JoJo Moyes - Paris for One

We all lead busy lives.

Holding down a job, juggling family life and attending social engagements (when we’d much rather be in our PJs scoffing chocolate) means that we have to make the most of every scrap of me time we can lay our hands on. 

One of my favourite things to do is lock the bathroom door, light a candle and sink into the bath with a good book. I’ll be lucky to get half an hour before someone starts knocking on the door demanding food or to let me know the dog has peed on the carpet so short stories are an absolute blessing. 

JoJo Moyes does short stories brilliantly. The stories in Paris for One are fairly light hearted, so nothing too taxing after a tough day and one story a night is easily achievable.  

The first story in this book, Paris For One, follows Rosie who has booked a trip to Paris with her boyfriend. Rosie has never been abroad and is well known and often teased for following a strict routine and sticking to what she knows, so a trip to Paris is a big deal for her. Standing at the train station, all set to go, Rosie receives word that her boyfriend is running late and will meet her there. She makes the brave decision to board the train and head to Paris alone. It soon becomes apparent that Rosie’s boyfriend has no intention of meeting her at all. Scared and alone in a strange country Rosie realises that she has two choices… Go home with her tail between her legs or put on a brave face and flipping well enjoy her holiday – boyfriend or no boyfriend. 

A few stories in we meet Sam who after a kitbag mix up at the gym finds herself arriving to work in someone’s else red Louboutins instead of her own sensible black pumps. The shoes raise a few eyebrows but Sam is determined to not let it spoil her day. Sam soon realises that the shoes change the way other people perceive her, which changes the way she perceives herself. She’s not just sensible Sam, she’s also strong and confident and more than capable of playing hard ball in the boardroom– it just took a day of walking in someone else’s shoes for her to realise it.

Each of the stories in this book feature the struggles of ordinary women, all of which are easy to identify with because the problems they face are real. They are problems that ordinary women face every day whether it’s an unhappy relationship, low self-esteem, stuck in a rut at home or feeling undervalued and unappreciated at work. That's what I like about JoJo Moyes's writing, she has the ability to make me root for the characters, even when they make mistakes or show poor judgement, because I see a part of myself in these women. I understand why they feel the way they do and I get why they do the things they do, because I once felt that way too. 

I love that the stories are uplifting and heartwarming. Despite finding themselves out of their comfort zone, the characters all find a way to make the best of things and for me, the most important lesson comes from Miranda in Thirteen Days with John C. The grass isnt always greener on the other side. If you concentrate on watering your own garden, you'll see its pretty damn good, just as it is.