A review by bananathebookbestie
Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall

emotional informative reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed this book! After reading Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, I was so excited to read another book in the same setting of Bake Expectations. This book followed a different structure from the first book, and we got to see a lot after the show finished and was airing. I think that helped with development of the characters and their relationships a lot. 

Our main character, Paris, is dealing with a lot and he doesn't quite know how to manage it. He has undiagnosed general anxiety disorder, was essentially abandoned by his rich and famous parents, and is an excellent baker but cannot get out of his head (ya know, because of the anxiety). He spends most of the novel working through his self esteem and personal issues while on a reality TV baking competition his roommate entered him in. On Bake Expectations, he meets fellow contestant Tariq Hassan — after smacking him in the face with a fridge door — and they really hit it off (pun intended). Their relationship is very young and sweet, while also dealing with a lot of personal issues with each other. Tariq is Muslim and takes his religion and being gay very seriously and doesn't want to minimize either part of himself for anyone. 

When reviewing Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, I said it read more like women's fiction than a romcom; I would say the same about this book. It focused way more on Paris' anxiety and troubles and having him work through them until he finally gets a diagnosis, therapy and medicine to manage his anxiety. The relationship with Tariq was very cute and important, but to me, didn't feel like the central theme of the story. 

Overall, I loved the characters still and thought the bakes and pacing were fantastic. I do think having Tariq's point of view would've been beneficial to the story so we could get a break from all the Parisian thinking — at times it was very overwhelming (and I have anxiety!). 

Alexis Hall really does write great representation and characters full of depth. He is an auto-read author for me and I'm excited to see what the third installment of the series will be. Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 
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