I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Little Venice Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin Published by HarperCollins UK on March 30, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Coming of Age, Fiction / Family Life / General, Fiction / General, Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy, Fiction / Women
Pages: 352
Format: ARC, eBook, Paperback
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Find the Author: Website, Facebook
‘Ahhh I absolutely loved this book!... Made me laugh, warmed my heart... Fabulous.’ NetGalley reviewer
A bundle of mysterious letters. A trip to Venice. A journey she’ll never forget.
When Luna loses her beloved mother, she’s bereft: her mother was her only family, and without her Luna feels rootless. Then the chance discovery of a collection of letters in her mother’s belongings sends her on an unexpected journey.
Following a clue in the letters, Luna packs her bags and heads to Venice, to a gorgeous but faded bookshop overlooking the canals, hoping to uncover the truth about her mother’s mysterious past.
Will Luna find the answers she’s looking for – and finally find the place she belongs?
Praise for The Little Venice Bookshop:
‘Absolutely delightful... Captivating from start to finish. The characters were charming and witty.’ NetGalley reviewer
‘This book made my heart very happy... An absolute warm hug in book form.’ NetGalley reviewer
‘What’s not to love in a book with cats, books and a mystery. Five stars doesn’t seem enough.’ NetGalley reviewer
‘I fell in love with the bookshop,’ NetGalley reviewer
‘A beautifully written book... I absolutely could not put it down... There wasn't a single dull moment during this book, I found myself indulging in every single gorgeous word... Everybody needs to read it because it's just perfect!’ NetGalley reviewer
‘I fell in love with this book... May be Rebecca Raisin’s best book yet.’ NetGalley reviewer
‘I read the book in one day... My favourite novel by Rebecca Raisin to date.’ NetGalley reviewer
‘A superb book. I genuinely couldn’t put it down... Utterly absorbing.’ NetGalley reviewer
‘I felt like I had been there in my head from the descriptions the author evoked...Positive and uplifting.’ NetGalley reviewer
‘A beautiful story.’ NetGalley reviewer
The Little Venice Bookshop is a light and enjoyable read that is a little bittersweet when it comes to doing what is right even if it is the hard thing to do. ~ Amanda – Simply Love Books
The Little Venice Bookshop is a lovely book that sets a woman on a self-discovery journey after the death of her mother. Luna has lived an unconventional life traveling the globe, living in communes, and living it as a wanderer. Finding a stack of letters from a man named Giancarlo in Venice send her there to figure out the connection he had with her mother Ruby. Never knowing who her father was, she searches for answers and hopes that the bookshop owner Giancarlo can give them to her.
The author vividly described Venice and brought back the wonderful setting to life with the magic of the canals, bridges and ristorantes. I can imagine the cramped bookshop with the many cats and the grumpy storeowner wanting to read in peace than run a business. When both Oscar and Luna vie for the job to work in the bookshop and come up with and interesting way of bringing in business, I thought their attraction would be front and center in the storyline. Instead another character, Sebastiano, was the love interest and kind of sidetracked the story for me. Luna wasn’t direct with questioning Giancarlo about the letters and it dragged on a little too much before she was able to get her answers. Thank goodness Luna brought her friend Gigi with her to Venice because she brightened up the story when she appeared on the pages and added some humor with her big personality and also her compassion and understanding for what her friend Luna is going through.
The Little Venice Bookshop is a light and enjoyable read that is a little bittersweet when it comes to doing what is right even if it is the hard thing to do. An epilogue would have tied up the story nicely because the ending felt a little rushed. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and made me think of the choices one makes when it comes to family. The story is a reflection on how fragile family relationships are and how you need to take care and nurture them.
About Rebecca Raisin
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 lifetime love. Her bestselling novel Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop has been optioned for film with MRC studios and Frolic Media.