A charming British hero, the woman who tempts him, and a hands-off arrangement that’s oh-so-hard to maintain.My bags are packed and I’m ready to go. All I have to do is board a plane, and I’ll be on my way to fulfilling a promise I made long ago. Bonus points — my last week in Paris looks to be even better when I meet a gorgeous, clever American woman and make plans to take her back to my flat … back to my flat that night.
But before we can get together for what would surely be a fantastic final fling, my boss hits me with a double whammy. My previous client didn’t pay, so the trip’s postponed, and the new client I now desperately need is none other than the tempting American I’m about to take home. Time to keep my hands to myself. And as I do, we get to know each other while we wander the streets of Paris together, where I discover she’s witty, kind and has a delicious zest for life. Trouble is, I’m taking off for the other side of the world any day now.
What could go wrong with falling in love in Paris? Everything, if one of you is leaving…
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Griffin is simply scrumptious!
Joy is seeking her happiness in a city she has dreamed of. Griffin sees it as a stop on his late brother’s bucket list. They are brought together and find some of their desires in the other. The magical city of Paris, the wonder Joy views the world with and Griffin enjoying things through her eyes. Their love story is magical. Loved this story.
You can never go wrong with a book by Lauren Blakely. Her stories are always emotionally satisfying, making me laugh, dream, sigh, think and most importantly: happy. Yes, Wanderlust, like any other of Ms Blakely’s work, touched the heart and left me with a smile.
While I love almost all of Lauren Blakely’s books, this one has really stuck with me. Paris is always romantic, but there’s something so poignant about this love story. It’s not all light-hearted laughs (though there are a lot of them), but it’s also about growing and self-discovery. There’s an old saying about not being able to truly love someone else until you love yourself, and the confidence of these characters is truly inspirational. Like I said, this book keeps coming up in my mind, and it is one I know I’ll be re-reading. Thanks, Lauren!
If you love romance this one is a must read! (At least in my opinion)
I listened to this book, with Richard Armitage narrating, and he was great – such a dreamy voice.
Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely (Audiobook)
Narrated by Richard Armitage and Grace Grant
Series: Part time Lover book 1
2 Stars – This was not what I have come to expect from Lauren Blakely. I found it very slow and I wasn’t too keen on the leading lady. Sadly I also didn’t feel much chemistry between Joy and Griffin. There were a few funny parts and the ending was nicely done. I enjoyed their happily ever after. The narrators were decent and clear spoken.
~Paragraphs and Petticoats~
Joy is coming off a bad relationship that last a year longer than it should. She is starting fresh by moving from her home in Texas to a job in a small cosmetics company in Paris. Griffin is a British expatriate who works as a translator. He left England after his younger brother’s death to finish the brother’s bucket list. They meet waiting in line at a Boulangerie and flirt shamelessly, but leave without exchanging numbers, or real names (they guess each other’s names are Judy and Archie). Joy is later going to meet her translator, when she sees “Archie” at the cafe she was meeting the translator at. Since she is early, they start flirting again, but when they exchange numbers, they realize that they will be working together and they cannot follow up on the attraction. This is a great love story between both Joy and Griffin and the author and Paris. Lauren Blakely has hit it out of the ballpark again.
This was my first Lauren Blakely book (I think) – anyways, LOVE LOVE love Lauren Blakely’s style of writing, I am a hooked fan! GREAT read – I will buy the “real book” to keep (have the Audible version).
5 stars
I purchased a copy of Wander Lust by Lauren Blakely and this review was given freely.
Fun and flirty with a base of steamy bests describes this full length attraction at first sight romance where American perfume chemist Joy moves to France and meets her sexy and sensitive translator the British-French Griffin. They find love, laughter, friendship and the meaning of a full and happy life while exploring Paris and each other.
I absolutely love anything by Lauren Blakely!! I enjoyed that this book was set in Paris, different from most of her NY settings, and opens the reader to a whole new world! And Griffin…no words who wouldn’t love a multilingual Brit?
As if I needed another reason to want to read a book by Lauren Blakely, she made an announcement that had me inwardly squealing and not-so-inwardly jumping up and down with glee: Richard Armitage would be one of the narrators of Wanderlust. If a crystalline picture of the handsome British heartthrob doesn’t immediately form in your mind, do yourself a favor and Google him. That way you know just who is whispering sweet nothings in your ear while you listen to Wanderlust, the author’s new Audible original. As a blogger who typically reads early ARCs of Lauren Blakely’s upcoming releases, listening to one of her books in audio format isn’t something I’ve previously had the pleasure of experiencing. I typically devour her books, racing through pages to discover what happens next, never slowing down until I reach the end. Listening to Wanderlust was therefore a nice change of pace, enabling me to take my time, to sit back and savor the experience, and to listen to every inflection of every word of every sentence uttered by narrators, Grace Grant and Richard Armitage.
With Grace Grant narrating the part of our American heroine, Joy, and Richard Armitage narrating the part of our British hero, Griffin, listeners are transported to Paris for a love story as romantic as the city in which it’s set. After moving to Paris to begin her new job, American chemist, Joy, is determined to reinvent herself – a process that includes learning French, touring the city, and living every day to its absolute fullest. When Joy meets a sexy British stranger with an accent that’s as irresistible as his roguish charm, little does she suspect that they’ll soon be working up close and personal when that stranger turns out to be her personal translator. With a fluency in several languages and his degree in Biology, Griffin is the ideal person to assist Joy in her daily work, though the position is temporary, as is his time in Paris. It isn’t until they start spending time together after hours that the boundaries between professional and personal become a bit blurry. The two flirt with the possibility of something more, with the attraction between them intensifying as they spend their nights together traipsing around Paris, delighting in the sights and falling deeper into lust.
As a narrative, Wanderlust is pure entertainment from start to finish but, as an audiobook, it’s a truly unforgettable experience. Grace Grant does a wonderful job bringing Joy to life, effortlessly evoking her liveliness, her adventurous spirit, as well as her awe and appreciation for the world around her. And let’s not forget about Richard Armtiage. *sighs* His voice mellifluously delivers Griffin’s inner thoughts and dialogue, sometimes so distractingly that I had to actively stop myself from swooning while listening so I could actually pay attention to the story. Imagine his British accent… Imagine him speaking in French… Imagine the love scenes… With every word spoken in his low timbre, I felt an involuntary need to blush. His voice magically makes everything sound naughtier or, as Joy notes “dirty and delicious”. His pronunciation of the word “sensual” alone will be forever seared into my brain…
Packed with flirty banter, a slow-building, yet scorching hot romance, and characters that are enchanting, voracious, and delightfully unreserved, Wanderlust is a hopelessly romantic, heart-meltingly sweet love story from Lauren Blakely. It made me laugh, made me swoon, and made me wish Richard Armitage could follow me around narrating my life story. If only…
*complimentary copy provided by Audible for an honest review
Lauren Blakely has outdone herself again with Wanderlust! After reading each of her books, I seem to be saying the same thing! But it is so true! I listened to the audiobook of Wanderlust and I think that added a whole other dimension to the book! Richard Armitage voices our British hero and his accent is just divine! Swoon-worthy doesn’t do this man’s narration justice! If you have the chance to listen to Wanderlust-grab the chance-spend the money! You will be thanking me later!
Wanderlust is a story that will make you want to travel! Set in the most romantic city of all, Paris, it’s hard to not want to buy a ticket immediately upon finishing the story! Plus, with two strong and captivating characters, you can’t help but fall under Lauren Blakely’s spell!
Moving to Paris from the US, Joy is ready to start the next chapter in her life. She meets Griffin shortly after arriving and it’s one of those oh so cheeky meets! Love!! So flirty and sensual, the chemistry between these two is unmistakable! Not knowing each other’s names, imagine their surprise when they realize Joy’s company has hired Griffin to be her translator!
Now having to work together, they try to tamp down the sizzle and be professional. Then Joy ups the ante by asking Griffin to give her private French lessons They embark on a journey of seeing everything Paris has to offer and their control starts to falter. Little by little they are falling for one another, and they are helpless to stop it. Only there is a time limit on this affair. Griffin has vowed to check off the bucket list his brother crafted as he was dying. Griffin has a need to see it to completion and is planning to leave Paris at the end of his contract with Joy.
I was totally under Griffin’s spell from the get-go! Joy didn’t stand a chance! I loved the whole, spark-friends-to so much more than lovers narrative! It was sweet, spell-binding, and very enticing! Both characters had changed as a result of discovering life’s ups and downs. They realized that it was ok to have the ability to choose their path by themselves, but that they really wanted to have the other along for the ride! More than not wanting to be alone, but more along the lines of the other giving them the ability to see life in HD vs regular programming. Everything is much clearer and crisper.
Why should you choose the audiobook version?? The narration! Richard Armitage is dreamy and gosh it was hard to pay attention at times! I would get lost in his cadence and just sigh! lol! He did a phenomenal job voicing Joy too, and the back and forth with the different accents-British to American and then throw in speaking French too, it was truly marvelous!
Grace Grant voices Joy just as well! Her emotion was portrayed so well, I felt it. Discovering Paris from Joy’s POV was enthralling! I so wanted them to be together and make it all work out!
Lauren is a fan of Paris and that was so evident in Wanderlust! I felt the wonder! The joy of discovering the unexpected was gripping! It has a dreamy quality that takes you to a sweet and aspiring place. There was humor and sadness, but hope too! Lauren is never one to leave you feeling blue and this read is no exception! Once finished, I was left with happiness and a feeling of sheer joy! That’s a powerful thing and this read has earned it’s place on my “read before you die” Goodreads shelf!
Lauren Blakely has made me fall in love all over again with this book. Wanderlust is a wonderful contemporary romance novel that made me fall in love with a city and a story. The story is about a 30 year old woman named Joy, who moves to Paris to work as the head chemist at a fragrance company. Joy is an American from Austin, Texas, who has always wanted to visit Paris and decides to take this job after she has worked as chemist in Austin for many years but desperately needs a change. Joy has recently broken up with her ex-boyfriend, who became addicted to pain killers after injuring his back in an accident while he was at work. She wanted to break up with him before his accident, but felt that it wouldn’t be right to do it right after his injury, and so ends up taking care of him until his personality changes due to his Oxycontin addiction. Joy finally breaks up with him when he refuses to get help with his drug addiction about which he is in denial. She decides that she will never live her life based on another man’s life situation, especially after the bitter break up with her ex.
This story is also about a British gentleman named Griffin, who works as a translator in Paris. Griffin is planning to leave Paris after living there for a year, to keep a promise to his younger brother, Ethan, who died the year before. Ethan had become paralyzed when a drunk driver caused a car accident that severely injured him, and he had been paralyzed for three years before he died from an infection. Ethan left Griffin with a bucket list that he promised to fulfill, and so Griffin has been saving up money to run in a marathon in Indonesia and then travel around the world, two of the items on the bucket list.
When Joy arrives in Paris, she is provided with a translator for three months to help her at work with her French. The day before she is to meet her translator, Joy goes to a bakery to to get a pastry and notices a very handsome man go into the bakery just before she does, and this man ends up in line right in front of Joy. It turns out that this gentleman saw Joy coming down the street before he went into the bakery, and thought that she was beautiful, too. After Joy makes a mistake trying to order the pastry by ordering it in French, this gentleman, whose is Griffin, speaks up to help her with her order. They end up talking and flirting, but after Joy’s phone rings and she has to take the call since it’s her boss calling her, and they get separated. It turns out that they both regret not getting the other person’s phone number since they would have liked to see each other again. The next day, right before Joy is to meet her translator for the first time, she runs into the Griffin at the bakery again and they can’t believe their good luck. Griffin is about to ask her out for dinner when he learns that she is his new client. It turns out that Griffin has been hired as her translator, and once they learn that they are to work together every work day for four hours a day, they decide that it wouldn’t be a good idea for them to date each other.
After a couple of weeks Joy becomes frustrated with her inability to speak French when Griffin isn’t around to help her, and asks Griffin if she can hire him to teach her to speak French. Griffin readily agrees to teach her French by spending time with Joy in the evenings and on the weekends, since he is still very attracted to her even though they’ve agreed that they should just be friends; Joy is also still very attracted to Griffin, too. Will Joy and Griffin ever admit to each other how they feel and have a romantic relationship? Will Griffin still leave for Indonesia after he finishes his three months working with Joy?
This book made me happy and made me cry, and then had me happy again. Reading it was like a roller coaster ride that I never wanted to end, and I couldn’t put the book down. Lauren Blakely’s books always entertain me and leave me wanting more. I loved this book so much!
This is a very charming book that makes you wish to visit Paris
I absolutely adore Griffin and Joy. Theirs is a story of romance. A romance I dreamed of myself when studying french in high school. Paris, the City Of Love. The Seine. The Louvre. The boulangerie’s. The Eiffel Tower. I wanted it all. I wanted to fall in love with the man of my dreams in Paris.
I’ve never made it to Paris, but I did meet the love of my life. We’ve made our own dreams…in English (American English). Do I miss the idea of Love in Paris? Yes and no.
Wanderlust took me on a journey to Paris and a sweet love story of a brave, bold woman and the romantic, loyal man she fell in love with. I loved Wanderlust!
Needed a change up in who I read and Lauren fits the bill! She’s a excellent author and always my go to author when I’ve been reading a certain author to much.. I have a habit of reading one author non-stop, not that that’s bad but her stand alone book are perfect! I’ve read her series of books also and there just as good! I’d recommend her to anyone.
Bad ending
OUI—AMOUR—SEX—PARIS!
Oh my world. Speak of fairy tales for princesses…..this story is sure to romance you like no other…. it is breaktaking….each page….another delight…. enchantment at its finest….. You can take the woman from Austin but it will require a translator to help her speak the Bon jours….. Joy is a beautiful woman who is offered the job of a lifetime….a dream come true…… determined to be successful she sets her sights on Paris…. the land of romance, desire, trysts, amour and so many unknowns….. only problem she needs to have a translator to speak for her and teach her the language of love…. and who better than a brit…..yes ladies a brit who speaks French….it can’t get much better than that…. both unwilling to become involved in a relationship for their own reasons…they engage in a friendship….each showing the other hidden stories of the City of Lights…. until the inevitable….. question is are they willing to take that chance….are they willing to stop time….. Hell bent on exploring….Griffin leaves to persue the bucket list….while Joy is challenged with a decision that could change her life and her career? Finding the note: A part of me wants to stay with you….A part of me wants you to ask me too….and another piece wants to steal you away so we can be together…. it feels impossible….but it also doesn’t! Can time reunite two people who were willing to change it all? I was swept away in this beautiful WANDERLUST! I need to travel abroad to explore the beauty written in this story….. a 10 star novel by Lauren Blakely…. filled with so much burning desire, magical attraction and the spirited temptation of two lovers working again time…… ENTHRALLING LUST*****
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An amazing listen. I loved this storyline and the narration is to die for! Sexy, swoony, funny and so hot! I highly recommend this book/audiobook!
This book was everything from start to finish and I loved every minute of it! The descriptions of Paris were wonderfully vivid and easy to visualize (at least to me seeing as that I’ve never been there), and the dialogue between characters was fresh and realistic, witty and sometimes snarky but also humorous, and sometimes plenty sexy as well. The chemistry between Joy and Griffin is electric right from the start, but circumstances beyond their control don’t allow them to explore anything more. The character development was fantastic: Joy is sassy, feisty and full of determination, and Griffin is witty and charming, easy on the eyes and has the British accent.