Member Reviews
I have read several books by this author and she never seems to disappoint! I really enjoyed reading this book because it kept me on the edge of my seat and I never really knew quite what was going to happen next. This was a book was easily finished in a day and a half. I know what book is good when I want to spend my lunch break reading instead of having my lunch! Kimberly, you did it again!
Amazing book! This Author is an automatic read for me. The world could have stopped and I would not have noticed. I was so invested in this book. An idyllic vacation, an explosion, a wife looking for her husband and answers. The best book and I have read everything this Author has written. Put this book at the top of your TO BE READ list. I highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book.
“The Paris Widow” by Kimberly Belle is yet again another fantastic book by Ms. Belle! It is an action packed and super suspenseful novel that is based on the scary world of blood antiquities. I don’t want to give anything away about the story but I can tell you that you will be rooting for the characters a married couple, she a caterer/past stewardess and he an antiques dealer. After 4 years of marriage they take a romantic trip to Europe and find themselves in a bombing in Paris. From here be prepared to give up food and sleep as you will put off real life to finish this thriller! I had so much fun reading this book, I highly recommend 5 gold stars!!
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Note: Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for this ARC.
This was a fast paced thriller filled with action, artifacts and unreliable characters.
There were moments where the writing felt juvenile, but overall I think this would make a fun TV show to watch especially with the European landscape and stunning artwork. I think some more history around the artifacts would have added value to the storytelling and there were still a couple of loose ends that needed tying up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for this opportunity.
Stella and Adam are in France for what Stella thinks will be an amazing vacation, filled with good food, scenery, and lazy days in bed. But Stella is sadly mistaken when a bomb goes off at a restaurant they just finished dining at and Adam went back to retrieve his sunglasses.
Stella makes all the necessary moves to find Adam and also discovers a lot of surprises along the way. Stella and Adam haven’t been the most honest couple.
Aside from the bonging, I found the book to be a slow burn. There was too much repetition of the story. I also found the history of the artifacts to be a snooze. It became confusing if they were real or replicas. To which I ended up not caring one way or another.
Usually Belle’s typical domestic thrillers wrap me in but this was different for her but missed the mark for me.
The Paris Widow by Kimberly Belle is an action-packed and suspenseful novel that delves into the dark and dangerous world of the blood antiquities trade. With its intricate plot, well-developed characters, and atmospheric setting, this book keeps readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. I was a little uncertain about Adam - he harbored a lot of secrets that unfolded and I was a little unsure about his true intentions and loyalties.
I liked Stella a lot - she was a strong and determined woman and you couldn't help but root for her. The author excelled in describing the explosion scene and Stella's reaction. The way Belle portrays the intensity and chaos of the Paris bombing was vivid and gripping, immersing the reader in the harrowing experience. The author's attention to detail allows readers to visualize the scene and feel the shock and fear that Stella experiences. Through Stella's perspective, readers are able to empathize with her fear, confusion, and determination to find her husband Adam.
The blood antiquities trade was actually a topic totally unfamiliar to me. I do feel like Belle delivered an authentic, believable and immersive story.
The Paris Widow is a gripping and suspenseful novel that will appeal to fans of action-packed thrillers. Kimberly Belle's skillful storytelling, combined with the atmospheric setting and well-developed characters, make this book a compelling read.
Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row and NetGalley for my advanced copy of the Paris Widow. Belle is a favorite author of mine and this book was excellent.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
This is my first Kimberly Belle book so I didn't know what to expect, but the premise sounded interesting and I just couldn't resist that book cover. I was hooked from the very beginning. It's action packed with betrayal and dirty secrets. Plus it takes place on the streets of Paris. I cleared my schedule for the entire afternoon so that I could finish this because I was so intrigued by the story. I could see this being made into a movie. This is easily a 5 star read for me!
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
—Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
One of my favorite authors blurbed it, so i had to read it.
I love reading thrillers about established couples. There were so many mini twists and turns. I liked it. I just was able to guess the twist so it didn’t impact me as much.
4/5
This book started out strong but disappointed me toward the middle and end. It felt like there were too many characters and plotlines. By the end of the book, it seemed like I barely remembered where we started and how we got here.
📜The Paris Widow
✍️Kimberly Belle
📠Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row
📚Mystery/Thriller, Fiction
🗓️Pub date: June 11, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✨Thank you @NetGalley and @parkrowbooks for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to @kimberlysbelle (and I mean this in the best way possible) for always killing me with your words 🤩
✨Stella is thrust into a deadly attack as she finishes up her Paris vacation with her beloved husband, Adam, and a bomb explodes in the city. Lost and terrified, she tries to retrace her steps to find Adam amongst the wreckage and bodies.
✨Adam happens to already be on the Paris law enforcement’s radar as a high-end antiquities dealer, and is known to have done business with a long roster of criminals.
✨As the investigation unfolds and Stella stays in Paris to hopefully learn the truth, she has to wonder if Adam was the target of the bombing or just another unfortunate victim.
✨With looming threats, someone following her, and the dangers of lingering in Paris becoming more apparent, Stella must make a terrifying decision—run or stay.
✨I don’t even know where to begin with this book—I’m in total awe and will shout this book’s title from every rooftop. Kimberly Belle only gets better with every book she writes. The tension is breathless, pacing is perfection, and the twists left me on the edge of my seat! The Paris Widow is a 5 star winner! Amazing 👏🏻 job 👏🏻
✨QOTD: Have you been to Paris?
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I really enjoyed this one. It was very action packed and flowed nicely. I have read other books by this author which I liked, but I think this one is my favorite so far.
Imagine you're Stella. You're on a buying trip/vacation with your beloved husband about to fly home, a bomb goes off, suddenly your husband is missing and presumed dead. Then the police begin to question you about illegal activities they believe your husband was involved in. Who do you trust? Where do you turn? Read this one to find out Stella and Adam's story.
Kimberly Belle has absolutely done it again - she has another winner on her hands with THE PARIS WINDOW. She does a remarkable job of delivering suspenseful stories that feel fresh, never stale. With this one, I particularly enjoyed the Paris setting and the inclusion of art and antiques.
Stella is a fun and relatable character, and I enjoyed trying to figure out the puzzle of what Adam was up to.
The pacing is spot-on for this genre.
Kimberly Belle is at the top of her game.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC; all opinions in this review are my own.
Wow, what a book!! I can't stop thinking about Kimberly Belle's latest masterpiece, The Paris Widow. This fast-paced mystery/thriller hooks you immediately and takes you on an adrenaline-pumping ride. The plot is jam-packed with twists and turns that will keep your mind racing the entire way through. I rarely finish a book in one sitting anymore, but I literally could not put my Kindle down so I spent an entire day devouring this gem! The Paris Widow is 5 star novel and is most definitely one of my top favorite mystery/thrillers for 2024.
This author is one of my favorites and this book was spectacular! I was hooked from the first few pages. The story grabbed me and i had no idea the twists it would take!!!
Kimberly Belle has long since become one of my favorite authors, and The Paris Widow is not only an extremely suspenseful read, but is also very cinematic. I loved the story of a devoted wife trying to solve the puzzle of her husband’s disappearance, no matter how high are the stakes.
When Stella met Adam, she was a few weeks out of a breakup with a dangerous man. Adam was a welcome change - a steady, dependable man who was positively giddy over his antique business. When Adam disappears in a seemingly random explosion on their Paris vacation, Stella panics. As the French police investigate, it becomes clear Adam was on their radar as a black market dealer in the antique world, working with high profile and dangerous criminals. Stella can’t believe this is the same man she knew. But with him presumed dead, she must face the fact that whoever was after her husband may be after her next.
I have loved every book I have read by Kimberly Belle but this may be my favorite yet! The setting in Paris was magical and the element of art/history added an extra layer to the mystery Stella found herself at the center of. From the first few pages, I was drawn into this story, trying to figure out just what Adam was involved with, and what was going to happen to Stella. It was an intense game of cat-and-mouse for Stella as she tried to get to the truth without getting caught up by husband’s dealings.
The pacing was perfect, and I finished this book in two sittings - I simply couldn't put it down!
Thank you to Kimberly Belle, Netgalley and HTP/Park Row Books for the ARC! “The Paris Widow” releases June 11, 2024. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)
From Atlanta to Paris to other dazzling cities in Europe Kimberly Belle weaves another heart-pounding tale of love, intrigue, deceit that I could not stop reading.
Adam and Stella seem the idyllic couple on an amazing trip across Europe. But one day an explosion near a cafe in Paris sends Stella looking for answers and running to save her life.
This book has so many amazing twists and turns and I loved every minute of it!!! Kimberly Belle is one of my favorites and she absolutely does not disappoint with this book!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin/Park Row Books for the honor to read and review this amazing book!!!
I'm a huge fan of Belle and this one kept me breathless all the way through! Stella and husband Adam are in Paris when an explosion rocks the city and Adam is missing. Is he dead or alive? And so begins a fascinating cat-and-mouse tale that spans years and takes us back to the beginning of their relationship. Stella knows Adam deals in expensive artifacts but she also comes to believe he is hiding something as there are too many unanswered questions about his disappearance and dodgy people seem to always know where she is. I loved every minute of it!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Publication date: June 11th, 2024
Page count: 320
Genre: mystery thriller
Setting: Paris
POV: Stella, Adam
Features: Paris, antiquity black market
Stella and Adam have been together for 4 years and just spent 3 weeks traveling Europe. Adam disappears when they are briefly separated and there is an explosion in Paris. During the investigation Stella discovers that Adam is suspected to be a dealer of black market antiquities, and works with very dangerous people. What happened to Adam? Is Stella safe?
The book is engaging from the beginning, and the fast pace kept me hooked. Although I am not typically a fan of international cat- mouse chases, I could not put this one down! The story masterfully unfolded!
Thank you to author, publisher, NetGalley for advanced audio copy. This is an honest voluntary review.
Kimberly Belle has written another thriller that drew me right in&kept me turning the pages.So many twists and turns s o well written the twists and turns kept guessing til the last page. #Netgalley # harlequin