The Little Paris Bookshop

Nina George

There are books that are suitable for a million people, others for only a hundred. There are even remedies—I mean books—that were written for one person only…A book is both medic and medicine at once. It makes a diagnosis as well as offering therapy. Putting the right novels to the appropriate ailments: that's how I sell books.”

Monsieur Perdu calls himself a literary apothecary. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life. Using his intuitive feel for the exact book a reader needs, Perdu mends broken hearts and souls. The only person he can't seem to heal through literature is himself; he's still haunted by heartbreak after his great love disappeared. She left him with only a letter, which he has never opened.

After Perdu is finally tempted to read the letter, he hauls anchor and departs on a mission to the south of France, hoping to make peace with his loss and discover the end of the story. Joined by a bestselling but blocked author and a lovelorn Italian chef, Perdu travels along the country's rivers, dispensing his wisdom and his books, showing that the literary world can take the human soul on a journey to heal itself.

Internationally bestselling and filled with warmth and adventure, The Little Paris Bookshop is a love letter to books, meant for anyone who believes in the power of stories to shape people's lives. (from Netgalley)

My Thoughts

Jean Perdu has taken an old barge and turned it into a book store called Literary Apothecary. People come in thinking they know what book they want to buy, but Perdu knows otherwise. He has an uncanny ability to access what book the buyer NEEDS. His ability to help others fix themselves by selling them the right book has endeared him to many. On a personal level, he has been unable to get over a lost love that happened 20 plus years ago. Finally decides to head out on a journey in the hopes that he will resolve his own heartache.

The author has given us a very likeable character in Jean Perdu. He is dedicated to helping others through books. His sad heart makes it impossible to find new love and one can’t help but cheer for him as he travels in search of closure. He brings along two book store cats and a quirky author who is also in search of a new life. They meet some fun/odd/unique people along the way.

I will admit that any book that has the word “library”, “book store” or “book shop” always catches my eye. As someone who loves to read, I make the assumption that books with these words in the title will be worth reading. This assumption does not always prove true, but it sure did with this book. My first reaction was to call this book cute. But it really is more than that. It is about friendship, trust, a bit of heartache and ultimately, the power of love.

Nicely done Ms. George!

My thanks to Crown Publishing, via Netgally, for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review. It was very entertaining and made me smile.