Another atmospheric and magical book from Evie Woods. This time we are in a bakery in a town just outside Paris. Edie a troubled Irish woman takes a job in what she thinks is a bakery in Paris on a whim to find herself where she needs to be, in our bakery..........and the story begins. It is written beautifully. It is a gentle romance but not soppy. It is magical but not silly or over the top. It has characters that are in a way caricatures of people we all may recognise but who are still very believable. The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris is a real feel good book to curl up with and lose yourself in. Recommended wholeheartedly to anyone who needs a good cuddle in a book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This a heartwarming gentle read. The main character Edie has spent years looking after her mother and having suffered the heartache of losing her, she decides to apply for a job in a bakery in Paris, hoping to start a new chapter in her life.

What Edie doesn’t realise is the bakery is not in Paris, but in a nearby small historical town . She finds the owner of the bakery offhand and as she struggles with a new country and language the feelings of ease begin to grow. Strange noises at night add to her anxiety leaving her wondering if she has made a huge mistake leaving her homeland.

She becomes friends with some locals and meets the charming Hugo which helps her to feel more settled but soon buried secrets emerge that change her perception and make her question everything around her.

I loved the setting of the book. I holiday in France a lot and the descriptions of the boulangerie transported me to one of my favourite places. The book is full of magic, friendship, self discovery and romance. I did find it a bit predictable at times but that adds to its charm . If you’re looking for a gentle read with a sprinkle of magic you will enjoy this book.

Edith is brokenhearted following the death of her mum and decides she needs a new start. She applies for the job of assistant manager at a bakery in Paris, and heads off for a new life.

Once arriving in Paris, she quickly establishes that the job isn’t in Paris, it’s about an hour away by train in Compiègne!

When she arrives, she finds her boss is quite a sharp elderly lady, and wonders if she has done the right thing.

As the days go by, Edith settles into her job and soon realises that all is not as it seems in the bakery.

Slowly making friends, she meets Hugo on a night out, and there is definitely an attraction there. Is Hugo all he seems?

I loved this story, it’s a quaint tale and told over two timelines, taking us back to World War Two.

There is lots to be learnt in the story, I especially enjoyed the references to events that took place in Compiègne.

The descriptive writing of the hot chocolate recipe and the recipes for macarons and cupcakes left my stomach rumbling a lot!

There is a bit of everything in this story: mystery, romance and history.

My thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Heart-warming story that takes place in a French bakery in the small historic town of Compiegne. Edie thought she was taking a job in a Paris bakery, but it was actually not in Paris. A lovely story with a touch of romance and a bit of magic and a lot of characters trying to help each other.. a feel good book.

Edie, after having lost her mother, sets off from Ireland to find something new and to manage a bakery in Paris only to find that it's not truly in Paris but in a small town nearby on Paris...a bit of a mystery. However, an adventure is what she set out for, and an adventure she found. In this small town, with the only bakery, she comes to love the customers and the curmudgeon owner and young boy who work there. A bit of magical realism follows in this whimsical bakery that becomes more than what it seems. How does all this bread get made and why is she not allowed in the basement? To top it off, there's a bit of romance sprinkled in. I thought it was a delightful read, although not as good as Woods' previous books. I also learned that this book was previously published under Woods' other name Evie Gaughan in 2014. That being said, for fans of The Lost Bookshop or The Story Collector, you will enjoy this earlier work by Woods. many thanks to #netgalley #eviewoods #harpercollinsuk for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Edith Lane moves from Ireland to France to work in a bakery near Compiegne. The owner of the bakery has a lot of secrets and Edith is keen to find out what is going on I the basement in the early hours of the morning.
I loved the descriptions of the history of the bakery where Edith worked.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher One More Chapter for a chance to read this E-Book. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins!

I like reading romances and usually enjoy the characters’ growth and movement towards the HEA.
However, the author wrote unevenly and took no pity on non-French speakers trying to make sense of the many French phrases used without translation or context clues. As someone who understands French, I did well with the bilingual book, but I am not so sure an English only speaker would have as pleasant an experience.
Also when she had Genevieve explain her story, the phoneticized French accent phrasings, « ze » for «the » for example, were very inconsistent which drew me out of suspended disbelief. There was more of that, but this long passage stood out the most.
And the plot unfortunately was very Hallmark movie template. Girl stuck in a small town trying to prove something to herself gets in everyone’s business and magically everything she touches gets improved usually after drinking the special magic hot chocolate. The premise was interesting but not well executed.
I’m sorry but I really can’t recommend it unless you’re a bilingual Hallmark movie fan. If so, you may really enjoy it.
Thanks again to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this opportunity.

What a great book! I absolutely loved how twisty and clever this one was! I was totally engrossed from beginning to end and would definitely read from this author again, So, so, so good!

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris was a delightful read that captured my attention from beginning to end.

The story combines tasty baked goods , drama, magic which allows the read to escape into a happy place.

Edith made a rash decsion or perhaps an off the cuff to accept the job of assistant manager at this very unique and quaint bakery.

Edith is tasked to stock the window and stay out of the kitchen.

She soon realizes that there are secrets in the town and hidden in these walls .

Evie Gaughan/Woods takes the reader on a magical journey and it is one that will leave you content at the end of the story.

I highly recommend you go on the journey with Edith and sit back and enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter for the privilege of reading and reviewing this delightful story The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris.

Edie moved from Ireland to work at a bakery she thought was in Paris. It turns out the bakery isn't exactly in Paris and the bakery is anything but typical.
Like The Lost Bookshop and The Story Collector, The Mysterious Bakery on Rue De Paris contains a sprinkle of mystery and magic. I thoroughly enjoyed Evie’s first two books but just couldn't get into this one. I did finish it though, and it made me crave a cozy bakery and a delicious cup of hot chocolate 🧁
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins360 for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This story was a pleasant mixture of history, romance, finding oneself, and a little bit of whimsical fantasy. I personally just felt that the writing was a little choppy and under developed. I felt that many chapters lacked a smooth transition to the next and ended rather abruptly. The characters were a bit one-dimensional. Oh, and why are we acting like a 29 year old is soon to be an old spinster?

Through Netgalley I was allowed to read the third book by Evie Woods: The mysterious bakery on Rue de Paris. If you are not familiar with her books yet, Evie writes very beautiful feel-good books with a touch of magic woven into them. I have also read the other two books of her and I liked this new novel just as much. The story in short:

The Irish Edith has trouble accepting the death of her mother, and decides on impulse to accept a job in Paris. She will work in a beautiful authentic bakery, but when she arrives it turns out that it is not in Paris, but in a village nearby on the Rue de Paris... At first she wonders where she has ended up: a grumpy owner, strange noises in the night, and did I mention yet it’s not in Paris? However, she soon gets to know residents who steal her heart and she discovers more and more about the special bakery where she works. She does wonder where all that delicious bread comes from, and who bakes it... And why is she not allowed in the basement? When she meets the handsome Hugo, the picture seems complete, until secrets come to light that change everything….

Another well written story in which Edith's development is beautifully described. She has taken care of her mother for a long time and therefore does not know how strong she is and what she is capable of, and what she actually wants to do with her life. She is a bit naive and insecure at first, but more and more she becomes stronger and more determined. The setting is described very vividly, which makes you feel like you are in beautiful France and you can just picture the narrow streets with quaint houses. There is also a lot of history woven into the story which makes it more interesting to read, and it’s nice to know a bit of history from that part of France.

The publication date is March 27, hopefully this book will be translated in Dutch also!

A beautifully told set of stories which unfold as the magic of the bakery opens up hearts and minds. Edith has lived her life at home in Ireland, cosy, safe & warm. Much loved as she cares for her Mother and feels like she can only dream of Paris, being a singer or a pastry chef like her father. Her story begins as she takes a plunge into the unknown, a job in a bakery in Paris … however, the bakery turns out not to be in Paris but the Rue de Paris elsewhere in France. What follows is her adventures as she discovers herself and the magic and mysteries that the Bakery holds within.

I loved reading this book. It is very descriptive, in particular highlighting the history and architecture of the places Evie and her friends visit. Full of music, pain, joy, sorrows and hidden light it was hard to put down. I wanted to know the secrets but at the same time wanted the journey to find answers to continue for longer.

I found it a little hard to get into this book at the start. I just wasn't connecting with all the characters. But then all of a sudden as the story went on and we learned more about the backstory of the bakery owner, Edith and Hugo it turned a corner for me. I wanted to keep reading to find out how it would all work out with the dramas happening with people's personal lives and of course the business. There is a touch of magic that shows up here and there through out the story as Edith starts her new life in this foreign city. Thank you to NetGalley, One More Chapter and Evie Woods for the ARC of this book which I received for free.

One of the best books I have read in a long time.
The characters are endearing, the location is magical.
Really enjoyable and a love story within all the strange goings on.....

So i may be biased because i love everything Evie writes. Nothing has changed, i adored this book. It is one of my favourites genres and she manages to write it in a way where i actually feel like i am friends with these people.
High 5 to anyone who can pack up their lives and move to a different country! I get anxious when i get on the wrong train!
This story had all the feels: history, mystery, love, humor and a bit of frustration (from my end only as a reader)
When anyone asks me if i recommend particular books, Evie's books are the ones suggest.
Well done!
PS i haven't actually tried to hot chocolate recipe because i feel like i put calories on just reading the ingredients lol
**Thankyou to NetGalley & Harper Collins/One More Chapter for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

A spellbinding read, literally and virtually. Following the death of her mother Edith ‘Edie’ Lane is heartbroken. She sees an advertisement for a job in a bakery in Paris and after applying and being accepted leaves her home and father, in Ireland, to travel to Paris. However, the bakery is not in Paris but in the quaint village of Compiègne on Rue de Paris. Set in dual timeline, but mainly in the present with some flashback to the bakery during WWII, this is a well written and evocative read.

Briefly, arriving to a less than enthusiastic welcome and shown to a tiny room in the attic, Edie is wondering if she made a good decision. Still she decides to give it a chance and begins to enjoy it. However, she is curious about what happens in the basement and despite being told it’s out of bounds her curiosity gets the better of her.

There is so much I relished about this book. The descriptions of the food made my mouth water and I was very interested in the history of the village, I was unaware of most of it. Edie is a good character and I was rooting for her all through the book, she deserved some happiness. A wonderful read with elements of magic, friendship, romance and an exploration of self. An enjoyable and entertaining read.

After her mother’s death Edie feels untethered. Having spent most of her life caring for her ill mother, she feels that she needs to spread her wings and grow up. She decides to test the waters in Paris and accepts a job working at a bakery, which is actually located in Compiegne, in a town outside Paris.

I have to admit that although I read the book until the end, I found it to be too superficial and I really didn’t like the main character. There were too many cliches and the insta-love part just wasn’t realistic.

What a gem of a story!! A heartfelt tale of persistence, love and hope, mixed with tasty bread and pastries. I enjoyed reading it so much.

Evie Woods writes feel-good stories with a touch of mystery and that can also be found in her latest novel The mysterious bakery on Rue de Paris.

Irish Edith Lane is at a loss after the death of her mother and decides to leave for Paris to work in a bakery. Due to a misunderstanding, it turns out that she should not be in Paris, but in Compiègne on Rue de Paris. She doesn't feel really welcome there with a grumpy boss. Her French isn't great and her living space is small, but she decides to make the best of it. Still, there is something strange about the bakery and she decides to investigate at night.

What a wonderful book this is. The setting of a bakery with a mysterious edge is great. You smell the baking smells and see the delicious sandwiches and pastries in front of you. Woods knows how to sketch the environment so well that you are in the bakery with Edith. But the environment and the history of Compiègne are also discussed and well developed.
Woods does the same with her characters who immediately come to life while reading. The mystery surrounding the bakery is depicted very realistically and you feel the love it radiates.

Most chapters are seen from Edith's perspective, but occasionally this changes and a different character speaks, telling and explaining the story from a different side. The history surrounding the baker of the bakery is a special story and in the end you will love all the characters.

The mysterious bakery on Rue de Paris is a wonderful novel, full of sweet and special characters and delicacies surrounding a mysterious history that makes the bakery so special.