How can you not enjoy a book that begins with a dress designed by Saint Laurent for Dior?!?!

The Paris Novel is like traveling to Paris with the most magical guide.

I appreciate all of the fine details in the book, including why Stella was named that. (Gotta read the book to find out why!)

Very few have the talent to write about food the way Ruth Reich does! Per the author's note, the meals Stella eats prepared by the top French chefs was Reich recalling her own transcendental meals.

It's important to note the book takes place around 1983 before the invention of the Internet.

I learned about the traditional way French gourmands art ortolans (and am very happy this is now outlawed). I also learned about snail farming, Shakespeare & Co book store, George Whitman and Tumbleweeds.

I adore Jules! He might be one of my favorite characters ever. Stella reminded me a bit of
Belle and Jules her dad in Beauty & the Beast. Parts of the book had almost a magical. Fairy tale component to it.

I need to know what perfume Severine wore that had an apricot & vanilla scent.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an ARC in an exchange for my honest review.

What a delightful story of a women finding herself on a journey to Paris in the 1980s. When Stella's mom passed away, the only thing she got was a plane ticket to Paris and couple thousand dollars to use there. Well Stella took a leave of absence from her job as a copy editor and went to Paris for what she thought was just a couple of weeks. Stella loved her new routine and schedules but it wasn't enough. She found herself in a vintage shop and is talked into buying a dress that was meant for her, according to the shopkeeper. That one event leads Stella to eventually finding the people she would call friends and family. Stella meets so many interesting people at the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore and even stays there between hotels. She ends up going on adventures to find the model in a famous Manet painting from the late 1800s and finds some amazing details. I loved the quirky, fascinating characters Stella interacts with and how she turns her live upside down to become a better version of herself. I felt I was walking through Paris or living in the bookstore or lounging in the chalets. I could smell the meals cooked, as you would expect from this author. If you are looking for a book to take you away on a sensory adventure, I would recommend this book!
#TheParisNovel #NetGalley
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a fun story of a single woman’s adventure in Paris of the 1980s. An exploration of French food and art with many fun touchstones for Francophile readers.

Reichl has done it! I totally transformed into a new alive person living in Paris! I was able to experience all the senses through this book ! It was delicious and made the reader feel like a fashionista! Will read Reichl’s book Delicious next!

Simply delightful!
I wasn't sure what to expect from Ruth Reichl when she wrote a novel, as I do enjoy her nonfiction books. This book is charming and enchanting. It follows the story of Stella, who has grown up safely ensconced in her routines that she has created so that she will have comfort and consistency. Her mother is chaotic, self-absorbed and not really nurturing. She goes to Paris and against her better judgement finds herself and an entirely different life.

The Paris Novel captivated all my senses with the wonderful descriptions of food, fashion and art. I was transported to Paris and did not want to leave.

Stella’s journey of self discovery, new friendships and family is one I could not put down. The second chapter was a bit shocking and I felt not needed for the story. Don’t let the incident stop you from reading the rest of the book. It is not a main storyline and as more lovable characters are introduced, it is forgettable. Chapter 2 is the only reason I gave this book a 4 star instead of 5.

This is the first book I have read from this author and the author’s notes at the end made the book more special to me. I want to know more about Victorine and the chefs she wrote about. I am really hoping there is a sequel to the Paris Novel. I want to encounter these characters again.

Thank you for allowing me to read and review this novel. It is a book that I will remember for a long time and Ruth Reichl is now must read author for me.

When Stella's mother dies, she lives her a little money with the instructions that it should be used for a trip to Paris. They weren't close and Stella sees it as a way for her mother to continue and try to control her from the grave. But in Paris Stella finds herself wanting more- fashion, food, literature, to uncover the history of a famous portrait model, and friendship.

Reichl is known for her food memoirs (of which I've read and loved many) but this is her first jump into fiction. I feel like this is the book she has been working on her whole life. It is full of humor, trauma, discovery, and heart. Paris and food feature prominently as does the famous Shakespeare and Co. bookshop. If you didn't want to visit Paris, you'll want to after reading this book. Another excellent book from Reichl- a departure for her but she clearly knows what she is doing.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Ruth Reichl's The Paris Novel follows Stella on a path of self-discovery through her exploration of art, food and fashion in the early 1980s of Paris. Reichl's descriptions of food and wine throughout the book were mouth-watering...by far my favorite parts of the story. Her creation of the community that Stella found within the Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore was another highlight of the book.

However, I found the opening chapters and overall flow of the plot to be a bit choppy. While I appreciated the character growth that Stella goes through, the story felt a bit disjointed to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The most wonderful Parisian novel - an absolute delight to read! So many beautiful descriptions of France's food and art and fashion - made this francophile's heart very happy. I loved following Stella's journey of self-discovery and I loved all the kind characters she meets along the way. Good reminder to slow down & savor the little joys in life.

Thank you @netgalley for an advanced copy!

If you're not familiar with Ruth Reichel, she's been a restaurant critic for The New York Times. It comes as no surprise that the food descriptions in a book about Paris are superb! She did an amazing job of bringing the reader right into the sights and sounds of finding yourself in Paris.

What didn't work for me was a lack of focus. Stella goes in a lot of directions: looking for her father, solving an art mystery, discovering a "found" family, cooking, fashion. It became a bit of a Ratatouille and Emily in Paris mashup. Because of this, I think the pacing is a bit off with a long middle and a very abrupt ending. Also, heads up that there is a very jolting child SA scene at the beginning that quite frankly just wasn't really needed for the plot.

Bottom line: An ok story that will transport you to Paris.

Thanks to NetGalley, the Publisher and Author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

I found this story absolutely enchanting, with beautiful writing which transports the reader straight to Paris, which has always been a bucket list place for me. The food descriptions were mouth watering and interesting too.

The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl is a good fit for readers who enjoy stories about self-discovery through food, travel, and immersion in a new culture, set against the backdrop of historical Paris.

The author's note at the end really explains a lot so don't miss reading it for sure. This was not my first read by the author, and definitely won't be my last.

Reading how this book came about, gives it so much more depth and adds to the love you can feel coming off the pages. Truly inspired by Reichls own story of her YSL dress found in a vintage shop and her editors literal dying wish to write a story around it. This is why I love stories like this; the layers! The food, the art, the music (I have Jaques Brel playing now) m, the self discovery. Truly enjoying life, as Stella deserves. The beginning of the book is so sad and miserable that as Paris comes alive in Spring so does the world around Stella and Stella herself. I love that Reichl throws in ppl she actually knew, those she didn't and fascinating history. Loved this

This was an enjoyable read. I loved Ruth’s memoir Save Me the Plums so I knew I had to check out her fiction work.

The food and fashion descriptions are the best part of the story. Don’t read this on an empty stomach. The plot was predictable but that wasn’t a bad thing. I kept reading for the writing style more than the plot. Even though I was just in Paris last year, reading this made me want to go back right away.

Literary Historical Fiction set in 1983 in which a copy editor reluctantly honor's her mother's last wish, a trip to Paris and embarks on an adventure of food, art and fashion.

5/5 stars: Reichl's Literary Historical Fiction set in 1983 features a copy editor who was sexually abused as a child has lived a strict, confined life reluctantly honor's her mother's last wish, a trip to Paris and find herself thrust into a world of food, art and fashion. Reichl's writing and character work is stellar; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain incredibly likable. Stella's trip to Paris is a journey of personal growth, dealing with her childhood trauma and her strained relationship with her late mother. Stella blooms under her friendship with Jules, an octogenarian art collector and George, the owner of famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company and his young daughter. Through those friendships Stella meets famous writers, chefs and artists and eats her way in and around Paris as she sets out to uncover the truth behind a famous artist model. Along the way she also finds her father and opens enough to allow the possibly of love to bloom. Reichl's food description are fabulous and will leave you hungry for more. No wonder as she was editor in chef of Gourmet magazine for ten years and previously served as a restaurant critic for The New York Times and a food editor and restaurant critic for the Los Angeles Times. The woman knows food and gloriously how to write about it. Reichl tackles some very heavy topics, so take care and check the CWs. A can't miss read, highly recommend!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

I absolutely love Ruth Reichl's writing style. The way she writes about food just comes alive and makes you feel like you've just enjoyed one of the remarkable meals her character has in this book.

I always recommend her books for foodies, but this book was also full of beautiful writing for art, history, and fashion lovers. I found myself googling SO much while reading this book so I could see what the towns, markets, and buildings she described looked like, if the mysterious female painter she was tracking down was real, if the Shakespeare and Co. bookstore actually had places for writers and artists to sleep, and more.

This book felt so realistic, and I found myself relating to and falling in love with our main character Stella. I also appreciated that romance wasn't the main theme of the book, it was so refreshing that we just got to go on all these miniature quests with Stella, George, Jules, Django, Lucie, and more. I really didnt want this to end!

I love everything that Ruth Reichl writes. Her descriptions transport the reader and invoke the images, tastes, and smells that the characters experience. Stella was a wonderful character that was far from perfect and that made her relatable. Jules is the man who helps Stella appreciate the world around her and introduces her to a world in which she belongs. This was so well written.

I love Ruth Reichl’s memoirs so much. She has a way of making food and community alive as though I’m there with her enjoying a glass of wine and eating a piece of crusty bread. The Paris Novel is a work of fiction and I was thrilled to receive it from the publisher. While I appreciated the subject and obvious love of food and experiences and travel, the writing fell flat for me and this was a miss.

Copy editor Stella likes structure. When her estranged mother dies and leaves her money with the instructions to go to Paris, her ordered life crumbles. With each new experience, Stella questions her life and purpose, finding meaning and new friends along the way. This outlandish, yet enjoyable story brings Reichl fans a delectable read.

No one writes about food better than Ruth Reichl! This book is such a treat. I loved the descriptions of fashion, restaurants, and bookstores - it brought Paris to life in a very real way. The plot is fairly simple, but the setting was so vivid.

🇫🇷🥂 The Paris Novel 🥂🇫🇷

I ended up loving this book, even though I thought I would not. The characters started out flat, and I couldn’t stand narcissistic Celia. The second chapter was rough and unnecessary (see TW below), but if you overlook the beginning, the rest of the book was lovely.

If only everyone could experience the serendipity that Stella does in this book! All the wonderful people she meets, places she sees, and food she experiences is nothing short of dream-like. I loved each character and what they meant to Stella. I felt proud of Stella for her found courage, and not only discovering her passion, but wholeheartedly embracing it.

🥂 self discovery
🥂 found family
🥂 culinary experiences
🥂 Paris!
🥂 subplot of feminism and honoring one’s life
🥂 nods to fashion
🥂 tons of art and literature

TW: sexual assault of a minor. If you want to skip it you could, just skip the second chapter.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: 4/23/24

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.