Forgiving Paris

By Karen Kingsbury

Simon & Schuster, Inc., October 2021

Genre: Christian Fiction

Pages: 273

 

Her darkest secret.

Her gravest mistake.

Can she make peace with herself… and Paris?

Kimber here, being my usual Magnificent Self. Telling you that Her Momness is doing that sparkly-eyed, sniffly nose thing again. Cuz of a book she just finished. Hang just a sec while a grab a hankie for Mom.

Ready, Mom? Okay. I’ll let her tell you more:

Karen Kingsbury has long been one of our favorite authors. Her faith-flavored novels are beautifully written, briskly paced, and always uplifting. Her latest offering, Forgiving Paris, doesn’t disappoint. Here’s the 4-1-1:

The Story

Ashley Baxter Blake and her husband are about to take an anniversary trip to Paris, where a French art gallery will showcase her paintings. The art show coincides with Ashley and Landon’s eighteenth wedding anniversary. (A combination art show and wedding anniversary in Paris, City of Light? Sign us up!)

But Ashley has a secret. A dark one…

‘Could That Be You?’

Twenty-three years prior, Ashley came to Paris with her art and wound up making a grievous mistake. She’s never forgiven herself for what happened. Just before the trip, Ashely gets a call from her niece. Jessie explains that her boyfriend’s mother, Alice, remembers working at a bakery with an American named Ashley. “Could that be you?”

When Alice and Ashley meet, a flood of memories envelopes both women, taking Ashley back to a reckless affair and an unexpected pregnancy and Alice to the night she nearly ended it all. Can this reunion bring healing and closure? Is it finally time for Ashley to forgive herself… and Paris? Can she? (By the way, are you a “flaneur”? See page 182 for more. That’s okay. We’ll wait.)

Forgiving Paris is an uplifting, heartwarming story from one of Mom’s favorite authors. It’s a story of mistakes, mis-steps, and misadventures. Brokenness. Shame. Fear.

But that’s not all. Not by a long shot.

It’s also a powerful story forgiveness. Second chances. Rescue. And the healing power of love. Indeed, Forgiving Paris left one of us all sparkly-eyed and sniffly-nosed. (Hi, Mom)

It’s an exceptionally well-crafted story by an immensely talented author and master storyteller. If you have a pulse, Forgiving Paris will resonate. We loved it!

Kimber: Pardon me while I scout up another hankie for Mom.

 

Our Rating: 5.0