Started out really strong with a great opening scene, but I found most of the book to be not that interesting. Stella was a frustrating character. There was a good (small) twist that I enjoyed and it was readable enough, just not my favorite.

Stella and Adam are a match made in heaven, and their European jaunt ending in Paris is proving to Stella how much she loves him. Until tragedy strikes. A bomb goes off at a cafe where Adam was, and Stella is left to grieve and navigate his death in a foreign country. But as she looks for clues as to what happened to her husband, she starts to realize maybe he wasn't the person she thought he was. What she discovers about him--and while dredging up her own past--will change everything forever.

This book was so fun, and I loved all the callouts to European destinations (hey, Bilbao!) It felt like I was actually there with Stella and Adam as they traipsed the continent.There were also plenty of twists and turns along the way. There were points where I thought I knew where the book was going, and then I was completely wrong, which was great! We're learning about Adam's history along with Stella, feeling her heartbreak, and watching her dig deep to do hard things.

If you like travel married with suspense and mystery, this one is for you!

First time I have read this author. What a great book! Page turning, suspenseful, a great story! Told in alternating points of view and gives a glimpse of the main characters past. I will definitely read this author again.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reading copy of this book.

When Stella met Adam, she thought she had finally found a nice, normal guy—a welcome change from her previous boyfriend and her precarious jetsetter lifestyle with him. But her secure world comes crashing down when Adam goes missing after an explosion in the city square. Unable to reach him, she panics.

As the French police investigate, it’s revealed that Adam was on their radar as a dealer of rare and stolen antiquities with a long roster of criminal clients. Reeling from this news, Stella is determined not to leave Paris until she has the full story. Was Adam a random victim or the target of the explosion? And why is someone following her through the streets of Paris?

This book has so many unexpected twists and turns! No one can be trusted!

4 out of 5 ⭐️

Stella has come to Paris to join her husband Adam for a few days, as he has been there working the past several weeks. They take this time for Stella to show Adam all her favorite spots from when she was a flight attendant previously. While on their last day there they go to a little place hidden away to have some lunch when they have to leave and hurry back to the hotel to make their flight. Adam states he left his sunglasses and will meet her at the hotel shortly.....then BOOM the explosion happens and the book REALLY takes off.

This is a thriller mixed with espionage, blood artifacts and twists at every turn. Who was Adam really? What past does Stella have that is coming back to haunt her now. The closer that Stella gets to finding out the truth, there is another shocking discovery. Who is your friend, who is the enemy? There is so much tension and excitement all balled into one with this book. Kimberly Belle knows how to weave a story that will make you want to turn the page.

Get this book and add it to your TBR when it publishes in June, you will not regret it.

Review:
If you are looking for a fast-paced domestic thriller this summer, this book is for you! This adrenaline thriller has it all; intrigue, betrayal, greed, secrets, and twists galore. This cat and mouse thriller is a high tension, binge worthy read. I can easily see this being adapted into a movie. The story is about a relatable dream vacation trip turned into a nightmare. Stella is left questioning everything she knows about her spouse and the reader is along for the ride on Stella’s adventure. Stella is likeable, plausible, and easy to root for character. The ending is surprising and satisfying.

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row Books for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Paris Widow by Kimberly Belle is a story of twists and turns where you can trust no one, even the narrator. Everyone has secrets and they start to unravel a little at a time, which kept me glued to this story from the first page to the last!

The Paris Widow delivers a captivating blend of suspense, romance, and adventure against the picturesque backdrop of Paris and other European locales. Stella's journey from a seemingly stable relationship with Adam to the chaos of his disappearance hooks readers from the start. The exploration of the black market and the art world adds depth to the plot, offering a glimpse into the darker side of society.

One of the highlights of the book is its vivid setting and the amazing travel it provides. From the charming streets of Paris to other alluring European destinations, the author skillfully transports readers to each location, making them feel like they're right there alongside the characters.

The dual points of view from Adam and Stella provide valuable insights into their characters, enhancing the narrative and keeping the pages turning. Despite a few plot holes, the story remains engaging enough to keep readers guessing until the very end.

Overall, The Paris Widow is a gripping read that combines mystery, romance, and adventure in equal measure. Fans of suspenseful thrillers will find much to enjoy here, especially those who appreciate a richly detailed setting and a compelling cast of characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

The Paris widow by Kimberley Belle
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing!
A couples vacation turns deadly after an explosion occurs in the city center of Paris. Stellas husband is missing and her world comes to a frantic hault, when the truth starts trickling in about who she really married Stella is without words. Her husband Adam has been on the radar of the authorities as an arms dealer and smuggler of rare antiques.

This was a fast paced read although it fell flat in my eyes. There were holes in the plot and the character was unoriginal. It was a fast read though and kept my attention for the most part.

Secrets and lies...

Both Stella and Adam have travelled the world. But now is their chance to have an adventure and enjoy a trip across Europe together. After an amazing lunch in a small French Bistro the two are rushing back to the hotel to check out. Adam realizes he forgot his sunglasses. He heads back to the restaurant while Stella stays continues on to the hotel.

BOOM💥

An explosion goes off just blocks from Stella. In fact it was the direction of the restaurant.
Frantic now Stella heads into the melee in search of Adam.

But he’s missing...

Now it’s up to Stella to find answers. But the closer she gets the more she realizes that there may be more behind this bombing. Is Stella safe?

This was a very captivating thriller from one of my favorite authors. Kimberly Belle knows how to boost the tension to create an exciting and suspenseful read.

Do I recommend this book? Absolutely! If you enjoy a good fast paced thriller then you no further! This is your perfect summer (or anytime) read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row and St. Killer Crime Club.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Does the past find a way of creeping back to haunt you? It was supposed to be a dream vacation turn into a nightmare. After reinventing herself with a normal boyfriend with a change in lifestyle the trip was supposed to be ideal until he suddenly goes missing. Is it a nightmare of something more sadistic or did he leave on his own? It is a delicious thriller of a story that will keep you guessing.

I loved The Paris Widow, a novel of suspense and intrigue. Newlyweds Stella and Adam are enjoying a wonderful day in Paris until Adam returns to the square where they'd been sitting to retrieve sunglasses just as a bomb goes off. Is Adam dead? Stella wonders as she uncovers her husband's secret life that strangely converges with an event in her own past. Fast-paced yet introspective, The Paris Widow kept my interest from the first page to the last.

If your summer plans do not include a three-week European vacation, this book will let you experience one, albeit with much more adventure than you would have planned! Stella Knox joins her husband Adam in some great locations—including Malta, Bilbao, Amsterdam, Capri, and Luxembourg—but then on their last day in Paris a bomb goes off in the square where they just ate lunch. And Adam is nowhere to be found. As Stella lives through the horrible hours and then days that follow, she discovers that Adam was not exactly who he appeared to be. As she delves deeply into discovering who he was and what happened to him, the reader is brought along in this fast-paced and action-packed thriller that hooked me from the first page. I loved the European setting, especially the locales that were slightly off the beaten path, and the foray into the black market of art and antiquities. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Stella and Adam Knox are the stars of this book. They traveled to Paris where a bomb goes went in a cafe where Adam had gone back to retrieve his sunglasses. As far as the police are concerned, he was killed in that bombing. But Stella believes differently. She believes he was able to get away.

Adam is a dealer in antiquities. A lieutenant colonel goes to Stella and tells her that Adam is doing business on the black market. That he's been following him for the last 10 years. Stella has difficulty believing this but with further investigation finds it's true.

Adam is alive and is able to get a cell phone to Stella. He phones her and tells her to throw away her current phone. He tells her to only use the phone she's been given and to text him if she needs to get in touch with him. With all that she's found out about at him, she wants answers. He tells her to get on a plane and head back to Atlanta. She tells him she's not leaving without him. She tells him that she wants a face-to-face with him and that she wants answers. He makes a reservation for her on Delta airlines and tells her to be on it. But she refuses.

He has given her a heart necklace of glass. When she takes it off and shakes it, she realizes that something is inside of it. She breaks the glass and finds a SIM card. She's able to get into the card and finds lists of accounts for his business. She decides this is her bargaining chip. She contacts one of Adam's clients, Margot. This woman has it in for him and Stella feels that she can swap the SIM card for Adam's safety. When she gets to Margot's house Adam appears and all hell breaks loose. Adam gets shot.

The author takes the reader traveling with Adam and Stella through various parts of the world. The book is set in Paris and as I transversed through those streets with Stella, I felt like I was there. The author did a fine job of making the city come alive. One of the things I really loved about this book was that Stella didn't take any crap. She wanted answers from Adam and she refused to settle for anything less. Her refusal to go home showed she had backbone, she was a strong woman, which I appreciated. I find so many times in books that the lead character backs down. They appear spineless. I was glad that wasn't the case here. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It held my attention and kept me coming back for more. I gave it five stars.

THE PARIS WIDOW
Kimberly Belle

I love it when a book is great, and I get to come on here and tell you about it. It’s one of my favorite things to do.

THE PARIS WIDOW stars Stella on vacation with her wonderful husband Adam in the city of love, Paris. A few days into the vacation while perusing the shops and enjoying Rhône varietals Stella and Adam are separated and a building explodes with Adam in it.

Stella is now a widow and in a foreign country. She is still trying to put all the pieces together when the French police inform her that they have had Adam under surveillance and investigation for illegal antiquities dealings. All of this is almost too much for Stella to handle and there are so many questions she needs to find the answers to.

We follow as she investigates the explosion, her husband, and what she thought was her wonderful marriage and life. As the pieces start to come together the truth is as unbelievable as Paris is lonely.

Reading THE PARIS WIDOW felt like you were in the hands of a professional. Not her first rodeo, not her first sentence, not the first time she designed a twist, Belle surprised me with the evolution of her writing.

Getting better over time. Learning from prior writing what works and what works well. How to write a good book and make it better with editing and refining. How to write memorable characters who are multifaceted and as interesting as the storyline.

I had so much fun reading this and can’t wait to see what Belle does next.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for the advanced copy! It was a pleasure to read and provide feedback!

THE PARIS WIDOW…⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Paris Widow was a captivating read that devoured in just a few days. Stella, the protagonist, grabbed me from the very beginning. Her unwavering determination, bordering on stubbornness at times, felt refreshingly relatable. I found myself rooting for her as she navigated a whirlwind of secrets and danger.

The plot itself was a masterfully woven tapestry of intrigue. Kimberly Belle skillfully blended elements of domestic suspense with a dash of Parisian flair, thanks to the inclusion of well-placed French phrases. This unique combination kept me guessing and glued to the pages, eager to unravel the truth alongside Stella.

What truly sent this novel over the edge for me was the way Belle masterfully intertwined art and historical fiction. Her descriptions weren't just about art collecting; they peeled back the curtain on its potential for darkness. We weren't just in the realm of Picassos and Monets, but in the shadowy underbelly of the art world, where whispers of "blood antiquities" swirled. Belle's meticulous research seemed to unearth the very secrets of these coveted, often-illegal artifacts, transporting me directly into the heart of a world most only glimpse in headlines. It felt like I was unraveling the mysteries of some of our planet's most hidden treasures, alongside the ever-present danger that surrounds them.

Overall, The Paris Widow offered a thrilling escape, perfectly balanced with relatable characters and a captivating storyline.

I tend to enjoy Kimberly Belle‘s writing, so I was interested in The Paris Widow even before I read the blurb. Then I saw that the premise promised an international setting, an explosion and a husband with a secret life, and I wanted to read this story even more. And I have to say that this is probably my new favorite book written by this author! This is EXACTLY my kind of thriller: fast-paced, action-packed and highly engaging. And while things can be said about the credibility of it all, it sure provides you with an absolutely riveting and thrilling rollercoaster ride!

If you like thrillers with an international setting and/or travel element, you are in for a treat with The Paris Widow. This story takes you to different locations in Europe, although the main country is France. The descriptions make it feel as if you were part of the couple’s journey, and I liked what the travel element added to the plot in general. Like I said, the story is mainly set in France though, and the majority in its capital Paris. I loved how important this city was in the plot, and the use of French phrases only helped give the setting authenticity.

The Paris Widow uses a dual POV structure to tell the story, with a mystery POV right at the beginning as well (although it’s pretty obvious who it is). We have chapters told from Stella’s POV in the present set in Paris, and there are flashbacks to certain dates in the recent past told from Adam’s POV and in different locations in Europe. Stella’s POV is where the real action is and feels more urgent, while Adam’s POV is mostly to help explain exactly what he was up to. His POV was great for adding an ominous vibe to it all though!

The plot is structured in such a way that you are in the same situation as the main character Stella; clueless about what her husband was really like and in the dark about what was happening after the explosion. This made it so much easier to create a bond with Stella, and I literally couldn’t stop reading as I HAD to know the full truth. Adam’s chapters were a nice touch as well, as it gave us that travel element with multiple European locations as well as little hints at what he was hiding. I had such a great time following Stella as she tried figuring everything out, and I think her character is part of the reason this story works so well.

I do have to say that The Paris Widow is one of those stories where you definitely have to be able to suspend your disbelief to be able to enjoy it, because especially the second half is quite over the top and not exactly credible. It sure makes for an extremely entertaining ride though, and there is plenty of action and danger to be found lurking around every corner. High speed, high octane and exhilarating indeed! The way everything was wrapped up in the end was also quite convenient, but I think it fitted the rest of the story very well.

In short, if you are looking for a story that will deliver the thrill in thriller, The Paris Widow definitely fits the bill. It’s my new favorite Kimberly Belle story and I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed she will write similar stories in the future… I was hooked from the very first chapter!

What a high octane thriller! Edge of your seat, popcorn flying all over, nail biter! This was like watching a spy movie. Black market antiquities is the third largest criminal enterprise in the world. Now imagine your husband being the target of a bombing because of his involvement in it, AND you had no idea. What a wild ride of a book. This one had so many twists my neck hurts!

4.25 rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins Canada, and the author for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Paris Widow was propulsive and intriguing, as readers are swept into the dangerous black market of blood antiquities in Paris. I learned much about the underground selling and forging of rare architecture and heirlooms and the treachery involved, as this was based on real-world happenings. Still, Belle is an author of psychological thrillers and this one delivered as a wide comes to terms with what she doesn't know about her husband after a catastrophe befalls them in Paris. The suspense and excitement abound as we race to the finish with the protagonist, Stella, as she tries to uncover her husband’s secrets. Very different and intelligent thriller. Thank you to NetGalley andPark Row for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This talented author has written a page turner. Mystery and intrigue. Realistic characters. The story moves quickly. Thanks Netgalley