📃🖋Paper, paper, everywhere: letters lead to love?📬💌

4-4.5🌟 stars
Loved the countryside Campania, Italy setting and the growth of a deeper connection through correspondence before Zuri and her handsome Italian pen pal meet. Despite their family problems, this couple have instant physical attraction and a common passion for writing paper and are extremely engaging, both individually and as a couple.

I have to give the author props for her knowledge of the art of niche high quality paper manufacturing. Who knew it was such a labor- and time- intensive endeavor. Normally, the detail would have been something that would not interest me but it was so important to the romance. I mean, think of the iconic pottery wheel scene in the movie Ghost but with pulp and water for the couple to work with instead of clay!😉. And the retail marketing aspects of the business were important to their developing closeness too.

This is the second of the author's Italy-set novels that I've now read and both gave me the romance and glorious descriptions of countryside and lifestyle that I had hoped for.

Thanks to Entangled/Amara and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Looks Good on Paper was a cute read, although I think the things I liked the most about it were the fun look into paper-making and the individual character journeys for both Nico and Zuri, more so than I cared about the romance. Nico and Zuri together were very sweet, but at least for me, I didn't feel their chemistry. Kilby Blades's writing is solid, which was good, since this is my first read by this author, and I'd be willing to try out her other books.

I had the most fun reading their letter exchange, and I was a little sad that we only got to see a few of them in total, as the premise had me thinking we'd get a larger share of letters. All of the letters were a delight, and it was great to see Nico and Zuri get to know each other by sharing things about themselves as pen pals. The Cyrano de Bergerac aspect of it, with Nico writing his letters under his brother's name, made sense initially, although it got more convoluted because of their meeting in real life (as expected), and it was a large part of the tension (on Nico and the reader's end) since we know the big conflict between Nico and Zuri would have to be connected to it. I understood it, to a point, but I still got more and more frustrated with it the longer the lie was maintained, especially since it seemed slightly weird that Zuri never tried to look up Nico or Alessandro even after she learned that they were the owners of her favorite paper company (and that she'd never known any of the details about them even though she was a huge fan of their paper. I mean I guess it's possible that she didn't read about the owners, but she seemed to know some of the history of their family and stuff? So it was kind of hmm). Some of these aspects get harder to pull off in a modern setting, I guess. That frustration with the plot made it hard for me to enjoy the time they got to spend together while Zuri was there, since it kind of hung over everyone's heads (with Zuri blissfully unaware lol).

The resolution was very much so an HEA, though, which is great, since this is romance and that's what we're here for. I got a little teary-eyed over Nico's character growth, his readiness to step into the CEO role properly this time, and the symbolism of him sitting in his mom's chair. All of these loose ends were tied up very neatly (yet also very quickly, which made it feel just a bit unrealistic, particularly with his ex-wife, since that was a major source of stress for Nico throughout the book and kept popping up throughout like it would turn into something bigger). I appreciated that Blades poked fun at start-ups in the context of the fictional dating app Zuri worked for (the theme for all the names being tied to the app lol and the ridiculousness of the speech that their CEO gave about the acquisition), and I loved that Zuri eventually came to stand up for herself and her own worth (her letter to HR was very satisfying). Nico making sure Zuri got credit for her work where credit was due was a huge plus. They're both very likable characters; it just feels like the balance between all the elements in the story was difficult to achieve, so I didn't quite feel that invested in their romance. Still a sweet read, though, with a swoony ending and cute HEA.

I’ll admit, I went in blind with this one! Cute cartoon covers get me every time.

Looks Good on Paper is about Zuri and Nico (told in 3rd person but with dual POV) who have a pen pal relationship, but Nico isn’t who she thinks she is.

The only negative of this book is that it was a little drawn out. I loved reading their back and forth letters, but at a few points I felt it was a little slow. Otherwise, it was a sweet book and a great palette cleanser after reading a few back to back spicy books. I could definitely see this one as a book club recommendation, or for anyone who likes sweet low stakes romance.

This is a cross racial romance. Zuri is a black female who works as a CSR at a dating app company. Nico is an Italian paper making company executive. The story harkens back to a simpler time when people communicated through writing letters. It is told in the voice of Zuri and Nico as they both explore their relationship and what they want to do for the future. Through the written word they are able express themselves and fall in love.

This is the type of sweet and light hearted romance that I would easily recommend to my moms book club. It’s a very low stakes yet very pleasant plot and delightful characters. It’s low on the spice, which feels very appropriate for this book and I think it would have been out of place otherwise.

This book spends a lot of time and effort on discussions of paper. It truly shows how passionate the author is about paper and how much research went into making this as authentic as possible. I loved the infusion of the authors enthusiasm into her characters because it made them feel more authentic and it gave them unique interests and hobbies (as opposed to romance characters always working in bookshops, coffee shops, or as lawyers).

The diversity in this book is great and the exploration of toxic family members and how people move on from relationships can be done differently but it’s still valid. I appreciated the way the main character went about resolving her issues with her step father because a lot of time, women especially, are told how to interact with people who have abused them. She never comes out and says it but she was completely and utterly financially abused by her step father. I liked that she didn’t fit into the mold and did what she emotionally needed to do in order to feel peace.

The slow build up of a relationship was done really well between Nico and Zuri. It felt natural and easy. It wasn’t rushed and I loved the slow burn of them getting to know each other and share hobbies in order to further build a bond between them. It had the ease of allowing the characters the space to be themselves without the plot forcing things to happen in order for plot to occur.

This is definitely a very character driven story and I feel like to see these well executed isn’t as common as it should be. I definitely have to give this book credit because it really does try to immerse the reader into the world of paper making and peoples finding their true passions while also falling in love.

I loved this story! Kilby has a gift for describing the lush Italian countryside-set in the small town of Ascobia, Zuri has the once in a lifetime opportunity to meet her pen pal. After an unexpected windfall from the sale of the startup where she works, Zuri finally has the money to escape from debt and travel for pleasure. Having quite a few ex-pat friends in Europe, she decides to visit France, Switzerland, and Germany. When her pen pal from Italy, "Alessandro" asks her to meet him in Italy, Zuri is happy to oblige. Alessandro, however, is the acting CEO of the Emporio paper company...and not the one who has been writing Zuri letters. His brother, Nico, who has better English skills, has been writing them. They agree to keep up the deception, due to some legal troubles at Emporio, but Nico fervently wants to meet Zuri. A sweet romance follows, as Zuri's train is delayed due to a strike. The story wraps up in a heartwarming happily ever after. Readers will get swept away by both Zuri and Nico, and there is a strong theme of staying true to yourself and figuring out what you really want out of life. I wholeheartedly recommend this story!

First, I want to thank Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for giving me a chance to read an arc from one of my favorite humans on the planet – in addition to being one of my favorite authors.

Many writers these days take time-honored stories and try to modernize them. I say TRY because many, in my opinion, don’t succeed. In fact, many of them ruin the basic story, leaving the reader with a big question mark when the book is done about why they bothered to take something wonderful and time-honored and make it less than.

Not Kilby Blades.

This wonderful author has taken the classic tale of Cyrano de Bergerac and not only given it a modern spin, but she’s also stayed true to the original message of the story which is an allegory between inner and outer beauty, telling the truth to those you love, and never judging a book by its cover.

Zuri Robinson works at a horrible dating app, has a stepfather who ruined hers and her mother’s life and who is sitting in jail, and is underappreciated by the company she has devoted her life to. Basically, she thinks she wasted her 20s. The only thing she loves doing is writing letters the old-fashioned way and has a real passion for the ancient art of papermaking.

When she develops a pen-pal relationship with Nico Fabricare, who BTW didn’t want to be a penpal but did so to appease his brother Allesandro – there’s a long convoluted story of why in the book that I won't go into because I hate spoilers. When she mentions she’s coming to Italy – where the Fabricare brothers live, the brothers realize something has to be done. Zuri thinks she is meeting one brother she’s formed a relationship with when in reality it’s the other brother.

Many machinations later and Zuri and Nico meet and fall in love. Only she thinks his brother is the letter writer. In classic Cyrano fashion, the tale turns…

I have to think Ms Blades did an insane amount of research on how paper is manufactured and made using the ancient methods stated in the book. I have to admit, I wouldn’t have the patience to make paper this way, but the detail is exquisite.

The ending of the tale is perfect for the story. I highly recommend this book from a wonderful writer.

This is a new author for me, and I was intrigued by the description of the book, so I requested a copy.

The book is definitely a different storyline, but I truly loved Nico and Zuri. The fact that they became close friends over being penpals, although a bit deceiving at first, was a whole different kind of romance in my book. Loved the town of Ascobia, adored Emporio and the art of making paper for stationary (who knew one could get turned on over that!), and adored this surprising storyline that truly sucked you in after only a couple of pages.

This book gave me the interest to start writing to my grandkids so they can find the art and enjoyment out of writing and receiving letters, truly lost in todays world. Would highly recommend this book to others!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

I had just finished a book that had kidnappings, shootings, and car chases so when I started to read this book, it threw me a bit. But this story made me slow down and savor.

I really like the idea of the two protagonists falling in love through letters before actually meeting face to face. So many romances today seem to be about that first visual attraction. I liked all the characters, especially Zuri and Nico. While both were dealing with events out of their control, they both handled the situations with grace and dignity. Their intimacy was “behind closed doors” however, the scene where Nico was showing Zuri how to make paper made me swoon.

I really enjoy how this author can transport the reader to the country where the story is based. Her descriptions are so vivid, I felt like I was in Italy! Buona lettura!

You might like this book if you're really into paper? It's not the worst thing i've read but it's not very good. I think that the characters and the relationship need more development. I feel like the romance is not very believable.

I received an arc through netgalley.

It had been a while since I read a fun trope about a pen pal. Do folks even have pen pals anymore?

Blades took a delightful topic and created a beautiful simmering romance around a disgruntled American and a hot Italian, also disgruntled, but in a different way.

This story is sweet and so unique, with sweeping descriptions of the countryside that begs you to visit. The letters are delightful and insightful, and the two have so much in common, you know they are a perfect couple if they can get it together while she is visiting.

Packed with style and grace, this clean romance is loaded with warmth, care, and a sweet romance that tugs on your heartstrings. A refreshing read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity!

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book. I thought it would be your typical case of hidden identities, hurt feelings, the woman leaving when the truth is revealed, followed by the man having to grovel and make a grand gesture to win the woman back. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't that predictable. I won't give any spoilers on how it deviated from the predictable path.

On top of the hidden identities, the characters have more depth than I expected. Zuri is dealing with past hurts and trying to heal. We see her personal growth and learn to set healthy boundaries. At the same time, we watch Nico overcome his own struggles and come into his own.

Looks Good on Paper was a nice quick, light read. I love rom-coms, and this checked the boxes for me.

I loved this book: Zuri is a customer service rep at a startup 'Hook up” app. She has a large loan from college costs (her step dad stole her college funds), she had a bad breakup from her last boyfriend, and the step dad contacts her when he has been forbidden to do so. At work she offers many suggestions to help the company succeed and the suggestions are put In place by her supervisor with no credit (or money) given to Zuri. She loves writing letters on quality (and sometimes expensive) paper and 'collects' a number of these papers.

Allesandro and Niccolo inherited the family's paper producing company in Italy. The company had been producing high level paper for hundreds of years. The boys were very young (teenagers) when their parents died. Niccolo is the oldest and the CEO of the company. The boys were chased by numerous people wanting to marry a daughter to one of the boys, or by people trying to wedge their way into the company.

The company has a problem in that Nico married a local girl (Vanessa), believing she had the same values he did; she came from a much less wealthy background and wants to live an 'expensive' lifestyle. After one year they divorce but she claims part of the company should be marriage assets, which causes financial problems. In an effort to 'improve' the prospects of the company, one idea to push sales for the company is to have a pen-pal program. Due to Nico's “public” profile, Allesandro joins the program and is matched with Zuri. Allesandro has a very limited reading/writing/speaking understanding of English. He enlists Nico in writing the letters to Zuri while pretending to be Allesandro.

In the meantime, Zuri's company has been sold, she gets a nice pay-out from having been an early employee, retains her job, pays off her college loans and decides to take a sabbatical to visit Europe, now that she can afford to do so. Italy is one of the countries she will visit and tells Alessandro she will do so.

Nico, who has been writing Zuri as Allesandro, has shared a lot of personal info with Zuri, who has also shared a lot of her hopes and dreams with Nico. He invites Zuri to visit the family paper producing facility. Complications transpire.

This was a decent light romance. The story was mostly taken from Cyrano, but with an updated twist involving paper making. I was kind of surprised at the little bit of smut that showed up, it seemed out of place in the book. Zuri was a cute quirky main character and her positivity was nice for a change from the usual down in the dumps lead characters.

“Something so magical in knowing that the planes and trains and trucks and ships that delivered notes between people separated lives that were worlds apart”
I have always loved receiving mail. I would much rather receive a birthday card than a birthday present, I love when friends or family send me a postcard from their recent travel instead of a souvenir from their travels. Writing letters to my friends and family who are in different states has always been a fun way to stay in touch that isn’t through electronics. Therefore I loved reading Nico and Zuri’s story. The fact that they began as pen pals from completely different countries and were able to share their stories and find commonalities was amazing. They had a great love story!

It was also very interesting to learn a bit about how fancy paper is made through Nico and Emporio. I have never truly thought about the paper that is required for letters so this was a great addition.

Release Date: September 12, 2022
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
😍Scene: Cabin (this book didn’t have any 🌶 scenes but romantic ones!)

Looks Good on Paper by Kilby Blades was just what I needed in a romance novel.
I didn't think she could top her previous book It Takes A Villa but I was wrong.
This book was so excellent. And I was so happy to see that Kilby takes us back to Italy.
Zuri and Nico are just phenomenal characters. I enjoyed both of their journey's and it was an amazing ride to the finish line.
I loved the letters back and forth. Blades couldn't have done any better here if she tried.
This story pulled me in and did not let me go.
Everything about this book was charming and endearing.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Entangled: Amara,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my blog, platforms, BookBub, B&N, Kobo and Waterstone closer to pub date.

Italy holds a special place in mh heart, so I always love when a book takes place there!

We following the relationship between Zuri and Nico as Zuri travels to Europe. There’s excellent dialogue and chemistry. I really enjoyed that this book involved letter-writing and paper-making, as these are both novel ideas for a book. You won’t regret reading Looks Good on Paper.

Format - EARC Netgalley

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 🌶

Series- N/A

Troupes- Hidden identity, lover letters, friends to lovers, Slow burn

CW- Gambling addition, and evil ex

We’re going back to Italy with Kilby! This time we get to learn all about paper and it’s history in Italy. I was so excited to read this book after “It takes a Villa” Kilby does and amazing job of conveying a sense of place. Reading her books always feel like traveling.

This is a quick but potent read, Zuri and Nico are such dynamic characters with lots of growth. The letters exchanged move the plot along while imparting the necessary details to personalize our MCs.

I have to admit Nico’s situation was very frustrating to me, he’s such a lovable MMC and he can’t help but root for him and want him to be happy. Zuri is a force, strong and independent she knows her own mind but is still struggling with the pain of her past. So when they finally meet sparks fly and watching them fall for each other was such a pleasure!

I want more of this Kilby more Swoon worthy Italian cinnamon roll hero in small quint towns falling in love with quirky strong ladies! 1

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for this ARC.

How do you write a classic epistolary novel in this day and age, where even email can feel somewhat dated? You create a heroine who loves buying paper, a hero who actually makes paper, and put them together in a company-sponsored penpal program. Except he's not the one who's supposed to be writing the letters...

I really enjoyed the relationship that Zuri and Nico develop through the written word, and the way it helps both of them find clarity and purpose in their rather stagnated lives. Their eventual meeting is also handled well, making Nico's extended deception plausible rather than contrived. The only part that didn't quite work for me was the secret recipe for paper-making: the way that was done felt a teeny bit like a convenient way to wrap everything up neatly rather than something more realistic. Overall though, a really good read with excellent characters and chemistry.

I was graciously offered the opportunity to read this book on Net Galley and, in return, write a review. All words stated below are based on my opinion.
Kilby Blades’s writing style is a true force to be reckoned with. I genuinely believe she can shake up the Romance genre for years to come. She wrote and executed each line with such procession, accuracy, and lyricism that it’s inconceivable not to fall in love with the idea and beauty of letters.
Here we find 26-year-old Zuri Robinson at a crappy job working for incompetent men who somehow are bestowed the title of “CEO.” She begins writing letters to “Alessandro” through a pen-pal program sponsored by “Emporio” a well know company based in Italy.
Even when the rest of the world is not going the way, she planned, writing to Alessandro gives her some sort of control and peace that it’s hard not to experience her love for letters and papers.
We are then taken to a different world filled with vibrant, unearthly, and meticulous descriptions of Paper. (Somehow, I never knew I could fall in love with the art of making papers) Through the eyes of Zuri, we experience her emotions and get a better understanding of her family’s drama and love for who she is.
Looks Good On Paper is that perfect book fast read but an enjoyable book for those who want a break from other genres like Thriller and Contemporary doctor.
From a diverse character to a loveable male lead, Get ready to fall in love with letters and Italy.
It’s a great choice for those wanting to get back to ready.