One of my top pet peeves when reading a book is when authors write tons of dialogue in another language but don't translate for the readers. You either have to try to figure it out in context, just skip it, or take the time to look up it up every single time. Which takes you out of the story. It would be so easy to add footnotes with the translation, but does anyone do that? No. Am I going to spend hours typing sentences in French into Google and hope I get a correct translation? I might if it was one phrase, but not when the book has literal sentences written in French.

Beyond that rant, I just couldn't get into the book. Not to say that other people will not enjoy it, but it just wasn't for me.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free kindle book. My review is voluntarily given and my opinions are my own.

Easy, fun read. Magical realism. I loved how the generations came together after heartache pain to heal. Not my favorite but her, but I did enjoy it.

Thank you HarperCollins360 and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

This is my third Evie Woods book, but it wasn't my favorite. I did not empathize with my FMC, and the story was relatively slow at times, disrupting the flow. The store did not work for this time around.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC e-book. A very magical bakery outside Paris. A young Irish woman trying to find her way after the death of her mom. A young man trying to live up to his dads ideal since the death of the older brother. Guess what happens? It takes a bakery to bring them magically together.

Edie Lane takes a job in Compiegne France at the The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris (paper from One More Chapter) after staying with her dying mother in Dublin until her mother died and she was thirty.Evie Woods tells a warm tale with melodramatic elements that is related to the Baker’s history during World War II and to the ghost in the basement. The Bakery is in debt and due to be sold to a real estate company that needs the whole block. There’s a photographer love interest who is more than he seems. The tale left a warm tear in my eye.

*Offering food, it seemed, held a kind of magical power to elevate people out of the ordinary and into the realm of contentment, even bliss.*

There’s something enduringly romantic and unabashedly cliché about the idea of running away to Paris. In an effort to start over after the death of her mother, the protagonist of The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris, Edith, tries to do exactly that. But in a comedic twist of linguistic confusion, she accidentally takes a job at a bakery in a small French town called Compiégne instead.

This story was as sweet as the pastries that fill its pages. Yet, I struggled with it as its sweetness really gave way to being overly saccharine. The book contains some really compelling stories, but I’m not sure Edith’s was one of them. I struggled to connect with her throughout the narrative. It felt as if she was thinking about what she was feeling, as opposed to feeling authentically. This resulted in a disjointed tone which really robbed the plot of any compelling intrigue. There were moments that touched on suspense, mystery, and even horror, yet the big reveal felt anticlimactic. The romance was cute until it became bland; it could’ve been ripped straight out of any Hallmark movie. And ultimately, the story’s conclusion was so convenient as to be boring. The solution to all of the character’s problems was the same, so there was no tension, no negative fallout or consequences, and therefore, no real stakes. Overall, I felt disconnected and disappointed in Edith and her overly fortuitous tale.

******Spoilers Below******

The great tragedy here is that there is an excellent story hidden between endless pages of average 20-something angst and name-dropping incredibly mainstream films and songs. (As a lover of old films and music myself, could we at least take the opportunity to put people on to something less obvious than Breakfast at Tiffany’s?) Madame Moreau, the owner of the bakery, is a fascinating and complicated character with a deeply emotional and compelling backstory. I’m not sure why the author chose to bury such a powerful narrative in such a contrived plot. I would love to immerse myself in the world of Monsieur Moreau, the closeted gay baker who chose to take in a beautiful Roma woman and her brave little daughter, on the doorstep of a German concentration camp during WWII. Madame Moreau’s life story was thrilling, suspenseful, heartwarming, and really highlights the themes of unconditional love, found family, the ripple effect of one’s legacy, and the resilience that comes from being authentic and wholly known. Honestly, I felt a little bit robbed that I barely got a single conversation with Monsieur Moreau, but so much narrative real estate was devoted to making hot chocolate and meeting various customer’s dogs.

All in all, if you’ve ever dreamt of running away to live in a drafty attic above a historic, and mildly haunted, bakery and fight the corporate monster for the rights of small businesses, all tied up with a Hallmark love story, this might be the book for you. But if you’re looking for well-rounded characters, compelling mystery, modern-day magic, historical insight, emotional or philosophical depth, or a high-stakes plot, you may want to look elsewhere.

Thank you to NetGalley and especially to Harper Collins, One More Chapter for the much appreciated Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm becoming a big fan of Evie Woods. I love how she blends magic with family in such a beautiful way. This book can only be described as sweet in my opinion. The little French village, the bakery, the characters... I enjoyed it all. My only real criticism - and I feel this with other Evie Woods books I've read, especially The Lost Bookshop - is that things get wrapped up a bit too quickly. Add a chapter or two, or another handful of pages, even, just to give us a little more "stuff" and it would have been perfect!

I just ADORE Evie Woods style of writing. It sucks you in. It transports you. You create emotional connections and care deeply for the characters.

This is such a cozy read. I love historical fiction/fantasy and while this one doesn't spur the *obsession* I have with her other work The Lost Bookshop, it's still just 🤌🏽

Thank you, netgally, for the ARC!

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris is a dual timeline story of a young woman setting out on her own to what she believes is a dream job in Paris.

We follow Edie as she learns the community, some of the language and makes friends with the locals. The story moves well and the characters in this book are well written and believable.

If you like books about France in World War II, you will love this book.

This was a great book! I loved finding out the history of the bakery and the romance was sweet. The book was slightly mysterious and of course there was a twist that you didn’t see coming!

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue di Paris by Evie Woods is a nice easy read
This is the story of Edie Lani who is from Ireland. She wanted to live in Paris so she applied for the job of assistant manager of a bakery on Rue do Paris. She didn't know the bakery was north of Paris so was a little disappointed. She learns however of a magical baker in the basement of the bakery. Pierre Moreau bakes every morning along with 2 others in the basement
Here is where the story becomes very interesting
It is the story of lasting love, family and the very interesting town of Compiegne. Sit down with a pastry and a hot chocolate and you will have a very lovely afternoon

I love the mystery of this story as well as the believable characters.

Who doesn't want experience the romance of Paris, even if it's a couple of towns away? Add in a mysterious bakery, a curmudgeonly bakery owner, and a potential love interest and I'm all in to the story. The supernatural side story adds to a delicious element to the suspense.

This book will appeal to anyone who loves bakeries.

What a delightful read! I was on the hunt for a heartfelt story to give me the warm fuzzies, and THIS WAS IT! Our main character Edith is so relatable. She leaves everything behind in Ireland to pursue the unknown in a French bakery. Who wouldn't want to start over after losing someone who was your whole heart? Who are you without that person?? After Edith loses her mom, Paris seems like the place to go to find herself. And BOY, does she! It isn't quite what she expects as the bakery is not at all what it seems. What feels like a disaster at the beginning turns into a life changing experience for Edith and all the special people she encounters in Compiègne.

Thank you SO much to NetGalley, Harper 360, and Evie Woods for the ARC opportunity! <3 This may be one of my favorites this year!

#ARC #eviewoods #netgalley #harper360

Republishing an earlier work by a bestseller's a very old publishing-industry tactic. Unless the bestseller in question does a real overhaul, it's seldom a good idea. In this fine little essay in self-published magical realism, a few things were off...no one is middle-aged at twenty-nine, please do more with M. Moreau...but it's clear why all y'all like Evie Woods.

Perfectly fine way to spend your waiting-room time.

One More Chapter only wants 99&cent;, so do not hesitate even a moment to ebook it right onto your ereader.

This book felt like stepping into a warm, flour-dusted French daydream. Set in a quaint village and centered around a mysterious bakery, The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris had all the ingredients I usually adore—small-town charm, cozy vibes, and a woman on a journey of self-discovery. But while I enjoyed the experience, it didn’t quite stick with me the way I hoped it would.

When Edith Lane impulsively buys a struggling bakery in a sleepy French town, she’s hoping to find a fresh start. What she finds instead is a place steeped in secrets, lingering ghosts (literal and emotional), and the kind of magic that’s more about healing than hocus pocus. The setup is charming, and the writing has a soft, lyrical quality that made it easy to sink into.

I really liked the themes of reinvention, grief, and finding community in unexpected places. The townspeople slowly opening up to Edith was heartwarming, and the baking descriptions? Absolutely mouthwatering. I was this close to making a croissant run halfway through.

But pacing-wise, it lagged a bit for me. The story felt repetitive at times, and I wanted more depth—in the characters, in the magical realism, in the stakes. The “mystery” behind the bakery never fully delivered the tension or emotional payoff I was hoping for. And while Edith is likable, she didn’t always feel fully fleshed out—more like a character going through the motions than someone I deeply connected with.

Still, I can totally see this being a comfort read for the right person. It’s soft, warm, and quietly hopeful—like curling up with a pastry and a cup of tea on a rainy afternoon.

I have loved every Evie Woods book I have read so I was honored to be given an advanced copy of her newest book. I devoured this story and loved every second! Once again she has spun a beautiful story of love, family and moving thru loss. We see and feel how families can guide us to good or less good. We experience the difficulty of overcoming expectations of family and becoming the true self you were meant to be. I will recommend this book to everyone I know who reads…so basically everyone!

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris
The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Edith Lane (Edie) leaves her father and life in Dublin on a whim to accept a position as the assistant manager of a bakery that she thinks is in Paris. Once she arrives, she discovers that it's actually in a very small town outside of Paris -- Compiègne. This family-run bakery turns out to be a magical place with an incredible history dating back to World War II. Chapters alternate between Edie in present day and the historical back story about the bakery. There's even magical chocolate which is a secret ingredient in the long-lost hot chocolate recipe.

I was initially drawn to this book because of the title - who doesn't love a story about bakeries and Paris? It has so much more to offer the reader though -- historical fiction (WWII France), romance, discovering a new country and a new beginning, recovering from grief, travel, French music, magical realism, French scenery, plus the bakery, baking and French food -- all rolled into one delightful novel! Grab a cup of hot chocolate, a French pastry and dig into this delightfully charming book. The only thing that would have improved this book is the inclusion of some of the bakery recipes.

Thank you very much to Harper Collins and NetGalley for an advance reader copy of this book. It was recently published on April 8, 2025. FULL DISCLOSURE -- After reading several other Goodreads reviews of this book, I discovered that it is not a new book; it was originally published ten years ago in 2014! Apparently, Harper Collins is republishing it with a new cover and under a new pseudonym (Evie Woods).

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

🤔 𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝔻𝕚𝕕 𝕀 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕥: Evie Woods became an auto-buy author immediately following me reading and loving The Story Collector, so I had high expectations heading into The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris.

🍿 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: I started out enjoying this book right away, and it made me laugh almost immediately. I loved the mystery of the bakery thrown in as well, and it promised to be a unique read.

👏🏼 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒫𝑜𝓈𝒾𝓉𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓈: I have now become accustomed to Woods’ emotional depth and the inclusion of romance after just two books, and the story was charming as well. I loved the bakery owner and many of the customers that frequented the shop, and I can’t believe how often the combination of them and Edie made me laugh. The characters and setting were two of the best features of the storyline in my opinion.

🙃 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙳𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚀𝚞𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚔 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝙼𝚎: Unfortunately, I didn’t feel as attached to this story as the other book I read, and there were parts I found quite slow. The magical (and mysterious) factor was also a little light for me, and I really wish there had been a bit more of both. Edie wasn’t the strongest character either despite her age (which is NOT old, good grief), which wasn’t my favorite. Overall, I felt like something was missing/lacking.

🎧 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃: Breffni Holahan is a great narrator and I loved her as the voice of Edie. However, I really wanted a full cast here. The jumping around between viewpoints got a tad confusing and she didn’t do much to differentiate between the various characters. Unless you have the book in front of you, this might not be the way to go.

💭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴: While this won’t go down as being my favorite Woods novel, it is in no way bad. I enjoyed many elements, and the romance piece was sweet. I didn’t realize this was a re-release until I read other reviews, and it sounds like this is an earlier work from the author which could explain why I didn’t love it as much. However, it is definitely a foodie lover’s dream, and I am still thinking about all the baked goods. 🤤

T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: 🥖👨🏼‍🍳🎶💘🪖

𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐💫
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: : ⭐⭐⭐💫

Edie is looking for an adventure and by a happy accident ends up in this little bakery in a small town just outside of Paris. She’s ready to turn tail after receiving a less than warm welcome by the owner. But she manages to stick it out day after day, finding something new to discover each day. She gets more than she bargained for when she discovers the magical secret of this bakery. Then she starts to get attached, to the bakery’s owner, the towns people, and even a charming out of town visitor. This story is told from multiple view points and different timelines. I really enjoyed this book and the development of the characters.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book is an entertaining blend of historical fiction, romance, and a bit of magic. I enjoyed Edith’s story, following her on a whim from Ireland to Paris, where she changed the lives of so many people—and the biggest change was in herself!