Ruth Reichl created the perfect recipe for love and life and she has written it in this opus: a complete work of art. She has cooked up the perfect balance of bitter memories of a broken childhood, the sourness of a sad and dark past, the saltiness of making mistakes, and the sweet adventure of looking to the future filled with love and friendship.

Her prose is simple and straight forward but she delivers a poignant story that immerses the reader into walking beside the character and feeling everything that she is feeling. Paris in Stella’s eyes slowly came to life from this dangerous and unknown place to a place where she calls home. The people in Paris are very much alive and filled with stories and humour that supported Stella’s life with out drowning her out.

This story is worth the read and worth coming back to!

I loved it! It was fresh and such a joy to read. It felt like a palette cleanser. I’m not convinced that everything added up and there was A LOT going on but for me, it worked and I enjoyed it, any book that transports me to Paris is a win and I loved reading the author’s note and hearing the reason behind including everything that she did.

I have read some of Ruth Reichl's work in the past and was excited to read this novel by her, and I really enjoyed it.

Stella has not had a very close relationship with her mother, so when she dies unexpectedly and Stella finds out her mother wanted her to travel to Paris, she feels skeptical. She decides to go and after spending a few weeks there, has a series of random encounters that sets her life on an entirely different path.

I enjoyed Stella's character -- she was sweet and I liked her tenacity. I really loved the side characters, especially Lucie and Jules. I loved the bookstore and all the descriptions of it, as well as the famous literary figures who made an appearance in the book.

And of course the food descriptions were incredible and made me want to eat all of it! I loved all the descriptions of Paris as well, and felt very transported there.

I would recommend this one to anyone who loves reading about food, found family, and Paris. Overall it was very sweet.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

“The Paris Novel” just didn’t really do it for me. It seemed like one that would be right up my alley but I found myself fairly bored with it.

I did love the descriptions of Paris and the food scene. Those saved the novel a bit for me. I just found the plot fairly predictable and uninteresting. I also didn’t ever get attached to Stella or any of the characters.

I do think that others will really enjoy this novel so don’t let me dissuade you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Although I’ve enjoyed Ruth Reichl’s previous work, I found The Paris Novel disappointing. The writing felt stilted and made it difficult for me to connect with the story. I also appreciated reading an early review that highlighted the graphic depiction of child sexual abuse in Chapter 2, which prepared me for its unsettling nature. Unfortunately, the detail felt excessive and did not contribute meaningfully to the plot. While I’ll always admire Reichl’s food writing, this book didn’t meet my expectations.

The cover is great and the premise is intriguing.
Spending an inheritance to explore France sounds amazing.
Food editor Reichl does a great job describing the foods and experiences of the main character.
Recommended for fans of her other work and J Ryan Stradhal

What a wonderful book! Ruth Reichl's descriptions of Paris, food, and love are mouthwatering. She makes you want to visit each and every place. I strongly recommend this title to anyone who loves food, travel, fashion, life!

The Paris Novel is enjoyable, and not at all what I thought it was going to be. I liked the idea of the search for the father while also searching for the paintings. I wasn't sure what I started reading but as I kept going I really got invested in the novel.

The descriptions of food, art, literature and fashion charmed me in this story about a woman who goes to Paris. Stella's mother's will sends her to Paris as part of her inheritance. Reichl evokes the senses through Stella's immersion into French culture. There are some sexual abuse scenes that are difficult but pertain to the plot of finding yourself and trusting others. A must read for armchair travelers as well as culture lovers.

Copy provided by the publisher and Netgalley

To me the book focused more on Paris and food than the story of Stella in Paris. It was well written but not for me. Thanks for the advanced copy NetGalley.

Paris has a magical way of inspiring and enchanting readers. The combination of personal growth, engaging characters, and the vibrant depiction of the city can make a story truly memorable. Food is another character in itself. Whether it’s the classic French pastries, savory dishes, or unique flavor pairings, there’s so much to explore from the descriptions offered up.

A very food forward, entertaining novel. I really enjoyed this one!

Stella's estranged mother, leaves her instructions upon her death - go to Paris. So she decides to go - and basically wastes a month there living a spartan lifestyle, same as she does back home. Her mother was super extra so Stella was determined to be the opposite - instead of enjoying life, she's held back and kept things orderly and neat. Until she happens upon a fabulous dress, and takes instructions from the store owner to take that dress out and experience Paris. That's when things start getting exciting - she meets so many interesting people and has so many adventures. The food descriptions are beautifully written and you can taste the briny oysters and the wines. There is a lot going on here, but it rolls along smoothly and kept me interested.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for my advanced readers copy.
There should have been a trigger warning before beginning the read. Childhood sexual abuse is a huge cause for the main characters lifestyle & fears. But I was not prepared for the fairly descriptive scene.
Stella's mom passes & leaves her a plane ticket to Paris. Stella has always played it safe, but goes to honor her mother. A dress changes her life.& Stella starts discovering who she is when she isn't living in fear.
Other than not being warned. I really enjoyed this read. The author is poetic in her descriptions of food & art.. I definitely want to go to Paris and see the art through her eyes & eat the food she describes. The storyline was unique & not like anything else I had read before.

I’d read Reichl’s nonfiction before but not any fiction. I’m so glad I did. This felt like the perfect little cozy story.

I like to start by thanking the author and the publisher for the chance to read this book. My friend and I both enjoyed this book and throughly enjoyed it. Great beach read.

This was a absolute joy to read. A young woman who had not been close to her recently deceased mother, goes to Paris at the directive of her late mother. There she learns what it is to really live. It was a delight to hear all of the details of French cuisine, vintage fashion, art history, the infamous Shakespeare & Company bookstore, and literary personalities. A cast of colorful characters, the French culture, and the fascinating plot made this a delight!

I struggled with this review, and have ultimately decided not to post it. I have loved Reichl's memoir and a novel of hers in the past, so truly looked forward to reading this.

I do not generally post bad reviews. I will give the book a rating if I read it (I rarely have a DNF). As a writer, I know how difficult it is to craft a story, so anyone who completes that task and publishes a book earns my respect. If I don't like the book, I don't feel the need to pile onto criticism online.

Having said that, I feel that the publisher should be aware that there are some deeply disturbing problems with this book. First, the completely graphic and gratuitous description of a child's sexual abuse in chapter two. At this point, if I hadn't read other books by Reichl, I would have stopped. This is not to say that the topic doesn't need exploring, understanding, etc., but a book positioned as a light fluffy romp through the Paris food scene is not the place for it.

Aside from this, I found the similarly graphic inclusion of the main character eating an ortolan—a practice that was made illegal in the EU in 1979—in a book that takes place in the 80s, abhorrent. I am a wide and varied eater, a carnivore, but this chapter was revolting.

The storyline, sadly, did not make up for any of this. The idea that someone becomes a food lover on the scale of the main character (replete with Ruth Reichl's extensive vocabulary to express it) was beyond implausible. Honestly, it's been a long time since I've been so disappointed in a book for so many reasons.

I enjoyed this book but fair warning it will leave you hungry and eager to book a trip to France as soon as possible. What a delightful story

I am a fan of Ruth Reichl and was excited for this book. I enjoyed all of the vivid setting details of Paris and following Stella through her journey. The pacing dragged a bit, that's why I'm not giving it five stars. Enjoyable nonetheless.

I really struggled with this one and ended up not finishing after multiple attempts. I just sadly could not connect with the characters and the plot line was a bit chaotic. I will definitely try again, but for right now - it was just not for me.