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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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/

Dear Paris was so beautiful! Its compromised of all letters written to Paris. I loved reading these letters and feeling like I was there in Paris experiencing everything the author was experiencing and feeling. The illustrations were absolutely gorgeous and I couldn't get enough. I can't wait to purchase a copy off this wonderful book!

I would have liked to read this book, but the format was not compatible with my computer, so I couldn't access it.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This seemed like the perfect book to start my unfortunate 12-day #covidquarantine with since Paris is my first #travellove. I wanted a travel escape and to feel nostalgia for past adventures. This is a book of hand written and illustrated letters from an expat author in Paris to her penpal. I devoured the book up until the letters from recent years, 2019 did not have the passion I would have expected with the #yellowjacket demonstrations and the burning of #notredame. Then 2020 was a total letdown because not one mention of the #globalpandemic was referenced. According to these letters life did not change in Paris for the author. 🤔 My favorite aspect of the pages were the famous quotes included at the bottom of the letters. A beautiful ⭐️⭐️⭐️ book that would make a great gift for someone who loves Paris and is missing the #cityoflights. 📚📚📚 #netgalleyreview #netgalleyreads #dearparis #netgalley #bookreview #bookstagram

This book of painted and handwritten letters absolutely appeals to my art journaling and artist heart! What a fabulous idea and what a joy it must be to receive such a letter!

To me, some of the illustrations are more attractive than others as there are some that appear more like what I would call sketches. However, her skills obviously improved over the years and coupled with the handwriting and lots of colour, each letter page makes a wonderful package. 

I enjoyed reading about the author's life in Paris as an expat. She writes with wit and humor, and some of her stories brought back fond memories of when I visited the city as a tourist. It was fun to see this fascinating place again through her eyes.

This is such a beautiful book. Full of beautiful illustrations and descriptions of various spots around Paris, this would be a nice gift for someone who likes Paris. However, the letters sound very pretentious and even after reading a few of them at one time, I got very tired of the writer. Still beautiful if even just for the pictures.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Dear Paris: The Paris Letters is a collection of letters written by the author Janice Macleod to her friend Aine. 
This whimsical book of illustrated letters is so beautiful and a book I could just pick up whenever I feel like a dose of romantic art and whimsical reading. Janice captures the beauty of Paris within these letters as well as adding in the realities of travel and the city itself too. 
I received a pdf version of this book but would love to see a paper copy which I'm sure would be even more beautiful.

Wonderful illustrations and cover that draw one into all that beautiful Paris has to offer.  Letters describing the French idyll with illustrations of French sights.  This can be used both as a travel guide and a table book.

Beautiful collection of letters - really love letters to Paris. I love the illustrations and the cover of this book is just  gorgeous and really what made me request it!

What a lovely book. We can’t travel now but this book transports me to Paris with lovely illustrations and personal letters. I’m highlighting all the places I want to visit the next time I go to Paris.
This scratches the travel itch, just a little. I yearn for the days when I can travel and find a cafe where I can sit, drink, observe and write to friends back home. 
A perfect little gift for someone that loves to travel.

Dear Paris, the Paris Letters Collection is filled with the artwork by Jaice MacLeod, and that alone is reason enough to have and enjoy this book.

I love Paris. I got engaged there. That city means a lot to me, so I read everything Paris related.
Obviously I was very curious about this book. It wasn’t what I expected but it was still interesting and a pleasure to read.
It sure made me want to go back to Paris and visit some spots mentioned!

This is a true love letter to Paris. It is absolutely stunning! The art work is to die for. I love Paris and this is life in Paris in a nutshell what's. not to love!

There were a couple of other random travel pages in there which felt disjointed and unnecessary ( could just be a separate book! or could've been spaced more thoughtfully!).

Would love to have this as a coffee table book though!

* I received an arc in exchange for an honest review *

Travelled to Paris nearly 3 years ago. 
This book brings back all the good memories to me. 
Simply love the drawing and the handwriting style.

DNF @ 14%

I was intrigued by the concept and drawn in by the visual design — the drawings are lovely, as is the color palette and design of pages that feature text.

But if I were looking for an outsider/touristy perspective on Paris I might as well go there myself; while there is clear love for Paris, it feels more like "look how cool and different everything is; marvel at how lucky I am to be here right now" than respect or even simple appreciation for the culture in its own right. I just can't seem to get invested in the writer's experiences and musings, in part due to the almost-excessive use of personification. (Statues, the rain, even hot chocolate ... you name it, it's been personified.) And I'm also not particularly impressed with the selection of quotes, some of which seem arbitrarily chosen because they're just barely related to the content of a letter.