I really enjoyed following Whitney’s journey to exploring and finding adventure, love, and delicious eats in the city of love. I was hoping for so long for a romance to blossom and give me the Paris love story that I’ve never had and this definitely delivered! I could almost taste the chocolates and the food that Whitney was eating, which just gives you an idea of how descriptive Ravynn’s descriptions were. A must read for anyone who longs for adventure, love, and a sprinkle of Paris magic!

3..5 I've never been to Paris but I've always wanted to go and this book solidified that for me! Such a fun, lighthearted, tender book!

This was such cute and fun YA debut. Whitney was such a fun outgoing character to me. I really loved her personality and energy though out the book. Thierry was also a fun character despite his grumpiness. They really balanced each other out and I loved watching their love story unfold. I thought this was a really great palette cleanser in between reads and it was very quick and fun!

Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

This was a cute read. Maybe I’m too old for these reads? It was too sweet and I felt like Whitney was too hyper and a little one sided on things. I love all things Paris so that was the best part to me in this book. Otherwise I didn’t love it. It’s definitely young adult.

What a beautiful story. Loved the journey, nothing more romantic than a love story in France. This book is an absolute gem.

Sweet coming of age novel that my students will love. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Love Requires Chocolate by Ravynn K. Stringfield is a delectable debut novel. Stringfield skillfully crafts a rich and indulgent romance that is sure to captivate readers.

Love Requires Chocolate by Ravynn K. Stringfeild is a contemporary YA romance set in Paris, France.
Whitney is the most energetic of the main characters. She is very excited to be going to school in Paris and doing her senior project on Josephine Baker. She has a positive attitude and is very organized. I'm not a fan of lists myself, makes me feel like I have things I should be doing instead of reading. Her point of view is so positive that this book was a joyful read.
Thierry is a grumpier kind of charming. He matches well with Whitney's energy. Plus he works in a chocolate shop and always smells like baking.
There isn't a lot of time spent with Whitney's roommates or anything other than the main relationship development. I thought their relationship was very sweet but often wondered why the roommates even cared about her at the end.
The drama at the end felt a little out of place and I felt that Whitney acted out of character and impulsively. She is a teenager who has never been in love but never displayed those errors in judgement before then.
I would recommend this for younger teens, probably 13+.
I received this arc free from Netgalley. All views expressed are my own.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I enjoyed this book and think you will to.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

This one is like a YA version of Emily in Paris for theatre kids, and you know what? Here for it. It's a fun and cute teen travel romance. I found myself completely drawn into the story thanks to the author's compelling language and word choice. It's not too slow, which thank goodness, that's a major plus. It's very cute, sweet and innocent.

A semester in Paris during her senior year of high school allows Whitney to complete a multimedia project on her heroine,, Josephine Baker. A predictable romance ensues.

First of all, I want to say a big thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book before it came out. I'm so glad I get to give my review and help support this book. So, big shoutout to them!

Love Requires Chocolate by Ravynn K. Stringfield was such a fun book to read. The main character, Whitney, was bubbly and energetic. I loved how passionate she was about her theater project and about following in the footsteps of her idol Josephine Baker. Whitney’s passion makes her stand out as a character and drives the whole narrative forward. Not only is she passionate about theater and Josephine Baker, but she’s passionate about everything she does, which makes her a character that you want to route for. When she meets her French tutor Thierry, the sparks flew. The grumpy/sunshine dynamic between them was adorable and had me excited for each new opportunity to see them interact. Their interactions took them across Paris as a way for Whitney to work on her French and explore the city she’s calling home for the few months she’s there.

When I was reading this book, I had the opportunity to visit Paris. The words on the page sprung to life all the more, being in the place that the book I was reading was set. Even if I hadn’t been in Paris as I was reading though, Ravynn Stringfield’s descriptions would have transported me there. She describes the places her characters are experiencing in such a way that makes them come alive.

While I enjoyed this book, I do think that the ending felt a bit rushed. I’m not going to put any spoilers in this review, but Whitney made some decisions hastily and then reversed her decision just as hastily. I think if this aspect of the ending could have been stretched out a bit more then it would have made the ending stronger. Even still, though, the ending was good and rounded out the story quite well.

Love Requires Chocolate was a cozy, delightful read. It’s the perfect kind of book to pick up with a cup of hot cocoa and a croissant, cuddled beneath a cozy blanket. The characters stood out on the page as did the descriptions and the story was heartily enjoyable. This book comes out on August 20th and it’s definitely one to pick up.

3.5/5 rounded up
closed door romance

TLDR : Story was very cute and very YA Emily in Paris mixed with Love & Gelato vibes. Great for a cute quick romance read! Just wanted more - more angst, more struggle, more nuance to new relationships. And the ending felt bit rushed to me.

Whitney studies abroad for the semester and has lots of lists to accomplish. What's not on her list is unexpectedly falling for an adorable grumpy Thierry. Their story really was adorable, simple, and sweet! The story's conflict and resolution felt a bit rushed. And I would have liked to see her relationship with her friends and others be more fleshed out. But for a quick read - it was good!

I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in quick read about an adorable YA romance set to the backdrop of Paris!

emily in paris with chocolate and an appreciation for josephine baker

rating: 3.5

though it had cute moments and made me miss paris, i really would've liked more focus on the academics and her piece. i felt like there could've been more information about josephine baker interweaved in as well as connection or insight from her piece. it felt like alot of the book was planning on the fmc's part.

Whitney Curry is ready to take on a semester in Paris! She has her itinerary, and on a mission to create her one-woman show. But not is all how she imagined it to be. Enter Thierry Magnon, a soccer star and her French tutor. They may have started on a tough note, but he's determined to show Whitney the real Paris.

This is a cute, YA romance set in France! Whitney and Thierry are opposites. Whitney is all sunshine and smiles, especially when she's talking about her passion for theater. Thierry is a grump, but certainly also has a soft spot. With Paris, the city of love, as the background, it can't be helped but fall in love.

Thank you netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this book blind on the plot. I was intrigued based on the cover and the title. This book follows our main character, Whitney, as she studies abroad in Paris for one of her school semesters. She is working on a final project for her studies (theater) throughout this story as we see her explore Paris. Whitney loves a good list and has a checklist of things she likes to accomplish while she is there. Some local Parisians tell her she needs to see things that aren’t on there and we see her grow as a person while exploring an unknown country.

I’m honestly not sure if Whitney is in high school or college, I would assume college since in high school you don’t declare what you’re studying. But it’s hard to know because Whitney acts very immature throughout the book. While I do feel she grows as a person in this story, ultimately, she gets easily upset by situations and is easily swayed in the end when she makes a decision. I did not love the FMC for that reason.

I did enjoy this book for the “high school” Emily meets Paris vibes. The scenery was a joy to read about, and I was intrigued enough to see what happens. We also get the grumpy sunshine trope in this book with I also loved.

I think I would recommend this book for teenagers or anyone looking for a YA closed door version of Emily Meets Paris.

As a Black girl theatre nerd who took French all throughout high school and college, Stringfield has written the teenage rom-com OF MY DREAMS. Whitney reminds me so much of myself at that age: strong-willed, dramatic, a little self-absorbed, but also really complex, funny, and fierce. I adored the sprinkled-in history of Josephine Baker throughout the story. "Love Requires Chocolate" is just the YA I needed when I was a teen and I can't wait to put this book in the hands of some of my Whitney-coded students! Thank you Netgalley for allowing me an ARC of this book!

I loved this book! The Parisian setting, detailed descriptions (like outfits and food), and the nods to Josephine Baker were all fantastic. Whitney’s passion for journals and photography adds depth to her character, and Thierry, her charming love interest, was irresistible. The book shines with its great representation of Black culture, and learning about Josephine Baker through Whitney’s eyes was a highlight. The romance between Whitney and Thierry was believable and heartwarming, although I wish the conflict with Thierry’s ex had been resolved more thoroughly.

This book was everything I expected it to be. It was a nice palette cleanser read filled with sweet romance and teenage angst. This book reminded me so much of love and Gelato and Kisses and Croissants in the best way. I enjoyed both of our main characters and felt they complemented each other very well. overall this was a sweet read perfect for the summer.