Kisses and Croissants

Chapter One 

I run through the airport in shapeless tracksuit pants, my hair flying behind me. A screaming toddler stands in my way, and I leap over him in a somewhat graceful grand jeté before pirouetting past a man who s struggling to carry his giant suitcase.

Faites attention! a woman yells at me after I almost step on her foot. Be careful! 

The thing is, I can be careful or I can be late, and being late is not an option right now. This American girl needs to get to the other side of Paris tout de suite. 

Sorry, I say as I race through the Charles de Gaulle terminal, my backpack banging into my shoulder.

The reason I m late is that there was a crazy storm in New York last night, and my flight was delayed by four hours, then six. I stopped counting after that so I wouldn t pass out from the idea of missing my first day of school. Well, not school, exactly. School is a piece of cake compared to what s waiting for me here.

I bump into a group of children straddling the entire width of the terminal hallway and almost fall flat on my face, but I manage to turn it into a pas de basque. Thank you, muscle memory from approximately a million years of ballet classes. 

I ll admit, this is not how I imagined my first hours in Paris. I had a picture-perfect vision of what was supposed to happen: I would get off the plane on a warm, sunny morning, my wavy brown hair bouncing and shiny, even after the seven-hour flight. I d swing my tied up pointe shoes over my shoulder and declare something cute in French with a perfect accent--the result of months of practice--before strutting elegantly toward the best summer of my life: an intensive ballet program at the prestigious Institut de l Opéra de Paris. Le dream, non?

Instead, I gently shove past a few people to snatch my suitcase off the luggage carousel, then search the signs above my head for the word taxi. That s when something truly

French author Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau's books have been translated into seven languages. KISSES AND CROISSANTS is her English-language debut. She is also the author of FRENCH KISSING IN NEW YORK. She lives in New York City with her Australian husband.

Praise for KISSES AND CROISSANTS:

A Bustle "Best New Books to Read This April" selection

A Junior Library Guild selection

A charming story about family, first love, and chasing your dreams. Grab a croissant, because this book will leave you smiling, swooning, and desperate to visit Paris!  Katharine McGee, New York Times bestselling author of American Royals

Watched Emily in Paris and want more romance, pastries, and Paris? Kisses and Croissants is the one for you. It was an incredibly satisfying and delightful read and you ll find yourself completely absorbed in Mia s journey. The Nerd Daily

"If you're looking for a Parisian escape this spring, then look no further than the enchanting confection that is Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau." Popsugar

Sweet and romantic! I couldn t put it down. San Francisco Book Review,

"If you love romances like To all the Boys I've Loved Before or Anna and the French Kiss, you'll LOVE Kisses and Croissants." Brit + Co

"Paris simply shines; readers senses will come alive with all the city has to offer."  SLJ