About Books #65: The Little Paris Patisserie

So here’s a couple of things I like in life: books. Paris. Food. Pastries. Romance novels. And somehow – I don’t know how, but somehow? Julie Caplin has managed to combine all of those into one book. Let it suffice to say – The Little Paris Patisserie? Did not disappoint!

I was offered an ARC by Netgalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are strictly my own.

The Story

In a cosy corner of Paris, a delicious little patisserie is just waiting to be discovered. And romance might just be on the menu…

As the youngest of four, Nina Hadley has always had her big brothers telling her what to do. So, when she’s given the chance to move to Paris and help run a patisserie course, she can’t say au revoir quick enough!

There’s just one problem: high-flying chef Sebastian Finlay is the owner of the patisserie. He’s also her brother Nick’s best friend – and the man she has secretly been in love with since forever.

Amongst the mouth-wateringly delicious eclairs and delicate macaroons, Nina’s culinary creations aren’t the only tempting thing she’s working with…

The Opinion

Earlier this summer, I got to read Julie Caplin’s The Little Brooklyn Bakery. At that point, I was thoroughly impressed with how well she managed to write the romance. I found myself almost painfully excited for the two main characters, but, you know… I figured it was a one-off.

Wrong.

Julie Caplin has, with The Little Paris Patisserie, quickly made her way into the list of my favourite romance authors. I love Paris, and reading Caplin’s descriptions of the entire city? It made me feel as if I were back there. It also made me want to jump on a train and go straight back there. There’s not many authors that really manage to capture the essence of a city, and I do feel like that’s what Caplin’s done here.

But of course… Paris is just the backdrop. An utterly beautiful backdrop, yes. But still: just the scenery against which you get to follow a painfully recognizable story of unrequited love, grumpy bosses and discovering what you actually want to do in life. And all of that is just the first couple of chapters!

The Rating: 4.25/5

This book was so incredibly enjoyable, that I have to give it the ultimate compliment (in my books) you can give an author: you messed up my sleep. Honestly, I was just going to read a couple of chapters and then, suddenly… It was half past two? At night? And I’d finished the entire thing? I mean, I don’t know exactly what happened, but obviously: Julie Caplin did something really right. And I cannot recommend The Little Paris Patisserie enough. Honestly, go read it. You can thank me later. (And you can find it on Goodreads!)

-Saar