This is a really sweet book! If you're looking for a quick, light read that is truly heartfelt and well written, this will absolutely do the trick. It also made me want to travel again, as they make their way through Paris and see all the sights. Would recommend!

Oh, to find myself accidentally stranded in Paris for a few hours! A dream come true! This was a fun read and I enjoyed my vicarious time in Paris.

Hannah is heading to Amsterdam with her boyfriend Simon. After several beautiful days in Italy, where Hannah had always wanted to go, they have to head back to family responsibility, to Amsterdam, where Si’s sister is getting married.

Hannah isn’t particularly looking forward to going to the wedding, as she keeps getting assigned more tasks to take care of the day of the ceremony, like writing out all the place cards for the reception. But there is one thing that Hannah wants even less than to go to the wedding, and that is not making it to the wedding.

On the overnight train from Venice to Amsterdam, Hannah can’t sleep. A mix-up meant that the personal sleeper cabin Si had booked for them had gone to a young family instead, and the uncomfortable seats keep her awake. She decides to take a walk to a quieter train car, especially since a group of boys are playing their music really loud. She walks toward the front of the train and finds a nice quiet place to sit for awhile, and then she falls asleep.

When she wakes up early the next morning, she feels bad about leaving Si alone on the train all night. She had her phone and her purse but not even a sweater to help with the morning chill. She walks back to see if Si is awake yet, but she can’t find him. Hannah gets all the way to the back of the train, and she doesn’t see Si anywhere. But she also though the train was longer. And when she asks a train conductor about it, he explains that the train spilt in the middle of the night. Part of the train went to Amsterdam, and the other part went to Paris.

That was the first thing that went really wrong.

There is another rider who was surprised to find out that the train had split and they were in Paris. He is French, and rude, and Hannah doesn’t even want to talk to him. And when they get to Paris and race to catch the next train to Amsterdam, she trips over the Frenchman’s bag and twists her ankle. That’s the next thing to go wrong. Then they miss that train, and her phone gets stolen by a pickpocket, and it’s pouring down rain, and the Frenchman has to leave to see a friend, and Hannah is at the station, cold and wet and alone waiting for the next train.

And then something goes right for her.

The Frenchman, Leo, comes back to check on her. He gives her a hoodie to wear and offers to take her to the police station to make a report about her phone, so she can get it replaced. And that leads to a coffee. And that leads to a chance to see the Eiffel Tower. And that leads to a genuine friendship with a man Hannah couldn’t stand just a little while earlier.

As Hannah and Leo spend the morning together, waiting around the for the next train, and Hannah starts to open up to the city of Paris and to Leo and his questions, she realizes how closed off she had let herself become. She hates her job. She loves Si, but she’s not sure about their future. She loves photography, but she’s undecided about taking a photography course in London. And then there’s the story about the only other time she’d visited Paris, and what had gone wrong that time. It was a story she’d never shared with Si, but this stranger had gotten her to talk about it after only a few hours together.

As Hannah finds herself opening up to Leo, and to Paris, she’s also opening up to possibilities. And by that evening, when she finds herself finally in Amsterdam, getting ready for Si’s sister wedding, Hannah realizes that her future is up to no one but herself. And she has to be the one to take control and choose which track she wants to follow.

The Paris Connection is a debut novel from author Lorraine Brown, and it’s filled with all the charm and surprise of a favorite rom com film. There are a lot of familiar tropes, but these characters breathe new life into them. I especially liked Hannah and her journey to wholeness and healing through her journey through Paris. I loved the descriptions of the food, the neighborhoods, the sights, and the architecture of Paris, and it made me want to take a train trip there too (which would be a lot more difficult from the middle of the US than from London, but a girl can dream).

Egalleys for The Paris Connection were provided by G.P. Putnam’s Sons through NetGalley, with many thanks.

This was a quick read which helped me escape to Paris and reminisce about travel, and the thrill of exploring a new place, and making connections with strangers. I especially liked that this auspicious meeting encouraged Hannah to evaluate her choices and circumstances, and empowered her to make decisions and live her life. Overall a fun, escape.

Thanks to NetGalley, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️
I’m not sure if vacation mishap is a technical romance trope, but it should be! Hannah and Léo find themselves accidentally together in Paris for the day and they really knew how to make the most of a few hours! Like most British romances, this book is heavy on the women’s fiction and lighter on the love. I did enjoy both characters and found their chemistry sweet and endearing as they opened up to each other.

While I found myself wishing for more romance between Léo and Hannah, the story is a true love letter to the city of Paris. The sights, the people, and the FOOD!! I am ready to hop on a plane after reading this!! A wonderful debut, I would definitely recommend for fans of British women’s fiction and stories set in Paris!

The Paris Connection gave me the gift of being able to travel to Paris through a book. Paris is one of the places on my travel list just because I think it would be amazing to see the Eiffel Tower in person. Even more so after the views which were described within this book. I was drawn to The Paris Connection because of the context of Paris and honestly that is what was really sold in the story to me.

Hannah is traveling to Amsterdam with her boyfriend Simon. The two of them have just spent a romantic weekend in Venice and everything seems to picture perfect waiting for an engagement. When she is separated from him on their trip to Amsterdam suddenly Hannah finds herself questioning her own ambitions and her relationship with Simon. Enter Leo, a mysterious French stranger.

Hannah was a hard character to like. She felt very one dimensional and was quick to judge others because she's afraid of being judged herself. Her relationship with Simon is very surface level which she refuses to see at first. She can only focus on what brought them together and the fact that while they grew up in economic backgrounds, love has brought them together. Leo starts pushing her buttons as soon as they meet because he basically gets in her path and doesn't seem to want to leave. He forces her to question the things that she always pushed the side.

Leo is a tousled hair mysterious Frenchman and he plays the role so well. I loved the way that he presented Paris to Hannah and thus to the readers eyes. It was so beautiful! I felt like I was there seeing the sights and eating the delicious food. I didn't necessarily buy the connection that was supposed to be formed between Leo and Hannah but, I believed in the connection to Paris.

Prior to getting lost in Paris, Hannah has been completely reliant on either her mother or her boyfriend, she has never really been self directing. So, it was nice to see her take this journey where she realized that she wanted to be a photographer professionally and that it wasn't crazy for her to feel the way that she was feeling. Like I said, Leo really pushed her buttons, and forced her to reproach everything in her life.

The Paris Connection is one of those books that had so much potential but just didn't live up to it as well. If this had simply been a book about a woman's connection to Paris, I would have totally bought it. Unfortunately, it was sold as this detour and connection with the stranger will forever change her life. I think because I didn't fully fall into the romance, it was hard for me to believe the full connection within the walls of Paris.

**2.5 Stars**

Happy pub day to The Paris Connection! I didn't know I needed an armchair trip to Paris, but I enjoyed this one! Thank you to Putnam Books for my ARC!

One sentence summary: Hannah's heading to Amsterdam with her boyfriend for a family wedding, but when the night train splits into two, she winds up in Paris with nothing but her ingenuity and a kind stranger named Leo.

This is a quick and light read - although there's a love story plot, I enjoyed it more for the personal development of Hannah's character. I definitely related to her - she's trying to figure out life but getting steamrolled by boyfriend Simon (how many friends have we all seen in this situation?!) Leo is a fun knight in shining armor type with a motorcycle, and I liked seeing their friendship develop. I read this one in one sitting and was sad I didn't have French food to eat while I was reading!

To me, this is more of a women's fiction with romantic elements than a true romance, so keep that in mind before you read! But as we struggle with COVID isolation, I think a breezy book trip to Paris is just the ticket!

I absolutely adored this cute romance about two people missing a train and making a connection that will change their lives. This story takes place in one day, when Hannah accidentally takes the wrong train and ends up with several hours to kill in Paris before catching a train to Amsterdam, her intended destination. Parisian Leo is in the same boat as her and what starts off as a rocky introduction ends up as the absolute best day-long meet cute that will lead Hannah on a journey through Paris and an inner journey to decide what she really wants in life.

Like Hannah, I once took a train into Paris and my favorite parts of this book were the descriptions of the train travel and of Hannah’s adventures all over the city, seeing the sights, eating crepes, and more. It really took me back and was wonderfully written!

I’ve been lucky to read some wonderful beach reads lately and I feel like this one just kept the streak going. This fast story was light enough to enjoy on vacation but had enough plot to keep me turning the pages. This brought me back to when I was clinking champagne glasses under the Eiffel Tower for my birthday almost a decade ago with my BFF. If you’ve been to Paris/Amsterdam this is a wonderful read to remember the beauty of wandering around and making memories. The author captured the magic of Paris while telling a story of a crumbling relationship and unexpected future.

Oh la la - The Paris Connection was so much fun! Hannah is on her way to Amsterdam from Venice with her boyfriend, when a series of unfortunate events lands her alone on a train that ends in Paris. Stuck in Paris for several hours without any bags, nearly no money and a stolen phone, Hannah is down on her luck. Enter Leo, he too found himself in Paris, which happens to be his current home and he offers to show Hannah around for a few hours. Hannah has spent the last several years afraid to take nearly any risk and comfortable being completely dependent on her boyfriend, so saying “yes” to Leo’s offer is a surprise to even herself. For the next several hours, Leo takes Hannah on adventure after adventure, reminding Hannah that life is meant to be enjoyed, to be beautiful and even to involve risks. As Hannah discovers Paris, she can’t help but find the missing pieces of herself.
Lorraine Brown’s character development and dialogue was incredible. I adored Hannah and all her quirks and I found Leo to be compelling. It was great fun to be transported across the globe and see Paris through Leo’s eyes. The Paris Connection should not be missed!!

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“And then we turned onto a very long, straight road. The Champs Élysées, I thought, spotting the Arc de Triomphe standing majestically in the distance. Red brake lights snaked in front of us like ticker tape, hundreds of them, four lanes deep.” <—-I have never been so quickly transported back to a location as I was with this quote

Hannah, unexpectedly stranded in Paris for the day (there could be worse things!), discovers that her detour—and the sweet and sexy Frenchman she meets along the way—may be leading her to a life she never thought she’d have. She loves her boyfriend Simon. She does. They are just leaving an amazing trip to Venice. But, as she rides around Paris on the back of Leo’s bike, she starts to question Simon’s recent mood changes. Is Simon her forever after, or will the city of love open her eyes, and heart, to just that?

This book was adorable and like taking a trip to Paris when you are forced to stay where you are. I enjoyed that the majority of it was focused on Leo taking Hannah around the city, and not so much on the bridezilla that is Si’s sister. The descriptions of the architecture, the food, and the vibe had me feeling like I was right back on the Champs-Élysées.

If you enjoy Paris, sweet romances, and, well, Paris, you will enjoy this precious story. Thank you to Netgalley, Putnam Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so good! It was such a quick read and I just couldn’t put it down. I loved the main character Hannah. She was really sweet and still working to find her confidence to stand up for what she really wanted. I loved Leo. He was supposed to be the enemy, but he just came off as so sweet and genuine and I loved reading about their adventures all over Paris. I love the idea of seeing the whole city in only a few hours, so I loved looking the sites up as I read about them in the book. It definitely got interesting at the end and I was not sure how it was going to go. This reminded me a lot of Kisses & Croissants just with older characters. I really loved this book and can’t wait until more people get to read it!

This was a quick and cute read! I loved the elements of it being set in Paris and all the descriptors of that. Imagining myself like Hannah buzzing around on a sexy Frenchman's motorbike eating pastries sounded dreamy. Hannah herself in the first half of the book I found to be a bit needy, but she started to really come into her element throughout the book.

Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the ARC!

Hannah and Simon are en route to Amsterdam for his sister's wedding. But she goes to another car to sleep and when she wakes up, learns the train has separated and she's nearly in Paris. Worse, her purse and cash are still with Simon, headed to Amsterdam. A series of misfortunes gets her stuck in Paris for the day, with the hot but annoying Leo, who she partially blames for her mishaps.

Hannah has unhappy memories from a previous trip to Paris, but as Leo shows her his Paris, she begins to its--as well as his--charms. When she finally gets to Amsterdam, she has questions for Simon and she doesn't like his answers.

The blurb compares the book to ONE DAY IN DECEMBER (which I love), but to me, it's more similar to the films BEFORE SUNRISE and BEFORE SUNSET. Regardless, it's unique enough that it doesn't need comparison. Hannah is a relatable, every day kind of person, who doesn't have a terrific amount of self-confidence, while Leo is a brooding, handsome type, with surprising levity. This is an engaging romance with swoony settings. #TheParisConnection #NetGalley

Hannah is not an easy character to like. It took me till well past the 1/2 way mark to enjoy her company. She has a lot of negative self talk and she seems very easily manipulated into thinking things by her boyfriend. I think as Hannah’s day in Paris progresses with Leo at her side she is able to really open up to him. In a way she has never been able to do with Si. This one day journey shows Hannah things about herself she never wanted to admit. Maybe her life isn’t as perfect as she thinks, maybe it’s time to take chances or things and on people. It’s never to late to start over and try something new.

I loved that Leo and Hannah didn’t jump into anything at the end. They both took the time to work on themselves individually. Though their relationship I didn’t connect with well since they only knew each other for 24 hours, I wish maybe they had talked or chatted during those 7 months. I feel like it would have been more believable to me. Also Si was both not bad and horrible at the same time. I feel bad and not bad for him.

Lorraine Brown's THE PARIS CONNECTION is a perfect escape read. Through a believable and yet preposterous series of mishaps, Hannah is separated from her boyfriend Si on their train to his sister's wedding in Amsterdam and winds up having to spend the day in Paris on her own without his trusty guidance and authority. While Hannah's day starts out terribly, she winds up enjoying her day in Paris with Leo, a Frenchman who starts out annoying and ends up helping Hannah understand what she really values and wants to experience. The story is well-written, a completely immersive experience with an appealing heroine in one of the most beautiful cities on earth -- what is not to like? I received an advance reader copy of the book in exchange for my unbiased review.

The Paris Connection is a super cute read; Hannah and Si are on their way to a wedding when Hannah accidentally ends up on a train that split from Si and is now headed to Paris instead of Amsterdam. Hannah meets another Paris straggler on the way who also mistakenly ends up there instead of Amsterdam and the story follows these two through Paris to their destination. The story is cute, light, and a fun romp through Paris. Overall, I enjoyed it!

Loved this sweet women's fiction story. Reminded me of books like This Time Next Year and Two Lives of Lydia Bird. The journey through Paris was enchanting - from the sights, to the food, to the hidden gems around the city. I was left wondering what was going on with the character Si and also wondering how you would survive a 24 stint in Paris with no money to your name. Cute book!

I don’t read romance novels because I want mystery to the ending; I read them to get lost in the story of 2 people figuring out that they are better together than apart.

Hannah is a worry-wart and a little bit forgetful so he boyfriend pretty much handles everything for them. So when she falls asleep on a train to Amsterdam for his sisters wedding and wakes up in Paris with limited belongings she has to rely on a stranger, Leo to help her out. Leo pulls Hannah out of her comfort zone the entire day they are together. Hannah’s defensives are up but then she softens up as the day goes on.

I highly enjoyed this novel and having never been to Paris I enjoyed the tour that Leo took Hannah on. I’ve put a few things on my sightseeing list.

4.5 stars!

this book was addicting, honestly. maybe it was the fact that i had to read it in two days but i could not put it down. it had some of my favourite tropes littered in it but not in a way that was over the top and it was easy and fun to read. bye bye my reading slump.

anyways, to review this, i'll break it down into smaller aspects despite me loving, basically all of it.

CHARACTERS
i think one of my favourite things about this book was it's characters. it was refreshing to see how flawed and human they were and they were so easy to understand and relate to. usually, you hate the other /before/ boyfriend but that wasn't the case with si. sometimes i did hate him but i also did understand him at times, such as like at the end and honestly, that was refreshing. hannah was also such a great, interesting main character. at times, she was definitely frustrating but all in all, her insecurities seemed so real and i liked her.

WRITING
the writing was so fast paced and so easy to read. as someone who takes a while to get into a book, especially after a reading slump, i was engrossed in this so fast. i also enjoyed how the author included little before scenes, as hannah reflects over her last year.

SETTING
i've been to paris once, years ago. it's fair to say that this book make me want to go again. and maybe find a hot stranger too, but that's besides the point. the atmosphere of this book and it being is PARIS was just perfection as a setting. that's all i have to say about that.

DEVELOPMENT
hannah's! character! development! was! supreme! no because it was honestly beautiful to see hannah grow as a person in paris and i think her character development was the best aspect of this book for me. it was done perfectly. it wasn't what i was expecting from this book but i came out absolutely loving it.

ROMANCE
okay, this is why the book leans towards four stars rather than five. whilst i loved both leo and hannah, there were times were the romance felt slightly off. kind of forced. i really love their dynamic with one another, which is why i'm so torn. at parts, i really did feel their chemistry. but sometimes it was bland. so i'm not totally sure how to feel here. i guess i would have loved to see slightly more chemistry between them.

ENDING
I LOVED THE ENDING. SO MUCH. again, it was so refreshing. i loved how they didn't jump directly into the relationship. the fact that they got time to heal and grow, i loved them. and that epilogue was so cute ahh.

all in all, an amazing debut!