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The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris by Evie Gaughan

adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

 Thank you One More Chapter Publisher for my #gifted advance copy.  My opinions are my own.

Edith Lane has been dreaming about Paris since forever.  So when she gets the chance to leave Ireland behind in favor of working in a Paris bakery, she grabs it...only to find it's not a bakery in Paris at all, but instead in the town of Compiègne (on the Rue de Paris).  And it seems that the bakery has more secrets than any bakery has a right to.

Good thing I know some French!  One can get by in this book without it, but it's harder to.  And I highly recommend that you don't try to read it while hungry!  The story follows a dual timeline, between Edith  (current day) and Pierre Moreau (1920), both tied to the bakery in different eras.  The idea that offering people food has real power permeates the book, as does the magic of good food and connections (somewhat  à la Chocolat).  And I was enjoying the sweet story, but then it took a somewhat weird turn and I lost interest.  I stand by the idea of Edith finding herself and her values, and that Pierre did the same, but I just couldn't engage with the book after about halfway through and lost interest.  I still found it to be very well-written and a good, solid story. 
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