Turn a tumbledown Paris hotel into a perfect boutique, bookish retreat, and have it open for Christmas? What could possibly go wrong? When Anais receives a near-derelict Paris hotel in her divorce settlement, her first thought is to fix it up just enough to sell it immediately and move on. She is not able to sell it, so she decides to renovate it and open it for Christmas. She recruits her cousin to help her out and that proves to be a smart move. Manon seems to know everyone, including her grumpy neighbour, Noah, who owns the bar next door. The next thing she knows others are there helping to paint and clean up for them. As they work, they discover two hidden rooms, one a secret library. They have their theme, The Secret Library Hotel (L’hôtel de la bibliothèque secrète). With a mystery to solve, who was the reclusive author, renovations to complete, and an ex-husband who shows up and wants to renegotiate their divorce agreement, will they be able to open by Christmas.

I enjoyed this story of new beginnings, friendship, working together, family, mystery, books, authors, and a bit of romance. The mystery of the mysterious author really drew me in. The story of a woman running and hiding from a controlling and abusive husband is not new during that time in history. The various discussions they had about books was very interesting as well. Seeing how Manon manipulated the various men in the story added some humor to the plot. Watching Anais and Noah get to know one another, and learn about each other's past was the sweet part of the story. There is a lot happening in this book that is set in a lovely area of Paris I do enjoy Rebecca Raisin's books and this was another winner for me.

I'm a fan of Rebecca Raisin's. She has an incredible ability to create compelling characters and a charming plot that keeps the pages turning. This is a cozy romance set in a personal dream of mine: renovating and restoring a book-themed hotel. Where the book fell short for me was in the setting and, while I've enjoyed other books for hers set in Paris, this one fell short for me for that very reason.

It's my own fault for knowing to much about French bureaucracy, but there were things that happened in the book that never would, simply for cultural and tradiitonal reasons. Same with the "hidden gems," which every local would know, rendering them not very hidden. It also seemed like French facts were shoehorned in after a quick cut-and-paste from Google. All of these missteps removed me from the story, which I otherwise very much liked.

I kindly received a review copy in exchange for an honest review by the publisher via Netgalley.

Rebecca Raisin has delivered yet another enchanting tale that brims with warmth, romance, and the irresistible charm of Paris in the snow! Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel is a heartfelt story of second chances, transformation, and the magic of love and friendship, all wrapped up in the festive glow of the holiday season.

Anais’s journey begins in the shadow of heartbreak when she inherits a rundown Parisian hotel as part of her divorce settlement. Initially seeing it as a burden, her plans to tidy up and sell quickly fall apart when no buyers are interested. Instead, she embarks on a courageous mission: turning this neglected relic into a cozy, bookish boutique hotel ready to welcome guests by Christmas. But with tight deadlines, dwindling funds, and the ever-present interference of her gruff yet undeniably attractive neighbor Noah, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Raisin masterfully weaves Anais’s personal struggles with the hotel’s fascinating history. A hidden, mysterious room unlocks the story of a woman from a century ago who defied all odds for love, drawing beautiful parallels to Anais’s own journey. As the first snowflakes fall and fairy lights glitter across the City of Light, the blend of modern-day Paris with its timeless romance will have readers utterly captivated.

Noah’s prickly exterior hides a tender heart, and the chemistry between him and Anais sparkles as brightly as the Christmas lights. The supporting cast – from quirky locals to loyal friends – adds depth and joy, making the little hotel come alive as a character in its own right.

Rebecca Raisin’s writing sparkles as brightly as the twinkling Parisian streets she so vividly describes. Having followed Rebecca Raisin’s work for years, I can confidently say that her storytelling has reached new heights since her move to Boldwood Books. The premise of combining the renovation of a charming hotel with a century-old mystery is pure genius, and the execution is flawless.

This book is a perfect blend of holiday cheer, heartfelt emotion, and a dash of mystery. It’s ideal for curling up with on a cold winter’s evening, wrapped in a blanket with a hot chocolate by your side. Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel is more than a story – it’s an invitation to believe in the magic of the season and the power of love.

Rebecca Raisin has truly outdone herself. Five sparkling stars for this sparkling Festive Treat that will warm your heart and leave you dreaming of Christmas in Paris!

An average, but decent read. The premise was intriguing at one point, but was extensively drawn out. There was also an opportunity for significantly more Christmas. Themes and characters were just okay.

Christmas and Paris are two of my absolute favorite things so I was excited to read this book. It was my first book by the author and I really enjoyed it.

A warm hug in a book. This one was lovely with lots of descriptions of Paris life and foods.
Renovation of an old, dilapidated Parisian hotel into a new and modern boutique and bookish retreat had all the bookish feels you can imagine. The book also deals with Anais’s writers block after a divorce from a man just a little too charming with the ladies. There is a mystery attached to the hotel, and we get lots of hotel renovation details.
I was drawn into the Paris life and the many literary references as I read.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

It was a light and easy read and yes, I enjoyed all the literary references and detailed historical context. But other than that, I was quite disappointed. I was expecting a different read. First, I feel as though the marketing is misleading. You get minor Christmas vibes, you basically have to wait until the second half of the book for some festive atmosphere. The other thing that really annoyed me was the characters, especially the cliché French boyfriend who turns out to be arrogant and a cheater. And all the "French flavour" with French words in italics like "oui", "non", "merde", "oh là là", etc, that were repeated so many times that it was beyond caricatural and sometimes French phrases even contained typos (Note to publishers: books written in English are also read by an international audience, so please make the extra effort of having a bilingual reviser check the foreign content!).
The main highlight of the plot was the secret room, an interesting idea, but not riveting. Basically, it was women's fiction marketed as a Christmas romance for the sake of it, and I really don't like it when publishers do that, among other money-grabbing things.

Rebecca really does never felt to disappoint - this was such a cosy and gorgeous festive read which I thoroughly enjoyed being located in Paris. I really loved the mystery within the renovations and how that concluded. It was fun getting to see Anais and her cousin create this beautiful hotel. I wish we had seen more of Anais and Noah, their time together in the book was short but I was happy to see such a sweet happy ending for the two of them.

Lovely festive read Paris beautifully described that I could imagine I was there. Sadly I felt like I had come across a renovation story before so it felt a little to predictable but still a lovey easy going story

A lovely festive read . I always enjoy Rebecca Raisin’s books! I loved the story of renovating a run down hotel into a literary themed hotel. Also following Anais’s struggle with writer’s block after her messy divorce was a great plot. Loved the romance with Noah!

this seemed cute in premise but it just fell sort of flat for me :/ i didn’t vibe with the characters at all :(

Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel

by Rebecca Raisin

When Anais discovers her husband and new housekeeper in bed, she divorces him. He is a smarmy leech and a serial adulterer. Using the many lawyers in his family, Francois-Xavier drains Anais’ financial resources leaving her with a decrepit hotel in Paris. As a romance writer, the dissolution of her marriage drains her of her professional motivation as well. She has the dreaded writer’s block, has spent her advance, and has a deadline looming.

Anais’ wild and unpredictable cousin Manon undertakes the rehabilitation of the hotel with her. Together they dedicate themselves to making the boutique hotel profitable so they can sell it. Along the way, there are potential romances and roadblocks in the reconstruction. More importantly, they discover a wall that blocks off two rooms on the top floor. Thus emerges a bookish mystery, and they have to discover why the rooms are sealed and who occupied them.

If you have any interest in Paris, you will enjoy this book. There are French phrases thrown in for flavor along with descriptions of the neighborhoods, foods, and Christmas markets. Manon is French and Anais is of mixed heritage and speaks French with a British accent. She has lived in Paris for 16 years. Friends since childhood, they are very different but get along well. There is a lot of humor that is derived from this pair.

Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel is a very literary book. The hotel will have a library, and the rooms will be named for authors. Anais and Manon seek out bookish items to be part of the decor and are researching bookish places to provide on a map for their guests. They visit many of Paris’ various vintage shops, libraries, and bookshops in their search for decorative items and furniture for the hotel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Fiction, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Publication: September 26, 2023—Boldwood Books

Memorable Lines:

“We’re stuck in a time-warp. The seventies called and they want their avocado green drapes back.”

“He has the IQ of an oyster.” “That’s being unkind to oysters.”

I must leave for my own sanity. While he may do his best to besmirch me, he cannot take away the words I am yet to pen. Those words, they are all that matter. I’ll never publish another novel as long as I shall live, thus he cannot profit from me. That will be the best revenge. The man is dangerous. I must tread ever so carefully.

This book was a cup of warm mulled wine. The setting is in Paris during the months leading to Christmas. The main character is a novel writer and because of some life events got a shabby hotel. The plan is to renovate it and sell it. You get to read about all the details and mysteries about the hotel, the ideas she has for renovating (adding library and book references), and explore fleamarkets to keep the historical essence of the hotel. Aside from this part, you have the romance which was okay but I was in for the details about the literary hotel and later on for all the Christmas references. I never thought Paris was a "Christmas city" I like the German Christmas but the Paris one should interesting.
If you like stories about setting a hotel, or renovations this book is for you. If you are thinking about going to Paris for Christmas this is also for you and if you like books, Christmas and stories set in hotels this is also a book for you.

After losing nearly everything except a run-down hotel in the divorce from her cheating husband, romance author Anais is working to clean the hotel up and sell it as quickly as possible. Next door to the hotel is a bar run by Noah, who makes the job difficult with his demands. Working with her cousin Manon, Anais’ vision of turning the hotel into a book-lover’s retreat is peppered with issue after issue, including the discovery of a mysterious, sealed-off set of rooms. As she peels back the layers of the hotel, literally and figuratively, what she finds may change her life forever.

This official description does not do this book justice. While the book takes place around Christmas time, I wouldn’t say it’s really a Christmas book. Instead, it’s an ode to the great Parisian literary history, and a testament to the strength and fortitude of women everywhere.

In another book, the setbacks Anais had to face before we even met her could have led to a weaker character. Instead, she was strong and determined and I felt proud of her from the start. No disrespect to Anais but Manon was the best character in the book, far exceeding her sidekick status. She was lovable, funny and tough, not letting anyone—any men—get away with nonsense. Even Anais’ agent Margaret came to be a powerful female character, exhibiting qualities many of us would find admirable. And of course, the there were the women in the lost history of the hotel—the strongest and most amazing of all.

I found the writing smooth and lovely. I was engaged right away and never lost attention. I even found myself getting excited as hotel renovations came to fruition, as if I was there myself.

Admittedly, I know little about the literary history of Paris, and reading this book made me want to learn more. Anais and other characters travel through Paris visiting places of significance, which I’m not sure are fiction or not. I was hoping there would be an author’s note about that piece (there wasn’t) but I’m sure it’s easy enough to find out. It’s been years since I was in Paris and this book absolutely made me want to book a flight right away.

I enjoyed this book more than I anticipated, and look forward to reading more by the author.

A lovely book to read set in Paris which is a magical city. I was drawn into the story as it unfolded and enjoyed the characters come to life. Would recommend this book

"Turn a tumbledown Paris hotel into a perfect boutique, bookish retreat, and have it open for Christmas? What could possibly go wrong? When Anais receives a near-derelict Paris hotel in her divorce settlement, her first thought is to tidy it up and sell it immediately. All she wants is to move on and forget her disaster of a marriage ever happened.
But selling it proves impossible, so she has only one to make it gorgeous and open by Christmas… when her funds will almost certainly run out.
She’s not counting on the grumpy American bar-owner next door, Noah, coming and interfering at every moment though. Nor is she expecting to find a mysterious room – which holds the key to a one-hundred-year-old secret – about a woman who chose love against the odds.
One thing’s for sure… as the fairy lights twinkle all over the city of lights and the first snowflakes start to fall… this will be a Christmas in Paris to remember."

Something a bit different for an idea for a Christmas romance, which made a change from the usual ones at this time of year.

I really enjoyed it and was routing for Anais all the way.

Although I’ve never been to Paris, I can easily imagine myself enjoying a stay at the charming little hotel that Anais and her cousin, Manon, are working to rehabilitate throughout the book. I’m particularly intrigued by the secret rooms they discovered, meticulously preserved for historical accuracy.

Plenty of romcom vibes with dashes of holiday spirit sprinkled throughout. Exactly what I look for during the late fall when life is busy, emotions can run high, and you just want a little escape.

I hope to get my hands on more titles by Rebecca Raisin to enjoy when I do want a light-hearted read to step away from life's stresses.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advance reader copy.

"Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel" is a heartwarming holiday story, perfect for cuddling up and sipping hot cocoa by the fireplace. It revolves around second chances and moving on, exploring themes of love and self-belief.
The protagonist, Anais, has just gone through a painful divorce, losing everything except for an old hotel. As she works tirelessly to restore it, with the support of her dear cousin Manon, she gradually learns to believe in love again and to open her heart once more.
I read this book while incredibly busy with work, which extended the time it took me to finish. However, the story is engaging, and the characters are compelling. I really liked Anais, and Manon added a wonderful balance to the narrative. I also enjoyed Noah and Margaret. The bookish elements of the story, especially how the hotel becomes a refuge for book lovers, were delightful. The careful details made it feel extra special, and I would love to stay there myself.
I particularly enjoyed the mystery surrounding the author and how Anais and Noah pieced together bits of the story. Overall, I deeply enjoyed this book. If Rebecca Raisin writes 30 books about Paris, I will read them all, as she is truly gifted at crafting special stories. Oh, and I loved seeing Lilou make an appearance!

An easy Christmas read, loved the setting, although it took me a while to warm up to the characters.

Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley UK for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

It's the 1st November in Paris and after going through a bad divorce Anais has been left a tumbledown hotel in Paris. It certainly needs lots of love and attention and that's just the hotel ! But it's not all plain sailing as the hotel is in a very bad state of repair, some of it is dangerous too. But when her neighbour starts telling her what she should do, this immediately puts her back up. Her cousin moves in with her and together they get stuck in looking into the repairs. They have some backpackers staying but their rent doesn't cover very much but they do give her some good ideas. Anais is also trying her best to write her rom com novel and her editor is forever asking her to hurry up and produce it. She feels like the world is laying heavy on her shoulders and sometimes she doesn't know which way to turn for the best. What with building work, buying suitable antique furniture and most importantly the guy next door, she has no way of knowing which way to turn, is she making the right choice (on all subjects)?
But when they find something interesting behind a locked door in one of the unused rooms, this brings them hope, and growing interest from other people too.

A fun and sweet romantic story set in Paris, where you can find love, or can you? I particularly liked the story of the forgotten love in suite twenty. A five star read from me.

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