Intrepid entrepreneur and author June Rives did just that when she took her leap to move to Paris. June has always loved anything French, majoring in the language in college, and then representing French clients with her public relations firm, June Rives Public Relations located in Houston, Texas and Miami Florida. At the turn of the 21st century, she made a life decision she has never regretted. She packed her bags, sold her successful business, and planned to live in the “City of Light” for one year. That relationship has turned into a lifetime.

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In addition to writing her books, loosely based on her own experiences in France, she owns a travel company doing wine and food tours of France and Italy. Knowing western Europe so well, she then founded a rental company finding apartments and vacation homes in England, France and Italy for the American market. These endeavors take her back to her beloved Europe quite often.

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She wrote her first book, non-fiction, called “Merci, Monsieur…A guide for living in la belle France” in 2004. She was encouraged by her French lawyer who sensed her enthusiasm and love for living in France. It was a gratifying experience with positive feedback. That encouraged her to write her first novel, “Paris Perfect”, published in 2016.

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“I found that novels take a little longer to write. I have poured my heart and soul into my first book and those that have followed,” says Rives. “Peril in Paris” is the second in the Punkin Lowery series and debuted in January 2020.It continues the saga of protagonist, Penelope Elizabeth “Punkin” Lowery Aumont as she becomes the doyenne of a wine estate in Bordeaux with her marriage and becomes a mother to adopted daughter, Madeleine. Her seemingly perfect life begins to go awry, and dreams are shattered.

 

“Purgatory in Paris” which was published in August 2021 concludes Punkin Lowery Aumont’s three years in Paris with a major life decision. “My novels are somewhat auto-biographical. I always remember what my English professor said: ‘good writers write what they know’ and that has been the case with me”, says June.

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June is currently working on her fourth novel, "Home On The Range", which takes Punkin back to West Texas. Publication is expected at the end of 2022.

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The author continually feels the inspiration of Paris, and the myriad of interesting characters she has met over 20 years. She laughs: “I think often about the great Honore de Balzac in writing his series La Comedie Humaine highlighting the social mores of 1830 and 1840 Parisian society. He must have just rolled out of bed, picked up his pen and started to write. He had so much material! These fascinating characters live on to this day, and many appear in my novels.”

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June was a resident of France for 10 years, and now returns often with her real estate, travel and vacation rental businesses.  She has always been active in the ex-pat community, being Welcome Committee Chair of the American Cathedral of Paris and on the board of the American Club. She has been a designated tour operator for the French Government Tourist Office since 1998. The author loves languages and is fluent in French, and conversant in Italian. When not writing, she is studying German and Russian, as well as pursuing her love of horse-back riding. She returns to Paris as often as she can.