What do you carry in your handbag? Are the items intriguing enough to make someone want to meet you, even if they only saw the contents of your bag and knew nothing else about you?

This charming, romantic, and oh, so French, book hit the right spot after a few enjoyable (but heavy) reads. In this tale, sophisticated Parisian Laure is mugged after a late night out. Her attacker runs off with her handbag. The next morning, book store owner Laurent finds Laure's bag (minus her wallet and any ID) on top of a trash can, and realizes that the purse is not intended to be thrown away. After unsuccessfully trying to turn the bag into the police, Laurent goes through the contents of the bag trying to determine its rightful owner, and begins his quest to find her.

While not quite as whimsical as [b:The President's Hat|17594390|The President's Hat|Antoine Laurain|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364864841s/17594390.jpg|19079427], "The Red Notebook" was thoroughly enjoyable. It's a short little book which can be ready in a day or two -- perfect for the beach or when you just want a "pick me up" or "palate cleanser" after a heavier book.

Even in its brevity the story will transport you right to Paris with its descriptions of Parisian neighborhoods, cafes, book shops, and lines such as this: "Their eyes had met for that fraction of a second during which, without saying a word, a man and a woman who don't know each other signal that the night is not yet over."

3.5 stars rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallic Books for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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I loved it. It's a good story very well told. ( )

This sweet little book revolves around a red notebook and the owner of a bookshop which is named Le Cahier Rouge (The Red Notebook). A woman is mugged, her purse stolen, the injuries that she sustained from the mugging causing her to go into a coma. A bookseller finds an abandoned purse the next day and becomes fascinated with the contents of the bag, which include a red Moleskine notebook full of the owners thoughts. He tries to find the owner. The story plays out on a beautiful Parisienne background, on a park where French author Patrick Modiano walks, on sidewalk cafes and tourist hotels. It is a lovely story. On the strength of it I've ordered a book by Patrick Modiano, who is present for an entire scene of the book.

The book was warm, amusing, full of coincidences, replete with talk about books and authors. It was the perfect companion for a day when it was too hot to go outside, for curling up on the sofa and enjoying and finding solace from a book. ( )

A re-read. Absolutely loved it. ( )

“Can you experience nostalgia for something that hasn’t happened? We talk of ‘regrets’ about the course of our lives, when we are almost certain we have taken the wrong decision; but one can also be enveloped in a sweet and mysterious euphoria, a sort of nostalgia for what might have been.”

The story begins with a late-night mugging that eventually lands the victim, Laure Valadier, a gilder by profession, in the hospital. Bookstore owner Laurent Letellier comes across an abandoned handbag on his routine coffee run, discarded on top of a garbage bin. Upon searching through the contents he finds a cornucopia of items (not surprising since most of us ladies carry our own little universe in our bags) but nothing indicating the identity or contact details of the owner. Among the contents, he does find a red moleskin notebook, a dry cleaners receipt, a key ring and a signed copy of a Patrick Modiano novel (I felt a bit jealous here!). The story follows Laurent as he tries to track down the owner based on whatever clues he can piece together from the contents of the handbag - an experience that impacts both his and Laure’s lives in the best ways one can imagine (notwithstanding a few minor hiccups along the way!).

Elegant prose, endearing characters, books, bookstores, literary references and Paris – what a perfect combination! Antoine Laurain’s The Red Notebook (translated by Jane Aitken and Emily Boyce) is an utterly charming and delightful story! I had been meaning to read this book for a long time and am glad that I finally picked it up! A short uplifting novel that you can easily finish in one sitting – best enjoyed with your beverage of choice ( for me it was a few cups of steaming hot cinnamon spice tea and some chocolate)! I can’t wait to read more of this author’s work! ( )