Review: Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble

I’m a big fan of Great British Bake Off and I love when novels put their characters in similar competitions. It was partially for that reason that I read Alexis Hall’s Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake back in 2021 (review here). Unfortunately, I was really upset with one aspect of the plot and the rest of the book was soured. BUT. After reading more of Hall’s work, I thought I’d give the semi-connected series another go. And I’m glad I did as I enjoyed Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble.

Here’s the book’s description:

Paris Daillencourt is a recipe for disaster. Despite his passion for baking, his cat, and his classics degree, constant self-doubt and second-guessing have left him a curdled, directionless mess. So when his roommate enters him in Bake Expectations, the nation’s favourite baking show, Paris is sure he’ll be the first one sent home.
But not only does he win week one’s challenge—he meets fellow contestant Tariq Hassan. Sure, he’s the competition, but he’s also cute and kind, with more confidence than Paris could ever hope to have. Still, neither his growing romance with Tariq nor his own impressive bakes can keep Paris’s fear of failure from spoiling his happiness. And when the show’s vicious fanbase confirms his worst anxieties, Paris’s confidence is torn apart quicker than tear-and-share bread.
But if Paris can find the strength to face his past, his future, and the chorus of hecklers that live in his brain, he’ll realize it’s the sweet things in life that he really deserves.

Paris is, like some desserts, an acquired taste. He has pretty serious anxiety that he hasn’t addressed because he doesn’t know he needs to - he just thinks he is the way he is and that’s all there is to it. But he makes excuses for himself that I had no time for, especially after he started getting help. I’m not sure how much of the “omg I’m the worst ever” was part of the anxiety (Yes, I know it would be a huge part) but there were still some instances where I felt he should have behaved better. Perhaps I’m wrong. I don’t have anxiety like Paris so I can’t fully get into his head but I know it’s tough. I wish I could remember some of the specific examples but, alas, I read this one so long ago (oops). 

I loved the baking show aspects of the book, obviously, and that the book was divided up by each episode. It helped keep track of time in a fun way. It was always fun to see what the bakers were making each week and I always liked when the whole cast was hanging out together.

The romance in this one was a delight - even with all of the awkward and terrible moments. I respected Tariq so much and wish I could be more like him. He knew who he was and wasn’t about to apologize for not being a stereotypical British baker. Is it wrong to say I think he might have been too good for Paris? It might be, right? Whether they were truly right for each other, I don’t entirely know, but the romantic in me was expecting more of a romance novel and so I was rooting for a Happily Ever After between the two of them.

Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble was a cute read with funny moments but a lot of really heavy topics and topics that should be tackled in contemporary reads. Alexis Hall doesn’t always deliver a total winner to me but I continue to read his books because I appreciate his talent and humour and the ability to make me look at the world a little differently than I did when I started the book.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by Forever via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.* 

Review: A Lady for a Duke

2022 was the year of Alexis Hall - I read four of his books! The first was A Lady for a Duke, which was published way back in May. I’m totally blaming schoolwork for getting in the way of writing about this one! While a review has been absent from the blog until now, I haven’t shut up about it in other places though - it was such a great read!

Here’s the book’s description:

When Viola Carroll was presumed dead at Waterloo she took the opportunity to live, at last, as herself. But freedom does not come without a price, and Viola paid for hers with the loss of her wealth, her title, and her closest companion, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood.
Only when their families reconnect, years after the war, does Viola learn how deep that loss truly was. Shattered without her, Gracewood has retreated so far into grief that Viola barely recognises her old friend in the lonely, brooding man he has become.
As Viola strives to bring Gracewood back to himself, fresh desires give new names to old feelings. Feelings that would have been impossible once and may be impossible still, but which Viola cannot deny. Even if they cost her everything, all over again.

I’m still easing my way into historical romance but it’s books like this that make me see the potential of the genre and how much I have to explore. As someone who’s a huge historical fiction fan, I need the history to be accurate, otherwise I’m totally taken out of the story. But, as a romance fan, I’m also happy for that accurate history to just be a setting with the romance taking centre stage. While I’m no history expert, Hall’s novel felt accurate and I was happy with the way he portrayed life in this time period.

I read this book as a cisgender woman but the importance of having a traditionally published romance featuring a transgender heroine was not lost on me. Hall treated the subject matter with respect and with a warning at the beginning of the novel making sure readers knew the topic would be covered and dead names would be used. It’s important to the storyline in that Viola has to eventually tell her old friend that he already knows her but the book is about so much more than that.

The book is actually about a lot of things and I don't think it needed to be as long as it was. There were a few plot points that got convoluted and kept me from giving this five stars, which is a shame since the rest of it was so damn enjoyable.

While this is a romance (and I’ll get to that) there are some serious topics. Not just the fact that Viola is trans but also Gracewood’s PTSD which, of course, wouldn’t have been treated properly in that time (is it even dealt with well now?). There are scenes that will make your heart break and will be tough for most people to read (and even tougher for others) but are, in the end, worth the hurt. This book wouldn’t be nearly as good without this emotional depth.

Now, the romance! It’s pretty slow burn since Gracewood doesn’t know the truth about Viola for some time and then it takes them time to realize their friendship has shifted and there’s now something new there. But once they did realize it and gave into it? Ooh, so good! The reader knew they were meant to be together so you’re rooting for them the whole time.

In a year of Alexis Hall, A Lady for a Duke was a standout, not just of all the books of his I read last year but in general. It was a really great historical romance that had a lot of heart and depth and kept me entertained throughout.

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Forever, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

I missed out on reading Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material, though it's on my ereader waiting for me to make time for it, but given how many trusted friends enjoyed it, I knew I needed to read Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake. An #OwnVoices rom com set in England and taking place at a televised baking competition? Sign. Me. Up.

Here's the book's description:

Following the recipe is the key to a successful bake. Rosaline Palmer has always lived by those rules—well, except for when she dropped out of college to raise her daughter, Amelie. Now, with a paycheck as useful as greaseproof paper and a house crumbling faster than biscuits in tea, she’s teetering on the edge of financial disaster. But where there’s a whisk there’s a way . . . and Rosaline has just landed a spot on the nation’s most beloved baking show.
Winning the prize money would give her daughter the life she deserves—and Rosaline is determined to stick to the instructions. However, more than collapsing trifles stand between Rosaline and sweet, sweet victory.  Suave, well-educated, and parent-approved Alain Pope knows all the right moves to sweep her off her feet, but it’s shy electrician Harry Dobson who makes Rosaline question her long-held beliefs—about herself, her family, and her desires.
Rosaline fears falling for Harry is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. Yet as the competition—and the ovens—heat up, Rosaline starts to realize the most delicious bakes come from the heart. 

I have to discuss the love triangle first and it's going to be a bit spoilery so if you hate that, please move onto the second paragraph! I hated what happened between Rosaline and one of the men. Absolutely hated it. It was gross and uncomfortable and I didn't like reading it. It felt like I was misled and betrayed a much as Rosaline was and while I appreciate that Hall used it as an opportunity to have really important conversations about gender and sexuality...I really, really wish it hadn't happened. 

Onwards!

I absolutely LOVE Great British Bake Off. So so so much. It is hands down my favourite reality show because it is so soothing and lovely and full of baked goods! So, it was super fun to have Rosaline take part in a GBBO-esque show. My sister told me long ago about how she had read that the hosts will sometimes start swearing or saying brand names when a contestant is having a rough time because then the footage becomes unusable. Hall uses that in the story and I actually laughed out loud. It really added to the feeling that this is what GBBO is actually like and I adored it. 

Related to the baking show, the novel is set up by weeks, just like the show is. Contestants go to the filming location every weekend to compete in their themed weekly challenges. I don't know if the format would work for everyone but I really enjoyed it. I found it kept things moving and focused all the action during the times when all the action was taking place. It just made sense to me!

Rosaline has, as is customary for rom coms, a journey in this novel and she really grows as a person. She's always been a great person, you can just tell, but she becomes so much more confident in herself throughout the course of the show and it's so lovely to see. 

Amelie, Rosaline's daughter, is an absolute hoot. She's a precocious kid (about seven or eight) and she would tell you she was because she has a very extensive vocabulary. Funnily enough, this was the second book in a very short period of time where I read about a single mom/mum with a feisty and wicked intelligent daughter around the same age. Given I have absolutely no desire to have children of my own, I sometimes avoid single parent rom coms but this is a reason you should always read a little outside your norm because both books portrayed single parenthood really well and I enjoyed them. Back to Amelie...I absolutely loved that she called Harry Mr. Viking and he called her Prime Minister. Their instant connection was so cute.

There's a lot of discussion about gender roles, sexual preferences, sexism, and classism in this book. That may sound like a lot of Topics for some people (and if it is...um, pay attention to the world because these are important things) but Hall weaves it together so well and in an entertaining and educational way. It's clear that Hall isn't trying to have Rosaline speak for all women or all bisexuals but by having her have these important discussions, it can help the reader identify problem spots in their own thoughts and behaviours and can, hopefully, correct them in the future. 

All in all, I had a grand time reading Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake. I do think my expectations were a touch high and they weren't quite met but I'll definitely be reading Alexis Hall's previous book and whatever comes next. I laughed and swooned and had a lot of other emotions and that made for a good rom com in my books.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the Canadian distributor, HBG Canada, via Netgalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*