Summer in Paris

Nina, Kristy and Jennifer, best friends and graduating seniors, are spending the summer in Paris as part of a student exchange program. To Francophile Nina, it's a dream come true, while for Kristy, it's a reprieve from her middle-child complex. Jennifer, though, has a boyfriend and wants to stay in Connecticut, but her parents insist she partake of this marvelous opportunity. Blair's characters are an odd assortment: sweet, mature Nina, desperate to remain in Paris, versus the self-centered, ill-mannered Jennifer and the insecure Kristy, who concocts a new persona to impress a young Frenchman. Blair ( Going Solo ) avoids an obvious resolution, however, and her novel remains absorbing as it takes readers on a tour of Paris and environs (a few historical footnotes are included as well). Ages 12-up. (Aug.)