I took his hands in mine and squeezed them. “I told you she’d love it in the end.”
“So now you are a fortune-teller as well as a mind reader?”
A train pulled in on the platform, hissing to a stop.
He looked up. “Shall we go?”
I watched the train’s doors open, passengers piling off. “Sure. Where to?”
He hesitated. “Can I buy lunch for you?”
“Hmm, that depends. What’s on the menu?”
“No, you cannot only have Monts Blancs for lunch, Hannah.”
I frowned playfully. “Anyway, I’m pretty sure it’s my turn to pay.”
“Ah well, in that case, I know just the place,” he said, winking at me.
He picked up my suitcase and took my hand, leading me toward the exit, the same one he’d pulled up at on the motorbike all those months before.
“Now, you do know there is no bike this time?” he said mock-apologetically.
“You can imagine how disappointed I am,” I joked, smiling with relief and wrapping both arms around his waist, burying my head in his chest. He smelled exactly the same. As we stepped outside, our breath just visible in the freezing February air, I noticed how easy and familiar everything felt already, as though I had never been away.
Acknowledgments
There are so many people I’d like to thank for helping and supporting me on my journey to publication.
Thank you to Claire Collison, who taught the Novel Writing module at Birkbeck, University of London, in 2011, the point at which I realized that writing a book wasn’t a completely ridiculous idea. To the writing group we formed afterward—I miss our monthly sessions and your thoughtful feedback. To Connie and John for their unwavering kindness and generosity.
Thank you to the Bath Novel Award, Joanna Barnard and the Society of Authors. To everyone involved with the Penguin Random House WriteNow program, particularly Siena Parker, Molly Crawford, Sally Williamson and especially Katie Seaman—I would not have got to this point without you. To my fellow WriteNow mentees, whose encouragement has been invaluable. To the Debut 20 group, who always make me feel much better about everything.
To my brilliant agent, Hannah Ferguson—thank you for everything you’ve done for me, for never doubting I could do it, for being an all-round lovely person and for making my dreams come true. To the amazing Thérèse Coen for talking to people around the world about my book with such enthusiasm, and to Caroline, Jo and Nicole at Hardman & Swainson. To my talented editors Margo Lipschultz, Helen O’Hare, Victoria Oundjian and Charlotte Mursell, whose combined vision shaped the book into something much better than I’d imagined it could be—I will be forever thankful for your hard work, your insight and your belief in the story. Thanks also to the teams at Orion Fiction and G. P. Putnam’s Sons, who have worked so tirelessly behind the scenes, particularly Patricja Okuniewska, Chandra Wohleber, Sandra Chiu and Claire Winecoff.
To my kind and beautiful mum and dad, who encouraged and celebrated my love of reading and who made me believe I could be anything I wanted to be. To Matthew and Helen, who had a “train incident” of their own and whose story inspired me to write this book. To Alyson and Janet, who always support me whatever I do. To my longtime friend Louise, who walked the length and breadth of Paris with me without complaint, and to Alex for being the best companion for a research trip to Amsterdam ever! And finally, thank you to my boyfriend, Robbie—my best friend and biggest supporter. And to Gabriel, the light of my life—thank you for believing that Mummy could do this.
Discussion Guide
At the beginning of the novel, Hannah and Si are rushing onto their train to Amsterdam. Discuss the series of events that lead to them being split up in the middle of the night.
Under what circumstances do Léo and Hannah first meet? What are their reactions upon discovering they’re actually en route to Paris?
What goes wrong when Hannah arrives in Paris and tries to make her way back to Amsterdam, and what forces her to stay in the city for the morning?
Discuss your first impressions of Léo. In what ways is he different from Si?
What quintessentially Parisian things does Hannah do and see? If you had a day to spend in Paris, what activities would you plan and why?
How does Hannah’s previous trip to Paris dictate how she feels about the city in the present of the story, and how does her time with Léo change her mind about it? What is she able to see with a fresh perspective?
Discuss how the trip changes Hannah’s mind about her career and love life. Why does she ultimately decide to pursue photography, and how does Hannah’s relationship with art mirror Léo’s relationship with music?
An important theme in The Paris Connection is that the unexpected detours in life can turn out to be some of the most valuable experiences. To what extent is that true in this novel?
What do you think is in store for Hannah and Léo?
About the Author
© Maria V Kaz Photography
Lorraine Brown trained as an actress and recently completed her final year for a postgraduate diploma in psychodynamic counseling. She was one of eleven mentees chosen to be part of Penguin Random House UK’s 2017 WriteNow program, which aims to launch the careers of writers from under-represented communities. Brown lives in London with her partner and their nine-year-old son.
Visit Lorraine Brown Online
lorrainebrownbooks.com
LorraineBrown23
lorrainebrownauthor
What’s next on
your reading list?
Discover your next
great read!
Get personalized book picks and up-to-date news about this author.
Sign up now.
The Paris Connection Page 27