haven’t read anything by Rebecca Raisin before but when given the opportunity to take part in the blog tour, I jumped straight away. I adore Venice, it’s about a bookshop – what’s not to like.

Well, I have to be honest and say that initially I wasn’t sure if this was a book for me. Not because of the writing, that was so good all the way through, but the spiritual side is not really something I’m into and this together with an alternative lifestyle featured rather heavily to begin with. However as soon as it moved to Venice, everything changed for me and it became a book that I didn’t want to put down.

Luna and her mother Ruby have lived an unconventional life. After years of travelling, Ruby has settled in Montana, in a commune setting with other like minded women and Luna finds herself with an extended unofficial family. Whilst dealing with the shock of her mother’s death, Luna discovers a pile of letters written to Ruby hinting at a past of which Luna has no idea. The connection is Venice, somewhere Luna has a brief memory of and the need to discover what secrets her mother was hiding takes her and her best friend Gigi from the US to Venice and to a rather disorganised bookshop on the canal.

Luna and Gigi were wonderfully drawn characters. Although still grieving for her mother, Luna is determined to track down the bookshop. She has her reasons for looking for a connection with the shop and its owner, who turns out to be an introverted and gruff Italian – Giancarlo, who prefers books and cats to people (I can understand this!). However along the way she finds romanic encounters, several bookshop cats, and discovers not only a job that she is actually rather good at but pride in her own achievements and with the possibility of a whole new world of opportunities.

Luna may have been the central character but her BFF Gigi was an outstanding addition to the story. Everyone needs a friend like Gigi. With her open and vivacious personality, plus her talent for always finding an Instagram opportunity, she understands Luna and knows exactly what she needs by way of friendship – by being supportive and encouraging but also sensitive to Luna’s change of mood. This isn’t just Luna’s story but Gigi’s too. There were so many other characters that made the book for me – Oscar, whose standoffish manner was rather off-putting at first, Giancarlo, and there are the bookshop cats with their own personalities – Madam Bovary, Oscar Wilde and the aloof and at times downright unfriendly Dante. Cat lovers will find much here to smile about.

The Little Venice Bookshop was a lovely hug of a book. With its underlying themes, it’s a story of someone trying to find their place in the world and coming to terms with grief and loss and hoping for new beginnings. Venice is one of my favourite places and the atmospheric location was superbly described, I loved spending time there – and actually the story as a film would be perfect. As well as the romance element, there was sufficient intrigue about Ruby’s past to keep my interest – all the way through I was hoping that Luna would be successful in her quest to discover the truth and, more importantly, find happiness and contentment after such sadness.

I have read and enjoyed Rebecca’s books before. This time I admit to being enticed by the title, a cover with the lure of bookshops and, let’s face it, who would not be up for a trip to Venice?

‘…here we are together in Venice, in the loveliest little canal bookshop, about to be spoiled for choice with our first love - reading.’

Whilst it was interesting to read of Luna’s earlier life, travels and her New Age beliefs, overall it took too long to get going. Readers were ultimately left wanting for more time at the bookshop by the Venetian canal. By the end, everything seemed somewhat rushed - insta relationships, finding long lost family and a quick ending - I would like to have read more about the cast of characters. This book proved to be a little too syrupy sweet for me with loads of reliance on New Age aspects such as tarot cards, affirmations and chakras.

If you are looking for something light hearted and an escape from reality for a while,
The Little Venice Bookshop is sure to appeal. A story of family, love and loss all set against a backdrop of cats and books in Venice. An easy inbetween read.

‘You’d think it was truly abandoned if there wasn’t so much musicality to the place, from the canal babbling and boats whirring past to the murmuring of books and cats. There’s a current, as if the bookshop is slowly waking from a deep sleep after the winter.’





This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Luna and her mother have never stayed in one place for long. They worked their way around the world together until one day In Venice Ruby decides it's time to go home to Missoula where she settles in with her community of women. With her mother's blessing Luna sets off on her own but Missoula, and the women, are her home base.

Ten years later Luna gets the call that she has passed. She makes her way home, but soon sets out to try and find her father.

At times this story about broke my heart and I didn't want it to end. I didn't see how the author could ever wrap things up for me and I couldn't stop reading. I recommend this book to everyone who likes bookshops, mysteries, lost family, love, and loss and so much more. You'll cheer for clumsy Luna as she looks for her father and tries to discover what drove her mother.

#TheLittleVeniceBookshop #HarperCollins #Secrets #RebeccaRaisin #FindingYourself #Venice #NetGalley

this is a very poignant story of finding your way in this world. Luna has had an unconventional life and continues her way that is sweet and heartbreaking with a wonderful ending.

I was really surprised how different this story was then her Van series. In her Van series, most of her characters lose jobs and romances, but this is the first time a character deals with the grief of losing someone she loves, which is weird because so am I and it made me feel the missing place that person once occupied.
I still love how warm and fuzzy the characters make me feel and of course anything to do with a bookstore is right up my alley, especially one in Venice, Italy. Some of the questions that Luna goes to Venice for is answered but not everything which made me sad because I wanted her to find all her answers too. I love the cats and what Luna and Oscar do to make the bookstore a place to visit again. I love that Luna's friend finds love and family in Italy and decides to stay and Luna accepts that. I also like that Luna finds a surprise in Venice too and it has to do with a brand new novel.

I want to thank HQ, HQ Digital and NetGalley for an advance copy of this delightful story.

Thank you to HQ Digital for my copy of this book via Netgalley and to Rachel for letting me take part in this tour. I have been reading Rebecca's books for almost 10 years now! I first read Christmas at the Gingerbread Cafe back in December 2013 and fast forward a decade and I am still a big fan of Rebecca's writing.

This story follows Luna as she tries to discover her place in this world. this story is about so many different things, love, grief and finding your people. This book is about so much more than just romance. It's about finding those people who would lay down their lives for you. Those that will be there when it really matters.

Luna is a free spirit who loves to roam the world exploring but keeping everyone just a little at arm's length. I immediately liked Luna I just wanted to knock down those walls and give her a big hug. Her bestie Gigi sounds exactly like the sort of person Luna needed to make her break down those walls. To be honest we could all do with a Gigi in our lives.

Alongside this, we have the beautiful backdrop of Venice. I visited Venice many years ago but it's always been one of those places that stuck in my mind. It's beautiful and full of so many nooks and crannies. Around every corner is another gorgeous little bridge. The bookshop is hidden down by the canal with such a beautiful setting and so many different well-loved books. It's a book lover's dream.

This is the perfect book to while a way a few hours roaming the streets of Venice and falling in love.

4.5 ⭐️ — I am totally impressed for the first time reading the book by this author. Not only the writing is pretty easy to understand but also, the storyline and the culture of Italy give me some new knowledge about it. The idea of adding the focus on finding the truth about your past with the spice of spiritual guidance and its worth as well as the eagerness on a certain thing.

The Story began after Luna’s mother's died while she was traveling in Thailand with her best friend-Gigi. At that moment, the possibility of finding her own birth father increases and her father might be the owner of the little bookshop in Venice. Because of the letters she found between this Giancarlo man and her mother, she decided to have her way to Italy after the funeral. After arriving in Italy, she met this new guy who read the book and she broke this guy's book, eventually, she learned that this guy is the same person who wanted to work in the bookshop she aimed for. Then, on her first trip to Italy after all the years, she met this waiter named Sebastiano and she was confused about the fast pace Sebastiano give her on the romantic department. While she tried to convince Giancarlo to hired her, the truth about everything and the experience she had while working in the bookshop becomes more interesting.

The writing is so damn easy peasy lemon squeezy to understand. I bet the author do a hella of re-searched on this spiritual growth and guidance before writing the book. Because damn, she did a great job on describe how it supposed to be while I was reading the book. It was a good thing to point out and not many people realized about the importance of it. Also, the storyline is more interesting on each chapter as the flow went more than well every damn time. I personally admire how this book turned out as one of hella amazing book I ever read. I finished it in 2 days without skimming. I do want to read more book by this author in the future!

The Issues:
➊ Asian representation in the book. This book showed Asians as someone polite and understanding of their surrounding. The proof of it happened while Luna was in Thailand
➋ Name bearer. When your name has a great meaning, it almost takes a huge responsibility of its person to live up to its name. Also, it might be a burden when they couldn’t live up to their own name
➋ The Main focus: the life of a daughter who was raised by a single mother without knowing the father
➍ Herb medication. I guess only a few people believe in the terms of Herb medication but this book showed it pretty damn enough and it almost feels like being a potion master lmao.
➎ Motherhood personality. The thing about Luna’s mother when it comes to motherhood truly represents how motherhood personality worked; ①Hiding the truth and the pain whatever she could so the child wouldn’t get that feeling, ②Mothers mostly don’t want the children to get repeated of the same mistake they did
➏ Families can be found with the unexpected families around you
➐ Journaling. Not many people realize that Journaling helps you in check and keep your daily affirmation growing. And this book, gives the journaling meaning well. People thought it was a shame to do journaling because it almost feels like writing a diary, but fellas, it is a great thing to do to start your morning!
➑ Phone as status symbols or rather Classism
➒ Not every child wanted to be shackled to the family business. As expected of parents, always wanted the children to be the bearer of their dreams, eh?
➓ The Runner, before getting close to someone or getting hurt → Luna, her whole life. However, her characteristic grows as the story goes by. She felt what she felt because of the abandonment she had in the past.

The Knowledge I gather:
➊ Spiritual guidance → mother nature, the quarts meaning with different stones,
➋ European Culture; ➀ Picking fruits in the market is like mocking the seller, ➁ Italian men aren't shy about saying how they feel [I guess it depends on the person], ➂ Italian men always pay for their date, ➃ Families stick together, ➄ Italian men show their love with great theatrical gestures, ➅ The locals enjoy imbibing a quick aperitif, ➅ Italian greetings → a peck on each cheek, ➇ Most Italian likely born with that innate fashion sense and way of pleasing crowds
➌ Venice knowledge; ➀ Known as an expensive city to live in, ➁ Even they also have financial woes, ➂ Full of people in love → its everywhere you look and the city of love itself, (4)The winter must be freezing
➍ Cats are the good judge of characters
➎ Tourists personalities → english speaking customers ask the funniest questions and exhibit strange behaviour
➏ Somehow, the market of phones is Android base (Samsung) mostly → have the biggest market rather than Apple itself (?)

Appraisal:
➊ The writing itself is impressive for the first book I read by this author
➋ The storyline went well with the flows
➌ Have new knowledge about Italy and its culture + the spiritual growth guidance mentioned a lots
➍ The love story between her and those 2 new males in her life; I love it and how she making the readers wonder about those 2 men in her life
➎ The Ending was quite good and packed with a beautiful conclusion
➏ The pace is medium to slow which is the best because finding whatever within Luna's characters to discover what the meaning of his life quite impressed me
➐ The humorous banter between Luna and Gigi is the BEST of all and their friendship? I envy

Annoying stuff: How in hell Gioncarlo can accept that thing easily after we discover his character like that when Luna spills the truth on her lie-birthday dinner???

To conclude, I am truly in love with this book and its culture and storyline, even though one thing annoyed me the most when it comes to the characteristic of certain character. There is some plot twist which was expected but wrapped it in the very best way of making the readers misunderstood. Also, the first time I discovered about Luna’s mother and her advise to her daughter in the beginning of the story truly have its own way to my heart! I love this book. Truly. Thank you netgalley for giving me privilege to read the book before its publication day.

The Little Venice Bookshop is the latest book by bestselling author Rebecca Raisin. Rebecca writes heartwarming romance from her home in sunny Perth, Australia.
The Little Venice Bookshop is a delightful read that is perfect for summer. Be it lying in the back garden or soaking up the rays on a beach, this book is the companion you need.

Charming, and heartwarming, it’s a book that will make you laugh, warm your heart and make you fall in love with Luna as she goes on a wonderful journey full of romance and self-discovery.

I’ve really enjoyed reading this book, who doesn’t love a book about books. It’s beautifully written and I loved the short chapters. I felt that it was a little slow to start with but it quickly picked the pace up. I really felt for Luna all the way through, she has a lot thrown at her in such a short space of time. I really loved her bestie Gigi though. I loved the addition of the bookshop cats and that their names are literary inspired. Overall a heartwarming and uplifting read.

This book is perfect if you want to to feel like you are escaping into an Italian paradise. This story is heartwarming and emotional and pitched perfectly to form a lovely story that completely stole my heart. The relationships Luna forms in Venice are just beautiful and I think the writing exquisitely demonstrates family doesn't have to be born in to. I really hope there is a sequel to this there is so much more than can be explored,

Who can resist a book about a book shop? I certainly cannot and this was such a lovely book. Truth be told, it was a little slow to get going but it was absolutely worth hanging in there.

Luna, the main character of this story, was easy to identify with. I could understand her grief and her need to explore her feelings. I loved her adventurous spirit and enjoyed accompanying her on her personal journey while she considers her place in life now that she has lost her mother. Her story did not pan out entirely the way I had expected but that made for an even greater reading experience.

I enjoyed reading about the secondary characters too. Oscar, Giancarlo and Gigi were equally well rounded... and let's not forget all the cats which inhabit the bookshop.

It was set in the titular Venice and I almost felt as though I was there. The book did not get bogged down in description but it was sufficient to make me want to pack my bags and go there.

It is a heartwarming read in which books that are damaged are given a new lease of life before being restored and loved again by new customers. The books served as a metaphor for Luna's life and echoed her own feelings and situation.

When Luna's mother dies unexpectedly, it would seem that any opportunity she did have to find out who her father was has died too.

Luna has always been a free spirit, a traveller, just like her mother was, moving from place to place, relying on casual jobs to earn enough to live and then moving on. Her one constant, wherever she was in the world, was her mum, so when she receives the terrible news that her mother has died, she is devastated.

After spending time with her mother's hippy friends going through the rituals associated with death and attending her funeral, Luna finds a stack of letters written to her mother amongst her possession. The writer of those letters obviously loved her mother and Luna knows with certainty that her next stop must be Venice. This could, after all, be one step closer to finding that missing part of her life - her father.

Following the clues leads Luna and her best friend Gigi to a lovely, albeit neglected, bookstore set on a canal in Venice. Determined to keep her secrets until she finds out more about the owner, Luna introduces herself as someone who wants to help put the bookstore on the tourist map. Giancarlo is a man who doesn't really seem to care about making a profit. The store is in disorder, there's no kind of catalogue, and there are cats everywhere. He just would love to sit in his chair and read. He loves books, he loves cats but isn't so keen on people.

It is a surprise to Luna to see that there is another new employee at the story, a Spanish writer named Oscar, who has his own ideas about how to bring the store back to life, as long as Luna doesn't get in his way. Meanwhile, Luna gets closer to the point where she needs to find out the answer to her lifelong question and hopefully find somewhere for her to belong.

Luna is an interesting character, very spiritual. She uses tarot cards to help direct her decisions, so she founds it a bit surprising when the cards aren't giving her the answers she needs to the questions that are occupying her mind. It's a very different way of thinking about life, and not how I live my life, but it was quite interesting to read.


I have read a number of Rebecca Raisin's books now. I love the way that she writes about food, about books, about the places she takes us. This book did feel a tiny bit different from the previous books and I am not sure I have exactly the right word for how, but let's go with deeper for now. Or maybe it was slower (which is appropriate as Luna works through the grief that is so fresh) and therefore you get to spend time contemplating what has just happened to the characters. Either way, I liked it.

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resource, Netgalley and the publisher for this book.

Rating 4/5

The Little Venice Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin is a delightful story about a woman who travels to discover more about her recently deceased mother.

Story Recap:
Luna lives an unconventional life, it’s the only kind of life she’s ever known. The daughter of a single parent, she grew up in communes, and then, when old enough, she set out for a nomadic life of her own.

When she finds out her mother has passed away, her grief is overwhelming. When she finds a stack of letters amongst her mother's belongings, she sets off to Venice for one more adventure in hopes of learning more about her mother.

My Thoughts:
This isn’t my first book by Rebecca Raisin, and it won’t be my last. Her writing never fails to charm and entertain me. In this story, we follow a young woman searching for her mother’s past. This book is about loss, love, friendship, and forgiveness.

I loved Luna’s spirit. Although broken by the loss of her mother, her free spirit shines through in this book. It’s not only Luna that I loved in this book, but her band of friends that she has and the ones she picks up in Venice. They are all strong supporting characters that help Luna grow and deal with her grief.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming story about love and loss, and a wonderful cast of characters then The Little Venice Bookshop is for you.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend The Little Venice Bookshop to anyone who enjoys women’s fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

There is nothing that I didn’t love about this book! I love Rebecca Raisin and how she builds communities and characters that stay with you for a long time and become part of your own life. I love Venice and I love books. This book ticked all the right boxes for me!
I loved Luna. The alternative lifestyle has never been my thing but it does hold a level of fascination and interest for me. I enjoyed delving into Luna’s upbringing and the small village where her mother and the other ladies all lived. Their philosophies on life, their way of living by sharing goods and the way it is a non-judgmental, healing place really grasped my attention and drew me in. I really enjoyed discovering this way of life and wishing for the peacefulness and calm of it myself. Luna is a sweet character with a lot of curiosity and questions and I love her spirit. The way her grief is written is so heartbreaking and I adored her relationship with her mother.
Gigi is a great friend to Luna and I found comfort in how wonderful she was. She really let Luna take the lead on how to grieve and find her path whilst being utterly supportive and there for her. Everyone needs a Gig in their lives.
Venice is one of my favourite places and it is somewhere I need to go back to and spend more time. I loved virtually visiting Venice through Luna’s eyes and what more can a story need than a struggling bookshop that needs turning around?
Of course in Venice there is romance in the air and a little bit of a tough choice for Luna to make regarding this. I always enjoy a plot where the leading lady has two love interests.
In my eyes – Rebecca Raisin consistently produces gold! Everything she writes is a pleasure to read and The Little Venice Bookshop is no different. I was smitten by Luna and her journey to discover more about herself and her mother and I adored everything in this book.

Luna finds herself taking a trip to Venice after discovering a bundle of letters in her mother’s belongings after she dies. In the letters there is a mention of the bookshop and Luna is drawn there to try and uncover the truth from the letters and her mother’s past. As a bookworm Luna falls in love with the bookshop and its uniqueness, but will does she find the answers amongst the stacks of books.

I really enjoyed Luna’s character, having grown up travelling the world Luna has always had a place to belong, and that’s been with her mum. However, when she dies Luna feels lost and goes in search of a sense of belonging. She does so by heading to Venice where she feels she will find answers to the mysterious bundle of letters she finds amongst her mum’s belongings. I think we can all relate to Luna, especially as a bookworm, where you can find comfort in books.

Although it took me a little while to get into it, I found myself completely absorbed in it and desperate to know how Luna’s trip to Venice will pan out, will she find what she’s looking for. Rebecca Raisin’s writing style allows this to be easy to read and great escapism.

This read will be perfect for the spring/summer, especially on a day when you feel like you want to take a trip away.

After an unconventional upbringing, together around the world to roam,
Luna's Mum decided to settle and have a permanent home.
Luna continued to travel until that fateful day
When she learnt her mother had sadly passed away.

Returning to their home she discovers a mystery,
Letters sent to her Mum from someone in Italy.
Following clues found in the letters, off to Venice she then goes
Hoping to discover the writer and just what he knows.

The Little Venice Bookshop is the place Luna seeks out
Can she discover what the letters are all about?
With books, cats and a grumpy owner, what could the secret be?
Can Luna get him to open up? You need to read it to see!

A story of grief and seeking answers, too,
With new friendships and different things to do.
There's drama, mystery and potential romances
And even family history with reunions giving chances.

A heartwarming read, with brilliant descriptions, too,
Including, as part of the story, a very moving review.
I really enjoyed reading it and, for my complementary copy, say thank you,
As I share with you this, my personal, honest review

I’ve recently discovered a love for books set in Venice, and this is another wonderful example to add to my collection. For me, this was a very special story, and I enjoyed every element. The construction felt like a book of two distinct halves, and I was thrilled with that composition. It took a little longer to get to the Venetian elements, but that added to the joy, as the back story was beautifully developed. Rebecca Raisin creates characters that it are easy to imagine and builds profiles that add extra dimensions to the story.
We start by discovering the wonderful community, in Missoula USA, that Luna’s mother, Ruby, had founded. We also visit Thailand and get a feel for Luna’s nomadic lifestyle. While following the instinctive wanderlust that she feels in her heart, Luna is mindful of her mother’s advice to avoid running from her problems. As Ruby loses her life to cancer, Luna discovers a hidden stack of letters from a man in Venice and embarks on a journey of discovery.
The Little Venice Bookshop is the kind of place I would love; filled with books and cats, it offers everything that I adore. But there’s a lot more to the place than books and cats, there’s a history that waits to be discovered. As Luna works to restore life to the faltering business, she also learns more about herself and her nomadic nature. More importantly, perhaps, she begins to learn more about her mother and her complex spirit. Despite her deep love for a man, she was unable to remain in a single place and as her story unfolds, it’s difficult not to feel her pain.
Throughout her journey, she is supported by her best friend, Gigi. A delightful character who is a perfect friend to Luna and a willing adventurer. I really connected with their relationship as it was my idea of an ideal friendship; totally reliable but not all consuming. They are able to explore Venice both together and independently.
Luna’s ideas for the bookshop were excellent and I particularly enjoyed the concept of a book concierge service. Simple yet effective, it helps raise their profile and get people talking about the shop.
Of course, there is romance for Luna, but will it come in the shape of a Casanova type waiter or a fellow worker at the bookshop? No spoilers from me, but I can promise you a beautifully romantic conclusion.
This was a very special escape to Venice and I’m sure I’ll soon find another author to take me back.

I was already a fan of Rebecca Raisin’s but I think this one is her best yet. The setting of a canal side bookshop in Venice is perfect and the story has some really interesting twists and sub-plots which really hold your attention.

Though Luna’s childhood wasn’t conventional, it was always filled with love. It was always Luna and her mom, invincible, experiencing the world and all of its adventures. When Luna’s mom dies suddenly of cancer, Luna feels untethered and wonders who she is without her North Star. Upon finding a stack of love letters written to her mom by a man from Venice many years ago, Luna embarks upon a quest for answers. Only a trip to Venice with her best friend Gigi can help Luna find the answers she is so desperately seeking, and it all seems to begin in an eclectic bookshop on a canal.

I could not have loved this book more! It’s a beautiful homage to reading, books, travel, love, and families—both biological as well as the families that you create for yourself. Every single character in this book was delightful, and I would love the opportunity to see their journeys continue in a sequel. I am going to spend a month in Venice this summer, and as much as I know that it’s a work of fiction, I plan to keep my eyes peeled for this delightful bookshop that’s filled with so much heart.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Little Venice Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

When Luna loses her beloved mother, she’s bereft: her mother was her only family, and without her Luna feels rootless. Then the chance discovery of a collection of letters in her mother’s belongings sends her on an unexpected journey.

Following a clue in the letters, Luna packs her bags and heads to Venice, to a gorgeous but faded bookshop overlooking the canals, hoping to uncover the truth about her mother’s mysterious past.

Will Luna find the answers she’s looking for – and finally find the place she belongs?

My Opinion

I thought this was a delight to read. We join up with Luna as she is travelling in Thailand and receives some bad news and so does the right thing by returning home. Whilst reading through some letters left by her mother, Luna learns about the Little Venice Bookshop and really must travel there.

Whilst sad at times this was a lovely book to read. I really enjoyed learning about Luna's ideas for the bookshop and found myself trying to read the book slower so I could have more time with the characters.

A book about a bookshop - this will appeal to booklovers. Another great book from Rebecca Raisin.

Rating: 4/5