Anna and the French Kiss

By: Stephanie Perkins

Narrated by: Kim Mai Guest

Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: Perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and listeners - have long awaited?

©2011 Stephanie Perkins (P)2011 Listening Library

Wonderful Story

Anna and the french kiss was one of the most wonderful stories I've read .. It's has all the elements I love about a high school love , and in Paris , I really want to go there so bad .. I absolutely love this book and the narration was good too most recommended

Very sweet!

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this book. Very sweet young love and everything that goes along with that. Communication issues, misunderstandings, jealousy, stupidity and in the end, love wins out!

A charming performance of an adorable story.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would totally recommend this book/audiobook to a friend. The story was really cute and the characters were fun and likable. Yes, it is mostly romance, but there are also elements of friendship, family, and coming-of-age that were great too.

What other book might you compare Anna and the French Kiss to and why?

I don't think I have read another book like this one. Mainly because I liked almost all the characters you were supposed to like and the romance wasn't over the top. It was believable.

What does Kim Mai Guest bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

This is the first performer I have come across that doesn't bother me. Kim adds to the story instead of takes away from it because her voice isn't obnoxious. I liked all of her character voices, and her regular narrator voice was great.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I loved all of the moments that involved Anna's love of film. She watched some really great movies throughout the story and I really enjoyed that. I liked that I could relate to her love of cinema. And if I am going to be honest, any time St. Claire was in the picture. Those were great moments.

Any additional comments?

Great performance. Great story.

A top-notch romance

This is one of my favorite recent contemporary books, and I was curious to see how the audiobook experience compared to the print version. This audiobook release was timed with the release of Lola and the Boy Next Door and I picked up both books to revisit.

The audiobook narrator is Kim Mai Guest, who has narrated several books including Incarceron, Dearly, Departed, and The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb. At first, the voice of Anna sounded a little bubblier than I imaged her. The narration reminded me a little of Delirium’s Sarah Drew and her portrayal of Lena. However, Guest quickly won me over with her interpretation of Anna and delivers an authentic performance. She also capably handles the nuances of the other characters including their different accents. She even does a fine job with St. Clair’s British accent, and captures the spirit of his character well. There is a roller coaster of emotions found in the book and Guest handles the different feelings needed with ease. The narration flowed well, and the only thing I wondered about is if it would have worked to have a male narrator for St. Clair and the other male roles. Not sure if I would have liked it more, but it did cross my mind.

I loved revisiting this book again and the wonderful Paris setting. If you’ve never read Anna or want to read it again, try out the audio version. It’s a treat to listen to and a swoon-worthy contemporary romance. I would definitely pick up other audiobooks narrated by Kim Mai Guest in the future.

A sweet, relatable read!

Would you listen to Anna and the French Kiss again? Why?

Anna is a real girl with real problems. I felt her awkwardness and fears from the first page. Her struggles with family and friends and guys are relatable. Mix that with a romantic setting and an attractive guy-friend and I was hooked!

Brilliant.

I absolutely adore this book. I've just re-read it for the third or fourth time! I'm not one for romance novels or anything of the sort, but this book is sweet, enchanting, and so incredibly honest. As a lost teenage girl, this book perfectly captures the longing and the misunderstanding in the hearts of us all. It's insightful, enthralling, and positively bewitching. I highly recommend.

Sweet Coming of Age Young Romance

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is a refreshing romance about young people dealing with their last year of high school; academics, friendships, family relationships, attractions, dreams for the future, and all of the dilemmas, and drama that makes young life and love so much fun. An enjoyable experience.

great book. ok narrator.

I very much loved the book, but the narrator sometimes mispronounces words, especially the French words.

Good story. Didn't like the narration.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

No, I wouldn't because I really think I should have stuck to the written book.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

St Clair is supposed to have a cute British accent which Anna mentions again and again. But the narrator seems not to be able to deliver it at all. It was a huge disappointment.

An adorable romance book

This book was delightful! Finally, a male lead who isn't toxic or abusive; Saint Claire is friendly, witty, and thoughtful. He makes a wonderful love interest for Anna, as they constantly challenge each other to grow. Moreover, Anna shines as a lead character; she feels authentic, not flawless, learning from her mistakes along the way.
Stephanie skillfully develops the side characters, making them all feel fully realized with their own dreams and ambitions.
The only downside was the excessive drama towards the end. While drama adds depth to a story, this book leaned too heavily on stereotypes like the mean girl trope and love triangles. Despite this, it's still a fantastic read, especially for fans of romance and self-discovery themes. Highly recommended!