The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods

After years of caring for her mother, Edie wants to change her life so moves to a small town just outside Paris..
Once there she gets a position in a bakery and soon realises all is not as it seems ,
I love books by this author who always seems to find ways of turning the ordinary into something magical.

I absolutely adored this book! Evie Woods has done it again with The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris. Meet Edith (Edie), an Irish woman who needed a change of pace. She applies for an assistant manager position at this bakery in Paris, and uproots herself - moving to France on the next flight out. Upon arrival she realizes that the bakery is not in Paris as advertised, but in a small town to the north called Compiegne. The owner greets her in a rather harsh manner, and Edie starts to rethink her decision.
As the story unfolds, we are brought back to WWII and an unforgivable event that takes place, unknowingly affecting the owner of this quaint little bakery. We meet some dashing monsieurs, and some friendly mademoiselles who help Edie, and the family of the bakery overcome challenges, discover the importance of family, and save this historic bakery on the rue de Paris.
Woods does a fabulous job creating an historic picture in your mind of this bakery, and all of the deliciousness it has to offer, The character development is strong, and their relationships are grown in a way to show the importance of family bonds and respecting history.
This was a mouthwatering read, and goes well with a mug of hot chocolate and a warm croissant!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins One More Chapter for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.










Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins One More Chapter for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. The characters were everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this world. Evie Woods wrote this strongly and was glad I got to read this.

i refuse to be pissed off again. dnr both me and this book. i want a nice and happy 2025 and i will be giving myself just that!!!

I received a free copy of, The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris, by Evie Woods, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Edie leaves Ireland to work at a bakery in France. I thought this was an ok read, I thought Edie was naive an immature though.

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris, I loved the journey Edith goes on from having a sheltered, geographically limited life to moving to a different country. The back story of Compiegne, its bakery, the war story the bakery's past, a love story for Edith with Hugo all of it touched with a hint of mystery, ghosts and the magic of human connections, loved it all.

I enjoyed this more than the author’s most famous novel, The Lost Bookshop. In many ways, both novels are similar – they feature a protagonist searching for herself, and escaping a difficult past, an idealized romantic storyline, and paranormal elements. However, Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris feels much more sincere, and because of that, despite its relatively simple plot, it provides good entertainment.

Aside from the idealized yet definitely charming portrayal of the French town of Compiègne, I most appreciate this book for the fact that the characters, particularly FMC Edith and MMC Hugo, actually communicate with each other – even when they are in conflict. There is no frustrating miscommunication trope, which is a huge plus. The book also features very enjoyable found family elements, which is something that’s simply impossible not to like. The 'mystery' in the title isn’t really that mysterious, to be honest, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the novel.

What possibly irritated me the most in this book was the fact that there are quite a few clunky expositions, particularly when the FMC asks random questions about the history of Compiègne, which, to be honest, make her seem like an extremely ignorant person. For instance, she asks how Joan of Arc died. Which European doesn't know that?

In the end, I believe it’s the perfect book for those seeking light entertainment – it may not be a life-changing novel, but it will certainly bring a few hours of smiles and leave you craving croissants and coffee.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods is a reworking of one of her older books and again has a touch of magical realism. The book follows Edie, a young woman who moves to France in search of a new life and a sense of purpose following the death of her mother. Due to a little miscommunication, instead of finding herself working in the chic Paris bakery that she imagined she winds up in the small town of Compiègne, and while she is working in a bakery it is a little more run down that she imagined and is clearly struggling financially. There is also the small matter of the secretive natures of the other staff members and the fact that the kitchen is strictly off limits to Edie. Something strange is going on and Edie is determined to get to the bottom of it, not even the arrival of Hugo, a handsome and wealthy photographer who is clearly taken by her is enough to distract her from her mission for very long.
This was a quick and easy read, it does not require much effort or concentration from the reader. It is not the strongest of Evie Wood's books by any means, but it was still a pleasant way to while away a few hours on a cold Winter's evening. I think the author did a very good job when it came to setting the scene, not just in her physical descriptions of the bakery or the town of Compiègne, but also the effort she made to include the historical context and importance of the town. The hint of magical realism is nicely incorporated and works well in the context of the bakery but I thought the decision to use Romani culture was a little off the mark even if it made sense in a historical context. The romance also felt a little cliched but to be fair it's hard to be truly original when you are creating a book with a happy ever after ending.
This is a nice bit of escapism and a book that many readers will enjoy at least as much as I did if not even more.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This book was a little stereotypical and was not very interesting. You have a "lost" heroine going to a foreign land to work in a bakery, throw in some romance, some side characters and magic and you get this book. It was really just okay.


#netgalley #

It was ok for me. This is the first time I read a book from this author and towards the end of the book I did enjoy it but I have to say the beginning half just kind of dragged on for me and made it difficult to get into.

Edie Lane needs a new start in life. Her beloved mother has died after a long illness, and it’s time for Edie to start afresh. She impetuously answers an ad for a bilingual assistant bakery manager in Paris. After a shaky trip from her home in Ireland, she realizes the bakery is in a small town an hour from Paris. The owner, Madame Moreau, gives her a frosty reception and a small attic apartment above the bakery. As Edie grows to like her customers, the townspeople , and even Madame Moreau, she is determined to uncover the mysterious baker who works with Madame every night in the locked basement which houses the bakery’s oven.

The recipe for this lovely concoction of a tale is : a pinch of fantasy, a touch of salt for bitterness, and a cup of sugar for love, Whip all together to create a charming story by one of my favorite authors.

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris
by Evie Woods
Pub Date: March 27, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Beautiful cover!
I wasn't impressed with the book however.
This book was so slow and predictable. I got it from NetGalley thinking it was a new release and it isn't a new book it's a re-release of the author’s earlier wok
The several narratives make it feel a bit disjointed. The problem that hangs over the boulangerie is wrapped up rather quickly and somewhat fortuitously too.

Overall, it’s an easy read for a rainy or chilly day when pâtisserie and hot chocolate are required.

Perhaps it has to do with this book being written before the other Evie Woods books I have read, this one felt like a basic / cliché rom-com with its cozy bakery vibes, a woman randomly landing in a foreign land and finding her soulmate with a conflict between them that gets neatly resolved at the end. The subplots about the mystery of the bakery, other characters’ journeys, the history lessons sprinkled in - all felt very superficial and disjointed. A quick read, nevertheless. Have enjoyed her other books more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

A really lovely and heart warming story with interesting and relatable characters and a pinch of Je ne sais quoi. A great weekend or holiday read.

ANOTHER GREAT READ BY EVIE WOOD. GREAT STORY, EASY TO FOLLOW. LOVE THE HISTORY INVOLVED IN THIS STORY AND THE ALL THE CHARACTERS. LOVE, FAMILY. HISTORY, SADNESS, HOPEFULLY, HAPPY ALL WORDS THAT COME TO MIND..

I love a story with a little magic to it! This was a fantastic read that also make me really hungry!! 😂

I mainly enjoyed this book although I did become morw than exasperated with the main female character, Edith. Set in northern France in the town of Compiegne famous for the signing of the Armistice at the end of the First World War. Heartwarming story about saving a small traditional bakery run by grumpy Madame Moreau and her grandson, Manu. Edith from Ireland takes up a job in the bakery to try and escape her past but she seemed rather immature most of the time especially not listening and bulldozing her way in situations trying to be 'helpful'. A love interest in Hugo and a touch of magic with a resident ghost. Light read with tempting descriptions of those wonderful French bakery products, one can almost smell the bakes.

At first I was charmed by this book because I loved the descriptions of baked goods, the idea of living in an attic above a haunted or possibly magical bakery, there was a dash of cheesy, forgettable romance, and there was some expat culture from the point of view of a young Irishwoman living in France.

But, first: I am really annoyed by this marketing habit of publishers hiding that a book is an old book repackaged as a new edition as if it is a never-before-published book. This book was originally published 9 years ago as a self-published title, then re-published a few years later by an indie press, until this release by a major publisher. It has a better cover but it doesn't appear to have been rewritten much.

For starters, I was completely confused by Edie's age. She acts like she's 19 and finding herself in a gap year before college. I'm okay with a little failure to launch and anxiety, but she acted so emotionally immature. But she's 30! And she says that she's having a midlife crisis at 30! Excuse me, 30 is not midlife, and having an existential crisis and not knowing what career you want to do isn't a midlife crisis.

Then there was the background behind the haunting. I was intrigued by this idea of a bakery that could magically transport its patrons to happier memories through its baked goods. But only a special hot chocolate recipe could do that and the bakery was just a normal bakery with the ghost of the original owner living in the basement.

This is tied to the family's Romani past, but I felt like the author only stole from surface level details about Romani culture to lend credibility to the magical realism, but it didn't feel like she'd done her research at all. Romanis hiding a magical ghost baker is kind of cheapening the culture and history. She only makes one off hand comment about Romani stereotypes and discrimination. But the story would have been way better if the bakery family was not Romani at all.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a book I loved reading. Having absolutely loved The Lost Bookshop, I was intrigued by this new title. It was just as enchanting and enjoyable to read. Edie, from Ireland, wishing to spread her wings after the death of her dear mother, finds herself in a small rural village in France, working at a village bakery with a very irascible and difficult to please owner. She had thought she was going to work in the bright lights of Paris, but had made a huge mistake with the actual address.
Edie discovers that the bakery harbours secrets, and it becomes ever more mysterious as Edie tries to find out what is going on. The more she discovers, the more intriguing the mystery becomes.
The romantic element wasn’t quite convincing for me, but the community spirit present in the small village was heartwarming, with many interesting and quirky characters amongst the friends that Edie made locally.
A very enjoyable tale, escapism at its best on a cold winter afternoon. I look forward to the next book from this author.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book. Highly recommended.

Leaving Ireland to work in a bakery on the rue de Paris is a new start for Edie.
Not getting off to a fantastic start with incorrect addresses and a tactium boss.
Slowly adapting and making friends, Edie starts to blossom.
A new romance starts then stops dramatically when secrets come to light.
A wonderful light hearted story that covers two timelines.
Make friends with the characters as I did and cheer them on.