I’m truly excited to bring you another feature today for the Harlequin Winter Blog Tour. Rebecca Raisin is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors so this post is extra special. You may recall that I read, reviewed and LOVED her book, “Rosie’s Traveling Tea Shop” (review HERE) but that is simply my favorite among many of her books that I’ve read. Now added to that list of faves is “Little Bookshop on the Seine.” I mean, who doesn’t love a story set in both Paris and a bookstore!?

Sarah owns her own little bookstore in a small town across the street from her best friend’s cafe. Readers of Rebecca Raisin will recognize many of the characters in Little Bookshop, but this is Sarah’s story and the first in the Paris series. Sarah loves her store, her books are more like family than “real people.” She has a handsome boyfriend who travels all over the world and Sarah is feeling a bit of that wanderlust herself. Her life has become a bit too predictable. When her online friend in Paris suggests a store swap, Sarah jumps at the chance, not really comprehending what she is getting herself into. The fast paced life of a Parisian bookstore is a far cry from her very laid back store in Ashford. Will Sarah be able to cut it or will she run back home to the safety of home and her friends?

I absolutely adored Sarah’s story. That feeling of restlessness is something of which I am very familiar. I wanted her to be stronger, get it together quicker, but as the story unfolds, we are able to see that Sarah is growing and maturing in very wonderful ways. This is more than just another cute cosy. As with so many of Raisin’s books, we see how women can rise to occasion when necessary and that within each of us is a strength we can call upon when needed. I highly recommend Little Bookshop on the Seine and, although it takes place around the holidays, it is not a holiday book. It is a marvelous introduction to a new series that is sure to be a great one.

I knew that I had to read this book when I saw that it was about a bookshop and the Seine. I am in love with all things books related on top of everything Europe related. I make no show to hide my love of books. I even have a book-related tattoo on my arm. I couldn’t wait to read it.

Sarah Smith is a total introvert. She works at her bookstore. She thinks the books talk to her. She wants a different life but doesn’t take the steps to change it. That all changes when her friend Sophie a bookstore owner in Paris proposes a change. She asks if they could switch lives for 6 months. Sarah’s life changes forever when she says yes. I absolutely loved this book. I read it in about 2.5 days, it was that good. I stayed up way past my bedtime because I just wanted to read “one more chapter.”

The way the author wrote this book. I could feel every breeze past the Seine. I could smell the farmer’s markets as she visited. The adventures that Sarah takes while she is in Paris, made me want to adventure in the way she did. Wander down random alleys, visit out of the way antique shops. I was proud of the way Sarah stood up to her employees. Especially, being a shy mousy girl. I wish that I was that way. I can tend to be a proverbial doormat at times. I can’t wait until my kids are old enough so I can once again travel and show my kids the wonder of the world. I will be looking for more books by this author. I see that there is one more book prior to this one in the series.

I was provided with an ARC of this title from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful love story about finding your joy wherever you are. When Sarah has the chance to swap bookshops with her Parisian friend it seems like a dream come true. Her elusive boyfriend Ridge may actually make an appearance with the enticement of an adventure in the City of Romance.

But Paris is more challenging, and more rewarding, than Sarah expected. She forges unlikely friendships, launches her friend's business into the 21st century, and learns invaluable lessons.

Recommended as a light read for everyone who has ever felt their life is on hiatus, or imagined starting over far away.

Your ticket to Paris awaits…
Rebecca Raisin has created a love song to hopeless romantics in The Little Bookshop on the Seine. The story is about bookshop owner Sarah Smith and the decisions she makes that leads her on a life-changing adventure! If you’re a fan of The Holiday then this book is going to check all your boxes.

Sarah agrees to take over her friend Sophie’s bookstore in Paris so Sophie can take a break at Sarah’s bookstore in idyllic Ashford. Upon arriving in Paris, Sophie has a less than stellar welcome. She quickly learns that the hustle and bustle of Parisian life is completely different than her sleepy New England town.

What became the most enjoyable part of reading The Little Bookshop on the Seine is experiencing Paris and falling in love with it all over again with Sarah. The people Sarah meets at the bookstore are equally unique and full of mystery as Paris itself. The journey that Sarah goes on, and the challenges that she faces are harrowing and frustrating. But learning to let go of expectations is hard on anyone, and Sarah handles the lessons she learns with the help of her new friends. Being able to follow her journey of embracing a Parisian life makes me yearn to travel to Paris. Sarah finally comes to embrace the people she works with, and she also learns how to embrace her own life as well as the people she’s left behind.

The Little Bookshop on the Seine truly awakens the travel bug in me. It has made me miss the smells, sounds, and sights of Paris. There’s something alluring about picking up and just going somewhere—anywhere—at the drop of a hat. This is a story that has something for everyone: a cast of characters that are unique wanderers that find themselves in Paris, a mystery with star-crossed lovers, and all sprinkled with the magic of a bookshop.

Rebecca Raisin’s The Little Bookshop on the Seine is definitely as charming as the title! Available January 7th, this will be the book you need to start your New Year off right!

This was a super cute cozy Christmas book. I was a little confused as to why it wasn’t released before Christmas. But anyway i really enjoyed the book especially because it was set in Paris and at a bookstore.

This is a sweet tale about a bookshop owner in the US named Sarah who does a bookshop exchange with her friend Sophie in Paris in order to figure out where she is stuck in her life.
I liked the romance, but I felt like Sarah was way too much of a doormat for too long. She didn't stand up for herself, didn't figure out what she was actually getting herself into. I felt like the emotions of the book stayed on the surface and didn't get deep enough, even with the love of books.
One of the things that I learned after I finished this book which would explain a lot is that there are a large number of books in a previous series that introduce all of these characters. Jumping into this book without reading the earlier books made me feel like I was thrown into a story without knowing the characters or their back stories, and not much recap was ever given. I didn't completely buy into the romance between Sarah and Ridge or understand at all why they stayed together because I didn't experience their relationship before this book. Those who have read this whole series will love this one I'm sure, I highly recommend starting at the beginning rather than just jumping in like I did.
Overall it is a sweet tale and I felt good when I finished, I just thought I was missing something and I was.

It’s the last day of the decade and I can’t believe a new year and decade is already here! I am closing out this year with a fun little romance number here that is set in Paris.

This book wasn’t a hard sell for me. I mean come on…..a bookshop romance set in Paris with a little holiday flair? No brainer right there.

Everything I hoped to get out of this book, I got. I hoped for romance, a happy ending, and a fun trip through Paris—check, check, check. I especially was looking forward to revisiting some of my favorite things about Paris with this one and I totally felt transported and happy while reading it.

Summary
When bookshop owner Sarah Smith is offered the opportunity for a job exchange with her Parisian friend Sophie, saying yes is a no-brainer—after all, what kind of romantic would turn down six months in Paris? Sarah is sure she’s in for the experience of a lifetime—days spent surrounded by literature in a gorgeous bookshop, and the chance to watch the snow fall on the Eiffel Tower. Plus, now she can meet up with her journalist boyfriend, Ridge, when his job takes him around the globe.

But her expectations cool faster than her café au lait soon after she lands in the City of Light—she’s a fish out of water in Paris. The customers are rude, her new coworkers suspicious and her relationship with Ridge has been reduced to a long-distance game of phone tag, leaving Sarah to wonder if he’ll ever put her first over his busy career. As Christmas approaches, Sarah is determined to get the shop—and her life—back in order…and make her dreams of a Parisian happily-ever-after come true. (summary from Goodreads).

Review
This book’s tag line boasts ‘a great big love letter to Paris, charming old bookstores and happily-ever-afters!’ and I would 100% agree with this tag line. It is all those things and surprisingly, it had more as well! This book has a lot of different characters for the main character to interact with and grow from which was fun to see. I especially enjoyed the friendship between Sarah and Beatrice.

But the thing that stands out in this book for me is the lovely Paris descriptions. I felt like I was back there walking the same streets and exploring the city of love and lights but also laughing along with some of the not so special things about Paris. When I visited a few years ago for the second time, I too had trouble with my passport and found the people exceptionally rude and snobbish. So I had to laugh at some of Sarah’s issues with the Parisian people. I thought this made the book all the more realistic and lovable. Paris is so easy to romanticize and sometimes it becomes this idillic place of romance when in reality no one wears deodorant and no one will admit to speaking English so I loved that the author balanced the city and its people with romance and realism.

While at first I wasn’t a fan of the love interest Ridge, by the end I felt invested in their relationship. At first Ridge seems rather self centered and just absent—literally. But as the story goes on, their relationship is tested and they are forced to either grow apart of grow together and I loved watching how that played out through the novel.

This is a wonderfully charming romance specifically aimed at readers and I am completely here for it. It was a quick fun festive read that I was able to finish in a few days (which was pretty good for a 400+ page book!) that left me longing for Paris and more great books! Rebecca Raisin is a new to my author but I am thrilled to see that this is part of a series set in France. I can’t wait to see where the next story goes!

Book Info and Rating
Paperback, 416 pages
Expected publication: January 7th 2020 by HQN (first published October 16th 2015)
ISBN 1335012508 (ISBN13: 9781335012500)
Free review copy provided by publisher, Harlequin, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: chick lit, romance

2.5-3 Stars (rounded to 3 for fans of Romance)

Thanks #netgalley #harlequin for a free e copy of #thelittlebookshopontheseine in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Sarah is living a quiet life in a small town, owns a small, quaint bookstore, and enjoys spending time with her close friends. Even though she has a boyfriend, she seldom sees him because he’s a freelance journalist who chases stories around the world. Sarah also has in internet friend, Sophie, who owns a bookstore in Paris. Sophie is unhappy and offers Sarah a chance to switch jobs for a while, each running the other’s bookstore and living in each other’s homes. Sarah, feeling that something is missing from her life, decides to accept the offer. It seems odd that she has never left her small town and yet she conveniently has a passport, adequate luggage, and can be ready to leave the country for a major life change in two days....but I digress.

The charming part of the story is the setting. We get to experience Paris as a local and envision a quaint and quirky bookshop (although the book references are a bit over the top).

The less charming part of the story is the stereotypical, “just-walked-off-the-pages-of-a-romance-novel” boyfriend. In fact, I spent most of the story hoping she’d break up with this smooth talker and find someone else. I do not trust him with Sarah’s heart!

Although the story is character (and setting) driven, Sarah is the only character that is somewhat developed (the others were fairly flat). She manages to find her voice, gain some confidence, and overcome a few of her challenges. However, when I arrived at the story’s end (HEA because Romance), I thought: “That’s it?” I realized I had been waiting for something more exciting to happen.

If you are looking for an easy reading, light Romance without substantial themes, a steam factor of 1 (completely closed door), and don’t mind minimal character development or minimal plot, you might enjoy this read.

I really enjoyed this quick contemporary romance!

This type of romance was a bit different for me since I typically read historical romance. I loved the descriptions of Paris and the all the bookishness throughout. The setting felt real and had me daydreaming about Parisian bookshops.

This is the first book I’ve read by Raisin and part way through a series (or seemingly several series) so it took me a little bit to become invested in Sarah and Ridge.

I wasn’t particularly attached to the hero or heroine or their relationship at the start of the book, however as the plot developed I came to appreciate how the relationship had growing pains. Much like the lived-in feeling of the atmosphere and setting, I appreciated that the relationship felt real and focused on honesty and communication rather than a sparkly hero to sweep the heroine off her feet. While I do love that type of romance, particularly in historicals, I think I need my contemporary romances to feel like real relationships and Raisin did this quite successfully.

I definitely recommend this as a quick contemporary romance, especially if you want a dash of wanderlust and bookworm love!

Well I've completely fallen in love with this book all over again.  I am completely and utterly smitten by everything about this books and both times I've read it I've just sank into the story with every bit of my heart. 

The setting is simply stunning.  I love Paris but I've always felt like there's more to be explored in the back street and lesser known areas.  Little Bookshop really brings those aspects and the more known places alive through vivid description and detail.  Seeing through the main character's eyes (Sarah) as a first time traveller and a girl who is a bit naive makes them even more exciting and magical.  I swear every time she set foot outside the bookshop I could hear, smell and taste everything she could.   

The Bookshop itself (wonderfully named Once Upon a Time) is just the stuff my dreams are made of.  I've always wanted to have my own shop - unlikely - but if I did I would want it to be like this one.  It's so much more than a bookshop.  It's a community, a place for writers, lovers, poets and lost souls looking for that missing piece of themselves.

On top of this amazing backdrop we meet many lovable characters.  All with their own stories and heartaches but all creeping their way into the reader's hearts and nestling down in there forever more.

This novel is just a delight to read and I cannot possibly gush over it any more than I have.  It's a must for romance and book lovers.

I'm all about the premise for The Little Bookshop on the Seine - the book version of the Holiday? Partially set in Paris? Featuring a bookshop swap, instead of a home trade? But for whatever reason, I'm just not into this one.

I think it might be a mismatch between the writing style and my personal preferences - there have been some lines so far that didn't sit right with me, and each one takes me out of the story. I'm just not jiving with it, and haven't been drawn into the story enough to want to continue reading it at this point in time.

I'd still recommend you try the Little Bookshop on the Seine if you're in the mood for a quick read. Maybe the writing and characters will work better for you!

DNF at 11%

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for a free e-arc of this title for review.

Bookshop owner Sarah Smith’s adventure in The Little Bookshop on the Seine by Rebecca Raisin, is an amazing, picturesque, and emotional story that has Sarah growing, changing, and possibly becoming the person she needed to be. Sarah has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime, exchange bookshops with a Parisian friend for 6 months. Sarah, an introvert, led a sheltered life, books filling her life, and never left her small town. Being the true romantic that she is, Sarah knew going to Paris, the City of Love, was a no brainer. Sarah expects this exchange to a holiday, having time to wander about seeing the Parisian sights, eating croissants, sipping café au laits, and people watching. In reality when Sarah arrives, her dream is not quite as promising in reality. She deals with a staff that refuses to follow her lead, suggestions, or demands. She does make friends, lifetime friends, and discovers much about herself as she adapts to being in charge and finding a balance in her life. She falls in love with the city of Paris; how could she not. There are secondary stories that float around in this adventure, the discovery of hidden love letters, befriending a reclusive and favorite author, and Sarah dealing with the love of her life who is off covering the world. From page one I struggled putting this book down.

Ms. Raisin wrote an amazing, visual and emotional story that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with emotions, humor, and endearing characters giving Sarah a chance to grow. I highly recommend The Little Bookshop on the Seine to other readers and look forward to what Ms. Raisin has next for readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, provided by the publisher.

This was as typical as it could've been. A tooth-rottingly sweet bookstore romance. I really like Christmas based romance stories especially during that time of year. However, this one fell a little flat for me.

What I didn't know when I requested this book was that it was the second in a series. I looked it up to see if this could be read as a standalone and it said that it could. However, from personal experience, I'd read the first book in the series, The Bookshop on the Corner. Since I didn't read the first one, I felt like there was a good amount missing about a backstory. I was curious on why Sophie chose Paris, etc. You might not need to read the first one and enjoy it, but in my opinion, I think that it would be better if you did.

I wasn't a huge fan of Sarah's character. Her development wasn't shown and it appears that she is a doormat for most of the book. People walk all over her throughout this novel and at some point, it does get old. I felt like skipping and scanning to just get through that part multiple times. I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over again with some breaks of Sarah going out in Paris.

The flow of this book was very up and down. I felt like it was definitely repetitive, but I also feel like there were times where I was confused about the time periods. It seemed as though the time was flying and all of a sudden, Christmas was upon them and the story was pretty much over. I thought maybe it would've been better like that to make up for the repetitiveness of the story, but it just made me feel more confused about it.

There was plenty about this book that could be considered lovable, but it was a little tough to get through it. The enjoyable moments were as the heroine walks around Paris and gives me a complete visual of what I would see if I were in her shoes. On the other hand, I wish I read the first book before this one. There's a good amount of backstory that happens off the pages that probably could be found in the first book of this series. This was enjoyable, but the writing could have definitely been tighter.

I’m new to author Rebecca Raisin, and I found her story to be sweet and heartwarming. I did not realize that The Little Bookshop on the Seine was a follow-on from a prior book of the author’s (The Bookshop on the Corner), and I had no problem jumping into the storyline.

When Sophie and Sarah trade places, I would have thought that Sophie would leave Sarah with more detailed information about her business, given how tight she held the reins. While Sophie expected Sarah to keep everything the same, she makes many changes at Sarah’s business. Sarah’s business thrives with the changes, and Sophie’s business declines under Sophie’s strict mandates.

Sarah jumps at the chance for this adventure, and she quickly learns that the grass is not greener on the other side, but a different shade of brown. She leaves coddling parents and supportive friends for a vision of romantically exploring Paris after she closes up the bookshop everyday. What she gets is a difficult staff, antiquated business practices, tedious bookkeeping, and a long-distance boyfriend whose phone keeps getting answered by his female coworker while they are traveling on assignment.

Her only respite comes from the mysterious gentleman who spends most days quietly in one of the bookshop’s obscure rooms. When they discover a bundle of old love letters, they set off to discover who the correspondents are and if the two ever realized their dreams of a life together.

I loved Ms. Raisin’s vivid description of Paris and the various secondary characters. I felt that I accompanied Sarah on her journey to bistros, back-alley antique shops, and boulangeries. I adored the Paris bookshop’s staff and the complexity they brought to the story. Sarah’s relationships with each of them creates a richer story, and those relationships make the book more contemporary fiction/women’s literature rather than a romance.

I struggled with the viability of Sarah and Ridge’s relationship throughout the story, and I spent much of the book wishing Sarah would let go of her obsession with Ridge and adventurously take in all that she could of Paris. In the end, author Rebecca Raisin gives her readers a message of friendship, love, and self-confidence. Even though it took entirely too long for timid Sarah to find her way, she eventually comes into her own in Paris, and I finished the story believing that Sarah grew confident enough to tackle anything.

Rating 3,5 stars rounded to 4.
I consider this novel a lovely urban fairy tales set in this time. I consider it a fairy tales because there's a lot of think that would not be possible in real life like travelling to USA/Europe without any working permit. This would take quite a long time and it would be necessary due to the shop exchange and the necessity of working in a foreign country.
That said I found this story quite enjoyable and entertaining. I loved the vivid descriptions of Paris and the Parisian characters, not likeable but very life like.
Sarah is a strange characters, for the best part of the books she's naive and idealistic but she's also able to change and turn into a more assertive and interesting characters.
I was not very fond of her romance that seemed more of a fantasy based on good chemistry than a concrete love story.
I think that the main character of this story is Paris. I loved the descriptions of the city and it made me crave to be there.
I thinks it was an entertaining read and I recommend it but please remember that this is a fairy tale, a sort of dream a not a contemporary romance.
Many thanks to HQN and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

**Note: I got this book for free from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for sharing a fair, honest review. The opinions expressed are definitely my own!

What I liked:
*I could totally relate to Sarah, the main character. She was funny and real, filled with self-doubt and a bit naive, in ways that are believable, given the sheltered life she has led up to now. I thought she had a great attitude, though there were times when she did get a bit down and didn't do much about it other than mope, and that was frustrating for me. Overall, I liked her quite a bit.
*I enjoyed the setting of Paris, and the description of the places around the city and how the people decorated for and celebrated Christmas-time. I loved the little quirks of the antique shop where you can't go in unless you have an introduction, and the hidden fresh market. I also thought a few of the secondary characters (TJ, Oceane, Luiz) had great personalities and were fun to read about.
*I liked how it all turned out and I was definitely invested in the characters, so I read through to the end happily and would definitely read other books by this author.

What didn't work so well:
*The middle section of this book really dragged on for me. It felt like "more of the same, more of the same, more of the same" -- I feel like 100 pages or more could be cut out of the middle and I wouldn't have even noticed. I did enjoy the descriptions of winter Paris, but other than that, I really got nothing from this section of the book.
*I felt a couple of the characters and the way they acted were unbelievable. I don't want any spoilers in here, but one character goes from being Sarah's foil to her friend practically overnight, and I just found it hard to believe. I also didn't totally buy the way Sarah's relationship worked with her French exchange counterpart, Sophie. This isn't a huge deal for the plot, but I still didn't find it very realistic.
*It could be a personal issue related to hang-ups I have with certain personality types, but I actually thought Sarah's boyfriend was a narcissistic jerk, and that made it really hard for me to cheer for them to sort things out. Since that is a central conflict for Sarah in the book, I had a hard time and got pretty frustrated at various points in the story.

Those are all my thoughts on this one. Lots of things to like, and a few things that made it not quite perfect for me. I would like to try more by this author for sure though.

The Little Bookshop on the Seine by Rebecca Raisin was a charming holiday story set in a place almost as romantic as the plot – Paris, France. When Sarah Smith switches bookstores and lives with her Paris-dwelling friend Sophie for the holidays, she expects a little adventure and lots of relaxation. What she gets is a booming bookstore with lots of paperwork, a threadbare, disrespectful staff, and even some thievery. Basically, Sarah finds chaos she’s not prepared for!

Sometimes, though, a little chaos is just what you need to break free from your cocoon. 🦋

The Little Bookshop on the Seine was the perfect festive read to get me into the holiday mood. It was magical. It had me craving Christmas treats and longing to be surrounded by twinkly lights, all topped off with a gently falling snowstorm, of course. 😉

As much as TLBOTS enchanted me, however, it also pulled at my heartstrings with its realistic portrayal of the main character’s long distance relationship, and all the trials/tribulations these types of relationships can face. Not only does Sarah learn what it means to truly work to commit to someone, she also learns a lot about herself along the way, blossoming beautifully throughout her entire Parisian journey.

One of my favorite aspects of Sarah – an aspect I’m sure fellow readers will also adore – was her bookishness. I delighted in Sarah’s utter love for all things literary. This girl said goodnight to her books, is a secret book sniffer (like most of us, admit it!), and finds dear friends in the characters between the pages of those books. #canrelate

An uplifting, Hallmarkey holiday read, The Little Bookshop on the Seine by Rebecca Raisin will leave you exhilarated, wanting to twirl around and around like a Disney prince/princess swept away by love for the first time. Highly recommended!

** I was provided an eARC copy of this book by Harlequin and Netgalley (thank-you!). All opinions expressed are voluntary and my own. Thank-you to Harlequin for inviting me on this blog tour!**

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Sarah Smith as she takes on a somewhat uncharacteristic adventure to Paris for a bookshop exchange. Sarah is a bit of a plain Jane, she owns a failing bookshop and when her fellow bookshop owner friend from France, Sophie, offers to swap shops with her to shake things up she jumps on the chance to travel and live one of her dreams. Sarah spends most of her time living in a book, like most of us do, but she really doesn't experience life outside of her shop and her beloved books. She likes things predictable and routine. Sophie is carefree and unpredictable, so when she suggests the bookshop exchange Sarah jumps on the chance for her own adventure that could be right out of the pages of one of her books.

Sarah arrives in France with a romantic story of how things will play out in her head. Her reporter boyfriend will take time off to be with her, she will spend time exploring all Paris has to offer, and Sophie's employees will fall in line with all of her American ideas. When the Paris bookshop starts having issues, Sarah doesn't really know what to do. She doesn't know how to be a boss or manage employees, and the employees constantly disrespect her for trying to make the shop better because she is new. This part got a bit repetitive for me since the same problems went unresolved over an over and it took Sarah quite a while to find her backbone and stop letting everyone in her life walk all over her. I'm not a big fan of weak female characters. It just took her too long in my opinion to put her foot down even though she knew what she needed to do and say. There were also a few extra side plots that didn't really add or take away from the main plot, they were just there.

This book mainly takes place in the bookshop, but I really enjoyed the parts that actually took place outside the bookshop in Paris. I've never been to Paris and enjoyed getting to spend those moments with Sarah in the cafes or wherever she was exploring with the other characters from the shop or on her own. Overall, this is a cute story, but I wasn't blown away. If you are looking for a nice story set in Paris over the holidays, give this one a go.

This is not the book for me, I was not able to finish it. The main character seems to have no common sense and it feels like it was written by someone who has never been to Paris. It's also weird how the Paris bookshop is a complete rip off of Shakespeare & Co.

I love learning about new places through books. This little vacation in Paris was the perfect escape in the middle of my holiday break.

Sarah’s afraid her life is too boring, so when her friend Sophie suggests they swap bookstores, she jumps at the chance for some excitement, and possibly the first real risk she’s taken. She’s nervous about leaving her shop, but figures it will just be like running her shop in a more romantic setting.

Shortly after arriving in Paris, she realizes she couldn’t have been more wrong. Sophie’s shop is so busy. There are employees to manage, and spreadsheets and reports to track. She spends some time worried that she’s in over her head, until friendships finally develop with some of the people in her new life. Sarah’s trip has a chance of being everything she dreamed of, as she learns more about herself, life, and her relationships.

Overall I’d give this book 3 out of 5 stars. I liked how Sarah’s sharing of her ideas of the best traditional Christmas are what really help her engage with the other people in and around the bookstore. I was less than thrilled with her romantic relationship with Ridge. I’m undecided if I’d like to find out what happens next with them or not.