I really enjoyed reading the book, and found the plot compelling. I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5, as I felt the second half of the book would have benefitted from more detail on Stella and her past. I also felt this book could have used some more information on the motivation for the crimes committed. Regardless, I still enjoyed this book and would recommend this.

Before I begin, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Paris Widow was my first book by Kimberly Belle, but I found her writing style to be unique and easy-to-read. It took a few chapters for the book to draw me in and it was more of a slow-burn than anything, but overall I truly enjoyed it. I didn’t see the twists coming.

I absolutely loved this book. It was a page turner with intricate characters that kept you guessing until the end what would happen to all of them. Stella and Adam have a complicated relationship and their past involves a lot of secrets. I liked how the author weaved everything from their past into the present where you can see whether people can actually change or not. I wasn’t expecting the ending but was happy with it.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Enterprises for an early copy of The Paris Widow by Kimberly Belle

There will be no rest for the readers of The Paris Widow as main character Stella embarks on a journey to discover what has happened to her husband when he goes missing after a bombing in a Paris restaurant. When his body is not found among the bombing victims, questions immediately arise as Stella struggles to put pieces of husband Adam's secret life together while figuring out who to trust. Questions about possible DNA at the scene go unanswered. What appears as an Atlanta couple on a vacation jaunt in Europe will become something else entirely.

Belle's story does contain some predictable plotting, but at other times readers will be caught off guard as Stella works tirelessly to determine what could have happened to her husband as she enters the perilous world he appears to be a part of.

A connection to Oscar Wilde will come into play and become a backdrop for a satisfying conclusion.

Some of the computer/electronic procedures get too detailed, but readers will follow the results easily enough

Had me interested from the beginning! Kept my attention the whole time. Had to figure out what happened.

The cat-and-mouse plot of this thrilling book had a great pace, which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire read. I was so incredibly hooked that I read the entire thing in under 48 hours! The storyline was incredibly original and action-packed. I strongly suggest getting this one!

Thank you Netgalley for the free arc! I’m leaving this review of my honest opinion. I’m sorry to say I couldn’t finish this book. I started and stopped several times until I was at 50%. This wasn’t my taste per se, but all the reviews said it wasn’t their genre, but they ended up loving it. I thought the writing was good, I just couldn’t get into the storyline.

This book was surprisingly very good! I only selected this book because it is set in Paris. I love Paris and I was looking forward to reading about the landmarks, etc. However, the actual story was excellent. It was a lot more action/suspense than an actual mystery. It was clever and a little romantic. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read The Paris Widow.

Fast-paced and fun thriller. For some reason I kept thinking of the Beatles movie “Help”- danger everywhere, sexy and exotic locales, everyone looking for a mysterious gold ring…. Though the story was quick and breezy, I found the characters flat and not engaging. But I don’t think this was meant to be a character-driven story like “Dear Wife” was. This was just pure adrenaline and a wild ride. Thank you Netgalley and Kimberly Belle for the ARC and the opportunity to review this book.

Roller coaster of opinions on this book. Started really superficial. Got really interesting and surprising. Ended weirdly, with things not quite connecting and making sense. I liked it though, in the end. Solid, just could use some editing to clean it up before release.

I thought this was an incredible page Turner! It hooked me at the very beginning and kept me reading until the very last page. I will definitely recommend this one to friends!

Did you read that book?

The Paris Widow
By Kimberly Belle

Plot: 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?

Review: From the first chapter, I felt a pull to this story. Like one magnet to another, I couldn’t put this book down even if I wanted to. The writing was superb and I felt like I was walking along side the characters. The Paris setting elevated the storyline and added a level of suspense as American’s trying find their way out of a dramatic situation in another country. Cut off from your family and friends and forced to navigate both grief and shock all alone. The balance between Stella’s present and Adam’s past POV was a welcome surprise and a simple, yet impactful way to hold our attention. Kimberly clearly did her research, as the book felt authentic and accurate! 

If you are looking for a book with tons of twists and turns, with an epic conclusion, this is the must-have summer book for you!

The Paris Widow is out June 11th, 2024! Thank you to Kimberly Belle, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC copy of The Paris Widow.

Stella and Adam are on a fabulous vacation to France when Adam goes missing after an explosion. Stella is frantic to find him which only escalates as she learns her husband isn't quite who she thought he was. Was he an innocent bystander or a target of the bombing? Stella will stop at nothing to discover the truth. A page-turning, thriller full of twists!

I loved this book, kept me right on the edge of my seat! Definitely recommend, Kimberly Belle is one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint!

4.5 stars
I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. It had me sitting back wondering, then actively guessing and questioning what I knew, what might be true, where the story was going next. Just a lot of fun with more and more layers as the pages turned . I was intrigued by the very real world of black market sales of looted and stolen art and antiquities.

I'm excited to find a new-to-me author in this genre. I will definitely be seeking out more of Belle's books.

I liked this. I learned a lot about the dealing of and stolen antiquities. Stella and Adam are on vacation when Adam goes back to get his sunglasses from a restaurant. A bomb goes off and he goes missing. From there life for Stella is not what she thought. Adam went into hiding but she thought he died. He has been dealing in rare and stolen antiquities which is not what she thought. Stella can not trust anyone as she tries to figure out what is going on. I feel like this is a less twisty novel by Kimberly Belle but I still really enjoyed it. This novel was very much about the relationship between Stella and Adam and how they felt for each other despite all the lies and secrets. I am glad they got a happy ending even with all the chaos they endured.

Highly recommend this emotionally charged thriller set in Paris! A well developed plot with before and after timelines that keeps your heart racing from chapter to chapter. The twists and ending were great!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this one! It starts out with Adam and Stella in Paris enjoying a vacation and their perfect love. But is everything perfect? Although you’ll get no spoilers from me, suffice it to say I read this straight through because I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next! Fast paced and thrilling,
the book is filled with intriguing characters and beautifully descriptive pages of spots I would love to visit. I highly recommend this as something to read on the beach with a cold drink and a cafe nearby. Enjoy!

#TheParisWife
#BeachRead

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this advance copy

The Paris Widow is one of my favorite books of 2024. Stella is having the time of her life with her adoring husband on a Paris vacation. They get separated when hubby goes back to a restaurant to retrieve his cheapo sunglasses. A bomb goes off, and hubby is nowhere to be found.
The next thing we know, Stella is being questioned by authorities about her hubby's illegal activities. There are plenty of Signature Kimberly Belle twists and turns. I predict this will be the hit of the Summer.

Loved this one!!! This story takes place between mainly Stella and Adam and what has gone wrong in Paris and their life. They both have many secrets that neither of them know about but are starting to find out. Adam is missing and Stella isn’t so innocent. This book made me drop everything to read it. Really good.