This is cute and charming and very Gallic but also a little like a romantic fairytale as a man falls in love with a woman after finding her handbag. I liked Laurent's very literate musings (Mme de Merteuil as a 'cougar'!) and the underlying optimism and kindness of the book. A quick read but really I prefer books with a bit more bite.

Superb and a worthy successor to The President's Hat. It is amazing that finding a handbag can give such pleasure to readers. It is not a simple story line either. It is pleasantly convoluted and a joy to read. The characters are believable and the story expertly told. The translation too is very smooth and conveys all the nuances of the original version. It feels like a French tale even in English. I love it.

I enjoyed this book. This book is set in France and begins with the heroine Laure being mugged at her apartment building and her purse stolen. With no money or keys to get into her apartment, she heads to the hotel across the street and beg for a room for the night. She is found the next morning unconscious. Laurent, our hero, spots a purse on top of trash bins on his way to open up his bookstore. He tries to do the right thing and turn it in, but the police seem to have no time for it. So he takes the purse with him in the hope he can find it's rightful owner. What follows is the journey to try to reunite the purse to her owner with very little to go on to find her. You relay start to care about these characters as they moved along the book. All in all this was a very good read that I enjoyed. I was provided an ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful book. It is written with a typical French eccentricity that shines through in many French films and books.I live in France for many months of the year and I could picture this. I will be recommending this book to my friends.

I found this delightful. A short, breath-of-fresh-air novel. The premise was unusual and drew me in right away. I think that Laurent's actions are in some ways creepy yet come across more as romantic. Is it because he is a bookseller, a fellow lover of books and therefore we see purely positive intent and overlook what might be invasive and stalkerish? Perhaps, but clearly as written there is only positive intent in Laurent's investigations and the story was wonderfully romantic. Even though I thought the premise should seem a little creepy, it really just felt sweet. The book is filled with an appreciation for literature, the city of Paris and an amazing handbag.

The Red Notebook was charming and delightful read. I loved everything about it: the main characters, the plot and the writing.

Our main protagonist, Laurent, is a bookshop owner. Books and authors are mentioned quite often. And thank goodness, no Bronte sisters or Jane Austen, or Cather in the Rye or Great Gatsby are mentioned! I don't know about you, but I've grown tired of seeing the above authors and books mentioned in so many other books as if they were the only worthy authors and/or novels.

If you're after something light, but not stupid, sweet but not saccharin(ny), the Red Notebook will deliver. I loved it!

This is a short one and was a very quick read. I was never not interested in the story but I felt like there was probably a little something (magic) lost in the translation. Laurent discovers an abandoned purse in the street; he becomes fascinated with its contents and discovering the owner of the purse. A bit of deduction through the streets of Paris ensues and, overall, the entire story was very romantic. We learn a bit about Laurent through his search and a bit about Laure through her objects. I won't tell you how it ends . . . but I'm sure you can guess.

I would recommend this to anyone that likes the Amour et Chocolate series by Laura Florand (mostly based on the setting) or the movie Amélie, although it's not as fantastical there is still that meeting borne from loved and lost objects.

A woman is mugged on her doorstep, her purse stolen. She spends that night in a hotel and is found in a coma the next morning and taken to the hospital. A local bookseller finds her discarded purse the next day. He begins to learn about her and finds her fascinating.

Thus begins a thoroughly delightful, gentle tale. This short novel is beautifully written and very evocative. A while we wait for the hoped-for conclusion, we're delighted by the people we meet.

Short enough to be read in a day or two, you'll find yourself wishing for more.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the wonderful opportunity to read this delightful book! I was in the middle of a big move, so it took me a while to find the time to sit and read, but what a treasure was waiting for me when I finally found the time!

What is it about French novels that absolutely transports you to the heart of Paris or a sleepy village that looks as if it could still be in the 18th century? I think it must be the delightful way the French have of expressing themselves that comes through even after translation to English. The Red Notebook has this same beautiful quality. When I finished the last word I wanted to rush right back to the beginning and start again, or rush to purchase another of Antoine Laurain' s novels so I didn't have to leave France! The Red Notebook manages to give you a mini vacation to France while telling the sweet story of Laurent and Laure.

I highly recommend this wonderful book!

If only all books were as enjoyable as this. Beautifully written and a pleasure to read. The story envelops the reader in a warm magical feeling.

Antoine Laurain is a magician with words.

This was an enchanting read - just the right length to devour in one sitting.

The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain. I loved Laurain's The President's Hat, and I enjoyed this one as well. A woman is injured during a purse snatching; a bookseller finds the purse and, in trying to find the owner, becomes a little obsessed by the contents of the purse--especially the red notebook.

More a novella than a novel, TRN is a little bit mystery, a little bit romance, and a little bit.... Well, it is a fast and fun read, even if a detail or two might give you a niggle here, a quibble there. Lots of literary allusions, a light touch, likable characters.

The President's Hat also took an inanimate object and used it as a method of amplifying an idea, but The President's Hat was cleverer, offering a little more under the surface, and a wry and witty atmosphere. Mitterand's hat had...influence.

NetGalley/Gallic Books

Novella. 2014. Print length: 159 pages.

This book is outstanding.... I do not usually like books with boy meets girl but this did it brilliantly capturing the reader and sucking them into an exceptional story. Would highly recommend this and I shall be writing a review on Amazon as well.

I requested the book, because I love the French, and I love books, so this felt like something I would love. It was!!
Now I don’t know much about actual French authors, so I felt a little lost at sea with the many French authors names and books mentioned…but that’s okay because it was actually just a tiny point to the story.
This is one of those stories that is perfect as a short story, any longer and the plot would fizzle; but at the same time too short to really get a good feel for the characters. However, though you don’t get as close to the characters, or delve too much into the nitty gritty of who they are, it is still easy to root for them!
Laure is just outside her home when she accosted and mugged. Not only does she loose her purse with everything inside it, money, identification, keys; but she also gets a major wound to the head. After managing to convince the hotel across the street to give her a room for the night she end up falling asleep and (SPOILER ). Laurent, is a bookshop owner who happens upon her purse the next day. He ends up vowing to find her and return it to her, despite only a first name to go on. He becomes enamored of the little mystery and the woman who goes along with it.
This is a very cute, very short, very endearing little romance story. I really loved it, and I loved all the characters.
I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author!
I received this ebook from Netgalley and the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.

There are so many things that I liked about this book and one that I did not enjoy: I finished it. I am in awe of the story, the writing, the way it made me feel and in awe towards the creator of this great novel.

To summarize the action: one night coming from her friends’ house, Laure gets mugged. Someone stole her handbag with her personal belongings. The thief will soon dispose of it, only to be found the next day by Laurent Letellier. By examining it content, he decides to track down the woman with the mauve bag and return the stolen objects. In his quest to do so, he enters Laure’s life and gets to know her, reading her journal, analyzing her fragrance, photos and other apparently insignificant objects.

Story is told on the third person, alternating impressions from Laure and Laurent’s mind. Even if the dialogue is not that present in the book, the reader feels as if being part of the character’s thoughts. I love the way the characters complement each other: her name “Laure” is part of his name “Laurent”; she has a red notebook to store her emotions, while Laurent’s bookstore is called “Le Cahier Rouge” (“The Red Notebook”). The ending is the most delicate part of the book and it clearly defined the refined talent of the writer.

From characters perspective, Laure seems to have fears and uncertainties. She controls them by writing and through it analyzing herself. If in the beginning we are presented mostly with lists, in the end she writes continuously and becomes certain of her actions. Laurent becomes invested in identifying the owner of the bag and with great care, as though not to violate the intimacy of the woman’s life, he handles and analyzes even the smallest details. Being dedicated to his bookshop, he learns that the bag owner has an interest in his favorite author as well. Even though she is not physically there, he brings her close to him with every journal line he reads.

As for the other characters, the combination between a teenage daughter, a gay best friend and a financial analyst help to complete the book in an amazing way. However, the crown of it is the abundance of books, writers and artists mentioned or present in the story. From classics to contemporary, novelists to pets, French authors are frequently mentioned.

Obviously I give this book the maximum number of stars as it is by far one of the best I’ve read. I found myself amazed by how much little things can reveal about one’s personality, how words properly arranged can lead to such a refined lecture. Antoine Lauraine is the new addition to my favorite authors list.

A lovely little French romance story. A romance without romance is how I would describe this book and that doesn't make sense. It is a book of perceptions and the need to connect as humans.

The Red Notebook is the kind of book that will leave a smile on your face as you turn the last page. It is a truly lovely story and a satisfying read. The love story between Laure and Laurent is beautiful and the kind of love we all hope to have or find some day.

Laurent comes across an abandoned handbag which he believes must have been stolen. He can't help but feel he should try to return the bag and its contents to its owner. He has so few clues to go on and the task seems impossible, but miracles do happen.

I was completely transported and caught up in this tale. The Red Notebook is a sweet heartwarming story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was definitely time well spent.

I received this book from Gallic Books through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm in love with The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain. Seriously. I am smitten with his words, his characters, and his Paris. His book transported me to a Paris I have always imagined - the cobblestone streets where I would wander, the hot chocolate I would dip my warm croissant in, the tiny book shop crammed full of books that I would never want to leave, the well dressed women whose fashion ensembles I would try to emulate, and the handsome Frenchmen reading Sarte and Modiano outside on a park bench. All of these things that make up the France I want to visit are within reach when I read Laurain. I can taste, smell, hear, and see it all. His words encapsulate a world that I have always imagined. And the strange thing is that he does not describe the scenarios I have envisioned. Nope, his book is about a man looking for a woman - and yet, the Paris he lives in comes alive on the pages he's written. I have to say that when I put the book down I couldn't help but smile and declare it to be "very French" - as if I even know what that truly means.

As for the story, it is absolutely terrific. A tale of a man searching for a woman he dreams about. Laurent finds a handbag and decides to look for its owner. This decision winds up changing his life in so many ways. The decisions he makes, the people he meets, and the future he envisions make for quite a delightful read. As for the woman, well, she was mugged (which is how her handbag wound up sitting atop a garbage bin) and is in a coma. I know! Not exactly what I had thought would happen. Then again, she does wake up and finds out that a stranger has been feeding her cat. Hmmm...I wonder who?

However, Laurent decides he can't meet Laure (the woman) after everything he's done (like pretending to be her boyfriend). So, he leaves her handbag in her apartment with a note of apology for all of his trespasses. Except, he can't stop thinking about Laure. He dreams of meeting her, kissing her, being with her, and ultimately falling in love with her. He is enamored by this mysterious woman and her handbag filled with perfume, stones, photographs, and a red notebook filled with her musings (I'm scared of birds (especially pigeons). I like sleeping on trains. I'm scared of red ants.) And when a customer at his bookshop asks him "Do you have La Nostalgie du Possible?", Laurent winds up pondering a different question instead - "Are you nostalgic for what could have been?" He realizes that he most definitely is.

I won't tell you whether or not he ever meets Laure, just know that you will be left with a smile once you are finished reading. The Red Notebook is truly a special read. Its whimsical, delightful, and just an absolute treat to read.

Antoine Laurain has created a perfect miniature with this book. At 160 pages short, this little book is an amazingly detailed and heart warming piece of literature.
When Laurent finds an abandoned handbag, he is compelled to find it's owner. All he has to go by is the contents of the bag, a red notebook, a set of keys, perfume and all the other delightful little trinkets us women like to carry in our bags. Despite this being a very short book, the author manages to set the scenes and backdrops perfectly, all characters you meet are well thought through and the story flows nicely from start to finish. The characters are all likeable and charming, the description of the locations transport you to Paris and the many idyllic little places in this most charming city of all. This is a gentle, romantic, Parisienne tale.

I loved this charming little book. It was modern and fun. Laurent owns a book store Le Cahier Rouge in Paris. One day he finds an abandoned handbag, which he would like to return, but there is no identification inside. He studies all the objects inside, especially a red notebook full of comments by it's owner. Afterward, he feels even more compelled to return the handbag and the story centers on his search for the owner.

The characters come alive in this book and I felt like I knew them well by the end. The author has a way of writing that is both lively and entertaining. This is the perfect book for a lazy afternoon.

An enjoyable read, though the premise of the story was slightly unbelievable, especially the bit about Laurent looking after the cat while the Laure is in hospital, but then again perhaps the French are more trusting than us.

Translated from French into English, some of the nuances in the language may have been missed as I had the feeling that there was more to this story than I was getting - perhaps I'll have to brush up on my French and start reading the original.

3.5 Stars

Books about books always make me happy, and since I try to diversify my reading I wanted to read this little French book about a man, a book store and a handbag. (In English of course).

When Laurent finds a handbag thrown away in the street without a purse but filled with other belongings he is immediately fascinated by it. The next days he spends trying to figure out how to find the owner of the bag and to return it to her.

Though not filled with as much books as I would have liked, this was a charming little read. I've always have some troubles to believe that people would be fascinated so much so quickly (as in it completely takes over their lives). Also, I wonder how people always spend this gigantic amount of time reading someone's diary, when it is not so much text at all (and if it really is important one could have read that way faster). Either way, I still enjoyed Laurent's search, even though it was a little bit too sweet at times.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

A delightfully enjoyable. Book that captivated me from the start. I was transformed by this wonderfully beauitfully written book.

I've never been that wild about Paris so I picked up Antoine Laurain's slim little volume without any major stars in my eyes and with just the hope of a pleasant read. What I got was a delight. The story is, basically, how the two main characters, Laurent and Laure, meet. Which is via the contents of Laure's handbag when Laurent finds it abandoned by her mugger. There is nothing in there which can identify her apart from a red moleskine notebook with her thoughts and fears, a book recently signed by a famously reclusive author and a hieroglyphic charm. This makes the book sound rather like a detective novel and, in some ways, it is. But it is one which is sophisticated. Literary. And very Parisian. I mean, at one point there are characters eating trendy bohemian food and discussing the global economic crisis.

I liked the characters in the book. Laurent is charming, intelligent and rather lonely despite his rather needy, high-maintenence girlfriend and a daughter who is 15 going on 30. I realised part way through the story that books are his real friends, loves and family (and, obviously, I'm cool with that) and by the end I was contemplating how much of our personality is expressed through our stuff. Our homes, the contents of our bags, our bookcases are all a reflection of who we really are. Laure is a little harder to know - after all she is in a coma for much of the time - but her thoughts in her notebook fascinated me and showed her to be a sensitive, quirky woman. Like Laurent, however, she seems lonely and I was left contemplating how we can keep an eye on vulnerable friends, family and neighbours. How do we try to maintain a real community in a big modern city?

Paris has never felt like a cosy city to me. I have never felt a sense of community in my dealings with it (which, to be fair, have only ever been in a tourist capacity) but next time I visit I will remember this story and, hopefully, will feel a lot more warmly towards it.

Reading The Red Notebook is like meandering through the streets of Paris. You meet interesting characters along the way and somehow always imagine their lives are intertwined. It's an enjoyable read with some lovely observations about humanity, loneliness, connecting and loss peppered throughout the story. It would make a great vacation read!

Antione Laurain Does it again with this extremely enjoyable story! The Parisian bookseller, Laurant Latellier, finding an abandoned handbag containing only a red notebook with amazing little personal handwritten notes which causes Mr. Latellier to begin a journey of the most enjoyable proportions. This book follows the wonderfully exciting pattern that Mr. Laurain gave audiences in "The President's Hat". One of the most enjoyable and entertaining novels from the imaginative perspective of one France's well-loved authors. Antione Laurain's books are to be savored by all.