Dear Paris

I first read Janice's book Paris Letters when a blogger I followed featured it as a pick for her book club. I devoured it in not just a day, but in a sitting. I had never before had my perfect brand of wanderlust described in writing. I felt so connected to her stories of Paris and her unique way of sharing it with others. I've also read A Paris Year, which was just as amazing but with the addition of gorgeous art that had me searching for flights to Paris on the internet and digging through my closet for my suitcase, desperate to feel the same feelings half a world away. Suffice to say, I'm a huge fan of Janice, her art, and her Parisian memoirs. I've always always had a fascination with France without even realizing. I thought my heart lie elsewhere, until I slowly detected a pattern in the things that I loved. French history. French art. The French language (which I'm terrible at). French names and French films. It was time I admitted my affair and obsession; it's been a whirlwind ever since, and Janice has a huge part in that.

Dear Paris: The Paris Letters Collection is the culmination of all of Janice's work since her first step in Paris so many years ago. It was so refreshing and lovely to experience this romantic city through her illustrations and ethereal descriptions of life in the City of Lights. She's poetic but relatable, romanticising just enough to make you itch to visit, while also not shielding away the realities. Nearly all of the letters are addressed to her friend Áine, and I thought it would be strange at first to read the letters written to someone else. But it isn't. It's a love affair from afar, where one friend can send the beauty of a city through a letter and another friend can receive it on the other end. It's a way to experience Paris, to have that affair, while never even being there. You can easily picture Janice sitting at a café, or walking along the Seine, as she pens these letters with curiosity and patience, a leisurely flâneur of the city. Occasionally she mentions current events, such as the devastating fire at Notre Dame or the Yellow Vest protests. The majority of the letters however can be read as if written at any point in recent history. They're dated, but whether it's October 2020 or April 2014, they all had a similar air to them that made them timeless - which makes revisiting them all the more enjoyable, as you are taken back to a time when life was just a little bit less unknown and worrying. I also particularly loved the quotes included at the bottom of each letter. They were not all about Paris. They were not all about leisure, or historical figures, or literature, or even related to the content in any synonymous way. But they all flowed seamlessly in with the subject of each letter, and even if you recognise the quote or the person who said it (this is a subtle shout-out to the inclusion of Robert Pattinson at the height of Twilight fame), it still manages to blend in and make it seem like it was said precisely for this moment, no other. It was the perfect addition to each page.

There are thousands of books out there about what it's like to live in Paris. With how the internet makes it easier to connect to others around the world, there are even more bloggers and influencers who share the same thing, day in and day out. But there's something special about a book that just offers you a glimpse into daily life, from wandering down your street to your boulangerie, or experiencing Paris during the month of August, when it becomes a ghost town as everyone flees to the Mediterranean. I've read tons of those blog posts and tons of those books, but Janice's books still remain my favourite. Romantic yet real, titillating yet ordinary, I think I will always keep them on my shelf for reference, but also as a way to escape and dream of pleasanter days ahead.

i saw the cover of this book and immediately requested a review copy. And I'm so glad I did.

Dear Paris, the Paris Letters Collection is filled with the beautiful artwork by Jaice MacLeod. I've never visited Paris, but after reading her letters, I feel like I know the city. Her illustrations are gorgeous and her letters spark joy.

A wonderful novel to experience the romantic city of Paris from your own living room. A must read for everyone with wanderlust.

Dear Paris swept me off of my home-bound feet (in this, the era of COVID). It delivered me - no postage required - to my first and only trip to Paris, circa April 2019. I fell in love all over again - with Paris, with the intrinsic beauty of a hand-written letter, and with MacLeod's artful rendering of her experiences, which feel both universal and authentically personal.

But first, I need to explain the unique format (genre?) of this book. At its core, Dear Paris is perhaps best categorized as epistolary, illustrated travelogue pulled together as a 'best of' MacLeod's deocrative letters that first gained her a broader audience. The book is a compilation of 140 of these letters that span from 2012-2020. The book is formatted (assuming no change from the advanced reading copy to the point at which it is published) as first a page with a type-written letter, enhanced with quotes that range from literary to pop culture inspired, then the following page is a colorful copy of the original letter, which was hand-painted and hand-written by the author. The following page moves on to the next letter, etc. While the author's handwriting is very legible, having the typed pages makes it easier to read the contents of each letter before turning the page for the more visual experience.

I read the entire book in about two days, not because I intended to, but because every time I said, okay just one more letter, I realized I had already turned the page to the next one, and I had to find out what it said. Just as personal mail delivered to our physical mailboxes can be such a treat, reading each of these letters was similarly alluring and addictive.

MacLeod’s voice through the letters reflected someone in awe of her new surroundings and looking to explore them to their fullest. As a fellow North American, I find myself similarly enchanted by the history of buildings that date back so far. I found several of MacLeod’s letters echoing thoughts that I had in Paris as I reflected on the history and on its long-dead residents of note. Her sense of wonder was refreshing while maintaining a sardonic, self-aware element that prevented the musings from treading on saccharine territory. At one point, she shared that her husband (Polish-born), in response to her waxing poetic about the beautiful old cities of Europe, reacted as a person born of the middle-class, who knew that there was much more to the cities than tourist-level beauty, and what followed was her exploration of what she saw when she looked for tell-tale signs of city life. Paris’ economic troubles and the yellow vest protests, which were in full swing during my own visit, are covered as well.

But mostly, this charming book reflects the grandeur of the day-to-day of Paris life: of the city’s cultural traditions, of a pursuit for the best baguette, of secrets of macarons. Speaking of which, I never had a macaron when I was in Paris, and after seeing the beautiful paintings of them in this book, I feel that that alone is reason to return. Raison d'être, perhaps, as the French would say.

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.

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 *

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!

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 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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.