At this moment, I am mentally sitting in a café in Paris, admiring the Louis Vuitton clad French Women dressed in all black as I sip a latte.

Do you also need a French escape?

Check out: JOIE DE VIVRE Winning, Dining, and Romancing Like the French (Thomas Dunne Books; $24.99; ISBN 1-250-00456-X:).

Harriet Welty Rochefort, an American who married a Frenchman and has lived in Paris for more than thirty years, explores the secrets of the French—from romance and style to acting and flirting like a Parisienne to wining and dining à la française.

With tips and tricks like how to diet like a Frenchwoman (tips like savor just one perfectly crafted indulgence a day) and project confidence like a true Parisienne (always start your look with lovely lingerie). Other tips include:

• ·         Cafes are perfect for blooming romances
• ·         The French kiss publicly – yet they’re alone in the world.
• ·         When the French – and particularly the Parisians – decide to be ill-mannered, they elevate it to an art form. Actually, for them it’s a game. For them, confrontation is fun.
• ·         Frenchmen are in touch with their feminine side without being the slightest bit cheesy or less manly.
• ·         The French eat and drink petit portions which is the reason they aren’t fat

Rochefort’s signature warm, witty, and entertaining voice will delight Francophiles and anyone that needs a bit of a laugh and seduction in their life. She writes from her experience of over 30 years in Paris, and being married to a Frenchman. As a journalist, she has contributed articles to Time and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This is the perfect read for the beach or the plane!

xoxo