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A review by beate251
The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-hearted by Rebecca Raisin
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC.
Coco Chevallier, a dual French and British book editor, has to return from London to Paris with her teenage daughter Eloise in reluctant tow to live with her parents because her boyfriend Alexander defrauded her and her business and damaged her reputation so that she is bankrupt and no one wants to work with her anymore.
She bumps into Henri, a grumpy journalist who berates her for getting herself mugged in front of the Eiffel Tower like a dumb tourist, which gets her hackles up. She flees into a quaint bookshop called The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted and meets charming owner Valérie who offers her a cocktail and a job. It's then she realises Henri is a regular. I have to say, enemies to lovers is not a trope I relish but it wasn't overdone here.
There is a lot going on in this book, making it an interesting and well-rounded read. It looks like Eloise is bullied at her new school by fellow pupil Léa; quirky but lovable members of an energetic book club like Agnes, Ziggy and book doctor Isidore cause havoc; there is a mystery about the unknown author of a popular book of poems; and where is Valérie disappearing to every day?
This is my fourth new Rebecca Raisin book this year and the third to take place in Paris, which is just such a great, evocative backdrop. I love how the bookshop is such a haven for book lovers, with a leaning wall of books, a cocktail bar with snacks, a secret book tunnel, and an upstairs reading area with hammocks, daybeds and beanbags. Plus the literary mystery brings a certain je ne sais quoi to the story.
"Reading is a portal into another world."
It is lovely to see Anais, a character from the previous book "The Little Paris Hotel" make a quick cameo appearance, tying the two books together, but I would have wanted to see Alexander properly brought to justice. Nevertheless, Coco's resilience in the face of adversity is inspiring.
All in all it's a well-written and fun, feel-good literary-themed read for book lovers with a pretty cover, that will make you wish you could visit The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted and let Valérie make you a personal cocktail and heal your heart with a book - one that is a love letter to books! Heartbreak comes for a lot of reasons but there is always hope.
"Not only does the bookshop cater for those with a broken heart, but also for lonely hearts, lost souls, the grief stricken, the star crossed. There’s a remedy for everyone."
Coco Chevallier, a dual French and British book editor, has to return from London to Paris with her teenage daughter Eloise in reluctant tow to live with her parents because her boyfriend Alexander defrauded her and her business and damaged her reputation so that she is bankrupt and no one wants to work with her anymore.
She bumps into Henri, a grumpy journalist who berates her for getting herself mugged in front of the Eiffel Tower like a dumb tourist, which gets her hackles up. She flees into a quaint bookshop called The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted and meets charming owner Valérie who offers her a cocktail and a job. It's then she realises Henri is a regular. I have to say, enemies to lovers is not a trope I relish but it wasn't overdone here.
There is a lot going on in this book, making it an interesting and well-rounded read. It looks like Eloise is bullied at her new school by fellow pupil Léa; quirky but lovable members of an energetic book club like Agnes, Ziggy and book doctor Isidore cause havoc; there is a mystery about the unknown author of a popular book of poems; and where is Valérie disappearing to every day?
This is my fourth new Rebecca Raisin book this year and the third to take place in Paris, which is just such a great, evocative backdrop. I love how the bookshop is such a haven for book lovers, with a leaning wall of books, a cocktail bar with snacks, a secret book tunnel, and an upstairs reading area with hammocks, daybeds and beanbags. Plus the literary mystery brings a certain je ne sais quoi to the story.
"Reading is a portal into another world."
It is lovely to see Anais, a character from the previous book "The Little Paris Hotel" make a quick cameo appearance, tying the two books together, but I would have wanted to see Alexander properly brought to justice. Nevertheless, Coco's resilience in the face of adversity is inspiring.
All in all it's a well-written and fun, feel-good literary-themed read for book lovers with a pretty cover, that will make you wish you could visit The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted and let Valérie make you a personal cocktail and heal your heart with a book - one that is a love letter to books! Heartbreak comes for a lot of reasons but there is always hope.
"Not only does the bookshop cater for those with a broken heart, but also for lonely hearts, lost souls, the grief stricken, the star crossed. There’s a remedy for everyone."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Abandonment