A mystery/thriller book set in Paris? Sign me up!

This book was off to a great start and I found myself racing through the pages, trying to figure out the mystery. Alas, halfway through, it started to drag and turn into a slow-burn, which never really picked up.

There were also no interesting twists or turns in there, nothing to keep my interest but I did care about one character and their fate and so I had to keep reading to see how this whole thing unfolds.

No surprises there, pretty predictable read but still enjoyable.

This was a quick read but a bit predictable. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

What a freaking whirlwind! Nothing is what you think with this read..I swear everytime I thought I had a grasp on what was happening another twist would throw me off balance. If you love your thrillers with international locations, a love storyline, and a con vibe this book is for you!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I will certainly be recommending this to friends!

I read this book the same day I received the ARC – literally from approved email to finished was maybe four hours total. It was basically a one sitting read, and I could literally not wait to find out what was going to happen next. Alternating between a present (Stella) and very near past (Adam) POV, you're getting what's going on and what lead up to it, told in a really dramatic way. At no point did I think I had figured out what was going on. Also, the open – I loved. This will for sure be one of the big reads of the year.

I ate this book up in one sitting. WOW. So many twists about an incredible story about Adam’s secret life that his wife Stella quickly unravels through many mutual contacts. I genuinely had no idea how this was going to end and had to wait until the last few chapters for everything to click together. The motto of this book was “trust no one” and even as a reader, you feel that throughout the ENTIRE book. The author does an amazing job telling this story and I absolutely will be purchasing a copy for my shelf.

Note to the editors: you have lots of random spacing and formatting throughout the novel that I presume will be corrected. Also the word “flits” is used a few too many times to discuss people looking around. Wasn’t a deal breaker, but I thought I would share!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I've been a long time fan of this author and this story really reminds me why. The story telling and the characters are always done so freaking well. I can't get enough.

Reliably Entertaining

3.5 stars

The Paris Widow is a thriller about a woman who, while on a trip to Paris, becomes entangled in a scheme related to her husband's tragic death.

Stella and Adam, married for four years, are on a three-week European vacation. While in Paris, Adam is a victim of a horrific accident. As Stella tries to put the pieces together of what happened to Adam, she finds herself caught up in a dangerous world built on deceit, lies, and murder.

Narrated by Stella and Adam, Stella is the more dominant character, and she has more chapters. She is also a more developed character. Adam’s chapters were flat and not necessarily needed. Stella is a strong lead, but the narrative structure doesn’t do her any favors when her past is finally revealed.

Belle relies too much on telling instead of showing Stella's character development. Although we learn about her past and the events that shaped her personality, we never see her in action. As a result, when her personality changes in the second half of the novel, it feels inauthentic and unconvincing. Similarly, her previous relationship lacked depth and believability, leaving me unconvinced.

The Paris Widow shares plotlines and plot devices from The Marriage Lie, but the last 3rd takes the novel in a different direction.

There are some issues, especially in the telling aspect, and a few plotholes and plot devices that didn’t fully work, but it was fun to read and experience Paris and some other European cities. Also fascinating was the focus on the art black market.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Stella and Adam are traveling through Europe and spend a lovely afternoon in Paris before having to return home. Adam is a rare art/antiquities dealer and goes missing after a bombing. Stella works to find the truth about her husband. This book had some ups and downs and overall was fine, but not one of the best thrillers. You really need to be into art to enjoy this.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this e-ARC.

I enjoyed this story! I did find the main character a little conflicted in that, with her past, she should have been more aware of certain things in the present.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Paris Widow.

This is my first book by the author and it wasn't bad.

The narrative got off to a great start; I loved the European locations and the descriptions of the countries and local foods.

The narrative soon grew tedious as Stella kept talking about how she wouldn't leave Paris without Adam, without finding out the truth.

The plot wasn't suspenseful and lacked urgency despite the high-ish stakes.

It was so obvious the guy from the embassy was an imposter, and discovering what Adam was up to, except how he's not really a bad guy but wanted to do make amends for his mistakes.

Popular tropes in these books are all here; handsome husband, beautiful wife, the coincidence that brought them together, and what are the odds that Stella has experience in trafficking stolen goods and a former boyfriend who can offer protection and support when she's in trouble?

It was nice to know Adam wasn't a total cad; in domestic thrillers, the men usually are.

The art trafficking and selling fakes plot was interesting, but this isn't the first book I've read recently that deals with this topic (nor will it be the last).

It's a popular theme in thrillers lately.

This was okay, just not an original premise with memorable characters and a hard to suspend disbelief story.

But, if you're a fan of the author, you won't be disappointed.

This book kept me on my toes from the very beginning! The suspense you truly don’t see coming. The message in this book is beautiful as well. It tells us that your past doesn’t have to define your future, and that it’s never too late to change who you are. Such a beautifully written thriller novel! I definitely recommend this book.

I enjoyed this one but felt it went on and on. I would have preferred a faster paced version with the story moving a long a lot quicker. The setting was fun.

A thriller with depth and heart and enough action to engage my students. Interesting discussions about art and history and ethical issues involved would be prompted by this book. Interesting read for myself as well.

Thank you NetGalley, Park Row Books, and Kimberly Belle for the advanced copy of The Paris Widow in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up.

This book is the definition of a bingeable thriller. I sat down to start reading it, I swear I blinked, and I was 40% into the book. It's so well-written, twisty, and it truly kept me on the edge of my seat.

There are a couple big reveals that I definitely did not see coming, and I was overall satisfied with how everything played out. The half-star knock is because the second half of the book wasn't as much of a page turner as the first half. But it's a minor criticism IMO and I ultimately REALLY enjoyed this one.

Belle is a must read author for me and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! Pub date: June 11

I might be bias because I love Kimberly Belle but seriously this book was SO GOOD! I swear she hasn’t wrote a lackluster book yet’

This was one or my favorite tropes with mystery surrounding a spouse. Kimberly Belle as usual wove an intricate tale with a so much mystery and suspense. I love following Stella on her journey to figure out what really happened. If you’re a fan of location thrillers you’ll love this because it takes place in Paris and you can feel the vibe of the beautiful city.

Another hit for Kimberly Belle!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARCA!

This uses the Paris element perfectly in this thriller novel, it had a great overall feel and worked with the description. I loved the use of the characters and that they worked in this universe, it uses the European elements to its advantage and I enjoyed getting to read this. I enjoyed the way Kimberly Belle wrote this and thought she had a great feel for the genre.

I have read several books by this author and she never seems to disappoint! I really enjoyed reading this book because it kept me on the edge of my seat and I never really knew quite what was going to happen next. This was a book was easily finished in a day and a half. I know what book is good when I want to spend my lunch break reading instead of having my lunch! Kimberly, you did it again!

Amazing book! This Author is an automatic read for me. The world could have stopped and I would not have noticed. I was so invested in this book. An idyllic vacation, an explosion, a wife looking for her husband and answers. The best book and I have read everything this Author has written. Put this book at the top of your TO BE READ list. I highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book.

“The Paris Widow” by Kimberly Belle is yet again another fantastic book by Ms. Belle! It is an action packed and super suspenseful novel that is based on the scary world of blood antiquities. I don’t want to give anything away about the story but I can tell you that you will be rooting for the characters a married couple, she a caterer/past stewardess and he an antiques dealer. After 4 years of marriage they take a romantic trip to Europe and find themselves in a bombing in Paris. From here be prepared to give up food and sleep as you will put off real life to finish this thriller! I had so much fun reading this book, I highly recommend 5 gold stars!!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Note: Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for this ARC.

This was a fast paced thriller filled with action, artifacts and unreliable characters.
There were moments where the writing felt juvenile, but overall I think this would make a fun TV show to watch especially with the European landscape and stunning artwork. I think some more history around the artifacts would have added value to the storytelling and there were still a couple of loose ends that needed tying up.