Synopsis

Alice, Nina and Jules have been best friends for twenty years. They met in Paris and return there once a year, to relive their youth, leave the troubles of home behind, and indulge in each other’s friendship and warmth. But this year, aged thirty-nine, the cracks in their relationships are starting to show…

After their weekend together in Paris, the three women never speak again. Each claims the other two ghosted them. But is there more to the story?

Review

Paris is a special place for me. Mr P and I took a trip there just ten days after we met and it’s one of my favourite European cities. I love reading about it, especially when the story isn’t a typical romance, but something more.

After Paris is not a romance, but the story of three unlikely friends who met in the city and visit it together each year. They’ve been through good and bad times together, but after this trip they don’t speak again…

Female friendships can be tough to navigate, especially as differing lifestyles – such as children, careers and partners – can cause friction. What I love about the writing in this book is how perfectly it captures the jealousy, heartbreak, guilt and love of these friends.

Characters are so well-written and relatable that they almost become our friends. This makes their stories resonate and affect us more deeply. Each of them is dealing with something extremely challenging in their personal life, but they struggle to share it with their best friends.

I grew so close to the characters that I finished the book in tears, which doesn’t happen often. All of their struggles hit me hard (there are some very sensitive topics covered) and by the end I was an emotional wreck.

I would have liked more time devoted to Paris itself, as I was expecting it to be more of a character, but apart from that (which isn’t really a criticism) this book is faultless and I devoured it in one sitting.

Thank you to Aria Books and Head of Zeus for my finished copy. Opinions my own.