I loved this story! I have to admit that I found it hard to get into at first. Stella in New York is not a very interesting or likeable character and I didn’t enjoy reading about the tension between her and her mother. However, Stella in Paris becomes a different creature. Once I realized that the author was setting up the reader to see Stella’s transformation the book became much more interesting. The descriptions of food, chefs, and restaurants are—as you can imagine—fabulous. I’ve read and loved some of Reichl’s previous books and she writes beautifully about food. But in The Paris Novel there are also evocative discussions about art and literature. Stella’s life grows more intriguing as the novel progresses and I really enjoyed experiencing it vicariously! I also loved the timeframe: set in 1983 Stella experiences a world before cell phones and the internet. Reichl does an excellent job of capturing this period and this makes Stella’s adventures richer. It also gives her the opportunity to meet characters who share tales of life in Paris in earlier periods of the 20th century. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

The Paris Novel written by Ruth Reichl is a little different many of her other publications. The other books I have read by Reichl have been memoirs about her life, her career and her love of food. Check out the list at the bottom of this review to see all the amazing things Reichl has accomplished leading up to this novel.

In this novel we meet Stella who from childhood has always had a difficult relationship with her mother. Now she has moved on, living in a small New York City apartment, working as an editor for a small publishing company. When her mother dies, Stella is surprised by how upset she is. Then she is given her only inheritance, a one way plane ticket to Paris. This gift will take her completely out of the comfort zone she has built for herself. But encouraged by her boss she leaves for Paris. At the beginning she keeps a very low profile, eating in small unknown restaurants and visiting museums. Then one day she sees a dress int he window of a second hand shop. The owner convinces her to try it on and then follow a series of activities wearing the dress. The shopkeeper tells her something fabulous will happen while she is wearing the vintage Dior couture dress.

That is when the real story begins, Stella meets a handsome elderly gentleman, Jules, who opens Paris up for her. She begins to enjoy herself and also to try and discover why her mother wanted her to travel to Paris.

As she eats in the Paris restaurants that Jules introduces her to, she realizes how much she really enjoys eating. She finds that she can distinguish all the ingredients in a dish, she can imagine them in colors in her mind. This is where Reichl brings in her expertise with recipes, foods and menus. You can see that this Reichl's strongest writing skill, she brings the foods to life and you can almost taste and smell what Stella is eating in each of the restaurants. The recipes hinted at.

To add just a little more to make this such an entertaining novel Reichl adds some historical significance about the Dior dress, also a story about famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company, and the plot twist where Stella uncovers a hundred-year-old mystery in a Manet painting.

Such a fun entertaining novel. Enjoy the read.

Ruth Reichl's latest work centers around Stella, a young, introverted woman living a rather mundane life as a copywriter in NYC. Her life changes when she's left money in her mother's (Celia) will with the simple instructions that Stella must use the money to go to Paris and not come back until the money is gone.

While Stella and her mother were an oil and water mix -- quiet Stella never living up to larger-than-life Celia's expectations for her daughter, they co-existed with little love lost between the two. Stella's journey to 1980s Paris unfolds new and enlightening adventures for her as she navigates this new life. Ruth Reichl's credentials as a chef, food writer, and editor are showcased throughout this book with wonderful details of exquisite dishes and meals that Stella enjoys in Paris.

I will say that early in the book there is a graphic description of child abuse that readers could find disturbing. While I understand Reichl's mentioning the abuse in the book, I would have preferred a less graphic description. With that said, overall, The Paris Novel is an insightful and lovely look at a woman who finally comes into her own.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Random House for sending me an electronic version of #TheParisNovel for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the book once I got into it, however, the title is very misleading. This is a novel about cooking and a bookstore, not about a book.

This is a story of a woman's life transformed by circumstances. Stella who kept herself closed up like a flower bud transforms into a butterfly from the many new experiences she encounters in Paris. In order to find how wonderful Stella life is transform in Paris, you need to know that she had a very disturbing incident when she was younger that effects her so much that she no longer trusted men or her mother Celia. However, after Celia's dies she gives Stella instruction to go to Paris in order to inherit the money and that's what Stella does. From the moment Stella put her foot down in France, she encounter both people and events that transform her into a more happier and enrich person but also a more adventurous person.

I loved the way the story unfolds once Stella gets to Paris. I love that the characters make Stella life more interesting with both new foods and experience (a special dress, new foods like escargot and a little detective work that unveils a woman artist life that had been erased but was rediscovered, this was really fun to follow.) which gets Stella out of her normal routine. I also found all characters, Jules, Lucie, George Whitman, Django, were full of life and it was nice that their adventures rubs off onto Stella and that she not only enjoyed it but ended up wanting more.
I found the book delightful and easy to read, but there is a disturbing incident at the beginning but once you get pass it the story only gets better.

I want to thank Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Random House and NetGalley for an advance copy of this transforming story.

Stella recently lost her mother, it was a difficult relationship between them but the last words she left to her daughter were: “Go to Paris.”

Stella follows her mom’s voice, leading her to the city of love, art, fashion, and food. For the first time, she will open herself to new possibilities. Maybe there’s magic in this city or perhaps it’s her mom's spirit guiding her, but Stella will start a quest meeting people, answering enigmas, and finding her true self.
This novel is surely for readers with a traveling soul, with gourmet and art appreciation. It’s full of places to visit in Paris, perfect spot recommendations for listing in a future trip.

The novel includes short expressions in French, and it’s not necessary to know the language because most of the time it mentions the meaning in English. Some of them were very easy to guess through context, so in my opinion, it was needless to reiterate.

The main character experienced a traumatic event when she was younger, I only wish this could have been even more developed through the novel, but it was a fast-paced read and entertaining.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.
Publication Date: April 30th, 2024

I have been a HUGE fan and supporter of Ruth’s ever since I came across Garlic & Sapphires ages ago. I have read nearly everything she has written and absorbed every word. Unfortunately, I could not get past the second chapter of this book due to a major trigger warning that happens to the main character in a flashback. And since it is mentioned in detail so early in the book, it most likely will be brought up again. I am sure this book is just as well written as all her others and there are those who will enjoy it, but this particular story is not for me.

This is a beautiful novel. If Paris, or any city, was like the one Stella experiences when she finally allows herself to really live, to savor the moment and the experience, how could anyone resist?

The description of eating ortolan was one of the oddest things I have ever read about in regard to eating, but also strangely fascinating (not that I have any interest in trying it myself). I am a picky eater and would probably not enjoy many of the dishes to which Stella was treated (and later helped create). However, I appreciated the vivid descriptions of the meals and the joy that Stella and her companion (usually Jules) experienced when eating them, as well as the joy of the chefs in seeing someone who truly enjoyed the meals as the chef intended; someone who does not consider themselves a food connoisseur, who never really thought about or appreciated what she ate, but who, when opened up to the experience of savoring a meal, displays appreciation and refinement.

The author does a great job of melding fact and fiction. I enjoyed Stella's search for the "true" Victorine, and especially how librarian Mademoiselle Duseigne, who treated Stella with disdain initially -- an ignorant American who has not bothered to properly learn the language -- became excited and helpful when Stella explained the purpose of her research. Also, the dynamic between Stella and Lucie, and Lucie's excitement participating in the "treasure hunt." There are just so many wonderful things about this book.

Ruth Reichl sure knows how to make you hungry! While I loved Save Me the Plums, I wasn't sure I understood how Reichl would fare as a novelist-- and she delivered. Some parts of The Paris Novel were a bit too cute/unrealistic - but it was still a lovely, warm book that made me want to up and fly to Paris. Reichl succeeds in melding fact and fiction -- incorporating real-life artists and chefs with fictional ones. I was really cheering for Stella, the protagonist, throughout the whole book. This would be a good read if you are in a reading rut or if you want a bit of easy readying and escapism.

The Paris Novel is the sweet story of a young woman looking to find a life for herself. Stella had a difficult relationship with her mother, Celia, and she never knew her father at all. When Celia passes away, she leaves Stella a small sum of cash and instructions for Stella to travel to Paris and spend the inheritance there. Stella leaves her boring life in the US to see what Paris is all about.

This book is filled with beautiful descriptions of art, food, and architecture. The friendships that Stella makes in Paris are sweet and loving, though somewhat unbelievable. Everything goes well with Stella and everything is so beautiful and delicious, and I found all the perfection to be a little boring. I was looking for some kind of exciting conflict to keep me compelled to read, but there really isn't much there.

This book read was easy to get through fairly quickly, though I did find myself skimming some, starting about halfway through. The ending of the story is sweet and satisfying.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Paris Novel.

Delving into the delicious history of French cooking, fashion and history! Ruth knows her recipes and French cooking so this book will make you hungry. Her food descriptions are fabulous. The plot was a little scattered and lacked movement in the first half. By the time Stella meets her father the pacing was better and their story was more interesting. I think the father search should happen sooner to see the suspense and the excitement of the characters. I loved the friendship of Jules and Stella and the art history about the model turned painter. Why did they include the sexual assault in the beginning of the book? It could be moved to when she becomes friends with Jules and then she confides in him about her past trauma. It seemed like a flash back that would be revealed later in the story. And the whole issue with Jules’ son’s fiancée being evil was way too much of the story. That was too much of the why Jules was lonely, but also way too time consuming for why Stella found the dress at the shop.
Art history on the model for Olympia was also a fantastic story overall and I think more time on the painting search would help the plot be quicker. Excellent weaving of food, history and art!

I didn't finish the book. Not because it wasn't engaging, but being a vegetarian, I found it difficult to get through all of the food descriptions. And it is a book about every kind of French food!!

I very much like this author and she is a food writer, so I should have been prepared, but this one was too much for me. If you enjoy all kinds of food, please please read. Ruth Reichl is a fabulous writer. Her character development is very good, and she definitely provides great descriptions.

I may eventually return to the book.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free advance e-reader copy of The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl in exchange for an honest review.

Ruth Reichl is one of the most talented and evocative food writers of our time. Reichl also excels at scene-setting, and it's clear that she loves Paris. For these reasons alone I recommend The Paris Novel. The story itself, a sort of coming of age narrative (although the protagonist is in her early 30s) that tracks copy editor Stella as she fulfills her deceased narcissistic mother's final wish and buys a plane ticket to Paris, is fairly predictable and competently (if not brilliantly) told. I did very much enjoy the blossoming friendship between Stella and the elderly Jules, and rooted for Stella to come out of her very thick shell as she forces herself to break down her own barriers. But really, the best part of this book was eating along with Stella as she enjoys meal after sumptuous meal as described in painstaking, delicious detail by Reichl.

3.5 stars for the story line, rounded up to four because of that gorgeous food writing, which I enjoyed even more because I keep kosher and this is the only way I'll ever get to eat an oyster or sip lobster bisque.

What a joy this was to read! I savored this novel because it was the perfect recipe (pun intended) for mystery and whimsy. If the reader were to dig too deep into certain details, they might find the story incredible; I would say 'magical'. The story is well developed, tenacious, and has a tidy ending leaving me wanting to read more stories by Ruth Reichl!

I did not finish this. Trigger warning for child sex abuse. That turned me off completely and I didn’t want to read anymore. I received this as an ARC from NetGalley.

Excellent writing per usual. This is the story of Stella whose estranged, single mother recently passed away and left her money for the explicit use for travel to Paris. Once she arrives and somewhat settles in, Stella is introduced to a world of food and wine, fine vintage clothing, art and Shakespeare and Comany where she temporarily resides for a time. A painting sparks her interest in a female artist whose artwork seems to have disappeared. This starts her search for information about the artist’s life and paintings. She makes friends along the way, discovers a lot about herself, learns much about the artist and solves a lifelong mystery. The story is a little reminiscent of Delicious, but is its own and certainly a must read for fans of Ruth Reichl. Highly recommend. Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this beautiful book.

Ruth Reichl is a master of food descriptions in both her fiction and nonfiction, so don’t pick up this book if you’re hungry. Do pick up this book if you need a little escape to Paris, a bit of mystery, a few quirky and endearing characters, and a masterclass in eating as an art form.

Prepare to be whisked away on a Parisian adventure! Set in the 1980s, The Paris Novel follows Stella, who takes a life-changing trip to Paris at the request of her estranged mother, who has recently passed away. Alone in a new city, introverted Stella is determined to find a sense of routine and structure in an unfamiliar place. Her trip just might force her to step outside of her comfort zone as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, with the help of some unexpected new friends along the way.

The Paris Novel is such a well-written, atmospheric read! This book really shines in its depiction of the setting. I loved the descriptions of the fashion, art, culture, and especially the food. Ruth Reichl is truly a masterful food writer! I also just enjoyed following Stella's overall journey, and getting to see her discover a new life for herself. However, I wished we got a little more backstory and insight into Stella's past, and even more details about her life in NYC before she went to Paris. Readers learn about a traumatic event that shaped Stella's childhood early on in the story, which was a little jarring to read about, but I still wanted to know more about how it affected Stella's life. I thought including more discussion about Stella's life in the city would have further emphasized the contrast between "NYC Stella" and "Paris Stella," and how she grew throughout the story. Still, I loved the wonderful, engaging world Reichl created, and would recommend The Paris Novel! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Ruth Reichl’s memoirs are some of my favorites out there, so when I saw she wrote a book set in Paris in the ‘80’s, I had to request it right away! This book immediately whisks you away to Paris and does an amazing job with the setting and descriptions of the food. The story about friendship and opening oneself to new experiences was also just wonderful. I loved it.

Amazing book about transformation and growth.

Stella's aloof and estranged mother dies and leaves her a ticket to Paris. Stella is an introvert who has routines and structure. Yet she embarks on a trip of self-discovery as she meets and befriends several Parisians who take her under their wing.

It begins with a dress she finds in a vintage dress shop that gives her courage to venture out. She meets Jules, a widower with whom shares art, literature, and French cuisine. She also meet George Whitman, the owner of the Shakespeare and Company bookstore. He takes in "tumbleweeds," Stella being one of them. We follow Stella through France as she finds her voice, her love for food, a mystery of the art world, and a family for which she has been longing.

Ruth Reichl's description of the art world and most especially the French cuisine were amazing. The spectacular descriptions of the food and Stella's transformation left me wanting more.

I would highly recommend this book for those who love food, Paris, and self-discovery. You should pre-order. This book will be published on April 30, 2024.

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the e-ARC.