Title: When in Paris (Language of Love #1)
Author: Beverley Kendall
Genre: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, New Adult 
Publisher: Season Publishing LLC
Publication Date: 4th January 2013
Pages: 350
Rating: 3.5 stars

Synopsis (from goodreads): College freshman Olivia Montgomery is thrilled at the chance to start over, escape the rumors that plagued her in high school. And she can finally put her juvenile crush, Zachary Pearson, where he belongs–in her past. Then her unrequited love strolls into her French class, shattering Olivia’s newfound peace, and the feelings she’d thought buried for good come rushing back. Now she can’t shake her unwanted attraction to the one guy who can twist her stomach into knots with just a smile…but has never given her the time of day.

Zach’s good looks may have always gotten him his pick of girls, but it’s the star quarterback’s skill on the football field that gives him his pick of the Big Ten colleges. To escape the crushing demands of his win-at-all-costs father, Zach opts for a private university in upstate New York where…his present and past collide. And the one girl he’s always wanted but can’t have–and a class trip to Paris–turn out to be the ultimate game changer that has him breaking every one of his rules.

My Review:

Olivia Montgomery sees college as a chance to reinvent herself – get away from the rumours of high school and make a new start. But when Zach Pearson saunters into her French class, it’s like high school all over again. The gorgeous football player is still as standoffish as ever, pointedly ignoring her and going out of his way to make her feel uncomfortable. But when Liv’s best friend Hope pulls out of the school Paris trip and Zach needs a way to avoid his father over break, the two find themselves walking the Champs Elysees together and the Parisian air works its magic on the two former enemies…

I love books about people travelling to Europe – and that was the main draw-card for me wanting to read this novel. But whilst I came for the travel, I stayed for the romance. The chemistry between Olivia and Zach is clear from first eye contact exchange. Zach is the big man on campus, football star and guy all the girls want. Olivia is no exception – but she is a little more reserved than some of her classmates. I liked that these characters had a history – albeit mostly in each other’s heads – together and their relationship was a gradual progression rather than insta-love.

Hope, Rebecca and Troy are perfect supporting characters. They manage to show off Zach and Olivia in their best light and I’m delighted to see that there’s a novella featuring Rebecca’s story and Hope gets her own novel too!

As in a lot of New Adult novels I’ve read lately there is a huge emphasis in this story on sex. Whilst I acknowledge that it’s a big issue for people (and characters) at this age I wanted there to be a little less on the sex and a bit more on the romance and other facets of their lives. Also – I wanted more Paris. More sightseeing and more about the food (was I the only one disappointed that they were only in Paris for a week and yet they kept eating American food? It’s a travesty!) and more about what makes them who they are. That said, I liked that Olivia had her theatre and Zach is at a crossroads deciding if he’s as passionate about football as his father is.

This is a fun and romantic book about life and love and the pitfalls of ex’s, rumours and family.

Thanks to Beverley for the digital review copy

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