Anna and the French Kiss is a young adult novel written by Stephanie Perkins. The story is told from the point of view of Anna Oliphant, a senior in high school.

Anna’s father, an author of romance novels, is sending her to spend her senior year of high school at the School of American in Paris, nicknamed SOAP. At the start of the novel Anna is against the idea of leaving her mother, little brother, her best friend, Bridget, and her crush, Toph.

When Anna arrives at her new school, she meets a group of new friends, including Etienne St. Clair, who seems like the perfect boy. Throughout the novel Anna struggles with missing her friends back home, and the fact that Etienne has a girlfriend.

Sometimes when a novel is as short as this, it becomes difficult to fully tell a story. Especially in a romance novel, sometimes the relationship moves to quickly and becomes unrealistic, but Perkins has somehow mastered making this work.

Somehow within 372 pages, Perkins has told a story that progresses realistically while keeping readers laughing, and crying. This novel takes readers to the point where everything seems like it is finally coming together, and then it utterly falls apart again.

Anna and the French Kiss is also paired with two companion novels, Lola and the Boy Next Door, and Isla and the Happily Ever After.

This story is the perfect balance between hysterical and emotional. I recommend it to all young readers looking for a wonderful romance novel.