual understanding of the other person. They are able to see how the other lives their personal lives and helps the other with their routines. Their friendship felt incredibly organic and it really aided to the overarching plot as Mia helped Audrey loosen up and Audrey helped Mia tighten up. Louis played a massive role in here as Mia's love interest and her main distraction. However, while he wasn't ever acting out of ill-will, his desires helped pursue Mia to take more chances than she should have. Mia's overall journey as a ballerina has to do entirely with her hard work, determination and what she considers to be her family destiny.

However, when I got to a very specific scene in the book towards the end I wanted to stop right then and there. I felt as if the ending was then going to be rushed and the ending felt unfair and like a punishment. I understand what this scene meant for Mia and her family/personal relationships but I just don't feel as if it was entirely necessary to have gone that direction. I guess the wrap up ends up working out but still disappointed by what it took to get there.

A charming budding ballerina spends a summer training in Paris, where she’s all about hard work and wide-open futures – and a handsome French suitor.

Verdict: sweet, somewhat forgettable, light and summery, a little juvenile.

You’d think a seventeen year old, who lives abroad in Paris for months without her family and is on the cusp of a professional ballet career, would be at least vaguely adult-ish. Nope. Protagonist Mia, while clearly a sweetheart, offers a narrative that packs somewhat less emotional maturity and nuance than I expected.

That juvenile vibe makes this book more suitable for the middle school set than readers Mia’s own age. And Mia makes a decent pre-teen role model – she’s deeply invested in her craft and her relatives, both of which she prioritizes above cute boy Louis. (Looo-eeee! French is fun. Also, Mia’s French skill level is likewise juvenile and preteen-friendly.)

TLDR: If you’re looking for a cute, breezy read for a preteen who appreciates a ballerina story and/or wants a French summer fling, this is it.

Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau was a sweet young adult book featuring friendship, ballet, growth, and a touch of romance.

Mia attends a ballet program in Paris alongside her rival, Audrey. When Mia gets to France, she meets a boy and tries to balance the allure of a summer fling with her intense passion for ballet.

I loved Mia’s character development throughout the story and her dedication to her passion. The romantic aspect of the story was sweet, and I found myself rooting for the characters throughout the book. I especially enjoyed reading about the friendships that developed and the French setting. I would have liked to see more character development for the character of Louis. I would definitely recommend this sweet story!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I always have a hard time reading realistic fiction novels. They are normally nothing like my high school experiences and seem so far from what I experienced in high school that I have a hard time relating to them. I could really relate to Mia in this book. Mia is passionate about ballet, it is all she thinks, dreams, and does. She goes to a ballet school in Paris for the summer and she starts to realize that she can have a life outside of ballet. She discovers herself along the way. She also develops great friendships and a family mystery. This is a realistic fiction book that I could relate to and would have wanted to read in high school. I became very attached to Mia's story and really want her to achieve her goals while having fun!

Ah, Paris, the city of my dreams and the heart of KISSES AND CROISSANTS, a charming story of dance and romance.

Mia, 16, comes to the City of Light from NYC to study ballet in an elite summer program. She’s hoping to join the renown American Ballet Theatre afterward. But soon she meets a young Frenchman who introduces her to the gorgeous city AND l’amour délicieux. Will she keep dancing? Will their love last? An enchanting YA read!

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 06 Apr 2021

Thanks to the author, Random House Children’s Books, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

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