Great romantic comedy that got me out of my book slump. I finished it all in one sitting and my feet were asleep throughout (no regrets).

Maggie Finds Her Muse was a good story with a lovely cast of characters that I was happy to follow on their journeys throughout the story. We meet Maggie Bliss as she's trying to come up with the final book in her bestselling trilogy. When her personal life takes a turn, she ends up heading to France in the hope that a change of scenery might help her muse and help her keep to her deadline for the book draft. Not long after she arrives in France, her time there is complicated by her ex-husband arriving on vacation, a handsome Frenchman appearing in the flat, and the beauty of the city around her.

I really thought Maggie Finds Her Muse was just a feel-good book. I loved the characters that we're introduced to.... from Maggie, her charming agent, his partner to the handsome Frenchman Max and Maggie's adult daughter... I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with these characters and seeing where the story would take them. The author's writing style was easy to read, and even with the large cast of characters, there was no trouble in keeping track of all of them.

Though this book comes out on April 20, 2021, this is the perfect relaxing summer read.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Maggie’s love life is in the crapper (again), but this is her time to shine as a writer. The second book in her series is about to release, and there’s talk of a show. All she needs to do is keep the momentum going and finish book three. The problem? She hasn’t written any of it. Nothing. The words won’t come and she has zero inspiration. In a last ditch effort to revive her literary mojo, she lets her editor talk her into a trip to Paris. The city of romance (not to mention a city where the very distracting ex lover isn’t present), surely she can write here? At the very least she can spend time with her daughter who lives near by.

Maybe it would work, too, except there are… complications. One, in the form of her ex-husband and another in the form of a naked French man in her bath tub. Trying to juggle time in Paris, time with family, time working on herself… can she find time to write? And yet… the words start to flow. Maybe it’s Paris, maybe it’s the new look and wardrobe… or maybe her luck is changing because of a certain French man. All she knows is, it’s working. When her muse decides to leave, though, how far will she go to keep him by her side?
Fans of hilariously neurotic anti-heroines are going to go gaga over this one. Maggie Bliss is funny and engaging. She’s also a little self absorbed and a lot frazzled at the moment. You’re invited into the innermost thoughts of a woman on the verge of either career greatness, or destruction. Forty-eight years old, she has kicked her narcissist lover out of the house and her life. Now she just has to find her muse, write a stellar third book, and get her life back on track. Watching her interactions with Max (naked Frenchman mentioned in Summary), her editor Lee and her daughter is really fun. Maggie is a bit (okay, a lot) crazy, but in the best way. I really enjoyed going through Paris with her. It was a delightfully fun, fast read. I would give it four stars.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
On the adult content scale, there’s quite a bit of sexual content (Maggie is a romance writer, after all) and language as well as some drinking. I wouldn’t say that any of it is overly explicit, so I would say this one could be appropriate for older teens (16+); though it’s obviously geared toward adults.

I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. My thanks.

The book is out! If you love crazy female leads that don’t have their lives in order (in the most hilarious ways) you should check it out.

this is the perfect weekend/holiday read. it was fast, entertaining, cute and romantic. the paris setting is great and it makes it a lot more fun.

I enjoyed this interesting story about a writer experiencing writer's block. Maggie went to Paris to find her muse. I really enjoyed the interesting tale that followed as she took in the sights of Paris, caught up with her daughter, and even saw her ex-husband. This book was a fun, easy read book. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

Maggie Finds Her Muse was exactly the book I needed to read right now!

Not only did it give my wanderlust wishing heart the travel that it needed, to one of my FAVORITE places to read about, but it also had a story that I just adored.

What I loved most about this story was that Maggie is not a millennial traveling with an unlimited budget, but an experienced woman who is writing a book, looking for inspiration in one of the most beautiful place in the world. It was so refreshing to read something so different & relatable, I LOVED Dee’s writing style & cannot wait to read more from her in the future.

The romance was charming and just enough, highly recommend picking up with this book!

Hosted this title with @loveARCtually & we were honored to get to chat with Dee about her wonderful book - thanks NetGalley + St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my personal review!

Title: Maddie Finds Her Muse
Author: Dee Ernst
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Maggie Finds Her Muse" by Dee Ernst

My Opinion:

What an exciting story of Maggie, who was a middle-aged woman she escapes to 'Paris to overcome writer's block, but in doing so, what will happen when she finds family, her independence, and above all love?' Will Maggie find the inspiration for her third Delania book? What will happen when Maggie finds a man in her bathtub? One can enjoy how the daughter and ex-husband were brought into the story and a love triangle that will keep one intrigued to see what would happen in that situation.

Be prepared to laugh out loud at a lot of bantering that will go on in this read as one will even be drawn to want to visit Paris, I am not sure about the writing [for me], but definitely, this is the place to visit, eat and let's not forget the wines. The areas that were visited in the story were quite something...from New Jersey, Paris, and New York.

'Maggie Finds Her Muse' was quite an entertaining, enjoyable, and fun read as this author will keep you turning the pages to see what was coming next. Even Jules [the dog] was funny, along with some other secondary characters who had their intricacies and complexities. All in all, giving the readers one heck of a romantic good read. By the end, the reader will get a good taste of not only a good read but one of: 'self-discovery, travel, food, culture, love, and even some relationships with friends and to family.'

Will Maggie find her Muse? This is where I say you will have to pick up this good read to see how well this author brings it all out to the reader.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Griffin, and the author, Dee Ernst, for the eARC in return for an honest review.

This was a witty rom-com full of heart and I loved it! ❤️

Best selling author Maggie is in a rut. She’s newly single and behind on writing her next book, feeling adrift and uninspired. She begrudgingly accepts a friends offer to go to Paris, stay in their apartment, and try to overcome her writers block. What follows is a journey of self love and discovery.

I sat and read Maggie Finds Her Muse in one sitting. I absolutely DEVOURED it. It’s so witty and fresh, and written so beautifully. I loved the lush descriptions of Paris, its people, and the food. This book was relatable and so incredibly charming! 5 ⭐️

Thank you @stmartinspress for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

What a wonderful book! I loved escaping to Paris with Maggie! It was a breath of fresh air to read a fun book with a middle-aged protagonist Maggie's journey to find her muse and finish her book was refreshing. Now I really want to go to France and wander the streets with my dog. Rennes, in particular, just placed itself on my bucket list..
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Maggie Finds Her Muse by Dee Ernst
Contemporary women’s fiction / romance with an older heroine.
Maggie Blish is working on her third romance novel in a trilogy. Or at least she’s supposed to be. A retreat to Paris is exactly what she needs to jumpstart her creativity. Add the sexy Frenchman, Max, who provides a bit of inspiration to the mix.

A lovely, romantic story. Especially if you’ve ever fallen in love with Paris. Or in Paris.
I wish Maggie had a bit more confidence in herself but then it wouldn’t have been the same story. And she does learn. And it was gratifying.

I enjoyed the Chapter headings. They were succinct and amusing.
Chapter 2: I arrive in Paris, and it does not suck

Excerpt from Maggie and Alan chatting about the end of the marriage many years prior:
“The place where your mother and I left off,” he said at last, “involved a lot of screaming and, I believe, crying. And there was flying cookware, if I remember correctly.”
I nodded. “Our very last fight,” I said fondly. “Cookware and dishware. Many things were broken.”
“All over the kitchen floor,” Alan agreed. “We could no longer live together, and we had very good reasons for that.”
Excerpt from Maggie finds her Muse by Dee Ernst

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

MAGGIE FINDS HER MUSE by Dee Ernst features romance novelist Maggie Bliss who has struggled for months to write the final novel in her life-changing trilogy. In quick succession, she ends a long-term, unrewarding relationship and is whisked to Paris to hunker down and finish her first draft by an unbreakable deadline. Throughout the story, Maggie juggles getting the words down and done and enjoying a city that makes her feel alive, complete with an old love and a new one. Tongue in cheek in places, this novel is charming, well-paced, emotional, and rang true throughout so I was as invested as Maggie was in finding her way to a good life, complete with her lifelong dream of a house on the beach. A marvelous read, fast and rewarding, and a joy. I received an early reader review of this novel from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review. A must read for anyone who loves romance, women's fiction, and Paris...and writing...and reading.....

3.5 stars

Maggie Finds Her Muse has the charm meter set to eleven—this new book by Dee Ernst teems with descriptions of Parisian sights, French food, and effortlessly chic clothing. Plus, of course, a forty-something American author searching for inspiration and finding it in both the city and one of the men she spends time with during her trip there.

Maggie Finds Her Muse could easily fall into the trap of being too charming, but is saved from that by a healthy dollop of self-awareness. Narrator Maggie Bliss is a romance novelist, and her meta-commentary about the cliches she sees in her own story inject just enough realism to keep the book (somewhat) grounded. I also liked that Maggie is part of a genuine, not-absurd love triangle, deciding if she should try again with “warm and fuzzy” ex-husband Alan or explore a new and exciting—but possibly short—relationship with Frenchman Max.

The one real shortcoming of the book is that because Maggie is the narrator, we only see Alan and Max through her eyes, and neither one develops much dimension. I could easily imagine Maggie Finds Her Muse becoming a lovely and charming Netflix movie, and I would certainly watch it!

Maggie Finds Her Muse by Dee Ernst is Tres Magnifique! Maggie Bliss has 60 days before the third book in her trilogy is due to her agent. Maggie hasn’t written one word! So her agent Lee suggests she come with him to Paris where she may find her muse. Maggie agrees because the trip will also allow her to see her daughter, Nicole, who now lives near Paris.

Maggie discovers when she gets to Paris that her ex-husband, Alan, is also there. And, housekeeper Solange, has a handsome son, Max, who Maggie discovers in the bathtub.

This book was fun! Maggie discovers Paris, rediscovers her love of writing, and of course, discovers love.

Thank you to #netgalley and #stmartins for the advanced e-copy of #maggiefindshermuse

Rating: 3/5 stars

Huge thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me this e-arc for an honest review.

If you love to travel, always wanted to go to Paris, love reading romance books, or want to know the life of an author, then this is the book for you.


When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was hooked and excited to read this book. However, the execution of this book was lacking for me. Throughout the book, I felt that there was a lot of filler scenes that could be cut, but also there were scenes that I wish had a little bit more depth. In those scenes where Maggie was writing the book, I wish we got to see a word count or chapter count of her progress. On the other hand, the descriptive writing of the food to the atmosphere is what caught my eye, as I was reading this book.

Throughout the book, Maggie was annoying, cringe, and made poor choices while she's in Paris. I couldn't care less for the other characters except for Nicole (Maggie's daughter).


Overall if you're in the mood to read a fast-pace book with travel and romance, along with diving into an author's life, give this book a chance to read.

Harlequin Junkie Recommends!

Tossing out her loser of a lover Greg was the first big win and the first real step in kicking Maggie’s butt into gear regarding her writing career. Having already had two extensions on her book deadline, (the second book in her Adventure Romance Trilogy), Maggie is literally stumped where to start, and as fate would have it, the shift in her romantic landscape was just what the doctor ordered – or indeed her editor.

In fact, Lee is so thrilled with her news of ditching Greg, that he invites Maggie to Paris to experience the cultural inspiration needed to write the romance that her fans are demanding. And from her first day of arrival, Maggie suddenly finds her writers block has disappeared, which typically means she has found the one thing that will carry her through until the book is completed. The complication of course is that Maggie is unsure if it is simply being in Paris, meeting up with her ex-husband Alan, or if it is unexpectedly encountering Max who is the son of the caretaker of the house she is staying in. Whatever it is, and irrespective of the lovely double entendre type deal that occurs as a result of Maggies improved romantic outlook, Maggie’s real challenge will perhaps be to discover what she really wants and how to stay true to those feelings.

The characters and their interrelationships were well constructed and by and large the plot was succinct. Whilst the complications were minimal, it effectively didn’t matter as the description of food, scenery and cultural ambience was more than enough to satisfy. Furthermore, the very adorable book within a book experience was quite novel, and like her editor and publisher, it felt necessary to root for the completion and success of Maggie’s second book as we travelled through this French adventure with her.

This wholesome and breezy read is the perfect Sunday afternoon escape wherein you can literally imagine trading places with Maggie and see yourself swanning about France with the type of casual abandon that is needed to find love in the right places. And for those with a penchant for classic romance novels with perfect Happily Ever Afters, this will definitely be your cup-of-tea – hopefully served with a freshly backed croissant or another delicious pastry of some sort.

A light hearted, beach read that was interesting and fun, and we get to go to France! Maggie is a flawed, real and creative woman who finds herself in the most romantic city in the world, where some of the best situations arise. There’s romance, action, misunderstanding and love in all forms, which should make this the first on your shelf for this summer’s reading list.

I haven't felt this good reading a brand new to me romance author in quite a while! This was definitely a feel good romance, that I will return to it again. Moreover, most of it was set in Paris, and it was just a stunning love letter to the city. I loved Maggie, I loved being in her head. I also loved the writing process and the descriptions of the characters. All of the interactions seemed genuine and I was smiling the whole time I read this book. I had never heard of this author before but now I can't wait for more!

Maggie Finds Her Muse comes out TOMORROW on April 20, 2021, you can purchase HERE! I really loved this one and definitely recommend it!

"Here lies Maggie Bliss, who died a slow and tortured death by Total Impostor Syndrome after failing to write the final book of the Delania Trilogy."

Maggie Finds Her Muse was an absolutely delightful book! I'm definitely going to have to read more books by Dee Ernst after reading this gem.

Maggie Bliss is a 48 year old romance writer with a severe case of writer's block; she's on a deadline to finish the last book in her trilogy and she's got nothing, nada, zip. She's also just kicked out her younger, egotistical boyfriend who thinks that her writing doesn't matter because it's "romance novels" compared to his Pultizer award-winning works, so she's ready to move on from that dumpster fire. When her agent Lee, who is on pins and needles over her impending book deadline because another extension is out of the question, offers her a free trip with him to Paris so she can get a change of scenery, change of pace, and find her muse, she jumps on the chance! After all, she's never been to Paris and her daughter has been living over there for school, so she can write, see the delights of Paris, and see her daughter!

Of course, the City of Love causes Maggie's creative juices to start flowing and she starts putting words down almost as soon as she arrives in Paris. But is it Paris and all its gorgeous sites, food, and just luscious vibe in general that causes the words to flow? Or is it reconnecting with her ex-husband Alan, who also happens to be in Paris visiting their daughter? Or is it Max, the charming Frenchman, who also lives in Lee's apartment and who just happens to be devastatingly attractive? Maggie is superstitious when it comes to her writing, and if she's found her muse for this book that is so, so good, she can't let it (or him) get away.

I loved this book! I loved Maggie, especially that she was a character just several years older than I was. The descriptions of Paris were divine, and they made me want to hop on a plane (if this were a non-Covid world) to one of my favorite cities in the world. I could taste the cafe creme, the baguettes with fresh butter, the lemon tarts, and I think I gained 10 lbs just reading about the food! Such a lovely, fun romance with a great cast of characters!

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the DRC. All opinions are my own.

I'd give this a solid 3.5 stars!
Maggie Bliss is trying to write the third book in a trilogy but is suffering from a severe case of writer's block. Her agent offers her a trip to Paris to stay in his flat in order to spark her creativity. Maggie is happy to check it out and to visit with her adult daughter who lives nearby in Rennes. All of the characters are well drawn and I enjoyed the descriptions of Paris, Rennes and French food! The "love triangle" isn't very spicy-it's pretty obvious who Maggie is going to end up with-between her ex-husband Alan and the French guy she meets-Max. Great fun story and definitely took me out of the pandemic for a little while!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Buy This Book
When her partner of four years tells author Maggie Bliss her work – which pays the bills- is insignificant and demands she drops what she’s doing and whip up a meal for his guests, she decides it’s time to make some changes in her life. She kicks him out of her house and calls her agent Lee to advise him that she’s been lying and doesn’t have a single word written on the final book in her popular trilogy. Not one scene has been blocked out in the novel which – if she manages to get it in on time -will be optioned for television and move Maggie’s career to the big leagues. She’s desperate for inspiration and fortunately, Lee has just the solution. Join him and his partner Martin on their annual trip to Paris. They will eat, they will shop, and Maggie will find her muse and save both their careers.

And he’s not wrong. The luxurious apartment, supportive friends and mouthwatering food reinvigorate her soul. Better yet, the chance to reconnect with her daughter Nic, who has been living in France for the past year, soothes whatever angst Maggie had been feeling from the recent breakup. When, a few days after arriving, Lee and Martin go to visit their vineyard and leave Maggie on her own in Paris, she awakens with renewed vigor, a vague plotline in her mind and – a strange man in the bathtub. It turns out Max, another friend of the couple, is in Paris for a conference and was offered the opportunity to stay there as well.

The handsome, charming, debonair Max becomes Maggie’s new guide through Paris, taking her to various salons and shops for a complete makeover and showing her all the best places to eat in a city blessed with the best food in the world. Max proves to be the catalyst she needs to move beyond her writer’s block, and Maggie finds herself writing morning and night, completely motivated by the beauty and wonder of the City of Lights and all the delicious possibilities it offers.

Then her ex-husband Alan arrives to visit their daughter, is completely impressed with Maggie’s makeover and Maggie realizes she has a decision to make. Does she want to make a move on Max and let him know she’s ready to grow their friendship into something more? Or does she want to make her daughter happy by going back to the comfortable if bland relationship she had with her ex-decades ago?

This lighthearted novel has some really great things going for it. First, the portrayal of Maggie’s trip to Paris is fantastic. The author does a terrific job of balancing touristy descriptions of the area with capturing the heart of its grace, beauty and charm through its people and culture – this is easily one of the best romance novel armchair adventures I have ever been on. Also, I loved that Maggie, Max and Alan are all past forty; it was so refreshing to read a novel about older protagonists who act their ages. Their behavior reflected the greater patience, quieter demeanors and more leisurely pacing of life after the kids have moved out. It’s nice that Maggie really thinks through what her next move should be romance wise – she carefully considers how she feels about each man and what life with them would mean. And I liked that there are no villains here – both men are awesome in their unique ways and when turned down, the loser is as gracious in his loss as one could hope for. Most of the time in a love triangle I will root for one potential pairing over the other, but this time I found myself accepting of whichever match up occurred, I liked both men that much. Alan, a former professor, is kind and steady and smart and sweet. Max, a hot shot banker, is also kind and steady and smart. He’s a bit more sophisticated and elegant than Alan but at their core, both are thoughtful, reflective people who know how to react maturely in every situation.

Maggie is mostly like that as well. She’s a bit more impetuous than either hero and tends to base a lot of her responses on feelings rather than logic, but she’s still kind, retrospective and clever. At least for the first three quarters of the book.

This is where we come to the couple of quibbles that kept Maggie Finds Her Muse from DIK status. In the last quarter of the narrative the author decides she needs a climatic event and comes up with one that makes Maggie look both immature and selfish. The whole scenario knocked the grade down because it’s both unnecessary and shows a woman using her daughter and love interest in a rather callous manner.

Less of a problem but still irksome to me was how quickly Maggie hooked up with a new guy. She’s kicked out her live-in partner of four years at the start of the novel and within a month is involved in a love triangle. I received the sense that she couldn’t stand to be on her own and always needed a man in her life, and that’s a trait I tend to find a bit off-putting.

While not without flaws, I would still recommend Maggie Finds Her Muse to those who enjoy low key rom-coms and to anyone looking for older heroes who are to die for. It’s a quick, easy, fun read and the gloriously well captured Parisian setting makes the foibles easy to forgive.