Thanks to #NetGalley and #HarlequinTradePublishing for the book #TheParisWidow by #KimberlyBelle. I read this book on one sitting and absolutely loved it. Adam and Stella are taking a dream vacation that turns horribly wrong. Adam goes back to the cafe for his sunglasses and suddenly it gets bombed. Stella has no clue if Adam is alive or dead. What she does find out is maybe she doesn’t know her husband like she thought. This book is a definite must read!

Oh wow! What a ride! This book kept giving me back to back drama, a “Who the bleep did I marry” type of situation. Stella and Adam are in Paris, for Adams work, hes an antiques dealer of sorts, something drastic happens, there are dead bodies and missing people. Stella ends up finding out that her husband isn’t who he seems and her life starts to unravel in such a crazy way. This was a HUGE page turner, kept me on my toes.

This book gave me whiplash as I sped through the pages trying to find out quickly what would happen next in this twisted tale of love and secrets. Adam and Stella are on a dream vacation when an explosion occurs at a little cafe and Adam is gone. Stella is left on her own to discover what was really happening in Adam’s life that endangered him so much and at the same time, she makes revelations about the secrets she is guarding from her own past. There are a lot of shady characters in this book that deals with the underworld of stolen antiquities, so there’s a big question throughout the novel of who can be trusted and who should be avoided. Just for the record, I kept guessing incorrectly, but I kept guessing because that is part of the entertainment value of this mesmerizing book. The pace is fast, the characters are not all relatable but they are all realistic and dynamically portrayed. This book is a spy thriller, a psych thriller, a mystery and a romance all rolled up into a neat package and in several settings throughout Europe. It was obvious that the author knew the areas well as the details she offered about the various places were fascinating, adding to the atmospheric drama of the story. This is a book that is masterfully crafted to capture the reader and it succeeded with me, becoming one of my favorite thrillers of the decade.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

The prologue was interesting, and it immediately drew me into the story. This is a good read if you are looking for a summer thriller. A vacation of a lifetime- visiting beautiful locations like Amsterdam, Malta, Bilbao, the Amalfi Coast, Luxembourg, and Paris- turns into a nightmare. As Stella searches for her missing husband, she uncovers shocking details about him. With each chapter, you begin to wonder if Stella has secrets of her own, and who she can trust. I couldn’t wait to see how the story would wrap up. This is my third book by Belle, and I look forward to reading more by her.

Read if you enjoy:
✔️Nonlinear timeline
✔️Alternating POVs
✔️Secrets & lies
✔️Antique and ancient artifacts

Favorite quote: “We don’t see things as they are , we see them as we are.”

Thank you @htp_hive for the ARC!

With a gorgeous setting of Paris and several other European locales and a seedy underbelly slowly being revealed, this is an engaging and fast paced story. Truths about the characters are slowly revealed, and the web becomes more and more complex as the story goes on. It certainly kept me reading, and continues to prove why Kimberly Belle is an underrated author.

This book was so good! I couldn't put it down. The characters were great. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat! This book is the definition of what a thriller should be!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc!

Kimberly Belle has knocked her latest book, The Paris Widow, straight out of the park!! This is a fast paced thriller you will not be able to put down. It is an action packed story with twists that are on steroids! The characters are well developed, cunning and some even a little devious. It is filled with mystery, secrets, intrigue and adrenaline pumping action. Kimberly Belle is a highly seasoned author who brings a story you can imagine truly happening. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row Books and the incredible Kimberly Belle for another jaw dropping story to read and review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own
#netgalley #harlequintradepublishing #parkrowbooks.
#kimberlybelle. #thepariswidow. #htpinfluencer. #thriller

O.M.G. There simply are no words for the pure perfection that was The Paris Widow. Okay. Okay. I’ll give it a try just for you. From the fast-paced, heart-pumping plot to the serious topics at play just below the surface, there simply wasn’t a thing not to love. The characters. The setting. The twists. Each step of the way, I was utterly spellbound. After all, there was intrigue, greed, dirty secrets, and one dynamite game of cat-and-mouse that had me flying through the pages.

While the plot was second to none, the characters pulled me in deep. Between the sweetest of sweet romances to a plucky, quick-witted narrator, I was overjoyed as I rode shotgun on this epic, suspense-laden tale. Even the bad guys were perfect. And then there were the handful to whom I gave the serious side-eye whenever they appeared on the page. All together, there wasn’t a persona involved who I didn’t look upon with suspicion—up to and including Stella herself.

Back to that plot to end all plots. On top of jaw-dropping twists and high tension action, there was plenty of thought-provoking themes. From what one should—or could—forgive in a partner to the dark art of black market smuggling, this would make one truly unforgettable book club selection. And while I didn’t have friends to bounce my own thoughts off of as I read, I’m sure that this psychological thriller will be living rent free in my head for the foreseeable future.

All in all, despite Kimberly Belle already being one of my tried and true auto-buy authors, she has outdone herself with this newest stunner. An addictive, unputdownable smash hit, it had a definite Zero Days feel. Not for the topic matter per se, but because of the edge-of-your-seat adrenaline rush that kept me up until three in the morning. So be sure to clear your calendar before picking up this novel. You’ll surely be ignoring chores, sleep, and maybe even your children. Needless to say, this one has easily made my list for best books of the year. Rating of 5+++ stars.

I could not put this book down! I was pulled in completely!
While vacationing in Paris, Stella's husband goes missing after an explosion in the city square. Stella is determined to find out what happened to him. Along the way, secrets are uncovered from both husband and wife. While the story is told mainly from the perspective of Stella, we have occasional jumps to the past from the perspective of Adam.
This is a fast paced thriller with slow reveals throughout that keeps you hooked and makes it unputdownable!

This book was the perfect, action-packed thriller that will definitely keep you thoroughly entertained! I absolutely loved the characters being American, but the book based internationally. Definitely suggest picking up this cat and mouse thriller on release day!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kimberly Belle, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was fortunate to read an arc of The Paris Widow and I really enjoyed it. It was different than the type of thriller I usually read and I was captivated from the first few pages. Stella’s life is upended by an explosion while vacationing in Paris. Her husband, Adam, had run back to the restaurant they’d eaten at moments before to retrieve his forgotten sunglasses when a bomb explodes and he’s gone. Did he die in the explosion? When he’s presumed missing Stella tries to piece together what happened and begins to wonder who really is the man that captured her heart?

I did not see this story going the way it did. And I absolutely loved it! The plot was so well written and the characters were incredible. An overall great read!

Oh my! I could not put this book down for wondering what was going to happen next. Who could be trusted and who not. This is a good book for an enjoyable vacation read and I will recommend that our library purchase it for public lending. The reader will enjoy trying to figure out, right along with the main character, just what in the world is going on. My first by this author, but no means my last. I recommend.

This kept my interest for sure, I read it in an afternoon. The original premise was interesting enough, a woman can’t find her husband after a bombing, but the way it escalated from there was an absolute blast to read.

3.5 stars

The Paris Widow is a whirlwind of a book! Captivating from the first chapter, it was action packed and each chapter was like peeling back another layer of an onion.
There were a couple gasp out loud moments I didn’t see coming, which I always enjoy. It’s a quick, enjoyable read that is perfect for summer.

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a fun, fast-paced thriller in a great setting. It was a good popcorn movie of a book. Not a lot of substance but quick and entertaining.

I see it's labeled as a mystery. I wouldn't really call it that, especially in the whodunit sense. I guess it is in the sense that I never knew who the main character should trust and found myself constantly telling her not to trust anyone.

My biggest complaint is that I felt like it lost steam towards the end. The beginning really pulled me in and then... I don't know. It wasn't bad but it could've been better. All in all, though, I'd say this was definitely a decent summer thriller.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

Stella and Adam Knox are having the time of their lives in Paris, as part of a long European vacation. Stella used to travel extensively as a flight attendant before she met Adam. However, Stella goes from overjoyed to devastated when Adam goes missing after an explosion at a cafe. Stella is at first hopeful that Adam survived, but then evidence is found that leads authorities to believe Adam is dead.

Although they seem like the perfect couple, it is soon revealed that Stella and Adam were both keeping dangerous secrets from each other. Stella can't believe some of the things being said about her beloved husband and she refuses to leave Paris until she gets to the truth. The book is twisty and suspenseful with a fun international setting. Even though I was interested in the story, I had a hard time connecting with either Stella or Adam. We didn't get to see enough of what Adam's thoughts were, and Stella's choices were often questionable. However, the plot kept me interested since I wasn't really sure if Adam had acted with good or bad intentions and the situations Stella found herself in were definitely engaging. You may have to suspend disbelief at times, but I enjoyed the story and the satisfying ending.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row Books, and The Hive. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

The Paris Widow by Kimberly Belle is a novel of international intrigue that will have you jetting around to some of Europe's most exciting destinations.

Stella and Adam are enjoying a decadent vacation in Paris when an explosion rocks a city square. Separated from her husband, Stella races around Paris in a desperate bid to ensure that he was uninjured in the blast. But her search will lead her to places that she never expected when police reveal that Adam has been on their radar for some time. Just how well does Stella really know the man with whom she has built a life?

I loved following Stella down the rabbit hole as she searches for the truth, and the international element added to the general intrigue of it all.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book. The Paris Widow is a fast summer read. Stella’s husband Adam has disappeared in a mysterious explosion while vacationing in Europe. In her quest to find him, Stella doesn’t know who to trust, much to her detriment (and the frustration of the reader!).

My favorite book this year. The Paris Widow is my first by this author, and wow, was I impressed! I found it wonderfully immersive from the get go. It crosses genres seamlessly with intrigue, romantic suspense, and thrilling scenes that have your heart racing. It would make a wonderful movie, as it has all the right components moving along at a good pace. The unique plot with unexpected twists has the reader totally hooked as to what is truth, what is not and who is who.

Read the publishers description. It says it all much better than I can. The author has based her subject matter on the illicit trade of blood antiquities, evidently a booming multi-billion dollar trade business from all over the world on the black market, which funds wars and terrorist activities. Who knew? The authors notes gives us factual information on this topic of which her novel is rooted. This is an eye opener to those of us who knew little about this matter, such as yours truly.

The main attraction of the novel is the relationship between husband and wife Adam and Stella, together 4 years and passionately in love. Viewpoints from both tell this story, so we know what each is feeling, thinking and what has transpired previously, going back to how they met. She a former airline hostess, and he an antiques dealer. They are vacationing, wandering throughout Europes most inviting locales with very descriptive settings one can easily envision, while they search for antiques that Adam can supply for his clients back home. He has his own small local business.

The story gets going when they have just left a quaint Parisian cafe after lunch and were walking back to their hotel when Adam realizes he has left his sunglasses at the cafe and runs back for them, telling Stella he’ll meet her at the hotel so they can check out. Before she reaches the hotel there is a big explosion talking down a whole city block that includes the area of the cafe. In the mayhem that follows Adam is nowhere to be found and doesn’t answer his cell phone.

From this point on you won’t want to put this book down. I read the first 30% of this in one sitting and whizzed through the rest shortly afterward, begrudging any interruptions. Kudos to author Kimberly Belle. I loved it and loved finding an author I will follow for more.

Release day coming right up June 11th. Pick this up, you won’t regret it.

My thanks to the following for my review copy.
#netgalley
#harlequin trade
#kimberlybelle