The Paris Effect: A Novel

A fast paced and interesting novel that successfully weaves together several story lines, including but not limited to friendship, love, grief, and yes, food and body obsession. I think the author does a brilliant job of capturing the inner voice of so many women - that voice that calculates every calorie consumed and burned and what it will all ultimately mean. K.S.R Burns has a writing style that I find very accesible and entertaining. Highly recommended.

Having gone through an eating disorder of my own as a teenager, I truly felt the pain and agony of what it's like to try every diet. Starving my poor stomach surely felt like starving my soul. And then to have my elbows still hit that middle section muffin top was only salt in the proverbial wound. The story reads so well that I felt like I knew each of these characters like friends, dysfunctional or not. The sights, sounds and smells of Paris only heightened my longing to go there some day. So realizing how long Amy (and Kat) had planned this trip, it was only heartbreaking that everything was not going according to "The Plan". My only thought was why Amy just couldn't face her husband and just tell him what was in her heart. The 'not telling' was just as torturous as 'telling'. Amy's journey will ring well with every single person who has struggled with the life choices that we face every day. This is the PERFECT book group book as it will inspire lots of wonderful conversation!

It's not a diet plan per say and it has little to do with nonfiction but Rules for the Perpetual Diet is a novel covering ten days in the life of a diet-obsessed twenty-something woman who perpetually struggles with weight gain and loss. Sound familiar? Well, don't get too comfortable: the familiar is about to be turned upside down as Amy's opening line snags attention: "Kat is dead. I am not. What I am is hungry. And majorly pissed off…"

In a few lines Burns has captured what all too few novels manage to grab: reader attention. And that attention continues as Amy plans a trip to France in an effort to avoid thinking about food (really??) and finds herself in a new world both strange and familiar at the same time.

As readers move through the story, one surprising facet is uncovered: its ability to subtly but insistently insert the elements of a diet plan and insights into self-image, motivation, and food obsession within the course of a winning story of Amy's struggles.

Threads of humor make for wry observations and fun moments that take serious encounters and turn them on end.
The story is about food and obsession - but it's also about Amy's discovery of her self outside of food, love, and life's slings and arrows. It's about her breakthroughs of what she needs in life and what she needs to lose - physically and figuratively. And, ultimately, it's about baggage and change. Woven within the story of her personal revelations is - yes - insights on diets, how they work, and why they don't.

Any female reader struggling to understand rules of engagement and dieting will welcome this unusual blend of a fictional story, a feisty, believable protagonist's journeys, and the underlying purpose and realities of dieting and weight loss that all combine to make for a fun, vigorous read.

I had a hard time putting this book down because I wanted to know what would happen next. It was fun to read, both for the engaging plot and for the *perpetual diet* theme running throughout the book. I loved the descriptions of Paris, which are clearly based on research and time spent in the city. The reader can easily imagine being where Amy is and meeting the people she meets, both when she talks about the important sights in Paris and also the smaller places such as the cafe and boulangerie and other shops and hotels. I also like the characters she meets in France. The author's descriptions in general are quite strong. ...I think that a lot of people (mainly women, but certainly men as well) will identify with Amy in her use of the Rules. The overarching plot is not really about the perpetual diet, but it is an interesting thread that the author uses to hold pieces of the book together. One thing I thought about while reading: Typically, when we see an eating disorder addressed in a book or other media, it is a severe case and is a big focus. In this book, the protagonist is completely functional and has other things going on in her life, but she also has this weight/body obsession that is unfortunately so common in the western world, and her rules and other comments show that her attitude toward food is not entirely healthy. Again, I think a lot of people can identify with her and I think that people will see how some of the rules they may try to follow themselves seem silly when written down. But that is part of the point, and I think it works really well in the book. Overall, I really enjoyed this book as a fun, quick read, and I would recommend it.

There's something for everyone in this engaging book, because
everything about it rings true: the complications in relationships
with people we love, our fears around "moving off the dime" to make
life-changing decisions, and what can happen when we let go and let
life happen. Every woman who reads this novel will relate to the
perpetual diet rules and the feminine analysis of our every
relationship. Each man will understand more about what goes on in the
female mind, and be drawn into the suspense of Amy's solo adventures
in Paris, especially her harrowing experience in the catacombs. A
carefully crafted plot written in precise, beautiful prose adds the
icing on this wonderful cake. A must-read for both sexes!

Although Amy is obsessed with her self imposed “Rules” the story is less about weight loss and more about life losses and how they shape us. In the confusion of grief after the death of her dear friend, Kat, Amy assesses her circumstances and sets about exploring her life’s what ifs?

Amy takes us with her as she impulsively flies off to Paris, leaving her husband William behind, and we take a decidedly un-touristy tour of the city noted for food and love. This is the perfect setting for Amy to come to terms with both.

The story is well paced with compelling characters, intriguing plot turns, rich imagery and vivid spot on descriptions of Amy’s internal world. I cared about Amy, William and, posthumously, Kat.

Yes, it is an easy read, and so it surprised me when Amy and her story reached deep into my being. I found “Rules for the Perpetual Diet” insightful, funny, sad, infuriating and profound.

You may find yourself contemplating your own life losses and choices. Do you ever really know the people you love? Do you ever really know yourself? The story and the characters resonate long after the last page.

This begs me to ask, when do we get the sequel?

What an enjoyable read! I was expecting something light and flaky, like a croissant, and what I got instead was a savory and filling cassoulet. The story will stick with you, especially if you've ever experienced loss, felt adrift, or had regret (and that includes just about everyone, doesn't it?) It is both entertaining and thoughtful, and you'll carry the story with you long after you read the last word.

My only complaint is that I have to wait now for the sequel.

What a fun, intelligent read! This would be a great book group and Oprah book - lots of food for thought. It's also a page turner - I could not put it down. Burns is a fantastic writer. It's been a long time since I read a book filled with such clever, catchy, perfectly-worded phrases. If you liked "The Rosie Project" or "Where'd You Go, Bernadette," or "Casablanca Blues," you will love this book.

Wonderful read! Love, heart break, grief, humor, friendship and surprise. This book has it all and it takes you on more than one adventure. I can’t wait to see what’s next in Paris Ever After, I have already pre ordered my copy, you should too!

Rules is a carefully crafted, brisk-paced tour through a seminal (double meaning—you’ll see) moment in a woman’s life. Amy enters grieving, confused, trapped in a comfy prison of rules. Spurred into action by a promise and a painful measure of yearning, she leaves the world she knows. Burns’ protagonist is befriended, challenged, fed, lost, and found. Will she discover what she needs? Paris and Phoenix couldn’t be more different and both are brilliantly rendered; while reading I found myself craving a flakey croissant and viscerally remembering the punishing heat of the southwest. Funny, insightful, fresh, entertaining AND good material for book groups everywhere. Loved The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl as well.

I received this book for my honest review. I loved this book. Amy is one of a kind lady. After her friend does she takes off to Paris. That's where her dieting habit becomes hard. As she's there she gets robbed and all kinds of stuff. Maybe Paris wasn't the best place for her ... Her problems tend to follow her there.

Amy is in a whirlwind of chaos. The parameters and boundaries of her life blur and dissolve just like the fading grey skies of Paris. Gliding her soul over the salient features of Parisian characteristics right into the bowels of the city. like brushstrokes, a detective like exploration with humour and candidness. The characters are all grappling with loss- but never with dramatic turmoil, a deeper metamorphosis of lives touched by the city and destiny.

I voluntarily reviewed this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.I really enjoyed this book,who doesn't love reading about the Eiffel Tower.I remember reading that Hemingway used to write outside the cafes.I highly recommend you get this book.

Readers are at once moved to this active little place just inside Amy's forehead, where we are able to see the world through her eyes while listening to her mind engaged in dialogue with itself. The author's ease with most ordinary yet current vocabulary and phraseology are natural and personal and make us so comfortable in this position that we begin to think like Amy, to feel her feelings, and to anticipate, without effort, what her next thoughts, her next words, her next actions will likely be. We come away from this part of her life story knowing her, or fairly certain that we have met her or someone very much like her somewhere in our own life. We'd recognize her on the street, nod, smile, and go on our way as she went on hers. She is that real, that ordinary, and we understand her.

Intriguing plot. I couldn't predict how the story would end. Good characters. Some of the minor characters were quirky and added a lot to the book. I love Paris and enjoyed revisiting its landmarks as well as some sights not seen by tourists. I look forward to the next book.

This book surprised me! When I started reading it I expected a very stereotypical rom-com but it as I read more, the story become deliciously complex! Not having read the first book, I was a little worried about getting invested in the characters but K.S.R. Burns does a great job at catching you up and making you fall in love with the protagonist! A wonderful read overall!

What I thought would be a nice story about an American woman going to Paris is anything but. She is a total nut job, obsessed with calories and dieting and constantly refers to her "rules of dieting", even while sitting in a café in Paris. What a way to ruin a story. Don't like the writing style, tons of flashbacks, mundane details of conversations with her dead friend, who apparently was a lesbian lover too. This thing is dragging on forever. I just can't take listening to this crazy person and her endless ramblings anymore. Giving up on it.

I love Paris, who doesn't? I love the food in Paris, the architecture, the history, the art, the shopping, I love it all. I also love a good story- one that is compelling enough to sit and read nonstop until the very last page. With this book the reader has it all. If it's been a while since your last trip to the city of lights, and you're missing the look and feel of this spectacular place, read The Paris Effect. If you're attracted to stories with well developed characters, and you enjoy a good page turner, read The Paris Effect.

Burns has a light touch but her themes are serious--marriage, friendship, betrayal, self-exploration, and self-discovery. I found her run-away wife, Amy, believable. I enjoyed how Amy's diet rules helped and hindered her--how she struggled to find her rules for living. I've been reading a lot of Liane Moriarty and thought Burns held up well against her.

I loved this book! I’m headed off to Paris soon as a solo traveler. While I hope to not have a catacomb experience this book did not disappoint in the way Aimee braved a new path and Paris was there to shape her future.

Amy Brodie, the protagonist of KSR Burns' Rules for the Perpetual Diet, is a delightful and intriguing character in this clever and entertaining story about a woman whose life has been more intertwined with that of her quirky and compelling best friend from college than that of her very predictable engineer husband. Anchorless after her friend dies, Amy fulfills their secret plan to zoom off to Paris while her husband is off on a business trip. The plot has many unpredictable and fascinating turns as Amy, whose life has revolved around her best friend and her food rules, gets swept into unique adventures entirely different from her original plan and discovers where she truly wishes to be, rather than what has been planned for her by everyone else in her life.

A thoroughly enjoyable and read. Interesting story line, and the author does an excellent job on character development, so much so that I enjoyed a fun cocktail hour with friends recently, discussing who we would cast if there was ever a movie made. The author clearly has a knowledge of Paris and provided me with a virtual vacation, roaming through the streets, cafés and homes of Paris. A good book for a book club group, sparked some great conversations covering food, and our obsession with it, travel, marriage, friends, phobias, the list goes on. Looking forward to see where Amy goes next....

Rules for the Perpetual Diet is fast-paced, well written and provides lovely descriptions of Paris. The story takes you on some interesting plot twists and the character development throughout the book is done with care and believability. While not all the characters are likable, you come to understand their perspectives, motivations and struggles though out the course of the story. The author does an excellent job painting the scenes of the city so that they are brought to life in your mind. Any Francophile will love this book!

This is a great book for a vacation read, a book club discussion or anyone who would like to feel they've just taken a walk down a street in Paris.

Rules for the Perpetual Diet is one of those rare books that is a quick, fun, page-turning read, but that also leaves you thinking about some of life’s bigger questions. Burns artfully draws you into Amy’s life and the complexity of her relationships and her choices – and mixes in travel, food and adventure. A delightful read and I can’t wait for Karen Burns’ next book.

Don't let the title fool you ... this is not a book about dieting. Or rules, really. Sure, they're interspersed throughout (and they are quite good), but they're woven into the wonderful story of Amy's pivotal year. What 29-year-old suburban housewife wouldn't long to live (and eat, and drink) like a Parisian woman? K.S.R. Burns' sharp-witted writing perfectly captures the scene. The unexpected adventures, compelling characters and layers of emotional turmoil converge in a surprisingly deep yet easy read.

Fun read. I enjoyed that the author slilpped into the text a number of French phrases but easily translated them in the dialog. Loved the personalities of the characters! Both the newcomer and Paris traveler would enjoy this book.

Includes spoilers. I kept thinking this book would take an interesting twist, and while there were interesting moments, it was a disappointment. I disliked all the diet rules that didn't lead anywhere, particularly when it sounds like the character was plagued by an eating disorder that was never addressed. Margaret turned out to be disturbingly creepy. I thought the book would turn out to be a dream sequence, but no... just weird, with an annoying main character. I wish I had never bothered finishing this one.

First of all, this is NOT a diet book! It's a story. A rich and compelling story! I consumed this book in two huge bites (sorry!). I simply could Not Put It Down. Not only a marvelous tale, but it made me think about the stupid stuff we all think about food and our relationship to it. Anyway, do yourself a favor and give this book a read.

“Rules for the Perpetual Diet” exceeded my expectations right from the very beginning. It was engaging, funny, and full of surprises. As a lifelong dieter, it was easy to identify with Amy’s Rules and understand how they can influence your life. Her adventures in Paris made me want to return with the courage to explore more. Other parts of Amy’s character and adventures were totally unexpected and not easy to identify with – and, these were what I enjoyed most! A wonderful book club choice, sure to generate a fun and lively discussion.

In her fiction debut, KSR Burns has created a protagonist whose life is just one loss after another, and it's governed by rules for even more loss: weight loss, to be precise. And Amy Brodie is. Precise, that is, about the rules of loss. Then, one day, she decides to go to Paris without her husband—without even telling her husband—to keep a pact with a dead friend and she begins to learn that there might be a completely different set of rules by which a person can live. Funny and poignant, this book was a delight to read.

Odd. Not what one thinks it will be. The dieting rules were extremely annoying. Skinny people diet rules. I guess they were supposed to be "humorous." They were not. Strange book. Glad it was free on Kindle unlimited. Would have been extremely annoyed to pay for this. I skimmed most of the middle of the book.

K.S.R. Burns cooks up a recipe for a cleverly crafted and intriguing first novel: Start with a confused young woman and blend in a mix of quirky characters from the hot Phoenix desert to the streets of Paris. Keep the pot stirred with plenty of suspense interspersed with practical diet advice, all wrapped in tight, humorous, introspective writing. An absorbing tale right up to the final page.
Another helping, please.

This was a book a friend recommended to me and I'm not disappointed. It was a nice read, something I needed just at the time.

Now I need the next book because I want to know what happens to Amy next. And I will say it, I hate her husband.

Well written. Clever storyline. Occasionally snarky. If you like or dream of Paris, have lived through (or contemplated) multiple dieting excursions, you'll enjoy how these pieces are woven into the book.

This novel is a sheer delight. Rules for the Perpetual Diet is captivating, funny and full of suspense. You find yourself swept up in this enthralling adventure with all its twists and turns. The author brilliantly weaves together a rich, multi-layered tapestry of complex relationships, love, loss and empowerment. A pleasure to read from beginning to end! I look forward to more from this talented author.

Love, love, love this story. The main character has a funny, dry wit. The author's account of Paris is picture perfect and made me feel I was right there with her. I just thought the whole story felt real, took some turns I didn't see coming and ended just right. Ending must be super hard to write because it's a rare book that does it well. This author is a new shining star. You'll love this read.

Received this book from a friend. The cover is very appealing. It is well written and quick read. The author has great sense of humor,the "dieting rules" will make you laugh. Escape to Paris with this light hearted read that will brighten up your rainy winter's day.

I liked this book a lot. It took turns I wasn't expecting and the characters were compelling. They were at once recognizable and foreign to me. I found myself thinking about them after I finished the story, which to me, is always a sign that the book was a worthwhile read.

K.S.R. Burns' latest novel "Rules for the Perpetual Diet" has it all. If you've been to Paris you'll recognize it. If you haven't, you'll want to visit. Don't think of this novel as a diet book...it's definitely more of an adventure of place and life. I really enjoyed this page turner. Congratulations K.S.R. Burns...well done!

Have you ever asked yourself: what if you lived your life differently, made different choices? Where would you live? Who would you be? Would it be better? Amy, the protagonist of Rules, does not ask anymore, but instead does it – she leaves the safety of her suburban Phoenix home and lukewarm but comfortable marriage and embarks on a quest for self-identity. And you can go with her.

Loved this book! Keep me guessing on what would happen next. I would not have even thought some of these things could happen.
A must read summer, weekend or a great escape. Can hardly wait for the sequel.

A fun and wonderful jaunt through the streets and underground of Paris - and a great metaphor for the main character's personal journey. All this and with a bit of mystery too - people, places and plot twists show up everywhere and pull you in.

I was fully immersed in this book from the start. The characters were very entertaining and quirky, the settings vividly described and the plot unexpected and captivating. It made me rethink some of my own relationships and past decisions! And I loved traveling through Paris with Amy via the author’s obvious knowledge… all the best and the worst of the city! I will look forward to K.S.R. Burns’s next book!

The good. Interesting story line, mostly, some emotionally evocative writing, and scenes in Paris that made the book a worthwhile read (particularly in the catacombs). I didn't love this book... yet still wanted to finish it. There were a couple of times, maybe a few, that the author used a nasty phrase ("Slick as snot," or something to that effect.) which was totally disgusting and almost put me off reading it entirely. It was hard to read a book meant to be about a beautiful journey, both inward and outward, to Paris and toward becoming a more adventurous happy person, and be forced to read a grotesque phrase like that. Also, some of the book passages were a bit awkward. Although, over all, it is a decent novel, the writer should have used a developmental editor to help them determine what passages needed deepening, which plot points (much to do with the end and the husband's choices/behavior/reactions and the truncated ending) needed development or re-visioning, how to add more of what glitters and is desirable about being in Paris, to the book, and so forth. If the book were polished further and deepened, I might have finished the book with the desire to read more in the series (the stuck on, G-d I'm sick of writing this book ending, made it seem like it was designed to upsell readers to more in the series).

I enjoyed reading The Paris Effect. I found the writing smooth and easy to read. I was able to immerse myself in the story and follow Amy, the main character, on her journey through Paris and into herself. The Paris scenes captivated. I'd love to visit someday.

Where it frustrated me a little was with the characters in general and Amy's character in particular. I disliked Amy and couldn't get on board with even minor decisions she made, which made it difficult to not just empathize with her but to even sympathize with her. I prefer a character I enjoy hanging out with.

At first, I sympathized with her husband, though he was never around. Then I grew to dislike him, too. And with a friend like Kat, Amy certainly doesn't need enemies. Kat's influence on Amy continues beyond the grave. If you enjoy reading about maladjusted people, these characters will put the fun in dysfunctional for you.

K.S.R. Burns has a highly readable writing style, which kept me scrolling the screen and motivated me to find out what happens next. I've already read the sequel and would be interested in reading more from K.S.R. Burns.

'The Paris Effect' is a book that I have seen pop up on my Twitter feed more than once. At first I had no idea who wrote it (sorry) because I was memorised by the cover. I saw the colours, the word 'Paris' and it went straight on my TBR list. The more I saw it, the more intrigued I became. I did want to read it but every time I saw it, I was already 'booked'. Then one day, the lovely Karen Burns sent me a lovely e-mail asking me to review her book 'The Paris Effect'. It was one of the nicest request e-mails that I have ever received, plus it wasn't a book I was going to turn down, obviously! Thank you Karen for sending me the copy of the book and for your truly lovely e-mail!

I did make room for this book I'll be honest (read it the day after I got sent it!).
Have you ever made a pact with a best friend, to do something completely outlandish, planned to the last detail, with the only participants being you and your best friend?
But what if you could no longer make that pact a reality?
When Amy loses her best friend to cancer, she has not only lost her best friend; the one person that truly knew her, she has also lost Kat's words of wisdom and friendship. They had a plan to go to Paris, everything was planned, outfits organised, itinerary known..but one important thing was missing. Kat. Amy could go to Paris with her husband, after all, it is a romantic city, she could go on her own with no husband and no Kat, or she could not go full-stop. Where do Amy's priorities lay? With her husband, herself or her best friend that is no longer with her?

I was slightly disappointed when I began the book and read a chapter or two as there were rules on dieting and being obsessed with calories. As a person that has struggled with eating disorders and weight for many years, it caught me off guard a little bit. However, once I had removed my own personal struggles from the concept of the book and how that tied in with Amy's character, my disappointment soon went and I began to enjoy it. The rules for dieting turned out to be quite cleverly done too.
I did feel quite sorry for Amy, she had just lost someone close to her and her husband was being a gigantic pain in the pear tree. Amy goes on her journey making some rather questionable decisions, but you can tell by the emotion within the story, that it was right for her despite the consequences that she will face.

I adored feeling as though I was getting a tour of Paris, monuments and well-known spots being described brilliantly. Well, I say brilliantly, I have never been to Paris but if I do go, I'll expect it to look like what Karen has described it to be! No pressure haha. Despite the chic lit background what with the obsession with food and best friend plans, 'The Paris Effect' had some rather fast paced situations which bumped the book up another level for me, personally. I felt that it gave the story another dimension to it.

As Amy continued her journey she came across a selection of very different people. At first glance they were just the 'average Joe', but Amy soon released that people, and places, aren't always as straight forward as we believe. My opinion of Amy differed immensely throughout the book because of every choice that she made. Part of me felt sorry for her, another part of me felt she needed to grow up, but then another part of me wanted to support her. How can you support someone who seems such a lost cause though?

I loved how each character stood out of the book in their own ways and weren't just part of the story to make up numbers so to speak. 'The Paris Effect' was the first book that I had read of Karen's so I was looking forward to finding out her style of writing. I definitely wasn't disappointed. Despite my earlier reservations, after a couple of chapters, I was hooked. I couldn't put it down and I was eager to find out what happened to each character and what path they were destined to be on.

'The Paris Effect' is a novel full of emotionally charged situations. A novel that opens your eyes to people's motives, including your own. A novel that will take you on a journey around Paris and show you that it's okay to eat nice things. A novel that will make you question whether you're on the correct path for YOU or whether you are going along for the ride. A novel that, if like me, will leave you thinking that you have something 'in your eye'. A novel that will make you message the author and ask her whether there will be a next book.....

Such a brilliant read, I would read it again in a heartbeat....unless the next book comes out and then I will read that first!

This book is about Amy who is bored with her life and at a fork in the road of her life after her best friend, Kat, dies after her battle with cancer. She dreams of going to Paris as she did when Kat was alive when she thought she'd go into remission.. Now Amy decides to take the trip herself. There she discovers a Paris unlike described in many destination books. Experience Paris through Amy's eyes as she finds herself in Paris.

Karen writes cinematically so the reader can see the scenes in their minds. Her experience of living in Paris shows through the amount of detail brought to life through Amy's experiences, Karen lets the reader experience Paris with Amy including the atypical tourist experience so it feels even more touristy when Amy experiences the tourists. The use of French throughout encourages the wannabe-French speaker to venture into the language more.

I was engaged throughout the book . The chapters are not overly long and not overly descriptive. The story moves well. I definitely cannot wait to see what happens for Amy in the next book.

I have had this sitting on my Kindle for a while now and when I saw that the book was going on tour, I decided to join the tour and get reading. So my reaction to this book is.. Why the heck didnt I read it before?. I absolutely LOVED LOVED this. It is one of those books that you lose yourself into and before you know it the end is near. I can honestly say I was gutted when I got to the end but had a big smile on my face when the next page told us, it wasnt the end of Amy's adventures.
So meet Amy, Amy and her friend Kat have been secretly planning a long awaited trip to Paris since they were in college together. When Kat sadly dies from cancer, Amy feels that she can not possibly go now without Kat and the dream is over. After watching a dvd left for Amy from Kat and a return ticket left in her bag, Amy is told she must still go on the trip and stick to their plan. Things are not great in Amy's marriage, so when her husband William, goes away on a business trip, Amy sees her chance to hop on a plane and get to Paris. We follow Amy's adventure in and around Paris and she gets to meet some interesting people. I loved the way this was all brought together, there seemed to be a twist at every turn and I couldnt quiet predict what was going to happen next. I fully embrased the descriptions of the food, buildings, streets and people. I fondly laughed at the Seine being described as Hot chocolate. The Catabombs were an added extra, meeting Margaret was nice but there was something not quiet right. The only thing I was not keen on was the whole issue with dieting and eating. I still think this would of been an amazing book without the whole eating disorder references, as I dont think they played any kind of positive part in the story. Amy actually turned into a very nice person whille in Paris and wasnt so hung up on food. I am so pleased there is a book 2 as I feel Amy has so much more to give and as K.S.R. Burns has written such a starting point of Amy's life, it would be such a shame not to continue on her journey. A highly recommended read.

This is a delight to read. .After losing her friend to cancer our very feisty protagonist leaves her husband and takes off to Paris to take the trip they were going to take together. Nothing goes as planned and the adventures that follow in modern day Paris are hysterical and fun to read. She has a obsession with food that any reader longing for Paris will appreciate. She has very OCD set rules for herself and this makes for a interesting and fun to read trip to Paris. The author is masterful with descriptions of décor, food, architecture and culture of Paris. .Reading this book is a adventure into a driven woman's quest to immerse herself in Paris on her own terms and she soon finds out that life happens without making plans. She works on finding herself and grieving her friend. Very well done.
I highly recommend The Paris Effect for your reading enjoyment.

The main character, Amy, is obsessed with dieting and weight control. The story is full of her dieting rules and food. Amy and her best friend, Kat, had a plan to sneak off to Paris without Amy’s husband knowing. Kat dies of cancer leaving Amy to make the trip solo. This is not the romantic Paris you think of. Amy sees a side to Paris that most tourist do not see. You turn the pages just to see what she gets herself into next. Amy comes across as a woman who is not certain about what she wants, is sneaky, and is in a non-communicative marriage. By the end of the story she is on her way discovering herself. I was losing interest in the book until just before the halfway point, then it picked up and I was eager to see what would happen to Amy next. Overall a good story and you might enjoy seeing a different side of Paris. The main character wasn’t my type of woman but I enjoyed the secondary characters. I would try another of her books.
I won a free eBook copy from the author via an online event

J.S.R. Burn’s debut novel is an addictive read, as we join the protagonist, the food obsessed and always dieting Amy Brodie on a most unusual adventure to Paris. Amy has just lost her best friend Kat, to cancer. She’s in a marriage that could be described as predictable. Overcome with grief and a feeling that her life is empty, she decides to execute “The Plan” – a secret getaway to Paris that she and Kat had dreamed up when Kat was going through chemo. In their scheme, they would sneak away on an adventure when Amy’s husband was away on a business trip.

When William announces he has a business trip, a grieving Amy heads to Paris. She has a small carry on, her passport, her money belt, and her cell phone to take the predictable daily call from William so he will be none the wiser. When her cell phone is stolen, and she is befriended by the elegant Margaret who offers guidance on Paris and life, the trip takes a decidedly different turn, and we the reader are there for the adventure. We’re delighted to hear there is a sequel in the works, because we are sure Amy’s continued adventure has new twists and turns. Get the book.

Oh, no, lady - you can't leave it there!! I want to know more - you have to write a sequel, you simply have to!

This novel isn't quite as light-hearted as the blurb and the cover suggests, and it leaves the reader asking as many questions as the author answers. Intriguing, and different, both the location (Paris - but not the romantic Paris of most chick lits) and the main character (has her fair share of emotional and psychological issues) were rather unexpected. The author builds tension nicely, whilst at the same time allowing us insights into Amy's past and the reasons she is the way she is. Though when I finished the book, I wasn't totally sure I understood Amy at all; we see everyone else through her eyes, but is her reasoning and understanding of them flawed, or has Kat, William and Margaret (and her mother) truly played her false?

This book has left me wanting to read more of Ms Burns' work.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.