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Lost and Found in Paris
“Fast-paced and colorful, with hints ofThe GoldfinchandMalibu Rising,and more than one pitch-perfect love story�Lost and Found in Parissparkles like the City of Light itselfand will have you flipping the pages quickly as you’re drawn deeply into its mysterious world of art, intrigue, and redemption.� —Kristin Harmel,New York Timesbestselling author ofThe Book of Lost Names
The ultimate escapist adventure in Paris, told with wit, style, and a touch of intrigue, by the popular and dynamic author ofThe Sweeney Sisters.
Joan Blakely had an unconventional childhood: the daughter of a globe-trotting supermodel and a world-famous artist. Her artist father died on 9/11, and Joan—an art historian by training—has spent more than a decade maintaining his legacy. Life in the art world is beginning to wear on her—and then one fateful afternoon her husband drops a bombshell: he’s fathered twins with another woman.
Furious but secretly pleased to have a reason to blow up her life, Joan impulsively decides to get out of town, booking a last-minute trip to Paris as an art courier: the person museums hire to fly valuable works of art to potential clients, discreetly stowed in their carry-on luggage. Sipping her champagne in business-class, she chats up her seatmate, Nate, a good-looking tech nerd who invites her to dinner in Paris. He doesn’t know she’s carrying drawings worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
But after a romantic dinner and an even more romantic night together, Joan wakes up next to her new lover to discover the drawings gone. Even more shocking is what’s been left in their place: a sketch from her father’s journals, which she thought had been lost when he died on 9/11, and a poem that reads like a treasure hunt.
With Nate as a sidekick, Joan will follow the clues all over Paris—from its grand cathedrals to the romantic bistros to the twisty side streets of Montmartre—hoping to recover the lost art, and her own sense of adventure. What she finds is even better than she’d expected.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published April 5, 2022
364 people are currently reading
11958 people want to read
About the author
Lian Dolan
12books845followersLian Dolan is a podcaster, producer and writer. She is the creator, producer and host of Satellite Sisters, the award-winning podcast she created with her four real sisters. Satellite Sisters began life as a syndicated radio show in 2000 and has been a top-rated podcast since 2009. Satellite Sisters has won 13 Gracie Allen Awards for Excellence in Women’s Media and been featured on The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning and The Oprah Winfrey Show. In 2017, Lian was given the Podcast Pioneer Award by Women in Podcasting.
She is the author of four best-selling novels, The Sweeney Sisters, Helen of Pasadena and Elizabeth the First Wife. Her latest book, Lost and Found in Paris, is out now and is an LA Times Bestseller. She has written regular columns for Pasadena Magazine, O Magazine and Working Mother Magazine.
Lian graduated from Pomona College with a degree in Classics. She lives in Pasadena, California with her husband, Berick Treidler. She has two adult sons and a senior German shepherd.
She is the author of four best-selling novels, The Sweeney Sisters, Helen of Pasadena and Elizabeth the First Wife. Her latest book, Lost and Found in Paris, is out now and is an LA Times Bestseller. She has written regular columns for Pasadena Magazine, O Magazine and Working Mother Magazine.
Lian graduated from Pomona College with a degree in Classics. She lives in Pasadena, California with her husband, Berick Treidler. She has two adult sons and a senior German shepherd.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 764 reviews
January 22, 2022
Initially I thought it was going to be a light, fairly interesting book. I liked the idea of solving a mystery with clues, of Joan remaking herself while also standing up for herself after being cheated on. But as I got into the book I started getting frustrated.
You know that annoying person that has to constantly name drop? That’s what this felt like. Non-stop. I get that it’s fiction and they weren’t real events or anything but non-stop lists of celebrity names with every memory tour got really old and started to feel like a point was being made after awhile.
There was also a ton of very long reminiscing and very detailed art or modeling stories that were completely unnecessary to the story and felt more like filler than fleshing anything out. They didn’t actually add to the story other than pages and felt like a constant rabbit trail interruption.
Also that the romance side of things essentially came down to casual sex and no relationship bugged me as well in a supposed romance.
And the biggest thing honestly, the end of the book just made me angry. It’s a bit of a hot button issue for me but someone who egotistically controls and manipulates others is not ok. Not. Ok. In. The. Least. And somehow everyone at the end of the story was ok because his intentions were good?? Nope. I was probably at 3 stars for the book until that played out.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You know that annoying person that has to constantly name drop? That’s what this felt like. Non-stop. I get that it’s fiction and they weren’t real events or anything but non-stop lists of celebrity names with every memory tour got really old and started to feel like a point was being made after awhile.
There was also a ton of very long reminiscing and very detailed art or modeling stories that were completely unnecessary to the story and felt more like filler than fleshing anything out. They didn’t actually add to the story other than pages and felt like a constant rabbit trail interruption.
Also that the romance side of things essentially came down to casual sex and no relationship bugged me as well in a supposed romance.
And the biggest thing honestly, the end of the book just made me angry. It’s a bit of a hot button issue for me but someone who egotistically controls and manipulates others is not ok. Not. Ok. In. The. Least. And somehow everyone at the end of the story was ok because his intentions were good?? Nope. I was probably at 3 stars for the book until that played out.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2022
I would have reviewed this book days ago but I wanted to celebrate my birthday with a glass of wine and this epilogue (my joys are simple and nerdy)!
Lost and Found is Paris is my favorite Lian Dolan book so far and that’s a tough choice as her other books are all fab. This is a beach read with bite, an art heist with pizzazz, a family drama, a romance and an immersion into all things fancy and French. I was hooked from the jump and didn’t want to leave the company of Joan, Nate, Suzi and the other tres chic characters who pop up throughout. And really, who ever wants to leave Paris??
While reading I kept a running tally of things I wanted to remember like spots to visit in Paris (someday??) and Polly’s perfect Parisian brunch menu. This is a book that you’ll share with your friends, I can see so many French inspired book clubs (must wear black or navy blue to enter).
And of course-as a solid gold Satellite Sister I was so excited to get an advanced copy of the book from ŷ. Through her podcast, Satellite Sisters, Lian has been a transformative part of my life for ten years and I am so thrilled to be able to give an early review to her incredible book. If you enjoy the smart, bold, humorous and honest writing of Lost and Found in Paris you will definitely want to keep the party going with the satellite sister(and mister)hood at
Lost and Found is Paris is my favorite Lian Dolan book so far and that’s a tough choice as her other books are all fab. This is a beach read with bite, an art heist with pizzazz, a family drama, a romance and an immersion into all things fancy and French. I was hooked from the jump and didn’t want to leave the company of Joan, Nate, Suzi and the other tres chic characters who pop up throughout. And really, who ever wants to leave Paris??
While reading I kept a running tally of things I wanted to remember like spots to visit in Paris (someday??) and Polly’s perfect Parisian brunch menu. This is a book that you’ll share with your friends, I can see so many French inspired book clubs (must wear black or navy blue to enter).
And of course-as a solid gold Satellite Sister I was so excited to get an advanced copy of the book from ŷ. Through her podcast, Satellite Sisters, Lian has been a transformative part of my life for ten years and I am so thrilled to be able to give an early review to her incredible book. If you enjoy the smart, bold, humorous and honest writing of Lost and Found in Paris you will definitely want to keep the party going with the satellite sister(and mister)hood at
March 4, 2022
2.5 Stars
Yeah, so this book didn't really work for me at all. I think it really struggled with knowing what it wanted to be. Was it a romance? Mystery? History lesson? Everything just felt weighted down, and not in a good way.
This story follows Joan, a recently single woman in Paris for an art deal. When her art goes missing, she's suddenly involved in a treasure hunt as she races around Paris with some guy she just met trying to figure out what happened. When the explanation comes out, it's as convoluted as the space/time continuum. And honestly, was a let down.
What I did like was Joan learning to understand what she wanted out of life. But man, did it take a lot to get them. Every memory that was brought up was just packed with so much information about the past. It got to the point where I was rolling my eyes at every mention of celebrity because it felt like Dolan was trying to tell us how cool Joan and her family were. Like oh, over here they hung out with the Rolling Stones. And over here is David Bowie. Ok and?
Another issue I had was just how much random nonsense was here. Every time we met a new person we had to get their ENTIRE life story. We don't need that. None of it was relevant and just added to the pacing issue that plagued this book. Maybe if I was an art history major I would have been more in, but while I love history and art, this was just boring with no payoff at the end.
Yeah, so this book didn't really work for me at all. I think it really struggled with knowing what it wanted to be. Was it a romance? Mystery? History lesson? Everything just felt weighted down, and not in a good way.
This story follows Joan, a recently single woman in Paris for an art deal. When her art goes missing, she's suddenly involved in a treasure hunt as she races around Paris with some guy she just met trying to figure out what happened. When the explanation comes out, it's as convoluted as the space/time continuum. And honestly, was a let down.
What I did like was Joan learning to understand what she wanted out of life. But man, did it take a lot to get them. Every memory that was brought up was just packed with so much information about the past. It got to the point where I was rolling my eyes at every mention of celebrity because it felt like Dolan was trying to tell us how cool Joan and her family were. Like oh, over here they hung out with the Rolling Stones. And over here is David Bowie. Ok and?
Another issue I had was just how much random nonsense was here. Every time we met a new person we had to get their ENTIRE life story. We don't need that. None of it was relevant and just added to the pacing issue that plagued this book. Maybe if I was an art history major I would have been more in, but while I love history and art, this was just boring with no payoff at the end.
December 21, 2021
‘Lost and Found in Paris�, by Lian Dolan, grabbed me on the first page. So much of Lian’s past experience shines through, whether it is about Pasadena and the people who live there, her blog writing, her love of music and musicians, or the beauty and vitality of Paris. This is a smart, factually rich story, filled with historical references and loads of museum and art insider information.
As in at least two of her other novels, this one begins with a marital earthquake and like ‘The Sweeney Sisters� protagonist, Joan is the daughter of an artistic icon. Lian Dolan kept me guessing at when the “lost� part of the title would happen and exactly how. Then� boom! Mystery, excitement, puzzles, Paris, and art become a tasty pot-au-feu, and readers will find it difficult to stop eating.
Lian Dolan paints elegant pictures of the streets of Paris, giving the reader an enticing look at the surroundings as if standing on the corner, strolling down cobblestone streets or soaking in the cultural highlights. I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing the City of Lights in person but I feel like ‘Lost and Found in Paris� could be a primer for planning the trip of a lifetime. Note to author: snap up the domain name “Pasadena Meets Paris� as quick as you can! I’m sure you’ll think of something creative to do with it!
As in at least two of her other novels, this one begins with a marital earthquake and like ‘The Sweeney Sisters� protagonist, Joan is the daughter of an artistic icon. Lian Dolan kept me guessing at when the “lost� part of the title would happen and exactly how. Then� boom! Mystery, excitement, puzzles, Paris, and art become a tasty pot-au-feu, and readers will find it difficult to stop eating.
Lian Dolan paints elegant pictures of the streets of Paris, giving the reader an enticing look at the surroundings as if standing on the corner, strolling down cobblestone streets or soaking in the cultural highlights. I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing the City of Lights in person but I feel like ‘Lost and Found in Paris� could be a primer for planning the trip of a lifetime. Note to author: snap up the domain name “Pasadena Meets Paris� as quick as you can! I’m sure you’ll think of something creative to do with it!
February 6, 2022
I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately it just didn’t work for me. It’s quite possible it was the timing on my end but I found the beginning too slow and after reading a third of the book,I still felt like enough hadn’t happened.
I did really enjoy the art history component as well as the references to what is was like as a family who lost someone in 9/11. I would definitely try this author again, and think that even though it didn’t work for me, I’m sure many will enjoy it.
Thank you to William Morrow for my gifted review copy.
I did really enjoy the art history component as well as the references to what is was like as a family who lost someone in 9/11. I would definitely try this author again, and think that even though it didn’t work for me, I’m sure many will enjoy it.
Thank you to William Morrow for my gifted review copy.
May 1, 2022
Overall I was disappointed by this book. I was expecting a fun light romance but was left with a weird whirlwind romance mixed with a mystery.
I don’t like that the author used 9/11 for the death of the main characters father. The author could have used any other accident like a car crash or a train accident rather than using an actual event of 9/11.
I also felt like there were too many descriptive paragraphs regarding history or art that I just found myself not caring about. Also every relationship that the main character had felt unrealistic to me.
I don’t like that the author used 9/11 for the death of the main characters father. The author could have used any other accident like a car crash or a train accident rather than using an actual event of 9/11.
I also felt like there were too many descriptive paragraphs regarding history or art that I just found myself not caring about. Also every relationship that the main character had felt unrealistic to me.
August 18, 2022
This could have been a great read based on the plot and the portrayal of strong female characters. Joan has her own moments of strength and clarity early on, especially regarding her husband's betrayal and his subsequent actions. Then as the story unfolds, these kick-ass women surround her, yet, she is flakey about what she wants in life. It feels like she does not fit the story, and I could not understand or connect with her character.
Ultimately, the epilogue was what tanked the whole experience for me, and I really wish I could go back and "unread" it. Maybe it is just too cerebral for me.
Ultimately, the epilogue was what tanked the whole experience for me, and I really wish I could go back and "unread" it. Maybe it is just too cerebral for me.
March 24, 2022
Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
Lost and Found in Paris by Lian Dolan is a mystery, set in the exclusive art world of Paris, and it’s so much more than just a mystery. It’s a story of one woman’s journey to find herself and find out what matters most.
Joan Blakely is the only child of a world-famous artist and a supermodel. Joan works as an art history scholar in a museum in Los Angeles. Her father, an artist specializing in light and lighting exhibitions, died on 9/11 and lost all his notebooks during the airline crash. Her mother, once a supermodel, now lives a quiet life in Ojai, California.
Joan learns that her husband of ten years has not been faithful and in fact has fathered twin boys with another woman. Needing a change, Joan decides to take an assignment with the museum as an art courier to take some valuable drawings to a museum in Paris. Soon after she arrives in Paris, she realizes the drawings were stolen out of her hotel room and she embarks on a twisty, scavenger hunt through Paris in order to find the drawings before the museum finds out. She learns more about her famous parents, and herself as she travels around Paris, searching for the missing drawings.
I sure enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and I was rooting for Joan throughout the book. I loved how she grew through the journey and realized she is far more capable than she realized and her ex-husband was leaning on her too much and not allowing her to live her life. There is a side romance, but most of the story is about Joan, her discovery of herself, and the legacy of her famous parents.
I truly felt like I was traveling around Paris with Joan. The author has an excellent knowledge of the city, and this made the journey so much fun for the reader. The mystery of the stolen drawings add a bit of adventure to the story and had me stumped until the reveal at the end of the book.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys women’s fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Lost and Found in Paris by Lian Dolan is a mystery, set in the exclusive art world of Paris, and it’s so much more than just a mystery. It’s a story of one woman’s journey to find herself and find out what matters most.
Joan Blakely is the only child of a world-famous artist and a supermodel. Joan works as an art history scholar in a museum in Los Angeles. Her father, an artist specializing in light and lighting exhibitions, died on 9/11 and lost all his notebooks during the airline crash. Her mother, once a supermodel, now lives a quiet life in Ojai, California.
Joan learns that her husband of ten years has not been faithful and in fact has fathered twin boys with another woman. Needing a change, Joan decides to take an assignment with the museum as an art courier to take some valuable drawings to a museum in Paris. Soon after she arrives in Paris, she realizes the drawings were stolen out of her hotel room and she embarks on a twisty, scavenger hunt through Paris in order to find the drawings before the museum finds out. She learns more about her famous parents, and herself as she travels around Paris, searching for the missing drawings.
I sure enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and I was rooting for Joan throughout the book. I loved how she grew through the journey and realized she is far more capable than she realized and her ex-husband was leaning on her too much and not allowing her to live her life. There is a side romance, but most of the story is about Joan, her discovery of herself, and the legacy of her famous parents.
I truly felt like I was traveling around Paris with Joan. The author has an excellent knowledge of the city, and this made the journey so much fun for the reader. The mystery of the stolen drawings add a bit of adventure to the story and had me stumped until the reveal at the end of the book.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys women’s fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 24, 2025
I’m going to have to think for awhile about whether or not I liked the ending but aside from that it was a kinda wacky, fun read.
April 5, 2022
I was looking forward to this novel by Lian Dolan based on reviews of her previous book, The Sweeney Sisters. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review.
There were parts of this book that I enjoyed but for the most part I struggled getting to the end.
Joan Bright Blakely is not a particularly nice person, in my opinion. She came across as very self centered and somewhat mean spirited.
I love the premise of a romantic mystery paired with some very well researched historical facts. That being said, I could not get into the storyline at all. Too much improbability, manipulation and contrived situations. Perhaps this is not the genre for me.
There were parts of this book that I enjoyed but for the most part I struggled getting to the end.
Joan Bright Blakely is not a particularly nice person, in my opinion. She came across as very self centered and somewhat mean spirited.
I love the premise of a romantic mystery paired with some very well researched historical facts. That being said, I could not get into the storyline at all. Too much improbability, manipulation and contrived situations. Perhaps this is not the genre for me.
April 5, 2022
Main character was so self-centered. Too much name dropping, and it moved SO slowly.
April 10, 2022
"Well, that's the way it is, really. We only know what others want us to believe "
This book's cover and synopsis were so intriguing to me! I couldn't wait to read it, and while I did enjoy this one, it wasn't my favorite. The first 25% was really slow. It picks up after that, but I still felt my mind wandering throughout. There were so many pages without dialogue and I felt several chapters were much too wordy.
However, I did think the story was well written and fun. I definitely enjoyed the art, art history, traveling and the mysterious elements. It was interesting even though at times it was a little far fetched.
Overall, this was a fun book with interesting characters! Fans of woman's fiction, Paris, traveling, art and mystery will definitely enjoy this one.
Thank you William Morrow for this gifted copy!
3.5�
This book's cover and synopsis were so intriguing to me! I couldn't wait to read it, and while I did enjoy this one, it wasn't my favorite. The first 25% was really slow. It picks up after that, but I still felt my mind wandering throughout. There were so many pages without dialogue and I felt several chapters were much too wordy.
However, I did think the story was well written and fun. I definitely enjoyed the art, art history, traveling and the mysterious elements. It was interesting even though at times it was a little far fetched.
Overall, this was a fun book with interesting characters! Fans of woman's fiction, Paris, traveling, art and mystery will definitely enjoy this one.
Thank you William Morrow for this gifted copy!
3.5�
June 29, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5/5, Fiction)
Send your brain on a first class ticket to Paris.
This book is bursting with history, art, adventure, and mystery. It is exactly what I needed.
Joan Blakely had an unconventional childhood: she’s the only child of famous supermodel and a world-renowned artist. Her artist father died on 9/11, and Joan, an art historian, has spent more than a decade maintaining his legacy. Joan has built a solid life with her husband� that is until one fateful afternoon, her husband of 10 years tells her he has 5 year old twins with another woman! Joan does what anyone would do - she jets off to Paris! And luckily, her job needs her to act as an art courier (the person museums hire to fly valuable works of art to potential clients). When Joan lands in Paris and is swept up in all the glitz and glamour the city has to offer, she wakes up one morning to find the drawings she was to transport GONE. Even more shocking is an envelope waiting for her that leads her on a treasure hunt�
This story is such a fun romp through Paris. Suspend your disbelief and pick up this quick read. You’ll start googling flights to Paris and kicking yourself for forgetting everything you learned in Art History in college.
Best paired with a French 75!
Send your brain on a first class ticket to Paris.
This book is bursting with history, art, adventure, and mystery. It is exactly what I needed.
Joan Blakely had an unconventional childhood: she’s the only child of famous supermodel and a world-renowned artist. Her artist father died on 9/11, and Joan, an art historian, has spent more than a decade maintaining his legacy. Joan has built a solid life with her husband� that is until one fateful afternoon, her husband of 10 years tells her he has 5 year old twins with another woman! Joan does what anyone would do - she jets off to Paris! And luckily, her job needs her to act as an art courier (the person museums hire to fly valuable works of art to potential clients). When Joan lands in Paris and is swept up in all the glitz and glamour the city has to offer, she wakes up one morning to find the drawings she was to transport GONE. Even more shocking is an envelope waiting for her that leads her on a treasure hunt�
This story is such a fun romp through Paris. Suspend your disbelief and pick up this quick read. You’ll start googling flights to Paris and kicking yourself for forgetting everything you learned in Art History in college.
Best paired with a French 75!
July 11, 2022
Hmm, why did I read this? More to the point why did I finish this? The answer to these questions lies ultimately in the place in which I found myself - unexpectedly away from home following the death of a family member, therefore limited reading available and as a response to a great need for light and fluffy, escapist reading. And there are lots of people out there who love this genre but I am not one of them. Reading this simply reinforced that fact, that I don't do light and fluffy well. The mystery at the heart of this, a missing art work, wasn't really a mystery. The clues, literally the written clues, that resulted in a chase around Paris, just didn't cut it. The name dropping and beautiful people drove me crazy. The blurb claims "faced pace" - NO! Comparisons with The Goldfinch - NO!
I will accept that I am as much to blame for the one star as the writing, the characterisations, and the plot. So very very very not for me!
I will accept that I am as much to blame for the one star as the writing, the characterisations, and the plot. So very very very not for me!
August 24, 2022
The day after I dropped my middle kiddo at college, a friend left a package on my door with flowers, chocolate, ice tea and this new book. Is this book really a 5, or was it just part of the perfect gift for a tender heart? Impossible to tell. But I enjoyed every page.
Merci Beaucoup Alison!
Merci Beaucoup Alison!
December 5, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lost and Found in Paris was written by the author Lian Dolan and is different but also similar to her earlier stories. Our lead protagonist is Joan Blakely, resident of Pasadena and daughter of the famous artist, Harry Blakely. Her father is tragically killed on one of the planes that flew into the twin towers on 9/11. Dad, Mom, and Joan were a very close family, and Joan becomes unmoored after her father’s death and the loss of his voluminous art journals in the crash. Joan marries in haste and lives to regret it when she finds out her 10-year marriage now includes a family on the side with a set of 5-year-old twins. At this point, Joan was hitting a low point in life. But when she is called on to courier priceless art to Paris, the story steps up a notch because the art gets stolen from her Paris hotel room. The balance of the book involves the chase around Paris to find stolen art, a hot romance with a man she met on her plane to France, her Mom’s (a former model) return to Paris, and various hi-jinks. I enjoyed the story, but I loved the ending. I appreciate that Lian Dolan writes women who recover from loss, lies, and heartache. I like her writing. I am sure this will be a very successful book when released in April 2022. #Art #Paris #live #romance #cozy #joanofarc
🎨
Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this book which was delightful.
#reading #books #bookstagram #book #booksofinstagram ##lostandfoundinParis #JustBooksBookstagram #bookish #lindaleereads2021 #mmdbookclub #readinglife #modernmrsdarcy @liandolan #december ❄️ #lostandfoundinparis @netgalley @williammorrowbooks
Lost and Found in Paris was written by the author Lian Dolan and is different but also similar to her earlier stories. Our lead protagonist is Joan Blakely, resident of Pasadena and daughter of the famous artist, Harry Blakely. Her father is tragically killed on one of the planes that flew into the twin towers on 9/11. Dad, Mom, and Joan were a very close family, and Joan becomes unmoored after her father’s death and the loss of his voluminous art journals in the crash. Joan marries in haste and lives to regret it when she finds out her 10-year marriage now includes a family on the side with a set of 5-year-old twins. At this point, Joan was hitting a low point in life. But when she is called on to courier priceless art to Paris, the story steps up a notch because the art gets stolen from her Paris hotel room. The balance of the book involves the chase around Paris to find stolen art, a hot romance with a man she met on her plane to France, her Mom’s (a former model) return to Paris, and various hi-jinks. I enjoyed the story, but I loved the ending. I appreciate that Lian Dolan writes women who recover from loss, lies, and heartache. I like her writing. I am sure this will be a very successful book when released in April 2022. #Art #Paris #live #romance #cozy #joanofarc
🎨
Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this book which was delightful.
#reading #books #bookstagram #book #booksofinstagram ##lostandfoundinParis #JustBooksBookstagram #bookish #lindaleereads2021 #mmdbookclub #readinglife #modernmrsdarcy @liandolan #december ❄️ #lostandfoundinparis @netgalley @williammorrowbooks
January 29, 2022
“Art is everywhere and it’s never static. It changes with every pair of eyes, every interaction. We all have a responsibility to create art. Remember that, Joanie, because it’s true of life, too.� (Lost and Found in Paris)
Settle in and armchair travel to Paris with Joan. Due to her father's reverence for Joan of Arc and art installations, she was named Joan Bright Blakely. In spite of her luminous name, Joan's life is anything but bright. Her husband confesses to having another family and his betrayal shatters her world. Although Joan locks him out of the house, she feels trapped in the past. For ten years, Casey was her rock after her father was killed during 9/11.
Her father was not the only loss she sustained that day. Joan's love of life and adventure crumbled. Seeking security, she married Casey and took a job in the Wallace Aston Museum. When an unexpected opportunity presents itself to transport sketches to Paris, Joan grasps the trip like a lifeline hoping to find herself.
A series of meet-cutes, stolen sketches and escapades around France will leave readers armchair traveling along with Joan. Will she find what she's lost in Paris? Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #LostandFoundinParis in exchange for an honest review. It was a thrilling read that left me embracing art, culture and Paris' joie de vivre.
"St. Joan of Arc, give me the courage and the fortitude to defeat my fears and give me the strength to fight for what I believe in . . .(Lost in Found in Paris)
Settle in and armchair travel to Paris with Joan. Due to her father's reverence for Joan of Arc and art installations, she was named Joan Bright Blakely. In spite of her luminous name, Joan's life is anything but bright. Her husband confesses to having another family and his betrayal shatters her world. Although Joan locks him out of the house, she feels trapped in the past. For ten years, Casey was her rock after her father was killed during 9/11.
Her father was not the only loss she sustained that day. Joan's love of life and adventure crumbled. Seeking security, she married Casey and took a job in the Wallace Aston Museum. When an unexpected opportunity presents itself to transport sketches to Paris, Joan grasps the trip like a lifeline hoping to find herself.
A series of meet-cutes, stolen sketches and escapades around France will leave readers armchair traveling along with Joan. Will she find what she's lost in Paris? Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #LostandFoundinParis in exchange for an honest review. It was a thrilling read that left me embracing art, culture and Paris' joie de vivre.
"St. Joan of Arc, give me the courage and the fortitude to defeat my fears and give me the strength to fight for what I believe in . . .(Lost in Found in Paris)
April 9, 2022
My favorite books are the ones that make me I feel melancholy during the last chapters because my “friend� is leaving me. This was one of those books.
I know nothing about art. I know very little about Joan of Arc. I’ve never been to Paris. But Lian Dolan brought all of this to life. I soaked up the main character, Joan’s journey and loved every bit of it. I hate spoilers, so I won’t go into details, but read this book! It has interesting, well-developed characters, intrigue and just the right amount of romance.
I know nothing about art. I know very little about Joan of Arc. I’ve never been to Paris. But Lian Dolan brought all of this to life. I soaked up the main character, Joan’s journey and loved every bit of it. I hate spoilers, so I won’t go into details, but read this book! It has interesting, well-developed characters, intrigue and just the right amount of romance.
April 13, 2022
Terrible. It has all the elements that should make me at least like it, if not love it. Art, Paris, meet cute with a nerdy guy…but it was histrionic and unbelievable
September 23, 2022
Lost and Found in Paris is an art history treasure hunt. The main character, Joan Blakely, is in her early thirties and the daughter of a famous artist who's died. She lost her dad on 9/11, and it has taken her a decade to recover from the loss and grief. In that time, she made many decisions she wouldn't have made if she hadn’t lost her dad. She married the wrong guy. She's in a job she doesn't love. And she's taken on a lot of the responsibility of saving her dad's legacy. Meanwhile, Joan's put what she needs on the back burner.
One day, her husband drops a bombshell—he has fathered twins with another woman five years before and has been leading a double life. Joan realizes it's time to change things up and take her life back. She takes a work opportunity to fly a piece of expensive artwork to Paris that a museum is selling. When she takes the art to Paris, it goes missing, and a sketch from her father’s journal is left in its place, along with a poem that reads like a treasure hunt. Soon, more clues start coming, and Joan's treasure hunt begins. This story is the ultimate escape to the city of lights and a mystery with an unexpected ending.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
One day, her husband drops a bombshell—he has fathered twins with another woman five years before and has been leading a double life. Joan realizes it's time to change things up and take her life back. She takes a work opportunity to fly a piece of expensive artwork to Paris that a museum is selling. When she takes the art to Paris, it goes missing, and a sketch from her father’s journal is left in its place, along with a poem that reads like a treasure hunt. Soon, more clues start coming, and Joan's treasure hunt begins. This story is the ultimate escape to the city of lights and a mystery with an unexpected ending.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
April 25, 2022
Joan's life is blown up when her husband confesses he secretly fathered twins and wants to be more involved in their lives. Fresh off a divorce, Joan takes off to Paris as part of her new job as an art courier but when she wakes up after a one night stand with the man she met on her plane, she discovers someone has stolen the sketches that were in her possession and left a piece of her dead father's notebook in its place.
This sets Joan and her new beau Nate off on a series of adventures across Paris trying to recover the art sketches and figure out who is leaving her clues to her father's notebook. The book gave me tons of Dan Brown's The Davinci code vibes! Joan uncovers secrets about both her father and her mother as she falls in love with Nate along the way.
Fun and interesting and great on audio narrated by one of my favs, Brittany Pressley. Highly recommended for anyone looking to fall in love with Paris through a good book.
This sets Joan and her new beau Nate off on a series of adventures across Paris trying to recover the art sketches and figure out who is leaving her clues to her father's notebook. The book gave me tons of Dan Brown's The Davinci code vibes! Joan uncovers secrets about both her father and her mother as she falls in love with Nate along the way.
Fun and interesting and great on audio narrated by one of my favs, Brittany Pressley. Highly recommended for anyone looking to fall in love with Paris through a good book.
June 24, 2022
What a beautiful story, I love the characters, I love this type of stories and books, an excellent author.
March 8, 2023
Don't trust the cover on this one. I thought it looked like a light Paris read. It was so much more with art and art history, Joan of Arc history and more.
July 11, 2022
I was ready to enjoy this book, since I liked The Sweeney Sisters and I love books set in Paris. But, ugh, this novel is a slog of a slow plot, insufferable name dropping and false humility. The main character Joan, describes herself as an “average� child of a great artist and stunning model mom, yet she looks like the mom, attended Smith, and is effortlessly elegant. The author tries to write Joan (named after Joan of Arc, no less) as modest and relatable, but that is contradicted when every character in her orbit finds her perfect. (Take, for example, her Pasadena friends who are glad to learn she has a “flaw,� which is her husband cheating on her and thus not HER actual flaw).
The novel vacillates between her glamorous childhood and modern day Paris trip to recover from her sudden divorce. Joan is a woman who “knows� to dab on Le Mer and wrap herself in layers of cashmere while flying business class from Pasadena to Paris. Joan wears all black and stays in an exclusive hotel in ISL. Joan rues that she missed out on a high society lifestyle she “should have had� in her 20s. (Oh, the entitlement!) Joan’s friends are wealthy and fabulous and will do anything to help her. As for the plot? She is unexpectedly on a boring “treasure hunt� in Paris that takes her to a variety of high-class locations, including an expensive salon for a blowout and a chic art gallery for her rich lover to purchase trendy art. Her lover says she looks beautiful and smells good, to which Joan replies, “I know.� 🤨
Reading each pretentious word was a miserable experience, especially when the plot is as slow as her still-gorgeous mother’s aging process.
The novel vacillates between her glamorous childhood and modern day Paris trip to recover from her sudden divorce. Joan is a woman who “knows� to dab on Le Mer and wrap herself in layers of cashmere while flying business class from Pasadena to Paris. Joan wears all black and stays in an exclusive hotel in ISL. Joan rues that she missed out on a high society lifestyle she “should have had� in her 20s. (Oh, the entitlement!) Joan’s friends are wealthy and fabulous and will do anything to help her. As for the plot? She is unexpectedly on a boring “treasure hunt� in Paris that takes her to a variety of high-class locations, including an expensive salon for a blowout and a chic art gallery for her rich lover to purchase trendy art. Her lover says she looks beautiful and smells good, to which Joan replies, “I know.� 🤨
Reading each pretentious word was a miserable experience, especially when the plot is as slow as her still-gorgeous mother’s aging process.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I would have requested this one strictly because it has to do with Paris, I'm sure. There was so much I liked about this book, though, other than the Paris scenes...you've got personal growth, a little bit of mystery/suspense, a scavenger hunt, some romance...SO much more than I thought I would be getting. I would 100% recommend this to fans of contemporary romance...and I will look for more books by this author.
October 31, 2021
Maybe more of 3.5 stars. There were many things I did like and a few that I did not. Growing up in the LA area, I enjoyed the references to Southern California. I also liked that the main character, Joan, was strong and snappy when her husband admitted his affair. Often times an author makes the lead female wishy-washy and their judgement is convoluted by feelings of love. I appreciated that Lian Dolan did not. I also appreciated the fact that the main character was realistic in that she did not choose to sleep with someone else in order to feed her emotions after her marriage was over. She needed time to heal before moving on with her life. On another note, I am utterly obsessed with books that take place in Europe so I did like that aspect. Being transported through the imagery depicted was fun. Unfortunately, I felt that the many references to wealth and celebrity of the main character’s parents/life/friends came off as somewhat pretentious. I’m not sure if that was the authors intention, but it felt a bit overdone. Just my own personal preference in a book. The book was well written, it just wasn’t for me.
May 11, 2022
I agreed with many reviewers that the plot line was a bit thin and the amount of explaining and name dropping was a bit overwhelming. It felt like the author wanted a trip to Paris and a write off so riffed on a travel book to come up with something.
I thought the end lacked sincerity. Really after dragging herself all over Paris, it’s just forgive and forget cause a concert solves all.
Not really well structured. Too much non relevant detail and weak characters lead a cool premise to be just an okay read
I thought the end lacked sincerity. Really after dragging herself all over Paris, it’s just forgive and forget cause a concert solves all.
Not really well structured. Too much non relevant detail and weak characters lead a cool premise to be just an okay read
March 3, 2022
I won this book in a ŷ Giveaway. By the end of the first chapter I was in love with the characters and couldn't put it down. The combination of mystery, romance and adventure kept me hooked until the last page. Highly recommend for an enjoyable vacation read. Can't wait to read more from Lian Dolan. @LianDolan
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May 8, 2022A tale of privileged people living in pretty places. Not exactly where the rubber of living meets the road.
April 17, 2022
Such a fun read! After the 5⭐️ Sweeney Sister, I was looking forward to this author’s next book and this met my expectations. I find women’s fiction hit or miss � the writing more often than not is pedestrian and bland. But this author writes smart interesting characters with stories that quickly pull me in.
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