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aromarrie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"Change is part of growing up. You don't want to stay a kid forever. That's Peter Pan, and he is not the hero of the story. . . The hero of Peter Pan is Wendy. Peter is trapped in a weird fantasy world constructed of his own fears. Wendy goes there, learns what she has to from it, then comes back and gets on with her life."
Paris thought about this. It made a terrible kind of sense. "Oh."
"Come on, you wouldn't want to live in Neverland."
"You say that. But when I left, I grew up into . . . me."
"And I like you."
this story was...so absurdly funny, as promised in all of alexis hall's works. and it has a lot of heart. i also can painfully relate to paris and perhaps felt overwhelmed at how seen i felt, so...that was a welcome surprise. there is a romance, but as seen in other reviews, someone cleverly noted it as a bildungsroman because it is.
this entire book is about paris' journey with his debilitating anxiety that grows increasingly worse & worse over time, all set in the backdrop of a british baking show that is all action & cameras but all paris can do is cry. there's a lot of really good moments to speak of, though, and i personally really enjoyed what the author did in paris' relationship with tariq; i liked how we saw tariq stand in his own spotlight as he's given a lot of space to explore his own complicated feelings and just be able to shine as a main character. the rest of the cast for this season were such an absolute delight, and i love how even as disconnected paris might have felt with the rest of them, they weren't simply shoved into the background for the sake of the plot. some returning characters add their own wit and sly british humor, which i found really funny being an american.
the star of this entire series being the baked treats that we get to see our contestants create was certainly one of the highlights of this book, and so it made me sad how paris kind of derailed and beat himself up over creating something that should be fun & comforting but instead just gets him further stuck inside his head. i'm glad he eventually gets the help he needs, just as equally glad to the author for not holding back on how seriously isolating living with a mental illness can be, especially when you're undiagnosed. a real deciding factor in a reader's enjoyment for this story, i feel, is in how one might react to everything that paris says & does because it has as much to do with his character as it also does the mental roadblocks that is his brain. his fears are riddled with the most tiniest of details that it sometimes felt like too much, but it's like he had no control in it and every thing he beat himself up for or was worried about just grew larger & larger to the point where he was screaming inside. his parents being off the radar didn't help, and other characters might've factored into the equation, but the way the author explored how low you can fall when stuck inside your head and how you can try to fight your way out of it was one of the most incredible things i've ever seen in any of his works.
it meant a lot to me.
paris' mental health journey meant a lot to me, and everyone else just added a lot of color to what is really a bright story, to me. the writing was amazing, and while the majority of penis jokes were very questionable (these characters have really crude humor but i wasn't turned off by it), it didn't disengage me from the story at all, it was just yet another strange but real part of these weird cast of characters and i loved them more for it. i loved all the little details i got to grasp about paris , who isn't defined by his anxiety and is actually really good with baking (even if he couldn't see it in himself, i hope he can have fun with it again one day) and cooking, and he's a classics major, too, would you look at that?
really curious what more mayhem will ensue in the next book and what new main characters i'll get to meet who'll charm me a bunch, i hope. i'll be 23 once it publishes, which is just....great :')
Paris thought about this. It made a terrible kind of sense. "Oh."
"Come on, you wouldn't want to live in Neverland."
"You say that. But when I left, I grew up into . . . me."
"And I like you."
this story was...so absurdly funny, as promised in all of alexis hall's works. and it has a lot of heart. i also can painfully relate to paris and perhaps felt overwhelmed at how seen i felt, so...that was a welcome surprise. there is a romance, but as seen in other reviews, someone cleverly noted it as a bildungsroman because it is.
this entire book is about paris' journey with his debilitating anxiety that grows increasingly worse & worse over time, all set in the backdrop of a british baking show that is all action & cameras but all paris can do is cry. there's a lot of really good moments to speak of, though, and i personally really enjoyed what the author did in paris' relationship with tariq; i liked how we saw tariq stand in his own spotlight as he's given a lot of space to explore his own complicated feelings and just be able to shine as a main character. the rest of the cast for this season were such an absolute delight, and i love how even as disconnected paris might have felt with the rest of them, they weren't simply shoved into the background for the sake of the plot. some returning characters add their own wit and sly british humor, which i found really funny being an american.
the star of this entire series being the baked treats that we get to see our contestants create was certainly one of the highlights of this book, and so it made me sad how paris kind of derailed and beat himself up over creating something that should be fun & comforting but instead just gets him further stuck inside his head. i'm glad he eventually gets the help he needs, just as equally glad to the author for not holding back on how seriously isolating living with a mental illness can be, especially when you're undiagnosed. a real deciding factor in a reader's enjoyment for this story, i feel, is in how one might react to everything that paris says & does because it has as much to do with his character as it also does the mental roadblocks that is his brain. his fears are riddled with the most tiniest of details that it sometimes felt like too much, but it's like he had no control in it and every thing he beat himself up for or was worried about just grew larger & larger to the point where he was screaming inside. his parents being off the radar didn't help, and other characters might've factored into the equation, but the way the author explored how low you can fall when stuck inside your head and how you can try to fight your way out of it was one of the most incredible things i've ever seen in any of his works.
it meant a lot to me.
paris' mental health journey meant a lot to me, and everyone else just added a lot of color to what is really a bright story, to me. the writing was amazing, and while the majority of penis jokes were very questionable (these characters have really crude humor but i wasn't turned off by it), it didn't disengage me from the story at all, it was just yet another strange but real part of these weird cast of characters and i loved them more for it. i loved all the little details i got to grasp about paris , who isn't defined by his anxiety and is actually really good with baking (even if he couldn't see it in himself, i hope he can have fun with it again one day) and cooking, and he's a classics major, too, would you look at that?
really curious what more mayhem will ensue in the next book and what new main characters i'll get to meet who'll charm me a bunch, i hope. i'll be 23 once it publishes, which is just....great :')
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Islamophobia, and Racism
meganpbennett's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really really loved Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, and was a little disappointed by Paris Daillencourt. But that seems to be the theme with Alexis Hall sequels. Parts of it were really really good, parts of it were really really funny, parts of it were really really touching, and parts of it were really really disappointing. So it averages out to three stars.
Alexis Hall doesn't write traditional romance, and PD, like RP and BfM, are very much relationship fiction, as opposed to romance novels. Knowing that going in makes the book better, as you don't spend half the book trying to figure out how, exactly, it's a romance novel.
Like RP, I found some of the sections very hard to read, because the person in charge of the filming is, frankly, an abusive bully to her charges. Which is not a good thing at all, but is an especially bad thing when the main character has an undiagnosed anxiety disorder. I also found the last section, the one with the tweets way way too over the top and very much unnecessarily harsh. I was also disappointed in the ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the eARC!
Alexis Hall doesn't write traditional romance, and PD, like RP and BfM, are very much relationship fiction, as opposed to romance novels. Knowing that going in makes the book better, as you don't spend half the book trying to figure out how, exactly, it's a romance novel.
Like RP, I found some of the sections very hard to read, because the person in charge of the filming is, frankly, an abusive bully to her charges. Which is not a good thing at all, but is an especially bad thing when the main character has an undiagnosed anxiety disorder. I also found the last section, the one with the tweets way way too over the top and very much unnecessarily harsh. I was also disappointed in the ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the eARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Islamophobia, Abandonment, Ableism, Cursing, Racism, Bullying, and Panic attacks/disorders
unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ARC Review - pub date 11/1/22
The thing about Alexis Hall is that he writes RoNos that look like they’re gonna be super fluffy and then hit you with the sledgehammer of reality.
The thing about Alexis Hall is that he writes RoNos that look like they’re gonna be super fluffy and then hit you with the sledgehammer of reality.
To whit, the latest installment in the Bake Expectations series: Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble. This is a romance featuring Paris, a man with intense undiagnosed anxiety, and Tariq, a man who is an absolute ray of sunshine. The two MCs were basically heartbreakingly realistic. Paris’s anxiety is intense and graphic. He is incredibly deep in his head - everyone hates him, he’s going to mess up, he’s the worst, etc etc etc. Enter Tariq, a devout Muslim and very out gay man, who tries his very best to “help” Paris while also being kind of into him aka Tariq kinda takes Paris on as a project, which never ends well.
Although this book definitely has a love story in it and ends on an HEA, its focus really isn’t the romance. Paris has an incredibly hard time with his mental health and so that the book becomes more about his struggles. I was much more concerned about Paris getting help than I was about whether he and Tariq ended up together. On the one hand, I loved how realistic and relatable the conflicts in the book were, but on the other, if you are looking for a comforting read about a comforting reality show - this ain’t it.
All that said? There were scenes and moments in this book where I was laughing out loud and reading passages to my husband. I suppose just like real life, there are funny and sweet moments mixed up with the bad ones.
Oh, and Paris’s parents are *gone* like they simply don’t text him back…ever? Even when he repeatedly asks them to? That little detail alone was a gut punch, and added to Paris’s intensely bad time and my angst as a reader. In sum, this book feels a lot like Queenie by Candace Carty-Williams in that there is an MC who is struggling realistically and mightily with their mental health and the general state of the world and you’re simultaneously rooting for them and empathizing with them and also very frustrated by their circumstances. It can be a really emotionally taxing thing to read a book like that so I want to make sure other readers are ready.
👍🏻Recommended with a big dose of check the CW and make sure you have the emotional capacity for this. Lovable and very realistic characters as well as mental health are a huge focus in this book, the romance is sweet but I would not call it the focus.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Cursing, and Racism
kbairbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for approving me this arc.
As someone who struggles with mental health issues, I really appreciated that this book sheds light on how debilitating these struggles can be. I liked that there was a more realistic growth progression (although it was sped up because of the storyline at the end). I also liked that the relationship had more organic ups and downs rather than being picture perfect/nobody owns up to their mistakes. I also liked the character Joy and all the yummy desserts.
Now I’m not sure if there was a ‘dry British humor’ thing going on that just went way over my head but the majority to all of the characters struck me as MASSIVE jerks. Honestly they were all really quite dislike-able and hindered my reading experience. There were funny moments that I genuinely laughed out loud and the language of the book was super unique and fun. And I did start liking Paris and Tariq more at the end but overall I don’t think this was my favorite read.
As someone who struggles with mental health issues, I really appreciated that this book sheds light on how debilitating these struggles can be. I liked that there was a more realistic growth progression (although it was sped up because of the storyline at the end). I also liked that the relationship had more organic ups and downs rather than being picture perfect/nobody owns up to their mistakes. I also liked the character Joy and all the yummy desserts.
Now I’m not sure if there was a ‘dry British humor’ thing going on that just went way over my head but the majority to all of the characters struck me as MASSIVE jerks. Honestly they were all really quite dislike-able and hindered my reading experience. There were funny moments that I genuinely laughed out loud and the language of the book was super unique and fun. And I did start liking Paris and Tariq more at the end but overall I don’t think this was my favorite read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Bullying
Moderate: Islamophobia, Medical content, Racism, and Homophobia
ginfizz's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing an ARC for review.
Paris, an upper-crust classicist with severe but undiagnosed anxiety, is entered into baking competition Bake Expectations by Morag, his fat Glaswegian sex goddess roommate. He meets Tariq, an extroverted, confident baker who wants to be a little bit famous and finds Paris charming. Paris struggles with the competition and his growing relationship with Tariq, and tries to learn to manage his anxiety, his relationships, and the internet’s cruel response to the mildly famous.
Paris Daillencourt was hard to read as a person with anxiety. Some of Paris’ spirals began to feed into my own anxiety, and I had to take a some breaks in order to emotionally regulate. I can see some readers might be frustrated with Paris, especially if they don’t experience anxiety (they might agree some of the tweets in part two, tbh). Watching Paris begin to break down from the pressure of the competition in addition to having a sort-of-boyfriend is rough, and my heart ached for him despite recognizing he was creating many of his own problems. Tariq is a gorgeous character — full, interesting, well-intentioned, and obviously trying his best. I loved him, and it was good to see someone try so hard to work with Paris’ more obvious hang-ups, but it killed me when Tariq declared Paris too much — that he thought he could handle it, but he couldn’t, and so he was leaving. This is perhaps the biggest fear of anyone who has severe anxiety — that they are a burden, that they will never be worth putting up with their problems, and the people they love will eventually leave. It was unsurprising that this, combined with his elimination from the show and the unflinchingly cruel responses of fans of the show, culminates in a breakdown.
Ultimately, it wasn't the feel-good rom-com I was expecting, but honestly with Alexis Hall I should know better. He gives us the love, the tension, and romance, but there's always a deep and raw struggle for the characters to overcome. I think, perhaps, this was the first book for me where the character's struggle hit so close to my own, and that's why I ended up feeling it so intensely. I enjoyed the book a lot, and love, love, love this universe of the Bake Expectations series, but would advise others to be aware of how deeply you delve into Paris' anxiety and the repercussions of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, and Mental illness
Moderate: Racism and Islamophobia
Minor: Religious bigotry
purplepenning's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
"By 'eck it's gorgeous"! A little heavy, but never stodgy, book two in the Winner Bakes All series is different from but as good as the first one (Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake) and could definitely stand alone. "Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble" is a sweet, poignant, personal, coming-of-age story wrapped in a satisfying romance and topped with just enough quirky baking competition capers to give it that extra something. The sensitive portrayal and pacing of Paris's anxiety and mental health issues and the navigation of the personal and relationship differences between Paris and Tariq (an openly gay Muslim) is *chef's kiss*. Plus, there are scrummy good bakes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Islamophobia, Xenophobia, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Abandonment, Bullying, and Grief
Minor: Alcohol
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