The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris

For Edie Lane, a recipe for disaster doesn’t require that many ingredients. Take an unhealthy amount of wishful thinking and a sprinkle of desperation and that’s how Edie left everything behind in Ireland for her dream job at a bakery in Paris. Except the bakery isn’t in Paris – and neither is Edie.

Y’all know I am a moody reader. And to be honest, I think I have read way too many “sweet” reads lately. This one fell a bit short for me. Now, it has tons of five star reviews. So read it for yourself.

I just kept expecting this book to move faster. I enjoyed the setting of Paris (or is it Paris?) and I loved Edie and her predicaments. But, I was a bit disappointed with the pacing.

Need a sweet read set in Paris…THIS IS IT! show more Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review. show less

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris is the kind of book that wraps around you like a warm blanket. Whimsical, heartfelt, and quietly magical, it delivers that comforting sense that everything unfolds exactly as it should. Beneath its cozy charm lies real emotional depth, with bittersweet, character-driven moments that make the story feel deeply human.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a combination of historical fiction, romance and mystery with a bit of magic thrown in. It all worked well together and I found the characters to be very likeable and the story was well written and kept me turning pages until the happily-ever-after ending.

Edie Lane lived in Ireland with her father. She was having trouble coping with the recent death of her mother and when she saw an advertisement for a job opening in Paris, she decided that spending time in the city that she and her mom had talked about so much would help her deal with the loss of her mom. When she got to Paris, she found out that she had made a mistake and the bakery was in Compiègne about an hour north of Paris. When she got to the show more bakery, she was met by the grouchy older manager, a quiet teenage boy who delivered bread and lots of secrets! The bakery is old, her room is in the attic is cold and she is forbidden to enter the basement where the ovens are. After the first week, she's ready to go home but then she makes some friends and starts to enjoy her work at the bakery. Along with new friends she meets a man from London who she thinks may be the ONE! Of course, she isn't happy with the secrets at the bakery and starts to try to figure out what is going on and why the truth is being kept from her. After being unsure at first if the bakery in Compiègne is really where she wants to be she becomes convinced that she is exactly where she needs to be and where she can help the most people.

This book could have been just a straight romance but the history of the Holocaust and how it affected the people in the town creates a much more serious theme. I thought that the author tied the story together very well and I was definitely happy with the way it ended. show less

What a delightful story! Evie Woods has the uncanny ability to bring to life stories that are realistic as well as magical. Her writing style reminds me much of Joanne Harris (Chocolat, The Girl with No Shadow). This story brings strong characters, a storyline that is well- developed, full of intrigue, a healthy dose of history, the importance of family and friends, the beauty of a small French town, the delight of warm breads and delicious pastries, a main character who is both eager and reticent to allow her true self to flourish, and a love that is waiting to blossom. Each book that I read by Evie Woods seems to be even stronger and more magical than the last and I find myself reading slower and slower towards the end because I'm show more just not ready to leave the characters I've come to care for or the wonderful setting. If you love France, wonderful little bakeries, love, music, history, and mystery, then please read this book. You'll be transported into the story in no time and, like me, you likely will want to linger there a while. show less

When Edie Jones decides she needs a fresh start, she applies for a job at a bakery on Rue de Paris. However, it is not in Paris, which she finds out to her chagrin. Lodgings turn out to be a cold attic room, Edie struggles with the French language, and she is not allowed into the basement where the ovens are located. Almost ready to go home to Ireland, Edie sticks with her job and things turn out better than she imagined. This novel combines mystery, romance, adventure, history, and of course France! I especially enjoyed the evocative descriptions of the bakery and the town. I was immediately drawn into the story.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are show more my own. show less

Rating: 3* of five

The Publisher Says: Edie is … not in Paris?

Edie Lane left everything behind in Ireland for a once-in-a-lifetime job at a bakery in Paris. Except, thanks to a mistranslation, the bakery is not in Paris, and neither is Edie.

The tiny town of Compiègne, complete with its local bakery on the Rue de Paris, holds many secrets. This might not be where Edie intended to be but it's not long before she realises it's exactly where she needs to be…

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Republishing an earlier work by a bestseller's a very old publishing-industry tactic. Unless the bestseller in question does a real overhaul, it's seldom a good idea. In this fine little essay in self-published show more magical realism, a few things were off...no one is middle-aged at twenty-nine, please do more with M. Moreau...but it's clear why all y'all like Evie Woods.

Perfectly fine way to spend your waiting-room time.

One More Chapter only wants 99¢, so do not hesitate even a moment to ebook it right onto your ereader. show less

I REALLY need to stop picking up books based on the back cover blurb and maybe just start asking ChatGPT if I will like a book or not before I commit because I'm tired of wasting my time.

With such high hopes for this one, I'm disappointed.

From the synopsis on the back, one would think there was going to be a LOT more magic in it, but it feels like whoever wrote that blurb did not actually read the book. It's basically a Hallmark movie but in book form with a cliché and predictable plot.

Giving this 2 stars feels harsh (wish I could give it 2.5) because it wasn't bad at all at delivering what it set out to be: a warm, cozy romance. But I wish I had known that's what it was before going in or I wouldn't have read it. I need more DRAMA, show more higher stakes, and less recycled-from-Hallmark tropes. If that’s your jam, great! But it’s not mine. show less