Review: 'That's Paris' by various authors (2015)

Paris-the most romantic, beautiful and frustrating city in the world! If you've ever traveled to Paris, lived in the City of Light or dreamed of setting foot on its cobblestoned streets, you'll enjoy escaping into this collection of short stories about France's famed capital.
From culinary treats (and catastrophes) to swoon-worthy romantic encounters (and heartbreaking mishaps), this anthology takes you on a journey through one of the most famous cities in the world.
View this cosmopolitan metropolis through the chic eyes of Parisians, francophiles and travelers who fell in love with the city and haven't quite gotten around to leaving yet...
That's Paris: a glimpse into living, loving and surviving in the City of Light.
Over the past two years or so I've had the pleasure of reading and reviewing several of author Vicki Lesage's novels, such as 'Confessions of a Paris Party Girl' (click here to read my review) and 'Confessions of a Paris Potty Trainer' (click here to read my review). What Vicki's works have in common is the scene setting: Paris, the city of light. If I'm completely honest I have to admit I am not a big fan of Paris. I don't know what it is exactly, but I never fell in love with the city as so many others do when they visit it. However, I do really like Vicki's writing and I often enjoy books set in Paris, so when Vicki contacted me about an anthology with short stories about Paris, I said yes. I really enjoy collections of short stories every now and again, so I looked forward to picking this up... and who knows, perhaps it would end up making me want to visit Paris again!
'That's Paris: Life, Love and Sarcasm in the City of Light' is a collection of short stories and essays about the capital city of France and to many the city of romance: Paris. Numerous authors, such as Vicki Lesage, Marie Vareille and Adria J. Cimino have contributed to this anthology by writing about the same place, but in various ways: whether it's the city itself, French food, thoughts about the city, or the Parisian atmosphere. Filled with both fiction and non-fiction, the collection will take you across the border and make it feel as if you're walking on the cobble stoned streets of the City of Light yourself.
Even though I am not the biggest fan of the famous City of Light myself, I still really enjoyed this anthology of both fiction and non-fiction stories and essays linked to Paris in one way or another. It's great to have a collection of short stories to pick up every now and again, because it's the ideal book to sit down with if you only have a short period of time to read, such as your lunch break or the bus ride home after a working day. 'That's Paris' has something for everyone since it includes a diverse collection of stories by different authors from all kinds of backgrounds.
The collection includes a few stories in French (with the English translation as well) and, as with every anthology, there were some pieces I really liked and some that didn't really do anything for me personally. Some of my favourites have to be Vicki Lesage's contributions, the short story by Vicki's mother Elle Marie about her daughter moving to Paris and how that influenced her life, Cheryl McAlister's story 'A Scoop of Henry', and Didier Quemener's 'Half Past Midnight'. For people who can't visit a particular place, what better way to get to know it than to read about it? 'That's Paris' is a fun and enjoyable collection of short stories, each of them inviting the reader to enjoy a different side of Paris. A wonderful read for those of you who long for a trip to this famous city!

Rating:8,0/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.