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A Love Letter to Paris–lost art of correspondence
A Love Letter to Paris
by Rebecca Raisin
Lilou has been through several devastating romantic relationships as have some of her friends. Looking for a better way to connect, she anonymously founds Paris Cupid which matches people and enables correspondence which could result in a friendship and possibly a slow burn romance. Her day job is her own shop selling antique diaries and love letters in the Paris Market.
There are, of course, complications with both of her jobs. Through social media there is an outcry for transparency for Paris Cupid when a movie star sings its praises. Lilou has three handsome men at the Paris Market whom she suspects of secretly liking her. She visits with one of her antique dealers in a cemetery where some homeless cats hang out; their affection for the cats turns into a plot thread. Lilou is fluent in both English and French so the author throws in some French phrases that require no translation; the meaning comes from the context.
A Love Letter to Paris had no appeal for me through the first half. Then my interest picked up and was maintained throughout the second half of the book. The characters never came to life for me, however, and I didn’t like any of them. The resolution was apparent early on in the book, but the journey to the conclusion did not contain events that could have made it a page turner. Other books by Rebecca Raisin, especially those in the Travelling Shops series, have been delightful, but this one missed the mark for me despite my personal love of Paris and the French language.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Fiction, Romance
Notes: Clean language except for the occasional use of “merde,” the most common French swear word. No inclusion of intimacies.
Publication: July 8, 2024—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
The market is like a petri-dish when it comes to gossip, and left unattended it grows, multiplying until everyone hears an exaggerated version of the story that just isn’t true.
They’ve taken information directly from the Paris Cupid website, saying it’s a small affair dedicated to matching the lost, the weary, the broken hearted, or the just plain romantic, using the medium of love letters.
The perfume of old books: earthy, musty nuttiness with hints of vanilla and sweet almond is like a drug.
Let’s Fake a Deal–murder in the Air Force
Let’s Fake a Deal
by Sherry Harris
You can get a fairly good look at life on a U.S. Air Force base from reading Let’s Fake a Deal by Sherry Harris. Details range from the Spouse’s Club (formerly known as the Officers’ Wives Club) with its social structure and infighting to the legal processes within the enlisted and officer ranks. Much of it is accepted as “that’s the way it is” and some if it, sexual harassment, for example, is undergoing a slow evolution.
Sarah Winston, ex-wife of an Air Force security police force commander, lives between two worlds with loosening connections to the military and strengthening bonds with her new family of friends in the town she stayed in after her divorce. She owns a garage sale business, helping others sort through the excess in their lives, and lives in a tiny apartment furnished with garage sale findings.
Let’s Fake a Deal finds a shocked Sarah being arrested for selling stolen goods at one of her sales. Not only could she be convicted of a felony, but she could also damage her boyfriend Seth’s political chances as a District Attorney. At the same time that Sarah tries to locate the mysterious “aw shucks” couple who set her up, in more ways than one, she is also investigating the murder of Major Blade whose body was found in her friend Michelle’s car. Michelle is an Air Force light colonel enduring an IG investigation, but does not even know what the charges are. The Air Force judicial system works in powerful and mysterious ways.
Ride along with Sarah in this rollercoaster of a tale that involves a lot of investigation and interviews along with some action and romance. I think you’ll like both Sarah and this cozy mystery.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #7 in the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery Series, but works well as a standalone. I have only read a few in the series and have no problem following the plot.
2. The author includes a lot of acronyms that are common in military life, but she also gives good explanations for them.
Publication: July 30, 2019—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
Going to garage sales was like finding a good partner. You had to kiss a lot of frogs before you found a treasure.
“Purple looks great on you,” I said. Way better than envy green did on me.
Maybe poor in money, but rich in family and friends. Loved. Isn’t that all any of us really wanted?
education pathways 