I requested this book expecting to absolutely love it, based on the description and the author's background in food and travel. Unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for me. Like others, I was taken aback by the graphic description of sexual assault of a child, which was then not mentioned again for most of the book and therefore seemed unnecessary to the plot. The character's psyche and troubled relationship with her mother could have been explored without this seemingly gratuitous scene. The love interest also seemed to have been included as an afterthought, and i wish that the relationship had been developed more if it was going to be included at all - again, it seemed unnecessary to the main plot.

The descriptions of Paris, and especially of the food, were truly beautiful and immersive.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love Ruth Reichl’s memoirs, but remember thinking her first novel was just so-so. So I was very pleasantly surprised by this one. Set in 1983, thirty year old Stella, a copy editor who has never really felt loved by her eccentric mom Celia, is left with money and instructions to go to Paris when Celia dies. Not sure why, Stella goes anyway. And the adventures begin…. Filled with a group of can’t-help-but-love-them secondary characters and the most amazing Ruth Reichlian descriptions of sumptuous meals and delicious food, this was just a pleasant easy read.

Note: thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I always enjoy her nonfiction writing and while I enjoyed the food passages in this one, I felt a lot of the book felt a little flat. I didn't really "get" why Stella was so passive for much of her life. I know the author had an interesting mother so those parts felt more realistic but Stella herself didn't feel real to me.

Discover Paris with Ruth Reichl as your tour guide in the incarnation of 33 year old Stella. A book editor, by trade, Stella is left money after the passing of her mother, with who she had a complicated relationship. The catch is that Stella must go to Paris and spend all of the money.

Reluctantly, she travels abroad and experiences all that Paris has to offer - food, fashion, friends and maybe even family. Stella finds out more about herself and her mother as the Paris reveals itself.

Readers will love the touchstones of Yves St. Laurent , Shakespeare and Company, Manet and the real star, the food. You should be aware that there are also passage that are explicit concerning sexual abuse - not something that I expected.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Another good filled novel by Reichl.
Stella is on a journey to fulfill something that her mother wanted her to do and along this journey she learns more about herself and that it's okay to let go and be yourself.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC! I’ve been a Reichl fan for years- from her food writing & her memoirs to her cookbooks- so I was I was excited to see her delve into fiction. The Paris. Novel did not disappoint. The story toggles back & forth between Stella’s fatherless childhood with a cold & distant mother Celia & the present. When Celia dies, she leaves her with a small inheritance &strict instructions to go to Paris. Stella leaves behind her safe & mundane life in New York City for reasons unclear, but she honors her mother’ last wishes & heads to Paris. What unfolds is a woman who finds herself in discoveries of pleasure she’d never experienced: the bites taste of a briny oyster, the smooth richness of fois gras & of course champagne! ( I mean, it is Paris!) Reichl’s food descriptions are famous & in abundance. You can almost smell & taste Stella’s meals. Along the way, Stella meets a wonderful older man who befriends her & encourages her to live & as she begins to give herself permission to indulge, she finds herself & something else unexpected. The Paris setting, the lovable characters & the food makes The Paris Novel is an escape for the reader & left me wanting more!

The Paris Novel is about food, fashion, love, companionship, friendship, and yea about food, have I mentioned it already?

This is the first novel my THE one and only Ruth Reichl, known as a food writer, cook and eater. Naturally, she has embedded her passion and knowledge about food in this novel that makes it the more enjoyable!

The story is about an endearing protagonist, Stella St. Vincent, who is on her journey to find herself by breaking free from her deceased mother’s past. But it’s also her mother’s will that inquires her to leave everything behind in New York and take a trip to Paris.

Hence, I loved striding through Paris in ye 80’s with Stella whilst she discovered the meaning of fashion with Yves St. Laurent dresses, indulged in French food and made friends for the first time in her life. Stella’s obsession with Manet’s painting “Olympique»
has led me to avenues and appreciation of art.

I was positively overwhelmed by the erudite information Reichl provided about the famous Shakespeare & Co. bookstore in Paris in the 80’s, the history of the Arrondissements as well as the sociocultural hierarchy of women in art in Paris in the 19th century. Thereby, Reichl has masterfully narrated an enchanting story that appeals to all six senses of her readers as she stimulates your imagination with her impressive writing style.

Can’t wait to read more of Ruth Reichl!

Easy 5 stars 😍

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

i've never read anything by ruth reichl, though it turned out that i did know of her because of save me the plumbs. i enjoyed this story immensely, and didn't find many flaws with it – it was engaging, and i enjoyed the way all of the characters wove together. honestly, i'm reading for a good time so all i look for is enjoyment and i enjoyed the majority of this book!

Stella goes to Paris after her mother left her a ticket and note and finds help in a bookshop and a man who she befriends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this novel. This was a lovely story about unexpected life turns and new experiences. I very much enjoyed living vicariously through Stella. Highly recommend.

This was a truly beautiful novel. The reason why I give it 4 stars is because I found the first half of the book quite slow. The second half, though, I finished in one day. The story of Stella finding herself, finding a family (blood and adopted), and finding Paris was remarkable. I loved the Victorine mystery (more than the mystery of her father). I thought that the romance snuck in at the end of the book was unnecessary - and that the novel could potentially have been stronger without it, a true demonstration of a woman discovering her identity without a man! But I saw it coming from the first time we met her love interest’s character about a third of the way through the book. The incorporation of real people into this novel was very well executed, and fun! Would definitely recommend this book.

LThis book was such an unexpected joy. There are no other words for it than charming, moving, and utterly enticing. The food descriptions are pristine perfection and the characters have so much heart, you don’t want their stories to end. I couldn’t put this one down and there are at least three friends I am buying this book for immediately once it’s published. This book is a little trip to Paris. Read it!

No one writes food fiction like Ruth Reichl. Acclaimed cookbook author, food critic and magazine editor, she has written several non-fiction books and one previous fiction novel, Delicious. Her prose is easy reading and full of descriptive passages that are so well written, you can almost taste the dish. This historical fiction story is set in the 1980s, when the top chefs in Paris were redefining how to prepare dishes, with new techniques like sous vide. She incorporates the worlds of fashion and art into her story of a young woman coming to grips with her mother’s passing, and trying to find a way forward in her life and career. As she meets new people, she gets drawn into the lives of two patrons who want to help her find a direction. Be sure to read the authors note at the end, as you may be surprised how much is based in research and fact. Beautifully written, with a compelling story, highly recommend.

Reichl’s sophomore novel is more streamlined than her debut, “Delicious” Because it focuses on a single story which allows all of the fantastic flavors in Reichl’s prose to marry and deliver a satisfying essence. As a Reichl completist, I observe all of the narratives prior to “The Paris Novel” blending and stirring up catharses wanting to be expressed in works prior. It’s also an interesting mother/daughter story to add to the arsenal of recommendations I serve up when so requested to. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to advance read and pre-order and further for Ruth Reichl’s not putting her pen down.

I love Ruth Reichl & no one describes food in fiction as beautifully as she does, but the book starting with a fairly graphic description of child molestation that was totally unexpected and I felt blindsided. I couldn't get past it and I hope there is some warning to prepare reader than thinks they are just going to read about food & Paris.

This was ok. I liked the idea behind this book and the plot and storyline. I liked learning about the characters. I thought there were holes in the story and the ending was rushed. I would have liked to see Stella discuss her abuse with somebody. I also thought how she went from barely being able to cook to opening up a restaurant was a little far fetched. In the beginning of the novel, the woman at the dress shop said she knew she would see her again and then they never explained if she went back. I did like all the descriptions of the bookstore, the different restaurants, meals, and the dress shop.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the Advance Reader's Copy of The Paris Novel

What a delicious read! The story drew me in instantly, and the descriptions of food are beyond belief. I could nearly taste everything the characters were eating and drinking. I adore books like that! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I am a huge fan of Ms. Reichl, having read all her books, including her first novel, Delicious! I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read the ARC of The Paris Novel, and, based on her other books, expected lots of food, glorious food. Yes, there is that, but oh, there is so much more.

Honestly, after reading the first two chapters (particularly Chapter Two), I seriously thought about stopping. Early on, this book was so much darker and disturbing than I expected! My first impression of Stella, the main character, was that she was a closed off, bitter, angry young woman. She uses physical and psychological mechanisms throughout her life to deal with the events described in Chapter Two and the horrific creature who was her mother. She had built herself a “safe,” gray life, devoid of color, love, adventure, or joy. However, because I adore Ms. Reichl’s work, I kept going, and I’m so very glad I did.

The title of this book is perfect, because while yes, it is Stella’s story, it is such a beautifully written love letter to 1980s Paris (where I hope to visit someday). The imagery and the language are so vivid, often so raw, that I got lost in the story and became completely invested in rooting for Stella.

When Stella’s mother passes away, she leaves Stella a small amount of money and instructs her to go to Paris. Stella, never one to step out of her comfort zone, fulfills her mother’s last request. Almost immediately, the reader is immersed in the city and surrounding countryside. Sometimes I questioned some of the “coincidences,” and wondered how it all would come together, but Ms. Reichl is a master puzzle-maker who ultimately, and lovingly, put all the pieces together for a fabulous conclusion. Throughout Stella’s journey of self-discovery, which includes unearthing some artistic mysteries, she encounters fascinating characters, including real-life authors, artists, poets, and chefs. Beautiful clothes, from Christian Dior and Yves St. Laurent, are characters unto themselves. Oh, how I want to go to the Shakespeare and Company bookstore, and take cooking and art history classes now! I loved how a new Stella emerged as she experienced friendship, art, music, and, yes, food. It was like peeling back the leaves of an artichoke to get to the heart.

Because it is a Ruth Reichl book, readers can expect magical, incredibly visceral, in-depth descriptions of food that encompass all the senses. Part of Stella’s journey includes really tasting food for the first time, and in the process, tasting the joy of living, loving, and being a part of a community. As she dines, cooks, or shops, we are with her, tasting, chopping, baking, inhaling wonderful smells (although, there are some descriptions that made me seriously consider becoming a vegetarian—sorry, Ruth).

This novel will stay with me for a long time. I am so grateful to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Paris Novel, and I’m pleased to provide this honest review.

Having approached this novel with moderate expectations, I found myself wholly seduced. Yes, it’s genre fiction/fairytale of a kind (romance, finding self, plenty of food and posh clothes: kind folks and fairy godmothers and fathers everywhere) but done with ease and charm and lovely detail. It being Reichl, the food writing is notable. And the love for Paris is palpable. Central character Stella is rather sexless, but apart from that and a few loose ends, it’s a triumph.

I've enjoyed Ruth Reichl's memoirs so was excited to read her first novel. It did not disappoint! The writing was wonderful, the food writing was immaculate, and I was swept away with Stella's story, cheering her on while she discovered a new life.