3.5 🌟
First, the Olympics, and now this story—Paris has truly been the star of summer, and I'm grateful that with the help of this book, I got to extend my imaginative stay a little longer. Because just like the main character of this story, Whitney, I didn’t want the magic to end.

This was such a charming, fun story. It was super quick and easy to read. I loved Whitney’s passion for all things Paris and Josephine Baker. It was fun to traverse the city with her and our favorite Parisian boy Thierry and watch their relationship evolve as the months went on.

Overall, this book was nice. I know that "nice" isn't the most glamorous assessment in the world (don't hurt me Whitney), but for me, it truly fits this story. It was nice, not too complicated, and it made me smile. I’m happy to have read it.

Thank you, Random House Children’s, NetGalley, and Ravynn K. Stringfield for allowing me the opportunity to review this book!

3.5 stars.

This was a cute, coming of age story about a girl who moves to Paris for a few months to study and who then ends up falling in love.

This book felt like it had good bones but at times like it didn’t have enough meat on them.

Some things rubbed me the wrong way in this book. I did not like the roommates one bit. They got of on the wrong foot instantly and with the way that the book was written I never really felt that I could trust them or that the friendship that later came was real.

The romance that came felt a little bit off and sudden. I’m having a hard time understanding Thierry’s change of heart towards Whitney when he showed so much annoyance and apprehension in the beginning. His switch in emotion felt very sudden and not very realistic.

And the way that Whitney handled the ex girlfriend kills me. I can’t understand how she from out of nowhere decided that she was going home just because the ex showed up. She just gave up everything and booked a flight home in a day. Everything that she fought for just got tossed out the window because she felt that her relationship was over. It didn’t feel like something that she would do when she worked so hard to get there in the first year place.

All in all a cute story, I liked the premise of the story but it just fell flat at some parts. But I did enjoy the story and ended up giving it 3.5 stars.

Ravynn K. Stringfield's Love Requires Chocolate is a charming novel that whisks readers away to the enchanting city of Paris as it follows Whitney Curry, a spirited theater enthusiast, on her semester abroad.

Stringfield's vivid descriptions of Paris transport readers to the city's iconic landmarks and hidden gems, creating a truly immersive experience. Whitney's journey of self-discovery is both relatable and inspiring as she navigates the challenges of a new environment while pursuing her passions. The chemistry between Whitney and her grumpy yet undeniably charming tutor, Thierry, is undeniable. Their banter is witty and keeps the pages turning. The author deftly balances the romantic tension with Whitney's personal growth and exploration of French culture.

Love Requires Chocolate is more than just a romance; it's a celebration of friendship, diversity, and the power of pursuing one's dreams. With its heartwarming story and delectable Parisian setting, this book is the perfect escape for fans of romantic comedies.

🍫 Love Requires Chocolate ARC Review 🍫

Thank you so much to Ravynn K Stringfield and Joy Revolution Romance for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Love Requires Chocolate is a standalone YA contemporary romance novel. Seventeen year old Whitney is so excited for her semester abroad in Paris during her senior year. Even though being in a foreign country is overwhelming, she’s determined to make the most of it! But what happens when her grumpy French tutor turns into one of her closest friends in France?

This was a cute read. I liked Whitney and her confidence throughout the book. I feel like she was a well rounded character and I enjoyed her growth in this story. I enjoyed Thierry as well, but I personally would have liked to have seen some chapters from his PoV and more of his date days with Whitney

Overall this was a solid three star read. I enjoyed the characters but would have liked a little more from there interactions. This book did have a romantic subplot but YA levels of spice so one flame for spice

If you’re a fan of overseas adventures, friends to lovers and French culture, then absolutely pick this one up!

Ravynn K. Stringfield's Love Requires Chocolate is a charming tale of self-discovery, culture clash, and unexpected romance set against the vibrant backdrop of Paris. Whitney Curry, a driven and meticulous theater student, arrives in the City of Lights with a meticulously planned itinerary and dreams of a perfect semester abroad. However, reality quickly diverges from her expectations as she grapples with the challenges of a prestigious Parisian lycée, homesickness, and the daunting task of mastering French. Stringfield beautifully captures Whitney’s initial struggle and her eventual growth as she learns to embrace the unpredictability of her new life.

The heart of the story lies in Whitney’s relationship with her French tutor, Thierry Magnon, a brooding yet irresistible soccer star who introduces her to the real Paris—far beyond the tourist sites she had meticulously researched. Their dynamic is electric, filled with witty banter and undeniable chemistry, making for a delightful romantic arc. Love Requires Chocolate is more than just a love story; it’s a celebration of cultural immersion, personal growth, and the beauty of stepping out of one’s comfort zone. Stringfield’s vivid descriptions of Paris and her nuanced portrayal of Whitney’s journey make this novel a sweet and satisfying read for fans of contemporary romance.

‘Love Requires Chocolate’ is a story about Whitney Curry and her adventures in Paris while she is studying abroad. This was such a cute and lighthearted book!! Perfect for someone who needs a refreshing and easy read. The story was difficult at times because of all the French that was in it, but still a good book nonetheless! I loved seeing how the romance developed throughout the story and where it took the two of them.
Such a sweet story with so much to learn from.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book! All opinions here are my own.

Love Requires Chocolate is set in Paris where Black American drama student Whitney Curry is attending an international arts high school, where she hopes to complete her one-woman show about Josephine Baker. She has a "Parisian Bucket List" for research she hopes will help her finish her play. Her French tutor, is a caustic black athlete, Thierry Magnon, who is doing community service for a racially charged fight during his team's soccer match. When she gets lost in Montmartre and calls him to rescue her, she offers him a good review as a tutor, which will end his team suspension, in exchange for his being her Paris tour guide. The first-person narration chronicles her introduction to the city of love, including making chocolate at Thierry's family chocolate shop, as well as insight into the global Black culture.

Love Requires Chocolate by Ravynn Stringfield was a slow burn for me however; there was never a moment when I thought about not finishing the book.

Love requires chocolate definitely required me to use my kindle translation a lot. I took 3 years of French in high school but that’s beeeeen a looooooong time.
The idea is cute. And though it’s a nice little read it was not something I would choose for myself.
If you know French more than I do or you don’t mind just not knowing what someone is saying go for it.

Get ready for a chance of a lifetime to study abroad in Paris! Whitney Curry is my kind of girl: big dreams of seeing the world with a checklist in her hand. Whitney is a FMC with epic goals and admirable qualities. During her semester in the City of Lights she hopes to take in all of the sights, make new friends, produce and direct her own show, and learn all she can about Josephine Baker and other notable blacks and the history of France ..whew! And don’t forget the chocolate, of course! Ravynn K. Stringfield absolutely captures the magic of Paris ❤️🇫🇷💙. Whitney is a truly delightful lead character with an equally strong supporting cast, whose traits and emotions of emerging adulthood will captivate readers of all ages. Love Requires Chocolate is a delightful cherry on the top of the sundae end of summer read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I wanted to like this book more. I really did.

We have a young black girl in Paris fulfilling her dreams of studying abroad, and putting on a one woman show in honor of her inspiration Josephine Baker.

That premise alone got me into the book. As someone who did a few papers about Josephine Baker in high school, I couldn’t wait to read this book!

But one I started to read into it things, and I’m about 60% into the book, this book feels like an amalgamation of different ideas for the same story, but they were stitch together very loosely.

The romance between Whitney and Thierry started off abruptly and very rocky, and it felt unnecessary for it to start off that way? And then the distain her roommates had towards her after she introduced herself and then they just stopped talking to her felt too obvious to a plot point being made.

We don’t get too much of Whitney actually working on her show or her research project, but we also don’t get too much of the romance aspect between her and Thierry until the last 70 pages??? mind you this books is very short. And the romance between them was very very cute. Yes it was a rough start but you can see the crush starting to form between them, and it was very sweet and sincere. I was hoping to get more of that!

I can say my favorite part was reading Whitney getting her braids done. I’ve never in my years of reading (which I’m absolutely surprised) came across a book that just had a little part of the black girl experience of getting braids done… it was kind of therapeutic to read.

Super cute read. How can you go wrong with Paris, romance and chocolate? The characters were cute and I did wish for a little more in some spots to make them a bit more teenager in their angsty behaviors. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I read a lot of books. I enjoy a lot of books. I love so many of them. I meet a lot of authors that are so talented. But every once in a while, I read a book that is so compelling and maybe even captivating that I think this author is gifted. This is one of those books. Keep in mind, there are few literary things I love as much as YA romances but still. The chemistry in this book, and not just between the male and female leads, but between all the characters makes you want to read more. And so I did. I read this instead of folding the pretty big pile of laundry and I stayed up past my bedtime. It's a big deal.

If you like Paris, Josephine Baker, romance, friendships, soccer (well, football) and, of course, chocolate, this one needs to be read immediately.

One of my biggest regrets was not getting to study abroad while I was in college, but for a couple of hours, I could imagine I was.

Ravynn K. Stringfield's debut novel is, first and foremost, a love letter to the City of Love.

As far as debuts go, it's fine (I've read much much worse,) but I couldn't help but find myself wanting more when I finished the book. Love Requires Chocolate has a lot going for it. Whitney isn't a generic protagonist with a bland voice, and the narrative has some sparks of humor. The premise is cute--who doesn't love a good grumpy x sunshine summer romance abroad--and the setting, well, it's hard to beat Paris.

Love Requires Chocolate is an easy, fun read, but I hard time connecting with the characters or the story. I just wasn't emotionally invested in the romance or plot. The storyline itself isn't bad, but it feels a little incomplete. For example, there's a whole subplot with Whitney's standoffish roommates and her struggles to develop friendships in Paris that isn't developed at all. It feels like Stringfield just waves a magic wand to jumps straight to the resolution, glossing over the development of her side characters and their relationships with Whitney. In the same way, the romance falls flat for me. I wanted to like it (after all, who doesn't love falling for a cute Parisian boy?) but the romance lacks any kind of chemistry. I think a big problem is that both Whitney and Thierry don't feel like fully fleshed out characters. Overall, I think Whitney's character arc could've been a little stronger and wish her personality had been developed out a bit more. Even though the fictional tour of Paris is definitely the strongest part of the of the story, I wanted more. Stringfield touches briefly on the idea of living in a city (albeit temporarily) versus being a tourist, and I wish we'd gotten to see more of every day life and the hidden gems of Paris.

Overall, Love Requires Chocolate is a fun, quick read. I'm curious to see what's next in the Love in Translation series

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
When I read the description of this book, it reminded me of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I loved that book so I dove into this one with pretty high expectations.
The idea of high school kids studying abroad for a semester is not really one I'm familiar with. College, yes. High school, not really. But I went with it because it wasn't the first time I'd seen this theme and I'm sure it does happen. And for it to happen in the city of Paris, and while I'm watching the Olympics take place! How fortuitous.
I loved the idea of a book set in France. I've spent a bit of time in Paris and in the French countryside, as well as other famous towns in France, and I just didn't feel like I was in France during this story at all. I wanted to truly feel like I was in France, experiencing the culture, seeing the sites, feeling the magic of the city of Paris, but I just didn't feel it. Nor could I envision it.
Unfortunately, I had a really hard time connecting with an of the characters in this book. Whitney Curry came across to me as a little bit too worried about how she looked to be honest. I did love the idea of her exploring a person of color, especially a lady, who leant much to the entertainment community. But there was so much focus on what Whitney, or anyone else around her, was wearing. I just didn't understand the point of that. I really wanted to see Whitney grow and change but she remained consistent throughout with her personality. Kind of flighty, and a little self-absorbed. Don't get me wrong, I know teens can be like this, but I needed her to grow during the story while she learned about things in Paris and I just didn't see it happen.
As for the romantic love interest, I didn't feel the chemistry there at all. It just never grew and developed to feel real. I enjoy a good enemy to lovers story, which this sort of started out as. Or maybe a close proximity story line where the characters find things in common as they get to know each other and an attraction ensues. But that's not what was presented here. We went from Thierry, the male main character, being annoyed at having to teach Whitney French, to him wanting to spend all his time with her. There was no in-between. Speaking of learning French, when did that happen? Whitney mentions it but we never really see it happening. The two are always just out and about exploring Paris. I thought she was there for school? When did he go to school? It just seemed like this story would have been better suited to happen during the Summer at a program rather than during the school year.
And, while the plot revolves around her play she's creating to showcase the entertainer, you don't really see much of that happening. You do see her lists and what she wants to experience while in Paris. I am a sucker for a list, but they were parsed throughout the book with long bullet pointed sentences I only ended up scanning because after a while, I was bored with reading list.
Finally, her relationship with her roommates. I didn't see it. They never bonded. Did she try? Maybe a bit. But she was more focused on her lists, on Thierry, and on her play than to worry about cultivating relationships with the two girls with whom she shared a space. Having lived with two roommates my first year of college, I can tell you those were the most important relationships I had for the first few months while I was finding my bearings. But she doesn't seem to care enough to truly put herself out there to get to know them citing she feels like they possibly don't like her.
The pacing for me was a bit slow. And I didn't truly feel like I needed to know what happened. Mostly I just wanted to be done with it. And when it did end, it was very anticlimactic. There was no intensity drawing me to the end.
Was the story cute? Sure. Will young teens enjoy it? Possibly. I just think it's missing too many elements to make for the story it was meant to be. I don't see other books by this author so it seems it's her first and maybe in the future her stories will grow. The bones are there, but the execution was lacking.

Thank you to Random House and PRH Audio for the ARC.

Love Requires Chocolate was a pretty low stakes read that made me wish I’d been able to attend a study abroad.

Whitney and Thierry are pretty adorable together, and I enjoyed their progression from annoyed tutor and student to friends to more than friends. Whitney can sometimes be immature..but she’s a senior in high school on her own for the first time. And you can see her personal growth throughout the book (mostly…).

Listening to this as an audio was wonderful, though. I loved hearing both the French dialogue and the French accents.

Love Requires Chocolate was adorable and lighthearted and an easy listen.

So. Stinking. Cute. I dug into this fun YA romance during the Paris Olympic Games and it gave me all the Parisian swoon a girl could want. I found myself giggling and kicking my feet up all along the way. The main character, Whitney, was lovable and I could totally see myself being her friend. The author’s writing style was fun and sucked me right in. I have a love for lists just like Whitney and I tend to over plan my trips so I related to Whitney right off the bat. Can’t wait to recommend this adorable read to my friends and followers.

A cute YA romance featuring an American in Paris studying abroad who falls for a local. This was good on audio and PERFECT for fans of the show, Emily in Paris. Not a super standout read but it was still entertaining and sure to delight young tweenage readers. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review. I'm excited to see what happens next in this new series!

book review

I absolutely loved loved loved this story. My goodness Whitney and Thierry are just so adorable and fun and loveable. Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this e-ARC.

This quick book follows Whitney as she studies abroad in Paris. Whitney is a Doing Too Much queen, theatre kid, multiple lists toting, fashionista, while Thierry is a little grumpy, Handsome & French young man who is tutoring her. Both characters were adorable and fun. I wish that I could read even more about them and their lives. I also felt like Stringfield does a great job of having robust characters in a story, that all make sense in terms of the story and plot. Not only are the romance aspects of this story beautifully done, there's also a love a travel and friendship themes that carry throughout.

In the spirit of Whitney, here are the ten things I loved the most about Love Requires Chocolate -

1. The Chocolate Shop Scene
2. Parisian French Young Man to Fall in Love with
3. A Doing Too Much, Fashionista Queen
4. Natural Hair & Braiding scene - chef's kiss
5. Lots, and Lots, and Lots, of Lists
6. An inspirational grandma
7. Josephine Baker Stans
8. An Ode to Theatre Kids
9. Grumpy-ish X Sunshine
10. Loveable characters that make sense!

There was nothing I did not like about this book. I wish i could insert it into my veins - it was perfect. i wish I could live with Whitney and Thierry foreverrrrrrr.

Love the plot line and character development. Amazing storyline . Will definitely recommend to friends and family