I instantly fell in love with this book. From the very first chapter, I knew I was going to enjoy the read. Edith, the main character, is someone I really connected with—her desire to make a change in her life and her decision to move to Paris resonated deeply with me. While this is an easy read, I recognize it may not be for everyone. However, it's the type of story that will leave you smiling, which, for me, is something truly important. As a French person, I also thoroughly enjoyed the charming Parisian clichés woven throughout the book—it added a special touch that made the setting feel even more authentic.

One thing I would have loved is if the mystery behind the bakery had been revealed a bit later in the story. I think a little more suspense and anticipation would have made the reveal even more impactful. Overall, it’s a book I would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a cozy mystery.

This was sadly not for me. I found the characters rather boring and the story not that exciting. I had a hard time wanting to pick up the story. I found the writing a bit juvenile and a bit YA.

I appreciate receiving this ARC copy, but sadly it just wasn't for me.

Edith Lane had spent her teenage years and beyond looking after her mother. After her mother's passing Edith came to the conclusion that her life had been uneventful and going nowhere. Escaping her grief and leaving everything behind she grabbed a once-ij-a-lifetime opportunity, a job at a bakery in Paris. A chance to start over.

It's not Paris.. she finds her job is actually in Compiegne a small town outside Paris. The Boulangerie et Patisserie de Compiegne is a magical place. Hidden amongst the cobblestone streets it has a storied past and secrets. However, her French adventure was turning out to be a huge mistake but then what? She wanted the drifting to stop, fulfill a dream. Wake up one morning and finding out who she was and what she really wanted to do.
"Her heart was holding out for something amazing to happen."

This is an absolutely delicious and very endearing. A beautiful story of self-discovery. I loved the bakery atmosphere it was very quaint. Edith as a character was spot on as was the setting of this book. What I really loved was the historical content about Compiegne I had no idea so that was fabulous. For me it was a believable scenario. How many of us have packed up and left something behind to look for a better place a better mind set and hope for something amazing to happen. I get it !!!! I hope you read this book and enjoy it. It is hopeful and uplifting.

"Abandon your dreams is like abandoning a part of yourself"

Thank you @ netgalley for this e-arc for an honest review.

@sunflowerbooknook

Evie Woods has once again written a heart warming story that immerses you in small town life in France. I feel like I just had one of Edith’s famous hot chocolates and am at peace. There’s something so comforting about a book that makes you feel inspired and genuinely happy.

I fell in love with Edith and her tenacity and willingness to try something new. The supporting cast of characters left nothing to be desired. Manu is a genuinely good kid, who’s had a tough few years. Mme Moreau, with her cantankerous exterior, reminds you that everyone has dealt with struggles, and sometimes you just need to be patient, but ultimately, winning their friendship will be worth it.

The setting was also inspired. I had no about about the town or its history and its impact on Europe, but I’m definitely doing more research now.

Thank you Evie Woods for another spectacular book, reading your work feels like coming home. Thank you to Evie Woods, NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

As a pastry chef, I really enjoyed The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris. The mystery wasn’t exactly mind-blowing, but that didn’t bother me. The real magic is in the cozy French village atmosphere, mouthwatering pastries, and the sense of community.

I loved how it blended love, history, and baking into a story that felt like sinking into a warm, buttery croissant. The characters are endearing, and it’s more about soaking up the vibe than chasing plot twists.

If you’re looking for something heartwarming and sweet, this one’s a treat!

A story about following your dreams to move to France by taking a cashier job at a bakery? Sign me up! While Edie thought she took a job that was bringing her to Paris... turns out it was a job that was bringing her to a smaller town, just on the Rue de Paris. When Edie arrives, the shop owner Madame Moreau is not super friendly. She's starting to doubt her choices when she meets Nicole at the hair salon and then meets the mysterious and handsome Hugo. Multiple storylines unweave from here including the history of the bakery, of Madame Moreau, Hugo, and a variety of customers.

Honestly, this was... fine. I didn't feel really connected to any of the characters and I have to say that making friends so quickly as an adult is almost as unbelievable as what's happening in the basement of the bakery. I feel like there was a desire to make this place magical and it just fell a little short. The historical elements were probably one of the more interesting parts of the book. This was a quick read so I don't have regrets about finishing it, but I can't think of a specific person I'd recommend this to - maybe if you're a huge Francophile?

Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for providing this copy to me in exchange for my honest review!

Among the cobblestone streets of Compiègne, there is a bakery like no other. Everyone loves the cakes and pastries but it seems there is more to them than just being eaten.
However, the war is on the horizon and who knows what will happen.
Many years later, Edie applies for a job in the bakery. She is at a crossroads in her life in Ireland and wants a challenge and a challenge is what she gets.
Soon she is part of the bakery family and the shop is fighting closure which is not part of her plan.

This is clearly the day I set aside time to review the books I DNF. The concept of this book sounded so good, but it was falling so flat for me.
Girl, you set out on an adventure and proceeded to have the worst attitude in the world! She’s grumbling under her breath about her brand new boss within seconds of meeting her. She really needed to claim her own choices here: she got a job over the phone, sight unseen. That’s a recipe for disaster. The mystery and the magic were intriguing to me and I wanted to know Edie’s backstory, but I could not force myself to keep reading.
Maybe this is a sweet book and I’ve missed an opportunity, but I wanted to like Edie and I just did not.

In this book, we follow 29-year-old Edie as she moves from Ireland to France to work in a bakery.

This is a light read with some magic realism, romance and cookery. I gather it is an expanded version of a story the author wrote several years ago. It provides some escapism although readers should be aware that there are many grammatical issues with the French used in the ARC (hopefully this will have been corrected at proof stage!).

A recommended read for fans of The Lost Bookshop, Joanne Harris's Chocolat, and stories set in France.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Mysterious Bakery on the Rue de Paris by Evie Woods is a mystery novel.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Harper Collins/One More Chapter, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Edie Lane left Ireland for a dream job in a Paris bakery.  Landing in Paris, she quickly realizes not everything is as it seems.  Her job is not in Paris, but an hour north in Compiègne.  Her French is also not as good as she thought.

The bakery's owner doesn't seem to like her, and she isn't allowed in the basement - which is where the ovens are located. Apparently her job is to sell the product, and keep the bakery clean.  She thought the job was for an Assistant Manager.  Oh well, her pride will not allow her to return home.  She is going to enjoy the sort-of Paris life, and she soon discovers she may be exactly where she needs to be.

But she is still determined to find out what is in the basement.

 

My Opinions:
Rather disappointed, as this turned up more to be a romance novel than a mystery.  Also a little too historical for my taste, and parts read a little too much like a cookbook.  I was expecting more of a "ghost" story than I was given.  Then there was this 29-year old woman, whose lack of confidence and feelings of being "old" were very disheartening.

It was slow moving, but basically nothing much happened throughout the book.  It was very predictable.

So, I have a lot of complaints about the book, but perhaps that was just me.

This was not like the last couple of books I have read by this author, and I just realized she originally published this 10 years ago, so perhaps that is the reason I like her newer stuff, but not this.  I hate when authors try to re-published their old stuff.  Anyway, this one was just not for me.  If you like historical romance, this is definitely for you.

Edie decides to have a fresh start after the death of her mother and accepts a job in a bakery in Paris as assistant manager. When she arrives she finds that the job isn't actually in Paris, rather in a suburb outside the city. She arrives to a very cool reception, but gradually finds herself settling in an enjoying the job. She does find that there is a secret centred around the shop basement, which she is not allowed to go into. In the meantime she meets Hugo and starts a relationship, however finds that all is not what it seems there either.
I must admit that I found this book a frustrating read, it's very slow and didn't really grab my attention - but found that I couldn't just leave it and kept going back to it to find out about the mystery in the basement. There are flashbacks to the German occupation during the second World War and how badly people were treated, plus corporate greed and its affect on small businesses. Well worth reading with its touch of the supernatural, but not for those who prefer faster paced books.

What a fantastic, magical story, truly enjoyable. I will return soon with a more detailed review.
Four and a half stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the chance to read in exchange for an honest review.

A romantic historical novel set over two timelines. Unfortunately, the narrative pace and the characters were inconsistent and I failed to finish

History, magic, mystery interspersed with some aspects of cookery. An easily read book taking you on a trip to France to place that’s not all it first appears to be

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I tried so hard to really like this book, but overall it just fell flat for me. I really love a good magical realism read, but this felt like a mixed up book that did know what genre to belong in. Is it magical realism? Historical fiction? Cozy mystery? Romance? Realistic fiction? It doesn't really fully belong in any of those categories.

Additionally, the characters are inconsistent. For example, the main character is a 29 yo struggling to find her place in the world who can't even manage to Google the bakery she has been hired at. The next thing you know she is baking gourmet cupcakes and singing with a jazz band.

The writing style is also quite disjointed. I struggled with the author's sentence structure quite often just trying to figure out what was going on!

I really enjoyed this book, it was a sweet story with the usual elements of magic from Evie. I enjoyed the history in this one and I loved all the characters.
There are only a couple of downsides - after reading her 3 books now, they all follow the same sort of pattern and you can pretty much predict what is going to happen. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that they are enjoyable. The second downside with this book is that you should probably know some French. You get the general gist of the meaning and some of the phrases are directly translated but as someone who likes to know and understand it all, not being able to know the translation without googling it was frustrating. Again, it’s not like you don’t know what’s going on but it would be nice to have all the phrases translated rather than just getting the feeling of the words.
All in all, another enjoyable, easy read!

I had high hopes for this novel but unfortunately they fell flat. I enjoyed it as first but struggled through the predictability of the plot. The characters are well written but I do believe calling the 29 year old middle aged will not go down well. I did think it was a new book but it is her old work re published which is disheartening. It has potential but needs a good edit and the plot lines became too predictable. Unfortunately a let down for me.

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Evie Woods and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚

A mistaken location, mystery, meet cute and baked goods, what else could you want.
This story was fun because the main character thought she was going to Paris to start over but ended up at this Mysterious Bakery. She isn't sure why she ended up here and we get to go on the journey with her of figuring it out. It's a Mystery to her who does the baking for the bakery she is working at and she is intrigued. As she starts to get comfortable with the noises in her attic apartment above the bakery she finds some mysterious things that lead her to cook and bake. These things lead her to make friends, meet a mystery man and explore her new home that she is beginning to love.
I really enjoyed this book and wish that is was part of a series because I'd love to see how the future is.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

2.5
This is a republished version of this book which to my knowledge has corrected a lot of the grammar problems that were in the original version. Although I do enjoy a cozy story once in a while, I just couldn't get into this one. I didn't care for the FMC so that is probably what made it less enjoyable for me. Author has created some great atmosphere though and I cannot wait to travel to France and experience it for myself! All in all, I will read another book by this author however it's not high on my TBR list.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this! 2.5 /5 stars
This story follows Evie, an Irish woman in Paris who is given a job at a small bakery on the brink of bankruptcy. She helps them figure out the best way to save the shop, and in a way herself, while uncovering some long lost history about the shop owner, its previous patrons, and its rich history in French culture.
This was ok. I enjoyed it. But some of the themes really seem all over the place. This is slightly a romance (there's a romance plot line really early on that drives a portion of the story but also gets derailed by the bankruptcy), a past-storyline that's steeped in world war II but doesn't fully get fleshed out, a ghost story (that seems kinda pointless, to be honest), and a story about a musician and gypsy culture.
This was light reading but it really felt a bit befuddled in the middle.