The Little Paris Bookshop

The book is full of wonderful quotes and words of wisdom. But Jean Perdu is a troubled man with a past he can't let go of. The story is about his journey to come to grips with his past and find happiness again. It is full of unique and colourful characters and many clever references to books and what they can do for you. I loved this book and savoured every sentence. It's like a long slow boat ride to happiness!

This is a novel that I read in one day, warming to the grieving protagonists who have found each other, and particularly struck by their first meal together—fish poached in cream and white wine, new potatoes roasted in garlic and rosemary, pears and cheese, and with a beautiful French wine to accompany it. In my mind romance can’t exist without meals prepared from scratch and wine to go with it. The other secret ingredient in the novel is books, and the combination of food and wine, a romance, and a love of books gives this book a permanent place in… show more.

On a restored barge on the Seine, Jean Perdu runs a bookshop where he uses his special gift for sensing which books will soothe his customers’ troubles. He decides to cast off and set sail on an unusual journey to seek out his lost love of twenty years, meeting unusual characters along the way and learning how to live and love again. Wise, charming, and atmospheric, the novel offers the perfect escape to Paris without having to leave your own armchair. 

This is a moving story of an eccentric bookseller who has his store on a barge. He seems to have just the right book to help each individual in their own lives while he is coming to terms with a past love and discovering more about himself and life. He also visits many lovely French villages on his travels on the barge.