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Book Review of French By Heart: An American Family's Adventures in La Belle France

French By Heart: An American Family's Adventures in La Belle France
cloverluv avatar reviewed on + 129 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


The Ramseys are moving to France. The family is from South Carolina and has always wanted to move. Not just visit, but move. The kids will go to French schools, they will live French lives, have French friends, the whole kitten caboodle.
And so off they go. The author writes of her familys many experiences and adventures over the four years the family lives in a small town about 4 hours south of Paris. Some are funny, some hurtful and depressing, others uplifting and heartfelt. Through it all the Ramsey family learns to be French, not literally, but definitely French in their heart of hearts.
I lived in France so this book was close to my heart. I thought Ramsey did a superb job getting the French mannerisms down. Like when a neighbor insults her it takes her awhile to figure out that she was doing it out of kindness, that she considered her a true friend and was not deliberately trying to put her down.
There is not really a whole lot to critique about French by Heart. It was what it advertized: a book about an American familys adventures while living in France. I thought this was a perfect representation of what French life is really like. If youre thinking about living in France or are going on an exchange trip, definitely pick up a copy. The book took me back to my time in France and I appreciated it for what it was. It was very similar to Almost French, another book about life as an English Speaker in France, but this book was not set in Paris.
I liked French by Heart. It was fun, informative and had (it must be said) that certain je ne sais quoi.