I have to start off by saying that I never thought reading about the process of paper making could be so interesting!

Looks Good on Paper follows Zuri, a customer service rep for a dating app, that life changes when she decides to enroll in a pen pal program run by an elite paper making company. Zuri has dealt with some hardships in her life and is feeling a bit stuck. After enrolling in the pen pal program, she is paired with the dreamy italian "Alessandro" and they begin to build an intense connection through letter writing. After a life-changing event, Zuri, decides to travel to Europe, and make a stop in Italy to meet Alessandro. Little does she know not everything appears to be what it seems.

It started off innocent enough. Alessandro did not know good english so he decides to pass his pen pal off to his brother, Nico. Posing as Alessandro, Nico begins to write letters to a woman named, Zuri. All is well until he begins to fall in love, and she decides to take a trip to Italy to meet Alessandro.

First off, I loved the Italy setting. It was beautifully written and I could vividly picture the environment. The descriptions of places, people and surroundings made it feel like movie was playing in my mind. I also enjoyed learning about the process of making paper, how letter writing can bring people together, and the art form it takes to even produce paper. It was truly fascinating. I loved Nico and Zuri! They were fun. I thought the way their relationship came to be was very unique.

I did struggle with the ending. It felt a bit rushed. I loved all the character development and how things were wrapped up, but I wish we had more time to let those events unfold. It happened so quickly!

Overall, I did enjoy my time with Nico and Zuri! The story was sweet, fun and left me wanting to travel to Europe in the near future.

This was a sweet romance. I thought it was going to have a little more comedy but it was super super sweet.

This is the kind of book that I think would make a lovely romantic movie. Zuri and Nico are really likable main characters and the retailing is a great concept framework for the story.

I enjoyed the opening; I wish we learned a little bit more about some of the hijinks and funny stories from her job; but all in all it was great introduction to Zuri.

I would have liked a higher heat level but that’s just my personal preference; I tend to enjoy spicier romance.

The middle dragged a little bit, but the pacing in the beginning and the end were perfect.

If you enjoy interracial romances, romances where the main characters are from different cultures, and just sweet stories I’d recommend checking this book out.

Filled with unique elements compared to the usual romance books I read, this book captured my attention from the very first page. The characterisations of both the MCs feel multidimensional, though maybe it could provide more depth for the side characters (I mean, it would not hurt to know more about Zuri’s friends and the friendships she had built over the years).

Maybe it does not have the most solid conflict and grovelling I’d rather have, but in the end, how the conflict resolves between Nico and his brother, and how Zuri settles to leave her toxic environment and people in her life were quite satisfactory. It is the first time I’m reading the book from the author, and I will definitely be looking forward to read more from them.

3.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Looks Good on Paper caught my attention with the mention of it being a Cyrano de Bergerac retelling in the blurb. I am also mutuals with Kilby Blades on Twitter, although we haven’t interacted very much, and I have long been interested in trying her work, although I’m unsure if this was the best place to start.
I really like Zuri. She’s relatable in all she’s gone through, from the tension in her family, which gets some development (but not closure, which does work for the situation as it stands) and she’s not happy in her current job. The feeling of having really missed out on the fun of your twenties absolutely resonated with me.
The first part with the initial development of the letter-writing relationship is super cute too. I love how, in the age of dating apps and DMs, this book hearkens back to a dying form of communication, with Zuri and Nico (writing as Alessandro) really getting to know each other. Ultimately, Nico is in a similar place of being somewhat dissatisfied with the current direction his life is taking, and I love observing their growing bond.
However, I feel like part of the fun of the “Cyrano” narrative is also seeing the third person playing the role of the romantic lead, and I didn’t get that. There are some moments once Zuri and Alessandro meet where inconsistencies pop up, but she’s also spending time with Nico in person more anyway, so what’s the deal? It all felt more like the Big Lie trope than Cyrano, especially as the story grew more convoluted.
And with all the hurt Zuri had experienced, I did wonder why she wasn’t more hurt at the betrayal, especially to have it going on for so long. Nico had good intentions initially, but I felt things could have been much better if he’d come clean sooner. He did make it up to her, so while I don’t know if I can see them lasting in the long run, I am at least satisfied for now.
This is a cute romance, and while it has its flaws, I like what it’s trying to do, especially in paying tribute to the largely forgotten art of letter-writing. If you’re a fan of contemporary romances, I recommend giving this a try.

This is an entertaining, sweet and tender story, I loved it.
I love the letters and the way Zuri and Nico gradually become friends and friendship gives way to attraction through just letters. The author's idea of ​​falling in love through words rather than appearances is so original and different. And is amazing the way the author beautifully portrays the landscapes of Italy. Zuri and Nico are such a lovely couple.

Looks good on paper is a beautiful, cute, fun and clean romance that will make you sigh and give you a swarm of butterflies in your stomach

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I loved this book. Wow I loved the fact it has pen pals. Are people even pen pals any more. I am smiling just thinking how fun it would be to have a pen pal. This was a great twist on a classic tale. I just loved it so much.

Love to see classic stories translated into modern times. The story is Cyrano is very famous but this is the first novel I have seen based off of this story. It was a sweet story that I was able to dive into and read in one sitting. I’ll likely pick up a hard copy when it comes out. Thank you for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Look Good On Paper
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 9/12/22
Author: Kilby Blades
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Pages: 150
Goodreads Rating: 4.06

TW ⚠️: Gambling addiction

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Entangled Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: In today’s world filled with terrible dating apps and split-second hot takes, all Zuri Robinson wants is something real. Feeling like she completely missed out on her twenties, she’s pretty much done. Her only bright spot is exchanging letters with a ridiculously charming guy in Italy. Only Alessandro Fabricare has a teeeeeny little secret… Nico Fabricare simply wanted to help his brother, Alessandro—who isn’t as eloquent with the English language—write a few letters. But with every letter that crosses the Atlantic, Nico is discovering that Zuri might just be the most incredible woman he’s ever met…except she thinks she’s falling in love with his brother. Now Zuri is on her way to Italy—to meet Alessandro. And Nico is running out of time to win over the girl of his paper dreams before she finds out the truth.

My Thoughts: This is my first read on a pen pal trope and checks all of the boxes of a cute romantic read. Blades has produced a clean romance that is unique, beautifully written, and so very unique. Blades does an outstanding job at setting the tone in beautiful Italy, makes you feel like you are right there with Zuri on her journey. Blades has a way to transport you to the country that you really felt like you were traveling. This was a quick read, which made it easier to binge in a few short hours. The characters were so well developed with depth, amazing chemistry, emotion, growth, and creatively written. Zuri was strong and independent, while Nico had so much growth through the story. Both characters are very likable and relatable. The author’s writing style was complex, swoony, little spicy, and just brilliantly done. This book hits the shelves next week and I highly recommend picking up!

There was so much to love about this book - the letter writing, the paper making history, the travel to Europe (mainly Italy), and two well developed main characters. I really related with Zuri's struggle to figure out what's next in her life, and Nico is an amazing cinnamon roll of a hero. I will definitely be adding Kilby's backlist to my TBR!

This was a fun novella! Pen pal tropes are so much fun and I really enjoyed this. I sometimes struggle to connect with characters during novellas because I need a bit more time with them, but I enjoyed this regardless.

This started off really strong for me, but somewhat fizzled at the end, so what I thought was going to be a solid 4 star read became more of a 3.5, but will round up for review purposes. I really liked the modern day take on the Cyrano de Bergerac story and found Zuri to be a relatable heroine because I also have an affinity for fine stationary and pens. I would have liked for there to be more comedic elements from her ridiculous hookup app workplace, but the story shifted pretty quickly to her travels to Europe instead. Most of the charm lies with the epistolary element, and once Zuri and Nico/Allesandro met in real life some of that mystery faded. As for Nico, he was a bit of the stereotypical Italian romantic, and was a bit over the top and flowery in both his written and spoken word. I did end up enjoying the book though and liked the author's writing style a lot, so would definitely read more works from her in the future.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for providing this e-ARC in exchange of an honest review.
If you’re looking for a light sweet romance with a unique plot and diverse characters then this is the right book for you.
Kilby Blades did an amazing job on both character and landscape descriptions. I loved learning about paper manufacturing and the history behind Nico’s company, Emperio and I lived vicariously through Zuri’s first time experience of Europe. I would absolutely love to be in her shoes someday!
I appreciated that they got to know each other as well as themselves deeply which helped them tremendously in standing up for themselves and finally being able to live for their passions. The only thing that made it fall short of five stars was the way the author rushed through the ending especially on Vanessa, Nico’s ex wife part but overall it was a very refreshing and warm read that I wholeheartedly recommend reading.

A passion for all kinds of paper brings Zuri to Italy where she will find her purpose in life, will let the hurting past behind and will heal her heart, readying herself for a new life and love again. Even if it entails some betrayal and hurt in the process. Good read.

This book made me run out to a store to find artisan paper. Yes it is so good you will buy beautiful paper and try to figure out what to do with it. The love story between Zuri and Nico starts our slow, as snail mail tends to be but when they finally meet the chemistry between them is fantastic. I never knew what to expect with each page and it is so beautifully written you think you are actually in Italy as you read this.

I really loved that this book revolved around pen pals (we used to do this in school as well).

I found this an incredible sweet romance. Between an American and a hot Italian.

This story is so sweet but also unique. So well written and described.

I loved how the letters are such an amazing part, it made it so true.

This was truly a refreshing read that really is dear to my heart.

This book is a friends to lovers trope, slow burn with love letters but also hidden identity.

I love how detailed the knowledge of the paper manufacturing went, well done.

Apparently I am late to the Kilby Blades ride, so I will be doing a catch-up. She will be an immediately buy author for me.

I really enjoyed Zuri and Nico's story how it develops just by the written word and how their lives help each other.

This is an epic read with chemistry and lovely characters.

I received an ARC from Netgalley. Everything I write is my honest opinion.
Rating 3.5
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So, I did like this book! But, it didn’t stand out that much to me. Sometimes, it felt a bit slow to me. I did adore the character. Zuri was a breath of fresh air. She was nice, respectful and cheery. Nico, on the other hand, I honestly fell in love with him. I could picture him in my head so clearly. The author did a good job on character descriptions.
So this book is about Zuri, a afro-american woman who’s severely under appreciated at her job. She applied for a pen pal programme, affiliated with her favourite paper company Emperio. What she doesn’t know is that her chosen pen pal is Emperio’s CEO, Allessandro.
Allessandro’s English isn’t great, so he asks his brother Nico to write his pen pal letters. Nico and Zuri have a click, instantly.
Then, Zuri goes on a big trip to Europe, and has plans to stop by Italy for a while. Nico invites her to lunch, chaos ensues. He has to pretend to be his brother, this doesn’t all go to plan, obviously. Will Nico win Zuri’s heart?

Overall, it was a nice read. Would definitely recommend it.

“Love and hate were parallel emotions. You had to care enough about someone to feel anything that resembled hate.”

Very easy to read. I loved the characters. Great character and plot building. Like seriously, the details in this book were incredible. The topics of conversation in some of the letters were mundane, and seemed awkward for a pen pal you literally just met. This goes for the in person meeting as well. But that is the point of romance novels 😅 once the slow burn peaked and the expected drama ensued, it was a quick end. I do appreciate the coming of age (in her 20s and his 30s, which is much more accurate than the teenage years) and the accurate portrayal of hurt from both family and relationships. Overall I think this was a sweet once in a lifetime romance.

•dual POV
•LGBTQ+ positive
•long distance romance
•slow burn
•secret identity
•happily ever after

Out September 12, 2022

I enjoyed the slow ease into the heart of the story, that is in this book. Zuri and Nico were fun to get to know.
The way they slide into a relationship is heartwarming, loved every minute of it.

I enjoyed this book! Third person isn’t my favorite point of view to read in, but Kilby Blades did it well. I found the beginning of the story to be slow, but once it picked up I couldn’t book the book down! I do hate the miscommunication trope, so I wouldn’t recommend it to people I know also don’t like it. But i loved Zuri and Nico’s characters and their development through the book. It was very enjoyable and I’m exciting to get a physical copy of it!

I enjoyed this story quite a bit!!!! The characters are strong, exciting, and devoted. Situations are riveting and the writing is great!!! First story I’ve read from this author and I plan to read more!!.