A good, solid historical fiction, told in two time frames, about a great grandmother and her great granddaughter who have a lot in common. Each has a love for family and people in their neighborhood. Takes a while to read, as you'll be sure not to miss a word. Very real characters and their lives, through wars. Easy to get lost in, sometimes frustrating at the switch as you wonder what happened. Some cliff hangers there. Even recipes! Excellent read!

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#NetGalley #ABakeryInParis #AimieKRunyan #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #WilliamMorrowPaperbacks #HistoricalFiction #FiveStarHistorical

"A Bakery in Paris" is a delectable literary treat that transports readers to the picturesque streets of Paris, immersing them in the world of baking, friendship, and love. With its mouthwatering descriptions and endearing characters, this novel is a perfect escape for anyone who enjoys a blend of culinary delights and heartwarming storytelling. Whether you're a fan of baking, Paris, or simply a well-crafted tale of personal transformation, this book is sure to satisfy your literary appetite.
If you're in the mood for a charming historical fiction read, pick this one up. Warning- don't read it on an empty stomach! The descriptions of the bread alone made me gain ten pounds!

This lovely book deserves to be read while indulging on a beautiful plate of French pastries and a cup of tea or chocolat au chaud. A dual timeline novel set in Paris with two amazingly strong heroines, Aimie K. Runyan has written her best yet (that’s saying a lot since I have loved her past novels). Runyan focuses on two women from the same family, Lisette and her great-granddaughter, Micheline, during two difficult time periods in the history of Paris, and how baking and the family bakery helps them move forward.
Runyan sets Lisette’s storyline in Paris during the War of 1870 (otherwise known as the Franco-Prussian War) where she has left behind a privileged life for her love and a cause she believes in. She’s always loved cooking and baking, having been taught by the family Cook from a young age, so when she realizes she can contribute to the people of her neighborhood by providing bread when food is scarce, she opens her bakery. Micheline is struggling in 1946 as Paris tries to recover from WWII. Her father was killed early in the war and her mother disappeared right at the end, leaving her with the care of her two younger sisters. Luckily, the family owns the building and the combination of renting the café downstairs and taking in mending has kept them afloat…until the tenants leave with no notice. Luckily, one of her neighbors was friends with her grandmother and remembers Lisette and the bakery. When she gives Micheline a chance to become a baker and reopen the neighborhood bakery, she takes it, hoping to provide a more stable future for herself and her sisters, while continuing to search for their missing mother.
It was interesting watching both women grow and find the strength to get through the difficult times and see how much love and commitment they had for their families, their friends, the men in their lives, their community, and helping Paris recover. The book of recipes with personal comments strengthened the tie between the generations and provided more depth to the stories. Don’t miss this one! Also, don’t be surprised if you feel the need to search out new recipes to bake or a nice French bakery to pick up pastries. I made sure to grab a copy for my keeper shelf!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#ABAKERYINPARIS #AIMIEKRUNYAN #WILLIAMMORROWBOOKS #TALLPOPPYWRITER #TALLPOPPYBLOGGER #BLOOMREADS

Great plot, great characters, great history!

I love when I get a Historical Fiction book that covers a period little know to me; In this case Paris during the Franco-Prussian War.

A Bakery in Paris is a dual-time line. In the 1870’s Lisette realizes that she can help feed her starving neighbors with some bravery and cunning. Some 75 years later, her great-granddaughter Micheline is struggling to feed her younger sisters after her mom vanished during the Nazi occupation. A neighbor suggests that she learn to bake so that she can make a living.

Foodies will love the interspersed recipes and pastry descriptions, historical fiction fans will love a new topic that hasn’t been done and redone, and all readers will love the rich characters and well done plot. A Bakery in Paris is a definite win for everyone!

I'll admit that French history is something I know very little about, but this dual-time novel was a great introduction to two different time periods in French history. I really loved how the bakery was the centerpiece of the story and connected the two time periods together. In 1870, Lisette is a force to be reckoned with as she leaves her family behind to pursue love and her love of cooking after training under her family's chef, Nannette, for many years. In 1946, Micheline is doing her best to raise her sisters after her father's death and mother's disappearance. With much encouragement from a neighbor, Micheline sets out to open a bakery in the space below her apartment. This book is truly the story of perseverance of women who will do want they can to provide for their families and those that they love. Definitely recommend this book for lovers of historic fiction.
Warning, don't read this book hungry or you will want all the pastries.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A dual timeline novel, the stories took place in the Montmartre section of Paris in 1870 and 1946. Lisette was born to privilege, engaged to a wealthy man when she meets Theo, and is exposed to the dire situation of the people in Montmartre. Lisette leaves her wealthy parents to help the Communards fight against the troops of the Thiers government. Micheline is unable to accept that her missing mother might be dead after the end of WWII. As the oldest of three sisters, Micheline takes on the role of raising her sisters while trying to move forward. When Micheline meets Laurent, her life changes and the past must be out to rest. I was absorbed by Lisette’s story a bit more than Micheline, due to Lisette’s strength and strong sense of compassion. Both women survive by baking in the family bakery. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A Bakery in Paris is a dual timeline novel, a bit different than usual in that both timelines are historical. The first is 1870-75 during and after the Franco-Prussian War and the second is 1946, just after WWII. The link is the bakery, Le Bijou, which was opened by Lisette in 1870 and subsequently reopened by her great granddaughter, Micheline, in 1946. Lisette had left a detailed book of her recipes and her notes which Micheline finds in the basement and uses to supplement her course in bread and pasty making prior to reopening the bakery. A great deal of the book is devoted to the recipes and the intricacies of food preparation, which will be interesting to those who are into baking. For me, that became tedious as my interest was in life in general and the role of women during these two periods, both devastated by war. Food is an important element in both of these stories as the population was starving and purposeful starvation was a critical element in military strategy. The Franco-Prussian War period bears strong resemblance to the earlier French Revolutionary period.
As the stories do not intersect, you are basically reading two independent stories with some parallels in alternating chapters, contained within the same book. I read 60% of it in the order presented and found my interest waning in both stories. For the remainder, I read one story to completion and then returned to complete the other story. This was vastly more satisfying.
I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Runyon’s writing style and both storylines were good overall with highly relatable characters and exploration into the cultures of each time period and the emotional trials of survival when life is turned upside down.
Thank you to the author, Aimie K, Runyon, the publisher, William-Morrow, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC.

I really liked the premise for this book because it centers on two interesting moments in history and purports to visit these moments via a baking-centric plot. Unfortunately, it’s mostly a boring slog through moments which should be inherently interesting, and focuses a lot more on romance than history, which is disappointing and yet not terribly surprising considering what gets labeled as “Historical Fiction” these days.

Runyan is a perfectly competent writer and had a great idea here. I especially liked the idea of including a timeline from the 1870 siege of Paris, an underutilized historical event in fiction. But because the book is so laser focused on what should have been tangential romantic subplots, we get little in the way of historical atmosphere compared to what the book seemed to set out to offer.

The sense of place was fine, and it certainly feels accurate to Paris in these moments, but it’s not the kind of lush and immersive atmosphere that allows you to enjoy a book even if the plot isn’t wonderful. And while there is certainly an incorporation of baking and a Paris bakery in the story, it misses almost completely on the opportunity to create atmosphere through the sensory experience provided by good historical food writing.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and Runyan is an always read author because of the work she puts into each subject. I was heartbroken for her when the real life bakery she based the titular bakery on went out of business just before she was able to get there to see it in person. The story is a dual timeline telling of the history of two strong-willed women in different wartime eras, and is wonderfully researched. And the bakery treats - oh la la, how much I wished for so many of these treats as they were described in the book. I'm no baker (my sourdough loaves tend towards flat, but I keep trying!) but the descriptions gave me the desire to try. Or at least to find a decent French bakery closer than Paris. A bijou of a book well worth the time.

My thanks to William Morrow, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Bakery in Paris is a dual POV look into 1870s and post WWII Paris. While it is a very character driven novel (which I normally do not like), it had a cast of characters that you fell in love with right away. Normally in dual POV novels I will have a preferred view point but both of the main characters were so well written I flew through the book.

If you are looking for a solid historical fiction novel that will make you crave a French pastry, I highly recommend A Bakery in Paris.

This is a dual timeline novel, set during the Franco-Prussian war in the 1870s. This is about a young woman from a wealthy, aristocratic family who meets a young man who is a member of the National Guard. This is during the period of the war when the Prussians have arrived in Paris and have surrounded the city, setting a blockade to slowly starve the remaining citizens of the city. Lisette runs away to be with Theo, against her family's wishes. They start a small bakery in Montmartre but soon thanks to the blockade, the people of Paris begin to starve as food becomes short and the only ones that can afford to buy on the black market are the rich. Lisette could go home to her family but she chooses to stay with Theo and her new friends, starving along with them.
The second part is Michelle's story, she lost her parents during WWII, her father dying and her mother disappearing, leaving her to take care of her two younger sisters. A neighbor helps her attend a prestigious baking academy where she meets Laurent Tanet.
This is a story of friendships, family and community and about the strong women at the heart of it all, filled with the power of love that spans generations, binding them together.
I enjoyed this story, it was a little slower paced than I usually like in a novel but the writing style and the warm, real characters more than make up for it. I would give it 4 stars and I do recommend to historical fiction fans.
Thank you to William Morrow Publishing and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read A Bakery in Paris by Amie K. Runyan. I enjoyed this book quote a lot, the characters were extremely well written and their stories truly touched me. I have been reading books focusing on strong women lately - this is one of the best.

I enjoyed this book so much. Both POVs completely captured my attention and had me rooting for them. It's definitely a book I'd recommend to historical fiction lovers. My favorite lines of the (unedited, pre-release) book: I remembered that roses could be made to root again if soaked in a solution of honey and cinnamon. Nanette rolled her eyes as I dipped the end of the cutting in honey and rolled it in precious cinnamon powder. I scavenged one of her disused herb pots and planted the flower so that it too, might have a second chance at life.

I typically enjoy a dual timeline book and right from the start this one really worked. While I preferred Micheline's story (especially for the first half of the book) I also found Lisette's interesting and enjoyed learning about a time period I know little about. This is a new author for me but I really enjoyed her writing style and her ability to tackle really difficult emotional topics without the book drifting into overwrought or melodramatic.

Lisette at times seemed hopelessly naïve and a bit too perfect at the beginning. There is a moment when she is seriously tempted and that really helped me feel a bit more connected to her. As well I love that her mission for helping her community is so practical and she understands the value of it. I also really liked that her mission is what ends up giving her great-granddaughter hope many years later. Micheline is tough and scared and torn between having to be constantly practical and self-sacrificing and an almost irrational hope that things will get better or have some normalcy. I loved her relationship with her sisters. The author has definitely had some experience with an adolescent girl as she captures that perfectly with the middle sister!

I really enjoyed this book. There's some romance to it and frequently desperate times make for more intense feelings which may cause some eye rolling for some readers. I was sad to see the last of these characters and am looking forward to reading more by this author.

I savored reading this book. Not many authors have ventured into the Franco-Prussian War and Paris Commune time frame, which I found refreshing. Intersecting it with post WWII France and linking a great-granddaughter with her great-grandmother was also a different tactic that is effective.
I thought Lisette was very idealistic and for all her philosophies and supportive of the revolt, her very livelihood rested on the gains from the wealthy, which was ironic.
I had much empathy for Gaspard, he was a good man and I was hoping for a nice ending suitable for him.
It’s an engaging read with lots of pastry and bread to salivate over.

Quick and Dirty⁣
-dual POV/dual timeline historical fiction ⁣
-abundant with French history and culture ⁣
-full of recipes and baking references ⁣
-Paris as a main character ⁣
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Swipe for the full synopsis!⁣
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Thoughts
When I tell you I absolutely adored this book I mean it. It was the wholesome slice of goodness that I needed to get through my week. I was utterly entranced by both character storylines and had to know what was to come of these headstrong, resilient MCs. The baking/bakery elements added whimsy to the book which helped keep the tone hopeful even in the darkest moments, of which there were plenty. These characters saw hardship in many forms, some more relatable than others, but each carrying a weight felt by the reader. I was especially intrigued by the riches-to-rags storyline of Lisette. Giving up a life of luxury for love and principles is honorable/admirable/fascinating/mind-boggling all at once. It had me wondering if would I do that?! This was an excellent book for any historical fiction reader, especially one who enjoys intergenerational stories. It is WWII adjacent, so it appeals to WWII fiction fans, too. I loved all the French history and the main character energy the author gave to my favorite city: Paris. My only complaint is that it felt a little YA at times. The romance was all clean (which I prefer), but for some reason, the wholesomeness of the book coupled with the strong coming-of-age themes gave it a bit of a YA vibe. Still, I highly recommend this one and can’t wait to hear what you all think!!

Enjoyed the book but didn't love it as much as the author's previous books. I loved how the book alternated between Lisette in the 1870's and Micheline in the 1940's. Both women struggled to survive war in Paris, just many years apart. I knew the women had to be related. Would Lisette's parents really accept Lisette's life choices? Would her mother really become loving all of a sudden and take an interest in her daughter? Lisette was lucky to have Nanette in her life. Without Madame Dupuis, I'm not sure Micheline would have ever found her love of baking or Laurent. All the baking sounded delicious. It was interesting reading about the Franco-Prussian War, since I had no knowledge of it before reading this. Both Lisette and Micheline were strong and determined. Micheline never gave up hope about finding her missing mother. Discovering the truth about her mom was one of the saddest parts of the book.

Definitely recommend the book. Enjoyed the characters, writing style and story. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Loved the cover of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from William Morrow through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Bakery in Paris by Aimie K. Runyan is a fascinating book. Two unique stories are told by Lisette and Micheline, whose lives are separated by almost eight decades. The women are united by blood and their love of baking. Lisette lives with her wealthy family in Paris and we meet her in 1870. She is happiest working with the kitchen staff and loves to bake. Her mother doesn't take much interest in Lisette, until they find her the husband that her parents deem ideal. Unbeknown to them, Lisette has already fallen in love and has ideas of her own. Baking becomes her life line.
Micheline is living in Paris in 1946. Her father is dead and her mother disappeared during the war. Micheline is left caring for her two younger sisters. They live in Montmartre in a building the family has owned for three generations. When the cafe on the first floor closes suddenly, Micheline needs another source of income. An elderly friend remembers the fantastic bakery that was run in that space by Micheline's great grandmother and her grandmother. Micheline is a very good baker, but she needs to attend baking school to develop the skills needed to open a bakery. Armed with Lisette's recipe book, Micheline takes on the challenge.
Runyan shares the recipe's with her reader and that makes this entertaining novel extra delicious.

I wanted to read this book as soon as I read the title, and you don’t have to wait long to read it since its PUB DATE IS AUGUST 1st! Historical fiction fans who enjoy strong female leads will love this book. I really enjoyed it and craved croissants the whole time I read it.

This book has something that I’ve never seen before, and I think it was my favorite part…when the creation of a specific baked good was mentioned in the story, the author gives the recipe and directions at the end of the chapter. Maybe I’ll be brave enough to attempt one of the delicious pastries.

The Paris Bakery is a dual timeline novel.

In the 1870s, Lissette, who is from a wealthy family, learns the truth behind the Prussian invasion although her family had gone to great lengths to ensure that her life would not be affected. While running an errand, Lissette meets Theo, who is heading up a fight for the common people in Paris. Lissette leaves her life of ease to be with Theo and opens a bakery to provide food for her new, poor and struggling neighborhood.

Flash forward to 1946. After the devastation of WWII, 19-year-old Micheline is figuring out how to survive without her dad, who was killed in the war, and her mom who recently went missing. Micheline has to provide for herself and raise her two younger sisters. She enrolls in baking classes in an effort to reopen the family bakery that has been rented to other businesses for years. Micheline meets Laurent in her baking class and the two of them navigate baking, falling in love, and learning how to move on after tragic loss.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow Books, and Custom House Books for this early copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I loved it!

💬What’s your favorite thing to get at a bakery?

I first became a fan of Aimie K. Runyon when I read her last release, The School for German Brides. Today, she releases her latest, A Bakery in Paris, in which she writes a story in dual timelines that are intimately connected. Lisette's story is set in 1870 and tells the story of a well-born girl whose political views differ completely from those of her wealthy parents. As elite forces act to quell the rebellion of the working class in Paris, Lisette finds that her allegiance is firmly with the commoners. And the handsome Theo. In 1946 after World War II has taken it's infamous toll on the city and her residents, Micheline struggles to find her way. The war has taken both her mother and father away from her and her two younger sisters. At 17, Micheline must struggle to find a way to support her young family. At least she has the space below their apartment where her great-grandmother once established a bakery. And more importantly, she has her grandmother's recipes written so long ago. This is a substantial story of love and loss, uncertainty and perseverance. I read it over the course of a day. The pages seemed to turn themselves. Ms. Runyon is an accomplished writer, and she kept me interested and invested throughout. I learned something new about French history, and this story took paths I didn't expect. This book publishes August 1, 2023, and I firmly recommend picking it up. Thanks to #HarperCollins and #Netgalley for my copy.