I absolutely loved this book! Both of the alternating storylines were so well-written and I grew to care deeply for both women. If you like historical fiction, Paris, and strong female characters, this book is for you. Having stayed in Montmarte in Paris, I could perfectly picture the scenes in this book and it was so nice to travel back there in my mind. I definitely recommend this book! I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

A stunningly well-researched and loving ode to a city as resilient as it is beautiful. You can tell the author's whole heart went into the deft characterization and the wonderful realization of a small slice of Montmartre.

A beautiful tale perfect for bookclubs

Actually 4.5⭐️

I’m usually a romcom girly, but decided to switch it up and read a historical fiction today and A Bakery in Paris was so good

I was not expecting Lisette’s story to play out the way it did, nor Micheline’s if I’m being honest, but I really enjoyed both and how they were intertwined.

I would recommend this to others.

A charming book set in 2 time periods in Paris of 2 distant relatives that both found freedom and sanctuary in baking. For a lover of Paris and all baked goods, this was a very delicious read!

I wish I hadn’t procrastinated reading this for so long.
Such a good book.
It took me a little bit to realize that Lisette was Micheline’s great grandmother, but it was a pleasant surprise

Runyan is one of my go to authors. What I loved most about this story was the use of the bakery as the key that bound the story together. Throughout war, grief, and despair, there's always the need for food. Runyan used the bakery as the thread by which each woman was able to survive via the sustenance and the soul soothing that the food provided them and others. The bakery stood as a testament to the good in people amidst the poverty and loss resulting from war.

I really enjoyed this book! Given the title and cover, I was expecting something quite different and I was pleasantly surprised. I loved learning about this time in history from a unique perspective. I especially loved that badass female lead that was eons ahead of her time. Seeking independence at her age, at that time, was a bold move. I always love a dual timeline and I was completely satisfied with the way things wrapped up.

I will be going and reading the previous books by this author. A beautifully written multi generational story set in Paris and the remarkable bakery that links them together is what you’ll find in Aimee Runyan’s latest novel, A Bakery in Paris. This captivating story is a tantalizing blend of history and culinary inspiration, weaving a poignant dual narrative that links two women to one Paris Bakery. The characters were likable. The dual time lines were interesting and the bakery/recipes were a nice distraction. in 1870, Paris is under siege by the Prussians. Lisette, born to a rich family, is promised to be married to a man she does not love. however, she does love the rebellion of poor French people fighting for equal rights, better pay, and to not starve to death. in 1946, world war ii is drawing to a close and Micheline is holding out hope that her mother will return after disappearing under suspicious circumstances. Micheline attends pastry school and learns how to bake, facing scrutiny from her teachers. this novel was well written, but i definitely preferred Lisette's story to Micheline's. this is perfect novel for someone who enjoys the art of baking, I recognized many of the pastries from the Great British Baking Show. The heart of this book is two strong women trying to find their way through the many struggles of daily life and living through wars, relying on baking to help them emotionally and financially. It was a good reminder that we can handle a lot more than we think we can.

Thanks to William Morrow, NetGalley and Aimee Runyan for the opportunity.

In 1870 Paris, young Lisette Vigneau lives a life of luxury in the Place Royale with her wealthy parents and employees. While she complies with her mother’s commands, she sneaks into the kitchen to learn and assist the servants in how to cook the house’s meals. However, the Prussians are at the city’s gates and obstructing the food supply coming into the city. And when she meets National Guardsman Theodore Fournier, her world expands far beyond the walls of her home. In 1946 Paris, young Micheline Chartier is raising her two younger sisters, coping with the death of her father and disappearance of her mother two years prior, during WWII. With the help of her neighbor, she enrolls in a prestigious baking academy and is overwhelmed by the path ahead of her. But her classmate Laurent Tanet lends a helping hand each step of the way. Yet she continues to search for answers as to her mother’s whereabouts, unable to accept the possibility that she won’t return home. A Bakery in Paris by Aimee K. Runyan is a historical fiction novel that details the lives of two young women, generations apart, connected by simple bakery, where they both must overcome loss in order to persevere.

I definitely recommend A Bakery in Paris - especially to fans of historical fiction and lovers of baking. Lisette’s and Micheline’s connected POVs are interlaced with recipes for various French pastries. Runyan cleverly uses these dishes to move both plots along and strengthen the connection between these two lives, generations apart. Anyone who doubted the power of food will be enlightened by this novel. If not, they are at least highly likely to rush to their nearest bakery for a delicious and flakey treat.

I'm a big fan of Aimie Runyan. It took me a while to get to the book because I wasn't sure it I would like something that seemed gimmicky to me. Lately, there seems to be books centered around libraries and bakeries, and the ones I've read have tended to fall flat.

This one did not. Lissette's story, especially, was compelling. The story of the Paris Commune is one few fictional writers seem to want to get into, but man, I wish they would. Runyan's character depicts the dichotomy between the upper and lower classes. And the humanity of both in such a way that was relatable.

The post WWII story was good, too, though I much preferred Lissette's story.

I would like Aimie Runyan to consider writing another story centered around the Paris Commune. She made the Montemarte neighborhood come to life, but there feels like there is more of a story to tell.

In the Authors notes, Runyan mentions that this was the book she wanted to write while the school for German Brides was center stage. And you can feel the love of this story in every page. German Brides wasn't may favorites of hers, and I can sort of understand why that is now.

A Bakery in Paris is another wonderful historical fiction novel by Aimie Runyan. It's an unusual story with an interesting plotline. The characters are likeable and the story engaging. Anyone who reads WWII fiction or any historical fiction will enjoy A Bakery in Paris.

I had an especially good time reading this book about baking while I was doing lots of my own holiday baking. I even got the audiobook so that I could alternate and listen while flour was poofing out of my KitchenAid mixer (I have great-grandma’s mixer, which STILL works – without the splash shield… and hence the mess. Even the fact that I was baking with my own great-grandmother’s equipment was a bit of a goosebumpy experience for me since it paralleled the story).

I feel so honored that Runyan will be our speaker at the Historical Novel Society- Arizona meeting this weekend, and I can’t wait to hear more about the historical research that went into this book about two fierce women separated by time and united by blood, but also living parallel lives around the misfortune and horrors of two different periods of political upheaval/war. The biggest connector: a bakery that served communities during their times of greatest need. And the two women behind them.

Runyan gently twines the dual-period story together like braided dough (and even includes actual recipes). I’m a sucker for generational stories that include epistolary elements – here, Lisette’s baking notes give the reader (and Michelene) so much additional character depth.

This book offers a taste of everything for readers: women’s fiction, historical fiction, a little bit of romance, and a foodie tale. The healing properties of food – not just baked items – is a theme gently woven throughout. I personally recommend reading this during the holidays while you’re baking; it adds one additional layer of kinship between reader and characters.

My thanks to William Morrow for the gifted e copy.

A story of baking, a bakery in Paris, 2 different women, Lisette in the 1890's and Micheline during WWII. Paris in 2 different war years. Loved the characters and the baking! Their personal tragedies and their journeys to happiness.

The stories, centered on a Montmartre bakery, of 2 women in different historical eras - Lisette Vigneau in the 1870's when Paris was besieged by Prussians; and Micheline Chartier just after World War II.

A journal passed down through the decades connects these two lives, with some of its entries interspersed through the book. Both women deal with very challenging times and personal tragedy - and both surmount them and find happiness again.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, & HarperCollins for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

Having really liked The School for German Brides, I was excited to be given the chance to read this book, and it definitely did not disappoint. One of the things I’ve enjoyed from her books is the murky motivations some of her characters have and this one gives you a lot to think about in terms of gray morals.

One of the timelines also deals heavily with the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, which I knew very little about and really enjoyed learning more of as the plot progressed.

Both timelines have strong female characters that are easy to root for, and both have romances woven throughout that are not overpowering and allow the female MCs the chance to have their own stories, which I appreciated.

Definitely recommend this one! (Also, there are recipes inside!!)

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this dual timeline novel a lot.

I’m a sucker for all baked goods so this novel, set in a bakery, was right up my alley. This was an interesting view of the time period and one I am interested in learning more about. I loved the character development and was completely invested in the main characters. The supporting case were real standouts in this one!

The first book I have read by Aimie Runyon and it makes me want to read all of her books!! A fine effort that tells the story of a bakery in the Montmartre area of Paris, and told through a double time line. We follow Lisette who is born into aristocracy and who eventually makes her way to Montmartre to follow her love and opens the baker back in 1870's. We also follow her great-granddaughter, Micheline who lives above the bakery and who will eventually reopen the bakery there after WW2. It is a story of a bakery, two women, recipes, loves, as well as coping with the hardships of WW2 and its aftermath, as well as the 1870's when the Prussians surrounded the city of Paris and people were starving, as well as the fight for control of the city thereafter between the Communards and the Federal government. Well researched, and very well written, we follow these two ladies in alternating chapters as they strive to provide for the common men and women who live in the Montmartre district and how this bakery not only helps those citizens survive, but also help Lisette and Micheline overcome and survive the losses that they face in their lives. Filled with memorable characters, and a well devised dual timeline plot, the book also is a treat because every few chapters we are treated to a few of "Lisette's" recipes! So good, and my wife had a great time making pastries from those presented in the book. A feast for the mind, soul and stomach, A Bakery in Paris is a delightful read for both its history and its humanity!!

Following Lisette in the 1870s during the Franco-Prussian War and the days of the Paris Commune and her great-granddaughter Micheline who is struggling to stay afloat in the years after World War II, Runyan’s latest historical fiction novel is a fantastic, fascinating, and enjoyable story. Connected by struggle, a love of their families, and a bakery in Montmartre, Lisette and Micheline’s parallel narratives are incredibly engaging, enjoyable, and heartwarming. Runyan’s characters are charismatic, vibrant, loving, brave, and patient, and the minor characters from both settings are equally dynamic and compelling. The struggles that Lisette and Micheline face are grim, yet both women rely on themselves and on others for their success and survival. Montmartre, the bakery Le Bijou, and the other locations from across the two eras are characters in their own right, pillars of the Parisian community that both Lisette and Micheline participate in, and Runyan has brought these charming locations to life. This novel is heartwarming, engaging, fascinating, and tied to historical events that Runyan has vividly brought to life. A Bakery in Paris is a great novel full of genuine characters, immersive settings, delectable recipes, and a beautiful story.

Could not put this book down. Love the two different narrators from two different war eras in Paris. The author beautifully and slowly weaves their tales together in unexpected way. If you are a fan of historical fiction, love stories, or baking this is the book for you! The two female narrators are amazing and exciting women who conquer Paris during the worst of times.