Diane Johnson returns with another expatriate comedy of manners in this tale of a young dot-com executive from California who sets off for Europe to find culture, her roots, and maybe a cause to devote her considerable fortune to. When Amy checks into one of the finest small hotels in the French Alps - a hotel noted for skiing and for cooking lessons - she encounters a memorable cast of Euro trash aristocrats and ski enthusiasts. She has no plans to fall in love. But on the first afternoon, she is nearly swept away by an avalanche. Johnson's unerring ear for the cadences of the two cultures, her wit, and her shrewd insight into contemporary manners make her latest work a treat for fans of transatlantic relations. "If one were to cross Jane Austen and Henry James, the result would be Diane Johnson." (San Francisco Chronicle)
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"Similar in theme to other books by Johnson (tension between Americans and members of other cultures). I do like how she mines the intricate rules and habits of different cultures to illustrate that tension."
— Jbowman (4 out of 5 stars)
" I have enjoyed other books by Diane Johnson (Le Divorce). I love the integration of French language into the story. Amy, the American who has made her money from the dot com industry finds herself embroiled in difficult life situations for which she is a suspect. I am curious to see how Diane manipulates the story. "
— Wendy, 2/12/2014" one of the only books i've never finished. it was boring and didn't seem like anything was happening. "
— Jenn, 2/8/2014" it's no le divorce - but it was charming in a sappy chick lit kind of way. "
— Alexia, 2/5/2014" A pleasant beach read: simple storyline with engaging pace throughout. I was initially attracted by the illustration, as with all D. Johnson's books. "
— Bookshop, 2/4/2014" I didn't enjoy this as much as Le Divorce or Le Marriage but if you enjoyed either of these you will not be wasting you time here. "
— Rae, 2/3/2014" This was my least favorite of the three Paris-based books that she wrote. I'm just not a fan of affair stories. I don't care how debonair and French the guy is - if he's married, he's off limits. Johnson does give a wonderful vision of Paris, though, so I cut her some slack. "
— Sharon, 1/22/2014" A great read for the homeward bound leg of a business trip! Just for fun. "
— Jane, 1/20/2014" Diane Johnson is kind of like a modern-day Jane Austen. Very clever observations of relationships. Plus, it's in Paris, which is always wonderful. "
— patience, 1/20/2014" horrible book but i have to finish it. "
— Laura, 1/19/2014" The last her "L'" books. I felt that this was the best of the group, but not great. The characters were a little more engaging this time around, and the story moved faster. But they are all total fluff reading! "
— Lisa, 1/17/2014" I didn't enjoy this as much as the other Johnson book that I read,k Persian Nights. A little slow, and not much happening. Disappointing. "
— Judith, 1/12/2014" Another great novel by Diane Johnson. A mix of cultures, romance, and insights into French and American culture. She has a style all her own. "
— Anita, 12/30/2013" recommended only if you've read Le Divorce and Le Mariage; otherwise skip it. "
— Lynne, 11/23/2013" Interesting book but tends to be a bit too introspective. "
— Maureen, 11/20/2013" Maybe my favorite Johnson novel. "
— Lizzie, 11/13/2013" An intriguing study of modern manners among Europeans, in the style of Jane Austen. "
— Mary, 10/7/2013" I'm going to be honest, I couldn't finish it. It was very boring to me. "
— Anastasia, 9/4/2013" one of my favorite diane johnson's novels. "
— Heather, 12/2/2012" Definitely better than Le Divorce, but still just ok. I don't think I will read any more of Diane Johnson's books even if they take place in France... "
— Michelle, 11/30/2012" This book was somewhat entertaining, and it was fun reading some of the perceptions of the main character, a young American in Europe for the first time. But the characters didn't really come to life for me, and so I didn't care much about them. "
— Laura, 10/21/2012" Awesome book...especially if you can appreciate how it makes fun of the French...totally hilarious book. Loved it. "
— Alix, 8/13/2012" Again, I felt like this book lacked a great ending and I would have liked more about the main character. Of the series, L'Divorce is the best. "
— Jennifer, 5/26/2012" I actually only got through half of this before becoming too unmotivated to pick it up and finish it...enough said. "
— Liz, 10/25/2011" This book was engaging and kept me interested, though it seems like something that would be turned into a Lifetime Movie. If you are interested in getting a sense of life in Paris, this is an decent read. "
— Hazel, 4/15/2011" Another great novel by Diane Johnson. A mix of cultures, romance, and insights into French and American culture. She has a style all her own. "
— Anita, 2/15/2011" I didn't enjoy this as much as the other Johnson book that I read,k Persian Nights. A little slow, and not much happening. Disappointing. "
— Judith, 12/30/2010" This book was somewhat entertaining, and it was fun reading some of the perceptions of the main character, a young American in Europe for the first time. But the characters didn't really come to life for me, and so I didn't care much about them. "
— Laura, 12/13/2010" Interesting book but tends to be a bit too introspective. "
— Maureen, 11/6/2010" trying to finish this book...about 100 pages left to go. I am finding this book not too great, don't like the plot.<br/><br/>update: i don't like the story at all and i haven't continue yet. Just thinking of finishing it make me throw this book! "
— Lori, 9/26/2010" recommended only if you've read Le Divorce and Le Mariage; otherwise skip it. "
— Lynne, 9/13/2010" I actually only got through half of this before becoming too unmotivated to pick it up and finish it...enough said. "
— Liz, 9/3/2010" An intriguing study of modern manners among Europeans, in the style of Jane Austen. "
— Mary, 4/15/2010" This was my least favorite of the three Paris-based books that she wrote. I'm just not a fan of affair stories. I don't care how debonair and French the guy is - if he's married, he's off limits. Johnson does give a wonderful vision of Paris, though, so I cut her some slack. "
— Alice, 1/10/2010" The last her "L'" books. I felt that this was the best of the group, but not great. The characters were a little more engaging this time around, and the story moved faster. But they are all total fluff reading! "
— Lisa, 9/25/2009" Her better book was Le Divorce, but I couldn't find that one on the Goodreads list. "
— Lisa, 8/22/2009Diane Johnson is an American-born novelist and essayist. A two-time finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award in three different genres—essay, biography, and fiction—she is the author of a dozen novels, including Le Divorce, Le Mariage, and L’Affaire. She is a frequent contributor to the New York Review of Books and splits her time between San Francisco and Paris.
Kate Reading, named an AudioFile Golden Voice, has recorded hundreds of audiobooks across many genres, over a thirty–year plus career and won the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. Among other awards, she has been recognized as an AudioFile Magazine Voice of the Century, Narrator of the Year, Best Voice in Science Fiction and Fantasy, and winner of an Publisher’s Weekly’s Listen-Up Award. She records at her home studio, Madison Productions, Inc., in Maryland.