As I devoured Aimie K. Runyan’s latest novel A BAKERY IN PARIS, never have I ever so fervently wished to be part of an author’s Beta reader group. Blackberry Clafoutis! Croissants! Croquembouche! Oh my! Did Runyan test her recipes on friends, family, and colleagues as she perfected her pages? Her novel made me hungry to taste every recipe, including the tempting variations her 19th century bourgeoise-cum-renegade baker Lisette suggests!

Recipes for those treats and many more delights and delicacies, both sweet and savory, that one traditionally finds at French boulangeries and patisseries are included as amuses-bouches between chapters in Runyan’s clever dual storyline of a multigenerational family in Paris, proprietors of Le Bijou, the titular bakery in Paris.

The narrative cleverly juxtaposes the occupation of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) and the short-lived but valiant effort of the citizens known as the Communards to install an egalitarian form of self-governance, against the end of the German occupation of the city during WWII. In the 20th century storyline, the mother of seventeen-year-old Micheline has mysteriously left home without a trace, leaving Micheline, who is keen to follow in her 19th century ancestor Lisette’s footsteps as a baker, on her own to raise her two younger sisters while navigating a morass of bureaucratic red tape as she valiantly searches for her missing maman.

In each narrative, the author provides her heroines with understanding, kind, and supportive men to appreciate them: a contemporary recipe for the perfect man. But A BAKERY IN PARIS is wholeheartedly a women’s story with a refreshing feminist slant. Apart from each heroine’s respective lover and an intriguing Communard clergyman, the men are often absent, paper-pushers, or blowhard chest beaters. Even in the 19th c. storyline, it’s the women who rise to the occasion as the rescuers and problem solvers.

In both threads, secrets are long held; and desperate sacrifices are made—for the greater good, or so the characters believe. In wartime, morals can be fungible when the stakes are literally life and death and survival is at the other end of the bargain. And women have always paid the highest price, even when the reward is as messy, sticky, and complicated as a croquembouche. A BAKERY IN PARIS is a bijou—a jewel—of a novel. Savor it with a croissant and a creamy cup of bittersweet chocolat chaud.

~Leslie Carroll/Juliet Grey, author of the acclaimed Marie Antoinette trilogy

[**I received a complimentary copy of A BAKERY IN PARIS from NetGalley in exchange for my uncompensated review. My opinions are entirely my own.]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review. This will appear on goodreads before the publishing date.
I’m just going to lead with, I feel a sequel coming on!
I say that because this was rather glorious, and you just wanted to hear the stories of the women in between the two in this story. Is it bad to lead with wanting more?
1870 owns a historical event in Paris I never knew. The 1940s, well, I know too well.
What ties them together is a small bakery, some recipes, and a fighting spirit.
I thought I would like one side more than the other but I enjoyed both narratives. I learned more from the first, but for both I was rooting for them to succeed. Nothing brings people together like food, and what better food in the world than what comes from a French bakery?
I’ll cut to the chase. I’ll be using this book in my book club. I found it heartwarming, moving, well paced, and, as I mentioned earlier, ripe for a sequel. Ms Runyon, are you in?
A solid 4* from me. I read it in two sittings. Excuse me while I go bake a Clafoutis. I smiled that I just saw this dessert mentioned on a cooking contest show and now have to try it!

Two women in two different time periods find hope for the future in a tiny Parisian bakery. Théodore opens the bakery in 1870 as Paris is under siege. Micheline in 1946 finds employment as she cares for her younger siblings and searches for her mother. Sure to be a popular book discussion title.

A Bakery in Paris by Aimie K. Runyan is about the struggles of two Parisian women in the same bakery during and after war separated several generations. The fight to help the neighborhood while they heal and find love is immersed in historically accurate conditions for both conflicts drawing the readers deep into the quagmire of their lives. One of the most profound things I have read in a long time.

I read a lot of books in this genre, and I love dual timeline stories, so I was excited for this book. I loved the unique angle with the Paris bakery, which added nice visuals to the storyline. I didn't connect with the main characters as much as I'd hoped. Some parts felt more like the reader was in Great Britain vs. France.
Micheline's character was somewhat childish. I didn't care for Theo. I preferred Lisette's story. There were some lulls in the storyline, and it could've perhaps benefitted from a tighter edit. I really enjoyed the recipes between the chapters, as well as the notes on each recipe, which added a personal touch. The ending tied up a bit too neatly.

Pub date: 8/1/23
Genre: historical fiction
Quick summary: Wealthy Lisette, who gives up everything for love in 1870, and Micheline, struggling to raise her two younger sisters after WWII, are connected by a small bakery in Montmartre, Paris, and their belief that baking can make the world a better place.

I discovered Aimie K. Runyan's writing with her last book, THE SCHOOL FOR GERMAN BRIDES, and the description for this book made me so excited! Most Paris-set historical fiction deals with WWII French Resistance, so I loved that this one tackled two different time periods. Both Lisette and Micheline were strong, well-drawn characters, determined to make the best of their situations and working hard despite long odds. Both experienced self-discovery in addition to their romantic storylines.

My one critique of the book is that it felt a little long, but it was still a really enjoyable, strong 4 star read for me. I think historical fiction fans and bakers will enjoy it too!

Thank you to William Morrow for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Bakery in Paris is one of the most heartfelt historical fiction novels I’ve ever read. This captivating book revolves around two characters, Lisette and her great-granddaughter Micheline, and the bakery which sustained them during the worst of times. Lisette’s timeline takes place in 1870, a time of turmoil in Paris—a time I had little knowledge of, to be honest. I was instantly swept up by the events of that time, and its impact on all the citizens of Paris. Micheline’s story takes place in 1946, when she and her sisters are still recovering from the horrors of war. Each of these women suffered great hardship and loss, but they met each challenge with spirit, determination, and courage. I felt for each of these characters deep in my heart, and it was obvious that the author pored her love for the characters and their stories into this incredible novel. The author has included many wonderful recipes between chapters, as the bakery is a huge part of the story, a mouth-watering detail which I loved!

This book is tells about two women connected by a bakery in Paris. Lisette's tale takes place in the 1870s, the Prussians are threatening and the Paris commune is rising up. The times are turbulent and Lisette is aware of the need for change. When she flees from an arranged marriage she has to find a way to reinvent herself and make a living. Fortunately, she knows how to bake. Moving forward to 1946, Micheline's father is gone and her mother has disappeared leaving her to care for her younger sisters. Their one asset is the building her family has owned for decades. This provides them with an apartment and rent from the downstairs cafe. Then the cafe tennant leaves and there is no more rent. Can baking save them? And what happened to her mother?
This is a review of an ARC provided by NetGalley.

I was excited to read this because I was moved by The School for German Brides and wanted to read the author's latest work. Also, I was intrigued by the concept of two different generations of the same family running a bakery during crucial periods in Parisian history.

I haven't seen 1870 Paris represented much in literature, so it was nice to see it here.

I loved the recipes between chapters and the little personal notes the bakers made on the recipes.

Both Micheline and Lissette were kind-hearted, good people, in my opinion a little too good to be believable. I didn't much like Theo as I found him to be a zealot.

I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, especially to the 1870 story. It felt a bit too neat to me.

Overall, this was an interesting read that should appeal to those who enjoy historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the early read.

A BAKERY IN PARIS is a moving family saga centering two women and two wars, separated by generations, but connected by their shared love of baking. Lisette and Micheline are indomitable and fiercely principled characters who will sweep you into their richly-drawn Parisian world: one of pastries, passion, and pride. You won’t want this book to end! The recipes throughout are an especially enchanting touch.

This book is being reviewed for Historical Novels Review Magazine for the Historical Novel Society. A full review will be published after September 1, 2023.

Who doesn’t love a bakery?

A family bakery from one generation to the next is even better.

We meet Lisette in 1870 who left the wealth of her family to marry her true love and to use her recipes to help the poor and recipes that carried on to the next generations.

We meet Micheline, the great granddaughter of Lisette, living in the aftermath of WWII and caring for her two sisters since her father was killed and her mother disappeared a few days before the end of the war.

She needed to find a way to make a living and support herself and the girls.

Her neighbor and friend of her great grandmother told her she had talent in the kitchen and paid for her tuition at a culinary school.

We follow both women as their skills in the kitchen help them survive.

You will love both of them and all of the characters. I wanted to be there with them.

Readers will also be treated to delicious recipes and the beautiful pull-you-in writing and storyline Ms. Runyan has given us.

It is a heartwarming read you won't want to miss. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

This is a dual timeline historical book written by Aimie K. Runyan. It goes between 1870 and 1946. This historical masterpiece will keep you entertained from beginning to the end. Lisette Vigneau is a headstrong, willful young lady and Micheline Chartier is struggling to deal with the loss of her father. These two character will go through loss, love and choices that will help them bring about a revolutions of their own.

This dual timeline historical novel tells the stories of two fierce, strong women who were generations apart in the same family. It's set in nineteenth century and post-World War II Paris. Both women find that their futures lie within the four walls of a simple bakery, in a tiny corner of Montmartre. In 1870, the Prussians are at the city gates, intending to starve Paris into submission. Lisette Vigneau is headstrong, willful, and often ignored by her wealthy parents. She is awaiting the outcome of the war from her parents' luxurious home in the Place Royale in the very heart of Paris. While on an excursion, she finds herself in the path of revolutionary National Guardsman Theodore Fournier and her destiny is changed forever. She gives up her life of pampered luxury to join in the fight of the people of Paris. She opens a small bakery in the hopes of being an asset to the impoverished neighborhood. When the city falls into famine, Lisette finds her determination to give up the comforts of her past life being tested. In 1946, Nineteen year old, Micheline Chartier, is struggling to cope with the loss of her father and the disappearance of her mother. In their absence, she is raising her two younger sisters. To help her find a way to to support her siblings, a neighbor helps her enroll in a prestigious baking academy and Micheline finds herself with her life mapped out for her. Feeling trapped and not nearly up to the task of raising two young girls, she becomes obsessed with finding her mother, even when all the official channels say they can't help her. It seems like her classmate, Laurent Tanet, may be the only one who can help her move on from the past and create a future for herself.

Most dual timeline books I've read include the present so it was refreshing to find one that has two very different periods in history. Both women were strong and intelligent as they dealt with incredibly challenging situations that they weren't sure that they were brave enough or capable of facing. Aimie's meticulous attention to historical detail and heartfelt characters characters turned this into a page turner that I couldn't put down. Aimee did an incredible job of weaving both timelines together and creating two distinct settings. I enjoyed both stories a great deal and found myself completely immersed in the story.

I enjoyed the concept of the setting of Paris during the Franco-Prussian war which I knew nothing about prior, and then post-WW2 with 2 female family members from multiple generations. While I’m not real familiar with french pastries, the summarized recipes gave me a nice context and visual with what was involved that would not have made sense otherwise.

However, I didn’t care for either main characters, if I’m honest. I also struggled with the way the setting was conveyed and the dialogue played out because it felt very British, not French, which created some disparity for me in the scenes. The cultures typically feel very different in the books I’ve read with each, and even some of the words and phrasing used were also very British, not (to my knowledge tho I could be wrong) French (“knackered”, “bloody”, etc) or were even too modern for the time period.

Lisette felt very gullible and flighty. She either did whatever she was told or suggested to do without argument or immediately declared her beliefs in something else and ran without considering anything. The almost-ending for her, especially, frustrated me.

I did love that her heart was to help others and look out for those around her tho, so in that I respected her character.

Micheline’s character felt childish in her obsession, causing more harm than good for everyone with it. Again, also very naive. She seemed so beat down and wouldn’t accept anyone pulling her up or coming along side her in a deep friendship or emotional way.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

A beautifully written multi generational story set in Paris and the remarkable bakery that links them together is what you’ll find in Aimee Runyan’s latest novel, A Bakery in Paris.

This book follows the lives of Lisette during the turbulent days of 1870 and her great granddaughter, Micheline as she tries to move past the tremendous losses she suffered during WWII. Their tie, their bond is a box of recipes and a bakery that helps them both forge ahead and find their true selves.

I loved this story so much! Both women are very strong, selfless characters who are willing to put themselves aside to take care of others. For Lisette, that means walking away from a high society life where she was doted on and taken care of by servants. She’s determined to turn the tables, forgo an arranged marriage and start a life with the true love of her life while making things better for those less fortunate in her neighborhood. Micheline is still reeling from the loss of both of her parents yet she goes without to make sure her sisters needs are met. When an opportunity to open the bakery back up, it’s a bit of a rocky start but it allows her to find the strength and confidence to move forward with her life.

I highly recommend this book! It makes for an excellent weekend read! Thanks to the folks at William Morrow, NetGalley and Aimee Runyan for inviting me to read this wonderful book!

A Bakery in Paris by Aimie K. Runyan is a great dual timeline historical fiction that shows us that we never really know our true strength and character until truly tested.

This book weaves a story in between the two time periods of the 1870s and 1940s in Paris between Lisette Vigneau and Micheline Chartier
respectively. Both different, yet similar in their challenges, passions, hopes, losses, and dreams.

The descriptions of the locations, the bakery, and the art of baking woven within the narrative was beautiful and memorable.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and William Morrow, William Morrow Paperbacks for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/1/23.

A Bakery in Paris tells the story of two young women in two separate timelines: one reeling from the disappearance of her mother during WWI, and one challenging the norms of her bourgeois family during the years leading up to WWII. Both turn to baking to survive, and develop a forbidden and complicated love affair with men in Paris. This book falls within the "cozy" genre: very simple writing and storylines with a strong sense of place. Unfortunately, I found the book a bit too simple in its efforts to engage the reader. The pacing is slow and renders the protagonists one-dimensional. We are supposed to think of these women as brave and industrious, but their inner thoughts don't reveal much depth. A fine little work of historical fiction but doesn't seem to strive for much.

decides to marry for love rather than suffer an arranged marriage, she flees her home for a simpler and poorer life. Her stand against the establishment has ripples that extend for generations.

Starting aa bakery to help her neighbors have bread during the hard times, years later her great grand daughter brings it back to life to save her own family, with the help of an elderly neighbor who remembers the woman who started Le Bijoux. Will Micheline find her calling and happiness as Lisette did all those years ago?

I have read other books by this author and each one has drawn me in and immerses me in the past. I could almost smell the bread baking as I read this book. It’s a story of war, family and standing up for one self. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good historical fiction read.

A quaint read that flashes from 1870 Paris to 1946 Paris. In 1870 Lisette leaves her family and home at 21 to be with Theo. The story reflects the turmoil of Paris at the time and the lack of supplies and food. Lisette spent her childhood in the kitchen with Nanette (the cook) learning how to cook. Lisette took her love of cooking and bought the little shop that Theo and her lived above and proceeded to make bread for the neighborhood people. Flash forward to the end of WWII and Micheline (great granddaughter of Lisette) that lives above a bistro raising her two sisters as her papa passed away in the war and her mother left one day and was never seen again. Micheline neighbor reminisced about how the bistro use to be a bakery and that Micheline great grandmother was a great baker. Micheline was unsure how to make support herself and her sisters so the neighbor suggests she turn the shop into a bakery again. I did like the way the story goes back and forth and how both women had to overcome hard times and find the courage to forge forward. This is the second book I have read from Aimie K Runyan and look forward to reading more from her.