A wonderfully offbeat romance' Mail on SundayOn a beautifully restored barge on the Seine, Jean Perdu runs a bookshop, or rather a 'literary apothecary', for this bookseller possesses a rare gift for sensing which books will soothe the troubled souls of his customers. The only person he is unable to cure, it seems, is himself. But when an enigmatic new neighbour moves into his eccentric apartment building on Rue Montagnard, Jean is inspired to unlock his heart, unmoor the floating bookshop and set off for Provence in search of the past - and his beloved.'Glowing . . . a classic voyage and return narrative, layered with wit, enchanting writing and a love of books . . . I prescribed it for a cynical friend who has "seen it all" (and read it all) and she swooned' Daily Mail'A true gem for fiction lovers' Good HousekeepingTranslated by Simon Pare