Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in change for a honest review.
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish, was such heart warming romance read!
This book was the perfect combination of being set in Paris but also with the London elements in it, the scenes are written so well you can really picture it while reading.
Highly recommend this!

This was a funny, romantic story set in Paris!

Tessa, a romance writer, is struggling post-break up with Joe and dealing with a book deadline, but she doesn't have a story. She decides to take the Paris vacation they'd planned and use that time to get her head straightened up and her book written. When she arrives there, she finds Joe had passed on the vacation timeshare info to his best friend Ben, who arrived before she did. As it's Fashion Week, there aren't any open rooms until Ben's friend comes back into the city - so they decide to stay together and keep away from each other. Ben's there for a cookery class so he's gone most of the days. But they still have time to connect and a romance blossoms in the city of light and love. It's a sweet, spicy story and fun characters.

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

Rated 4.75/5

The writing was light, thought provoking and I easily got drawn into the story. There was quite a lot of hesitancy between the characters to create the will they, won't they, suspense.

I enjoyed that every so often there were text messages between the characters. That added another layer to the story and brought it up to date.

The chapters were fairly long, so you got a good chunk of the story before moving on. There was a good flow to the story making it easy to sit and read in a few sittings. There was a good pace to the book and, as I mentioned above, the hesitancy between the two main characters lengthened the story and created the suspense. Despite the hesitancy, the story kept moving forward well and there were a couple of little jumps in time that were seamlessly added in. I enjoyed the Epilogue at the end.

The characters were good. I liked that the main characters were both unsure about what they were about to embark on. It was nice to see the male main character showing hesitancy and wanting the female to show him that it was ok and that she was hesitant too. There was an equal balance in the relationship which I enjoyed. I also liked that there was a confident, mean character to add a bit of tension to the story. It really made me root for the main characters even more.

I enjoyed being on the main character's journey and watching how her confidence and self love grew. There were some lovely, thought provoking moments scattered throughout the book which added another layer to the story.

Lastly the settings. I love Paris. It was lovely being taken round it and watching the characters grow at the same time. The settings were only lightly described, but they were a big part of the characters' story.

Overall a lovely book. The only thing stopping me from giving it 5 stars was the length of the sex scenes. I found myself wanting to skip through them so that I could get on with the rest of the story.

NOTE My Blog post and other social media account reviews will be up tomorrow, 2 January 2025.

The Paris Chapter is a heartwarming adorable read that follows Tessa as she flees to Paris after a heartbreaking breakup. This book was sweet in all the great ways and it was my first time reading a book by this author and I’ll definitely be looking for many more.

A lovely lovely story set mainly Paris. You have a lying cheating x, an ace best friend , a mix up with a flat and an author who writes love stories . It is a great story and I loved it. A fab ending. Makes you want to go to Paris.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and the author for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest opinions.

Honestly, I really wanted to love this book. Tessa was a really annoying and pathetic FMC. Yeah, we get it: what Joe did to you was bad, stringing you along for all those months, and you find out he was cheating all along.

Yeah, I said it: Joe was an emotional abuser and a cheat! But Tessa, why give a man so much control post-breakup? You have a wonderful career, and you are letting Joe walk all over it like that; it is not acceptable! The sisterhood is not proud 😑.

I felt like Joe haunted me throughout my reading, every chapter Joe this, Joe that, like I was so angry. Fast forward to when you meet Ethan, who, for context, is Joe's best friend (HOW!!). Ethan was too sweet for the way Tessa treated him; my heart ached for him. I didn't even like the way when Ethan did something nice for Tessa, she would start thinking sometimes, saying how Joe didn't do anything like that for her. It is not a competition!!

Overall, apart from the strong friendships displayed in this novel, I couldn't be more concerned about Tessa and Ethan; in fact, I don't see how they can be together. Ok, my rant is over now. 😐☹.

Thank you once again for the e-ARC.

Thank you @netgalley and @boldwoodbooksnl for this ARC. I was so grateful for the chance to read another title by Victoria Walters after loving The Plot Twist.

I loved skipping away to Paris with Tessa, who is a romance author recovering from a horrible break up with the man she thought she would end up with. When she decides to stick with a trip they had planned together and go to the city of love alone, she is shocked to find the rented apartment occupied by no other than her ex’s best friend, Ethan. Ethan couldn’t be any more different from his childhood best friend and soon they are swept away in a complicated something that will lead them both on the path of self discovery. My favorite part of this story was the way friendships lifted up the characters. 🇮🇹❤️

#arcreads #boldwoodbooks #victoriawalters #theparischapter #netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreviewer #arcreader #bookstagram

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood books for this ARC.

Romance author Tessa Elliot has writer's block, and worse - she isn’t sure she still believes in love. To heal her broken heart, she decides to go on the romantic break in Paris she’d booked before her world fell apart.
But when she arrives at the Airbnb, Tessa is stunned to find someone is already there. Her ex’s best friend Ethan has made himself at home, being told that the place would be empty.

As it’s Paris Fashion Week, and with no other options, they agree to share the apartment. Neither will be in the place much after all, with Ethan taking a cookery course and Tessa on a hard deadline to finish her novel.

But sharing close nights in a one bed apartment, there’s an undeniable pull towards one another.

Will Tessa be able to open her heart, and her laptop, ever again?

I adored this book so much. Victoria never disappoints. As soon as I started the book I was taken back to my own visits in Paris. The book is just a joyful read and leaves you feeling happy.

The connection between Ethan and Tessa was brilliantly written and their undeniable chemistry (however, the spice was a little too much for me but I know for others they will love it) I was rooting all the way for them but things were so complicated I was left wondering how it would all work out. Victoria writes about characters that are finding themselves again and healing from love which are authentically written. Victorias writing is so sublime that even Joe was written in an insufferable way which is accurate from his past experiences.

This book is so easy to read, addictive and a page turner. It is released on the 19th January and I would advise you definitely add this to your reading list for 2025 if romance is your thing.

It's definitely a fun read. A broken-hearted writer to Paris to find love again and hopefully write her book that's due in just a few weeks. Finds out her ex has told someone else that the apartment she's rented for 2 weeks is free. They navigate their personal issues, the possibility of falling for each other, & dealing with the terrible ex that both are connected to. There's some cuteness, some cheesyness, a bit of eye rolling, and a French friend who won't take no for an answer.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

💕📚 The Paris Chapter by Victoria Walters 📚💕
Genre: Romance, with moderate 🌶
Length: 299 pages
Pub Date: Jan. 19, 2025!
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the e-ARC of this novel. The opinions stated here are solely my own.

Synopsis:
Tessa Elliot - successful romance writer whose own heart has recently been broken, causing major writer's block for her next novel.

Ethan Taylor - chef, kind, compassionate, handsome, artistically minded, with emotional depth.

Tessa travels to an Airbnb in Paris from her home in London for 5 days of a romantic getaway... that was supposed to be for her and now ex, Joe, before he broke her heart. Since she paid for the place anyway, she goes alone, hoping to find inspiration for her new romance novel even as she has given up on love. When she arrives she is shocked to find Ethan, Joe's best friend, staying there, visting Paris for a 2-week chef course. Joe told him to stay in the Airbnb as he figured no one would be there... One bed. Ex's best friend. The City of Love. Could Ethan be just what Tessa needs as a muse for her new book??

Opinion:
I thought this was such a cute, romantic story! I loved Tessa's character so much and how she grew as a person throughout her Parisian adventure. The love story between her and Ethan was a great build-up and their chemistry was undeniable. I was hooked from the get-go and read this easily in one day because I couldn't wait to see how it ended. The author also did a great job of making Joe, the ex, an absolutely loathsome human being, and excellent complication for both Tessa and Ethan. There is definitely a moderate amount of spice, which doesn't pop up until about 2/3 into the book, but it isnt particularly gratuitous and makes sense with the romantic build-up!

If you are looking for a “fromage beaucoup” love story, look no further. This book was a light & fun read, in which the protagonist is getting over heartbreak… and finding herself in Paris. I couldn’t put this feel good love story down.

It was a pleasure to read The Paris Chapter, a unique storytelling situation for boy meets girl in the city of love. Tessa damaged by a cheating ex meets Ethan the best friend of her cheating ex. Sparks fly and trust is hard to find. Its action packed with some perfect descriptions of the inner turmoil of being cheated on, I could completely connect to Tessa it was wonderful.
Really cringe sex scenes that were a bit too much for and unrealistic for me, I am not sure if should have been laughing through those sections. However the storyline was cute and a welcome change to romcom/chicklit for 2025!

#theparischapter #thebookcaseofkay #netgalley #NewBooks2025

Tessa, our main character, arrives in France on the back of a bad relationship. She hopes to come to Paris to find inspiration for her new romantic book......but how do you write romance with a broken heart.
When she arrives, she finds an unexpected flatmate in the shape of Ethan....her ex boyfriend's best friend.
Will she be able to rekindle her love of writing and romance in the city of romance?

A funny, romantic book set in Paris.....what's not to love??!!!

Romance author Tessa has a few weeks to submit her next book but has writer's block after discovering her boyfriend was cheating on her. When her best friends convince her to go on the Paris holiday her ex planned, she's shocked to discover her ex has let his best friend Ethan stay there.

This was an easy read but really started to drag halfway through. I think this was because the attraction between Tessa and Ethan happened pretty quickly, so the story lost focus. I also found the final drama ludicrous and obliterated Tessa's growth.

Escapist fun set in Paris.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Easy to read, charming little love story, spicy surprise lol. The French were very French. The knoblet boyfriend was knobbish. Little bit too much inner monologue for me, some of it could've been exposition.

The setting for this one reeled me in immediately - I'm a sucker for a love story set in the romantic city of Paris. The concept of the two main characters accidentally renting the same Air BnB also intrigued me from the outset, since forced proximity is a favourite trope of mine.

I really enjoyed the underlying message Walters weaves through the pages of the importance of self-love and how this can effect all kinds of relationships in your life.

I felt like there was such huge potential for the story to affect me emotionally but it just didn't quite hit for me. I didn't feel particularly connected to any of the characters, despite the traits they exhibited being ones I loved. I think I struggled most with the dialogue in this book - unfortunately, the characters didn't sound like real people and I found myself cringing at a lot of their conversations.

The Paris Chapter focuses on Tessa a writer , Ethan her lover and Joe her Ex. The scene is set mainly in Paris as Tessa tries to reignite her love for writing. A bit slow in places but great characters. Thanks to Victoria and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley.

What happens when a relationship ends in a traumatic manner, you decide to take the long planned, supposed to be romantic holiday to Paris on your own, but find his best friend in residence, coming out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around him.
In this light-hearted romantic comedy, The Paris Chapter, Tessa decides she has had enough of men and says that Ethan must move out, immediately, as she is the one who has paid for the Air B&B, not Joe. The problem is that it is Fashion Week in Paris and there is no accommodation available.
They agree to a truce and as the days of Tessa holiday unfold, she begins to see life very differently to the woman who had been cheated on by Joe.
Tessa a best-selling author of romantic fiction, is facing a deadline in three weeks, and has monumental Writers Block. Ethan is a Chef who is in Paris to take a course with a famous Chef, but as he has lived and worked in Paris before, he offers to take Tessa to a very romantic place, The Wall of Love to see if it will help inspire her.
She meets Ethan’s friends Juliette and Oscar an incorrigible pair, one a Chef and the other a bar owner, who help her put her life back into workable order again and encourage the beginnings of a plot; well enough of a storyline to send to her Agent.
Paris begins to work its magic and Ethan and Tessa slowly begin to find they enjoy each other’s company in spite of the shadow of Joe hovering over them. It is not until they are both hoodwinked into a disastrous situation, they begin to realise that what they had and have lost was the real deal.
But how to remedy the situation when Ethan is in Paris and Tessa has gone back to London makes a very heart-warming conclusion to a light-hearted romance perfect for an afternoon on the couch with a good box of chocolate.

I hadn't swooned like this for months.
This book has all the right ingredients for an unforgettable read.
Tessa is a romance author facing writer's block after she found out her boyfriend cheated on her. She no longer believes in love and inspiration eludes her. In a moment of courage, she decides to take the trip to Paris even without her ex. What better place to desperately find a way to write on a deadline than the city of love? After arriving at her Airbnb, she discovers that Ethan, her ex's friend, is already living there, and they have only one bed.
Did I mention Ethan is a gorgeous and kind chef?
I loved how the characters are, so we'll define that they feel like old friends. We know exactly what they like and how they feel. Tessa struggles with feeling good enough, a feeling that most of us girls can relate to. Sometimes, being in the wrong relationship can feel exhausting, and self-confidence drops.
The Paris setting is as much a character as Tessa and Ethan themselves. From the cobblestone streets to the irresistible pastries, Walters paints a picture of the city that feels so vivid that you’ll want to book a ticket immediately. Paris Fashion Week and Ethan’s cookery course add layers of glamour and charm to the story, while Tessa’s struggles with her manuscript anchor the plot in genuine emotion.
The chemistry between Tessa and Ethan is electric! Their shared moments in the apartment, the slow-burn attraction, and the way their walls gradually come down are written with such care and authenticity. Walters doesn’t just give us a romance; she gives us two people healing and rediscovering themselves through each other.
Fans of Emily in Paris and authors like Emily Henry and Christina Lauren will adore The Paris Chapter. It’s a love letter to Paris, to finding yourself, and to the idea that sometimes love comes when you least expect it.
5 out of 5 stars – A swoon-worthy, joy-filled escape that’s as delectable as a fresh croissant in the city of love. Don’t miss it!