Joe gets a break in his screenwriting dream when he meets Audrey, the girl who will later give him the break that he so desperately needs. Taking a risk and a trip to France, Joe embarks on a journey. He thinks it is romance, but it is more of self-discovery. Will Joe get it all?

You can take a journey around France with Joe and wonder if the French are as crass as the book depicts. I think that part of the book reflects on the author's experience with his book becoming a motion picture because the process sounds pretty painful. Overall, Audrey is a reminder that hope is always around the corner, and hold on to your good friends. I enjoy the banter between Joe and Colm, and the chemistry between him and the girl of his dreams.

But like all dreams, Joe has to wake up and smell the plumbing. 

Verdict

It is a sweet book, for sure. I love the romance bubble, as well as Joe's bubble popping back to reality. There is a pretty cool Easter egg to commemorate Sean- Paul's achievement with Old Man and the Princess, and many beautiful picturesque scenes of France. Not sure about the liver for breakfast though.

I've been following this author for a while so I never hesitate to pick up any of his novels. The novels have range and style, from YA whimsical to hardcore ragefest to mystery to light road-trip. And more, of course, but this one happened to go the route of ROMANCE.

Film nostalgia, romance, writing, greed, and friendship. The currents flowing in this one are full of redemption, or at least for the unhinged desire for it. Romance is the key, however, and I mean that on all levels, not just the romantic kind.

Sometimes this kind of novel just hits the spot. A wild-ass ride, of cutting loose, rubbing shoulders with people who ought to be way out of your league, while pining about those you've left behind, and seeing an opportunity to realize all your wildest dreams, be it sexual, professional, or just getting that forgiveness that has driven you crazy for years.

Desperation or gamble? I had a great time trying to figure out where it would fall. It didn't hurt that it was so glamorous at every level. :)

Well worth the read.

Sean is my favourite young author. I don’t understand why he doesn’t enjoy even greater success because the man really knows how to write. The characters are realistically drawn, with qualities and defects, with real baggage and problems, with dramas. The main protagonist, Joe is a young man who, due to a mistake, had all his long-term plans shattered, it seems to me personally that the punishment was much too mild for what he did, but that is not important. Audrey is a fascinating woman, confident and charismatic, it is absolutely normal that when she appears to monopolize everyone’s attention.
The evolution of their relationship is not an ideal one, it is much closer to reality, with surprising moments, with actions that lead to disappointments, with hot scenes, with interesting dialogue.
The end is a happy one, but not in the sense that most expect ….

Joe is a plumber and an aspiring writer from Edinburgh who is released from prison after serving five years for a terrible tragedy that ripped his family to pieces. While struggling to adjust to life on the outside it isn't long before he is back on the building sites again while trying desperately to win back the broken trust of his ex-wife and estranged daughter, Sarah.

But then Joe meets Audrey, a bold and brash, heavy drinking, chain-smoking, middle-aged, French film actress while attending the premiere of her new movie in town. After hitting it off they end up spending one crazy, spontaneous night together. But in the early hours, while trying to sneak out of his apartment, Audrey accidentally stumbles across Joe's new screenplay about his life in prison and slyly emails it to herself.

A few weeks later, Joe is still battling to win back his daughter while resisting the temptations of alcohol again when Audrey gets back in touch after running out on him. But Audrey brings good news - she loved his script that she secretly stole and wants him to come to Paris to meet her producer friend who can help make his movie-making dreams come true.

Not wishing to miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Joe throws caution to the wind and embarks on a week-long whirlwind adventure into Audrey's crazy movie star life. But the more time he spends with the enthralling mature beauty - from wild movie parties in the catacombs, karaoke sessions in quirky Parisian clubs, watching her act on movie sets, to encounters with her misogynistic and abusive, movie director ex, who wants full control of Joe's new script no matter the cost - the more Joe begins to fall deeper under Audrey's charming, dazzling, but dangerously addictive spell.

And before things, spiral treacherously out of control, Joe must decide between doing what is morally right by his enchanting movie star paramour or take a dirty, tainted, yet life-changing movie deal instead that could go a long way in reuniting him with his estranged daughter.