The Paris Soulmate

Gilbert (The Irish Fall) spins an earnest if flawed romance about a woman seeking to step out of the long shadow of her chronic illness. After battling debilitating autoimmune disorders for the past five years, Christine, on the cusp of 30 and eager to “give my heart its first actual chance at happiness,” decides to take a trip to Paris, where a crush from college lives. She’d never pursued him, but believes if they run into one another it’s proof they’re meant to be. At the airport before her flight, she bumps into “ruggedly handsome” Colin and sparks fly. Unbeknownst to Christine, Colin, an out-of-work actor, was hired by her best friend Lola to serve as a sort of “guardian angel” for the trip to make sure Christine “stays safe” and “has a good time”—which explains their side-by-side airplane seats and reservations at the same hotel. Lola wants to keep the plan a secret from Christine, who’s convinced she can take the trip solo, but a medical emergency midway through the trip forces Colin to confess the truth. Their budding romance grinds to a halt as Christine grapples with the betrayal and latent insecurities about her illness. Despite the sometimes-cringey dialogue (“I’m addicted to you. So far you’ve been a healthy drug. Prescribed to fix my jaded heart,” Colin tells Christine) and a premise that strains credulity, Gilbert’s characters have heart, and Christine offers a perceptive window into the complexities of life with chronic illness. This has its moments. (Self-published)