From Tours to Paris

French Illusions, Book 2

De: Linda Kovic-Skow

Narrado por: Lucy Floyd

Linda Kovic's story continues in From Tours to Paris - the final book in the French Illusions series based on her diaries from 1979 and 1980.

Still determined to learn French and fulfill her dream of becoming an international flight attendant, Linda puts her disastrous stint as an au pair behind her and revels in newfound freedom in the city of Tours. She finds lodging, enrolls at a French institute, and spends eight glorious days with Adam before he leaves for the holidays.

When he returns, his shocking announcement propels her in a different direction, eventually leading her to Paris.

Join Linda as she struggles with money, faces challenges at school, and learns some tough lessons about love and life.

©2015 Linda Kovic-Skow (P)2016 Linda Kovic-Skow

Enjoyable memoir about a college girl in France

I enjoyed this book. The previous book left me wanting to know what would happen when Linda went to Paris. It was interesting to see the struggles she goes through, the people she meets, as well as her discovery of what she does (or does not) want to do for the rest of her life (her goal was to learn French so she could be flight attendant for an international airline). I have to say that I could completely relate to her struggles with men and money in another country, and having to fall back on family. I liked that the author put a blurb at the end of the book that told how things happened when she finally came back to the US, and how her relationships that she formed in France continued (or didn't) once she came home. I listened to the Audible audio version of the book narrated by Lucy Floyd, and I thought she was really good. Her pacing, characters voices, and accents were excellent. If you enjoy memoirs or would like to know what its like to live in a foreign country for an extended amount of time, I recommend giving this book a try.

Beautiful charming story

If you could sum up From Tours to Paris in three words, what would they be?

Unexpected, engaging, lovely

Have you listened to any of Lucy Floyd’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

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

All of it. I couldn't imagine living abroad on a journey of self-discovery without my family or friends to be there with me.

An Honest Narrative

From Tours to Paris is the continuation of the youthful adventures of Linda Kovic, If you haven’t listened to French Illusions Book 1 get it now! When we left off, our traveler moved from the Loire Valley to the college town of Tours to enroll in a french language course for one-quarter. All on the dime of her understanding parents!

There Linda continues her relationship with Adam, but all’s not what it seems when Adam comes back from a planned trip and drops a bombshell on Linda. Devastated Linda jumps from the frying pan into the fire when she meets Michel.

I didn’t think this audiobook could top the first one, but it did! As a girl I joined the Air Force at 18-years-old, I could totally relate to all the feelings and emotions that a 21-year-old Linda experienced, I could empathize with her naivety and trust towards men in particular. Especially, if you are brought up in a sheltered environment with two loving parents. I’m sure some will say that they were never that guileless even at 21. I say good for you, but there are many more of us who were.

I also felt a strong connection, when Linda revealed a family member was bipolar, I married someone who was bipolar, and her feelings and concerns about it rang true to me. I almost felt like we lived parallel lives in some ways!

The best part is Linda Kovic-Skow didn’t leave her listeners hanging at the end and she lets us know what happened to her relationships after returning home.

Lucy Floyd once again did a wonderful job narrating this 9 plus hour audiobook, the switch between English and French was perfectly suited for all us non-french speaking listeners. The audio production was clear and the sound quality was excellent.

Thank you, Linda, for an honest and intriguing glimpse into your young adult life.

This audiobook was gifted to me exchange for an unbiased review!

Reads Better Than Fiction!

Well, another book by Linda Kovic-Skow is finished and I am quite sad - it is so good, I didn’t want it to end!

Linda Kovic-Skow has a special way of writing - simple yet detailed, which is why I like it. She doesn’t implement a lot of “novel like fluff” that so many authors overdo.

I finished this in 48 hours! I wish she’d write more, perhaps another book on life back home.

Keep up the great work, Linda!