Book Review: Meet Me in Monaco

I was hesitant to read Meet Me in Monaco: A Novel of Grace Kelly’s Wedding–I’m not usually a fan of romance and I didn’t know (or care to know) much about Grace Kelly–but I was on vacation, it came with good recommendations, and I was looking for something light and sweet. I’m glad I gave it a chance.

While the title alludes to the wedding where Grace Kelly, Hollywood’s princess, marred Rainer, Monaco’s (real) Prince, the story is actually the relationship between a French parfumier, struggling to keep her business alive, mourning her father’s death, and dealing with complicated relationships with her mother and her boyfriend, and an English photographer, coping with the after-effects of World War II, a divorce, and a job he doesn’t enjoy.

All of those real-world complications get in the way of their relationship–as they often do–which is one of the strengths of this book: the characters and their problems are real. I identified with the characters and cared about them. I was also drawn (of course!) to the descriptions of Cannes, the French countryside, and the scenes in Monte Carlo.

And, although not the focus of the book, Grace Kelly and her relationship with the Prince do play an important role–I found myself wanting to know more and studying the photos and articles I could find online to understand more than the book gave me.

It was what I was looking for: a light vacation read with some interesting insight into Monaco/France and Princess Grace.

Your book club could also have some fun with this book; check out my Meet Me in Monaco book club guide for discussion questions and other special ideas.