Welcome to Day 3 of #12booksofchristmas. During December I am sharing 12 festive reads. The idea came from the wonderful Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod where a book is given on Christmas Eve and read together. This is my 5th year doing this and you can check out a whole host of books on my books for Christmas page at the bottom of this post. In case you’ve missed any titles below is a list of #12books so far this year….

• Day One - Countdown to Christmas by Jo Thomas
• Day Two - Who KIlled Father Christmas Edited by Martin Edwards

Today's choice is set in a city very close to my heart- Paris. This city was where my husband and I went when we first a couple. We loved it so much, we went back in November a couple of years later. I was hoping for snow, there was none, but it was eye-wateringly cold. Somehow sharing a kiss or two whilst dashing away icy cold tears in front of the Eiffel Tower makes this city the most romantic in the world. One day we will go at Christmas.

The Plot

What could be more magical than Christmas in Paris?

When Carys is offered the opportunity to run a little French cafe, she leaps at the chance to discover an exciting city where she can dream big,

Meanwhile struggling journalist Mat is living in the city of love - but he’s never found romance himself.

Then, a chance encounter changes everything, and it feel like the start of something wonderful. But Carys and Mat are both keeping secrets.

My Thoughts

If there was to be a theme to this years’ selection of 12booksofchistmas it would be that of food and movies. At the time of writing this review it is May, and I've just finished another #12booksofchristmas choice, a novel set in the fabulous movie set of New York. Turning to this, there were echoes of You’ve Got Mail which featured a bookshop owner having an email correspondence with her biggest business rival. This novel has shades of the same.

Following a serious accident, and tired of being treated with kid gloves in her small village, Carys decides to travel to Paris to take up the opportunity to run a cafe. There she meets a couple of challenging staff, an unmotivated chef and a discerning clientele whilst trying to find her feet in the City of Love. Mat works for a tyrant of a boss, is the son of a narcissistic TV Star and has yet to find love. One chance encounter with Carys in a Park and he is smitten. But he has a secret too. He is the man behind Madame Incognito, a restaurant blogger who has gained quite the following. What will happen when he reviews Carys’ cafe?

Utterly charming and set in my favourite city in the word, I have no idea how I came across this book or indeed how it ended up on my bookshelves. But any book about Paris and cake is soon to end up there and I am pleased it did. Carys and Mat are utterly charming. Carys’ natural warmth, enthusiasm and passion for life helping to inspire Mat rediscover what he wants out of life. The romance is speedy but then it becomes a wee bit complicated when Mat reviews Carys’ cafe and the truth is found out.

I loved visiting Paris and finding out all about the wonderful dishes created by Emile at Carys’ cafe, the cakes purchased from Laduree, the beautifully cooked simple dishes. (There was also a bonus in my book as some of these recipes are added in). Best of all is the warm atmosphere created in the cafe for the eclectic set of diners, reminding us if you have your tribe you can do anything.

It is this warm friendly atmosphere that carries through the book. I wanted to visit Paris again, have a cake at the Red Cat cafe, meet Madame Jalibert and admire her fabulous Parisian outfit and best of all meet 2 people who met and fell in love over Christmas. I have found it all in this book. Loved it.