Paris for One and Other Stories by Jojo Moyes

Last spring, in the beginning of the pandemic, I decided to do something crazy: I subscribed to “Travel + Leisure” magazine. I decided that if I could not travel for a while, then at least I could use the time wisely to research where I would want to go next. Places like the Maldives, that had never been on my radar before, moved up the list because I saw the most beautiful pictures in the magazine. I also added destinations to my travel agenda including Croatia, Bermuda, Peru and Majorca. I started reading books about travel such as this one, “Paris for One and Other Stories” by Jojo Moyes, the best-selling author of “Me Before You.” In this volume, Moyes offers a novella, along with a series of other short stories about women juggling relationships, both good and bad. In the title novella, we find an English schoolgirl named Nell, who has planned a fabulous getaway with her boyfriend to Paris, a city on her bucket list. When her boyfriend does not show up as planned, Nell is forced to have-a-come-to-Jesus talk with herself. Should she cancel the trip and go home? Or should she continue the trip as she designed, but do it by herself? The later scenario is completely out of character for her, but she decides to forge ahead anyway, offering herself a much-needed period of growth and genuine relaxation.  The rest of the stories follow a similar pattern of women searching for hope and new adventures when stuck in a relationship that is less than perfect. For readers looking for a literary getaway, or just time well spent with Moyes and her lovely characters, this is the book for you. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.