Cover Image: Dear Paris

Dear Paris

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Member Reviews

This graphic novel was hilarious and well-drawn, definitely worth the money and the hype, and I hope will be successful!

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I enjoyed this arm chair journey to Paris through the author's letters and sketches. The author writes in a light conversational tone. The letters are accompanied with sketches. Enjoy

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Thank you so much to net galley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. I love this cover. The book wasn’t all too good and I ended stoping the book at about 25%

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Lovely feel good book to read. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book

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Reading Dear Paris The Paris Letters Collection by Janice MacLeod will make you want to pack your bags and jet off to the City of Lights. What started out as a way to fund travel turned into ten years of snippets and beautifully illustrated vignettes of the author's life in a whimsical recollection of life in Paris.
It really would be charming to receive these in a subscription service like this.


Pub Date 09 Mar 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
I absolutely adored this book. I don’t think I can emphasise my praise for this book enough. To illustrate this I will just share this with you, thanks to the covid pandemic, my husband spent the majority of last year out of work and therefore finances were very tight for us. When it was my birthday my husband very apologetically said he could only afford to get me one small gift, and a physical copy of this book is what I chose.
I deeply resonated with this book and I have honestly used it as part of my mental self care routine. I am a bit of a Paris geek, and if you stick a picture of the Eiffel Tower on the front of a book, I will certainly at least give it a try. So I was probably an easy sell from the get go. However, these series of post cards that the author drew and wrote, featuring different aspects of her life in Paris, and places she visited, or observations on current events, began at a time that holds quite a bit of significance for me- that is 2012. That was the year I first became a mother and as I was reading what the author was living through at that time, it was prompting my own personal memories of that time, although I was in the UK, and going through quite a different experience. I had visited Paris a few years prior to that though, so I had visited some of the places the author mentioned and it was wonderful to re-discover them in this book.
Like I say, this book was like a soothing balm to my soul and I really took my time to read it and wrap it round me in a lovely comforting hug. The artwork was just lovely and I actually learnt quite a bit from the notes which the author included on her postcards.
I could probably gush on for much longer but I’ll just say I have personally gotten such a lot out of this book and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in Paris, or an appreciation for whimsical, beautiful artwork. So, so happy to have found this book.

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This is a super fun read. I really enjoyed this one!

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

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Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for giving me the opportunity to review this book. This was the perfect travel book to escape the mind numbing effect of quarantine. I felt like I was traveling all over Paris while reading this book.

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This was yet another book I requested based on the cover alone. It wasn't quite what I was expecting but I think I liked it even more than I thought I would. It turns out that the book consists of a collection of illustrated letters from the author to one of her friends...and I love love LOVE collections like this. The last one I read was about 5 or 6 years ago and I still think of it often. That one was about traveling to England and there is just something about illustrations in letters that make them so much more personal.

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There are hundreds, if not thousands, of books written about life in Paris, but blogger Janice Macleod's beautiful book of illustrated letters from Paris stands out. Macleod has been creating watercolor chronicles of her time in France paired with letters addressed to her friend Aine for years, so it is no surprise that this collection is so lovely.

Macleod creates a romantic image of Paris, but it's not the glamorous image of romance that you expect. Instead, it's a softer kind of romance. She wanders through the city noticing the small details, like sitting at a cafe or the statues in a park.

I'll be honest that Paris is not my favorite place to visit in France. Despite the wealth of historical significance that the city holds, I find that the crowds make me anxious, and I would rather enjoy French culture in smaller cities. However, reading Macleod's letters makes me want to go live in Paris and spend my days just the way that she spends hers.

As you read each letter, you do truly feel as if you are reading a letter from your adventurous, but relatable, friend. The friend that you feel comfortable with even when you haven't seen them in ages.

I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this book.

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Dear Paris is a narrative walk through the streets, shops and scenery of the beloved city. Each letter makes the reader feel as if they are right there experiencing the moments while falling more in love with Paris with each word. As someone who dreams of one day seeing this place, it was a beautiful reminder of why I’m so drawn to this city.
A perfect book to take your time and get lost in, but also great to delve into all in one sitting.
(I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.)

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I was always in love with Paris, or more accurately, with our shared image of Paris. Having lived in the city for a few years now, real life is obviously not what the average tourist would expect, but you can still find that loveliness in little things, like sitting down in the Place des Vosges in summer to read or having a picnic in the Canal St. Martin with friends during the fête de la musique. This book encompasses all of that.

Although the letters are quite nice, I have to admit I enjoyed the pictures the most. They are a good mix of well-known sights and more mundane, daily sights that still feel charming. I also appreciated that we could see the original postcards, with text included, but that it was then typed out so we could read it more easily. It made life much easier.

All in all, I'd say it was exactly what I expected and it delivers on its promise. It has the same vibe as Midnight in Paris, Emily in Paris, those glorious Gossip Girl episodes, and similar modern representations of romantic Paris. It is a book to be savoured, not devoured.

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This book was an artistic journey into the streets of Paris. The format is a series of artistic letters about various sights throughout this magical city. I felt connected to each location through the author’s renderings. A fun read for anyone looking to be inspired by much that Paris has to offer. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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Dear Paris is a love letter to the city of love. The book is a series of letters over a nine year period that the author, an expat, wrote describing her experiences and thoughts on her life in Paris. Each letter is accompanied by beautiful watercolor illustrations which could be framed and hung up. The letters themselves range from thoughts on the macaron, random people she encounters, to headlines of the day including protests and France’s presidential elections. There is no shortage on her thoughts about the many cafes that dot Paris or the plethora of macaron flavors and this is perfect! What better way to spend a glorious beautiful day in Paris than enjoying coffee and a macaron!

I have never been to Paris, but as a traveler I have journaled these same seemingly mundane everyday experiences on my travels. Reading the author’s letters and seeing her illustrations took me to Paris, a city I want to visit. And if this pandemic is going to keep me at home, then what better way to see the city than through the eyes of Ms. Macleod.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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A beautiful tome and charming ode to one of the most romantic cities in the world, Dear Paris is for anybody who wants to escape (virtually) to the city of light–and beyond–through the whimsical brush strokes of a true artist and the heartfelt/relatable words of a pen–two of MacLeod’s talents coming together while bringing on wonder and wanderlust. I honestly can’t say which letter/illustration is my favorite– because all of them, collectively, create magic (and it would be like choosing a favorite child!) This book is romantic and heartwarming– utterly charming and highly recommended.

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4 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy and opportunity to honestly review this work.

As a person who took French in school and always found the place and culture of France so intriguing, Dear Paris was an instant fit for me. I loved the concept of this book- someone processing their love affair with their new city through letters and paintings. I found myself googling the actual places, to see what they would look like if I walked up to them today- places like the boulangerie on such and such street or the cafe with the best hot chocolate she's ever tasted. I also found myself making a bucket list for Parisian experiences and stops on my hypothetical future visit to Paris- spots that may not be the tourist's dream, but would be up my alley and bring me the most happiness. I loved the romance and the stereotypical "French-ness", yet I loved the mundane and previously unknown parts too.

I applaud the author for being immersed in where she was, in almost a spiritual way, acknowledging the sacredness of a shared cafe across hundreds of years, for example, or describing the beauty of the color and juiciness of a citrus fruit she had from the market. I recommend this book for anyone who loves Paris, the idea of Paris, travel, sense of place, and the magic of everyday living. It inspires me to do a similar type of project with my favorite city to visit and spend time in. Maybe it will for you too!

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I would like to thank NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this ebook.

What a lovely collection of letters this book was. I was drawn so deeply into the author's description of Paris that I was quite surprised to see myself sitting in my armchair when I finished it. The letters were accompanied by lovely illustrations. It gives you a glimpse into what it would feel like living in Paris every day... something that I never knew I needed. Now I cannot wait to get my hands on all her other books too.

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What a delight this book was to read! I read through it a second time because I enjoyed it so much! Dear Paris by Janice MacLeod transported me back to my time in Paris and France.

I spent a summer living in France (a week of it being in Paris.) The second entry about the Metro is so true. I found this relatable, funny, and beautifully illustrated.

I do not normally gravitate towards books that aren't novels, but the cover and title grabbed me right away. I am so glad I picked this up. Whenever I am missing France, I can just pick up this book and read for a bit.

If you have never been to Paris or France but you dream of it, I would highly suggest picking up a copy of this book. It will have you yearning to go. On the flip side if you have been and miss it treat yourself and be transported to a place you love.

I received an eARC from Andrew McMeel Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

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What a beautiful, whimsical book. This would make a phenomenal coffee table book or a present for someone who wants to travel to Paris(or has been before). The illustrations are so cool. I love that there is both the authors writing on the postcard and a typed out copy. Once you get used to her handwriting it is easy to follow along. I definitely recommend this book. What a lovely escape during the cold dreary months.

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Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

What a delightful book! I hope the print version will be an oversized coffee table book.

Macleod moved to Paris, and started a letter subscription as a means to fund her travels. On a monthly basis, she would chronicle her doings, the highlight being her beautiful artwork. To be honest, I had no idea that letter subscriptions even existed. Pick up the book and be transported to the banks of the Seine, a corner boulangerie, or beneath the Eiffel Tower. She has also included letters and drawings from other places, such as Prague and Venice. This is a beautiful book to pick up anytime you need an escape and have only a few minutes to spare.

https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/

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