Facing hard moments is not easy for anyone, especially Jean Perdu, the self-proclaimed literary apothecary who prescribes books to people based on their emotional state. He has essentially shut himself off, emotionally and physically, from the world since he was left by his lover over twenty years ago. Now fate has led him back to that very moment of heartbreak when he is forced to open a door, again emotionally and physically, and give away some of his last few possessions to a friend in need. Amongst those items is a letter his lover wrote to him on that fateful day. After reading it, he is determined to find her and make everything right again. But this cannot be done alone as he is bombarded with strangers needing his advice, namely a young author with writer's block who jumps on board as Perdu embarks on his journey down the Seine. However, it is the friends he meets along the way and the situations they fall into that help Perdu realize how much he needs to change and that facing reality is not necessarily a bad thing - hard but not fatal. Perdu's trip from Paris to Provence on his floating bookshop is just what he needs to start over and learn to really live his life and hopefully help others fully live their lives as well.
Nina George has written a touching and well-written story about love, loss and moving forward in life. I found it an easy read and one that leaves you feeling content. The situations the characters face are comical and George perfectly describes the setting, transporting readers to fandom gatherings, underground tango classes and various city squares. I'm a Francophile and therefore loved this journey through France, if you are too you'll love The Little Paris Bookshop!