Paris is Always a Good Idea...

Audrey Hepburn had it right when she said "Paris is always a good idea." The City of Light is a place to dream, to wander, to observe, to blend with the masses or stand out like a shining star. Paris has something for every occasion, every mood.

Writers love to capture this multidimensional city through words, and readers love traveling to Paris through a good book. Romance, intrigue, memoir… add these elements to Paris, stir, and you’ve got a delicious mix! So how about a literary trip to Paris this spring? Here is a selection of French-themed books, and to help you decide which ones fit your style, the authors have answered the following questions: 1. Why is your book a "good idea" for someone who loves Paris/France? 2. If your book was a drink, what would it be? 3. Which scene might raise a few eyebrows? 4. Who would absolutely hate your book? Read their responses and check out their books!

Becoming Josephine by Heather Webb

Why is your book a "good idea" for someone who loves Paris? Becoming Josephine is about a famous and beloved French historical figure and much of the novel takes place in Paris. Which scene might raise a few eyebrows? One of the scenes set during the September Massacres, also, perhaps one of the hotter scenes between Napoleon and Josephine. Genre: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction Buy now or read the book's description: Print: $15.00 | Kindle: $7.99 Connect with Heather: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Je T'Aime, Me Neither by April Lily Heise

Why is your book a "good idea" for someone who loves Paris? Paris is almost a character in my book rather than the setting, perhaps a coy antagonist? I'd like to think that the passion of Paris was a root of most of my romantic misadventures, but I can't blame it all on Paris! Who would absolutely hate your book? Readers looking for an idealized story of Paris. Truth is more interesting than fiction, but reality can clash with some people's dreams of perfect Paris. Genre: Memoir Buy now or read the book's description: Print: $13.49 | Kindle: $6.99 Connect with Lily: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Gastien: The Cost of a Dream by Caddy Rowland

If your book was a drink, what would it be? If The Gastien Series was a drink, it would be absinthe, of course! That was the preferred drink of the bohemian artists of nineteenth century Paris. Strong, beautiful and mind-altering, the "green fairy" is a drink that forges its own path, daring to be different. Who would absolutely hate your book? People who don't like dark, raw, gritty, emotional, and - at times - brutal stories would hate my book. I don't write "pretty" stories, I write about the sublime joy and bitter tragedy of being human. That doesn't guarantee "happy" but it does guarantee "real". Genre: Historical Fiction, Family Saga, Drama Buy now or read the book's description: Print: $14.99 | Kindle: $4.99 Connect with Caddy: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Paris, Rue des Martyrs by Adria J. Cimino

Why is your book a "good idea" for someone who loves Paris? It will transport you to the Paris of Parisians... You won't feel as if you have vacationed in Paris, but as if you have lived there. If your book was a drink, what would it be? Café au lait: Bitter and sweet, dark and light... Opposites come together, creating unforgettable flavor! Genre: Contemporary Fiction Buy now or read the book's description: Kindle: $3.99 Connect with Adria: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Confessions of a Paris Party Girl by Vicki Lesage

If your book was a drink, what would it be? A glass of red wine – classy but accessible. You want to share it with friends and you have fun drinking it. Which scene might raise a few eyebrows? The airplane vomit story, for sure. Or maybe the passing-out-on-the-bathroom-floor story. If you enjoy drinking, this might make you stop. If you don't drink, you can smugly watch me learn my lesson. I do eventually grow up, it just takes a while. Genre: Memoir Buy now or read the book's description: Print: $14.99 | Kindle: $4.99 Connect with Vicki: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

I see London, I see France by Paulita Kincer

If your book was a drink, what would it be? An Absinthe Chocolate Cocktail. Traveling with three kids while figuring out if a marriage is worth saving brings some definite worries, thus the absinthe to help forget those worries. And the chocolate, well that makes everything better, right? Which scene might raise a few eyebrows? Some of the scenes in my novel are hot, but they don't get into graphic details of slot a fitted into slot b. What might raise some eyebrows would be Caroline, the main character's, realization that she may have some prejudices. She rolls around the beach in Nice and is certain she is ready to break her marriage vows to have sex with a sensual gypsy man (think Johnny Depp). She leads him up to her hotel room and realizes she's never been inside a building with the man. She only pictures him outdoors. And the prejudice of the hotel clerk plants doubt in her mind. Most middle class Americans have trouble admitting they may have prejudices. Genres: Fiction, Women's Fiction Buy now or read the book's description: Print: $14.00 | Kindle: $4.99 Connect with Paulita: Website

Paris Was The Place by Susan Conley

Why is your book a "good idea" for someone who loves Paris? At times Paris Was the Place is like a guided walking tour of Paris. You get to eat delicious crepes, hear some good jazz music, drink red wine and fall in love. Which scene might raise a few eyebrows? When narrator Willie Pears falls for a Frenchman she meets in Paris, she jumps in his truck and heads to the South of France. It's a drive that turns out to be one long roadtrip of foreplay. Genres: Fiction, Women's Fiction Buy now or read the book's description: Print: $26.95 | Kindle: $10.99 Connect with Susan: Website | Facebook | Twitter

The Paris Game by Alyssa Linn Palmer

Why is your book a "good idea" for someone who loves Paris? It's an especially good idea if you're fond of late night jazz, or wandering the streets of the Left Bank. That's where I focused most of the story. If your book was a drink, what would it be? Something quite strong, whiskey on the rocks. Which scene might raise a few eyebrows? The entirety of chapter one. Genres: Mystery, Romance, Suspense Buy now or read the book's description: Print: $15.95 | Kindle: $4.99 Connect with Alyssa: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Which books match your style? Share in the comments!