Showing posts with label Paris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paris. Show all posts
Title | The Little Bookshop on the Seine
Author | Rebecca Raisin
Publisher | Carina
Publication Date | 16th October 2015
Source | Purchase (eBook)
Purchase | Amazon
A Page of Fictional Love Rating | 5/5
Bookshop owner Sarah Smith has been offered the opportunity to exchange bookshops with her new Parisian friend for 6 months!And saying yes is a no-brainer – after all, what kind of a romantic would turn down a trip to Paris…for Christmas?Even if it does mean leaving the irresistible Ridge Warner behind, Sarah’s sure she’s in for the holiday of a lifetime – complete with all the books she can read!Imagining days surrounded by books, munching on croissants, sipping café au laits and watching the snow fall on the Champs-Élysées Sarah boards the plane.But will her dream of a Parisian Happily-Ever-After come true? Or will Sarah realise that the dream of a Christmas fairytale in the city of love isn’t quite as rosy in reality…
Rebecca did it again - she made me lose myself in one of her books and dream of bookshops and Paris with romantic ideals! Now I have "Learn French", "Visit Paris", written on my bucket list - all because of this book.
I adore meeting up with characters I first got a glimpse of in The Gingerbread Cafe series, and this time I got to catch up with a girl after my own heart, Sarah from the bookshop on the corner. There are brief mentions of Lil (who is ready to pop her little baby girl out), CeeCee who makes me laugh so much, and we even catch up with Clay & Lucy whom we met in Secrets at Maple Syrup Farm. That's the magic of Rebecca's books, they are literally like a catch up with friends.
Anyway, we shall focus on Sarah who has a hunky boyfriend Ridge who she barely sees, yet she remains ever the devoted believer of true love conquers all. Sarah has a friend who owns a bookshop in Paris and when Sarah is contacted by her, is told that her boyfriend has left her and she needs to escape - to Ashford! But there is a catch, she wants to swap bookshops with Sarah for a short time!
Rebecca perfectly captures the descriptive beauty of Paris and you can't help but want to book a ticket ASAP, and lose yourself in the story of Sarah in Paris.
The characters are captivating, intriguing, and very Parisian Chic. I couldn't help but race through the book in a weekend, yet at the same time I didn't want it to end, because when I finished the book it was as if my holiday in Paris was over and that did make me sob.
I loved the romance theme that ran through the book, it wasn't hardcore romance, but sweet and dreamy which is just what you want when you pick up a book to read. It was traditional to the core, and a treat to the soul. I loved every page and can't wait to read the next installment when we get to discover more about The Little Antique Shop under the Eiffel Tower.
This year we have some fabulous new books coming to our bookshelves, and sometimes the news of such is so hot off the press that many of them are as of yet untitled, and lack a deep story line description or even book cover. But as I have always promised, here at A Page of Love, I promised to bring you the very latest news as soon as I have it. So here we go...
Up first today is Paige Toon, who is a phenomenal writer with so many hit sellers that I know a lot of you (if not all of you) have experienced yourself. This year, she has 2 novels coming out.
21st May 2015, The Sun in Her Eyes will be published
Book Description:
Blinding sunshine...A bend in the road...What became of the little girl with the sun in her eyes? Amber was three when a car crash stole her mother's life. She doesn't remember the accident, but a stranger at the scene has been unable to forget. Now, almost thirty years later, she's trying to track Amber down. Amber, meanwhile, is married to Ned and living on the other side of the world in London. When her father has a stroke, she flies straight home to Australia to be with him. Away from her husband, Amber finds comfort in her oldest friends, but her feelings for Ethan, the gorgeous, green-eyed man she once fell for, have never been platonic. As Ethan and Amber grow closer, married life in London feels far away. Then Amber receives a letter that changes everything. 'Before your mother died, she asked me to tell you something...'
PRE-ORDER NOW for £7.99 or get it delivered to your Kindle for only £4.18
On 30th July 2015 (just in time for our summer holidays!) Paige will be celebrating Publication Day for I Knew You Were Trouble: A Jessie Jefferson Novel
Book Description:
Life as the undercover daughter of a rock god isn't going to be easy. How will Jessie adjust to her old boring life again after spending her summer living it up with her dad in LA? With tough decisions ahead (and not just choosing between two hot boys), can she cope juggling her two very different lives? Summer may be over, but Jessie's story is just beginning...
PRE-ORDER NOW for your Kindle £3.72 or grab it in paperback by Pre-Ordering here for £6.50
Next Up is one of my favourite authors of 2014; Alexandra Potter. I raved so much about last year's The Love Detective, and this is THE one book i've been waiting for in 2015. This is the official follow up for The Love Detective.
Love from Paris will be published on 30th July 2015 (perfect for our summer holiday beach reading)
Book Description:
Ruby, the Love Detective, goes to Paris! The second book in the series that started with THE LOVE DETECTIVE, this is a hugely fun, satisfying and gripping novel about love and secrets in the ultimate city of romance . . .
PRE-ORDER NOW on KINDLE £4.49 or in Paperback £6.58
And now, we have Lucy Diamond who is a much loved author and has brought us so many wonderful stories that have stayed with us long after reading.
Summer at Shell Cottage will be published 4th June 2015
Book Description:
Up first today is Paige Toon, who is a phenomenal writer with so many hit sellers that I know a lot of you (if not all of you) have experienced yourself. This year, she has 2 novels coming out.
21st May 2015, The Sun in Her Eyes will be published
Book Description:
Blinding sunshine...A bend in the road...What became of the little girl with the sun in her eyes? Amber was three when a car crash stole her mother's life. She doesn't remember the accident, but a stranger at the scene has been unable to forget. Now, almost thirty years later, she's trying to track Amber down. Amber, meanwhile, is married to Ned and living on the other side of the world in London. When her father has a stroke, she flies straight home to Australia to be with him. Away from her husband, Amber finds comfort in her oldest friends, but her feelings for Ethan, the gorgeous, green-eyed man she once fell for, have never been platonic. As Ethan and Amber grow closer, married life in London feels far away. Then Amber receives a letter that changes everything. 'Before your mother died, she asked me to tell you something...'
PRE-ORDER NOW for £7.99 or get it delivered to your Kindle for only £4.18
On 30th July 2015 (just in time for our summer holidays!) Paige will be celebrating Publication Day for I Knew You Were Trouble: A Jessie Jefferson Novel
Book Description:
Life as the undercover daughter of a rock god isn't going to be easy. How will Jessie adjust to her old boring life again after spending her summer living it up with her dad in LA? With tough decisions ahead (and not just choosing between two hot boys), can she cope juggling her two very different lives? Summer may be over, but Jessie's story is just beginning...
PRE-ORDER NOW for your Kindle £3.72 or grab it in paperback by Pre-Ordering here for £6.50
Next Up is one of my favourite authors of 2014; Alexandra Potter. I raved so much about last year's The Love Detective, and this is THE one book i've been waiting for in 2015. This is the official follow up for The Love Detective.
Love from Paris will be published on 30th July 2015 (perfect for our summer holiday beach reading)
Book Description:
Ruby, the Love Detective, goes to Paris! The second book in the series that started with THE LOVE DETECTIVE, this is a hugely fun, satisfying and gripping novel about love and secrets in the ultimate city of romance . . .
PRE-ORDER NOW on KINDLE £4.49 or in Paperback £6.58
And now, we have Lucy Diamond who is a much loved author and has brought us so many wonderful stories that have stayed with us long after reading.
Summer at Shell Cottage will be published 4th June 2015
Book Description:
The Tarrant family have been holidaying in a large seaside house in Devon every summer for years. Though children, Freya and Robert, are grown up now, and have families of their own, the tradition has continued. But this year things are heartbreakingly changed: patriarch Alec has died suddenly after forty happy years of marriage to Olivia. Now retired and widowed, Olivia is persuaded that going back to Devon is just the distraction she needs. It will also give her the peace and quiet to work through a confusing clause in Alec's will: he's left a sum of money to a mysterious Leo Browne, someone she's never heard of before...
Freya also needs to get away from it all. She's struggling with her work, her marriage and the loss of her beloved dad and it doesn't help that her husband is so distant. Her brother Robert seems to have a better handle on things, with a new family and exciting career to boast of. But the truth is far from rosy.
Over one last summer at Shell Cottage, the Tarrants may just find that family life is rarely postcard-perfect, but are they strong enough to weather the storms?
Publisher: Carina
RRP: £7.99
A Page of Love Rating:
Book Description:
Welcome to the most celebrated patisserie competition in Paris – ready, steady, bake!
Dawn's Thoughts:
Oh my Christmas was saved!!! I thought that I had found ALL the puddings worth reading this festive season, and I was starting to feel glum and had that "is it really all over?" feeling in the pit of my stomach. But thank goodness for Jenny Oliver and her masterpiece The Parisian Christmas Bake Off!
I devoured this book in less than 24 hours as I literally - COULD. NOT. PUT. IT. DOWN. I just don't know what my hands are going to do now!
The book begins with a scene that is familiar to me - the nativity being rehearsed in the school hall and the teachers hoping they can pull it out of the bag... even if One Direction are going to be making an appearance... But one of the teachers, Rachel, has recently lost her mother and Christmas is going to be a painful time, understandably. The fellow staff rally round and with the help of the adorable children announce to Rachel (Miss Smithson) that she is going to PARIS for Christmas, and she is going to be having baking lessons as part of a competition with the one and only Super-Chef; Henri Salernes.
At first, Rachel is adamant that she is not going... but then the children of her class hold up a banner for her, and who can say no to them? (I know I couldn't... I've been in a similar situation myself, and it's just impossible I tell you!). She doesn't think she can cope with baking again, not without her Mum, and her father is still grieving. Her grandmother (who would love it if she called her Julie and not Gran!) urges her to go, and so, she finds herself catching the Eurostar to Paris.
When Rachel turns up for her first day of the competition training with Henri, it seems that he has a touch of Gordon Ramsay in him when it comes to his temper... but he used to be so famous, with his brother and they collected Michelin stars... until they lost them all and no one really knew why. Still, Rachel knew the basics... her mother had taught her, her mother had had her very own bakery. But somehow, Rachel and Henri don't seem to hit it off, well not in the way she'd like to. He doesn't seem to understand why baking is special for her. Or why it's difficult for her.
There are others in the competition... Abby, Marcel, Ali, Lacey, George, and Tony. Soon they all become friends, but one has to remember... it's a competition and surely friends wouldn't play dirty would they? Or would they? When soufflé's fall, and over whisking occurs, flour gets everywhere, and chocolate éclairs from Henri's patisserie downstairs is the only answer, will Rachel run back to England, or will she stick it out in Paris, and give it one more try... for her Mum?
While she decides, she bumps into the most handsome guy you have ever seen... I should know... he's been in my dreams for YEARS! I thought he was Italian, I've always thought he would be Italian, but it turns out he's French.... Oh, I'm going off track aren't I? Sorry.
Anyway, Rachel bumps into this handsome French guy, dark hair, a 1940s vibe about him, wool coat, smart suit, .... oh damn,.. I'm drooling again! Philippe is his name... Philippe... such a heroic name don't you think, passionate, sensual.... Philippe... I could say his name all day... Damn, I'm channelling Miranda again... can you guess who's been watching more Miranda over the festive season? Miranda would LOVE Philippe.
Well, Philippe, I fell in love with him, and Rachel has a soft spot for him too... he's handsome in a non obvious way. Apparently. Ahem. :) Well, it seems that Philippe is Henri's brother... yes, the brother whom Henri used to be famous for co-owning a restaurant with. But Philippe doesn't cook anymore. He revolutionised the way we cook, but he doesn't cook anymore. Why? Well he does tell Rachel, but you'll have to find out for yourself!
I loved the chemistry between Rachel and Philippe, even if Marcel did play dirty with the females in the baking competition.... but Abby did it for the girls when she got pay back for herself and Rachel. In fact, Abby gave me my favourite quote of the YEAR with;
"C'est tres petit. Tres, tres petit. Oui. Comprende?" she sneered, brandishing her little inch long pickled cucumber.
Oh I laughed and laughed for a good time with that one. Don't you just adore the French language? I know it's reignited a passion for it in me, and I actually really would love to visit Paris in time for Christmas... maybe one day I will and I'll do it with Rachel and Philippe in mind.
Anyway, the competition slowly comes to an end, before you know it, there are two contestants left, and it's the BAKE OFF! One wins, and gets to be Henri's apprentice for a month, and the other... well doesn't get nagged so much! But one thing that does happen, is that Rachel discovers that everyone back home in her village have got together and managed to get her an abandoned shop and are determined for her to open it up as a new bakery... they even get stuck in bringing down ceilings, chandeliers, discovering tile flooring and putting together a Parisian inspired décor that will remind Rachel of her time in Paris. I can promise you it looks amazing and breath-takingly stunning! I've seen it! in my mind... and it is a treat! But when everyone turns up for the grand opening, will the one person Rachel want be there actually be there and if not, will she ever see them again?
I honestly, absolutely LOVED this book, and had to give it an OFFICIAL Page of Love 5 heart rating! I would love to read more about Rachel and Philippe, (obvious reasons right?) and I'd love to lose the weight I gained whilst reading it.... seriously I HAD to devour chocolate éclairs, and cake and gorgeous pastry whilst reading it... it was only right to get into the Parisian Bakery atmosphere... it had to be done, and this book HAS to be read, so scoot... go on, head to the bookstore, amazon, get it in paperback, get it on your kindle.... and go read it... with a delicious treat of course. And don't blame me for the weight you gain!
Oh, is that Pains au Chocolat I see? ......
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