I've been addicted to Ruth Reichl's writing for a long time now and when I saw this in NetGalley, I was delighted! I have a lot of trouble staying focused on one book and had resolved this year to finish books before I started another and it took all of my willpower not to jump right into this one. IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT. Ruth spins a beautiful tale of finding yourself and blossoming from nothing when put in the right places. I loved every moment of this novel and loved how beautifully everything wrapped up. I can't wait to see what else Ruth spins up! 100/10!!!

Celebrated food critic and magazine editor Ruth Reichl has written her second work of fiction, following an impressive string of memoirs. In The Paris Novel, book editor Stella lives her life according to self-imposed rules and schedules. Having suffered a traumatic childhood, she is reluctant to stray from the sheltered life she has created. So, in 1983, when her estranged, very inattentive and flamboyant mother dies and leaves her a one-way ticket to Paris, it takes a lot of courage for Stella to take a leave from her job and embark alone on a journey to an unfamiliar city. As she makes new acquaintances who recommend places and things for her to experience, she finds herself gradually becoming more willing to expand her world and explore what she really wants to do with her life.

Reichl excels, of course, at writing about food and restaurants and making the reader feel hungry and immersed in the sensual experience. She also beautifully describes some highlights of the City of Light, including Les Deux Magots and Shakespeare & Company, inviting the reader to savor these delights and many others. Where I had trouble with the story was in establishing a connection with the character of Stella. Also, I felt that the events of the last couple of chapters were too abrupt and not grounded in the story. However, I did enjoy Stella's quest to find out whether a real-life artist's model portrayed in a number of paintings ever succeeded in fashioning her own artistic career.

Those who live for stories about food and Paris will undoubtedly enjoy this book. I respect Reichl as an author and have enjoyed many of her books, especially her outstanding 2014 foray into fiction, Delicious!

My thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

I so wanted to love this as the plot sounded so interesting to me. I love Paris, and I love food so this seemed like something I’d really click with. But I just didn’t love the characters and I wasn’t able to connect with the plot—I was bored most of the time. It’s disappointing as I was really hoping to enjoy this one, but I can see other people having a lot of fun with it where I didn’t.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl a new to me author.

The authors love of anything French and fabulous cuisine are vividly described throughout the story. This was an enjoyable story of a grown woman coming of age in Paris. Stella’s life will be forever changed in a good way. I enjoyed the delightful characters and the amazing food interwoven throughout. I loved reading about the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore where Stella found her true passion. This was an enjoyable quick read.

An enchanting tale of Stella finding herself and her place in the world. She grew up with no knowledge of her father; raised by a self-centered mother she never measured up to, no matter what. When her mother dies, she leaves Stella a little money and the declaration that she must go to Paris. Stella doesn't understand why this is her mother's wish but eventually complies. Ever cautious, Stella finally finds herself in Paris living a similar cautious, stringent, scheduled life to that of her life in New York. She feels called to enter a vintage boutique where she finds an amazing Dior dress that the shopkeeper insists was made for Stella and that she must buy it and follow explicit directions for lunch and dinner. At lunch she meets Jules: octogenarian, art expert, and pseudo grandfather. He introduces her to the worlds of art, music, food, and more as he helps Stella evolve into the woman she was meant to be. Many of the characters in this historical fiction are real poets, authors, and chefs as well as the famed bookstore, Shakespeare & Company. Reichl expertly weaves her fictional characters with their historic counterparts seamlessly. Finally, Stella understands her mother and why she sent her to Paris: to understand her mother and find herself.

A lovely, tender story for fans of food, fashion, found family, and fabulous writing.

Stella hasn’t had an easy life. When her estranged mother, Celia, dies, Stella finds out that Celia left her some money on the condition she flies to Paris. After a few hours of walking around the city, Stella spots a beautiful dress in a shop window and this dress changes the course of her life.

I read this from start to finish while on a plane and was definitely wishing my destination was Paris (with a bottle of Champagne waiting for me at Chez Django’s)!

Thank you very much to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

I’ll start by saying I enjoyed this book. It definitely is just a simple fairy princess story. Not much depth but is an easy read. I did enjoy some of the characters . Can see it as a hallmark movie in the future.

An irresistible novel for those who like fashion, food, wine, romance, Paris and all kinds of love. Such a lovely book about Stella, a young woman who is sad, rigid and alone but is prompted to go to Paris when her cold, thoughtless mother dies. Despite her hesitation, she goes for a few weeks and her life blooms!

The catalyst is a dress that she wears on impulse and the advice of the shop owner who puts her on a path that changes her destiny. Oh, it’s a charmed path, full of friendships and food that is so well described that the reader can almost taste it. In her exploration, she is fascinated by OLYMPIA at the Jeu De Pomme and seeks the model who sat for the iconic picture.

Additionally, it is a time for her search for her unknown father. This proves to take the reader on another romp through the French culinary world.

Reading this book is a beautiful journey that, I loved as a reader. I highly recommend this to all my reading groups. Pure Delight!

Thank you NETGALLEY and Ruth Reichl for this delicious book.

Stella, a copy editor who likes rules and order is semi-estranged from her flamboyant mother. Her mother dies leaving Stella money that can be used only for one purpose: to go to Paris. Stella isn’t thrilled with this instruction but has never taken a vacation and is instructed by her boss to do so she, reluctantly, goes.

After several uneventful weeks of rather staid sightseeing she comes upon a small dress shop and sees a glorious creation in the window. Impulsively she goes in and tries it on and that leads Stella on an amazing adventure involving the dress, wonderful friends, lost art and artists, food and a lost piece of herself.

What a fun book. Reichl’s prose and her absolutely amazing descriptions of FOOD elevate what would have been nothing more than a rather sweet, if expected, tale into something more. And, oh, the food! The description of Stella eating oysters! The bird she and Jules eat! The markets! The cooking! No one writes about food like Reichl. Highly recommended and make sure you have quality snacks available while reading!

I’ve been a fan of Ruth Reichl for a long time. I read all of her memoirs and then her first foray into fiction with her novel Delicious! which was so enjoyable. I am pleased to say that The Paris Novel is even better. I loved this story. A young woman coming into her own in 1980s Paris. Rich in well developed characters that I felt like I got to know and descriptions of food that I could practically smell and taste, this book was such a pleasure to read. I couldn’t wait to see how the story would unfold, but at the same time I was sad when it was nearing its end. Five stars for this supremely enjoyable novel.

Thanks to @netgalley and @atrandomhouse for opportunity to read this novel
I loved Stella and her journey of self discover.y. The Paris setting, details of the city and food were perfect. Made me feel like I was right there on the journey with her.

This is the second novel, I’ve read by this author and it’s quite lovely. The book centers on a woman getting out of her routine, and out of her own head. We journey along her adventures and can’t help but cheer her on. Lush and written with such care. Great book

AndLike reichl’s first novel. The p aris novel is something of a modern fairy tale. It’s overstuffed with plot threads and despite the fairy tale plot threads is also rich in carefu lily researched details. Given reichls ba ckground as a famous food critic, editor and memoirist., there’s an abunda nce of meal scenes. Unless. You’re a tru e. Foodie these are likely to be too much of a good thing. The fictional character do tend to beg credibility. That said, this is an enjoyable outing that kept me turning the pages pretty

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it left me wanting to find more titles by her. I’ve never been to Paris but the way it’s described in this book makes me feel like I’ve seen it already! Very well written and especially love all the god! Made me hungry reading it. Would definitely recommend to friends!

This is a charming little jewel of a novel that was a wonderful read on a rainy autumn day. Stella is a book editor in New York who is estranged from her mother, Celia, who was a pretty poor mother (her father was out of the picture). When Celia dies, she leaves several thousand dollars to Stella but with the instructions that she must go to Paris with the money. Stella takes a leave from work and goes, and there begins her adventures: she meets a mysterious man, Jules, who becomes her guide and benefactor, she befriends the 'tumbleweeds' at the Shakespeare and Company bookstore, she begins a search for answers about the model of Manet's painting Olympia and oh, by the way, she tries to figure out if a peripatetic French chef is her father. It's all a bit of a fantasy and nowhere like real life and I loved it.

A lovely story about copyeditor Stella from New York finding her way to Paris in the 1980s, thanks to a directive in the will of her mother, who provided a small bequest for the trip.

Stella finds herself and her true love in life -food, Paris, art, and romance.

This was an enjoyable novel of a grown woman coming of age in Paris, meeting well known writers in the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore, finding her true passion in cooking, and discovering a father she never knew.

I loved the references to the artists and writers of the age who people the novel, in direct and indirect ways, the artistry with food, the excitement of would be writers squatting and sleeping at the bookstore. Paris in the 80s was brought alive in this book.

Ruth Reichl never misses the mark, and her debut novel is no exception. The Paris Novel was such a treat. From the gorgeous descriptions of the French countryside and the zany cast of characters to the incredible meals Stella eats along the way, I truly didn’t want this adventure to come to an end.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the advanced copy!

I loved this! Having just gone to Paris last year, this book was like a return trip. I read it in just two sittings. An absolute delight!

Great Author, Great Story, Loved it more than her others. A great book for a lazy weekend afternoon for an escape. Thanks

As I"ve come to expect with Reichl's books, this story was magical. I pictured myself in Paris, enjoying the delightful characters and the amazing food interwoven throughout. Fans of Reichl will not be disappointed.