Anna and the French Kiss was a book I'd heard of and looked forward to reading. It seemed like just the kind of book I'd be interested in based on its genre. I am all over contemporary romances. They are typically so character driven, and I love that. But in order for me to really love it, I need to like the characters driving the story, and...
I, personally, found Anna incredibly unlikable. Etienne St. Clair wasn't too hot for that matter either.
Anna has a very hypocritical way of looking at those around her. Something that's fine for her to say or do, she'd find absolutely deplorable coming from anyone else. She only looks at anything in terms of herself without considering the feelings of any of the 'friends' she's made at SoAP.
What really cemented my feelings toward her as an MC were thoughts she had about Etienne's girlfriend. This is a girl she had met twice and had even been treated quite nicely by her the first time, while the second time she was distracted by her wasted boyfriend. But Anna detests this girl. Even going so far as to fantasize about hurting her, about 'tearing her hair out of her skull' and 'digging her claws into her eyes and beginning to scrape'. Because... Ellie is dating the guy she just met and has a crush on... That's it.
She even admits after thinking those things that she's not a very nice person. And I'm not going to argue that point. She's not. That was the moment I completely stopped rooting for her as a main character and wanted her to get the exact opposite of everything she wanted in the book. Which was pretty much just Etienne St. Clair, the literal first guy she meets in Paris.
Etienne, who does cheat on his girlfriend. Emotionally, mostly, but physically eventually too. Which is... charming?
This is not to say I disliked everything about the book. I liked Meredith. And liking Meredith made me dislike Anna and Etienne even more. Right off the bat Meredith reaches out and befriends Anna, inviting her into her room for hot chocolate and letting her rummage through all her things. And... Anna eventually repays that kindness by leaving in the middle of her soccer game to go make out with Etienne, who Meredith has had a crush on for who knows how long.
Awesome.
So yeah. There are two more books in this series I think, and I doubt I'll be looking into them. But if Stephanie Perkins one day releases Meredith and the Escape from Toxic Relationships, then that might pique my interest! Because Mer deserves better!