A mostly lighthearted read, with some serious parts about Northern France in WW2 . Edie moves to France to work in a bakery. There are reasons for her wanting to start afresh in a new place. She thinks she is going to Paris, but her new workplace is in Compiègne. After a shaky start, she gradually settles into life in the town and gets to know her employer and the mystery of the bakery. She also makes friends in the town and there is a love interest. The plot follows a fairly predictable pattern, but is entertaining.
I read this quite quickly, I didn't have to think about it too much. I like the descriptions of the buildings and the historical aspect (not normally my thing) . The descriptions of relationships were a little too shallow in my view. But it was an enjoyable read on the whole
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

I’d like to first thank Author Evie Woods and Harper Collins for a copy of this eARC.

Overall I enjoyed the journey Edie went on, though unexpected and challenging, her discoveries within herself were very enlightening. Evie Woods has a spectacular talent for drawing you into her stories and immersing yourself in the lives of her characters.

3.5 stars. An "Emily in Paris" type of story that's easy to read, fun, and lighthearted. Yes, there's a bit of mystery but nothing heavy. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. The perfect summer read. And it will leave you hankering for a trip to France! Reading this book allowed me to live vicariously through the main character, Edie, as she travels from her homeland Ireland to France for a job in a bakery. Little does she know that it will change her life forever. Thank you to NetGalley.com, HarperCollins UK, and One More Chapter for the Advanced Readers Copy.

Evie Woods does it again in this new novel! You will find yourself transported into another time and will have a hard time putting this one down. The characters stay with you long after you finish it. Highly recommend!

First my thanks to Harper Collin’s UK and NetGalley for the opportunity for an ARC copy of this book 🫶

I am a HUGE fan of Evie Woods and when I saw she had another book coming out that I hadn’t read I knew I had to get my hands on it!

This book was actually written a few years ago but it now being published in the US. I will say, you can tell this is some of her older writing. Her writing in this is much more simplistic with more cliches than in the story collector and the lost bookshop. You can tell her writing has grown since this novel.

The premise of the story is sweet- a young woman is trying to get out and live her life and is pulled into the ups and downs of the small town and bakery she finds herself living and working in.

France. Music. Romance. Friendship. Ghosts? History. This book is an easy read, you’ll want to finish it all in one go!

I began reading The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods and I got a sense of deja vu. It turns out that this book is a rerelease with a new cover and not a new release. I continued to read since it has been a while since the original release (I was tempted to DNF, but I kept at it). I was not a fan of the main character, Edie Lane. I was baffled as to why Edie is referred to as middle aged when she is only thirty years old. Of course, when it comes to romance, Edie acts immature. She is googly eyed about the man right away and believes he is the one. The romance follows a predictable path (I could have told you how it would play out from the moment they met). The story moved at a glacial pace with repetitive details. There were sections that read like a cookbook (instead of a woman creating a magical recipe). The story was uneventful (it desperately needed action). The author should have switched out the word “gypsy” for Romani when speaking about Romani jazz guitarist Jean "Django" Reinhardt. The ending felt rushed (which was odd after the snail’s pace). My favorite part of the story are the delectable descriptions of the baked goods (made me wish I could reach in and grab one of the finished pastries). I wish there had been more elements that I liked about The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris. While The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris did not appeal to me that will not keep me from checking out future books by Evie Woods.

Edie ends up in a small French town with secrets,mysterious bakery, intrigue and strange workers..
A good story and interesting characters.
Voluntarily reviewed.

I absolutely adored this book, Evie Woods is fast becoming a favourite of mine and a go to when looking for something really wholesome and enjoyable. I find Evie stories to be such palate cleaners and The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris is no exception!

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris was a charming and lovely story. I really enjoyed this story so, so much. My highest compliment is this is a huggable book that could be recommended to a variety of readers!

Eddie needs to live, to explore who she is and what she can give to the world. The story begins with a spur of the moment decision to move to France and work in a bakery (which based on its name she believes is in Paris).

I loved this tale ensconced in bread and cheese and wine, with a little bit of history and magical realism thrown in. The characters were fantastic and Eddie after a few wobbles, finds her way into the hearts of those around her, while growing so much as a character.

For some reason, I received two digital ARCs of this book. My review is mediocre so I am only posting this here, primarily to get it off my bookshelf.

I gave this 3.5 stars in my other review, dinging an otherwise pleasant read because of the level of predictability. However, it is always nice to escape to France and dream of delicious food.

As Edie decides that her future is not at home but as an assistant manger of a bakery in Paris. However, as nothing is going well for Edie, it seems when she reached France, she has misunderstood what she has agreed to and the bakery is not in Paris, but a quaint town a long way out from that magical city that Edie has dreamed about.

Edie decides to embrace the place she finds herself, and when she is disturbed during the night she stumbles across someone making bread in the basement of the bakery. Who is this mysterious person? What is their secret?

Edie finds herself drawn into the story of the owner of the bakery and her history because it might be the answer to healing her past and enable to face the future.

Another magical, thoughtful book with all the elements that I have come to expect from this author. A good escapist read with some mouth-watering pastries to covet!

After caring for her mother, Edie left everything for Paris, except it wasn't quite Paris. However she settles down and try to do her job and come to realise it is exactly what she needs.
A lovely captivating tale that swept the reader along. Well with the read.

A "wish this was me" book! After a rather hilarious beginning of French location confusion, Edith Lane finds her way to Compiegne, a town very different from Paris.
Author Evie Woods blends current day with the rich history of Compiegne (fascinating in itself and I have googled more on this interesting area) and throws in a pinch of ghostly mystery to create a beautiful story of finding one's self by finding one's place.
"The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris" would appeal to those dreaming of escaping to France and to those who have a love of French bakery fare. Descriptions are mouth watering! With a budding romance and a lingering spirit energy thrown in, this book has it all and I enjoyed every moment of it. I was truely transported and wished I could live this episode.
Thanks to NetGalley, One More Chapter and Evie Woods for my copy.

This was a fun and beautiful read, with bits of magic and lots of love.

The story follows Edie, who, thinking she found work in Paris (her dream), ends up in Compiègne, a town north of Paris, instead. She starts work as a bakery manager, slowly becoming used to the job and people. But then, she starts hearing noises at night, and the mystery begins.

To me, the main theme of this book was that love could achieve anything. This idea is prevalent in both the present and past timelines, and, of course, in the magic. In a way, the story felt like Edie’s journey to finding love and working with the grief of losing her mother not long before moving to Paris.

I felt a range of emotions reading this, but it was definitely a lot of fun! I loved Edie’s personality and choices she made. I especially enjoyed her interactions with Madame Moreau, the bakery’s owner. I also loved how the different timelines portrayed some of the history around Compiègne. I always love to learn a bit of history when reading 😆

Overall, this was a cozy read, with ample mystery, romance, and magic.

I read Evie Gaughan aka Evie Woods “The Story Collector” and came away with mixed feelings. I liked her writing and concept but had difficulty with her characters. When I had the opportunity to read her latest novel I loved the title and hoped I would feel the same about the book. Lots of delicious things being made within these pages, but not all completely digestible. The storyline of girl goes of to Paris to find or become herself was heroic, the romance - not so much. A little too simplistic although the humor helped as did the reminiscence of loved ones lost. Reminded repeatedly that the protagonist is chasing her heart’s desire and missing it until at last, voila, she picks ups the gauntlet and charges back to recapture her dreams.

While it is all very comme-ci, come ca - the romance, the politics, the businessmen versus the small shop owners, it is a good story for a rainy day. Thanks to One More Chapter/Harper Collins and NetGalley for a copy.

Let’s just start with this: Edie Lane meant to be sipping espresso by the Seine, basking in Parisian chic, and casually working in a charming Parisian boulangerie. Instead, she ends up in Compiègne, which is not Paris, but does have a bakery and a Rue de Paris. So technically… not a complete lie?
Welcome to Edie’s misadventure: a delightful detour that ends up being exactly what her soul kneaded.

Fresh off a life do-over, Edie Lane books it from Ireland to what she believes is her dream job in Paris. Only to discover, thanks to a translation error and fate's mischievous sense of humour, she's landed in a small French town with less Eiffel Tower and more nosy neighbours, crumb-covered secrets, and locals who don’t warm up until you’ve proven you can knead dough and keep up with the gossip.

Cue the Rue de Paris bakery, a little worn, a little whimsical, and holding more mysteries than a cozy whodunit. It may not be what Edie wanted, but it might just be everything she needs.

🥐 Why It Works:

* Edie is a classic romcom heroine with an extra pinch of cinnamon, scrappy, lovable, and just chaotic enough to find charm in the unexpected.
* The setting is cozy AF. Think “Stars Hollow, but with more butter and less coffee.”
* There's a mystery woven through the flour-dusted pages, family secrets, whispers from the past, and enough intrigue to keep you flipping pages between bites of pastry.
* The story has soul-healing vibes: food as comfort, community as magic, and transformation that comes not from reinvention, but from rediscovery.


🍷 Some Slightly Under-Proofed Bits:
* The plot twists are charming but not earth-shattering. You won’t need a red string murder board, just a cozy blanket.
* It plays into some familiar tropes, but hey, comfort reads aren’t here to break you, they’re here to butter you up.

Evie Woods serves up a heartwarming, whimsical tale that’s half second-chance romance, half magical-realism croissant. The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris reminds us that sometimes, getting completely lost is the first step to finding your real home.
So if you're craving a book with heart, humour, and an intoxicating scent of sugar-dusted fate, this one’s for you.

Liked it
Due to health issues cannot not but will write a proper review at a later time
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I didn't expect a re-release. At several points in the story I thought things sounded familiar, turns out it was originally published in 2017.

I found the story dragged in places and I'd stop for a while, didn't skip around but I needed to walk away before I did. The plot is a good, if not new one. Starting over, your life no longer fits you and the urge for something to happen is overwhelming. Running away isn't the right description when you have a goal in mind. Scrolling the internet one night Edie finds an ad that perks her up and she sees possibilities. Managing a bakery in Paris sounds like a perfect place for a do-over. The author gives us a heroine in need of change, a cute small bakery in a cute small French town, cranky owner, new friends and a man who makes her smile. The bakery is in trouble and Edie is determined to save it. Shades of a Hallmark movie. Lovely ending where things work out perfectly.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#NetGalley #The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris #Evie Woods #One More Chapter #HarperCollins #French bakery #fresh start

I loved this book! It is a multiple timeline tale of found family, love, betrayal and hope.

We are introduced to Edie at a time of her life where she has been through such a lot. Her dreams to let her life take off are well supported and even though she expected something different, she leaps into the unknown and embraces what is thrown at her.

This is certainly a mixed genre book. With paranormal, romance, mystery and historical fiction wound throughout the story, it is everything and more I expected from an Evie Woods book. I love the chapters told from different characters point's of view in their time lines, adding layers to the mystery at hand.

The community of friends and pastry lovers that Edie makes is delightful and I enjoyed reading about her history tours. I read a lot of WW2 books and had never come across some of the information that I read. It is a well researched and very well written story.

My favourite part? The banter! The modern day love tale with sass and romance between Edie and Hugo. Caught myself with a huge grin on my face when reading those chapters. This has to be the best book I've read all year and I have read quite a few!

A huge thanks to Evie Woods/Gaughan, Netgalley and One More Chapter for an ARC to read. All opinions are my own.