📣 As someone with anxiety, I really want to say Paris was relatable. 📣

Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

And also, this book made me cry, and I am writing this at 2:00 am. But I do need to begin this review by saying that the people that read the books in this series should NOT expect to relate 100% to the characters. Just because you share one thing that you like with them doesn't mean that this isn't the book for you. Alexis wrote these books for us to get a different point of view that somehow showcases the same character growth we see in GBBS. However, here we're with the characters all the way. It's frustrating, upsetting, it's maddening, and we can only hope that the characters grow and get better as we read.
Yes, Paris does things in this book that I disliked, disagreed, and got frustrated with, but THAT'S what the series is about.
Now the real question we should all be asking ourselves is: did Paris's character grow enough for us to be happy with his arch? Was it a good arch?
I believe it was because EVERYONE of his problems felt exactly like untreated anxiety. I CAN NOT express enough how accurate Paris's untreated brain was. I LOVED this book. It's truly amazing. Even if Alain was here for 5 seconds too many. 🤣

Second in a series centered around a British baking television show, this one features two heroes who meet in the competition but soon find themselves attracted to each other. This book made me laugh out loud too many times to count, but it also paints a picture of crippling anxiety and panic attacks. One thing is guaranteed: readers will not forget Paris and Tariq and their story. Highly recommended.

2.5

Marketing this as a romantic comedy is doing this book a disservice because there is very little comedy and the romance is questionable.

The bulk of this story is about Paris spiraling then recognizing and putting a name on his generalized anxiety disorder and coming to terms with how badly it is impacting his life. And while I am all for narratives that destigmatize mental health issues and I think the depiction of an undiagnosed anxiety disorder was done well, I picked this up to read a cute romcom and instead got bad flashbacks of my own struggles with anxiety.

Paris is a deeply flawed character and being in his head for the whole book was exhausting. He is constantly second guessing himself and catastrophizing, while I think it was a great representation of anxiety, it was not pleasurable to read. I do appreciate that Paris ended up getting help, both through medication and group therapy, and I found that whole process to be very relatable; however, I'm not sure I buy into the ground work he's done being enough to warrant the "happy for now" ending. Like he made a lot of comments that seemed to come more from privilege than anxiety throughout the book and that did not sit well with me.

I loved Tariq and I liked that in the end he admitted that their breakup was not solely on Paris, though the majority of it was. Tariq is a loud and proud gay Muslim Bangladeshi-British man and I think my favorite part of this book was the scene where he talks about his struggles reconciling his faith and his sexuality. I also appreciated seeing a love interest that wants to wait to have sex until marriage. That being said, I could not buy into Paris and Tariq as a couple. In the beginning it was cute and then Paris kept talking and I just never felt like their differing beliefs (about religion, sex, money, etc.) were ever adequately addressed even after the reconciliation.

Also, the only moment in this book hat had me remotely emotional was the scene at the end where Paris <spoiler> stopped texting his mom and instead reached out to his old housekeeper</spoiler> which I think proves how Not a Romance this book was.

I will likely still continue with the series because I really love the spin on GBBO. Maybe I need to go in expecting contemporary not expecting romance and it will land better.

Oh no. This book.

I don’t even know what to say. Anxiety is real, and very serious, and I understand that this is how some people think. But it was too much. Things did not get better until about 80% through.

I felt the book was trying too hard to be quirky, and it just became awkward. For a book with no sex they referenced the human anatomy way too often, and in too many terms. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not shy about sex in books.

I will say, I read ‘A Lady for a Duke,’ by the same author and REALLY enjoyed it, so this book is not a reflection on the author as a whole.

This wasn’t my favorite Alexis Hall read - There are parts of this book that are wonderful and charming - but for me, someone with anxiety issues, it was a little hard to read. Paris is *so* up in his head and negging himself that it’s sometimes hard to see what Tariq sees in him.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Alexis Hall keeps up his prolific pace with Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble. Readers follow Paris, a well-to-do student whose roommate entered him into a baking competition that will air on national TV. Paris frequently finds that he gets overwhelmed with worries, and isn't sure a televised competition is the best way to de-stress. Add in one Tariq, a handsome gay Bangladeshi Muslim competitor who might be flirting with him and that Paris maybe hit in the face with a fridge. Paris is distinctly far beyond whelmed.

While Paris' book does follow Rosaline Palmer's, there is absolutely no difficulty in starting the series with Paris or with only reading Paris. I had not read Rosaline's book, and did not feel I was missing anything, though I'm certain there are easter eggs or cameos I could not have caught.

Please be aware of content warnings for this book as Paris is a character with undiagnosed generalized anxiety disorder whose exploration of his mental health does compose a portion of the story. In addition, Paris is our perspective character, so readers will view the story through his lens.

As a reader with a type of anxiety (test anxiety), the experience of reading from Paris' perspective was relatable and annoying, much like actually experiencing irrational anxiety. Certainly well-written on the author's part, but I couldn't say I particularly enjoyed that or the miscommunication that occurred as a result of Paris' anxiety. Nothing at all against Hall's work, but that was not a fun portion of the reading experience for me despite being able to acknowledge that it was well done and that the representation is both important and welcome. This little ding against my personal enjoyment did prevent this book from getting 5 stars from me.

Hall excels at romantic comedy. He has a talent for incorporating a very British sort of humor in his writing both as part of the narrative and part of character interactions. He also excels at writing characters that are easy to root for and relate to, which he has delivered again with Paris and Tariq. Add in a Great British Bake-Off style competition, and Hall had a winning blend.

Alexis Hall has undoubtedly become an auto-buy author for me over the years and I was so happy to be able to read this newest work early.

Much like the first book in this series, I really enjoyed the concept of the baking show in this book, and how it brings so many unique and interesting characters together. The thing that stood out to me the most about this book was the representation of generalized anxiety disorder and how it doesn’t just affect the person who struggles with it. This representation allowed me to really relate to Paris when it comes to his thought processes and daily struggles. I also really liked how the topic of religion was treated in this book when it comes to Tariq’s character. Overall, this book made me feel seen and understood while addressing many important topics through a diverse variety of characters. I would definitely recommend this book!

Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall is the second book in a series and I was excited because I read the first one Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake.

Paris is a mess and has gotten himself into it. His roommates enters him into Bake Expectations, a popular baking show, and Paris will figure out how to not fail and make it past the first week.

I started reading this book and although I can relate to Paris because I have anxiety, this book and the situations he was in have me even more anxiety.

This book was not very romantic which threw me off because I thought it was a romance. I think it was probably my fault for not reading about it because requesting it.

I really wish I could give it a better review but I struggled to finish it.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc.

Once again, a compelling read from Alexis Hall, bringing us stories we haven’t read (many of) before.

Where this book really shines is the third-act breakup and reconciliation. Especially in a single-POV story like this one, it can be tricky to justify a breakup, without making the dump-er into a jerk. Hall nails it.

Poor Paris – he really does get annoying when his anxiety takes over his life, so much that while I felt for Paris, I really understood Tariq, when Tariq couldn’t take it any more.

I do enjoy a book where the MC needs to get their life in order (or anxiety under control as the case may be) before they are able to be in a healthy relationship. I liked watching Paris do the work; liked watching him cope better, even as it’s never implied that he’ll be cured. (Hall wouldn’t do us a disservice like that.)

A lovely, well-earned HFN ending.
#NetGalley

Pub date: 11/1/22
Genre: romcom (m/m)
In one sentence: When Paris finds himself on the TV show Bake Expectations, fellow competitor Tariq will make him question everything he knows about life and love.

This is a difficult book to rate, because there's a lot of good, but also some things that bothered me.

The good: Bake Expectations continues to be a highly entertaining show. Paris' roommate and cat are excellent side characters. There's a laser tag battle against 9-year-olds. Paris and Tariq both experience character growth.

Things I didn't love: This book was hard to read at times. Paris suffered from overwhelming anxiety, and I just wanted him to go to therapy and get help! Tariq would try to help him and then get frustrated - again, professional help is the answer here! I think if the book had been a bit shorter, it wouldn't have bothered me so much, but it was hard to see both MCs flounder for so long. I'll still continue to read Alexis Hall's books, but I hope the next Bake Expectations book has a bit more romance!

Thank you to Forever Publishing for providing a NetGalley ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I very much enjoy Hall’s writing and the character work and he doesn’t disappoint in this book. I especially liked how thoughtfully he portrayed Paris’s mental health experiences. (But if you’re sensitive to portrayals of anxiety & panic attacks, be sure to check CWs.) As always Hall gives us incredibly lovable yet complex 2SLGBTQIA+ characters you will root for till they get their HEA. Oh and one mustn’t forget all the deliciously yummy food descriptions and recipes included. This is the second book in the Winner Bakes All series; it can be read as a stand-alone but if you’d like to get caught up pick-up Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, the first book.
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I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

First off I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this advance copy.

There is a lot to love in this book. The comedy part of the 'romcom' here is genuinely funny (as expected from Alexis Hall -- no one does literary humour better right now), and I grew to love the characters. Morag particularly stood out as a great secondary character whom I won't soon forget. Paris's journey to coming to understand his GAD was admirable and his growth heartwarming. Tariq is a very unique character in queer romance and this representation was welcome to me, particularly as a queer person of faith who has to navigate the tensions inherent within that.

Despite all of these wonderful things, this didn't entirely hit the mark for me. Paris's GAD is at about a 13/10 for most of the book, which (even speaking as someone who lives with a fair bit of anxiety) made him more insufferable than relatable. It was hard to cheer for him, in the competition, in the romance, and just as a character. He did eventually get where he needed to go, and I really appreciated him by the end, but it was a long journey, and I don't particularly enjoy romances where I'm not invested in the heroes/heroines from the jump.
I would have appreciated spending a bit more time with Tariq as well. He's such a unique character in media it would have been great to see more of his perspective and understanding of his identity and how he fits into the world.

I will post a favorable review of this book on my blog the week before its publication.

I appreciate receiving an ARC for this book. Alexis Hall is an author that always has amazing character development in their stories, and this book was no exception.
Our main character is Paris, whose roommate enters him in a baking reality show, Bake Expectations. Paris has low self esteem, anxiety and fear of abandonment from loved ones. All of these things you seen him encounter throughout the story. This story also is not a romantic comedy, yes there is romance and comedic scenes, but it dives way deeper in issues Paris faces. On the show, you get to meet some fun and quirky characters in addition to Tariq, who Paris has an instant connection with. You follow Paris trying to compete on the show, build something with Tariq, all while trying to overcome the anxieties and sadness that pull him down.
I appreciated the way Hall wrote about anxiety and the very real fear that so many that have it have—that no one will want to love them, deal with them, the feeling that they don’t deserve it (which is absolutely false—you deserve love and happiness). I loved the sprinkle of humor throughout and Hall always writes scenes where I burst out laughing.
Alexis Hall is an automatic buy author for me and this book made me feel all the feelings.

First of all, I love Alexis Hall, and I l o v e sweets, need I say more? The mental health representation of Anxiety in this book was probably one of my favorite things about it. Hall did so well in boyfriend/husband material representing ED's and depression that I don't know why I'm surprised that the representation for anxiety was on point as well!
As usual, the banter between both Paris and Tariq is to die for!
I think that the character development for Paris in this book as he copes with his mental health problems was incredible and really shows how Hall is still growing as a writer as they keep producing better and better storylines for their characters!

*3.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!

This was a charming book. Paris and Tariq were adorable as a couple, and I love that they were honest with each other and had things to work on to be the best boyfriend. I enjoyed this, as I usually enjoy queer baking books (baking books in general actually). As always, Alexis Hall wrote really witty and earnest characters. The cast of side characters was strong, and it really made me feel like I was watching the Great British Baking Show.

As someone who also has GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), I related to Paris to a certain extent. It can be scary to get help, but you sometimes have to admit that for the betterment of your relationships, it's necessary. A lot of Paris's struggle seemed to come from himself, and his refusal to admit that there was a possibility of him having a mental illness. It's a hard concept to grasp for some of us, for sure. However, for some reason, I had a tough time reading it (maybe I should look into that...).

Ultimately, this isn't (in my opinion) Alexis Hall's best work. I still enjoyed it, of course, but I've definitely enjoyed his other books tons more!

Paris Daillencourt may be about to crumble but this book is extremely solid!

If you love baking shows, live your life with anxiety and wish you could put words to what you feel, and want a romance to root for that is unique in its human complexities, this is your book.

I knew I would like this book based on the strength of Alexis Hall's previous books, and a trusted friend who also read this. This book was more than a like; it's a love. It's a star baker. It's a hollywood handshake. This book is an emotional gut punch for me specifically, but I'm sure others will see themselves reflected in Paris (or Tariq's!) story and feel the same pain, joy, and catharsis.

Paris's inner monologue and spiraling is familiar territory for me. I wasn't triggered by the content (although I deeply appreciate the content warnings!) but it was both uplifting and eye-opening to see anxiety represented this way. I usually call it my "cycle of impossibilities", Paris has his own name for it. I thought it was a very honest representation, as was his friends' reactions (both good and bad). It was so uplifting to see him come to terms with it, to realize what was happening and try and find a way forward. And it was so heartwarming to see the people in his life acknowledge their own part in helping or hurting him, and for Paris himself to acknowledge his own mistakes. It was..... well, its a romance book and this was such a lovely ideal human interaction. I definitely wish the people in my life always gave me as much grace (and perhaps I can learn from Paris too about certain things). It was such a feel good, beautiful moment.

I did really like the romance too! Both characters had *so* much going on in their own lives and felt very much like fully dimensional human people. People are complicated multifaceted beings with inner lives outside of just baking and seeking romance. Even with the happy ending and swoon moments along the way, this romance storyline felt very grounded in humanity; I could imagine these people being in "real life".

I haven't read any other reviews other than my friend's. I am actually kind of nervous to do so. I'm worried that people will find Paris annoying, or wishywashy, or "not deserving of love" due to his anxiety-fueled spiraling. That is NOT what this story is about (and tbh, I will fight in an Arby's parking lot anyone who thinks Paris doesn't deserve love). This is romance and comedy and flawed people-- this is romance and baking and people finding ways to make it work -- this is romance and anxiety and learning that you *can* find help even it feels hopeless. And this is also romance and a happy ending that you actually *believe* in.

I really loved seeing these complicated people navigate difficult conversations and life situations and find a way to a happy day.

Also, I re-read Rosaline Palmer Takes The Cake right before this and that was such a fun idea; it felt like a good netflix binge of GBBO.

There’s a lot of great things in this story. My favorite being Paris. Paris is such a hot mess with his intense anxiety and seeing as how I suffer from anxiety, Paris, I see you. I think it was a bit hard for me to read only because I do suffer from anxiety and Paris was kinda in my head and that’s not where I want to be. That said, it also felt kinda nice and warm because I wasn’t alone and yes, anxiety is a real thing and every time Paris did something that he couldn’t help doing but of course it was going to hurt him somehow, I really felt for him.

I really enjoyed all of the baking show stuff. The hosts and other contestants were so well written and I laughed out loud a bunch at them. It was like watching you-know-what, without actually watching you-know-what. I also liked Paris’s relationship (non-relationship) with his parents and how that played out. I think it added to his character, his anxiety and his world. That situation made me angry and sad for Paris, but also made Paris a much more sympathetic character and added a layer of vulnerability that enhanced his anxiety.

Tariq is the love interest, but the book isn’t a romantic comedy. The story really centers around Paris and his mental health while Tariq orbited around the story. The cute moments they had together were REALLY cute. And I like how fully formed Tariq was, he seemed like a real character with a lot of layers and flaws and lots of contradictions. That said, I didn’t really feel like they were a good romantic match. I like that they were trying (many failed attempts) as not all romances are easy and sometimes it takes a lot of work to get on the same page.

Paris is a great story that I think many will enjoy.

I wouldn't categorize this as a romance; more of a getting-to-know-yourself story. It's a really good exploration of the main character and mental illness, and how anxiety can affect every aspect of life.

I love Alexis Hall's writing, I feel like the characters just jump off the page and I can usually relate to any one of them at any given time.
This book gives me Boyfriend/Husband material vibes with the two main characters being so opposite.
I love the premise of this book, being on a reality cooking show. So hip.

Loved this book and I love this author!

I am so conflicted about my review for this book.

On the one hand, I love Alexis Hall. I love the way Hall writes characters with warmth - the kind of people you want to fill your life with. The dialogue in this book is snappy as always. And I mostly really loved it. I rooted for Paris and Tariq, while also simultaneously yelling for them to pull their heads out of their asses.

However, there were a few things that interrupted the reading experience for me.

First, is the lack of logistical details. Did I miss it, or is there little to no explanation of what happens on the weekends while they're filming. Do they stay on site? If so, why are they checking into a hotel room? Why does this bother me so much? I don't know, but I like details and found it distracting to not be able to picture the structure of their weekends.

Second. Paris was a very hard character to read. As a person with generalized anxiety disorder, this may be a case of not wanting to look so deeply within myself, but holy hell did he make me want to scream more than once.

Third. Is there no resolution with Paris' parents? They're terrible, the end? Deal with it. Which would be fine, .Some people have terrible parents and there is no neat resolution. But Paris himself needed to have some sort of resolution for the way he still wants and needs them in his life.