I am absolutely here for more queer romance, this one didn't fully break my top 5 because it is such a good year for queer romances, but a solid read for fans of Chef's Kiss

I love pretty much every letter Alexis Hall puts on paper so it won’t be a surprise that I adored this book. Paris and Tariq are a little younger than I had expected, and I’m not sure I fully believed they were students, but it didn’t matter. They are interesting, complex characters who are trying to navigate a relationship in difficult circumstances. From time to time it was a little exhausting to be inside Paris’s head but I loved to see him grow.
The baking show setting was still great (and I can’t wait to read Jennifer’s book).
I really liked the way the book was structured with first the months of recording and the months when the show was broadcast.
Alexis Hall is a master at combining light-hearted fun with angst and serious social issues, and this book is no exception. There are so many great lines in the book. I’m not someone who highlights as they read, but in this case I actually did.
Alexis Hall’s letter and discussion questions were also great. For question #10 sadly the only answer I can give is: ancient.
And now I think it’s time to try out one of the recipes from the book.

The good stuff: The banter is top notch - an Alexis Hall trademark. He really shines with a cacophonous group conversation. The cooking competition details were also excellent - it really evoked the feeling of watching a television show. Kudos to the author for wrangling a large cast of characters and making them distinct.

The less good stuff: I did wish two of the women characters had better development than "swears a lot."

The biggest drag on this story has to be Paris. I found him exhausting. Especially when contrasted with how preternaturally well adjusted Tariq is. I wish that Paris had got to where he was at around the 80% mark much, much earlier, like, closer to the 30% mark.

I'm not sure that an anxiety disorder necessarily makes a person as self-absorbed and ill-informed as Paris came across. I also find it hard to believe that someone who is constantly bursting into tears and has trouble speaking in complete sentences could make it into his twenties without someone getting him the medical assistance he clearly needed.

I'm glad he made the changes in his life that he did but by the end I still solidly certain that Paris was not in a fit state to be in a healthy romantic relationship. I would have preferred if Paris and Tariq had ended as friends, and that the book was marketed more as a coming of age New Adult novel than a romcom.

As a person who is medicated for generalized anxiety disorder, there were times when this book was mentally and emotionally exhausting to read... But somehow in a good way? It made me sort of confront some of the not so peachy things about me as a person. Also, I couldn't decide if I love Paris or want to punch him which I'm pretty sure is exactly the point. There was so much nerdery and ridiculousness and I found myself literally laughing out loud much more than I anticipated.

I will always stop everything I'm doing to read an Alexis Hall gay romance novel. I don't know how they can push so many amazing books out each year, with each being so unique to its own voice. That said, because each book is so unique, not every Alexis Hall book will land with every reader. Hall's newest release, PARIS DAILLENCOURT IS ABOUT TO CRUMBLE, is middle of the road for me. If you love the show 'The Great British Baking Show' and you like MM romance, definitely pick this one up! It's more anxiety-driven and 'phobia' driven. ⁣
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We get some triggers such as homophobia, islamophobia, anxiety and panic attacks, etc., but this book does really well in unraveling them and making them talking points for conversation. The romance is definitely lacking in this book, but I absolutely loved the baking competition aspect of it and would recommend you reading the book solely on that storyline alone. I can't wait to pick up the next Alexis Hall book.

Heat Factor: Tariq is waiting for marriage, and we’re going to respect that decision
Character Chemistry: They’ve got a cute grumpy-sunshine thing going on—when Paris can get out of his head
Plot: Paris and Tariq are both competing on Bake Expectations.
Overall: Was this a difficult book for me to read? Yup, it sure was. Did I bad decision book club it anyway? Yup, I sure did.

I struggle with protagonists who are up in their heads and constantly second-guessing themselves and engaging in negative self-talk. I think this is because I am frequently up in my own head and would prefer to read about characters who are more externally focused. When these characters are the only perspective we’re getting in a romance, I find it even more challenging. And Paris Daillencourt is one of the most challenging characters I’ve read in a long time. Through the course of the book, he is diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, so he has a lot of anxious thoughts and moments where he just spirals and I found the story extremely stressful to read.

On the other hand, Alexis Hall is an incredibly talented writer. He writes messy characters who are struggling with their mental health with compassion and knows when to insert a bit of truly absurd comedy to lighten the mood (Tariq lives in a student flophouse with four Daves, and the scene where Paris meets them is utterly ludicrous while also being utterly believable because twenty-year-old men are gonna twenty-year-old man). The plot clips along at a good pace, and I was interested to see how the plot would get resolved.

In terms of the romance, this book is firmly in the HFN category, and might fall into smut adjacent territory, depending on how much journey of self discovery you’re willing to entertain. This is Paris’s story, and while Tariq does get to grow too (and learn what it means to actually support a partner going through some mental health stuff), the real focus is on Paris learning some coping mechanisms so that he can be a better partner, friend, and person.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report. (November 2022)

I’m giving this book 2.5 - 3 stars because I’m required to give a rating but I feel like it’s not reflective of how I felt about this book. I have much more complicated feelings about it that I’m going to try to tease out here.

First, I feel like this book being billed as a romance isn’t fair to the book or characters. It’s very much a contemporary novel that has a romance element to it, but it 100% is not a story of Paris and Tariq falling in love. It’s a journey of self-discovery and healing for Paris, which I think is an important story, but certainly not what I was expecting.

Second, in that same vein, I was not rooting for these characters to be together and completely could not understand why they were interested in each other. It seemed weirdly instalove-y in a way that made zero sense to me. Paris was so dismissive of Tariq’s religious beliefs and in my opinion, did not illustrate any growth in learning more about Islam or Bangladeshi culture. Also Tariq’s use of the pet name angel cake for Paris made me feel physically ill.

Third, I found reading Paris’ anxiety spirals really stressful and ended up skimming them after about 30% into the book. I know it’s his perspective but reading that mindset was both so incredibly frustrating and tapping into weird parts of my own anxiety issues in a way that felt overdone. In particular the whole bit about thinking he was antisemitic for not having made or eaten traditionally Jewish food (and the conversations around this) I found poorly handled.

That being said, I think there were some really important and well-nuanced conversations around mental health, relationships (parental, platonic, and romantic), religion, and identity. There were also great laugh-out-loud funny moments and Alexis Hall as always nailed the quick-paced dialogue and banter.

So all in all, not a terrible reading experience but also not a good one. I wanted to love this book (I really enjoyed Rosaline Palmer!) but unfortunately this one fell flat. It must not have been properly prooved…

This book was exhausting to read. I really don't know who the audience is for it, but don't be fooled by that very cute cover - this is not a rom-com, and the romance that exists within is not one I could root for. Paris has crippling, obsessive, draining anxiety. He's also rich and white and completely unaware of his privilege and narcissism. He does finally, near the end of the book, realize (with extreme prodding from others) that he might actually need a little bit of professional help. So yay for that. But if you have anxiety, I can't imagine this will be a good read for you. And if you don't have anxiety, I can't imagine this will be a good read for you. Page after page after page of Paris apologizing, being a total wanker, apologizing, being a total wanker, apologizing... I would never have gotten through this if it weren't an ARC, which I always feel duty-bound to read. I did enjoy the baking show format, so there's that, but Paris's romance with a fellow cast-mate, Tariq, was very frustrating. These two are not destined for a HEA and I found their relationship toxic on many levels. I felt compassion for Paris but I really didn't want to spend as much time with him as I had to in this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for a digital review copy.

I was very excited to read my first Alexis Hall book and although I enjoyed PDIATC, I did have a few points of critique. I adored the setting of the baking show, and I really liked Tariq and his family. I also loved the fact that this novel as anxiety representation, but I did think that it took too long for Paris to actually realise he needed help. As someone who's been diagnosed with anxiety herself, I understand the overwhelm and fear he experienced constantly, but it dragged on too long in this novel. It's mostly a pacing issue, I think; the middle of the book felt too long. I'm grateful for the representation, but because it took so long for Paris to realise he needed help, I'm afraid it will put readers off him and cause them to find him annoying, which would be such a pity! The writing was absolutely wonderful, though, and I thought the ending was perfect!

What a sweet, funny read!

I identified a little too much with Paris’s anxiety but I love that both main characters acknowledged their flaws and chose to grow.

Definitely recommend for a lighthearted read.

I’m going to start by saying I really enjoyed and appreciated this book, but while it has moments of levity and romance, it is not what I would qualify as a romcom. This book is another example of what I would call a romantic drama, interspersed with moments of levity.

I’ve really enjoyed each of the Alexis Hall books I’ve read (Boyfriend Material, Rosaline Palmer, and now this one). I like that the books have romance, banter and fun but typically tackle some heftier / heartier topics as well. In this case, we are revisiting the world of Bake Expectations (think the Great British Baking Show) from Rosaline, but this one I felt had more behind the scenes time and tackled untreated mental health issues.

Highlights for me:

The very real, painful, yet heartening Anxiety Disorder representation
The Bake Expectations world
Baking competition premise
Tariq - such an interesting likable, character
Morag - not sure you’d call her ‘likable’ in the traditional sense per say, but real and very interesting

Paris was a lot. He started with unindentfied and untreated GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), and it was at once wonderful and difficult to see represented and read about on the page. Wonderful because it is affirming for some, eye opening for others, offers representation, and lends a lens for those who might otherwise have no idea if this experience — and so incredibly realistic, painful and difficult to ‘see’ him go through and struggle. Real to life but difficult to experience alongside him.

As always I enjoyed the banter, the world, the baking competition premise and many of the side characters. I enjoyed Tariq and found him to be a fun and interesting character, I liked the glimpse of his family and really enjoyed the opposites attract thing he and Paris had going on. I also oddly really enjoyed Jennifer and Morag, though I’m not sure if you’re meant to find them ‘likable’ I did like their no nonsense attitudes.

I think this was a lovely read overall, I thought the topics covered were important and relevant and addressed well. I thought that the story still managed a nice balance despite some of the heaviness addressed and I definitely look forward to the next Winner Bakes All book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Pub for the opportunity to read an early copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble is a fun, mostly light romp through the world of Paris Daillencourt, lovable, neurotic mess. As someone with an anxiety disorder, the representation of Paris' mental illness rings true for me, and I found it a cathartic read to see a character going through things I have. The moments of levity and humor really balance out the heaviness of Paris' past, his ongoing trauma, and his struggle with how to love someone when he's barely holding on. Solid read for me.

I am a big fan of Alexis Hall, but I struggled a bit with this one. My biggest issue that I think needs to be noted up front for all to see is that contrary to the cutesy cover and the blurb, THIS IS NOT A ROM-COM. I would argue it doesn't really even pass as a romance. This is more a story about Paris and his personal growth, with just a tiny splash of romance (but also not due to the lack of really having a HEA).

While I did a lot of cringing, I really appreciated Paris's character because, while not quite to his severity, I could absolutely identify with the anxiety spirals he could send himself down, and really appreciated seeing a character with those struggles. I enjoyed the baking show setup as well.

Ultimately, I think my dissatisfaction with this one was in expecting something it clearly isn't. Had I gone in expecting more general fiction vs. romance, I might have had a better experience.

Paris Daillencourt Is About To Crumble is a follow up to the delightful Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, taking place in the next season of the fictional Bake Expectations. So much of what I loved in that book continues here: great baking descriptions, fun but sharp depictions of reality tv, and classic Alexis Hall humor. The Bake Expectations sections are particularly hysterical (though Morag was also great) — Grace Forsythe (a true gem), Jennifer Hallett and Colin, and the judges were constantly making me laugh out loud. This alone makes me want another book in this series, maybe with Tariq as an added figure on the show, as I did really enjoy his refreshingly honest character.

I found myself very conflicted on the representation of anxiety and mental health broadly in this book. On one hand, I’m grateful for the representation — it was so specific, unafraid to really show you what it’s like to be in the head of someone with serious anxiety, when books often just lightly tell you a character has anxiety and “worries a lot.” On the other hand, as someone with anxiety, I also found this book quite difficult and stressful to read at times — I wanted Paris to get help, I felt uncomfortably reminded of my own brain at worse times, and I was also frustrated with him, knowing too what it’s like to be the friend of someone who refuses to acknowledge the situation. It doesn’t quite fit together with the other half of the book, with the Bake Expectations and romantic storylines, and made the tones feel too mismatched.

This was a cute, enjoyable read. Alexis Hall once again does a great job writing fun, multilayered, and relatable characters. Definitely a fun, easy romance read despite the mentioning of mental illness. As someone with generalized anxiety disorder I loved the representation of the illness in this book and found Paris relatable at various points and I love seeing more mental health representation in novels now. All in all a good read.

I feel mixed emotions on this book. While I found Paris’ experience with anxiety incredibly relatable, it made for a bit of a punishing read at times. Where romance was slightly in the backseat at times with Rosaline from book one, it was there for most of this one. Paris wasn’t equipped for a relationship until the book was almost over, but it did have a lovely ending. Overall a nice enough book, but I wanted more of the ensemble cast of the first and found the NA age group a bit exhausting. ARC provided for honest review

While I had hopes that this book would be a little more romance than Rosaline Palmer, and it was, but not enough. I love Alexis Hall's writing and Boyfriend Material is so hilarious but something about the story just isn't working for me in this series.

Alexis Hall does it again. It comes to the surprise of no one that they wrote another absolutely banger rom-com.

This wasn’t my favorite Alexis Hall book that I have read but I didn’t dislike it or anything. I enjoyed Paris and Tariq as characters. They were both complicated and interesting to read. My favorite part was the Dave’s.

Thank you so much to Read Forever Publishing for the eARC of this book! Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and I’m delighted to say that it absolutely met my expectations. I am a great lover of televised baking competitions, and the fictional show Bake Expectations is just as enjoyable to experience. Alexis Hall writes Paris’s anxiety in a way that was so relatable to me that it was a little painful to read. I so appreciated that Paris had such an incredible group of supporters who were with him on both the baking and life journey.