Which book lover does not one day want to work at or own a book store? So far, I have only met Helen who is living that dream but with The Little Bookshop on the Seine, I finally got a glimpse into the workings of being a book seller and bookshop owner. And it sure is a lot of work! Check out the synopsis below and then we will dive right in:
It’s The Holiday on the Champs-Élysées in a great big love letter to Paris, charming old bookstores and happily-ever-afters!
When bookshop owner Sarah Smith is offered the opportunity for a job exchange with her Parisian friend Sophie, saying yes is a no-brainer—after all, what kind of romantic would turn down six months in Paris? Sarah is sure she’s in for the experience of a lifetime—days spent surrounded by literature in a gorgeous bookshop, and the chance to watch the snow fall on the Eiffel Tower. Plus, now she can meet up with her journalist boyfriend, Ridge, when his job takes him around the globe.
But her expectations cool faster than her café au lait soon after she lands in the City of Light—she’s a fish out of water in Paris. The customers are rude, her new coworkers suspicious and her relationship with Ridge has been reduced to a long-distance game of phone tag, leaving Sarah to wonder if he’ll ever put her first over his busy career. As Christmas approaches, Sarah is determined to get the shop—and her life—back in order…and make her dreams of a Parisian happily-ever-after come true.
Why I chose to read The Little Bookshop on the Seine
A book with ‘bookshop’ in the title! What better excuse do I need to request it? I found this one while browsing through Harper Collins Canada’s catalog and was super excited when Marisol emailed me that it was on its way.
Themes for Thought
Sarah moves to Paris to give her friend a break – it’s a bookshop exchange! Having never left her little town of Ashford, this is the first time Sarah is venturing out of her comfort zone of romance novels. However, even though it is a ‘little bookshop’, it is actually a massive building that houses decades of books and history. Sarah faces a number of challenges throughout the book, personal and professional.
On Becoming a Leader
This is the first time Sarah has taken on a role of leadership where she is managing people, unlike her own little bookstore where she is the sole employee. Staff that does not show up on time, dwindling sales and missing money are some of the problems that Sarah faces. She had hoped to have time to explore and enjoy Paris, have literary conversations with people but the bookshop is a time-sucking monster with lots of stress. Also, not being a math wizard like Sophie, Sarah tends to underestimate herself and her abilities. The staff takes advantage of her wherever they can and she starts to feel like she is going an awful job.
Ultimately, this bookshop exchange offers Sarah the time to find out who she is and what she values. She cannot let people boss her around and say that is “the Parisian way of doing things” and that she is “too American”. Part of becoming a leader is embracing who one really is, rather than adopt brand new customs and keeping everyone happy. Even though it is Sophie’s shop, when Sarah is in charge, she has to figure out her own rules. This sometimes means deciding which battles to fight and that is another aspect of leadership. I liked that Sarah ultimately learns, though she takes her time and does get distracted often.
On Romance
One of the underlying commentaries that I really enjoyed in The Little Bookshop on the Seine was about romance and happy endings. Sarah loves happy endings and is fascinated when she meets the author Luiz, who always ends his stories in a bittersweet manner.
There is the question of why people read stories in the first place? If they will always end the way real life does, then what is the fun of reading, anyway?
Personally, I read to learn from the stories and the characters and it is fun for me to see the situations they face and how they handle them. It is true – life isn’t all a happy ending, but like Luiz says in the book, real life always ends in death and that is the truest ending a book can have.
On Paris and Secret Lives
Paris is known to be the city of lost souls and through The Little Bookshop on the Seine, we learn about many of the lost souls that call this city home. Though the bookshop staff are initially resistant to her, partly because of how Sophie manages them herself, eventually Sarah makes friends with them and learns about why they moved to the city and their reasons for working for the bookshop. Whether it is to escape the life their parents chose for them or starting a new chapter, Paris has given each of the bookshop employees a place to reinvent themselves and be who they want to be.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. Though there were parts of the plot that I did not agree with, this was a good thoughtful experience and made me think about the hard work that goes into maintaining a bookstore. Book lovers, this is your opportunity to come live the dream. 🙂
** The Little Bookshop on the Seine is now out in stores so get a copy and let me know what you think! **
Amazon Print
Amazon Kindle
Cover image: Photo by Norbert Tóth on Unsplash
Based on Shakespeare and Co?? Wonderful wonderful bookstore! I love Paris so this has to be a more for me!
I do not know if it is based on it but it might be the one you mentioned. The bookshop in the book is called Once upon a time.