"Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins

If you like such movies as Princess Diaries, Ella the Enchanted, or Ten Things I hate about You - you will love this book. It is sweet, well-written, and goes down like chocolate ice cream on a hot summer day. If you have a teenage girl in the family, this is a perfect book to give to her as a summer read. It is a bit of a Cinderella story set in modern day. The characters are sweet and likable, and the setting is in Paris - what's not to like? Some of the criticisms I read about this book are that it is about a bunch of rich kids with no real problems. True. This book does not tackle any large social issues and does not reveal any profound truths. Nor did Perkins ever set out to do that. It is a sweet romantic story about a girl who is sent to a boarding school in Paris and falls in love for the first time. It reveals all the insecurities of that age, doubts and confused emotions - a very realistic portrayal of what it feels like to be seventeen and in love. If you like this book, Perkins has two companion novels - they are stand alone books with new characters but they do give you an opportunity to catch up on what is going on with Anna and her friends. Great summer reads!