RRR presents... The Paris Bookshop For The Broken Hearted by Rebecca Raisin - REVIEW!

Hi friends!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers. 

Today, we play host to a stop along the Rachel's Random Resources tour starring the latest release from author Rebecca Raisin. Prepare to be whisked off to the City of Lights as our leading lady tries to find her footing in life and love once again. Ladies and gents, the star of our post and today's featured title...

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted

by

Rebecca Raisin 

About the book...

Can you ever swear off love, in the city of love?

Coco is having a hell of a month. She’s lost her boyfriend and her business, been forced to uproot her daughter to move back in with her parents in Paris, and now an infuriatingly handsome stranger is yelling at her for acting like a tourist… Right underneath the Eiffel Tower.

Storming away from him – and swearing off men for life – she decides she’s going to take the first job that comes her way.

Then, as if fate hears her, later that day she stumbles into a little bookshop – but not any old bookshop. This one comes complete with a café, cocktail bar, reading room and secret tunnel of books, and just a little hint of magic in the air. So when Coco’s offered a job selling books there, it feels like the perfect fit.

There’s only one problem… propping up the bar in the bookshop is none other than the grumpy, gorgeous stranger she’d met earlier that day…

A totally romantic, bookish and gorgeously escapist romantic novel, set in Paris in Springtime. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, and Sarah Morgan.

--->  SNAG YOUR COPY TODAY. <---

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From the moment I saw this one, I knew I had to indulge. I've read Rebecca Raisin's work before (check my site for other posts!), and enjoyed every moment. She really knows how to write from the heart, and while the tales are filled with a myriad of emotions, you can always count on the ending being just the right fit for the story shared. Such was this case for this latest release...

I really liked Coco, and for the most part her daughter. I felt like she was dealt a bad hand, but she didn't shy away from the choices that needed to be made.  She took her life, and that of Eloise, in her hands, and set a path that would get them to a better place in the meantime so she could sort out the long term. Once the bookshop was introduced, I had THAT many more reasons to fall in love 🥰. I mean seriously, it isn't just a haven for books, but for those that love them! From the special features to the curious design, as the author was describing the books and crannies, my mind was creating a visual aid in the likes of which I wish resulted in an actual place! (Can you imagine? *sigh*) But I digress...

Through thick and thin, Coco was there for those she held dear, and while her heart took a beating at times, she was willing (if not somewhat reluctant) to try again. Yes, she swears off dating, but the heart wants what the heart wants, and opportunity generally knocks when we've just locked the door. 😉 In the end, it was a wonderful addition to her body of work, and a welcome read to while away a weekend. Highly recommended for fans of the author, or those looking for a great contemporary read filled with love, heart... AND books! 

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About the author...

Rebecca Raisin writes heartwarming romance from her home in sunny Perth, Australia. Her heroines tend to be on the quirky side and her books are usually set in exotic locations so her readers can armchair travel any day of the week. The only downfall about writing about gorgeous heroes who have brains as well as brawn, is falling in love with them–just as well they’re fictional. Rebecca aims to write characters you can see yourself being friends with.People with big hearts who care about relationships and believe in true, once-in-a-life time love.

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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the ebook for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

PARIS EVERY MOMENT by Christa Menegas - REVIEW!

Hi guys! 

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers. 

It seems I’ve been spending a lot of time recently in Paris...well, reading wise at least...considering my current read (more on that next week), and the title at the center of today’s post. It’s a work of Fiction that shows two sides to the city of lights...that which glitters in daylight, and that which dazzles at night. Ready to take a glimpse at a world you know, but only just? Ladies and gents, grab your boarding passes as we take a look between the pages of today’s title in the spotlight... 

Pairs Every Moment 

by 

Christa Menegas 

9781399903868 

About the book... 

Newly arrived for a six-month stay in Paris, Helen Larsen is settling in with her Montparnasse writer's group when she skids straight into a mystery. Is a once-famous, now-reclusive rock idol responsible for a dark deed? The story dashes from the Louvre museum's most suggestive paintings to a seduction in a medieval chapel to a legendary cemetery to find out.

Helen's tendency to snoop lands her on a one-of-a-kind tour of the City of Light. The trail as alluring and twisty as the art nouveau tendrils that climb the city's shadowed corners. The ups and downs include stained glass and teargas, an antique sex manual and mysterious poetry, the Eiffel Tower the hard way, and seduction in an absinthe bar. The conclusion takes place in that famed necropolis of lovers and poets, the Pere Lachaise cemetery, where resting peacefully is not the dead's only option.

The story-funny, sexy, with dashes of macabre-pulls readers along on a delicious romp through this most decadent of cities. Nothing is quite what it seems. All's well that ends well-but until then, the language barrier is the least of the barricades Helen will crash into or storm. 

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My fellow readers and bloggers, you’ll relate to this. Have you ever read about a book, and then started it only to find yourself neck deep in a story you weren’t expecting? Yeah, that was totally me here. It’s not to say I didn’t find it enjoyable in its own dark and curious way, but the synopsis had me going one way, and the beginning of the book another, and then the actual story took a large deviation and I felt thrown. Cie la vie, it is what it is, and I rolled with the punches… 

I felt for Helen, having lost someone close to her, and trying to find her footing. It both hurt and helped that part of the legacy left behind for her was travel to destinations unknown, discovering all life has to offer. Can’t say I’d be able to do the same in her situation as I have to have a planned place to land come what may, but I love the IDEA of it! The freedom to experience life as it comes, chase dreams, and follow your heart. In the City of Lights, that should be easy, right? Well, she’s tackled some of those aspirations, but finding the measure of her heart is proving a bit of a task. The French seem to view liaisons in a different light, and their allure are proofing to be the call of the siren for Helen. She gets into a few uncomfortable situations on her journey (apparently the hours of five to seven are something to avoid for a meet up unless you’re in the know), including the steps she takes to delve into the mystery alluded to in the synopsis...which lead to a very memorable, very unexpected end sequence. 

All in all, the darkness and light, ups and downs, the macabre and mundane...it’s all about LIFE and LIVING IT. Dreams are great, fantasies are fine, but what we have left at the end of the day is what really matters. Even our rock star legend learns a thing or two through some hard knock life lessons, though it may have taken many years to finally get it. I say this is a story to come to with a desire to see the city through the eyes of another, as they take a detour in their own path to truly experience what life is all about. 

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Special thanks to author Christa Menegas for the copy for review! For more information on this title or the author, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today. 

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT! 

Farewell 2020! HELLO 2021 New Releases! DOUBLE REVIEW with Atria Books!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Well, you made it.  It's New Year's Eve 2020 and we're about to say goodbye to the “affectionately” titled “year-that-shall-not-be-named”.  Seriously, I think people are going to utilize 2020 as a curse word in future generations because really...WHEW!  Who thought all THAT craziness would happen?  Anyway, should old acquaintance be forgot and all that jazz...but well, maybe not ALL acquaintance because there were some fabulous books that definitely took me to places outside our wonderfully pandemic ridden world, and I for one am grateful for them!

Today, we're going to zero in on a few that I read pre-release that are coming, in what we're hoping will be a fabulous year...2021!  So get ready for our bookish countdown as we help feed your wish list with titles that left an imprint on me this year that I will gladly carry into the next.

The Paris Library

by

Janet Skeslien Charles

9781982134198

Atria Books

Release Date:  February 9th, 2021

About the book...

Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.

Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.

A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors—The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places.

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Often times, though reading is a joyous pastime that brings a smile to my heart, we get so rushed by our daily lives, and schedules (self imposed or not) that we end up rushing through a title like it's a race to get to the end.  This time, I self indulged and took my sweet time to read every page, every word of this beautifully rendered story filled with heartbreak, betrayal, love, war, friendship, and just simply...life.

We get to know Odile both then and now as her history is revealed through present interactions, memories that play out in her mind, and the steps she is willing to take to try to put the past to rest.  Both versions of this character, young and older, are fascinating.  She lived a life some would be envious of, while others would see the undercurrents she swam against and run for the hills.  She was bookish and sought out her soul's delight, a job in the hallowed halls of the American Library, and while first impressions with the powers that be were not what she had hoped, the support she received from the cast of characters already laying themselves at our feet was heartwarming, and just the boost she needed to let her written words express what in person she initially could not.  It's funny actually how someone who found it hard to express what she held deeply as a part of her self, should have to learn the lesson of holding her tongue in the coming years.  Yes, my friends, the war taught them many things, and many lessons that should never be witnessed first hand or otherwise, but putting trust in the wrong person, speaking out of anger or frustration in lieu of from the heart, THAT was something that would come to haunt her in so many ways.  But I digress...

It all begins and ends with a curious neighbor girl knocking on Odile's door at just the right moment, and turning both their world's upside down.  Lily would never know just how much she was a force of good in Odile's life, though their connection, their love and fondness for each other grows with every coming-of-age lesson learned along the way.  She would know how cherished she was.  She would know that someone was there for her, come what may.  She would know that life goes on, even after the darkest of nights, and that there is always something or someone worth reaching for.

Honestly, I can't wait to see this one actually in print because I know despite having read the eARC, I'll have to have a copy on my own shelf.  It was just that good.  So, if you like Historical Fiction with both heart and lessons to be learned, or are even perhaps bookish yourself, this is a title I'd be setting my sights on come February for certain.

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The Love Proof

by

Madeleine Henry

9781982142964

Atria Books

Release Date:  February 9th, 2021

About the book...

A brilliant physicist studying the nature of time embarks on a journey to prove that those we love are always connected to us, leading to surprising revelations in this fresh and unique love story.

Sophie Jones is a physics prodigy on track to unlock the secrets of the universe. But when she meets Jake Kristopher during their first week at Yale they instantly feel a deep connection, as if they’ve known each other before. Quickly, they become a couple. Slowly, their love lures Sophie away from school.

When a shocking development forces Sophie into a new reality, she returns to physics to make sense of her world. She grapples with life’s big questions, including how to cope with unexpected change and loss. Inspired by her connection with Jake, Sophie throws herself into her studies, determined to prove that true loves belong together in all realities.

Spanning decades, The Love Proof is an unusual love story about lasting connection, time, and intuition. It explores the course that perfect love can take between imperfect people, and urges us to listen to our hearts rather than our heads.

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I admit it, this one takes you out of your comfort zone in regards to some of the theories it explores, however it's not so much so that you get lost from the story...and oh my goodness does it have HEART!

Sophie is a wonderful young lady on the cusp of opening doors the world didn't even know they needed open, and the genius of her mind is ready to take her there.  Her dedication to her work at such a young age is inspiring and the things she knows would put some of the best scholars to shame.  Thing is...up until now, her interactions have been limited to her family and scholarly endeavors.  Her equations never factored in...Jake.  From the moment she sees him, the moment they first pass words between them, her heart takes a sudden detour.  She doesn't forsake herself for the relationship that builds, but she is content.  She is happy.  She is in love...but with a mind like hers, no one seems to understand or accept that fact...including the one who should the most.  Years pass and all seems somewhat well, until an end she never anticipated coming, comes to pass.  To say it shakes her world is the understatement of the century, and yet it is the cataclysmic event that puts her in limbo.  Nothing lasts forever and though a lifetime passes, she rebuilds her foundations, and discovers an alternate purpose to pursue, but never forgets her first love...

As I said, the ideas explored about time and the present versus future existing on the same plane, are definitely the cause of some peculiar looks when I was talking about the book with fellow readers, but the concept of love never really leaving us, of being there in the moment and yet somewhere else at the same time, experiencing things in such detail that they are memories not dreams and yet you can't recall actually DOING them, those things transcend the intellectual aspect of the story and speak directly to the heart.

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Special thanks to Atria Books for the eARCs for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on these titles, the authors, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  Both titles are set to release February 9th, 2021 (as of this post) via Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, so mark your calendar, or pre order your copies today!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

#FranceBT presents... PARIS EVER AFTER by K.S.R. Burns - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

HI there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining France Book Tours for OUR maiden tour with this group (how exciting!) and shining the spotlight on a perfectly suited title.  Why?  Well, it IS called FRANCE Book Tours and the book just so happens to take place in...you guessed it, FRANCE.  Same-same!  Sorry, leftover Judy Moody-ism.  *ahem*  Moving on..... When I saw the cover, it looked just as sweet as the French Macaroons bedecking it, and I knew I had to take a bite.  Was I rewarded for my love at first site?  Hmm, now that's a bit tricky, but we'll get to the sticky part in a second.  First, let's introduce this little beaut.  Ladies and gents, Monsieurs and Mademoiselles, please join me as we welcome today's blog tour guest and book of choice...

Paris Ever After

by

K.S.R. Burns

Velvet Morning Press 

About the book...

Can Amy’s rocky start in Paris turn into a happy ever after?

Amy didn’t realize how stale her life was until she jetted off to Paris without telling a soul—not even her husband—and had the adventure of a lifetime. Now as she tries to establish herself in the City of Light, she finds that despite a fun (and quirky) group of friends and the ability to indulge in French pastries whenever she wants, reinventing her life is much harder than she imagined.

Then on Amy’s thirtieth birthday, two unexpected visitors leave her wondering if she will soon be saying au revoir to Paris and the new life she’s struggled to build. Her estranged husband, Will, shows up—but is he interested in reconciliation or separation? And a young woman who arrives on Amy’s doorstep unleashes chaos that could push Amy out into the street.

As Amy’s Parisian dream starts to fall apart, she must decide: return to the stability of Will and Phoenix (if that’s even still an option) or forge her way forward in Paris? Amid secrets and surprises, set in enchanting gardens, cozy cafés, and glittering Parisian streets, Amy must choose between two very different worlds. And each has a claim on her heart.

ADD TO GOODREADS

AMAZON  |  B&N  |  BAMM  |  KOBO | iTUNES | NOOK

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You know how when you're reading and you're REALLY into a story, the pages just fly by, and what seemed like a long book initially ends up not being long enough?  OH yeah, I LOVE that feeling...and yet, sometimes it's harder to grasp than others.  Now hold on, I know what you're thinking...this is all leading into a review, so it MUST mean I didn't enjoy my time between the epages...ah, but see, that making that assumption without reading on would make you mal mort (loosely translated...dead wrong).

See, when locked in the e-passages, I found myself getting bogged down by the details.  It wasn't so much the fact that the author takes us on a walking tour of France (très beau), or that the French language is sprinkled throughout the text (hello, it IS set there after all!), but there were things I felt I should have already known or understood better from the start.  Being the second in the series, I think I would have cared more for the characters earlier on if I'd read the first.  For example, Margaret is such a source of strength for Amy, but in my time with her, I saw more of the stereotypical French attitude than motherly affection...true she was going through some MAJOR things, but still. I mean, some books work better as standalone titles, while others need their compadres to prop them up a little; that's nothing to frown at, just another reason to READ MORE!  So, let's get down to business....

As I read, I was rooting for Amy to stay in France even though it seemed things were getting tougher by the moment...it seemed her heart was there even if everything else was screaming for escape...and while I wouldn't have taken the leap of faith she did without making William sing first (he said he had news but kept hedging, spill it son!), she did so with her whole heart.  I literally wanted to knock the head off of William's scummy shoulders after he finally gave her the big news, or rather she pried it from him (and his suitcase!)...but he'll get what's coming to him eventually; karma likes a challenge.  Meanwhile, Manu played a most unexpected role between the start and the finish...I honestly didn't see that transition coming...and Herve, well, let's just say I was surprised, but I wasn't (something didn't quite add up with all those business ventures).  I wish I could say I loved Margaret, but the side I saw of her wasn't very likable, nor was that of someone else that I won't mention by name because it will spoil the surprise, but I did actually appreciate the presence of Kat, however "distant" it was.  She seemed like someone to know, and yet another reason to perhaps read that first book.

After having finished my read through, and taking a step away from the epages, I can more fully appreciate the story as a whole.  It was filled with secrets, revelations, final goodbyes, and new beginnings...all of which add up to a surprisingly good read.  See?  Aren't you glad you kept reading past my intro?  A great addition to your Women's Fiction collection or weekend reading list...though I do suggest perhaps taking in The Paris Effect first.

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About the author...

K. S. R. Burns is the author of the Amazon bestseller, THE PARIS EFFECT, its upcoming standalone sequel PARIS EVER AFTER, and THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF WORKING GIRL: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use.

She has lived and worked in four countries and 22 cities, including Paris.  No longer a wanderer, Burns now resides in the Pacific Northwest, where in addition to novels she writes a weekly career advice column for The Seattle Times.  Subscribe to her newsletter.

SITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER

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Special thanks to Emma at France Book Tours for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the ecopy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, THIS TOUR, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title just celebrated its BOOK BIRTHDAY on the 1st, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today!

BEFORE YOU GO...

DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO WIN IN THE TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY!

Up for grabs...FIVE digital copies of this very book!

OPEN WORLDWIDE!

JUST CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE FORM!


Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

The FIFTH Post of BOOKMAS!

Season's greetings...

...and welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!

It's time for POST FIVE of the TWELVE DAYS OF BOOKMAS.

What IS Bookmas, you ask?

Great question!

Bookmas is similar to Christmas, except it brings tidings of great reads, holiday gifting suggestions, and just about all the bookish fun you can imagine from across the genre spectrum.  It's all in one place at one time (sorta) and ready to help you get out from under the yuletide stress, and get back to enjoying the season...one page at a time.  

Just why is it the "Twelve Posts" and not the twelve books?  Simple...I have WAY TOO MANY titles for you to consider, peruse, and read all about to limit it to twelve titles.  These posts are intended to highlight some great titles, give you ideas for your gifting this year, and help me clear up my "read-it-but-need-to-review-it" teetering stack.  Triple focus...yes siree!  So, ready or not, let's get this sled on the road as we unwrap today's featured titles....

Last Christmas in Paris

by

Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

9780062562685

William Morrow

Beautiful, gorgeous, tre magnifique! 
It was all I could ask for and more. My heart was so involved that their hardships felt like my hardships, their triumphs my triumphs, their darkest days and hopeful nights, my own despair and star wishes set free into the night sky. It reminds us of dark days past but how even with all the living nightmares being struggled through, the most beautiful and fragile thing in the world was still able to be found. A wonderful story for Historical Fiction fans filled with characters to love and OH so much heart. from a remarkable writing duo!

The Cottingley Secret

by

Hazel Gaynor

9780062499844

William Morrow

This was a story filled with more magic than one can almost bare.  We seamlessly flit between past and present, of childhood days gone by still brimming with the wonder trapped in memories and those moments becoming memories in the present through the choices made, obstacles tackled, and new pathways found.  It cherishes the innocence of youth and encourages us to seek that same magic in new ways throughout our lives.  

Meeting Frances and Elsie, following their wondrous adventures in the garden that seemed to attract more than its share of attention while learning how to deal with the world itself while at war, brought us back in time to those many many hours of uncertainty.  The magic they captured, whether real or a work of serious artistic talent and a creative mind, gave people something to believe in when all else seemed so dark and treacherous...and really, where was the harm in that?  Our present day introduction to Olivia was filled with heartbreak, heartache, and a feeling of both being lost and found all at the same time.  She went on an unexpected journey of discovery and uncovered so many things that changed her in so many ways, and yet with all the changes, she honestly found her true self.

A magical tale filled with heart, the importance of connections, and just the right amount of fairy dust.

Special thanks to the William Morrow publicity team for the copies for review. (THANKS!) For more information on these titles, the authors, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. Be sure to check back for the next BOOKMAS post for more bookish fun!

Happy holidays and happy reading!