Ruth Reichl has outdone herself. And that sure is saying a lot. Each book of hers is a gift through story that allows us to feel, taste, experience her world. I don't know if I could say it any better, "Bestselling author Ruth Reichl takes readers on an adventure of food, art, and fashion in 1980s Paris in this dazzling, heartfelt novel." I fell in love with Stella, Paris, Jules, art, fashion, and most of all food. This book make me laugh, cry and cheer for Stella!

I enjoyed this book, but I prefer Ruth Reichl's memoirs. It is absolutely a wish fulfillment read. This is for lovers of Paris, food, found family, literature, art, and frothy writing.

I wanted to love this book. I've loved every other book by Ruth Reichl. This one, though, I found it difficult to get into the story. There seemed to be one too many subplots to try and braid together in the narrative. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, though. Ms. Reichl has a special gift for writing about food, an almost magical way of putting together words so that the reader is transported to Paris, sitting at a tiny table with a napkin over their head, eating an ortolan. which is quite a feat, since the act itself is quite repulsive to me. She makes it seem not only tolerable, but something to long for. That's skill.

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for letting me read a copy of this book early. It was such a delight.

Going into this, I didn't know who Ruth Reichl was. After reading the author's note at the end, the book made a lot of sense.

The story follows Stella, a shy copyeditor who has lived a complicated life. With the recent death of an overbearing, over-the-top mother, who Stella could never live up to the expectations of, she is finally free. That is until she finds out that in order to get her mother's money she has to go to Paris and spend it all, a nightmare of Stella. After some encouragement from her boss and friend, Stella leave for Paris. While there she is drawn to this vintage Saint Laurent, a dress that seems to have magical properties. This dress sends her on an adventure to discover herself, her past, and her love of food.

At the beginning of this book I really didn't think it was for me. The writing was beautiful, but I didn't really like where the story was going. Then Reichl started to describe food, and I was hooked. This is such a beautiful story of self discovery and has just the right amount of mystery mixed in to make you want to keep turning the pages.

From the author's note, I've gathered that this story is somewhat auto-biographical, which explains why it all feels so real. Reichl says who she made up, who was real, but they all felt so real to me. I loved how this story came together. There was a magic to it.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who love food and wants to be swept away in the timelessness of Paris.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced reader’s copy of “The Paris Novel” by Ruth Reichl.
Things I Liked:
- The Paris setting, the historical pieces and the food!
Things that I Didn’t Like:
- The child abuse/molestation parts in the early part of the story. It was too descriptive for my tastes and I think the same effect could have been achieved with less graphic descriptions.
- I didn’t connect with the characters as I hoped I would (but that’s always a personal thing).
Overall, an enjoyable read. I liked it, but didn’t love it.

What a truly delicious book. As you'd expect from one of the great food writers, Reichl turns every meal into a feast for the senses. What could have been a standard "young woman goes to Paris and discovers herself" read is elevated by Reichl's wit and sparkling voice. Stella's journey from shy and mousey to confident woman is just charming.

A bit of a slow start but I devoured every word once I was hooked. Stella was adorable as were the other characters but Rechl shined in her food descriptions. *chefs kiss*

I would like to thank Random House and Net Galley for the opportunity to review this as an ARC. I have always enjoyed Ruth Reichl's non fiction writing and was interested in trying her fiction as well. While this book is not as compelling as her non fiction, I found it to be a very good read. It is set in Paris in the 1980's. Stella's mother has recently died and has left her money to be spent in a trip t o Paris. Stella and her mother are not close. Even though they are all they have- Stella does not know who her fatherShe and her mother are very different and in many ways the opposite of each other.Stella is a book editor in her 30's and lives a very precise, orderly bland life.Then her mother dies and Stella is left a bequest-money to spend only on a trip to Paris. Stella goes to Paris and spends the first part of her trip in an orderly manner, eating plain food living in a plain hotel and keeping to a schedule. Then she is drawn to a dress shop, with beautiful vintage clothing and the shop owner, who makes her an astonishing bargain- if Stella buys a dress, wears it for a day and goes to all the places the shopowner tells her to visit,then Stella can return the dress and get her money back. This propels Stella on an adventure, almost against her will. It is a twisty story as Stella learns about Paris and herself. It is almost a book of historical fiction- set in the 1980's, with a mix of fictional and real characters. We briefly meet James Baldwin, Alan Ginsberg, Richard Olney and George Whitman ( he of the second incarnation of the bookstore, Shakespeare and Company). As always, with Ruth Reichl, the food descriptions were incredible. The characterizations were also very good. It took me a while to get into the book-it was a slow start for me.There were some plot turns that were a little far fetched.There was also an incident of child sexual abuse in a flashback sequence that was disturbing, although as I read on, was integral to the plot. All in all, I enjoyed this book.

I love Ruth Reichl’s nonfiction works, but The Paris Novel took a while for me to get into. Still, her writing is excellent, and this story captures Paris and food and life in such a beautiful way.

I wanted to love this but found it hard to stay in the story. This didn’t felt particularly fleshed out or tethered to a real narrative purpose/plot. This could be a short story and maybe that’s the tension I felt? The whole thing feels ephemeral… hard to hold on to.

This was truly a most delightful book.
If you love Paris, art, and cooking this is the book for you. Not only was it well researched, but Ruth Reichl knows the titans of French cuisine.
In addition, the main character, Stella. is a most likable person as many others in the book. Ruth Reichl is an excellent writer and her proficiency comes out in this book. I recommend this book highly.

It has been 10 years since Ruth Reichl wrote Delicious, which was a absolute delight and I have been awaiting another novel since then. The Paris Novel definitely doesn't disappoint! Stella begins the novel as a mousy little woman, but because of her trip to Paris and her encounters with characters, some real and some made up, she comes into her own as a woman and surprisingly as a cook (although, as it turns out it is in her blood). Ms. Reichl never strays too far from her home turf of food, but she expands into fashion, literature, and even an art mystery. Her notes at the end of the book give the reader some idea of what is real and what is not, which then may cause some going down some rabbit holes on Google to find out more information about Stella's experiences, but it is all good. What I like best is the touch of magic that was found in Delicious is exhibited here--what is with the woman and the dress? and did Stella's mother have an inkling of what Paris would mean to her daughter when she made her will...we will never know but it makes the conjecture such great fun! If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would.

I am a fan of Ruth Reichl and I love her writing style. She has a way of bringing places and food to life. This was not one of my favorites, but that being said, I still enjoyed the story and the writing.

This book made me want to go to Paris! I loved the history. I especially loved the parts about fashion, but found myself wishing for more of them. 3.5 because of some slower parts.

I loved this book! Stella is a charming and lovely protagonist and it was a treat to be a part of her journey of discovery. On top of that, the historical pieces, the fashion, the food... it was all icing on the cake (yes, I had to do it!) .

i found the story transported me to another era, another country, another life. The descriptions of the food and clothes were luscious and tantalizing. I wanted to be there, with Stella, to experience all of it, and know that I will miss her now that the book is finished.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

If this is your introduction Ito the world of Ruth Reichl, you are in for a sumptuous treat. Her books, whether memoir or fiction, bring the senses alive. This book is a modern-day fairy tale. The reader is transported to a world of taste, smell, and an insider’s look of a Paris we all wish we could magically inhabit.

As in many fairy tales, this one begins with a damaging mother and a traumatic experience. Stella is born to a strident mother who neglected her except when it suited her. Even worse, she never intervened to keep her daughter safe. To counteract the uncertainty in her life, Stella carved out dependable routines to survive the trauma of her childhood. After her mother’s death, adult Stella structured a life she could control as a copy editor.

When her estranged mother died, Stella’s inheritance could only be used to travel to Paris. Stella may not have had the courage to take this trip if not for her boss who demanded she take substantial time off from work to grieve her mother. Stella is not one to seek adventure but what else can she do during the time she won’t be working? So… off she goes.

At first, she constructs a life similar to the one she lived in New York, and conducts herself the way she's always lived. She maps out days and develops a comfortable routine. But something happens to change all that. One afternoon she goes into a vintage shop on the Place des Vosges and emerges wearing a couture dress. The owner gives her instructions of where to go. At her first stop, the Cafes des Deux Magots, she tastes her first oysters and meets an 80 year old art collector who takes her under his wing and introduces her to a life she could never imagine.

She experiences amazing food, lives in the legendary Shakespeare & Company Bookstore and is befriended by George Whitman, its eccentric owner, his young daughter, Lucie and the others who live in the shop. She meets famous writers, restauranteurs, and art collectors. The once reticent Stella also goes on a mission to find the lost paintings of Manet’s model, Victorine Meurent, who she learns is a painter in her own right.

The characters Stella meets along the way are people we’d all like as friends and they encourage her to be open to life in a way she never has before. While there are no real surprises as to how life will unfold for this once solitary woman, it is a delight to take the trip with her. I don’t think there is a single character she meets that I wouldn’t like to have in my own life.

I would highly recommend taking this trip with Stella. It is a reminder in these difficult times we are living in, that a good meal, meeting a generous stranger, or trying something new, can make a significant difference in your life.

Many thanks to netgalley and Random House for giving me the opportunity to read and comment on this book.

Stella has always had a complicated relationship with her mother, Celia. (Note, content warning for Chapter 2). When Celia passes, she leaves her daughter all the remaining funds in her account. With the requirement that it be spent on a plane ticket and travelers checks for a trip to Paris. Stella stumbles upon a clothing store, where is is fit with a vintage dress that fits her like a glove. While she ends up returning it to get the money back to use for more time in Paris. What follows is Stellas's adventures to find herself through the Paris food art and fashion scene.
I've enjoyed Ruth Reichl's food writing in the past and this fictional novel did not disappoint.

I received an advanced reader copy via NetGalley.

What a wonderful novel about Paris, by someone who knows the city well. It ma be autobiographical, but not as directly as Tender at the Bones. Just a wonderful heartfelt tour of the City Of Love.

Reichl doesn’t disappoint with her signature mouth-watering descriptions of food in this enchanting fiction story about a girl discovering Paris and herself. You have to suspend a lot of disbelief with the plot but the beauty of Paris in the 80s, the food porn and the fashion and art descriptions make up for it in this charming novel.

I'm a fan of Ruth Reichl's nonfiction books, so I was excited to receive the ARC of <i>The Paris Novel</i>, especially since I was planning a trip to Paris. If you want to read about beautiful descriptions of Paris and the French countryside, this book will scratch that itch. However, the main character was a little too much of a Mary Sue for me to really enjoy the novel. She's a quiet, mousy thing who never really leaves her NYC apartment. However, she's naturally beautiful (but doesn't know it), can magically describe food in a perfect way that everyone adores and everyone she encounters finds her absolutely charming. That made it a little too hard to buy into the plot of me. I did appreciate the nice descriptions of Paris, especially of restaurants and cafes that are still open today, but I think I'll be sticking with Reichl's nonfiction from now on.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.