Like We Were in Paris

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Author(s)

Stephan Lee

Publisher

Scholastic Press

Genre(s)

Age Range

12+

Release Date

May 05, 2026

ISBN

978-1546128168

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Heartstopper meets Before Sunrise in this irresistible, swoony YA rom-com about two boys unexpectedly falling in love over the course of one night in Paris.

Ben Lim is so excited for his French Club's trip to the most romantic city in the world: Paris. Ben's even made a to-do list of all the things he wants to accomplish, like see the Mona Lisa IRL and read a book in a sophisticated cafe. Also, Ben's parents honeymooned in Paris, and being there will help Ben connect more to the memory of his late dad.

But things go wrong the first night when Ben misses curfew and finds himself locked out of the youth hostel...until morning.

Also locked out? Tyler Travers, the most popular and handsome boy in school. Who, oh yeah, happens to be Ben's former friend and current nemesis.

Ben cannot deal with Tyler's entitled-jock attitude. But now that they're thrown together, the two of them end up roaming around Paris and stumbling upon some cool sights--like the glittering Eiffel Tower, a drag show in the Marais, and even a chance to "borrow" a moped.

As their misadventures take them all across the city, Ben fights his growing attraction to Tyler, which was NEVER part of the plan. The two of them couldn't be more different. Besides, Tyler doesn't even remember that they were once friends. Right?

Acclaimed author Stephan Lee (K-Pop Confidential) brings the City of Light to dazzling life in this enchanting, funny, and adorable rom-com about croissants, crushes, and kisses that's perfect for fans of Alice Oseman and Jenny Han.

Editor review

1 review

A Fun YA Romance

July 19, 2026

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Ben is about to spend a week in Paris with his high school’s French Club. He’s eager, but also a bit nervous in part because of the presence of his former best friend Tyler. But Ben is determined to make the best of it, and to finish the bucket list he made for this trip. LIKE WE WERE IN PARIS follows Ben and Tyler around the city when they get locked out of their hostel one night.

The romance between Ben and Tyler is sweet. It feels a bit one-sided at first, primarily because we only ever get to see the story from Ben’s POV, but flashbacks and conversations help open the relationship and feelings up more. It wasn’t the most engaging romance for me, but I did enjoy it and thought that the two characters worked well together.

If you’re looking for a light-hearted story, this is a solid choice. There are moments of seriousness, but for the most part the book is free of tension and angst. Enough to keep the novel moving, but not too much so as to overwhelm the sweet vibe of the book. The cover manages to capture the essence of the book well: simple and sweet with a cute romance.

This book is a bit fast-paced, but that seems fitting for this story. This entire book takes place over one fateful night when Ben finds himself locked out of the hostel with Tyler. It’s a bit strange to say that something takes place over one night and is fast paced. The book doesn’t speed to its conclusion, but it also doesn’t dawdle. There constantly seems to be things happening that keep the plot and characters moving. It’s an adventure in a foreign city that draws the two boys closer.

The author does a fantastic job at describing Paris and the many sights that Ben and Tyler see. He doesn’t linger on details to the point of the story feeling bloated but describes the views enough that the story feels immersive. You can see and experience Paris alongside Ben.

The use of French names felt realistic and frustrating. Some language classes seem to use these to feel immersive, or something like that. However, in this book it was just a bit strange. It wasn’t enough to completely put me off of reading the book, but I did get confused a few times when I couldn’t remember who was who.

LIKE WE WERE IN PARIS is a gay romance that is well-suited for YA readers looking for something light-hearted and fun. The author describes Paris wonderfully and it’s fascinating to see the city brought to life.