Life is filled with random encounters and Ellery Roulet, a 35-year-old American PR executive living and working in Paris, has experienced enough of them to last five lifetimes. When betrayal, loss, mistakes, regrets and even acceptance enter Ellery's life at different times, she learns it is not what one experiences, but how one chooses to deal with those experiences that shapes the soul within. This bittersweet collection of tales shows just how messy and complicated life can be, and that sometimes there just aren't any neat and easy solutions at all.
Paris seems like the most romantic thing in the world, until you live there. "Encounters in Paris" is a collection of short stories from Carolyn Moncel and her protagonist Ellery Roulet, a nearing middle age woman working in Paris and finding out while there is love, there is also everything you hate about love. A fun read that blends plenty of romance, "Encounters in Paris" is quite the pick, recommended."
-The Midwest Book Review
"...The stories are fiction but feel more like a memoir of sorts. I was drawn to the main character from the instant I started reading. Her trials are ones most people face at some point in their life. Her stories show that with every end there is also a beginning. I enjoyed the authors writing as it flowed easily, guiding me along the way..."
-ReaderViews.com
“Your revenge...would you like to do it... with me?” he asked smiling sheepishly, except he was totally serious.
Conflicted, she quickly dismissed his offer. Under normal circumstances, he would have been the perfect choice. They had an attraction, history, connection, friendship and discretion. But these were also the very same reasons why she needed to refrain.
“We go back a long way," he whispered and then kissed her, maintaining complete eye contact while trying to persuade her into saying “yes.” A long time ago this tactic would have worked with her every time. “We’re not hurting anyone, right? Plus, we never had a chance to say goodbye properly,” kissing the tip of her index finger. There was a long silence while she considered the proposition further.
“Oh c’mon, in all these years, you’ve never missed me or thought about the fact that we never had one last night together? I know that I’ve certainly thought about it! You have to admit that we were once an awesome couple.” Awesome together, yes, but she still didn’t believe in one-night stands. She also remembered what they were like. They were nuts. All passion and heat, all the time. When they finally broke up after three years of dating, they could never quite say goodbye permanently and that was why everything was so painful and confusing.
