The Paris Widow was a thrill seeking page turner that had me interested since the prologue! I thought this was going to be more thriller but it ended up being more mystery (which I’m not mad at). The blood antiquities aspect was very interesting and I’ve never read a book about something like that! The dual pov I felt wasn’t really necessary seeing as the husbands pov didn’t really add anything to the story (for me). The game of cat and mouse is always interesting and the fast pace of the book meshed everything well together.

Kimberly Belle does a fabulous job immersing the reader into the dangerous world of black market art and antiquities, set upon the lush glamorous Parisian scenery. The Paris Widow focuses on Stella and Adam enjoying a European vacation, until the unspeakable occurs and there is a bombing at a cafe where Adam goes missing. Throughout her frantic search, Stella uncovers many secrets and lies and soon realizes her husband isn’t the person she thought he was, and discovers his connections to the unsavoury underworld of stolen art.

Read this if you like:
-face paced thriller/mystery of international intrigue
-glamorous European setting of Paris, Malta and Italy
-questionable characters which leave you wondering who to trust
-multiple timelines with intersecting storylines
-clever twists and turns with a satisfying ending
- seeing a glimpse of the ultra wealthy, criminal underworld of stolen antiquities as well as the work of people who are part of the repatriation process
-novels that would make an excellent movie or series due to it cinematic appeal

My rating 4 out of 5

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing Park Row for this eARC that will be released June 11 2024.

THE PARIS WIDOW by Kimberley Belle.
On sale June 11/24

Stella and her husband, Adam, are enjoying their last day in Paris before they fly back to Atlanta. They have a wonderful lunch at an out of the way bistro and on their way back to the hotel, Adam says he has left his sunglasses on the table. They agree to meet back at the hotel.

As Stella is wandering back to the hotel, a huge explosion happens and she knows it came from the direction of the bistro, and Adam. Rushing back she is met with the horrific scene, with people bleeding, covered in debris and some lying dead on the grass. She screams for Adam, over and over, but cannot find him. A journalist sees her and films her and asks if she has a photo of the missing husband….

What follows is a thriller like no other thriller… Stella is followed through the streets of Paris, she is approached by police, a man from the American Embassy and she finds out her husband is not the person she thinks he is..

The Paris Widow is a thriller about a woman who, while on a trip to Paris, finds out her husband and life isn't exactly the truth.

Stella and Adam, a married, couple are on a European vacation. While in Paris, Adam is a victim of a horrific accident. As Stella tries to put the pieces together of what happened to Adam, she finds herself caught up in a dangerous world built on deceit, lies, and murder.
The book goes back and forth between Adam's and Stella's POV, Stella is the more dominant character, and she has more chapters. She is also a more developed character. Adam’s chapters were flat and not necessarily needed. Stella is a strong lead and when her past is finally revealed things start to move quickly. There were a fer plot holes, but the overall feel of the book and the art black market were really fascinating, and I was left wanting to know more about that world. I loved the acknowledgements, definitely read those.

This is my first book by Kimberly Belle and I would definitely read another. I think this would be a great summer, or any time of year read. It was definitely a quick read that caught my attention and I did not want to put down. I would highly recommend it to my suspense with plot twist loving crowd.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the digital arc copy.

Thank you NetGalley, Park Row Books and Killer Crime Club for an advanced copy of the Paris Widow.

I love Kimberly Belle's books and this one did not disappoint.
The Paris Widow is a must-read summer thriller! This fast-paced novel has it all: stunning Parisian scenery, romance, and tantalizing secrets. With its gripping plot and vivid descriptions, it’s easy to imagine this book being adapted into a movie or limited series, evoking the sophisticated intrigue of "The Thomas Crown Affair."



Thank you once again!

Happy Reading!

I received at complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.
This book hits the ground running with action right from the very first page. Stella spends the whole book running around Paris trying to figure out if the love of her life was actually killed in a bombing at a cafe. The questions keep piling up and after several warnings she just doesn't know who to trust. There is lots of action and international intrigue and I flew through this book!

A fun sweet read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC.

Another winner from Kimberly Belle! I've come to really love her writing style. Her books read quickly, are fast paced with just the right amount of action, have some clever twists and turns, and have a good amount of mystery.

I liked that this was a thriller that also dealt with some art history. It was really cool the way the story came together and while I don't know much about the art world, it felt very well researched to me. This was an excellent and entertaining read that I recommend picking up!

Stella Knox's life is shattered when her husband, Adam, goes missing during an explosion in Paris. But what she uncovers while searching for him in the aftermath will send her on the trail of blood antiquities dealers, money launders, ruthless assassins, international law enforcement, and the ultra-wealthy.

The Paris Widow is a cinematic thriller that I devoured in the space of an afternoon and which I barely put down. Set across some of Europe's most beautiful scenery, Stella's search for Adam makes your heart race. As the story unwinds, you learn that no one is who they seem and that no one has their hands clean. The intersecting storylines help paint a picture of the shadowy underground of antiquities smuggling and the lengths that dealers and buyers will go to horde priceless artifacts.

When I say cinematic, I mean it. It's hard not to picture this book as a movie or limited series. The stunning locales, the rich tapestry of characters, the action and suspense--it is all tailor-made for a blockbuster, and I would definitely be the first to watch it.

This is my first Kimberly Belle book and I'll be hard-pressed not to devour her back catalog now.

* Thank you to Park Row and NetGalley for access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

I would read this womans grocery lists if given the chance. One of my favourite suspense novel authors. Everything she writes is a masterpiece.

I enjoyed the way the twists unraveled in this entertaining and atmospheric mystery. I really loved how the ending wrapped up.

Thank you to NetGalley, Park Row and Kimberly Belle for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Paris Widow.
I love the settings presented in this new mystery/thriller. The descriptions of Paris, Malta, and Italy put me in travel mode on a delightful romp around Europe.
Basically, this type of story is not for me. The characters are unlikeable, flat and untrustworthy. I was not rooting for anyone, no matter what they said or did. I am not interested in the validity of historical artifacts. I know it can be controlled by deceitful, dishonest people along with those that are truly committed to their careers. This story contained so many deceptions, lies and convoluted stories that I lost interest early and didn't care who was telling the truth. Most decisions seem to be made for acquiring tons of money which gets very repetitive,
I felt removed from the story as it continued; more telling than showing and just wanted it to end. I am a character driven reader and just needed more in the beginning to encourage me to feel invested.

Adam travels quite a bit for his job as an antiquities dealer, and sometimes his wife Stella joins him. They are in France when there is an explosion and Adam is missing. Stella tries to get everyone to look for him but she is met up various unseemly characters. What is really going on.

Stella and Adam are in Paris, part of their perfect European vacation, when Adam accidentally leaves his sunglasses in a café. He runs back to get them and Stella leaves to collect their suitcases from the hotel so they will be ready to leave for the airport. Then a sudden, devastating explosion destroys the café. Many are killed or injured and Adam is among the missing. Stella’s teary pleas for information about Adam on TV go viral and she becomes “The Paris Widow” To further complicate her life, the police question her about Adam’s business dealings. She knows him to be an antique dealer but the police have been investigating Adam’s link to sales of stolen, valuable antiquities. Stella knows nothing about this but she realizes that the explosion may have been deliberate and, if Adam was the intended victim, she may be next. She contacts the one man who can help her…if she can trust him.

The Paris Widow is another best seller from Kimberly Belle. Paris is the perfect location for dangerous locations, dark alleys, shadowy antique shops and more. The plot is full of unexpected surprises as Stella (and the reader) learn to trust no one. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Park Row Books and Kimberly Belle for this ARC.

Stella and Adam are on a whirlwind romantic vacation traipsing across Europe when the unthinkable happens. Adam is lost during a bombing in a Paris cafe. As Stella desperately tries to find any trace of Adam, she learns that his past is far more dark and complicated than she thought. The Paris Widow will transport you to a world of high-profile crime and the blood antiquities trade. I found this book to be fresh and different, while still holding a lot of suspense. I didn't particularly love the ending, but I respect the author's choice for closing the way she did. Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest feedback.

3.5 stars. This is another winner from Kimberly Belle. Stella is able to accompany her husband Adam, a dealer in rare artifacts and antiquities, on a multi-week European business trip that ends in Paris. An explosion in a cafe during the last few hours they are supposed to be in Paris turns Stella’s world upside down and throws her into hotbed of suspense, secrets, intrigue and betrayal that should keep you turning pages. Despite a few plot loopholes, this is a very entertaining thriller that makes for a really good summer read!

This was a really interesting mystery and it kept me guessing and intrigued the entire time I was reading. Stella’s trip turned out to be a lot more than she bargained for and I enjoyed all the twists and turns that this mystery took. This was the first time I had ever read anything by this author and I would highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book!
Stella and Adam are (by all appearances) the perfect couple, but their dream vacation across Europe turns deadly when secrets from their past catch up to them.
The characters are multi-dimensional, the pace is fast and addictive, the setting feels real, and the twists are fun (though I did see a few coming).
Definitely recommend if you're looking for a fun and fast read!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-arc.

Fast paced page turner. Really enjoyed this novel. Loved the European Setting. Good mystery with twists and good ending.

Kimberly Belle has been one of my favorite authors for a reason. Having visited Europe recently for the first time and reading the Paris Window simultaneously was great. Understanding some French and the historical landmarks while Adam & Stella tell their stories from two different perspectives. I thoroughly enjoyed this read about stolen antiquities, the black market, lies, deceit, and of course murder. The story was quick paced and thrilling all at the same time. You’ll never guess the ending so just pick up a copy of “The Paris Window” and enjoy the ride.