An impulsive young American pretends to speak French to acquire an au pair job in the Loire and her unforgiving employer’s demands escalate to the breaking point when she attends classes and discovers romance in a nearby town.

Memoir,Young Adult,Adventure,Drama,Family,Romance

It’s 1979 and 21-year-old, Linda Kovic, needs to learn a language fast to fulfill her dream of becoming a flight attendant. She pretends to speak French and secures a job as a nanny in the Loire Valley, confident she'll be forgiven once she arrives at her destination.

After a tumultuous stay at the chateau, overworked and verbally abused by Madame Dubois, Linda gives her notice, so she can study French in the nearby town of Tours. Her employer goes postal and discards her at the train station the next morning. Fortunately, she has made some friends who can help.

Loire Valley, France

Yes

Internal Journey/Rebirth,Quest

Coming of Age,Happy Ending,Meaningful Message,Twist

Information not completed

Name: Linda Kovic

Age: 21

Gender: Female

Role: Protagonist

Key Traits: Adventurous,Aspiring,Charming,Confident,Empathetic,Engaging,Naive,Skillful,Romantic

Name: Madame Dubois

Age: 30

Gender: Female

Role: Protagonist

Key Traits: Narcisstic,Confident,Blunt,Decisive,Outspoken,Unapologetic,Educated,Aggressive,Strong Moral Code

Name: Adam

Age: 22

Gender: Male

Role: tempter

Key Traits: Confident,Engaging,Masculine,Charming,Heartthrob,Seductive,Romantic,Secretive,Unapologetic,Sexy

Name: Evelyne

Age: 30

Gender: Female

Role: emotional

Key Traits: Modest,Charming,Empathetic,Engaging,Faithful,Gracious

A futile lie. She does not speak French. She knows it was wrong to accept the nanny position. You'll find this unusual story, based on my diary from 1979, even more engaging because it reads like a novel. Twenty-one-year-old Linda needs to learn a language fast in order to fulfill her lofty dreams. Broke yet determined, she pushes aside feelings of guilt, pretends to speak French on her application and secures a nanny position for a wealthy family in France. Will she be able to redeem herself once she arrives at the Château de Montclair? How will she communicate with the Dubois family, especially the children? When Linda meets Adam, a handsome young student, her life becomes more complicated - much more complicated. Join Linda on her adventure of discovery and romance in an extraordinary part of the world and follow up with the final book in the French Illusions Series - "From Tours to Paris."

Originally from Seattle, Linda Kovic-Skow currently resides in Saint Petersburg, Florida. She has been married for 34 years and has two daughters and two grandsons. An enthusiastic traveler, Linda also enjoys hiking, boating, gardening and socializing with friends. "French Illusions: My Story as an American Au Pair in the Loire Valley," was her debut memoir. The sequel, "French Illusions: From Tours to Paris," recounts the rest of her adventure in France.

Age: 18-34,35-54,55+

Target Gender: Universal,Female Leaning

Information not completed

Status: Yes: self-published

Publisher: Dreamland Press, LLC

Year Published: 2012

No

9780988464025