I have read and enjoyed all of Ruth Reichl’s memoirs, so I was eager to read an advance copy of her upcoming novel, The Paris Novel, due to be published in April 2024. In truth, though, this little novel . . . was just not for me. It is written with Ruth Reichl’s signature “jaunty” voice, but while that voice lends itself beautifully to her memoirs, it didn’t work as well in this novel. I found the story to be rather simplistic, contrived, and predictable. I enjoyed the descriptions of meals and food preparation, as well as the beautiful Paris setting, but there were just too many convenient coincidences for me to take the book seriously. There is also a lot of famous-people-name-dropping, which seemed especially contrived to me in this context.

The most interesting part of the book for me was actually the Afterward, when Ruth Reichl talks about how her novel came to be, and how many of the characters, places, and restaurants in the book were based on her own life experiences in Paris. Based on the Afterward, I think these stories would have made a much better memoir than the resulting novel!

I am quite sure there will be a huge audience for this book when it is released. It definitely provides charm and escapism – but not a lot of bite.

[I do feel I need to mention the child molestation/sexual assault which occurs in the early chapters of the book. It was surprising and disturbing – and seems not to really belong with the rest of the story. I understand the purpose - to set up Stella’s horrific childhood - but it just seemed to be overdone/excessively dramatic given the lighter nature of the rest of the story. It was . . . odd and jarring.]

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on April 30, 2024.

3 stars

The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl was wonderful! Such well developed characters and vivid descriptions. The food, art, and fashion scene of 1980's Paris is everything! I loved Stella's coming of age story. You can tell it was well researched and was a pleasure to read!

Thanks to Net Galley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review. I’ve enjoyed Ruth Reichl’s other books and this novel was enjoyable and easy to read too. The book featured great stories and descriptions of Paris, food, fashion, and family - what’s not to like?

I sincerely appreciate the author's other books, she is a great writer and story teller. However, I just could not relate to this (fiction) book. I would much rather read Reichl's actual experiences. By reading other's reviews, I can see that I am definitely in the minority in this opinion, and would hate to have a review reflect negatively on such an icon as Reichl, so I will refrain from expression myself on any of my usual sites. Best of luck to her!

This was pure, transporting fun. I loved visiting Paris vicariously, love the foodie focus, enjoyed this thoroughly! I like to think Ruth Reichl had a blast too.

I absolutely adore Ruth Reichl and have followed her writing for years. Tender at the Bone was an incredible memoir that stuck with me for a long time.

But this one, I just couldn't get into. Stella is a boring character, and despite being surrounded by interesting side characters, their quirks and characteristics really only highlighted how not-interesting she was. The mystery surrounding her mother's drive to get her to visit Paris was not enough to hold me through to the end.

I loved-loved-loved the descriptions of food and the meals she ate, especially her first dinner with Jules while wearing The Dress. Reichl truly has an amazing way with turning phrases around flavors, aromas, and textures. I found myself sometimes skipping to meal scenes just to revel in how delicious they sounded.

But this was, unfortunately, a book I just couldn't get my teeth into, and I abandoned it at around 60%.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC!

I am a fan of the author's previous writing and have enjoyed all of her work. This is beyond my expectations and my favorite book I have read this year ! The author engages the reader from the beginning into the world of the main character Stella and leads you through a culinary , fashion and art tour of Paris . The expertise of the detail of the French Cathedrals, the art world and the sublime descriptions of the fabulous food leave you in utter bliss. It was the best novel about Paris that I have ever read. I was so enchanted by the book that I read it cover to cover in one sitting. I found myself stopping to research all the places the author wrote of in Paris and learned some amazing history. The Manet history is outstanding and a important part of the story of our Paris journey. As a reader I am utterly in awe and very appreciative of the extensive research of this book by the author.

Note: In the beginning the author included some background of the main character that is disturbing . Just skip over it and continue on the wonderful journey this book takes you on. Its a small part of the book and important to the main character and her personality. It is part of who she is our Stella and why she needed this Paris journey to find her true self. Stella is a savvy intelligent engaging character who takes this journey to free herself from her past to be the person she never imagained she would be.

A favorite read of 2023 and I cannot wait for her next body of work. Well done to the author. Thank you to the publisher, Net Galley and the author for the consideration to review. My review opinions are my own.

The spoilers you will not read here as this has to be savored by each reader on their own.

Such a good story! I was able to relate to the MC in frugality and cautious living, but watching her let her hair down and make some frivolous, impulsive choices, truly shows how Stella is learning a little more about living. I enjoyed this!

This was a delightful book to read. I have read Ruth Reichl's memoirs, she is a fantastic writer, especially when it comes to food, and it works well in this novel too. Stella is living her life in NY as a drone, trying to be the opposite of her vibrant but unloving mother. When her mother dies, she leaves Stella a ticket to Paris where her adventures begin. It feels like Dorothy waking up in Oz and the movie switching from black and white to Technicolor. The cast of characters Stella meets in Paris in the 1980s is wonderful - a mix of real life and fictional. The food scenes are mouth watering, as are the arts and scenery. I couldn't put the book down.

This book was simply a delight!

I loved the descriptions of Paris, the art, fashion and the food!

If you are looking for a book that will take you on a journey in Paris, with engaging characters and descriptions of Paris that make you feel as if you are there, then this book is for you!

Oh dear. My absolute favorite memoir author, so honest when she's writing about her life, such sensuality in her descriptions of food, so knowledgeable about the thing that made her famous. But this, her second foray into fiction, is not her best work.

I love any and all things Paris, so this book was a no brainer for me. Stella goes through somewhat of a mid life crisis after her estranged mother dies and leaves her a one way plane ticket to Paris. She opens her heart to new experiences, people, and more. I loved getting to follow her journey and live vicariously through her during her time in Paris!

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this wonderful book.

I loved this book. Both the descriptions of Paris and the food were marvelous. The main character, Stella, was well developed and humanly flawed but her emotional growth was believable. The only thing I found unlikely, is that a person who does not even care about food at the beginning, is an above competent "chef" in a very short time. It is fiction after all and I would recommend this book.
A copy of this ARC was provided for me by NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.

There’s nothing better than relaxing with a delightful book feeling the wonders of amazing art and fashions in the beautiful city of Paris. It’s the place to find mouth-watering delicacies and the possibility of a sweet romance.

The story is all about 33-year-old Stella in the 1980s who is single and shy. She craves safe environments and enjoys reading at home. She has worked for years as a copy editor in NYC and her boss tells her she needs a vacation – allowing six weeks off!

When her mother passed, she left her a few thousand dollars with the stipulation of going on a trip to Paris and spending it all there. Stella was a little confused why her mother wanted her to go to this city. She always wondered who her father was and would he be there?

Soon after she arrived, she decided to let her hair down. She met lots of interesting people including an older gentleman at a bar. They instantly became friends although she was nervous at first for her safety of being alone with him. However, it worked out and he took her to top-rated restaurants. She also made new friends in an established bookshop – people that stayed overnight when they had no other place to go. They were called “tumbleweeds” as they moved around without having roots.

Ruth Reichl is well known for her nonfiction books featuring gourmet specialties so it was no surprise to find Stella exploring new flavors. It felt like she was a female version of the late Anthony Bourdain tasting foods that were cooked to please. This was one lucky girl as she was also outfitted in beautiful Dior clothes.

This book is perfect for readers that want to immerse themselves into a woman’s life stepping into the unknown in a city with lots of history. It’s easy to imagine what the characters looked like with the wonderfully descriptive details. The end comes fast on the predictable side but who cares as this is such a fun-loving, engaging story.

My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of April 30, 2024.

Delightful novel about a journey of self discovery. Some of the plots feel a bit forced halfway through the book, and the ending feels a bit rushed, but overall I still enjoyed reading it. Ruth Reichl has a wonderful way of describing food, and the food descriptions are definitely one of the best parts about the book.

The almost immediate childhood sexual abuse of the main character really cast a black pall over beautiful writing and gorgeous descriptions.

I wish I had been able to enjoy this more.

This was my first time reading the author, and while this particular book was an "alas" for me, I will definitely read more of her works.


Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the DRC

When Stella’s estranged mother dies, she is left with an inheritance: a one-way ticket and a note from her mother reading, “Go to Paris.”

Stella has been stuck in her ways and has always been afraid to stray from her routines and daily normalcy. But with the urging of her boss, she decides to take the leap and follow her mother’s direction.

Once in Paris, her frugal way of living continues until she stumbles upon a dress hanging in a vintage shop. Once purchased, this dress sets her on a whirlwind adventure where she finds herself immersed in the art and culinary world. For once, she feels free to try new things and meet new people.

But it all comes back to her inheritance and why her mother urged her to go to Paris. Was there something here she needed to discover, or was this the trip she needed to finally live her life?

I adored this novel from the beginning. The characters were cozy and felt like old friends, while the setting was reminiscent of a peaceful vacation. Everything about this book was relaxing and enticing. From the detailed culinary perspective to the hazy Paris scene, I could have continued to gobble it up for another three hundred pages.

Excellent plot, beautiful setting, and is just fantastic overall.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m going to start off by saying that I have greatly enjoyed Ms. Reichl’s memoirs - from “Tender at the Bone” through “Save Me the Plums.” “The Paris Novel” is my second dip with her into fiction and I have to say that while Ms. Reichl’s imagination is greatly appreciated - and her descriptions of food wonderful - I had a number of issues with this book. First, trigger warning - skip chapter 2. The child molestation scene is not necessary to the book - and honestly it bothered me a lot as I was expecting more mentions of how it affected Stella’s life [the one place he was mentioned later seemed over the top as anyone meeting a strange older guy in a foreign city would have Spidey-Senses tingling]. Second, while I greatly enjoyed seeing Stella mature, relax, meet people, and create a new life in Paris - at times this book seemed like a string of happy incidents. Granted, sometimes it does happen to people, but there were a lot of them in this book one thing after another. Third - the pacing seemed off at times - the beginning was a bit slow and toward the end it sped up pretty quickly once the chef is introduced. Fourth - I loved Jules and Lucie. I think we all need an older, kind gentleman in our lives who has connections but doesn’t flaunt them or want anything in return but to hang out with friends and appreciate people. If you’re fortunate enough to find someone like that, you’re a lucky person. Lucie was a breath of fresh air in this book - I loved her joie de vie and her play acting antics were a delight to read. I think without Chapter 2, I’d probably give this book four stars [a bit reluctant, but I’d round up]. With the chapter included, it’s a solid 3 - because it’s NOT a necessary chapter/scene. I’d say at times this book read more like an ode to the culinary delights of Paris - so if Ms. Reichl’s descriptions of food delight you, read this book. If a delayed “self discovery” book is your thing, this book may also interest you. Personally, I’ll continue reading Ms. Reichl’s non-fiction books - though I do encourage her fiction works as I believe she has gained a new audience in that genre.

I’m a foodie at heart and I liked this one . I loved learning about Paris and the author has a wonderful engaging writing style that I’ve loved before.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for letting me review this book

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this E-arc for my honest review.
While I’ve read other books by Ruth Reichl, I had difficulty finishing this one. It was enjoyable to learn about Paris and the various types of foods yet the lengthy descriptions of both was over the top for me. I felt like I was reading food reviews and travel guides for visiting Paris. Very slow read for me which is unusual and I honestly dozed off more than once.