When I finished reading I’m Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself, One Woman’s Pursuit of Pleasure in Paris by Glynnis MacNicol I originally did not intend to write a review of the book because I really didn’t enjoy it all that much. Then, after reading a full-page review by Joanna Rakoff in The New York Times’ Sunday Books section, I decided perhaps it did deserve a comment or two. If a NYT reviewer and I agree on a few things and she gave it that much print space, maybe my opinions have some validity.

If you’re a regular follower of BoomerBroadcast, you know that I can never resist a book about Paris. It usually guarantees a mini fantasy excursion to one of my favourite cities in the world. You don’t need an agenda to enjoy yourself in the city of light, and you don’t need to rush around like a crazy lady trying to see every touristy thing there is to see. A simple ramble into the streets beyond your hotel or Air B&B will usually guarantee memorable experiences with great food, incredible opportunities for people-watching, and unlimited architectural, cultural, and retail pleasures. That’s my preferred approach to enjoying myself in Paris.

Glynnis MacNicol’s reason for visiting Paris was nothing like mine. After sixteen months of isolation as a single lady in her New York apartment during COVID, she was desperate for social interaction. To put it bluntly, she wanted to get laid. I can understand her feelings having experienced a few dry spells myself in my single days but I would never consider her approach to relieving the boredom and tension.

As soon as the travel rules allowed, she flew to Paris where she linked up with several like-minded single ex-pat lady friends who lived and worked there. They introduced her to a cheeky Tinder-like dating site called “Fruitz” (I’m not making this up) so she could short-list some potential friendly encounters with men who were also looking for love in the afternoon, or whenever it was convenient.

I had a problem getting past the random sex with strangers issue which probably prejudiced me against the entire adventure and as I got into the book, my concerns were not alleviated—not one bit. MacNicol celebrated her 47th birthday while she was in Paris and she accomplished her mission but I found the book made for uncomfortable reading. Despite her seemingly free and open approach to her goal, I found the tone of the book to be somewhat defiant. She seems to have a chip on her shoulder and I felt like she was saying to the rest of us, “Screw you!”. Her suggestion that other women envy her single status is presumptuous and inaccurate.

MacNicol is a good writer but the book could have been better. The story seems to be divided into thirds. The first third is set in New York (where I did not want the story to be) and describes her general philosophy of life and motivation for going to Paris. After wading through that, the second third sets the stage for scoring her goals but wasn’t particularly engaging. By the final third, she has achieved her mission. We are familiar with her friends, and we accompanied her as she rode her bicycle around the city getting her jollies. We shared meals with her and her friends, and while parts of her experience made me uncomfortable, they obviously made her happy and that’s all that matters.

If you would enjoy reading about how a middle-aged lady went to Paris to join a questionable dating site for the purpose of having sex, then perhaps you will get more out of I’m Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself than I did. My idea of seeking pleasure in Paris is entirely different from MacNicol’s so it’s a highly subjective experience. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether you like this book or not. As they say, different strokes.

If you are unable to obtain I’m Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself by Glynnis MacNicol at your local bookstore or library, you can order it to be delivered directly to your door or download to your tablet from Amazon by clicking on this link.

(Disclosure: I may receive a teeny, tiny commission. Thank you.)