Here is our #10 pick of 2014. It is the final book in a series that finally came out this year. I read the other 2 last year and got PA hooked on it this year when she joined me in "Book World" as we call it. It is one of three YA on our countdown.
Description:
Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.
Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.
Why I Love It:
I loved Anna and the French Kiss, St. Claire will always be my #1 guy in this series, but I have to say, Josh is a close second!
Isla is the main character and narrator of this heartwarming little tale. BTW her name is pronounced "eye-la" and her parents named her after in Prince Edward Island, which is where she was conceived (yeah, I wouldn't want to be named after a place I was conceived either, feel your pain there girl).
Since her freshman year at SOAP, Isla has had a crush on our boy Josh who was in the first book as St. Claire's best friend and boyfriend to Rashmi. During their freshman year, Isla was reading a comic book at lunch that Josh read too. He came up to her and started a conversation, but seeing as how Isla was awkward around him, Josh took it as rejection and left her alone after that. Isla, beat herself up over that for the next three years (and frankly what teenage girl doesn't beat herself up over something like that?)
The true heart of this story begins over the summer between Isla and Josh's junior and senior year and Isla has just had some dental work done and is a little high on Vicodin. She enters a restaurant in NYC and well, well, well, who does she see but her crush Josh. Needless to say, being high on Vicodin gives her the courage to talk to him (kinda like what drinking does for some of us ;)), and at times during the interaction poor Isla gets a little confused. Thankfully Josh takes it all in stride.
"Kismet is closing."
"What's Kismet?"
"Fate," he says.
"What?"
"The name of this cafe."
"Oh. okay."
Fast forward to the fall and it is now it is their senior year and Isla is assigned to Josh's old room and couldn't be happier about it (what girl wouldn't right?) Josh, on the other hand, is all alone. His friends have all graduated and he really doesn't have anyone to talk to so he stirs up trouble and skips class sighting Jewish holidays as his reason for missing class (though he really isn't religious in fact he is an atheist). The only thing he works on is his comic book which is an autobiography that he has been drawing since his freshman year.
When Josh does decide to go to class, he does take an interest in Isla and begins to talk to her. It seems as though our boy Josh is trying to woo her again and this time, he isn't going to give up (yea Josh!). In fact, he makes it very obvious when he comes back from his "against the rules" trip to Munich when he brings Isla a beer stein because he was thinking about her.
"You know that I like you. Right?"
She is shocked and flattered and says something quite ballsy for her.
" So stay here next weekend. Go out with me." (GO ISLA!!!)
They go on a few dates (the first one was a hoot I tell you!) and really start to fall for each other. You can see how well suited they are for one another and root for them to find their HEA. However, one of their dates is an ill fated trip that causes a lot of problems for them both and Josh takes the heat and gets expelled. This hurts Isla and she and Josh do the whole long distance thing, until she can get home for Christmas.
When she gets home for Christmas, things between her and Josh start off just fine. Then misunderstandings and insecurities mess things up for the two of them (because hey, it wouldn't be a good story if their wasn't conflict) and they end up having to take a good look at themselves and what they truly want.
I won't tell you anymore, because you should discover for yourself how Isla and Josh both follow their own paths to self discovery and find out what really is important to themselves and to each other.
VA
Link to Amazon Link to Barnes and Noble
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