Looks Good on Paper

by Kilby Blades

A fresh, hilarious take on the classic Cyrano de Bergerac from USA Today bestselling author Kilby Blades…

In today’s world filled with terrible dating apps and split-second hot takes, all Zuri Robinson wants is something real. And between her crap job, her family drama, and feeling like she completely missed out on her twenties, she’s pretty much done. Her only bright spot is exchanging letters with a ridiculously charming guy in Italy. Only Alessandro Fabricare has a teeeeeny little secret...

Nico Fabricare simply wanted to help his brother, Alessandro—who isn’t as eloquent with the English language—write a few letters. But with every letter that crosses the Atlantic, Nico is discovering that Zuri might just be the most incredible woman he’s ever met…except she thinks she’s falling in love with his brother.

Now Zuri is on her way to Italy—to meet Alessandro. And Nico is running out of time to win over the girl of his paper dreams before she finds out the truth.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Italy, Friends To Lovers, Chick Lit, Fiction, Audiobook

312 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 12, 2022

About the author

Kilby Blades is a USA Today Bestselling author of Romance and Women's Fiction. Her debut novel, "Snapdragon", was a HOLT Medallion finalist, a Publisher's Weekly BookLife Prize Semi-Finalist, and an IPPY Award medalist. Kilby was honored with an RSJ Emma Award for Best Debut Author in 2018, and has been lauded by critics for "easing feminism and equality into her novels" (IndieReader) and "writing characters who complement each other like a fine wine does a good meal" (Publisher's Weekly).

Follow Kilby's awesome newsletter at http://www.kilbyblades.com/subscribe

Reviews

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and unique
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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!

* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/looks-good-o...

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looks Good on Paper by Kilby Blades
Contemporary romance. Diverse retelling.
Zuri Robinson has been exchanging letters with Alessandro Fabricare in Italy for a long time. At least that who she thinks it is. In truth, Alessandro has asked his brother Nico to answer the letters. Nico thinks Zuri is the most incredible woman and the letters end up being filled with poetry, and his love of his family business. When Zuri escapes the druggery of her daily life with a vacation in Italy, the first place and person she wants to visit is Alessandro and the specialty paper business. But in person isn’t the same and she finds herself spending more time with Nico.
Will Zuri figure out who the real letter writer is?

Zuri is so strong surviving her life, the crappy jobs and keeping a positive life of optimism. She knows there is something special out in the world for her. There were funny moments from her job and poignant moments for her time with Nico learning about paper making.
A lovely romance that went from a bit risqué in the beginning to sweet at the ending.

[Antonella · Rating 4 out of 5]

genre: contemporary romance
tropes & themes: pen pals, mistaken identity, dating apps, family ties, traveling, finding yourself, gardening
rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
release date: September 12th, 2022


Is there anything more perfect than connecting with someone through shared passion?

That is what happens when Zuri and Nico become pen pals. Sure he is writing instead of his brother but their love of paper and stationery is unparalleled. There is something so special about romance novels based on writing letters. Zuri. a California girl working a tedious job at the dating app agency goes on a sabbatical in Europe. Of course, she there wants to meet her pen pal Nico. Nico and the Italian men who are dealing with the consequences of his divorce find a friend in Zuri and want to meet her too.

This was a sweet and delightful story that put a smile on my face. It is also a book that makes me want to go to Italy again.

I would recommend it to all contemporary readers looking for a feel-good romance novel.

* Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contained a lot, and I mean A LOT, of knowledge and history regarding paper making. But I found it quite fascinating—and so fitting for a romance involving pen pals!

Zuri Robinson has a passion for stationery. Joining a pen pal program hosted by the paper company Emporio, she is unknowingly paired with the Italian CEO, Alessandro. But even more unknowing to her, Zuri ends up conversing back and forth with Nico, his brother.

Zuri and Nico were so sweet. I adored their letters filled with adorably mundane topics of gardening and other shared interests. I loved to see the building of their friendship ignite an inward look at their own careers, discovering who they truly want to be. Yes, there is definitely a huge overshadowing lie with Nico pretending to be Alessandro, but his reasoning was justified.

You'll fall in love with the repairing bond between the brothers, and even more so with the setting in Italy. I wanted a more solid conclusion on an outside conflict in the story, but overall this was so light and fun—a perfect escape to Italy!

(heat level: one open-door scene, mild details)

[Emily Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look Good On Paper
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 9/12/22
Author: Kilby Blades
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Pages: 150
Goodreads Rating: 4.06

TW ⚠️: Gambling addiction

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Entangled Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: In today’s world filled with terrible dating apps and split-second hot takes, all Zuri Robinson wants is something real. Feeling like she completely missed out on her twenties, she’s pretty much done. Her only bright spot is exchanging letters with a ridiculously charming guy in Italy. Only Alessandro Fabricare has a teeeeeny little secret… Nico Fabricare simply wanted to help his brother, Alessandro—who isn’t as eloquent with the English language—write a few letters. But with every letter that crosses the Atlantic, Nico is discovering that Zuri might just be the most incredible woman he’s ever met…except she thinks she’s falling in love with his brother. Now Zuri is on her way to Italy—to meet Alessandro. And Nico is running out of time to win over the girl of his paper dreams before she finds out the truth.

My Thoughts: This is my first read on a pen pal trope and checks all of the boxes of a cute romantic read. Blades has produced a clean romance that is unique, beautifully written, and so very unique. Blades does an outstanding job at setting the tone in beautiful Italy, makes you feel like you are right there with Zuri on her journey. Blades has a way to transport you to the country that you really felt like you were traveling. This was a quick read, which made it easier to binge in a few short hours. The characters were so well developed with depth, amazing chemistry, emotion, growth, and creatively written. Zuri was strong and independent, while Nico had so much growth through the story. Both characters are very likable and relatable. The author’s writing style was complex, swoony, little spicy, and just brilliantly done. This book hits the shelves next week and I highly recommend picking up!

[Diane (Books and Tequila Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looks Good On Paper is original and entertaining. It has just a touch of angst, an easy and really enjoyable read.

“This kiss was far more than sparks, dangerous from the start for all the kindling that had surrounded them. It was Fourth of July fireworks and it was incendiary.”
-5 Stars-

My Full review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Ashley G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love the narration for this. It doesn't have dual narration which would've been nice cause between having to be the fmc and mmc and the mmc having an Italian accent oof. But it wasn't told from dual perspectives, so one narrator it was.

This started off very slow. It doesn't feel like a romance until the 4th quarter of this book. Until then it read more like women's fiction about a woman who loves paper and is on a journey to Italy and self discovery. A closed door extremely slow burn sort of romance.

Extremely put downable. The narration breezed by, but I don't think I would have finished this if it had been the hard copy.

[Vanessa (When Vane Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining, sweet and tender story, I loved it.
I love the letters and the way Zuri and Nico gradually become friends and friendship gives way to attraction through just letters. The author's idea of ​​falling in love through words rather than appearances is so original and different. And is amazing the way the author beautifully portrays the landscapes of Italy. Zuri and Nico are such a lovely couple.

Looks good on paper is a beautiful, cute, fun and clean romance that will make you sigh and give you a swarm of butterflies in your stomach.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️s! I was thrilled to learn that this was an epistolary romance. I just think there is something special about getting to know someone from the inside out and falling in love before you see their face.

I also appreciate good research, even in a fiction/romance book. But I’m going to admit that I learned way too much about paper making in this book.

This story is so well written and the descriptions are captivating in a way that makes you feel as if you are there. I loved Zuri and Nico and genuinely cared about their relationship and the individual journeys. For as drawn out as the beginning of the story is, the ending was very abrupt and almost too easy. It left me wanting more.

This was interesting journey with Zuri and Nico, especially if you are a fan of fancy paper, pens and ink.

[Briana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book read like a fairytale to me in the best possible way. We have Zuri, a woman in her late 20s working her awful job that pays her well enough to keep from deflecting. Then we have Alessandro and Nico (yeah with those names we know they’re hotties), Italian royalty (let me have this) both struggling with choosing duty and family over their passions.

Readers get to have a peek at Zuri’s everyday life. We learn the things that make her tick: gardening, letters, most notably, paper, and the things that make her upset: her boss stealing all her great ideas. We also get a chance to see how Nico and Alessandro live, and it sounds like a great albeit sometimes complicated life. I really liked all the characters in this story. They were people I liked (and didn’t like) and their actions made sense throughout. They were pretty fleshed out, and I think that comes as a result of this book toeing the line between Romance and Women’s Fiction. It’s definitely romantic and it fulfilled my romance cravings, but everyone might not think so.

There is a nice escapist element to this book too. About a third of the way into the book, Zuri takes a chance on herself and decides to take a vacation through Europe. It’s really fun living vicariously through and of course seeing her get wined and dined in Italy. I think this part and the adventures that occur as a result have a magical feel to them, hence the fairytale comparison.

The only thing that took me out of it a little was that at points they really leaned into the liking paper thing. A couple of times I thought, calm down, but it also made me want to go out and buy some handmade high quality paper.

I’m finding it difficult to articulate why I loved this book so much. I just did okay! We love to see a Black woman work her way through tough relationships, break free from capitalism’s clutches, and be treated like the queen she is!

I’m so excited this author has another book, and I can’t wait to read it!

---------------------------

It was too good let's get the bill!! Review to come

[Kilby Blades]

Looks Good on Paper is almost here! I had so much fun writing it and can't wait to share this story with you. Here's a bit about the story and links to everywhere you can find it. Don't forget to pick up a copy and put it on your Goodreads shelf!

He checked all the boxes. Too bad he wasn't who he said he was... Writing letters in English on his brother's behalf for their company's penpal program was Nico's first mistake. Just when he figures out that Zuri is his ideal woman, she announces a trip to Italy to see Alessandro, the one she thinks she's writing to. Now, Nico needs a plan to step out of the shadows and win over the girl of his paper dreams.

Here's where to get it:
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3MzPD1o
B&N: https://bit.ly/3kxdLGl
Apple Books: https://apple.co/37Jx7oJ
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3vJCEU7
Kobo: https://bit.ly/37Qr95k
Signed Paperbacks: https://bit.ly/3OA1le2

[Ancillar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own

I remembered when I had a pen pal back in the day so was excited about the premise of the book. The book tells the story of Zuri who is a little disgruntled and in need of something amazing and she gets in the form of letters from Italy, The only problem is that the guy she is talking to is not the same guy with the namesake,. Looks good on paper is perfect for fans of romance that involves letters, mistaken identity and of course Italy. I enjoyed the story so much and I recommend it highly.

Actual rating: 3.5

[Stephanie]

Pen pal romance!
I'm so glad this book delivered bc I dropped my intended TBR to start this book as soon as it came on my radar (late, it turns out - this is a 2022 release).

Every book I've read by Kilby Blades I have enjoyed immensely. Zuri, a customer service rep at a dating app, has been battling debt largely caused by her gambling addicted stepfather. She begins a pen pal program through a stationary paper products company and ends up, unknowing to her, being paired up with the Italian CEO of said paper company. They form a budding relationship and as events progress she ends up visiting Italy on her own. Cue some mistaken identity/ vacation romance and a very grounded but whirlwind type romance. I just loved the characters and their reasonable motivations kept the plot tight. A well done story with solid writing. Blades is an auto buy author for me now.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A contemporary romance between two pen pals; one from the States & the other from Italy. They are connected through letters that Nico’s brother, Alessandro, asks him to write since his English isn’t well. I liked Zuri’s journey and adventure as she traveled to Italy; it was fun reading about that! I liked Zuri’s character and her overall personality. Her and Nico were cute together! I also liked seeing their growth in the story.

[niki_reads_romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zuri and Nico’s story was incredibly interesting. The traveling, the paper making, the details… I really felt like the author knows what she was writing about. The story felt authentic and sincere. I definitely do not think it’s a romcom, but it was a beautiful romance filled with intense emotions, and I’m struggling to focus on anything else since finishing the story.

[Kristen Hammon · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love the Tv show Love is Blind then you’ll love this book. Instead of talking to each other through a wall they are pen pals who build an emotional relationship with each other before ever seeing each other. I loved the relationship Zuri and Nicco built as well as all of the paper making history. This was the first book I have read by Kilby Blades and I can’t wait to read more!

[Bethany (Bee_TheBibliophile) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looks Good on Paper was an easy read full of epistolary goodness and some slow burn romance.

Zuri Robinson is an interesting character - she’s struggling with her day to day life but is incredibly positive and self-aware. She’s obsessed with quality paper, pens, stationary and writing letters and that passion led her to start writing to a pen pal in Italy.

Nico Fabricare’s whole life is paper making - he loves it, lives it and breathes it every day. When his brother asks him to write to his pen pal in America pretending to be him, he’s more than happy to take on the challenge.

There’s definitely ties to Cyrano here and lots of miscommunication and lack of communication that really started to irritate me. Also as someone who knows nothing about paper making or high quality papers, all of the passionate paper talk was a little lost on me. I wanted to get into it because both Zuri and Nico were so passionate about it and it shaped so much of their relationship, but it wasn’t for me.

The conflict and resolution felt a bit too manufactured for my liking - Zuri and Nico had such a good relationship and it felt like an honest conversation would have gone a long way. They were sweet together and their nerding out about paper was cute and worked so well for them. Overall, just okay for me but a super easy read and perfect for my beach vacation.

[Liz Rust · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Ashley Yungbluth · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Looks Good on Paper" by Kilby Blades was an awesome read. I absolutely loved how Zuri and Nico were writing to each other as pen pals. Zuri works for an online dating company as part of their customer support team. She gets calls daily of people complaining about the people they went out with or wanting to find out if their spouse is on the site. Nico and his brother Alessandro own a paper company in Italy. At first, Zuri is writing to Alessandro, but after the first letter, Nico takes over. But Zuri thinks she is still corresponding with Alessandro. Zuri tells him that she will be visiting Italy and would love to meet up. Now Nico has to find a way to tell Zuri that it has been him writing to her and not his brother. Kilby Blades is such a wonderful author, and I have not read a bad book yet. This just added to the list of books I have enjoyed by her. My favorite parts in this book were when Zuri or anyone at her job gets a crazy call, they write about it on a board and I enjoyed the scene where Zuri gets a private tour of the Paper company. Overall, this was a great read, and I totally recommend it.

[tahaslibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looks Good On Paper is a contemporary romance set in California and then Italy, with pen pals, secret/mistaken identity, world traveling, finding yourself and your passion and full on nerdiness about letters and paper.

I learned so much about the art of letter writing and creation of paper, card stock, and stationary. You can really feel the characters' and author's passion about this topic and I thought it was conveyed beautifully. Nico, an Italian man, and Zuri, a Californian woman, unlikely to meet in any conventional way connect while being pen pals as a part of a program run by Nico's paper business. The initial surprise is that Nico writes to Zuri as his brother but the two of them fall in like as they get to know more about each other, their struggles and connect wholeheartedly over their shared passion for letters.

Both of them are dealing with their own personal issues of divorce, familial estrangement, and struggling with their careers, but they find solace in one another. Despite these difficult topics, this was a lighthearted and sweet story. I loved the realism of Nico and Zuri being interested in each enough to meet up with one another after talking for months. The way they didn't instantly fall in love, but built up to it through physical attraction, talking about themselves to a degree you only can with someone you know will treasure it and love you anyway.

It was a really fun and quick read! The descriptions of Italy were so serene and made me want to plan for my next trip to be there. The chemistry between Nico and Zuri was so natural and the build up didn't feel as quick as I expected for these whirldwind type of romances. Since this was a situation of secret identity and there is a painful reveal that comes from that - I'm so glad the author gave Zuri the agency to be hurt, upset and angry. We also love to see a man grovel and show remorse for his unintentional but ultimately crappy actions. All in all, I really liked the conversations between the main characters, seeing them fall in love in Italy and getting to learn so much about the art of letters.

Thank you to Valentine PR and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this book!

[Joy Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was something incredibly considered about this book which I thoroughly appreciated. The attention to detail whether it was about the process of paper-making or local foods, or why someone loves the things that they do, made this all the more believable, engaging and oh so special. Kilby’s incredible experience as a writer really shows and sets this romance apart from many others I’ve read.
I also really appreciated how the author deeply understood just how meaningful culture is to people. I have found this sorely lacking in a lot of American novels I have been reading of late. Delightfully, this book understood something that was deeply important to me and it really made me shine. The plot points, which I also won’t spoil, were just so fun. Simple, clever and executed so I really believed them. I’m so ready for this to become a film and I wish I could be the one to make it!

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Looks Good on Paper caught my attention with the mention of it being a Cyrano de Bergerac retelling in the blurb. I am also mutuals with Kilby Blades on Twitter, although we haven’t interacted very much, and I have long been interested in trying her work, although I’m unsure if this was the best place to start.
I really like Zuri. She’s relatable in all she’s gone through, from the tension in her family, which gets some development (but not closure, which does work for the situation as it stands) and she’s not happy in her current job. The feeling of having really missed out on the fun of your twenties absolutely resonated with me.
The first part with the initial development of the letter-writing relationship is super cute too. I love how, in the age of dating apps and DMs, this book hearkens back to a dying form of communication, with Zuri and Nico (writing as Alessandro) really getting to know each other. Ultimately, Nico is in a similar place of being somewhat dissatisfied with the current direction his life is taking, and I love observing their growing bond.
However, I feel like part of the fun of the “Cyrano” narrative is also seeing the third person playing the role of the romantic lead, and I didn’t get that. There are some moments once Zuri and Alessandro meet where inconsistencies pop up, but she’s also spending time with Nico in person more anyway, so what’s the deal? It all felt more like the Big Lie trope than Cyrano, especially as the story grew more convoluted.
And with all the hurt Zuri had experienced, I did wonder why she wasn’t more hurt at the betrayal, especially to have it going on for so long. Nico had good intentions initially, but I felt things could have been much better if he’d come clean sooner. He did make it up to her, so while I don’t know if I can see them lasting in the long run, I am at least satisfied for now.
This is a cute romance, and while it has its flaws, I like what it’s trying to do, especially in paying tribute to the largely forgotten art of letter-writing. If you’re a fan of contemporary romances, I recommend giving this a try.

[Angela Y (yangelareads) ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Entangled Publishing.

In today’s world filled with terrible dating apps and split-second hot takes, all Zuri Robinson wants is something real. Between her crap job, her family drama, and feeling like she completely missed out on her twenties, she is pretty much done. Her only bright spot is exchanging letters with a ridiculously charming guy in Italy. Only Alessandro Fabricare has a tiny little secret. Nico Fabricare simply wanted to help his brother, Alessandro—who is not as eloquent with the English language—write a few letters. But with every letter that crosses the Atlantic, Nico is discovering that Zuri might just be the most incredible woman he has ever met except she thinks she is falling in love with his brother. Now Zuri is on her way to Italy—to meet Alessandro and Nico is running out of time to win over the girl of his paper dreams before she finds out the truth.

This was a decent light romance. The story was mostly taken from Cyrano, but with an updated twist involving paper making. As someone who knows nothing about paper making or high quality papers, all of the passionate paper talk was a little lost on me. However the cute pen pal trope hits all the cliche boxes made for swoony romantics. The two build a beautiful connection over shared interests. The best highlight of the book was definitely the letters the two write to each other. I was expecting a grand romance where the two could not stand to be apart because they were like magnets, always coming back to one another and they developed a beautiful, life-changing relationship, but the characters and the relationship needed more development. I feel like the romance is not very believable. There was a lot of miscommunication and I felt like an honest conversation could of gone a long way. This was a super quick light read, but nothing special.

[Nextbookaroundthecorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

As it was some time ago, I tried out a new author, my eye was drawn to the cover of Looks Good on Paper, And the blurb made me request it.

The story is about two brothers, who run a family business in producing paper, in Italy. Their last name is hilarious: Fabric are They produce (fabricated paper with care.. And the story is sweet and funny: Alessandro is the (temporarily) CEO of the business and Nico is on leave, due to personal problems. Alessandro is happy to hand over the writing of letters to his brother. The Pen Pal programm they have invented requires them to regularly write with Zuri, a customer service employee on the other side of the world. 0 Nico, who has been living as a recluse for months now, to avoid further scandal with his ex, the letters are a form of freedom. He can confide in Zuni in a way, he has not been able to do ever. But then, Zuri gets a possibility to travel. And what better destination then to visit her pen pal from Italy? Surprisingly, Alessandro is nothing like the person Zuri had imagined after all their letters. And now, he has to go on an unexpected business travel, leaving Zuri alone with his brother, Nico. Strangely, Zuri feels a lot more attraction to Nico then to Alessandro. Nico doesn’t know what to do: should he come clean to Zuri and tell her, he is the one she was writing letters to? Or should he keep it a secret, as Alessandro has asked him to?

When the train personnel goes on strike in Italy, Zuri finds herself stuck with Nico for a few more days. While learning everything about the art of creating paper, Zuri can’t help but wonder, what would have happened if she would have met Nico as a pen pal instead of Alessandro.

But as you know: something that looks good on paper, isn’t necessarily good in reality…

A great retelling with a twist. And definitely with a better ending than Cyrano the Bergerac. Loved it. Four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Valentine PR and Entangled Publishing for sending me an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

This book had no right being so cute!! Zuri and Nico are the absolute most adorable couple ever, and the fact that I never stopped smiling when they were together or writing to each other just speaks to how good this book was! I was worried that it would feel a bit slow because of the pen pal nature of the book, but that wasn't the case at all. It felt perfectly paced and by the time it started to slow down, Zuri was off to Europe for herself and things picked back up.

I adored their chemistry and the way that they clicked. Romances can often feel very forced, but this just felt so natural and right. The letters between them gave them such good time to know each other and actually develop a relationship.

The stakes in the book really helped to get my attention. It was just the right amount of drama to keep me hooked and help it be believable. I do think the ending was a bit rushed as far as the third act breakup and then forgiveness. But I did really love the way that both Zuri and Nico developed and learned so much about themselves and their lives. There was so much about loss, grief, trust, forgiveness, and self-identity. And I adored every second of that depth!

If you're a romcom fan, definitely be on the lookout for this!

[anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

idk if it is because it was pen pals so the story of them was slower to get to the conversations/letters but i skipped through a lot in the beginning. honestly i didn’t really start enjoying the book until after about 40% into it. It just had a lot of word jargon that i didn’t really understand or care about BUT once that 40% hit and they were interacting… instant swooning. me swooning over them and over Nico, and Nico swooning over Zuri and vice versa. had me giggling and blushing😩😩 it was SO adorable how instant their chemistry and connection bonded. i wouldn’t say it’s instant love from the very beginning of the story because they didn’t really meet until halfway but their adoration for each other and connection when they officially met face to face was immediate! Nico was so respectful, sweet and charming. like charm your panties off type of charming 🥹. maybe it’s bc i’m used toxicity/dark romance/asshole men in books so Nico felt like a breath of fresh air <3 i loved how you also learned so much about not only Italy but Europe in general! now i know if i ever visit Italy, it’s a possibility the train workers will be on strike since they go on strike about 4 times a year lol! overall i really enjoyed it even with the slow start (for me)! once they were actually in each others presence, i couldn’t put it down 🫶🏼

[giftgirlreadsromance · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Peggy Jaeger · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Megan (megs_bookblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a quick, heartwarming read that I was able to binge in a day. I was drawn in by the unique premise and I thoroughly enjoyed the well developed characters, the beautiful descriptions of the Italian countryside and the author’s writing style.

Zuri is a great FMC. She’s funny and strong willed and I loved watching her character develop through the story as she discovered her true calling in life. I loved Nico’s character, too: the sexy Italian who is forced to choose between duty and the life he really wants. They bond over their shared love of stationery and gardening and find out a lot about themselves while being pen pals from different parts of the world.

The beginning hooked me with Zuri’s interesting backstory and the budding relationship between the characters. I thought the middle dragged a bit, and started to get repetitive, but then picked back up towards the end. The reason for the lower rating is that I really dislike, for lack of a better phrase, the “lying trope.” When one lie has the potential to unravel a relationship like in this case, it makes me anxious the entire way through because I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I had a hard time enjoying the story because I kept waiting for Nico to tell Zuri the truth about his identity. This is obviously a me issue and may not impact anyone else���s reading experience.

Overall, lie notwithstanding, I did enjoy this one and will probably read more by this author. Thank you so much to Entangled Publishing, Valentine PR and Kilby Blades for the gifted copy to review.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started off really strong for me, but somewhat fizzled at the end, so what I thought was going to be a solid 4 star read became more of a 3.5, but will round up for review purposes. I really liked the modern day take on the Cyrano de Bergerac story and found Zuri to be a relatable heroine because I also have an affinity for fine stationary and pens. I would have liked for there to be more comedic elements from her ridiculous hookup app workplace, but the story shifted pretty quickly to her travels to Europe instead. Most of the charm lies with the epistolary element, and once Zuri and Nico/Allesandro met in real life some of that mystery faded. As for Nico, he was a bit of the stereotypical Italian romantic, and was a bit over the top and flowery in both his written and spoken word. I did end up enjoying the book though and liked the author's writing style a lot, so would definitely read more works from her in the future.