I loved the magical realism mixed with romance in Lim's first book, Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune so I could not wait to read this one! 

Vanessa is a clairvoyant. She can see other's future predictions from leftover tea in a cup. When she was younger her Aunt Evelyn, who shares this same gift, wanted to teach her to control her predictions to make her life easier, but Vanessa refused. She's always hated what she calls a curse and doesn't want to learn anything about it but rather rid herself of it. When she ruins what should be a happy day for her cousin due to a prediction, she flies to Paris with Evelyn, finally agreeing to lessons on how to manage this particular ability.

What I loved most about this book was the descriptions of the food and the city, as well as the magical aspects that are interwoven throughout the story. I wish there would have been more about what Vanessa decides to do in the future, as well as her romance with Marc, and I wish there were more emphasis on the tea/tea shop. I felt like the story lacked depth and didn't expand on Vanessa as much, but there was a lot of focus on Evelyn's life and like I mentioned, vivid detail of the food and sights of Paris.


Overall it was a quick and easy read. If you love reading about Paris and clean romance with a hint of magic, give this a try.

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for my copy!

I loved this book! A little cliche at times in the romance area, but otherwise spectacular! And anyway we read love stories because of the cliches. Doesn't make it bad writing. This own voices book is filled with interesting and diverse characters. Vanessa Yu is an incredible character that we can all relate to. Family, love, and life in general are messy and complicated. But sticking to your guns and listening to your heart are a sure way to stay positive and find your happy ending. 10/10 would recommend.

Vanessa Yu is cursed, she believes, with a fortune telling ability that pops up in the worst times. While at a family wedding, she can't help herself and ruins the bride's day. Vanessa decides to learn how to control her ability by training with her aunt Evelyn in Paris. Evelyn is clairvoyant, and has a sad romantic past of her own. Vanessa is determined to learn more about her ability and end her family "curse," while maybe bringing happiness to her aunt as well.

Cute read, made me hungry! The descriptions of food and drink were *chef's kiss*

This is just what I was in the mood for. If you can't be in Paris in the springtime, the next best thing is to read about it. Such lovely imagery of Paris, mouth watering food (SO MUCH FOOD), beautiful art, and the bond between family. My one complaint was that I felt that the central love story felt a bit rushed but other than that this was a treat to read.

What a delight was this story. I hope Roselle Lim writes more adventures of these characters. Loved the romance, the food descriptions (made me so hungry), the family connections, and the clairvoyances and matchmaking. A book to recommend for book clubs.

Vanessa Yu's Magical Tea Shop by Roselle Lim
This is an incredibly sweet read. The focus is on Vanessa and her journey as a fortune teller. She can read people's fortunes or misfortunes in tea leaves. She stays with her auntie, Evelyn in Paris who is also a fortune teller, learning the trade, and helping her aunt open her new tea shop. Similar feel to Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune - I loved learning more about Vanessa's culture, all the food references from a ten course Chinese wedding dinner to all the sweets and treats in Paris. Vanessa faced many pressures internally and externally and I really liked her journey and her adventures in fortune telling. This is whimsical, magical,  heartwarming, and an overall feel good read! There is not much steam in this one and light on the romance.

I picked this to have a lighter read and it fulfilled that role; I always meant to read the author's earlier book - "Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune" - but haven't yet. I think they are related but I didn't feel lost in this one. Vanessa has the family gift of telling fortunes and it happens against her will, often when she drinks tea. She's fought it but soon discovers she may have no choice. She moves to Paris with her aunt to train her abilities while her aunt opens a tea shop.

There is some romance in the book but that isn't the central story. I would say I liked the central story; sometimes the writing left a little to be desired, especially a few awkward food and tea descriptions. But overall a not quite realistic, rompy little read of self-discovery. And I definitely craved tea for days.

Perfect timing for this fun enjoyable read about second chances and starting over. Vanessa Yu is an accountant for the family business but really a reluctant fortunteller. An eccentric Aunt convinces Vannessa to come to Paris to be fine tune the craft of fortuntelling. While in Paris Vanessa finds love, good food, and the gift of matchmaking. Reading this book makes you want to go to Paris and retrace Vanessa's days of tourning with Marc and eat the pastries and fine food.

Vanessa Yu was born with the gift of intuition, but unfortunately for her she lacks the ability to control this gift and often blurts out people's fortunes when it's not appropriate. Thankfully, glamorous, eccentric Aunt Evelyn swoops in and offers to train Vanessa in the art of fortune telling, a valued art passed down in their family. They travel to Paris, where Aunt Evelyn is opening a tea shop and there the fun begins. Evelyn's got secrets and Vanessa finds herself falling for a handsome pastry chef. 🧁🍰🎂 This is a fun, easy read for the summer. It's kinda romance lite since there's more of a plot than just "how do they get together?" Plus, it's always fun to read about Paris. Bonus points for featuring an Asian/Asian romance!

Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop was my first book by Roselle Lim. This is a great book of magical descriptions. If you are someone who loves food, you will find this book delightful in its descriptions of so many various foods. These descriptions alone painted an amazing story for the reader.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the inclusion of the arts in to this story. There were various aspects of art that woven in to the story that elevated the book.

This is a story about an extended family that made me wish I was a part of. The aunties were so endearing that I longed to hang out with them and see their interactions in person.

While I do not believe in fortune-telling or other medium actions, I still found this book enjoyable and a escape from life. The book did get a little long-winded in the sabotage of the tea shop and felt a little unbelievable to me. Despite this, I will be watching for future releases of Lim's.

Unlike similar novels set in the City of Light, Vanessa does not have an overly romanticized notion of Paris — I found her perspective refreshing! As a Francophile, I certainly appreciate that this novel was set in Paris, but the story could have taken place anywhere in the world.

In a way, the novel does take you around the world — through food! The book is filled with flavorful descriptions of various cuisines, including Chinese (char siu bao, or steamed BBQ buns), Filipino (sinigang, or tamarind-based stew), Vietnamese (gỏi cuốn, or spring rolls), and Italian (cacio e pepe, or cheese and pepper pasta). In Paris, Vanessa enjoys an assortment of iconic French treats, including buttery croissants, crispy tuiles aux amandes, and decadent mille-feuille.

So very sweet – much like how Vanessa is with her large family. They say “I love you” to each other so much though that it sometimes borders on saccharine. It was mind-boggling at times because Vanessa often seemed annoyed by her family, especially her meddling aunties.

But Aunt Evelyn is the exception. It’s clear that Vanessa has great respect for her. As the story progresses, Aunt Evelyn opens her heart, making her more likable.

I also liked how vivid descriptions of symbols, like red threads of fate, sudden gusts of wind, and Menelaus blue morpho butterflies give the novel a dream-like quality. Although the tropical blue butterfly specified is not likely to appear in Europe, you’ll believe it’s possible. That’s magical realism for you!

Overall, this breezy novel is a welcome escape from the pandemic lockdown doldrums. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys art, romance, cultural traditions, food, tea, and Paris, bien sûr!

Matchmaking and magic. Second chances and new beginnings. Food and family. Roselle Lim whisked me away to Paris with her lovely descriptive storytelling. Vanessa has been able to taste the future since she was young whenever she drinks tea. Even though she no longer drinks tea she still is compelled to burst out loud with her predictions. Something she is not thrilled about, especially because a lot of predictions are disturbing. I mean you wouldn’t want to tell your cousin at her wedding that her husband’s going to cheat on her or tell your father at a baseball game that is best friend is going to die, would you? Needing to learn to control her gift, as well as needing a little time away from the family Vanessa heads to Paris with her Aunt Evelyn to help open her tea shop. Will the city of lights bring some clarity to Vanessa‘s life?

Loved this book! It was so magical, so whimsical, so charming. Vanessa was such a sweet character loved spending time with her traveling around Paris. I also really liked Aunt Evelyn and her desire to help Vanessa. Loved how important family was in the story, Loved all the culture. Food played a big part in the story: delicious 10 course Chinese wedding dinners, yummy French pastries, and of course tea. There was also some sweet romance in the story for both Vanessa and Evelyn. I love both their love stories and the idea of red thread. This was an engaging story that hit me right in the heart!

This book in emojis. 🍵 🥖 🍪 🦋 🧧 🧵

*** Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

Summary:

Clairvoyance runs in Vanessa's family, and she inherited the gift as a young girl. She has always hated it, as her predictions are (ironically) unpredictable and often cause others pain. After a series of painful predictions, she finally agrees to let her Aunt Evelyn tutor her to harness control of her power, while also accompanying her to Paris to help with the opening of Evelyn's new tea shop. Once there, the unexpected happens - she falls in love. Between being in love for the first time and deepening her understandings of clairvoyance, Vanessa's life beings to change in drastic ways.

Review:

This book is just absolutely lovely. Lovely and magical. And hunger-inducing. Oh, the descriptions of food! From traditional Chinese dishes to Parisian delicacies, food is a central theme of this book, with mouth-watering descriptions and reminders that food is a relationship builder, a way to express love and care for others.
Now, the story itself. I was totally hooked from the beginning. I've never read a story that puts such a unique spin on clairvoyance. I instantly sympathized with Vanessa and her hatred of her power and was rooting for her to become empowered with it rather than keep resisting it.
About halfway through, the story started to lose me. It felt like there were several plots all happening at once, and Vanessa's central role in the book felt like it got lost. The ending had a twist that I overall liked, but everything wrapped up a bit too quickly and perfectly, and I was left with unanswered questions.
Overall, this was a fun, heartwarming, enjoyable read. I highly recommend for fans of Kevin Kwan, Amy E. Reichart, and Barbara O'Neal.

Like the decadently buttery crunch of a croissant, Roselle Lim’s latest novel “Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop” is a delightfully tasty read.

Lim’s writing infuses savory flavors with the magical quality of her tale as she blends the bitter misfortune of her protagonist with the sugary notes of love, fortune telling and French cuisine into this perfectly baked novel.

Vanessa is a fortune teller who hates her gift. After a series of disastrous predictions, Vanessa turns to her Aunt Evelyn, a talented clairvoyant, in the hopes of controlling her ability. Her aunt agrees to help her under the condition that Vanessa accompanies her to Paris to help her with the opening of a new tea shop. As Vanessa wanders the romantic Parisian streets, she meets a man that presents her with her first opportunity to fall in love. While Vanessa falls deeper for her new beau, she finds herself entangled in her aunt’s romantic past and begins to meddle in the hopes of repairing what her aunt believes is irreparable.

“Vanessa Yu’s Magical Tea Shop” is a fantastical read that allows readers to fall into the story with not only their mind but with their taste buds as well. A warning — this book will leave readers with a strong desire to venture through Paris and sample treats at a patisserie.

Thank you for approving my request for this title. Here is the link below for the link to my blog’s review of the title: https://wordsofmysteryblog.wordpress.com/2020/08/19/midweek-mini-reviews-31/

Vanessa is a young, single woman who has an uncanny ability to see the future when she looks into her tea cup. Her prophecies come bubbling out of her, and she’s helpless to stop them. Oftentimes she’s delivering bad news (like “your husband is going to cheat on you next year” to a bride-to-be, or “your best friend is having a heart attack right now” to a beloved family member). As a result, many people find her odd and, well, depressing. Vanessa hates her gift but doesn’t know how to stop it, so she tries to isolate herself as much as possible. Her aunt, however, has a similar gift, and she’s determined to help Vanessa control her powers. So it’s off to Paris they go—to teach and to learn, respectively. While Vanessa’s aunt is opening up her first Parisian tea shop, Vanessa ends up having a romantic adventure of her own. It’s all so perfect and magical…what could possibly go wrong?

MY THOUGHTS
I didn’t realize when I started reading this that the book was going to have actual magic be such a big part of the story line. You definitely have to suspend belief when you’re reading this one. And it’s okay. Not my usual thing, but it’s fine. If you’re looking for a book to help you escape—and maybe check off every cliche middle-aged woman’s idea of “romance” (for example, random encounters with gorgeous dreamboats on the streets of Paris who cook amazing food for you, lots of descriptions of sumptuous desserts, shopping sprees at high-end Parisian boutiques, over-the-top yet ultimately harmless family drama, happy endings, and no real consequences)—well, you’ll probably want to read this one. Vanessa Yu’s Magical Tea Shop is basically a Hallmark channel movie with magic. It wasn’t my favorite, and it won’t stick with me. But if you’re looking for light and fluffy, we have a match!

I love reading asian books just because most of them always talks about food somehow. and it makes me hungry hahah during reading. But anyway. this is a book about family, about fortune, about love. It is about finding oneself. It is also about Paris and seeing the city through Vanessa's eyes. A heartwarming story. Even though I do not like it as much as I do, i still think it's an enjoyable read.

Warning: Do not read this book on an empty stomach. 😭🥟

Today’s blog post is super exciting because I’m sharing my review and moodboard of Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop as a tour stop for Caffeine Book Tours. Roselle Lim’s writing whisked me into a magical, romantic world that reminded me of my favorite cheesy (yet incredibly feel-good) Lifetime movies.

Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop follows Vanessa, a Chinese-American accountant who also happens to possess the ability to tell fortunes based on remnants of people’s drinks. Unfortunately, Vanessa lacks any control of her power, bursting into a prophecy whenever she sees the end of someone’s cup.

After Vanessa ruins a wedding by accidentally predicting the groom’s future infidelity, she becomes determined to control her power. She decides to leave her job in the States to join her Aunt Evelyn, an expert fortune teller, in Paris to finally train and gain control.

In the past Vanessa’s romantic relationships had always been hindered by her unexpected fortunes. However, as much as this was a story about romance, it was first and foremost a story about Vanessa finding confidence in herself and learning to appreciate her ability.

Reading this book made me feel like Blair Waldorf in Season 4 of Gossip Girl as she explored the streets of Paris with her best friend. The author’s lush descriptions made the story come to life. You can easily envision the grand family gatherings and the soft moments in an outdoor Parisian cafe.

I will admit that it took me a while to get acquainted with the story because it was difficult for me to grasp the magical elements in a romance novel, but once you’re adjusted, you’re swept into a complex story that also explores family relationships, xenophobia, and much more.

Most notably, Roselle Lim knows how to write about food. I have about 20 highlights of food descriptions that made my mouth water, and while the insertions of the many many descriptions at times felt overly zealous, it was still such a fun way to get a taste of Paris. 😉

During a time where we’re all currently stuck at home, it was so delightful to travel through Roselle Lim’s writing and wander the streets of Paris with Vanessa and her aunt. If you’re looking for a book about food, family, and fortune, this would be the perfect one to pick up!

A cute romantic comedy has east meeting west in this story of Vanessa Yu. She is part of a large extended family in the Bay area. All her cousins are getting married, but she vows to stay single, partly by choice and partly because she’s clairvoyant and she hates this skill. When a series of tragic predictions send her to Paris under the guidance of her aunt, she learns to accept her fate and finds romance. The bossy, nosy family members are what give this story life and if it isn’t the romance and the family you enjoy there’s always the food. There always seems to be food wherever Vanessa goes.

This book was a sweet second offering by Roselle Lim. A novel of self-discovery and self-acceptance, this will appeal to make fans of women's fiction. It was a soft, rolling novel that could be read casually and in a relaxed way. I enjoyed it and felt the need to read with a cup of tea and plate of cookies at hand.