There is always something magical about Evelyn Skye's books. When someone described this story as a warm hug, they are absolutely correct. A touch of magical realism teaches us larger lessons in how small touches of kindness can mean so much more to those who receive the kindness. How the ability to forgive others can clear your own heart and allow love in. How the magic of words can turn someone's whole day around. I found myself smiling and laughing and hoping that the simple act of putting it out into the universe would bring along a happy ending and it DID....for more than just the main characters. If you are looking for a feel good story, a little magic and a lot of pure love, this story will hit the mark.

Thank you to the author, Atria, and NetGalley for an ARC of The Incredible Kindness of Paper. All opinions are my own.

This was a relatively quick read that was overall sweet with a touch of magical realism. The author crafted an engaging story, using flashbacks to different points in the MCs lives to illustrate the threads tying them together. I do think the semi-love triangle aspect going on with Chloe and Zac and Oliver took away from the plot more than it added and could have done without that. But overall it was an enjoyable read.

POV: primarily dual third person, occasional single chapters in other third person POVs

You can expect: second chance, childhood pen pals, hopeful origami, hidden identity, childhood best friends to lovers, magical realism, flashbacks.

Rep: Japanese American FMC

A wonderful feel good book that is both magical and uplifting. It truly felt like a warm hug and was so hopeful and positive.

First, I want to thank NetGalley, Atria Books, and Evelyn Skye for sending me an early copy of this book.

Who out there loves a good warm hug? What about when someone goes out of their way to make you smile? Okay, you’re an introvert, I get it, people touching or talking to you freaks you out. No problem! How about an uplifting note written just for you read in the quiet of your own home? I don’t know many people who would say no to all three of those. This is what you can expect to find when reading “The Incredible Kindness of Paper” by Evelyn Skye. She wrote this book wanting to bring more happiness and joy into the world, and boy did she hit the mark! I described this book as the Golden Retriever of books. All it wants to make you do is smile and believe that there is good in the world.

Now for the actual synopsis. Chloe and Oliver are long lost penpals who haven’t heard from each other in 16 years. Through a spontaneous whim of Chloe’s to begin writing encouraging notes in yellow, origami roses, they are brought back to each other. This is definitely a whimsical, magical realism type of book. If you don’t like being jubilant and joyful, I wouldn’t recommend it. While there is some traumas and tough love sprinkled throughout, the purpose of the book isn’t to dig into that. The purpose is to show how much a small act of selfless kindness can change someone’s entire world.

Skye did a fantastic job at showcasing exactly what kindness should be about. We shouldn’t be kind while holding our hand out expecting something in return. That’s not kindness, that’s a form of bartering. Not everything we do should be based on how much money we make. It’s okay to do something you love simply because you love it. It’s okay to give something away without expecting anything in return. That, to me, was what the entire message of this book was about.

Some reviews mentioned that Chloe, the main character, almost seemed unrealistic with the amount of joy she exuded no matter the circumstances. I think those people have just never met someone like that. And, if you could ask the main character what she herself thought, she probably wouldn’t see herself that way at all. I say all this because I really resonated with her as a character. I love seeing people smile and bringing joy to a dark and difficult world. I had someone once describe me as someone who leaves sunshine and flowers behind me as I walk. That’s how I see Chloe. She is who she is unapologetically no matter how the world tries to change her.

All in all, “The Incredible Kindness of Paper” by Evelyn Skye has encouraged me to continue to be kind to people no matter the circumstance. This book really is such an empowering read. I do have to warn that it’s probably best for adult audiences as there is a small open door scene briefly described and some mild cursing. However, the message of the book itself is good for everyone! I’d love to learn how to make the origami flowers and see them begin to show up everywhere! I think it would be such a beautiful thing and would bring so much joy to a world struggling with depression.

I just finished reading The Incredible Kindness of Flowers by Evelyn Skye, and I absolutely loved it! Big thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this beautiful story in advance.

This heartwarming novel follows a woman who, after unexpectedly losing her job as a guidance counselor, decides to put more kindness into the world. She begins writing uplifting messages on yellow origami paper and leaving them around New York City—sparking joy, connection, and a ripple effect of positivity.

It’s an inspiring, feel-good story that reminds us how small gestures can have a big impact. If you’re looking for a hopeful, uplifting read, this one is a gem.

Easily a new favorite from Evelyn Skye!! I love a good second chance, friends to lovers romance, add in tons of emotional depth, a touch of magical realism and this story set largely in NYC felt like a fated mates situation that has Oliver and Chloe circling each other until just the right time for them to finally get their HEA.

The book starts with Chloe losing her school guidance counsellor job and deciding to send out good thoughts into the world by way of origami paper roses with compliments and pieces of good fortune on them. The roses quickly grow into a big thing around the city, country and world but Chloe has no interest in trying to monetize them or use them to grow a platform for herself.

While Chloe might seem almost too naive at times, I loved how pure and kind she was even when her belief in the good inside everyone at times comes to bite her in the butt. Oliver himself was a genius math whiz who was also a bit jaded but it was well earned having grown up with a conwoman mother who ultimately landed in jail and forced the family to live on the lam, scrounging to get by.

Overall this was a heartwarming, romantic, feel-good story perfect for fans of authors like Roselle Lam or Lauren Kung Jessen. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @simon.audio for a complimentary ALC. The audio narration by a full cast.

Unexpected delight. Really enjoyed this story and couldn’t put it down. Read all night. Strongly recommend and will read the author again. Great characters and wonderful writing.

This was a sweet book! I found it easy to root for the main character. There were some silly moments and also thoughtful moments. Overall, I liked this story!

This is a very sweet story, filled with lots of hope, positivity and second chances. It was nice to read something with so much positivity even amongst diversity and difficulty. The interspersed story of strangers were nice interludes. Chloe is lovely and her message and unwavering attitude was nice, even when she was making questionable choices or ignoring her feelings. Oliver was hurt and stubborn but endearing. I enjoyed this but thought it dragged on a bit and felt a bit repetitive at times. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this E-ARC.

This was such an enjoyable read! From the summary, I knew I was going into this story with a feel-good type of mindset, and after finishing, The Incredible Kindness of Paper delivered on this kind of story. The story utilized multiple POVs well, both for the main characters and the other characters who are impacted throughout the story.

Since the main characters, Chloe Hanako Quinn and Oliver Jones, are childhood friends whom we meet as adults, there were glimpses of who they were as kids and how they came to be where they are today. Reflecting on specific memories didn’t feel too distracting from the present storyline, and they were placed well throughout the book.

When there was conflict, it was great not having unnecessary miscommunication prolonged, while still giving the characters room to take a breath, think, and process, particularly with Chloe and Oliver.

There were some aspects of the dialogue that I wasn’t too keen on, as it didn’t quite function as dialogue, but rather felt like a specific introduction or connection between characters, which was a bit on-the-nose. However, this didn’t detract from my overall experience. There were many times I could picture this as a feel-good film. This is going to be a re-read for me, and so many of the details like the food, the folding of the origami itself, and the hopefulness throughout stayed with me.

If you need a feel good story, this here is your book! Just like a warm cup of tea, this book will nourish your soul and have you swoon.

Chloe and Oliver are best friends, since age 7 and do everything together. They just connect on another level. When they were 16, something happened with Oliver’s family and he had to flee. Sixteen years go by, when they happen to meet again. Chloe doesn’t recognize him, but he remembers her.

Chloe has started folding origami flowers and leaving then all around New York. Creating a sensation, she gets others to help her. Chance meetings and receiving these yellow origami flowers, Oliver and Chloe start to reconnect.

I loved this sweet story and the cast of characters you meet along the way. A special book! 4.5 ⭐️

Some books feel like a warm hug for the soul—and The Incredible Kindness of Paper is one of them. Evelyn Skye has crafted a story that gently nudges you toward hope, love, and the quiet magic of human connection. It’s the kind of book you reach for when life feels heavy and you need a reminder that kindness still exists.

This story waters the seeds of optimism, helping you shed cynicism and open yourself to the possibility of something better. Chloe, the protagonist, is a radiant “glass half full” kind of person who chooses to believe in the goodness of others. She embodies the idea that what you put out into the universe will eventually find its way back to you.

Oliver, on the other hand, is shaped by the weight of his past. His guarded nature is understandable, yet beneath it lies a deeply thoughtful and compassionate soul. He may not wear his heart on his sleeve, but his quiet acts of kindness speak volumes.

I absolutely loved this book and the way it made me feel—like I was holding a yellow rose, delicate and full of meaning. Thank you to Evelyn Skye, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. It was truly an honor to read.

Thank you Atria and Netgalley for the ARC! I love the magical realism in this second chance childhood friends to lovers. The writing is so beautiful and the overall plot reminds me of that girl in NYC who writes those positive poems. The story is cute and it is on the slower side which makes sense overall. Usually, I need something more fast-paced but thought this was perfect for this read.

I’m crying. This story was so beautiful and heartwarming. Every day, our world seems to grow more and more cruel. People lack empathy and seem unfeeling to the suffering of their fellow human beings. Every day feels more and more bleak. But in this story, there is still wonder, simple acts of kindness, and love. In this story, there is still hope for a kinder, better world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance readers copy to review.

The title drew me immediately: how does the inanimate object ´paper’ have the capacity to feel, and show kindness? Isn’t kindness a peculiarly human thing?

Evelyn Skye has fun putting that existential question into the centre of what is really a classic rom-com with a few magical twists—not involving spells but good will and pre-destined love. 32-year-old Chloe has moved away from her Kansas home to find meaningful work and new experiences. Her parents are loving and supportive, and her Japanese grandmother taught her a Buddhist loving kindness’ world view emphasizing kindness and hope even in dark times. Chloe continues to have faith in love, despite having suffered, half a lifetime before, the loss of her soulmate Oliver Jones. took care of her and shared her own worldview about the importance of kindness and optimism, even in troubled times. Fast friends since their ‘earliest elementary school days, they were very much in love when Oliver and his family abruptly disappeared. They had just shared their first kiss on the eve of Valentine’s Day. She never receives any explanation.

Sixteen years later, with a counselling job she loves and a handsome, wealthy boyfriend, Chloe encounters another round of misfortune. She loses her job but fills her time until the next one by making yellow origami roses, folded around comforting messages, that she leaves in the public spaces in her apartment. Soon, those who have received them are talking about the renewed hope the message roses seem to have brought them, and the resulting improvement in their lives. She sets herself up in Central Park. Soon others join her to make and distribute these L little gifts’ and the rose movement ´goes viral.’

Chloe believes that performing tiny acts of kindness will bring the giver countless blessings. The paper roses are not just a cute hobby; they embody the kindness she wants to see in the world. Finding Oliver, almost literally on her doorstep, after 16 years of silence, is magical but not instantly joyful. She doesn’t want to delude herself about the significance of her first love. Oliver is pretty much in the same position, though ridden with guilt for leaving (his family was on the lam). And the fiercely competitive and ambitious Zac, who works in a prestigious investment firm where the equally ambitious Oliver has just been hired, is not going to give her up easily—even as she senses he wants to win even more than he wants to stay with her.

The decidedly quirky Chloe is very likeable, and only an ogre could find fault with her determination to spread kindness without any material gain. For all her protests that she is not naive, she frequently comes across that way, especially where her two men are concerned. She wants her independence to the point of insisting that she won’t marry well into the future, but she doesn’t seem able to get on without constant reassurance, even that of strangers who receive roses. She wants to follow her heart and believes that destiny plays a hand in all things, yet, surely, as a 32 year old, educated, professional woman she can’t believe that paper roses and karma will take care of everything.

This is a slim book but it packs a lot of important messages about being true to your own goals and values and practising kindness.The entire point of the burgeoning rose campaign is to prioritize being human over monetarising and maximizing, catchwords of the day. Its not all
sweetness and light, however.
There are a number of false moves and stupid choices here that concern and affect all of the main characters, and some highly implausible twists, especially concerning Oliver’s family. For all that, this is a sweet fluffy read bearing deep messages, and much good feeling.

Thank you Atria Books @atriabooks Netgalley @netgalley and Evelyn Skye for this free ebook!
“The Incredible Kindness of Paper” by Evelyn Skye⭐️⭐️⭐️Genre: Magical Realism. Location: New York City, New York, USA. Time: present.

In a Kansas elementary school, Chloe Hanako Quinn is assigned pen pal Oliver Jones. Before sending her letter, she whispers a note into it-and he hears her. This begins a friendship that blooms into something more. One day, Oliver and his family disappear overnight. In New York City 20 years later, lonely Chloe (32), a high school guidance counselor, is laid off and her rent is rising. She peps herself up by writing uplifting messages in yellow origami roses. A neighbor who needs cheering up finds the 1st rose. Chloe’s roses go viral around town, spreading kindness and optimism. Also in New York City, Oliver (32) is a successful financial analyst haunted by his past. (“He had drained the well of optimism dry during those hard years.”) Then an origami rose finds him and changes his life forever.

In author Skye’s book, adult Chloe is bouncy, kind, colorful, a lover of books and reading, while adult Oliver is the opposite: introverted, work-focused, hardened by life, burdened by guilt. Her descriptions are evocative: “The blue of loneliness was harder to face than the red fire of annoyance.” “Zac hung up without saying goodbye-why had that become a thing people did?” You must suspend reality (e.g. when Chloe doesn’t recognize Oliver after repeated meetings), but I think that’s part of many romantasies. It’s a heavy dose of sweet romance with a positive message in a bit of a magical setting. I’m not a big romance reader, but I believe this ticks the boxes for a cute Hallmark movie-type romantasy so it’s 3 stars from me👩🏼‍🦳 #theincrediblekindnessofpaper #evelynskye

This story has so much potential and is told beautifully. There is no denying that the author put her heart into this book!

That being said, I did struggle to connect with it. The relationship between the characters didn't feel strong enough to make me cheer for them, and couldn't get past the convenient coincidences. I can suspend reality as much as the next gal, but couldn't get past the main characters not recognizing each other after being childhood best friends.

Overall, I don't think I'm the intended audience for this one. I tend to read thrillers/mystery so a romance was out-of-the-norm for me but I was drawn in by the premise. If syrupy sweet is your jam, l'd check this one out.

I absolutely love the message behind this book and am inspired by it for sure! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to Lavender PR and NetGalley for the ARC!

I was really excited for this book and the concept. Overall, I enjoyed myself because it is an easily digestible story, but as I read through it, I personally found myself wanting a bit more depth to the story.

I love the concept of the origami yellow roses and the community effect they had. I think that aspect of the story was wonderful, especially having the story mainly taking place in NYC. NYC is a lonely city, and I loved the nod to that in the beginning because if you've lived there you absolutely understand it. So I think this aspect of the story, along with the impact of simple acts of kindness was really lovely and enjoyable.

While I liked Chloe, I found her naivety to be frustrating as a reader at times. I think that you can be kind without being naive, and I wish there was a bit more depth to her character overall in this capacity. I think Oliver was a great character, and I loved the depth to his story arc, which made me continue to want more for Chloe and her story! I feel like we were given resolutions to a number of things with Oliver's storyline, but not so much with Chloe, and I have so many questions about what's going to happen with her (but that might be part of the point of the story).

To be fair, I am not a childhood lovers/second chance romance fan often, but I will always read it if it's a story I'm excited by. I unfortunately was not really invested in their romance because it felt like a lot of the story was rooted in their past rather than their present, and I would have loved to see them navigate and figure some things out together in the present. I know some people wouldn't consider that romantic, but I truly LOVE seeing that occur in second chance romance stories because who they are as adults is wildly different than who they are as children. I was surprised with how quickly the ending came and was left with a number of questions regarding their relationship. I wish that there had just been more depth to their romance overall within the story. I also am so confused about the magical aspect of this book, and would have loved even just a wee bit of an explanation regarding it.

All in all, I did enjoy this book (hence me reading it in less than 2 days), and it was a feel good story. It has been described as a warm hug, and I absolutely agree with it, I just personally would have loved more depth overall to the story. That being said, I think so many people that love contemporary romance with a dash of magic will absolutely love this one.

The Incredible Kindness of Paper will make readers believe in magic: the magic of friendship, love, community, and forgiveness.

Chloe and Oliver are childhood best friends who become each other’s first loves, but when Oliver and his family are forced to leave town without any goodbyes, Chloe is left alone and heartbroken. Over twenty years later, Chloe, a former high school guidance counselor now struggling with the aftermath of a layoff, begins to write short hopeful messages on yellow origami roses and anonymously scatters them around the city to not only uplift herself but to also spread kindness to others.

These yellow paper roses have a special way about them; they always seem to find who the message is intended for at just the right time. Oliver, a successful financial analyst, still remains haunted by his secret past; but when one of Chloe’s roses finds its way into his hands, the message written inside sparks something he didn’t know he was capable of feeling again.

As the incredible kindness of these yellow origami roses spreads through the city affecting strangers in unexpected ways, fate continues to weave Chloe and Oliver’s lives back together.

When I finished reading this book, I fell in love with the magic and quiet power of a simple act of kindness—written, folded, and passed on.

It was a cute book, but I wanted more of the romance. It wanted more from the MMC and FMC. It was cute though.