Book Review – No Regrets in Paris

A little about Jim first:

Currently living in Phoenix, Arizona, Jim has spent countless hours in bars and hotels while traveling internationally, making some interesting life choices along the way. He’s lived in Paris, London, Sofia, and all across the United States. An avid traveler and sports fan, he can often be found telling stories in his local pub. With degrees in political science and IT, Jim is used to talking at length about nothing in particular. To learn more about Jim and his writing, visit his blog.

RA Winter’s Review: 4-Stars

No Regrets in Paris is a different type of romance. It’s from a guys point of view, which in itself is pretty novel. So, what does a guy do after getting dumped… have you ever wondered? Read No Regrets in Paris to find out.

There are bits that might make you cringe. There is a lot of F* bombs, booze, and some drug use as the main character gets into scrapes with his best friend. So, if you are sensitive to these issues, it’s not for you.

What I really like about the book. The characters in this story are very well rounded. The dialog, though f* filled, as noted above, is so fluid and lifelike for a lot of men. It really flowed well, was never forced and the Aussie was so entertaining.

The story is a ‘how can I get over my girl’, ‘how do I get laid again’ and ‘what’s the worst thing that can happen to me in a foreign country’. All from a guys perspective.

And find a new girl.

So, ladies, if you’re wondering how your guy gets over a breakup, read on. Fellas, if you want to know how NOT to get over a breakup, well, this is the book for you.

My Review: 5 Stars

What a wonderful romantic comedy!

For a guy, Jim Tacon has written a wonderfully funny romance with No Regrets in Paris. He has done a splendid job of taking the main character Mike on a wild romantic ride with an R rating. I give it an R rating for language and drug use. I enjoyed this book, and it will be one I would read again.

No Regrets in Paris took me to Pairs, and Jim showed me the city, making me feel like I was there. His descriptions of the sights and smells and tastes are done very well, and the setting is a full-fledged character in the story. I laughed out loud more than once at Mike’s antics, and the ending left me with a good feeling. I hope there’s a sequel, I’d love to see more of Mike’s journey.

I give No Regrets in Paris 5 out of 5 stars, and Jim gets my vote to keep the books coming! I would love to read more from this author.

I urge all readers of romance to pick up a copy of No Regrets in Paris. It will put a smile on your face and a skip in your step. Good vibes from this story!

 

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27 thoughts on “Book Review – No Regrets in Paris”

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  12. No Regrets in Paris took me a bit by surprise, because after reading the first chapter I was a bit on the fence as to whether to continue. It took me a while to like the main character, as he came across as slightly immature. However, by the story’s end, he did develop into a better character who finally got it together. In order to develop to that point, he wound up in some crazy situations that were quite humorous, so I’m really glad I stuck with reading this.

    I think the story’s greatest strengths are the realistic conversations, the pacing that leads to one funny situation after the next, and the solid description of setting. (You will absolutely feel like you’re right there.) The writing is well edited, and plot well executed.

    The only things that turned me off a bit was the language and some drug use. I think it’s important for readers to know that going in so it doesn’t catch them by surprise.

    Overall, good read and I’d recommend this book. Pick it up if you’re looking for some laughs.

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  14. I’m usually skeptical about written comedy because I feel authors try to hard to inundate you with repeated contrived jokes. But Jim Tacon’s No Regrets in Paris succeeds where others fail. The humor is found in his unlayering of the absurdity of everyday life. Throw in a few misfortunes and sprinkle in a smattering of murphy’s law and you have a comedy of errors worthy of a book.

    The book begins with Mike Woodcock, a corporate sales professional, getting dumped by his girlfriend. His Australian colleague, Shane, a party animal, takes him out to cheer him up resulting in a series of mishaps and comedic adventures. The book then also takes you Paris where both men combine work with play also resulting in a string of unintentional comedic results. Mike loses the love of his life at the start of the story, but he is determined to find love again.

    The work-hard-play-hard, imbibe as much alcohol as you possibly can, and live it up, is not my scene and so I found myself unsympathetic to the characters. But then I realized that my lack of empathy was because the author’s writing is so vivid that we see these characters and the scenes and their motivations so well that the story comes alive. Jim Tacon does a fantastic job in mining the most out of a scene. He packs a simple walk down a Parisian street with an interesting blend of information, cultural observations, and humorous quips, and you feel like you’re there or that you’re listening to a friend who was just there.

    The book actually reminded me of the movie Chef–a movie I interpret as ultimately about the relationships between men. The friendship between Shane and Mike is wonderfully portrayed–the love between men that is deeper than that of two brothers. You get the sense that ultimately, nothing can come between these two. I wasn’t convinced at Mike’s attempt at finding love, especially since love seems more like finding the perfect woman who doesn’t require that you change but fits perfectly into one’s habits, so Mike doesn’t really have to “grow up.”

    No Regrets in Paris is not for everyone and perhaps not what I would normally read. Nonetheless, readers of the romantic comedy genre, especially those who’d want to capture the genre from an R-Rated guy perspective, I think would find this book entertaining.

    4 Stars

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  15. Pingback: No Regrets in Paris – The Naked Reviwers

  16. Thank you everyone for the reviews!

    Of course, I’m very happy that everyone is enjoying the story, but I also appreciate the honest feedback and advice to potential readers on some of the rougher parts of the story. There were a few chapters that I read out loud to critique groups (one featuring Shane’s description of a one night stand) where I was almost too embarrassed to finish. I thought about watering down some of the dialog, but decided against it because it would have compromised the characters. Katia, I was quite concerned that Mike wouldn’t be a likeable character when I first penned him, but it looks like I got the balance right in the end. Steve, your observation about travelers is spot on; one of the first people to read the entire 1st draft did a great deal of his reading on business flights and has been pestering me ever since for a new story.

    Thanks again!

    Liked by 2 people

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  18. Sex, Drugs, and Karaoke

    Mike is manning the trade show booth and Jenny sends a text: I’m Sorry Mike, it’s over.
    And the next thing we know he and his partner are rolling on the convention center floor in a barroom brawl, without the benefit of booze.
    But his coworker Shane is an Aussie Mate in the best sense of the word, and us guys know the way to deal with a breakup is to get blind, staggering drunk.
    And then pick up some girls, and recreate Boogie Nights.
    Poor Mike, an innocent among the hedonists. No Regrets in Paris (A title, one suspects, is a reference to Edith Piaf’s 1959 recording of  Non, je ne regrette rien.) is a buddy book, drawing on the plot lines of Wedding Crashers and Beavis and Butthead.
    Tacon has his finger on the pulse of social media and contemporary male singles in this fast-paced sexual romp. The fantasy sex is just that; Mike talks a good game, but when the action is about to start the author fades to black, and only delivers the sex, liberally laced with F bombs, in after-action reports. The narrative is quick and shallow, sprinkled with clever lines like, “a face like a bulldog chewing on a wasp.”
    Guys on per diem and waiting for their flight, will love this racy read, and it’s short enough to finish on a three hour flight.

    Liked by 3 people

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  20. I really enjoyed No Regrets in Paris. Sometimes rom-coms with the ditzy-heroine can be too much of the same thing. What I especially liked here was a genuine male perspective which for me, was a fresh take on romance.

    The main character Mike does evolve / grow up over the story- he starts out as a slightly self-absorbed & immature guy who is ‘text-dumped’, and although he regresses slightly first as he feels sorry for himself (and is ‘helped’ along here by Shane, his work colleague), Mike gradually grows up and figures out what he really wants. Some of the comedy of errors situations he gets himself in (especially his last day in Paris) are hysterical. Little details left me with very vivid images as I read.

    Caveats- There is also recreational drug use, lots of F-bombs (although part of natural sounding dialogue), sexual hook-ups and binge drinking – so if you’re bothered by much of that, it’s probably not for you. In truth, I was concerned after the first chapter whether I’d really like Mike at all- but I kept reading and was cheering for him by the end. And he has to go through that to eventually get to where the story ends up.

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  23. Pingback: Book Review – No Regrets in Paris | Sue Seabury

  24. Getting dumped by text is enough to drive any man to extremes, and when your name is Mike Woodcock, you can only imagine the innuendo and more explicit situations he gets himself into. Funny and unique twists.
    Explicit language throughout, graphic sex, and drug use.

    Liked by 3 people

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  26. This story is exactly how I’d imagine a guy acting after a breakup. If you’re a writer, I’d check out his dialog. Every word flowed and there was never a forced moment.
    I would pin this for the 20-30 something reader. Booze, bars and (I can’t resist) boobs, a man’s favorite B’s.

    Liked by 3 people

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