On the precipice of 40, Dufflyn has little to show for herself besides a jagged history in love, a failing Hollywood career, and a severe case of unrealized wanderlust. Despite the magical ability she has inherited from her mother, she fears ending up another washed-up, perpetually single actress in the armpit of Los Angeles. Considering her options, she does what any half-sane woman would—she gets on the next plane to Paris.

And then she meets Benjamin (cue the red flag parade). He’s handsome. He’s French. He’s only a year and a half off of heroin and still on parole for carjacking. But what happens when your heart’s desire outweighs every obstacle thrown in its path? Because what Dufflyn discovers in Paris—outside of very strong cheese, con artists, and the Mona Lisa—is that after ten years of recovery and self-development, she has finally found true love.

In You Had Me at Bonjour, Dufflyn shares the intimate story of two lovers out on a limb, of what it’s like to risk everything for love when you are already living on borrowed time. Can they make it work despite distance, anger, jealousy, and the sexual politics of two very different cultures? Is her “magic” just fantasy, and is she fooling herself once again? It would be funny if the stakes weren’t so high. But in the end, Paris is not what she expected, any more than Benjamin is what she expected.

This romantic memoir will surprise you with its heart, profound insights, and undying hope in the face of the impossible. Get ready to believe in love again.