From Tours to Paris

Hopefully you read book one of French illusions--if so it left you wanting the story to continue. At the end of book 1 Linda is moving, she wants to stay in France and convinces her parents to continue to support her so she can stay another year. Beside wanting more time to learn French she definitely doesn't want to leave her boyfriend behind and France is a pretty cool place to live. How wonderful to have lunch sitting outside a beautiful café by the river--every day!! So life was pretty good [...]

I read and reviewed Linda Kovic-Skow's first book, French Illusions, a year ago and had been looking forward to reading this sequel. I enjoyed this second book even more than the first because the author was more experienced in life and had mastered enough French to be able to communicate. In fact, the French conversations sprinkled throughout the book (with translations), gave the characters and setting a very authentic feel.After escaping the nightmarish au pair job that brought her to France, [...]

Usually, I am not much for memoirs, but Linda Kovic-Skow writes such personal and intriguing memoirs that hers are one of my dedicated exceptions to this rule. From Tours to Paris is an interesting read of a young woman experiencing life and love away from home. From financial worries to matters of the heart, this honest memoir leaves nothing out. Written from the authors journals and her memories, this is a heartfelt book that will keep you turning pages and happily entertained until the very e [...]

I had the pleasure of editing the first book in this series, French Illusions, so I was thrilled when Linda contacted me and asked me to edit her latest memoir, which is a follow up to Book One.In some ways, the books are similar: the beauty of France, the spontaneous adventures of being in a foreign country when you are young and untethered, the sheer joy of being in love. For the most part, however, From Tours to Paris is a very different story told in the same elegant and engaging manner. Whi [...]

More Fun in FranceI have been looking forward to reading this book for quite a while. I enjoyed the first book in the series and I was anxious to read about Linda's adventures after she was fired from her position as a nanny. Like many young adults, Linda fell in love. She was head over heels for a guy who borrowed money from her and sometimes disappeared for a few days or weeks. The young people and their friends liked to drink, smoke, and party even though they seemed to have a constant cash f [...]

A complicated few monthsAs a follow up to French ILLUSIONS, I think this book was more about "ILLUSIONS" than book one because Linda learned so much more about life. Her descriptions of Paris and a 21-year old woman's response to the city made me smile. She was so bold and strong. I admired her decisions and focus on learning French even though her original goal was swallowed in the months living away from family.

Another good oneRead first book. A very gutsy woman. Enjoyed it. So when I saw this discussed on We Love Memoirs Facebook page, I got it. Enjoyed it also. Glad Michel did not turn out too badly! Her husband must be amazing!

Fun memoir of a young American girl in France. Good food, drinks, and friends help when life gets tough full review is here:wordsandpeace/2015/11/26/b

This book continues with Linda's life in France after she parts ways with the Dubois family. There are more adventures and more lessons learned the hard way in this haunting final volume of French Illusions.

From Tours to Paris is the continuation of the youthful adventures of Linda Kovic, If you haven’t listened to French Illusions Book 1 get it now! When we left off, our traveler moved from the Loire Valley to the college town of Tours to enroll in a french language course for one-quarter. All on the dime of her understanding parents!There Linda continues her relationship with Adam, but all’s not what it seems when Adam comes back from a planned trip and drops a bombshell on Linda. Devastated [...]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although I wish the author would have done more with her French. But that being said what a wonderful experience the author had to live and love in France. To know the French countryside, to tour churches built in the 1200s, to dance, to love, to drink wine, to know Paris like a native. To make friends to be free and young in the wild 70s! Was wondering if Linda ever made it back to Paris as an adult with her family? It is a little sad that she lost touch with her [...]

I received this book through goodreass giveaways.I enjoyed this book more than the first one. There seemed to be better relationships in this one so you got a better feel of how Linda's time in France really was. Although there were times where I was frustrated with her choice I had to remember this is life not a fiction book. We all go through ups and downs and I'm glad Linda shared some of hers with us.

I thoroughly enjoyed both books in this series; they were well written and entertaining.Linda leaves her job as an Au Pair and moves to Tours to attend a French language course, and this leads to a romance and a move to Paris.

A wonderful read, a beautiful presentation.I read French Illusions Book 1 quite a while ago and was so pleased when a follow-up was released. I was eager to get to it and I wasn't disappointed. Book 2 continues straight on from where the previous book left off-Linda is no longer working for the Dubois family and is staying in France for a while longer. What lovely descriptions and thoughtful choices of words, she depicts the scenes of the Christmas season beautifully. I LOVED this! Such care has [...]

I enjoyed reading about Linda Kovic-Skow's continuing adventures in France. This book was the second book of the French Illusions series. The first book, described her short lived career as an au pair for a French family. In the second book, the story picks up after Linda leaves her job as an au pair and decides to continue to live in France with little money and no place to live. She wants to study French in school and master it before returning home to America. She was courageous to stay! In a [...]

I finished Linda’s first book French Illusions feeling like she had left us just as her life in France was about to get interesting; things were not going well with the family she was living with as an au pair, but she was in love and determined to stay in France and learn the language. I wasn’t wrong! I am so glad she wrote this second book as it’s much more juicy and exciting than her first.It had been a while since I read book one and although I remembered the basics, a little bit more [...]

Back in October 2014, I wrote a review of French Illusions by Linda Kovic-Skow. The memoir related Linda’s disastrous experience as an au-pair in the Loire Valley. Now the author is back with a sequel. French Illusions: From Tours to Paris starts right where the first book ended and tells the author’s adventures as a student in France. Linda still dreams of becoming a flight attendant and is determined to learn French. All she has to do is find a place to live in Tours and enjoy her time in [...]

I found it fascinating to get a peek into the life of a twenty-something living in a foreign country in the 1980s. The book was mostly about her friendships and boyfriends, which came across as the most important thing to her, as they are to most people that age. She impressed me with her bravery and outgoing openness to all people, whether they were friends her own age, her teachers, or the woman she rented a room from. She was amazing at handling awkward situations. I really felt for her durin [...]

This second book in the French Illusions series is another great read from Linda. Her first memoir in the series documented her time as an au pair to the children of the difficult and capricious Mme Dubois and her discovery of France and all the highs and lows a seventeen year old girl, thousands of miles away from home, with a very difficult employer might experience. In this second book Linda has left the Dubois household in Tours and is going it alone in Paris with the help of the friends she [...]

When I finished reading the first book in this series, my main thought was what happens next? The author did a masterful job of piquing my curiosity and need to find out. From Tours to Paris is the delightful sequel and answer to my question.As she did in her first book, Linda Kovic-Skow brought me right into her world of romance and adventure and kept me turning the pages through her descriptive and engaging writing. I am with her as a twenty-something experiencing the agony and ecstacy of youn [...]

This book is well-presented and easy to read. It seamlessly continues the story told in My Story as an American Au Pair in the Loire Valley (French Illusions Book 1), which I hadn't read, and I have to say that it didn't detract from my enjoyment of French Illusions Book 2. Basically, it's a memoir about a young woman's time in France whilst she learns the language, chronicling the friendships, the pitfalls, the disappointments and the comebacks.Atmosphere oozes from the pages, the descriptions [...]

French Illusions Book 2 follows Linda Kovic-Skow's first memoir divulging Linda's life at the age of 21 when she lived in France, but book 2 is quite different to book one - (as are a lot of true-life stories). This book is about life outside the au pair job - grappling with real-world issues of love and maturing. It's a fast fun read with many leaps in tension and I wondered what the heck would happen to Linda at every turn. Even though she's out of the French au pair context, she's still isola [...]

After finishing Linda’s first book French Illusions I was looking forward to reading the sequel and I wasn’t disappointed. This is a very honest account of her remaining time in France. With the support of her parents she is able to stay on in France to continue with her studies. However life isn’t always easy so far away from home. She has to cope with shortage of money, struggles with the language and homesickness. She moves to Paris to be with Michel and all the time in my head alarm be [...]

I was eager to read/listen to this memoir - Part 2 of the Author's time in France. I loved Book 1 and wasn't disappointed with the continuation of Linda's life once she had left the employ of the Dubois family. Still determined to learn the language she 'gets to grips' with it very well in my humble opinion. We get to know her friends, the cafes she frequents, some of the beautiful scenery and, there are a couple of love interests! Money is a struggle but she does have the help of her parents - [...]

Another great read from the author of French Illusions. The sequel, From Tours to Paris, is a compelling story, well written and fast paced. As with her first book, the sprinkling of French phrases adds both realism and charm, and her multi-layered characters come to life on the page. Lovely descriptions paint vivid mental pictures of both people and situations. I worried for Linda, worried about Linda, and cheered her on all the while fretting that her kind and generous spirit would bring disas [...]

I received this book and the book prior in a giveaway. I loved it! I was excited to continue reading Linda's story. If you haven't read the first book, I highly suggest you do. Many things seem to rely on some information from the first book, and it makes the book a more interesting read. In this book, Linda continues in her quest to master speaking french by attending school, and immersing herself in friends. She has a few love interests, and experiences everyday drama. Like the first book, thi [...]

I am glad that I had this book in my hands when I finished the first book. Although this book was more about her friendships and relationships and not so much her job. It was nice to get another look into her life while in France. In my opinion she was brave to go through all she did. Travels, schooling, meeting new people. I felt for her at times as she was homesick in a foreign country with no family and at times no money. Just like the first book her writing style was very easy to read and ju [...]

I very much enjoyed reading this story of Linda's time learning French in Tours, and the romance that took her to Paris. She writes very well, and I had to make myself stop reading a couple of times so I could fix lunch or dinner at a reasonable hour. I'm glad I read the first book in the series, French Illusions, before reading this one, though you don't have to. This book brought back memories of my being a student in France, and that was fun. If you like travel memoirs, this is a good one!

I received this book for free through first reads giveaway. This book is the sequel to French Illusions: My Story as an American Au Pair in the Loire Valley. I really enjoyed following Linda as she moved on from her au pair job. Through tough times she struggled with finding her calling and whether to trust others in this foreign land. I felt like I was traveling through France with her the whole time. Highly recommend.

Ok, I liked this (part two) much better! (view spoiler)[I'm so so so glad Linda didn't keep up her relationship with Michel - whew!! Funny how it is always easier to spot someone else making a huge mistake with their life rather than your own? And so happy to hear she met her perfect man and had a family, etc. (hide spoiler)]