Woove staff writer Alex Gomes reviews Anna and the French Kiss, a novel by Stephanie Perkins.

When I went to the bookstore a few weeks ago, I felt the urge to try something new. As I idly walked through the aisles, I knew which book I was looking for, even if I didn't want to admit it just yet: Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins. My favorite author recommended this novel, so despite its title, font choice, and cover, I resisted the urge to dismiss it as 'girly', and gave it a try. Imagine my surprise when I found that the book was every bit as girly as I expected, if not more so.

Anna and the French Kiss is written from the perspective of teenage Anna Oliphant, the daughter of a successful novelist, who believes that it would be in the teenager's best interest to attend an American boarding school in Paris for her final year of high school. Anna initially opposes the idea, but almost immediately after arriving, she finds herself warmly received by another senior in the school, Meredith. Soon afterward, Meredith introduces Anna to her friends, most notably the handsome and charming Étienne St. Clair, who soon becomes the object of Anna's desire. The book follows Anna as she adjusts to the foreign city of Paris, as well as new friends and an extremely different school. The focus of the novel, however, centers on Anna's relationship with St. Clair, and the constant "What ifs?" that you would expect from a 17-year-old girl dealing with a big crush.

The premise of Anna and the French Kiss is hardly original, but the book's innovative plot is not what makes it stand out among the dozens of similar-looking novels on the Young Adult shelves.  The appeal in the book lies in its comedy, its interesting characters, and most of all, its wonderfully realistic dialogue. As Anna and St. Clair continue to talk and awkwardly flirt throughout the year during movies, in emails, and over the phone, the ever-present charm in the text will make even the most emotionally handicapped reader (including yours truly) feel warm and fuzzy inside. The characters are just as authentic and three-dimensional, and even St. Clair, despite our protagonist's infatuation with him, is not without his flaws. As the main subject of Anna's thoughts, his features are certainly attractive, but he is not an unrealistic, Adonis-like man of perfection. He is short, he has bad teeth, and he feels every bit as confused about Anna as she feels about him. Nevertheless, he walks and acts with confidence, and it is primarily that confidence (and perhaps his dreamy English accent) that truly attract Anna to him. As the book continues and the two grow closer as friends, Anna's feelings towards St. Clair become genuinely caring and affectionate, rather than the babbling wonderment she first felt after learning his name, "French name, English accent, American school. Anna confused" (Perkins, 14).

Despite my initial eye-rolling at the start of the novel, I found myself unabashedly rooting for Anna and St. Clair by the story's end. I don't think this book has turned me into a fan of the popular "girl-meets-boy" subgenre of the Young Adult category of books, but it has made a very strong case for the genre's entertainment value. I personally suggest Anna and the French Kiss to any guy or girl looking for a fun read, lightly simmered in adorable teen romance.