Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of Aix Marks the Spot in exchange for an honest review.

I love novels in which a character comes to another country and experiences the culture for the first time. And it was so refreshing to see a character going to another part of France that is not Paris. I am also a huge fan of the other language sprinkled in - in this case, French. I am also a huge sucker for everything art, lettery, road-trip-y and of course romantic.

So you can imagine that I went into this book expecting to absolutely adore it. The summary had me absolutely hooked and I was super here for this story line and plot.

My actual feelings were indifference and/or annoyance. I read that the author wrote from their own life and I am not here to discredit the experiences because as I said, the experience itself sounds lovely. This is also not meant to be a personal review on what I think of the author's life but simply of the way the book was structured.

There were things I liked but they were very few. I loved the descriptions of the places Jamie and Valentin went to. Loved the descriptions of nature and the towns themselves. I also liked Valentin. He seemed thoughtful, kind and overall sweet. Everything else, though? Besides of the concept? I disliked.

Starting with the French. Listen. I am a French learner and I found mistakes in this book. Up to the point that I avoided reading the sentences in French in fear that they would get stuck in my head as correct. I wasn't sure at first and even asked my French friend who immediately thought I was the one who'd copied it wrong because sentences like that can't possibly come from a published book. Yeah, well.

Jamie I didn't warm up to at all. From the first page on I was annoyed and frustrated with how whiny she was, how egocentric and self-absorbed she was. The worst thing was when I found out how her mum had the accident because all of her wallowing in self-pity about being the reason for almost killing her seemed to very pathetic to me at that point. She is overly dramatic and incredibly hypocritical e.g. She wants to give up everytime a bus or train doesn't show but gets mad and screams at Valentin for being a coward whenever they hit a seemingly proper dead end. Pot Kettle much? The fact that she spoke to "you" as in - her mother - drove me up the freaking wall as well... and... she is just so very American.

Which in itself is of course not a bad thing. But in a book which criticizes American tourists for being loud and for just stomping all over the culture they find themselves in, her characterisation has a flair of "She's not like the other girls" when in actuality, she is definitely, absolutely like those girls. She knows absolutely nothing about France and half-asses her French even though she is in the country for the foreseeable time. It's just... I was so very frustrated. The descriptions of cultures e.g. the American tourists being annoying, the French being rude to her because they want her to learn/speak French, was a little strange. I would even go there and say slightly racist. At least in Mamie's case (who is a bitch. Short and simple). She is of the opinion that American woman just come into the country, leave their American mark all over and take the French men away. It feels very much like the well liked reasoning of racists that "foreigners take all of our jobs". And I am not at all here for it. So I was offended in both ways and I am neither American nor French.

I'm not even going to talk about Mamie further because she was just... yeah.

Let's talk about the love story. I will be short on that because if I let my thoughts run free you will all be way too bored of my bitchfest. Because I was honestly cringing the entire time. I did not see the chemistry to begin with even though it was quite obvious from the start where this would be going. We have to remember that they fell in love (with Jamie actually saying those words on the phone) after a week. That's ridiculous. Even if you spend all of your time together. Then there was Jamie's annoying jealousy of Valentins other female friends and her RELIEF when they turned out to be gay with each other. I mean?? There was not even a hint of a threat there and Jamie was just being her annoying overdramatic self in this situation and she was even debating just leaving their conversation because of the way she didn't feel as pretty as the other girl. I. Was. Frustrated. The whole romance from Jamie's POV just seemed so childish and ridiculous that I did not care at all and was even sorry that Valentin ended up with her. As the only character I liked in this novel, I would've liked to see him end up with either no one or off screen with an amazing girl (or guy or non-binary pal).

That but not least - and this is a personal pet peeve for me, I do not think most readers will have an issue with it - the descriptions of meat. Why. why. why. Did Jamie need to eat meat and dairy everytime she stuffed her face? I don't expect books to cater to vegan readers (much to my dismay) but it's 2020. Do we really need in-depth descriptions of meat and dairy literally everywhere all the time? Can it not just be: they had crêpes for lunch? Nope, it's always the crêpe with the delicious amazing gorgeous ham and OMG let's put an egg in there. Excuse my outburst but I am just sick and tired of neverending food descriptions that are for me, ethically, not endurable and made me feel sick to my stomach. And for everyone thinking about how the French cuisine is based on these things: I had the very best time in France when I went there last time. Because they do actually have vegetables and potatoes and chickpeas as well you know? Yes they love their cheese. But it's not the only thing they eat all day every day. (Except the baguette. That's always there)

Bottom line is. I wish I had enjoyed this book. I didn't. I guess for some people this is a cute romance. If you have issues with any of what I wrote above I don't think this book is for you. If you don't I suggest you give it a try.