a) bought into the whole “Paris is always a good idea” thing without any offscreen evidence, b) uprooted my son and left my bittersweet memories behind, c) allowed Thomas—the handsome, caring, way-out-of-my-league vet—to disrupt the humdrum life I had self-prescribed for my Broken Heart Syndrome.
Behind his easy smile and swoon-worthy pecs, Thomas conceals an open wound. No matter how hot his kisses or how genuine his affection, he’s still reeling. He can’t move on.
And I can’t risk falling for him. I have a child to raise—a preteen boy who needs his mom to be all there.
But as autumn strips the trees of their leaves, falling for Thomas is exactly what I do. Throwing caution to the wind, I dare to hope for a future with him…
…until the past comes knocking.
Can we handle it or will it break us forever?
Whether you're a fan of timeless movies like “Sabrina” or prefer steamy contemporary romance novels, “An Autumn in Paris” has something for you to love.
Escape to Paris, and let this sweet, fun and sensual tale give you all the feels!
Alix Nichols is a caffeine addict, a fan of Mr. Darcy and an award-winning author on Book Riot's list of 100 must-read international romances. She pens sexy romantic comedies and romantic fantasy. Her books have been described as "pure pleasure" (Kirkus Reviews) that “keep fans of romance hanging off the edge of your seat” (RT Book Reviews). At the age of six, she released her first book. It featured highly creative spelling on a dozen pages stitched together and bound in velvet paper. Decades later, she still writes. Her spelling has improved (somewhat), and her books have topped bestseller charts around the world. She lives in France with her family and their almost-human dog.
**To read a rom-com FREE, visit: alixnichols.com/freebies (just copy and paste into your browser).**
Series and Books:
ROMANTIC COMEDIES
It’s Raining Royals (newest series)
1. The Boss Prince 2. The Bastard Prince 3. The Beast Prince
La Bohème (complete series)
1. Winter’s Gift 2. What If It’s Love? 3. Falling for Emma 4. Under My Skin You’re the One (companion novella, free to newsletter subscribers)
The Darcy Brothers (complete series)
1. Find You in Paris 2. Raphael’s Fling 3. The Perfect Catch Clarissa and the Cowboy (companion novella)
Playing to Win (complete series)
1. Playing with Fire 2. Playing for Keeps 3. Playing Dirty
Coffee Shop Romances (standalones)
The Devil’s Own Chloe Amanda’s Guide to Love An Autumn in Paris
ROMANTIC FANTASY
Keepers of Xereill (complete series within a broader saga)
The Enforcer’s Lady (prequel novella) 1. The Traitor’s Bride 2. The Commander’s Captive 3. The Dragon’s Woman 4. The Samurai’s Lover 5. The Vestal’s Steward
Another fun and steamy read set alongside our friends from La Boheme.
I just love catching up with Jeanne and the crew from my favourite virtual cafe in Paris, just like those old friends whom you haven’t seen for a while, but fit back into an easy and vibrant conversation with!
Daniela has such a tragic story in her past, and despite a couple of her choices in men, she is a strong and loving mother to her pre-teen son, Liviu and along with Baloo the dog, make up a gorgeous little family. She has great support in Manon, her best friend, and their scene in setting the ghosts of bad boyfriends past to rest is hilarious!! Picture Poopootov cocktails, and yes, they are a thing, because Google said so!!!
Dr Thomas Brousse is Baloo’s new vet, and in an embarrassing first visit, an incident involving the hapless small dog’s claw, Daniela puts more on display than she ever thought possible. While this hot and sexy man’s story isn’t as tragic, love has kicked him to the kerb just as hard, and there’s good reason that he hasn’t considered the possibility to move on, until now....
Told in a dual POV, the plot layout of the book was a little different, but I loved it. Broken into three parts, where we hear from Daniela first, Thomas next, then them both alternatively, I felt like there was more to this story than there has been with previous books in this setting. More rounded, and packed with descriptive writing, it almost like there was more detail in this picture that the author has painted for us.
I only have one issue with this book. I can’t fault the plot, the world building, the character development or the relationships between them. The humour and the steam heat are absolutely spot on as well. I love them. I just feel that early in the book, as the story builds, I’m reading a lot of detail and can visualise the scenes in my head as I’m reading. The heated chemistry between our characters was palpable, and then, in the last fifth of the book, the crux of the story happens, and all is resolved quite quickly, and tidied up in the epilogue. Nothing is missing, except that I’d like to see as much happening around these events as we see around Thomas and Daniela first meeting and getting to know each other. What should be anguishing for our characters was wrapped up quickly and very tidily. It was still a fabulous read, I just wanted, well, more.
Ahhhh, Manon. She is such a great friend and supporter to Daniela, and we heard quite a lot from her in this book. I’m hoping that this could be the set up to Alix Nichol’s next book, ‘cos she has some unresolved issues going on, and that issue has just stepped back into the wonderful setting of La Boheme. I can’t wait. 4 Stars.
After taking a divergent track with another genre, Alix is back to her romance roots with a simple, sweet story.
An Autumn in Paris focuses on single mom Dana and new-to-Paris vet Thomas. Both of them feel tied to another but are falling slowly, inexorably, hopelessly for each other. He ticks all of her boxes--treats her well, enjoys spending time with her son, and cares for her pet. She ticks all of his--trustworthy, gorgeous without flaunting it, and genuine. They enjoy each others' friends and families and find spending time together easy and fun. Rather than a race to the end, this story slowly meanders, just like I imagine the Seine does, to its' conclusion.
I loved how they met over a rambunctious pet at a vet appointment. I enjoyed the misunderstanding that allowed Thomas and Dana to spend time together so comfortably. I appreciated how normal, relatable characters they were and found it easy to root for them. I did find the end predictable, maybe from reading so many mystery books, and even with the slight curve ball was able to guess the ending. However, this did not detract from my enjoyment of a nice story with a happy ending.
I urge you to Step into An Autumn in Paris on a blustery, rainy day and enjoy losing yourself in their slow slide to coupledom. It is an easy, fun read I am sure you will enjoy.
Dana and Thomas’ love story is so touching. I hated seeing what had happened to each of them before they ever met. Dana’s first love was exciting, fun, and forbidden. It broke my heart what happened to him. His parents were so terrible that I can’t imagine people acting like that. Thomas is such a caring person that wants to help everyone and animals. I can see why he became a vet. Because of his soft heart, he is taken advantage of by a woman. I really didn’t like her. I enjoyed watching Dana and Thomas become friends and then fall in love. Dana’s son was a sweetheart that needed a man in his life. I always love going back to the little cafe where most of the friends hang out. I loved the book, and strongly encourage you to read it. I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book.
🍁Lovely paean to autumn, tender romance, and the best bits 🍷of La Vie en France!🗼 🍂 October 29, 2018 Format: Paperback 👍👍What a lovely second chance💕 romance showcasing the best features of French living -- the food, the drink, the beautiful gardens and classic architecture, with a culture that values taking time to experience the finer things as an essential part of life. It's obvious that author Alix Nichols loves Paris and knows how to present its best face while acknowledging, in this case through heroine single mother Daniela's straightened circumstances as an apartment building concierge, that not all Paris residents live a life of luxury.
The hero and heroine are endearingly likeable people, so loyal to those they love and reluctant to move on. The secondary characters, right down to Baloo, the family dog, are great, too, and include a few who aren't particularly nice but add to the drama of the main couple's initial connection and reluctant courtship. I can't think of anything I did not appreciate in this story, which was a quick read for me and well-written. I have read a number of the author's works, both contemporary romance and science fiction fantasy romance, and expect a good, obstacles overcome story with heart and passion. This one did not disappoint.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Thomas and Dana's tale of broken souls finding solace in one another is a beautifully written read full of marshmallow hearts, wit-filled banter, passion, chivalry and a side of hormonal teen knowledge thrown in! Following along on their journey to happiness was a bumpy ride, riddled with self-doubt, heartache and challenging pasts, keeping me glued to my Kindle swiping pages, wanting to know how the perfectly imperfect characters would get their well deserved HEA. I enjoy Alix Nichols contemporary romances, and was excited to get my hands on this book! While unique in its own right, 'An Autumn In Paris' is a touching, steamy, smile-filled swoonfest, that I could not help but love, and suggest checking out for yourself!
I came to the end of this book and very reluctantly closed my Kindle cover. It is one of those stories that jerks at the heartstrings and tugs at one's emotions. The author brings out the full ambiance of Paris in autumn, the pathos, the nostalgia and the uncertainty of romance. I loved the main characters with their humourous interaction and the slow build up from friendship to lovers. Dana's heartache and sorrow stem from past experience, whilst Thomas' loss is more recent. However, as they approach one another cautiously, they discover in each other not only a deep attraction but also a meeting of their souls. Typical of preteens, Liviu rounds the story off, bringing laugh-out-loud moments and some levity. The book is very well written, emotive and draws the reader's interest from the opening pages, right through to the end. I received a copy of this book as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Dana and Thomas are adorable together. Seeing them heal from the traumas of their past relationships was beautiful to witness. And made the stumbling blocks in their way all the more tragic. I found both Dana and Thomas to be selectively blind to the truth about themselves. (But then again, aren’t we all?) Dana could be strong for her son, a lioness protecting Liviu, but she was often reluctant to see or use that strength for her own benefit. Thomas’s marshmallow heart meant that he sometimes gave too much of himself to projects and people that he probably shouldn’t have committed to. This book is sweet and emotional. And a lovely return by the author to contemporary romance. I loved getting this chance to reconnect with the couples of La Bohème. I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.
Emotionally stirring! Dana and Thomas, two lovely people who are trying to restart their lives but their pasts keep hitting them between their eyes. Alix Nichols has brought us, what I think is her most emotionally stirring story yet and I loved ever second of it. I hope you decide to read it and join me in recommending it to others. I read an Advance Reader's copy and my review above is voluntary and unbiased.
I absolutely loved this book!! Thomas and Dana story is amazing. They both have a bad relationship past. They both are trying to restart their love life. There is a few twist and turns in this book. A very enjoyable book. I definitely recommend this book.
An Autumn in Paris. Alix Nichols returns to romance in this book and it is a wonderful and decidedly satisfying hot story, she says, fanning herself! Dana is a single mom still emotionally committed to her son’s dead father. Thomas is a veterinarian still engaged to his missing fiancée. But the attraction between them is so strong that despite their best efforts they cannot seem to stay away from each other. But fate has a way of throwing things off balance and the path to a happy ending seldom is easy. Can these two survive the barrier placed on the road? I absolutely loved this story and always enjoy visiting France reading Ms. Nichol’s books. Characters are well defined and the author’s command of English grammar is better than a lot of American authors. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book. Most highly recommend.
This sweet romance involves Dana, a Romanian immigrant single-mother to Paris. She’s working hard as an apartment building concierge to make a life for her sweet son. She has no interest in romance until she meets their dog’s new veterinarian.
Thomas has his own reasons for not feeling he can get involved with a woman because his former girlfriend disappeared without a trace a year ago and he’s still hoping she’ll return. It’s a peculiar side-story.
He’s much better off with Dana and you’ll be pulling for them to find their HEA.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from the author; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.
This is a beautiful story about two broken souls finding happiness and love in a fun loving story. Dana thought she found the love of her life in her teenage neighbor and it ended in a horrible accident causing her heartache but gave her a beautiful baby! Thomas thought he found the one and even proposed and she disappears with no reason. Thomas is a vet in Paris and meets Dana examining her puppy and this go array and Dana is embarrassed. They are neighbors and end up becoming friends and Thomas even becomes a male role model for her son. I enjoyed their journey that felt natural and oh so right with up and downs. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
I loved Dana and Thomas' story! Both characters have pasts to overcome. I enjoyed the banter between Dana, Thomas, Liviu, and Manon. It was great seeing the characters from La Boheme! This story was full of heart, family, overcoming the past, passion, and love. Can't wait for more from these characters!
Wonderful story! I couldn't put this story down once I started reading it! I loved how personable all of the characters seemed in this story. I also love how it brings in characters from the other stories as well. I can't wait to see what happens next in Paris!
Another great series in the making for Alix Nichols. I recieved a complementary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review - but I would gladly pay full price for it. The writing is fantastic and this book hit me harder emotionally than her others. The writing style grabs you right away and keeps you hooked until long after the final page. This is a highly entertaining read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a wonderful read on a long weekend. Can't wait to see what comes next for these characters... hopefully we won't have to wait too long! Happy Reading...enjoy!
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.... This was a fun, solid read by Alix Nicols. Daniela or Dana and Thomas were interesting, well written characters. I would have preferred an alternating POV through out the book, but the book is a quick, funny at times, surprising at times read. I liked the development of the H/h relationship, overall a good read.
I received a free book and voluntarily chose to review it. The author lives in France so a few of the words will have different meanings. But never fear the book is easy to read. The main female character has some issues to fix. Warning--this is a steamy read but there is a good story in this book. Loved it.
An Autumn in Paris by Alix Nichols was a very enjoyable book! I loved it!! Thomas and Dana's story is amazing and they are very well developed characters. They both have had difficult relationships in the past, but together they have incredible chemistry. They both are trying to restart their love life. I definitely recommend this book. 5 stars!
This is a wonderful read which will have you wanting there to be a happy ending. Being in Paris can be good for love and it may help her get over her broken heart I received an advanced copy and I enjoyed it so much that I want to review
This book has characters with a lot of depth and it is nice to see an author show her characters growing from their past instead of using it as an excuse. The book brings in characters from other books in the background so you feel like you're visiting a long lost friend even if the characters aren't really a part of the story line. I received this as an ARC and this is my honest voluntary review.
I really enjoyed reading An Autumn in Paris. There’s humor, a bit of mystery - which will make you eager to reveal the plot or characters, drama, and sweet romance.
I liked how Dana and Thomas’ relationship blossomed. I loved the dynamics between Dana, Thomas, and Liviu. I love, love Liviu.
I did, however, feel that the last 10% was rather weak: a weak plot twist and a rather rushed ending.
I loved Thomas and Dana’s storyline. They both had pasts that they had to overcome, but they had chemistry between them right from the start. It was the great that he has a good friendship going on with her son. Loved the book. Well done.
An Autumn in Paris was my first book by Alix Nichols. First of all, the blurb mentioned Aubrey Hepburn so naturally I was intrigued. That's all it takes for me so I thought I would give it a chance.
Honestly, I just felt bored with this story. There were short amounts of time that I got excited about the idea of Dana falling in love with a vet. I mean, who doesn't love a good looking vet. Puppies and handsome men are my kind of read. But even with that, I found myself wanting to skip over parts.
I think my biggest issue was some of the transitions. A couple of times I had to go back and re-read something because I felt like I missed something that would have helped transition into what was currently happening. I didn't miss anything, it just wasn't a smooth as I would have liked.
I hate writing reviews like this because I know how hard the author worked on this so all I can say is that not every book is for everyone. This one wasn't for me but that doesn't mean that you can't easily fall in love with it.
Very good contemporary romance that takes place in Paris France. The characters are interesting and well developed. This is a stand-alone with a HEA. There were times when the book got slow so it took longer for me to read. The blurb is accurate. I received a complementary copy and chose to write a review.
This was my first book by Alix Nichols. Because the story is based in France I really couldn't pronounce several of the characters names nor the locations some of the story takes place in. But it was interesting to sort of become immersed in a different culture than the one I'm familiar with. It was a very sweet if predictable little romance. Dana a Romanian immigrant living in Paris was an unwed teenage mother after watching her baby's father Marcus die in a tragic accident before her son Liviu (no idea how to pronounce that name) is born. Now approaching her 30th birthday and her son on the cusp of his teenage years Dana lives out a very modest existance working as what we Americans would call an apartment manager although in Paris its called a concierge. She suffers from self-esteem issues that can be traced back to her impoverished childhood, her father's rejection of her and her son's paternal grandparents criticisms and blame over Marcus's death. So the few romantic relationships she's had since Marcus's death have been with men she should have never even given a second look to because she feels unworthy of having a good man's love and so she's not in any danger of giving her heart to them and dishonoring Marcus's memory. Okay I would guess that a woman worrying about falling in love again and dishonoring her teenage lover who passed away over a dozen years ago only works as part of a romance novel plot. I mean would a woman in real life in the same situation not eventually get past her grief and move on? Why would having mostly sexual relationships with losers not dishonor her late lover's memory more than having a good relationship with a decent guy? There's a new vet in the neighborhood, Thomas and he's a looker who makes Dana's lady parts stand up and take notice the first time she sees him when she takes her son's dog in for a checkup. For Thomas the attraction is mutual as he gets an eyeful Dana's magnificent knockers after her wardrobe malfunction. Until a day or so later in the most comical part of the book Thomas gets the wrong impression (that despite knowing Dana has a son) he believes she's a lesbian in a relationship with Manon who is really just her BFF. Thomas being the great guy he is and still attracted to Dana reaches out to her to make friends with her and her son since they're virtually neighbors and keep bumping into each other. Thomas has his own secret. His fiancee` mysteriously disappeared a year ago. He's convinced she was abducted but the police believe she just made herself vanish. To make matters more complicated his fiancee` sent him a cryptic text a few months ago so he knows she's still alive and believes she's being held captive. Now you might ask yourself if she's being held captive why does she still have her phone and be allowed to send him a lengthly text message that isn't a ransom demand and only tells him she's somewhere in Italy? It's questionable story lines like that which keep me from giving this otherwise enjoyable romance more than 2 stars. Thomas finds himself more and more attracted to Dana but that causes him to feel he is being disloyal to his fiancee`. Despite both Thomas and Dana having their reasons for not getting involved with one another they can't resist the physical attraction and have a one night affair after which they agree it was wrong and they should try to temper their relationship and just be neighbors. Because Dana realizes that even if they try to be just friends the temptation to repeat their night of passion will be too strong to resist. Apparently Dana's heart knows that unlike the other losers she's dated if she gets too close to Thomas she could be in danger of losing her heart. So of course despite Dana's decree that they just be neighbors, not even friends within a couple of weeks Dana and Thomas are meeting up for morning runs, coffee, going to movies and dining together like BFFs. Of course that type of closeness leads to just what Dana feared as they begin to fall in love with each other and end up having sex again. Thomas is forced to admit to himself that he's fallen in love with Dana even though it means he's disloyal to his missing fiancee.` Dana for her part has to admit that she too is falling in love with Thomas and convinces herself it's finally after 13 years, time to put the ghost of Marcus behind her and accept that he'd want her to be happy and loved again. So at this point of course somewhat predictabley Thomas's missing fiancee` shows up on his doorstep ready to take up where they'd left off before her disappearence. Her reappaearence throws an immediate cold shower over his relationship with Dana. I mean, what's a guy to do? Even though he knows he loves Dana and not his fiancee` he can't very well reject her after she returns from her harrowing ordeal. Never mind that she shows no evidence of physical or psychological abuse after a supposed year in captivity. Will Dana and Thomas find their happily ever after or will Thomas's sense of decency and obligation cause him to marry his fiancee` leaving both him and Dana to be miserable? What do you think?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Let me start out by saying that I truly adored this story!
When I first started reading An Autumn in Paris, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to connect with it since it was based in France. Some of the words were unfamiliar to me, but I found the author wrote in such a way that you could easily figure out what she was trying to get across to the reader. And actually, it became quite interesting learning the different styles and cultures of a country I've not had the opportunity to visit. As it turned out, I fell in love with it!
The story itself was a slow-burn romance between two individuals who'd lost someone dear to them in different ways. Dana having lost an early love and Thomas's fiance who'd disappeared. Thomas was a true gentleman, never putting pressure on Dana and letting things develop slowly over time. Dana was true to her job, cared deeply for her son, and wanted a happy home for them, including having a dog.
All in all, it was a very well-developed story that kept my interest from beginning to end. It wasn't heavy on the steam, but the romance that developed between Thomas and Dana felt genuine and that's what sucked me in. They were both mature characters and everything between them felt real.
I totally didn't expect the twist at the end at the end either. Oh, and I should mention that I loved the secondary characters as well. Dana's best friend and her mom were enjoyable and were an added touch to the story.
I look forward to reading Alix Nichols again and I'm so happy I gave this new-to-me author a chance. Great story with a sweet ending!
I like the premise of this book but, I found the main characters to be too agreeable. They don't really express emotion. Trying not to give anything away, I found Thomas to be a soft, underwhelming character. His fiancee, Armelle has been missing for a year and when he finds out what happened to her he does not seem to express surprise, shock, elation, or relief. He just accepts what is being said and walks blindly forward and away from Dana.
The way Dana reacts to Thomas's revelations about Armelle is simply a let down especially after their wonderful weekend in Giverny and Bordeaux. Was she in shock? At a loss for words? They just turn around and go their seperate ways. And, if that wasn't bad enough, Dana's total and immediate acceptance of Thomas's sudden appearance and declarations is just too easy. I would be hard pressed to give Thomas a pass so quickly considering how he did not seem to care about Dana's feelings in regards to Armelle.
Overall, the book is good and the supporting characters, Dana's son, Liviu, Dana's mother, and her friends make the story more interesting and provide the emotion and personality that Dana and Thomas seem to lack.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.
This author is new to me but the idea of this story had me guessing what could happen. I had immediately fallen in love with Liviu and Mano!! Even with them being supporting characters made this story come together! I had a few issues with some words I didn’t understand since the book is set in Paris but as with all books, I was expecting that to happen.
A few parts that had me questioning some moments were that it took a while for us to find out what happened to Liviu’s dad and I understand that it was part of the build up but that frustrated the crap out of me. I loved the friendship Liviu’s mom, Dana, had with the vet and Manon. The relationship she has with Manon is the type we wish all our friendship could amount to and the fact that she becomes close friends with the vet made my heart so happy. The build up of this story, the missing people from their lives and the romance made for a very intense and intriguing book. I strongly disliked a certain person in this book and what happened with this person is the main reason for the star being taken away. I got super angry and upset I thought about not finishing. The ending also felt rushed to me, we had this amazing build up and reveal but then the HEA got very rushed. Great effort ad story! I loved this idea!!