I've just enjoyed a virtual trip to Paris in the pages of this book. It's the story of Lilou who has a small business, Ephemera, buying and selling old love letters and diaries. Her own love life has been a bit of a disaster but despite that, she is still an incurable romantic. She is keen to help others find the kind of love she reads about in the old letters and diaries. It was so lovely reading about Lilou and her fellow traders in St Ouen market. I would love to visit somewhere like that and take time to wander around all the little businesses seeing what they sell. Like Lilou, I wouldn't be able to resist reading all the love letters and diaries that came my way and I'd be so curious to try to find out more about the people they belonged to.

Inspired by the letters, Lilou set up a dating website initially just to help her friend find lasting love. Paris Cupid was a little different from other dating services. I adored the idea of the clients getting to know their potential matches slowly, the old fashioned way, by writing letters to each other. It reminded me of when my now husband moved to London not long after we met. For a couple of years, letters winged their way back and forward between us and it was always so exciting to receive words of love in the post. I felt for Lilou though as the business became much more successful than she expected, thanks to a famous actor singing its praises, and the public became so curious to find out exactly who was Paris Cupid.

Then there was a bit of a mystery too as Lilou started to receive messages she thought at first were random but that she soon realised were actually messages from someone expressing their secret love for her. It really was so romantic that someone knew her so well and knew this would be the way to win her heart. I enjoyed reading about Lilou's endeavours to find out just who was behind the heartfelt letters.

A Love Letter to Paris is a charming tale is such a gorgeous setting. It really is a tribute to the power of the (hand) written word. Heart-warming and romantic, it's a must for lovers of Paris, letters and happy-ever-afters.

3.5 stars rounded up
A lighthearted summer romance set against the backdrop of the most romantic city in the world! Lilou runs a small shop called Ephemera in the St. Ouen Market in the Montmartre neighbourhood of Paris where she sells whimsical old love letters, diaries and prayer books. Lilou, who has been unlucky in love, is inspired to start an exclusive new matchmaking service known as Paris Cupid where matched couples exchange handwritten love letters to get to know each other before meeting. The service is gradually gaining in popularity but when Lilou successfully matches the city's most popular bachelor then everyone wants to find out who is behind Paris Cupid. At the same time, someone is leaving romantic notes for Lilou - possibly one of the three attractive men who have recently set up their shops across from hers - and Lilou can't help but wonder if perhaps she can find love as well.

I have read several of Rebecca Raisin's books and enjoy her brand of sweet, uplifting romance with heroines that are just a bit quirky. A Love Letter to Paris is a quick and easy read and the plot is fairly predictable but that doesn't detract from the charm in any way. It's pure literary escapism to the streets of the City of Light with lovely descriptions of Lilou's Paris - there are even a couple of adorable stray cats that live in the nearby cemetery!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Paris has never seemed lovelier. What a brilliant book.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

Lilou loves what she does, selling diaries and love letters from years gone by. As well as that, she has an online site called Paris Cupid, but no one knows she’s behind it. It’s a different site to the usual matchmaking ones, here people write letters to the person they are matched to.

In her own life, that feeling of having someone special isn’t present. That is, until she begins to get letters and diaries, making her think that it’s some sort of hint, or even that what she’s receiving is meant for her, but she’s not sure who is sending them. There’s other stakeholders where she works, could one of them is her secret admirer?

I loved the characters, especially her friendships with Genevieve and Guillame. I also loved the cats.

I highly recommend this book.

I’ve got to start this review by saying that I have never read a more romantic story. Yes, I’ve read some incredibly romantic books, but this one begins with romance and then gets better and better. It was just what I needed to lift me from weather-related doldrums and reset me.
Lilou is an adorable protagonist, and I was fully invested in her mission to bring love and happiness to her friends and colleagues in St Ouen market. Her own dating and romantic history has been plagued with bad choices and men who failed to see how perfect her heart is. As each element of her dating history is revealed, it’s impossible not to feel the urge to protect her from further heartache.
Everything about this story, from the setting to the premise, oozed with the kind of romance that could make me weak at the knees. I genuinely wish that sending love letters was still a thing, but I’m lucky to get a random text from my beloved, and those texts either involve meal selections or his plans for golf! I certainly felt a little voyeuristic reading the secret thoughts of others as Lilou discovered the writings of people from the past.
As a host of messages arrive for Lilou, she must face the fact that she may have several admirers, and knowing who they may be is a huge challenge. With three contenders, she is determined to uncover the truth, but she clearly develops feelings for at least one of them.
I’m so determined to avoid spoilers that I don’t want to risk revealing any more of the story. However, I am happy to examine the information in the synopsis and look at Lilou’s potential suitors. Felix, Benoit and Pascale each offer the potential for happiness, but how can she choose between them if she doesn’t have confirmation that any of them are writing to her, leaving gifts and making her feel a love that she thought was unavailable to her?
I do hope that you read this book as I honestly think that it is a perfect love story and, indeed, a love letter to Paris.

Another fun Rebecca Raisin read. Definitely a beach read. What happens when a woman who has no luck her own love life starts a match making service online? While everyone is wondering the who the creator of Paris Cupid is, creator Lilou is having issues with one of her new market neighbor among other things. Hilarity ensues.It was a fun read and exactly what I've come to expect from a Rebecca Raisin read.
I received an ARC copy of the book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Such a fun and enjoyable read. Loved the main character thought she was really endearing and the the story flowed beautifully.

Half-French Lilou has lived in Paris since her 20s, selling old fashioned letters, old diaries, and ephemera from the past at her stall at the San Ouen flea market. Inspired by her friend Emilienne, who wants to find the right boyfriend, and convinced that the written word would better introduce two people to each other than sending pictures or having sudden impromptu meetings, Lilou opens a letter writing matchmaking site online and calls herself the Paris Cupid.

Becoming a flourishing matchmaker, the Paris Cupid advocates "slow-burn romance", but Lilou also finds herself wondering about the love talismans she finds among her things at her stall. There are three men who have stalls close by hers at the flea market who might be trying to convey their romantic feelings to Lilou, or court her in this way.

This cute romance novel tells a lot about Paris, its huge and famous flea markets, antique shops, booksellers along the Seine, the parks and gardens and places to get the best views of Paris, sites for lovers, even the French love of cats as pets. Readers will want to see these aspects of Paris. I found the book an enjoyable and quick read that showed me other sides of Paris.

Our hearts are always safe in the hands of Rebecca Raisin! I'm loving every new book she brings out and the hardest part is choosing a favourite. I admire the way she writes with passion, heart and humour. It's often very hard to put a book of hers down once you've picked it up. I think she is bad for my social life and the house upkeep!

This beauty speaks volumes about the lost art of letter writing. Love letters among others are a lost art and what better than to write from the heart without the distractions of a modern day rush. Lilou is a lovely character and one who represents the scores of decent, loving and yet lonely types out there. I loved the mix of characters from the charming to the flirtatious, the slimy and the weary. It had a nice steady pace, an air of mystery and a lot of romance.

I can't wait for the next one to lose myself in!
A big thanks to Netgalley, Rebecca Raisin and Boldwood Books for a temporary copy to read and review. This, as always, will be reviewed on Storygraph, Goodreads and when permitted, Amazon.

I am new to Rebecca Raisin’s novels but I recently purchased her previous release The Santorini Bookshop and look forward to reading it--especially after enjoying A Love Letter to Paris! Anything with the word Paris in the title catches my attention and the topic of letter writing always hooks me in. And Rebecca has divinely used the tool of letter writing to tell her beautiful tale. Quirky, inventive, flawed though determined leading ladies, always make me smile and at times get me cheering so Lilou fits the bill to a “T’! And there are animals in this story: particularly feisty cemetery cats. Yes, I said cemetery! But this part of the story will make you chuckle at the antics of this furry feline named Minou who thinks he is more human than cat.

Lilou is a collector and seller of diaries, prayer books, letters and postcards--any forgotten hand written treasures she can find. She gets creative when she decides to start up a matchmaking business called Paris Cupid and uses the old fashioned art of letter writing to connect couples. She wants to give them an opportunity to take their time and romance each other, awaken the starry elements of mystique. And to learn to appreciate the unique personality traits and simple pleasures of love found in each other. But is Lilou the best person to tell others about love? She has had a less than successful run in romance in her own life. Yet hasn’t everyone had a few failures? It takes a while for her to see that those mishaps were only part of the process of getting to Mr Right.

The novel is filled with delightful descriptions of Paris that whisked me away to the city of fine art, food and love. Mentions of Van Gogh and Renoir add additional sparkle to an already lively and loving text. These rich scenes are so well delivered I wanted to escape to Paris and immerse myself in that inspiring environment. The characters are a delightful mix, too, with their own individual positive and negative traits and concerns.

There’s plenty of action in the plot, that includes a number of amateur sleuths who try to guess who is behind the Paris Cupid website. They don’t like the secrecy and lack of transparency and worry about their personal information. This activity initially gets Lilou worried and feeling stressed. It is bad enough that there are a vast number of rumours flying around with guesses that it is someone with a connection to love letters. Maybe it is Benoit with his calligraphy or Pascale but he doesn’t seem the romantic type. And there is Felix with his hand-pressed greeting cards. The guesses are understandable but then a seedy reporter stops by Lilou's market stall saying it is her and threatens to expose her and her past love-life. How does he know who she is? Oh yes, the visible trail of comments and photos left on social media she has forgotten to remove. It reminds us of how vulnerable we can become without privacy settings: an open book or target for bad characters to violate. This realisation has left her in a quandary. Should she come clean and let everyone know she is behind the Paris Cupid or hold on tightly to her identity? And what becomes of her own love life?

Lilou has a secret admirer that is perfectly presented at the end. Their beautiful meeting is one of my favourite scenes in the novel. Does she get her happy romantic ending or exciting new beginning? You will have to read it and find out. This is a heart-warming, funny and well-written romantic tale that will spark hope and happiness in those who read it. A Love letter to Paris is quirky and fun, festive and feisty. 5 Adorable Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for a review copy.

According to Rebecca Raisin's "A Love Letter to Paris," there are legends circulating around Montmartre about a mysterious matchmaker known only as "Paris Cupid" who has assisted the most well-known bachelor in the city in finding love. An old-fashioned romantic, Lilou runs her business selling love notes and discreetly arranges her own matches. Lilou is thrown into a flurry of emotions when she gets a cryptic note expressing someone's love for her. Is it really time for Lilou to discover her own happily ever after in the city of love? Lilou muses as she negotiates the possibilities of love with possible suitors Felix, Benoit, and Pascale.

This book is ideal for a quick read because it seems like a warm getaway. If you love Paris, you will fall in love with this. You'll fall in love with this setting if you're a lover of Paris. The notion of discovering love via handwritten letters offers an endearing twist and serves as a lovely reminder of the elegance of conventional correspondence. The plot develops as a lighthearted romance against a backdrop of Paris, with personalities like Guillaume enhancing its allure.

Although the matchmaking subplot is entertaining, I thought there could have been a little more development and explanation of the main romance toward the end. Nevertheless, it's a lovely suggestion for anyone in need of a little romance and pleasure.

I am grateful to Rebecca Raisin, the author, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

According to Rebecca Raisin's "A Love Letter to Paris," there are legends circulating around Montmartre about a mysterious matchmaker known only as "Paris Cupid" who has assisted the most well-known bachelor in the city in finding love. An old-fashioned romantic, Lilou runs her business selling love notes and discreetly arranges her own matches. Lilou is thrown into a flurry of emotions when she gets a cryptic note expressing someone's love for her. Is it really time for Lilou to discover her own happily ever after in the city of love? Lilou muses as she negotiates the possibilities of love with possible suitors Felix, Benoit, and Pascale.

This book is ideal for a quick read because it seems like a warm getaway. If you love Paris, you will fall in love with this. You'll fall in love with this setting if you're a lover of Paris. The notion of discovering love via handwritten letters offers an endearing twist and serves as a lovely reminder of the elegance of conventional correspondence. The plot develops as a lighthearted romance against a backdrop of Paris, with personalities like Guillaume enhancing its allure.

Although the matchmaking subplot is entertaining, I thought there could have been a little more development and explanation of the main romance toward the end. Nevertheless, it's a lovely suggestion for anyone in need of a little romance and pleasure.

I am grateful to Rebecca Raisin, the author, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

Another great easy read by Rebecca.
Paris is the backdrop for this book. A group of market sellers, with different trades have a close friendship but they are all linked to being lonely in love.
Lilou; a seller of old love letters and diaries and after a failed romance decides to set up Paris Cupid, an online dating service which is initiated by a love letter.
She tries to match up her close friends and colleagues but still remaining anonymous.
In the meantime, Lilou is receiving anonymous love tokens and she tries to find out the sender.
Will Lilou find love? Will she be able to keep her secret from getting out?

This was a gorgeous story that would be perfect to read while people watching, snacking on a croissant and sipping a cafe au lait in Paris during summer. Unfortunately I was at home snuggled up on the lounge because it’s freezing, but it did transport me to Paris in my imagination! Lilou tries to help a friend meet her perfect match by starting a dating app. This isn’t just any old dating app though, as this one starts with the matches corresponding by letters. Lilou is also looking for love herself and keeps finding mysterious romantic letters that she thinks are for her, but she isn’t sure and also doesn’t know who they are from. When things become heated because people are trying to find out the owner of the dating service, how will Lilou respond and what will happen to her own fantasy romance? Thank you so much to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author.

After reading this darling novel I now need to book a trip to Paris {I would if I could!} The descriptions of the city are perfect and I love the premise of getting a love letter - what a lost art in this digital age! Very cute story that will give you a little vacation through a love story :)

This book captures romance in Paris's picturesque Montmartre. The story follows Lilou, a hopeless romantic who becomes an anonymous matchmaker known as 'Paris Cupid.' Despite her own imperfect love life, Lilou helps others believe in love through handwritten letters. The novel weaves themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery, with Paris as a charming backdrop. Readers will relate to Lilou and her friend Emilenne, and root for Lilou's happiness amidst Parisian charm. It's a captivating read about connection and romance.

Absolutely loved this book by Rebecca Raisin , this is the second one of hers I’ve read but it won’t be the last. Perfect for Francophiles set as it is in Paris, the descriptions of the quaint market with its quirky shops easily bring to mind many of the markets I’ve visited in France. Beautifully descriptive writing, great cast of characters, perfect summer read. Highly recommended.

What if dating sites were more than surface deep? What if they allowed users to write and send actual correspondence once matched through the site, as an opportunity to possibly fall for someone’s thoughts, words, and feelings before their outward appearance?

This is exactly what Lilou wanted to know when thinking about her best friend’s remarkable qualities and unremarkable luck with love.

Lilou owns a boutique at the St. Ouen market that carries antique love letters which is how the idea first came to her. From there she secretly sets up Paris Cupid online. With hopes of finding love for her best friend, as well as her fellow market owners, her site unexpectedly explodes when a famously French bachelor and actor publicly announces he’s found the love of his life … through Paris Cupid! Hundreds of new profile requests come flooding into Lilou’s site and rumors begin to swirl over the identify of who is behind Paris Cupid.

Will Lilou be able to keep her identity hidden while finding love for her friends? And will Lilou be able to find love for herself along the way?

A Love Letter to Paris is a sweet, charming, adorable, and heartwarming read, containing a delectable host of characters to spend the day with! This is set to publish in the US on July 8th. Pre-order this book then check out her other novels while you wait. I know that’s what I’ll be doing!

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

"A Love Letter to Paris" is a delightful and heartwarming novel due to be released on July 8th, 2024 that captures the essence of romance against the backdrop of Paris's enchanting streets, particularly in the picturesque Montmartre neighborhood. Written with a charming narrative style, the story revolves around Lilou, a hopeless romantic who finds herself inadvertently becoming a matchmaker under the anonymous name 'Paris Cupid'.

I thought this novel is cute as Lilou focused on giving services of matchmaking keeping herself anonymous to those who have given up on love or felt that love has given up on them. The readers can easily relate to her friend Emilenne who had a messy ending trying to find love in the tricky modern day dating world where mostly relationships are not committed and want only a casual relationship. Her Heart on sleeve romantic character as Paris Cupid she thought will remedy injustice by bringing back the lost art of handwritten love letters to help others believe in love again.

The novel opens with Montmartre buzzing about 'Paris Cupid', a mysterious figure credited with orchestrating love stories, including that of the city's most notorious bachelor. Despite her role in setting up others, Lilou remains quietly focused on her love for old-fashioned romance and her passion for selling vintage love letters, diaries, ephemera at St. Ouen market. She was a merchant at a flea market.
What unfolds is a journey of self-discovery and unexpected romance for Lilou, whose own love life is far from perfect. When she receives a secret admirer's message, the plot thickens as she speculates on the identity of her suitor among potential candidates like Felix, the cheerful redhead, Benoit, the quietly handsome gentleman, or even Pascale, who challenges her patience daily.

The novel beautifully intertwines Lilou's personal quest for love with her knack for bringing others together, showcasing Paris as not just a setting but almost a character in itself—a city full of charm, secrets, and possibilities. The author skillfully weaves together themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery, creating a narrative that is both uplifting and engaging.

Overall, "A Love Letter to Paris" is a captivating read that will appeal to anyone who enjoys stories about love, friendship, and the allure of Paris. It's a testament to the enduring magic of the city and the universal desire for connection and romance. Readers will find themselves immersed in Lilou's world, rooting for her to find happiness amidst the romantic ambiance of Parisian nights.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books Publishers for an advance copy for my review.

Novel Nerd Blog: https://smithareading.blogspot.com/

From the premise, I really expected to love this. I have enjoyed this author before as well. But I jut wasn't feeling this. The style of breaking into sections when we flip times just felt disjointed and I wasn't feeling the main character at all. Just meh for me..