Paris Daillencourt reminds me of a 90s-era rom-com Hugh Grant character—socially awkward but under all the bumbling still charming enough to get the girl. Or the guy, in Paris’s case.

Paris is more of a hot mess than I remember any of those characters being, though, because he suffers from severe anxiety seemingly worsened by childhood trauma. After being neglected by his wealthy jet-setting parents and then bullied at school, Paris lacks confidence to the point that he seems apologetic for even existing. He is also the king of self-sabotage. Paris is always sure he’s getting things wrong, and worrying about that generally leads him to actually get whatever it is wrong. His only area of confidence is baking, and even that is shattered by the anxiety of being in a baking competition. Although Paris’s racing thoughts could be funny, as a reader I found being in the head of someone that anxious and neurotic somewhat exhausting.

Luckily for Paris, Tariq may be the most patient love interest I’ve ever encountered in a book. Their meet-cute involves Paris slamming Tariq in the face with a freezer door (ouch!), and that sets up a pattern of Paris messing up and Tariq forgiving him for it, even when Paris is being a real prat. (Questioning Tariq’s choice to not have sex before marriage is simply not on, Paris.) Tariq is very confident and outgoing, Paris’s complete opposite, and he tries to help Paris uncover and appreciate the sweet, funny guy Paris truly is under the hopeless mess.

Although the book has both humor and romance, it’s not a frothy rom-com. A significant part of the storyline involves Paris dealing with his generalized anxiety disorder, which is revealed after a traumatic breakdown. Getting better involves treatment, but it also involves Paris working on himself to understand how his anxiety affects his behavior and his relationships with other people. Paris may crumble, but eventually he gets it together and gets his man.

Even though Paris’s whirling thoughts were tiring at times, I still enjoyed his story. It’s a good read overall, and well worth picking up if you’re a fan of Alexis Hall.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

I love the Winner Bakes All universe so much. I'm a huge fan of GBBO, so this series is right up my alley. I'm also a huge fan of Alexis Hall's prose and humour.
As a person with GAD, I love seeing representation in novels. Paris's internal monologue was a pretty accurate description of how it feels to be stuck in an anxiety spiral. However, it could be overwhelming. It took me a bit out of the story, and made certain scenes difficult to get through.
If you are interested in the emotional strain competitions put on contestants, especially those with preexisting mental health issues, I think you would enjoy this!
(Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC)

First of all, I love this series’ conceit: rather than the second book’s romantic pairing being comprised of secondary characters, Paris and Tariq are two contestants on the newest season of a popular televised baking show. I know that seasons are called “series” in the UK, but I can’t say series twice in the same sentence. Except that I just did. Never mind.

I feel like I’m beginning to sound like a broken record because I say this in every Alexis Hall review I write, but once again, Hall subverts expectations about the romance genre in multiple ways. I can’t go into specifics without revealing spoilers, but needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Also, I promise that the most sacred of rules (the HEA/HFN) has not been broken.

Like most of Hall’s romances, this is single perspective. The reader only receives Paris’ POV, and this works well because it makes certain moments in the plot more impactful because the reader does not have any advantage over Paris in terms of knowing anybody else’s thoughts.

Paris’ shyness—a product of his anxiety—can appear as aloof/snobby, which is something that I can relate to personally, and it endeared me to him. He can’t help who he is, but he’s simultaneously hampered by his privilege and unaware of it. It’s such a cliché, but Paris learns so much over the course of the book, and even though there are some tough lessons, going on the baking show serves as a catalyst for Paris being able to overcome obstacles that have prevented him from living authentically.

Tariq is such a cinnamon roll, and he serves as an excellent foil for the more reserved Paris. He might not have POV chapters, but he has no qualms about speaking up when something is bothering him. Tariq genuinely likes Paris, which is something that Paris has trouble processing because he’s so accustomed to people taking a superficial interest in him because they want something from him. But back to Tariq—he’s a sweetheart, and so perfect for Paris.

The book is crammed full of delightful moments, from delicious bakes and the accompanying banter to suburban laser tag to a hilarious Scottish roommate. But there are also many genuine moments of poignancy that delve into serious topics so deftly that the transition never seems jarring or out of place amongst the lighter material.

I would absolutely recommend Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble. You don’t have to read Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake before reading this book because as I mentioned at the beginning of the review, the only connection between the two books is Bake Expectations. But you should because you’ll have a greater appreciation for this book’s cameo appearance in from the villain of the previous piece. This book was sweet and tender, and I absolutely adored it.






I received a digital ARC of this book from Grand Central/NetGalley.

3 ⭐️

I want to start out by saying thank you to @netgalley for this ARC! I also want to say that I didn’t realize this was a sequel until afterwards, so take it with a grain of salt.

This was a tricky one for me to review, because it has almost everything I need to get a 5 ⭐️ on a rom com.

🍰 I loved the MM romance, even though it was very clean 🤣
🍰 Muslim love interest AND anxiety rep, but for me the anxiety was WAY too much. I also recognize that I don’t have anxiety, and therefore that sort of inner monologue is very difficult for me to relate to.
🍰 On that same note, I feel like we would have really benefitted from a dual perspective. We saw Paris, but I would have loved to be inside Tariq’s mind.
🍰 The baking show itself was FABULOUS and I love so so much that the recipes are included in the end. I have 100% plans to make some of them!
🍰 I thought the side characters were cute and added a little to the story. I would have liked some more of both Morag and the Dave’s, though.
🍰 I got a little frustrated with the producers on the show, though. They just seemed way too out there and unrealistic.
🍰 I thought the character growth from Paris in the end was really really well done, and I like that Tariq was able to do some self reflection as well.

thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an e-ARC of this novel!

2 stars

this was marketed as a cutesy baking romance but it was more of a story that followed someone's mental health journey (with anxiety specifically) and it was done in a poor way that wasn't really true to an anxiety journey, and I write this as someone WITH anxiety. the writing was subpar and just didn't really attract me in, it just made me dislike Paris to some extent :/

I am also just not a huge fan of the chemistry between the couple, it felt slightly forced and like this pairing wouldn't be one that lasted.

also. no taylor swift slander ever!!!

Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble follows anxiety-ridden Paris as he navigates a season of Bake Expectations. When his roommate enters him into the running for the baking show, Paris assumes he’ll never get in. When he does and starts to win, he is absolutely shocked. Almost as shocked as when the stunning contestant Tariq takes an interest in him. But Paris has been living with untreated anxiety for a long time now, and Bake Expectations creates the perfect storm. Will Paris be able to manage his anxiety as the pressure mounts?

I absolutely love Alexis Hall and will read anything he writes. I’m also a fan of the real Great British Bake-Off, so I really enjoy this series. That said, Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble deals with very serious anxiety. It was so difficult to watch Paris self-sabotage and endlessly apologize for existing. Alexis Hall creates a good balance between the joy of baking, the newness of his connection with Tariq, and his difficult struggle with mental health. I was happy to see what Paris ended up deciding in the end and the resources he used.

My favorite part was the descriptions of the baking competition and I wish there had been just a little more romance. However, I think it also makes sense that Paris cannot truly engage in romance or a relationship until he is able to take care of himself better. Alexis Hall is an incredibly witty and thoughtful writer. I can’t wait to see what Alexis Hall writes next and look forward to reading literally anything he writes…grocery lists included!! Thank you to Alexis Hall, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alexis Hall has become a favorite author of mine over the years. While this book isn't my favorite I still think it was a good read. If you like M/M romances and The Great British Bakeoff I think you'd love this book.

There is some homophobia, islamophobia, anxiety, and panic attacks throughout the book, so if that is triggering, stay away. However, I think Alexis does a great job of talking about them and making them focal points for conversations between characters. Being able to go on this journey with Paris was eye opening. I get anxious at times, but be immersed in his anxieties at times was heartbreaking. You truly felt for him and just wanted him to feel better.

I'd also classify this book as romance lite. It's there, but it isn't the focal point of the book.

This is a well-crafted, engaging and important book. Here's the thing about this book: If you read the whole blurb (and don't focus on the somewhat misleading romantic comedy label) and the content warnings at the beginning, you will have a pretty good idea of what you are going to get. It is sweet and it has some romance but it also has a truly exceptional amount of anxiety, angst and awkwardness. Like, it's next level. I went in with fair warning but it's not easy being in Paris's head. I've read that some folks with anxiety have felt very seen by this story and that others have found it to be too true for them. The Islamaphobia that Tariq faces is also hard to read - as it should be. I've been on social media enough to know that it does not seem like an unrealistic representation of what he would face in that situation. But, importantly, it does not go unchallenged. All this to say, take heed of those content warnings! This is not an escapist romcom. But, this book has so much sweetness, depth and authentic humanity, plus some fun and humour to relieve some of the tension. Similar to the first book in the series, this is really a story about growth - primarily for the title character, but for the love interest as well. And because we are witnessing the growth of a human being, we are seeing human flaws. While the person most impacted by Paris' anxiety is Paris himself, he has a tendency to really centre himself when he is spiralling, and that sometimes causes hurt and harm to those around him. Remarkably, this also does not go unchallenged. This series and Bake Expectations (and other baking shows available in real life) are great devices to powerfully portray classism, racism and other issues in the UK (and beyond.) Reading with that lens opened up so many opportunities for reflection.

I have read enough of his books to implicitly trust that Alexis Hall will get us there in the end and he definitely delivered. The last 25% of the book is a gentle upswing that feels hard-earned for the protagonists and for the discomfort we experience as readers earlier in the book. I am grateful for this book, for the new perspective it gave me on what people might be experiencing with anxiety, for the sparkly joy that Tariq brings, for giving me a new framework to reflect on bigger political issues and for representation of a non-cookie cutter kind of romance.

The sequel/next in the series to Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake finds Paris, a perpetually anxious student, on Bake Expectations. There, he meets Tariq. Soon, they start a romance but Paris can’t get out of his head.

I liked this sequel although not as much as Rosaline Palmer! There characters there grabbed my heart, and while I liked the characters here, especially later on, I didn’t have quite the same reaction. I think partly because it took Paris so long to interact with others significantly besides Tariq, we missed some of those great personalities from Rosaline Palmer. However, the post-show part of the book has that same magic. I still enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next Bake Expectations!!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Described as contemporary romance, I would say contemporary fiction fits better. The romance was more of a subplot.

As someone who has struggled with anxiety for years, I was really excited for this book as an opportunity to normalize the experience. Recently, I read Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake. The mental health rep for ADHD was amazing. It was written in such a beautiful way and made sense. I felt like this story, unfortunately, took the worst parts of anxiety and just kept hammering away at them. Anxiety really became the defining characteristic of Paris instead of any other aspects of his personality or interests.

Paris is a young man who was selected to be a contestant on the BBC show, Bake Expectations. His roommate nominated him because she thought it will allow him to have the opportunity to receive validation outside of his friends to potentially give him more confidence. What she didn't expect is how the entire experience would cause Paris to escalate into a neverending anxiety spiral. Add to the fact that another contestant, Tariq, is cute and apparently interested in him, Paris can't shut off his mind to stop thinking of worst case scenarios.

I loved the majority of the book taking place as they filmed Bake Expectations. I loved the host and the judges and the producers. I enjoyed their snark and bad puns. I just struggled with Paris. I appreciated the honest anxiety picture being shown, but at the same time, it was a lot. Everything stressed him out. If the book had been multiple POV's it may have helped break it up Tariq was a ray of sunshine and could have easily balanced out the Paris chapters. Also, Tariq and Paris had a lot of major differences that were never truly addressed. Religion, sex, lifestyles, finances, family relationships... building a relationship off of just physical attraction won't get them very far. And truly, there was no chemistry or understanding of why either was interested in the other. Along with the idea that Paris didn't used to be anxious and one day he was. It was intimated that something at boarding school caused this change but we never learn what exactly caused the flip. And his relationship with his parents is non-existent and it was a major plot point but then nothing really came of it? I would have liked more clarification on the whys of that and if it ever gets addressed, positively or negatively.

I feel this book had a lot of potential but the anxiety plot was too much all the time, the romance was not really a romance (or not one that I ever see lasting more than a few weeks/months at most) and there were major plot points that were brought up and then never discussed again, leaving more to be wanted.

This is a hard one to talk about for me. I think partly because most people are going to go into this assuming that this is a romantic comedy, but that is not what this is. Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake was at least in part a romantic comedy, but Paris is way too much of an anxious bean for this to be a comedy of any type. I think we’re supposed to find the situations that he ended up in because of his anxiety disorder funny, but honestly I mostly just felt for him. As someone who probably has an undiagnosed anxiety disorder, nowhere near as bad as Paris’, I just felt so bad for him whenever he ended up in various situations. However, I don’t think his anxiety disorder excuses him from some of the comments that he made towards Tariq.

I honestly think that Paris was meant to be a very complicated character, which is something that I think Alexis Hall is going for more having just also read Husband Material. He’s moved past stories that are purely romantic comedies and is starting to add more political and social issues to his stories. This is going to make some readers unhappy. Readers that are just literally looking for sweet cotton candy romance probably aren’t going to like this turn. Because these characters are becoming more complex (like life honestly), some readers are going to be turned off. Just because a character says something that doesn’t mean it is the author’s view. Part of the horrible things said in this are social media posts like Twitter (which is a dumpster fire in my personal opinion), and the other part is Paris’ severe anxiety. Hall is trying to show how anxiety can make already awkward people even more awkward and a bit insensitive, but honestly Paris just comes off as a bit of a dick sometimes. People say and do horrible things in real life, casual and systematic racism is a thing, however, I do see why people don’t want it in their romantic comedies. Which goes back to a different problem, should this being marketed as a romantic comedy?

Probably not. While I understand that under everything this series is supposed to be a romantic comedy series, this story really wasn’t. At points it was painful to read, and the reader knows that fairly on it isn’t going to really be “spicy” because Tariq has a “no sex until after marriage” rule for himself. Honestly, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake wasn’t that “spicy” either. Honestly, nothing that I’ve read by Hall has ever really hit that point. So, is this the point where we start to have a genre that just queer fiction. If we can’t take something that is supposed to be a cis/het romance, like The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang, and move it over to women’s fiction when it isn’t spicy or romantic enough can’t we do it with this? I can understand wanting to keep consistent marketing for a series, but I feel that Hall is moving more towards queer fiction in these last two books. I haven’t read everything by him so it could be a recent switch or something that has been a progression or it could only be these two books. Only time will tell with that.

Something that I do want to mention is that I still love the entire concept of this series. I really love the baking and cooking shows so everything regarding that is still fantastic to me. I love when they discuss the challenges, the recipes at the end of the book, and just the other wacky contestants on the show. I also really enjoyed Tariq. Do I find his romance with Paris believable? No, I think he probably wouldn’t have talked to him ever again after their hot mess of a first date. But him as a character? Yes. I’ll take more of him.

Overall, this is going to be a miss for some readers just simply due to marketing and what it truly isn’t. Some readers are going to be offended by racist and culturally insensitive comments, which like I mentioned, I don’t believe Paris deserves a pass on and I really don’t think casual social media racism is good either, but it does happen in real life. Is this going to be difficult for some people to read? Yes. Is it going to be hard for other people with anxiety to read? Probably doubly so. However, I think ultimately this is a story of a character who is trying to become a better person and overcome his anxiety. I’m going to continue reading by Alexis Hall and I’m curious to see if he is moving away from the romantic comedy genre. However, as this is the fourth book I’ve read by him this year, maybe I’ll take a pause for a bit.

Imagine two guys went on Great British Bake Off and fell in love? It’s this book. Alexis Hall is magnificent at writing wonderfully complex characters with huge depth of personality, and I loved reading about Paris and Tariq both on and off the show. Main character Paris has a lot of anxiety issues and while my anxiety isn’t as severe, it was still very relatable. Highly recommend this book!!!

This book is fantastic! Such an interesting read on mental health. Hall takes you on a very realistic journey that feels both true and vulnerable in a way I haven’t experienced from a book before. I was caught up in the story and finished this all in one night, because I simply couldn’t put it down.

Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble is the second in the Winner Bakes all Series, a series of romance novels set against a TV show similar to the Great British Baking Show. Readers of the previous book will be pleased with a passing mention updating the previous book's relationship, but the main focus is a whole new group of bakers so it is not necessary to have read Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake to enjoy this story. I’ve been a fan of Hall’s for awhile and appreciate his complex well developed characters. Paris is the son of a top fashion designer father and a super model mom, who are too busy living their jet set lifestyle to spend time or even communicate with their son. Paris is entered into the show by his best friend and although at first successful, struggles with anxiety that he has been burdened by for most of his life. His love interest is Tariq, another contestant, who hopes to one day be the host of a Halal cooking show. I thought Paris’s mental health issues were handled in a nuanced and realistic way as was Tariq’s balancing of his sexuality and his religious beliefs. Tariq’s family’s warmth was a lovely depiction of a functional family. This sweet gentle read left me looking forward to what the next book and "season" will bring.

No one does hilarious insecurity better than Alexis Hall.
Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for my gifted copy of Paris Daillencourt Is About To Crumble for review!
Marianne Wolvercote, Wilfred Honey and Colin Thrimp are back for the latest season of the cooking show, Bake Expectations. The show we were previously introduced to in Rosaline Palmer Takes The Cake, though each can be a standalone read.
Paris Daillencourt is a competitor on said show, and filming the first episode consists of the decidedly non-bakery-approved move of smacking competitor Tariq in the face with a fridge door.
To paraphrase Tariq, Paris is both adorable and a hot mess. In the most charming way possible.
The humour and appeal of Paris Daillencourt (both the character and the shortened version of the title) are up there with Boyfriend Material. Which, if you're reading this, I'm expecting - nay, hoping - you're familiar with.
And as with the previous Alexis Hall books I've read, I just want to gush about this one. I love falling into the stories he creates, how he writes LGBTQIA relationships, culture and religion differences, and takes us into his characters through banter and self-doubt.
Recommended!
Released on Nov. 1.

This is not the first Alexis Hall book that I read but it sure is not my favorite one. I felt that the main character has a lot of work to do, even after getting help for his anxiety. There were some unfavorable characters in this book, and I didn't find the romance between the main character and his love interest as good as it could be. There were some unsavory details that I was uncomfortable reading about, and this book would have been better if there were some changes about said language. However, I did like the baking show aspect and acknowledge the growth that the main character underwent in this book. Overall, it was an okay book for me.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own.**

Paris is a contestant on a British baking show. He’s very talented but suffers from crippling anxiety. So much so that his thoughts become a constant self-sabotage. He meets Tariq while filming the show. Tariq is sparkling in personality, and confident in who he is and in his abilities. But their relationship starts off on a shaky foundation.

While I enjoyed this book, it wasn’t always enjoyable to read (if that makes sense). He’s a very sad character, with a very lonely life. While there is a hopeful ending, Paris’ mental health journey is far from over.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not a romcom and should not be marketed as such. Very much a book about Paris struggling with his anxiety disorder and examining his life as a result. This was a rough read, as it could have used sensitive readers. Nazi and hitler jokes are old and overplayed and just....aren't great.

Thank you to Grand Central/Forever Publishing and Netgalley for this advance copy.

Alexis Hall has quickly become a must-read author for me and I really thought this was going to be similar to Rosaline Palmer (you know, a nice, fun, almost cozy romance woven around a reality baking show) but oh my this was not that! Instead of a cozy baking romance, we have a lovely romance centered around someone who is just showing up as best they can and, I don't know, utterly failing at so much for most of the book.

I really didn't know where Hall was going with this story. Tariq is just a fabulous flower, being his best self, and Paris, is, I don't know, not. And for the first two-thirds of the book, I kept thinking "what is actually happening here"? But trust in Hall to turn this around. Paris suffers from General Anxiety Disorder and I'm not sure I've ever seen such a wonderful rep of my own experiences with anxiety in a romance, and just when you think Paris cannot get out of his own head and redeem himself, Hall pivots this journey into self-reflection and the work that it takes to cope with anxiety. Paris redeems himself so nicely, through subtly and genuineness that I almost couldn't believe it. The way Hall moves Tariq and Paris to their happy for now is really incredible and I loved it, I just loved it.

I'm so excited this series is continuing and really appreciate the growth Hall allows his characters. I always get to the end of a Hall novel and think "yup, that's exactly the right thing' and its just great. Such a fabulous story.

Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble is book two in Alexis Hall's Winner Bakes All series. Following up last year's Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, we once again find ourselves on the Bake Expectations set. Though this book is part of the series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone.

The titular Paris is absolutely drowning in anxiety in all areas of his life, and this only intensifies when his roommate enters him in the Bake Expectations show. It is on the show that he meets Tariq, who is a lovely and delightful gay Muslim. And I'm going to stop you right there if you think that this is a light-hearted rom-com. Because it isn't. And it's better for it to be what it is than to gloss over the important bits just for the sake of making it palatable to those who expect this to be another Boyfriend Material.

And this is the point where I'm going to get a bit ranty, because I made the mistake of scrolling through some reviews and that is something I absolutely should not have done. The general theme I keep seeing in some of these reviews is that they didn't like the book because Paris is too whiny, too wound up in his anxiety, just generally "too much." They say that it's exhausting being in Paris's head that much. Well, you know what else is exhausting? Actually living with the degree of anxiety from which Paris suffers. Been there, done that, got the pharmaceutical cocktail.

Another point that folks seem to be fixating on is the racism that is portrayed in the Twitter comments about the show. All I'm seeing is "how can we be writing this in 2022??" Ummmmm...have any of you actually been on Twitter in 2022? Because it's a hellscape filled with the absolute worst of humanity. Hall has fished in that particular cesspool and has reeled in an accurate depiction of people who should not have access to the internet.

Putting my ire behind me now, I will tell you that this book made me feel so much that it tended to overflow out of my eyes. Yes, it has its dark moments and maybe that's not for everyone, but it's definitely for me. And I hope you find that it's for you, too.

Also, Morag is the fat Glaswegian sex goddess we didn't know the world needed. Just saying.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Forever for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.