The Frenchman (Jet-Setters & Jeopardy, #1)

by Lesley Young

[Lynn]

This is the first book I've read by Lesley Young. I was drawn to The Frenchman, the first book in The Crime Royalty Romance series because of the international setting for the plot. This was a much welcome and refreshing change from what I've read recently.

Fleur LaSalle Smithers is in Toulon for a year in an attempt to build a relationship with her biological mother. She's lived a sheltered life with her adoptive mom in Austin, Texas and is now spreading her wings to find her family roots in France. Fleur came across as unworldly and rather naïve at times. Her attitude and responses made her seem far younger than her twenty-three years.

Louis Messette is an enigmatic man. To the outside world he's a professional rugby player with an aristocratic background, not forgetting his playboy notoriety. To others he's a member of a crime family involved in underworld activities. After all his family own the Port of Toulon, a perfect place to illegally smuggle drugs!

Sparks eventually fly between our protagonists after Louis originally rejected Fleur to protect her innocence, completely misreading that underneath her naivety is a passionate woman screaming to escape. It isn't long before their differing worlds collide as their mutual family connections clash. Is it possible for the daughter of a police inspector to find happiness with a man with criminal connections?

Overall this was an entertaining book and if you are unfamiliar with the French language you will learn a phrase or two as you become embroiled within the storyline. I struggled for the first third of the book to get into the story as it was a little slow, but the pace did increase to keep my focus and attention. The suspense aspect was as unexpected surprise added a welcome dimension to the plot. I particularly liked that the author showed the cultural differences between Fleur and Louis during their interactions, giving examples of what is fine and acceptable in US is definitely not au fait in France.

I know that the next book in this series is based around an Australian, but would be interested to know if the author will re-visit the Messette family again because I'm sure Georges, Henri and Philippe Messette have interesting stories to tell too.

3 ¾ stars – would have been 4 stars if not for the slow beginning.

***arc received in exchange for an honest review***