I really enjoyed this book. The story kept me interested and the twists were fun and sometimes unexpected. I loved Stella and Adam and their love story. Even as more and more was discovered about the origin of their relationship, it was obvious they truly love each other.

My one nit about this story is that it was told from both Stella and Adam as narrators. I personally did not think Adam's chapters added anything new to the story and felt they were unnecessary. Stella's chapters more than told the story.

Regardless, it was a great thrill ride and I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Paris Widow in exchange for my honest review.

This was sooooo good! What a crazy adventure. Nice to read a book where a wife actually loves her mate. All the secrets, skeletons in their closets and a foreign setting make this a true page turner. Sucks you in and doesn’t let go until the very end. Easy to promote!

The Paris Widow by Kimberly Belle was a fast paced action packed read. I was hooked from the first few chapters. I loved the deep love shared between the two main characters, the aspects of the underworld, and the beautiful descriptions of Paris. These elements were just the right ingredients to have me hooked until the very end. I loved everything about this book and I hope to see it at the theater soon. You won’t regret reading this one.

I was really intrigued by this book from the getgo. There were a lot of twists and turns in this book that I didn't see coming and I loved how I did not guess the ending. Always makes for a good thiller in my book.

What a ride! I was kept on the edge of my seat from start to finish with this one. The story starts with a bang (literally) and the main character, Stella, is left trying to determine what happened to her husband while navigating a foreign country. This book has it all; history, suspense, a bit of romance, and, the thriller twists that we all love. Grab it for a fast-paced read this summer!
Thank you to Net Galley, Kimberly Belle, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me the pleasure of reading this advanced reader copy. I cannot wait to recommend it to my friends, family, and followers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher HTP/TheHive for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own. #HTP #HTPTheHive #Partner #HTPInfluencer #TheHiveInfluencer #HTPHive

I thought that The Paris Widow was a decent and quick read. It was unfortunately not one of my favorite books, but it was far from the worst book I have ever read. I think I will try this book again later on audio, once it is released. The whole time I kept thinking about the movies Before Midnight and Murder Mystery, so if you like either of those movies I think you will enjoy this book.


3.5 rounded up



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Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

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What if everything you thought you knew and loved was gone in a moment? For Stella, her dream vacation with husband turns into just that. But then she has doubts and she realizes NOTHING is what it seems. But then Stella has a past no one knows about either. As both Stella and Adam's pasts collide in her attempt to find out what has happened to him, and why there was a bomb in Paris, you'll be turning the pages as quickly as you can, to see how this story unfolds! Part thriller, part mystery, part chick-lit, it's a book you'll be telling your friends about!

Wow I LOVED this book. I could not put it down, and I appreciated how layered it was. It had me on the edge of my seat. If you love thrillers and/or art history, you MUST read this! Thank you to Park Row for the ARC!

It took me some time to really get into this one, but once I found a rhythm, I was hooked. Dazzling European locales. Art theft and blood antiquities. A stubborn, naïve, plucky protagonist. Altogether twisty-turny and great fun.

Many thanks to Park Row Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6445719288

https://www.instagram.com/stories/sldowney/3381215401829744896?igsh=emJyazZpZzRkcmU2

Paris explodes. Stella Knox, once a carefree soul, finds herself thrust into a heart-pounding cat-and-mouse game on the city's vast streets. Her husband, Adam, vanishes after a bomb blast, and a dark truth surfaces – the charming antique dealer she loved might be a criminal mastermind.

Betrayal stings, suspicion burns, and secrets spill like blood in the City of Lights. This isn't your average vacation thriller. Strap in for a high-octane chase through Parisian alleys, where Stella races against time to uncover the truth about Adam and clear her own name.

Forget dinner, forget your phone – this novel demands your full attention. Twisty revelations, building pressure, and a pulse-pounding climax will leave you breathless. It's a gem that deserves a dedicated reading session, preferably on a comfortable couch with snacks at hand.

Stella joins her husband Adam on a work trip in Paris. They’re heading back to the hotel when Adam realizes he forgot his sunglasses at the cafe. During the brief time they are separated, there’s an explosion and now a frantic Stella can’t find her husband. As she searches, things start to come to light about Adam’s work. Stella is determined to get answers.

I feel like parts of it were a little convenient and unrealistic for me personally. I also hate when rationale for everything is just blurted out abruptly in conversation between characters to wrap up a story and I felt like this did that a little bit. I did really enjoy the read and it definitely kept my interest.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Netgalley, Kimberly Belle and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row for the ebook! This book had my head spinning trying to figure out what happened and where it all went wrong! A twisty tale of love and deceit. The question is how much can you forgive?

A bit of the classical “you don’t really know your spouse” trope, but I ultimately liked the premise of this story. A working dream vacation takes Adam and Stella throughout Europe until it is cut short after an alleged terrorist attack. Stella finds herself in the midst of a nightmare. Not only is she unable to find out if her husband is dead or alive, but she has become a target of one of Adam’s most notorious and deadly clients.

Stella’s character is a little flat in the beginning and it is very hard to sympathize with her naivete over Adam’s profession. This becomes a bit more entangled when we are queued into the fact that this is not her first foray into black market artifacts. However, I did find this story to be a fast and thrilling read. Stella really began to grow on me when she got her affairs in order and started to take control of the situation.

This is a fast paced thriller about a strong woman seeking the truth about her husband. An explosion and a missing husband who may be dead or alive sets the stage for this page turner. Stella, the wife, refuses to leave Paris until she finds out the truth about her husband Adam despite all the danger and nefarious people she encounters. Kimberly Belle does an excellent job writing about the many facets of marriage. The storyline is intriguing and keeps you turning the pages.
Thank you to Park Row and NetGalley for an advanced eGalley of this book.
#TheParisWidow #KimberlyBelle #NetGalley

I gave The Paris Widow five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you Net Galley and Park Row Publishers for this ARC. These are my honest opinions.

I loved this book! I devoured it! Stella, Stella, there was way more to you than I ever saw coming. And, Adam might be my book boyfriend.

I saw a couple reviewers who said it’s more telling than showing, especially when it comes to Stella and why she’s the way she is. And, while that is mostly true, I was able to picture the whole thing like a movie in my head. And, I think the showing was much more prevalent after the bombing - I could picture how frantic Stella was.

This is a fast paced cat and mouse thriller (think James Bond). I was totally invested in Stella - everybody else was a side character - even Adam - because the book is about the Paris widow, not her husband.

How well do you know your husband? Does he have a secret life that you don’t know about? Or are people telling you lies? Stella is with her husband on a vacation in Paris when he disappears in an explosion at a café in Paris. Intrigue, deception, and a thrilling cat and mouse game that may lead to deadly consequences makes this a real page turner!

Stella and Adam are on a vacation in Europe when Stella's life becomes a terrible nightmare! Adam has disappeared after an explosion in Paris. Is Adam still alive? Why are the police investigating his business dealings? Does his business as an antique dealer have something to do with his disappearance? There are many twists and turns to the story that kept me guessing until the end. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
In her signature style, Belle shines at crafting marriages full of secrets, lies, and deceit.
Her storytelling skills always make for compelling and thrilling reads.

The Paris Widow is a fast-paced tapestry of intrigue and was highly entertaining! The characters are so well developed with complexities and depth, and the attention to detail allows the reader to connect more with the story. Belle creates strong and resilient women in her books, and The Paris Widow is no different.
Stella is strong and determined to investigate her husband's secret life to find the truth.

The vibrant, descriptive, and atmospheric settings made for such an immersive Parisian experience in this cat and mouse thriller.
The author did a wonderful job writing about the illicit blood antiquities and the underground art world. It was thrilling and interesting and added a whole other level of intrigue to the story.
Be sure to read the author's note for more information on the blood antiquities.

I loved how Belle went in a different direction with the book by weaving historical fiction into her thriller, and it was done so seamlessly mixed with the mystery, romance, and suspense.
I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Thank to Netgally, the publisher and author for my copy. My review was voluntary

“Farei qualsiasi cosa per te” ~ I would do anything for you.

This is a spectacular thriller. I hadn’t planned on binge-reading, but I seriously couldn’t put this one down!

I quickly placed Kimberley Belle on my auto-read list!

Stella and Adam Knox are at the end of 21 spectacular days in Europe (6 countries, 10 stops) and about to call for a taxi to the airport when Adam discovers he’s left his glasses at the cafe. They decide to divide and conquer: he’ll go fetch his glasses and she’ll empty the safe and bring the luggage down to the lobby. Adam’s final words are, “See you in ten, back at the hotel.”

He doesn’t show up.

New-to-me-author Kimberly Belle immediately impressed me with her prologue; I knew I’d be reading about a woman who was confident at hiding something. I needed to know more! Then Belle’s pacing and her ability to put me through the gamut of emotions Stella was experiencing in her search for Adam confirmed for me that I had a fantastic book in my hands. I enjoyed her examination of the human psyche, why we tell lies of omission and the lessons we learn from our mistakes. Belle had me down a deep rabbit hole researching blood antiquities.

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

I loved the thought-provoking questions she had me consider:
1) In choosing a partner, do we choose that particular person because of our own history? Adam didn’t show any interest in peering into the dark corners of Stella’s past, didn’t want to know who else she’d dated, nor what other versions of her existed. Because she had something to hide, she was willing to overlook the same tell-tale signs in her husband of three years.
2) Do we project what we think our partner wants to see? That we’re normal, mainstream and respectable. Are we hiding who we really are because of expectations? Or are we a ‘what you see is what you get’ kind of person?


I was gifted this copy by Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

⭐️3.5
Indiana Jones vibes but in Paris.

Stella and Adam are the perfect couple making their way through little shops, indulging in delicious food and being “that couple” you love to hate.

Adam is an antiques dealer that seems to have a few secrets. Stella has some secrets as well.

This story hits the ground running when a bomb goes off and Stella and Adam are separated. Stella begins a race against time and hidden enemies to find her beloved husband.

This was not one of my favorites, but you’ll love it if you like the history of artifacts, lots of action and heist thrillers.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6352000904

Publication date: June 11, 2024