Blog Book Tour | “Seven Letters from Paris” {a #memoir 20 years in the making} by Samantha Verant

Posted Wednesday, 15 October, 2014 by jorielov , , 3 Comments

Seven Letters from Paris Blog Tour Badge by SourceBooks

Seven Letters from Paris by Samantha Vérant

Published By: Sourcebooks (@SourceBooks)

Official Authors Websites:
Site | @samantha_verant | Facebook

Available Formats: Trade Paperback

Converse via:#SevenLettersFromParis

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Seven Letters from Paris” virtual book tour through France Book Tours. I received a complimentary ARC copy of the book direct from the publisher Sourcebooks, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Inspired to Read:

From the moment I first saw Seven Letters of Paris adverted for this blog tour with France Book Tours, I *knew!* I wanted to become a part of the readership who not only found a new voice of literary merit to follow an emerging career of but to become part of the magic that eclipsed one woman’s life after a twenty-year search for truth, romance, and a life that all of us would be blessed to find! I was caught up in the synopsis breathing in the life of a woman I had not yet become acquainted with but captured by her real-life Romance whose blurb read like a bonefide Romance novel!

What impressed me the most was how wicked it was her relationship with Jean-Luc had a bit of a false start in France, but a continued connection through postal mail & correspondences with a bit of a wee gap between his seventh letter and her first! The story that is between the two letters is what held me in suspension – my curious heart beating quite rapidly like a hummingbird’s wings and my intent to read her memoir grew out of yearning to know the finer details of her life!

– quoted from the Q&A I hosted with the author

On my connection to Samantha Vérant: 

Early-on when I find an author I feel I can either relate too or simply want to get to know a bit better not only through reading their book(s) but on a personal level, I quickly see if they are on Twitter! Twitter has become such a wicked avenue of connecting with writers I blog about (whether on a blog tour, an off-blog tour review, a library book I attached myself too, or any numerous way a book can enter a person’s life) that I am always most delighted when I find them in the twitterverse! Ms. Vérant’s story inspired me from the moment I learnt of her memoir, and I knew at heart she was a romance lover which is why I had invited her to join my weekly Romance-centered chat #ChocLitSaturdays! We were happily able to connect through that chat for a short bit and I have enjoyed getting the chance to know the writer behind the book!

I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with her through Twitter and privately as well. I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author OR whether I am reading a book by them for the first time.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Blog Book Tour | “Seven Letters from Paris” {a #memoir 20 years in the making} by Samantha VerantSeven Letters from Paris
by Samantha Verant
Source: Publisher via France Book Tours

Twenty years, seven letters, and one long-lost love of a lifetime

At age 40, Samantha Vérant’s life is falling apart-she’s jobless, in debt, and feeling stuck… until she stumbles upon seven old love letters from Jean-Luc, the sexy Frenchman she’d met in Paris when she was 19. With a quick Google search, she finds him, and both are quick to realize that the passion they felt 20 years prior hasn’t faded with time and distance.

Samantha knows that jetting off to France to reconnect with a man that she only knew for one sun-drenched, passion-filled day is crazy-but it’s the kind of crazy she’s been waiting for her whole life. 

Genres: Memoir, Non-Fiction



Places to find the book:

Also by this author: Samantha Verant (Interview), King of the Mutants

Published by Sourcebooks

on 7th October, 2014

Pages: 288

Read an Excerpt of the Novel:

Seven Letters from Paris: A Memoir by Sourcebooks

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Author Biography:

Samantha Verant
Photo Credit: Stephen Fisch

Samantha Vérant is a travel addict,
a self-professed oenophile,
and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, French chef.
Over the years, she’s visited many different countries,
lived in many places, and worked many jobs
— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her.
Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for:
a passion for the written word and true love.
Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France,
where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met in 1989,
but ignored for 20 years.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Second Chances & Second Beginnings:

How I have managed to focus on stories of second chances and second beginnings back to back, I dare not know, but the fact remains that part of my appeal to read Seven Letters from Paris is mirrored by my admiration for Up at Butternut Lake; as both are a positive notation on how second chances and second beginnings can erupt out of unexpected hours whilst you were not expecting anything extraordinary to occur. Point of truth is that I think we are always a bit bogged down on the stories where there is not a known positive resolution to the journey two souls take to find each other. Inasmuch as there is such a negative focus out there in the world of books and motion pictures, that seeking out a reprieve that focuses on the purest of joys and the most encouraging aspects of our lives is paramount to maintaining a heart full of happiness. I love seeking out books lit from within with a glowing resolve of warmth, light, and love. I love stories that focus on the heart and soul of the character(s) who tether their lives into my own conscienceness and the best blessing on having discovered this particular book is an affirmation seen at the conclusion of Ever After: the most important part is the fact they actually lived. (am paraphrasing as the exact words elude me)

My Review of Seven Letters from Paris:

The proposal of joining Vérant on her journey and the words of Dorothy Parker to illuminate the potential of where the memoir will take you; is the stellar beginning of Seven Letters from Paris! I, for one, wanted to take this journey as soon as I read the synopsis but to jump dive into the pages, whilst being encouraged by the writer and doubly inspired by Parker was the best catalyst of a beginning for me! Not to mention the fact she has a seriously awesome sisterhood friendship with Tracey! Who else can inspire a path to follow that would lead to re-examining a part of your past you never thought would re-surface and re-direct the very life you were living?

With an open heart tipped towards full disclosure and honesty about how the abandonment of a father can have a corrosive effect on your mind and the mentality of understanding relationships; Vérant doesn’t seek to apologise for her emotional anguish but rather to use her experiences to reach out to others who are facing the same ordeal. Her bravery in disclosing the angst of realising that your father for whichever reason was never attentive nor interested in you as a daughter gave a keen insight into the crossroads she reached where acceptance gave way to change. Her bold choice to pick up the pieces with Jean-Luc after a twenty year absence was both a cathartic choice in self-preservation as much as a positive step forward out of the disillusioned past where a father circumvented her ability to make a strong bond with a bloke she genuinely felt attracted too.

I love how Jean-Luc’s letters are disclosed inside the memoir, at key moments of highlighting different passages of time as the story proceeds forward. Each time you read his words, you gain a bit of a footing into where his mind and heart had already eclipsed straight into devotion and passionate amore for the girl who took him by surprise during a chance encounter. His strength of wisdom in realising that an electric connection with someone doesn’t always strike twice and that with a bit of determination any relationship has the wings to grow and develop; his letters knit a bit into your own heart as you read his declarations of love to Vérant. You are already cheering him on – even though you knew full well there would be twenty years to wait for a reply – there is a deep resolve of hope fluttering through his letters. Hope that sparks alive in your own mind as you read the words he sealed to pen and paper. In those moments, butterflies and hummingbirds come bursting to mind as conveyors of romance, life, love, and the joyful dance towards reconnection!

Their romance was the kind you nearly only could imagine were fervently possible in fairy-tales, but as you will see how their rekindled romance evolves, the truth is that each of us has our own chance at a fairy-tale romance! Life affords such a curious plausibility of where our lifepaths can transcend our own dreams, that all romantic optimists (myself included) will champion this story as a personal favourite because it proves one very important cardinal truth: love can eclipse every seen and unseen obstacle put on it’s path because love is pure, true, and honourable.

A bit of the strife she found trying to forge a life for herself in France with Jean-Luc I honestly knew about myself, because I looked into being an ex-pat in my twenties. The red tape is stretched quite taut and the worst bit is that going through the required processes is a bit of a harrowed wear on your spirits. I read this memoir as though I was living through each step of her life as if the circumstances were my own, which is a credit to her writing and also to how she developed the voice of the memoir itself. This is a personal exploration of the human heart and the depths of a soul attempting to find freedom and courage whilst embracing love for the first time. There are so many memorable moments for me to discuss but I have kept the mystery alive for those who pick this up next.

It is a book that you cannot just read but absorb into your own heart and mind. The breadth of what she faced, overcame, and conquered through the courage Jean-Luc gave her to find her own wings is the takeaway blessing of their romance. To find how the number 7 solidified as an omen of their destiny is enough to make an romance lover tearful and reminisce on this story long after the book is put down. You do not want this to end, and the best bit is knowing the sequel is forthcoming! And, I can assure you I will be re-reading Seven Letters in Paris ahead of it’s release date!

Samantha Vérant has a kinetic soul infused writing style:

I have always been encouraged to read memoirs by my Mum who insists that reading non-fiction is as enjoyable as my fiction exploits, but for me, the main wrinkle in the plans to follow her zest for memoirs has always been my inability to envision the words off the page from a regular autobiography (or biography even!). The writing style of non-fiction is completely unique unto it’s own rules and flow of text moving across the pages. Although I read a hearty amount of non-fiction for research as much as for curiosity on topics I wish to explore that can only be lent to the non-fiction branch of literature, I find myself a bit hesitate to reach out into this branch for pleasure. This is of course, no longer true as I have become wholly enthused by the kinetic soulful style of Vérant who writes a memoir with the full benefit of understanding the craft of story-telling (from the fictional perspective!).

You immediately want to soak inside her memoir, not only for how she knits together a realism only the woman whose lived her life can, but it is the very manner in which her story bubbles to life off the page that is altruistically addictive to read! I cannot wait to read her next releases in non-fiction and fiction alike! She is most definitely a writer who shines a light of literary love in each project she takes on to write!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Seven Letters from Paris: Book Trailer via Samantha Vérant

Inspired to Share: I did two things before I signed up for this blog tour, the first was to have a showering of joy wash over me after I read the book synopsis and that knowing sense that this book was going to have a profound effect on me. The second thing I did was to watch this book trailer and realise that I couldn’t wait to get to know the woman behind the story! I hope you feel the same as I did and find yourself unable to wait to read the story of how love transformed the life of Samantha Vérant!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Virtual Road Map for “Seven Letters from Paris” Blog Tour:

Seven Letters from Paris Virtual Book Tour via France Book Tours

Be sure to read the conversation I had with:
Samantha Verant
Photo Credit: Stephen Fisch
Be sure to scope out upcoming tours I will be hosting with:

France Book Tours

 on my Bookish Events page!

I positively *love!* comments in the threads below each of my posts, kindly know that I appreciate each thought you want to share with me and all the posts on my blog are open to new comments & commentary! Short or long, I appreciate the time you spent to leave behind a note of your visit! Return again soon!

{SOURCES: Cover art of “Seven Letters from Paris”, book synopsis, author photograph of Samantha Vérant, author biography, and the tour host badge were all provided by France Book Tours and used with permission. Buy links on Scribd excerpt are not affiliated with Jorie Loves A Story. Book Excerpt was able to be embedded due to codes provided by Scribd. The book trailer for Seven Letters from Paris” had either URL share links or coding which made it possible to embed this media portal to this post, and I thank them for the opportunity to share more about this novel and the author who penned it. Tweets were able to be embedded by the codes provided by Twitter. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. France Book Tours badge created by Jorie in Canva.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

Comments posted on Twitter on behalf of: “Seven Letters from Paris”:

{ favourite & Re-tweet if inspired to share }

About jorielov

I am self-educated through local libraries and alternative education opportunities. I am a writer by trade and I cured a ten-year writer’s block by the discovery of Nanowrimo in November 2008. The event changed my life by re-establishing my muse and solidifying my path. Five years later whilst exploring the bookish blogosphere I decided to become a book blogger. I am a champion of wordsmiths who evoke a visceral experience in narrative. I write comprehensive book showcases electing to get into the heart of my reading observations. I dance through genres seeking literary enlightenment and enchantment. Starting in Autumn 2013 I became a blog book tour hostess featuring books and authors. I joined The Classics Club in January 2014 to seek out appreciators of the timeless works of literature whose breadth of scope and voice resonate with us all.

"I write my heart out and own my writing after it has spilt out of the pen." - self quote (Jorie of Jorie Loves A Story)

read more >> | Visit my Story Vault of Book Reviews | Policies & Review Requests | Contact Jorie

Divider

Posted Wednesday, 15 October, 2014 by jorielov in 21st Century, ARC | Galley Copy, Based on an Actual Event &/or Court Case, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Trailer, Bookish Films, Contemporary Romance, Cookery, Debut Author, Diary Accountment of Life, Disillusionment in Marriage, Divorce & Martial Strife, Family Life, Father-Daughter Relationships, France, France Book Tours, French Literature, Indie Author, Life in Another Country, Life Shift, Memoir, Modern Day, Non-Fiction, Postal Mail | Letters & Correspondence, Scribd, Vignettes of Real Life, Writing Style & Voice




All posts on my blog are open to new comments & commentary!
I try to visit your blog in return as I believe in ‘Bloggers Commenting Back
(which originated as a community via Readers Wonderland).


Comments are moderated. Once your comment is approved for the first time, your comments thereafter will be recognised and automatically approved. All comments are reviewed and continue to be moderated after automated approval. By using the comment form you are consenting with the storage and handling of your personal data by this website.

Once you use the comment form, if your comment receives a reply (this only applies to those who leave comments by email), there is a courtesy notification set to send you a reply ticket. It is at your discretion if you want to return to re-respond and/or to continue the conversation established. This is a courtesy for commenters to know when their comments have been replied by either the blog's owner or a visitor to the blog who wanted to add to the conversation. Your email address is hidden and never shared. Read my Privacy Policy.

3 responses to “Blog Book Tour | “Seven Letters from Paris” {a #memoir 20 years in the making} by Samantha Verant

    • Hallo Maggie,

      Truly!? Wow, I never would have suspected that as I thought the meandering dinner parties sounded quite lovely! Thanks for reminding me of the ending I could not quite phrase in the way it was told! :)

Leave a Reply

(Enter your URL then click here to include a link to one of your blog posts.)