Utterly enchanting. Perfect for fans of the author's first book or anyone looking for a fun foodie read. A first purchase for all general fiction collections.

Wow. Roselle Lim has delivered another perfect magical novel with Vanessa Yu. Lim takes her signature prose to Paris, where the city, and the pastries dazzle.

Eh, predictable and too pat of an ending. I don't want to give it away in case anyone does decide to read it, but I really would have liked it better if not everyone came out perfect at the end.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3230427272

Sadly I’m quitting this one at 57%. I’m literally rolling my eyes at the plot and couldn’t care less about how it will all end up. A copy of this book was provided to me at no cost from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A romcom blending romance with a curse — our heroine is a reluctant fortune teller, compelled to blurt out predictions for those nearby. The plot is simple: a cozy set of Chinese Aunties who just want to see her happy (and married), a sudden trip to Paris to secure control over her … gift, and a charming man who may have a few secrets of his own. The rest of the book is filled with descriptions of food, clothing, and travel — which I confess are things I don’t enjoy reading about. The writing is decent, the characters pleasant, and it has the requisite happy ending but it really was not the right book for me. Our heroine wears heels everywhere and is unhappy about having to walk in what is the most walkable city in the world — she and I really have zippo in common!

I had mixed feelings about this book.

YES - Loved the setting, descriptions of food, fortune telling and other magic. This author is great at transporting you somewhere else and letting you soak up the good feeling (and good food!).

NO - I found the characters to be a bit wooden and hard to relate to. I'm 30 but Natalie seemed much older than me. Perhaps I'm a cynic but the romance aspect all came together a bit too easily.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read during a tough time and provided a dose of escapism while I'm isolated in my apartment.

This book was such a ray of sunshine!! The best diversion from the stressful state of the world right now. Lim’s ability to capture the Paris setting feels so magical and will make readers want to book a trip solely for the French pastries (or maybe that’s just me). Love love love!

Second novel from the author I enjoyed this book as much as I did her first book, Natalie Tans book of luck and fortune. The author has a marvellous way of taking the reader on a journey through the eyes of the main character and once again her descriptions of all the meals had my mouth watering. An enjoyable beach read with a happy ending. 4*

This is what I need! This is amazing way the escape from the reality and let your minds get a free ticket to a colorful, entertaining, romantic and magical journey! It was like virtual Disneyland tour with Eastern cultural vibrations! This book brings out the happy child I hid inside and help me see the beauties of the world in these bleak and dark days!

Prophecies, matchmakers, magical realism, lots of delicious pastries, tea parties with predictions and true, heartfelt, poignant, beautiful romance in one of the glamorous cities of the world. The love is pure, eccentric and special in Paris.

Vanessa has a talent which is also a curse: she can partly see the future but she cannot control herself and blurts her predictions out in the wrong places at the very wrong times. Do you want examples? She may tell her own cousin in her wedding how she’s going to divorce from her future husband or she reluctantly tells her father about the death of his friend in the middle of a conversation.

Poor Van sees her talent as a curse and after each prediction she suffers from killer headaches. She does not have a normal social life and a longtime romantic relationship because she is afraid of saying something inappropriate to ruin every special thing she has. So she just observes and envies the happy lives of her cousins and works as an accountant to help her family business which she does not truly enjoy but she has no idea what she’s going to do with her life.

As you may see Van, surrounded by a noisy, entertaining, over protective army of aunts who want to see her happy, talking with a matchmaker behind her back to arrange a proper husband candidate. But even the matchmaker tells them she is hopeless and she cannot see her HEA. And she gets an offer she cannot reject at the same moment: Her aunt Evelyn who plans to open a tea shop in Paris and who has also talented clairvoyant offers to educate Van with her talent and take her to Paris to help her moving and opening her business.

This is a great offer for Vanessa to take a break from her life and learn how to use her curse/talent and plus she’ll travel to the one of the most exotic and romantic cities of the world.
As you may imagine, when Vanessa takes her first steps to the city and mesmerizes her mind with voracious and enchanting art, tasty food, vivid fashion, fantastic perfumes, she also finds the love of her life even though the prophecy warns her she’ll only spend three days with him, she is ready to take her chances.

As Vanessa tests her ability about foreseeing things, she also finds out another surprising talent she hid for years and she also finds out the big secret that her aunt hides from the family.
Helping her aunt means helping herself because that means the matchmakers’ predictions about their love lives can be changed. They have free will and they can make their own choices by changing their paths. Vanessa is adamant not to let go her true love after 3 days and she is also determined to help her Aunt Evelyn to have her happy ending with the help of her prying, noisy army of the other aunts.

This book made me happy and put a big smile on my face. I had a little hard time to connect with the characters and the story when I read the previous book of the author but this one really exceeded my expectations and I truly enjoyed it.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this feel-good ARC with me in exchange my honest review.

If you've been nibbling too much on snacks while you're stuck at home, read this book about others snacking all day instead!

Lim's sophomore novel is an absolute delight, and a much-needed positive read during this time.

Even if you are not that into meddling family, like me, you will fall in love with Vanessa's hilarious and nosy aunt's (namely Faye), and one helpful and sweet Uncle Michael.

Grab yourself a snack (it's inevitable with Lim's decadent descriptions), and enjoy Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop!

Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop is one of my favorite reads of this year so far. Last year, after reading Roselle’s Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune, I became obsessed with this author’s writing. She has a way with words. The way Roselle describes food dishes, and the way they impact the character in the moment is stunning. Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop is more of Roselle’s incredible writing.

It follows Vanessa Yu, a girl who is able to see people’s fortunes in tea leaves. She never wanted this gift, but it runs in her family. Vanessa is unable to stop these fortunes when they happen, and it often complicates her life and those around her. Vanessa decides to go to Paris with her aunt who owns a tea shop to try to learn how to control this gift. This story is full of food, magic, and romance, and I loved every page. The way the food adds to the world of Paris is beautiful. It made me want to go to Paris and eat all the things immediately. This book, as well as Roselle’s other book, are a must-buy.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.