I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Sarah Smith feels like something is missing in her life. She loves her bookshop and her boyfriend, Ridge, but she just feels that she should be striving for more. When her friend Sophie, who owns a bookstore in Paris, suggest they trade stores for 6 months, Sarah shocks herself by agreeing. Ridge is travelling all around the world as a reporter, and he can just as easily visit her in Paris as in Ashford. The dreams Sarah has of Paris don't quite match the reality, though. Will Sarah find joy in the French capital, or will she endure 6 long months of wishing she had never wished for more?

If you asked me for a stereotypical women's fiction book set in Paris, this is the book I would come up with. I had not read the first book in the Bookshop series before reading this book. You can start with this book without being lost on the plot, but perhaps reading The Bookshop on the Corner first would have given me a better appreciation of Sarah, Ridge, and their relationship. With only this book to go on, I didn't see any reason they loved each other, just lust to be in bed together between his assignments. Also, it was completely unrealistic that Sarah and Sophie could have gotten visas to work in each others' countries within 2 days of Sophie proposing the idea. Rebecca Raisin does have a way with flowery words, though, so overlooking all the other issues, it wasn't a bad book.

A book about a bookshop, what could even be better? And how adorable is the cover on this book! Not to mention this book takes place where I live, Connecticut!

Sarah is happily living life with her little bookshop in a small town in Connecticut. She seems to know everyone, has a great group of friends, and a gorgeous boyfriend. What more could she want? When she friend Sophie begs her to switches places with her, Sarah agrees. She is going to get to manage a bookshop in Paris!

It sounds amazing, that is until she arrives. The staff at the bookshop give her the cold shoulder immediately. Business is crazy, and she seems to not be able to fit in anywhere.

Oh this book was just so good! I really felt for Sarah, and could relate to how she felt being the new person. The characters were fantastic, I would highly recommend this one!

I really enjoyed this one! Who doesn't love a book about books? Add a setting in the most romantic city in the world, Paris, and you have a great combo to make a fabulous novel. A cute cozy book that will be a perfect read by the fireplace in winter.

" The Little Bookshop on the Seine” by Rebecca Raisin. I really enjoyed stepping away from my normal reading and taking a chance on a romance/woman’s fiction, it was so refreshing and heartfelt

I’m going to start off by saying I’m not a huge romance fan but I absolutely loved this book! I could see my book friends in it and the way she described things was so up our introverted book nerd alley that I found myself engrossed in story. Who wouldn’t want an escape to Paris for few months, but what we wish for is not always what we dreamed it would be.

I found the story to be more about finding your way in the world, friendship and yes love. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves books and wants a feel good read.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Harlequin and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Little Bookshop on the Seine is a contemporary romance set in Paris about a bookshop owner who needs to fine her confidence and her reignite her passion for life. It was a cute, light hearted story about a book lover and shop owner who finds herself and her happily ever after in the City of Lights.

The Little Bookshop on the Seine is a book for book lovers and dreamers everywhere, and is literally the bookish version of The Holiday.

Given the state of the world right now, this was the perfect book for me to read because I got to travel back to Paris in my mind. Sarah goes almost everywhere in Paris that I can imagine and some that I can't. She starts the book unsure and insecure, but soon find her voice and her spirit while deciding what is important in her life.

The only criticism I have of this book is the pairing up. I don't understand why almost every character needed pairing up, or why finding The One was so important for everyone's happiness. Especially with one of the chracters, who is vibrant and fool of life, Rebecca Raisin essentially turns her entire existence into a farce when she falls in love. I wish that character had been left to stand alone and her life given value without a significant other. She had affairs and flings but she also had this beautiful free spirit that gets taken away in the end. It was taken away, not by deciding to settle down, but because it felt like everything she did before was valued as meaningless in the book.

Otherwise, I sincerely enjoyed this adorable book. The small town that Sarah leaves seems idealic and her friends made me want to join their group just to sit in on the skype calls.

An enjoyable work of contemporary fiction, with great scene setting, a nice sprinkling of mystery and romance. A great novel to relax with.

This book has all the makings of a perfect book (for me): Christmas, Paris, romance, bookshop owner... but it fell a little from the mark. Please know that I enjoyed the book and that I was daydreaming about Paris and Christmas more than I usually do, but I felt that Sarah is a little stepped on by trading responsibilities of a large popular bookshop with employees from her tiny shop with just her. I kinda think her friend gave her the short end of the stick.




So, I gave you a short synopsis: Sarah owns a small bookshop and penpals with another bookshop owner in Paris. They become fast friends, and at the suggestion of her friend, they trade positions for a year. That's when things go south for Sarah and extremely far north for her friend. Sarah is weighed down with personnel issues and orders and 24-hour care of her shop with her friend lays back in quiet solitude and even gets to be friends with Sarah's friends!

The romantic parts were few and far between. Ridge, her boyfriend only appears once in 90 days and he butchers the opportunities for that one day. I do not have any love for Ridge at all. Still, the book has a tendency to be more realistic than most romance books I read. The Christmas scenes were fun and lively and I loved them!

This is second in the bookshop series and I am looking forward to more.

Enjoy this interview with the author!!




Q: Have you ever been to Paris? If so, what are some of your favorite Parisian things?

A: I’ve been lucky enough to go Paris four times and do a bit of exploring for the books. It’s my favourite city in the world and if I could up and move I’d do it! I love the bookshops of Paris, particularly the secondhand shops that are dusty and musty and disorderly. You never know what you’ll find and that makes it magical. If you’re in Paris find the Abbey Bookshop, it’s full to bursting with English books and it’s a treasure trove if you have time to hunt! I also love French food - who doesn’t?! My favourite place to eat is the Christian Constant bistros. He has one for every budget and they’re all glorious. If you splurge once, I highly recommend it’s there.

The Ritz is also a must-see, from Bar Hemingway to Salon Proust, it’s an experience like no other walking in the footsteps of those literary greats. Buly 1803 is the most beautiful perfume shop in all the world, it’s like stepping back in time. My favourite is the rose oil… ooh la la. And holding a special place in my heart is Point Zero Paris, the exact centre of the city and a place where magic happens - you’ll have to read the book to find out more...

Q: What authors were/are a huge influence on you as you began writing? Or Now?

A: I have always loved Maeve Binchy and Joanne Harris and the style in which they write. I love Maeve’s ability to write everyday relatable characters, and I love Joanne’s sense of whimsy. I love writing foodie books set in exotic locations and I think I probably fell in love with France through Joanne’s books, they managed to transport me fully and I must’ve reread them a hundred times by now.

Q: What's some of your favorite novels? What are you currently reading and what's on your TBR (to be read) list?

A: I loved Me Before You. I cried ugly, ugly tears at that. I must be a sucker for punishment because my all time favourite is The Fault in Our Stars. And also Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance. Three books that you need to read in the privacy of your own home with some cucumber slices to apply after for puffy eyes! I’m currently reading the Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley, so a nice change of pace from sobbing my heart out. I love how different each sister is and how you still find common ground with them.

Q: What inspired you to write your The Little Bookshop on the Siene?

A: My love of Paris and its bookshops! And truthfully, I wangled the family there so I could do some ‘research’ which included eating my body weight in macarons and walking until I couldn’t feel my feet anymore and feeling that I was a little bit French on the inside if only the locals could see that!

Q: What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

A: I hope you do something reckless, something that scares you, jump out of that comfort zone and do that thing you’ve always dreamed of! What’s stopping you - fear, money, work, life? You can make it happen if only you take the plunge! Open yourself to new experiences and people and don't take the taxi, walk until your feet are numb and find those lost laneways and hidden alleys and see what you find!

Q: What drew you into this particular genre?

A: I love love, but Little Bookshop is also about another kind of love, the love of a place, or a feeling...writing this genre leaves it open to interpretation and anything goes as long you tie it all up at the end in a satisfying way!

Q: If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

A: I’d sit down with bookworm Sarah and ask her what she really thought of Luiz… I am still conflicted about that thread and what I could have done but didn’t!

Q: What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

A: They’ve all been good in different ways but I’d say Facebook is my favourite. I have a great group of people who follow me there and really interact. It’s a nice place to stop and chat and they’re all really lovely. Instagram is good too. I love how creative book bloggers are with their photos, they’re very inspiring to me.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

A: I’ve said this before and it’s really this simple. Write every day. I think it was Stephen King who said writing is like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets and it’s true! Carve out a time and stick to it.

Q: What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

A: I’m currently editing Aria’s Travelling Bookshop, which is about a Van Lifer who sells her wares as she explores France! (Are you detecting a pattern here!?) It’s the follow up to Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop, which was released last March. Both books are about a different way of living, about having less but gaining more as you go. I’ve loved writing Rosie and Aria!

Beautifully described settings along with a heartwarming tale. Very slow to start and maybe lack a bit of true depth of character, it however is an overall decent read.

I liked this one, it was simple and sweet, but it perhaps lacked a bit of depth and character development that I usually like in my books. The storyline was nice, but seemed far fetched at times, would a character really lend out her book store and then not help the other shop owner with details? I wanted it to be a romance, but it wasn't really one. I did enjoy it more than the first one in the series, and it was sweet.

The Little Bookshop on the Seine is a sweet and heartwarming holiday novel. Sarah, a small town bookstore owner in Ashford, has few problems- just a little financial situation at the bookshop. When her friend, Sophie, asks her to switch bookshops so that she can get over a humiliating breakup, Sarah agrees. Her boyfriend, Ridge, is away on assignment, so this seems like the perfect time for an adventure of a lifetime. You really get to see Sarah grow, open up to herself, and gain a lot more confidence. Paris and Ashford were both so beautifully described. Overall, it was a fun and cute holiday romance.

I had heard so much about this book so when I had an opportunity to read it, I decided it would be a fun read, which it was. I liked the premise even if it seemed a bit far-fetched to me but it turned out to be a rather interesting and a pleasant light read.

I liked Sara and the passion she has for books but boy is she in for a surprise when she meets the staff she manages in the Paris book shop. I had to sympathize with her at first but after awhile it got on my nerves to see her try so hard and not gain any respect for the first few chapters.
As the story progressed, I did become more interested and started to enjoy her adventures and the relationships she had with her new friends.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book to read with a few likable characters and wonderful descriptions of Paris.
I received an e-copy from the publisher and have given my honest opinion.

My last read of 2019! And it was perfect timing, too, considering the book ends on Christmas.

Sarah Smith has never left her tiny town of Ashford. She's run a bookstore there since she was 19, she has a brand new guy she's pretty sure is the one, and she has a core group of friends that are always there for her. In short, she's pretty happy with life. But when a fellow bookstore owner and friend offers an opportunity to swap, it doesn't take much for Sarah to say yes. The store in question is in Paris, after all, and Sarah has always said she'd visit one day...

But nothing turns out quite as she'd hoped. The store is way busier than her own and the demands of working there mean very little time to get out and see the city. What's more, her boyfriend has been so overburdened by work that he has hardly any time for a phone call, much less the promised visits to her new, temporary home.

Homesickness sets in when sales at the Paris store start to decline and the store's owner expresses her disappointment. Now Sarah has to decide whether to buckle down and try something new or give up and go home.

Rebecca Raisin's Little Bookshop on the Sèine is a charmingly light romance. And the bookstore setting is one that really speaks to me!

Sarah isn't prone to taking chances. And it's soon clear why—her own mother makes Paris out to be a place of not so hidden dangers rather than a top tourist destination. Fortunately, Sarah's desire to see and do something new after so many years wins out and she takes a chance.

But things start out rocky. Her luggage and passport are stolen on the very first day and the welcome she expected at her new store is chilly, to say the least.

Fortunately, she's taken under the wing of someone who knows the ins and outs of the store as well as the streets of her new hometown.

One of my favorite things about the book were the secret spots Sarah is introduced to throughout Paris. I'm sure some of them are completely fictional, but others are absolutely real and though I've never visited the City of Lights myself, it felt like I was there with Sarah!

There were a few extraneous plot points that felt thrown in at the last minute, but all in all this was a fun and sweet read that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Huge thanks to HQN Books for inviting me to be on the tour!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

Often, any book that includes the word “bookshop” automatically scares hardcore readers. Why? Well, books about bookshops and bookshop owners are hard. They can get too into themselves in trying too hard to prove their love of books. The description of the smell of books can go on for pages when all the reader really wants is to get to the plot! Little Bookshop on the Seine does not suffer from this affliction though. The characters were fun, the plot was enjoyable, and one could easily picture this bookshop as Shakespeare’s bookshop in Paris while the book went on.

The only issue I could really see was that the ending wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly. However, it makes one excited to dive into the rest of the books in the series.

Enjoyed the bookshop swap premise and setting in Paris. A lighter, quick read with a bit of romance.

This was a very sweet book and a quick read. Quite enjoyable and I think people will really enjoy this book quite a bit if you're looking for a fluffy romance.

Rebecca Raisin places our heroine in the Little Bookshop on the Seine. Her boyfriend is a journalist boyfriend Ridge is always on assignment and Sarah accepts an exchange with a bookstore owner in Pairs to see a new scene. Relations with her new staff are difficult but she is enjoying Paris. What can go wrong? Modern romantic relations with romantic setting. Enjoy.

The Little Bookshop on the Seine completely sold me on the idea of the bookstore swap and Paris. I think I was expecting more of a romantic comedy (similar to the movie The Holiday) and that’s not what this book is. Instead, it’s more of a contemporary romance. I think if I’d gone in with the right expectations, I would have enjoyed this book a lot more. It has a great finding-your-way journey, some excellent friendships, and a bookstore that will haunt your dreams (seriously, I want to move in).

I’d recommend reading this one around the holidays, it has that holiday cheer that works perfectly during that time of year. Also, fair warning, you will want to travel to Paris after reading this.

*Disclaimer: I received a free advance digital copy of this book from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

As a reader, there is nothing that enchants me more than a setting of a bookshop. However, as much as I loved the setting, I wished for more in the story and I also wished for more in the romance.

Honestly, the story was fairly boring. I held out hope that it would get better once the main character met a new love interest. Well. I can't give any spoilers away but know this: I was disappointed on that front. That's all I will say.

For the romance component of this novel, there was no chemistry and it honestly seemed like a terrible relationship to be in. Not only would I not want a similar relationship for myself, but I would also not want a similar relationship for any of my friends.

It took me longer than I expected to finish this book because I just kept putting it down. Every time I found the story was becoming too dull, down the book went. Unfortunately, that happened quite often.

There are many cozy romance reads out there that are set in both bookshops and in Paris. This is not one that I would recommend.

***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Very cute premise, Sarah getting to go to Paris to run a bookshop, what could be better?! Her long distance relationship may get to have a better meeting point, and books! I would have liked to do more around Paris, but the book info was ok.