The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods
Evie Woods had me at "Bakery". I love to bake and it's becoming a family thing as well since both my nephew and his oldest daughter have thrown their oven mitts into the ring. It makes me so happy when they send me pictures of the breads, rolls, pies etc. that they lovingly bake.
There's something about a little bakery tucked away in a French town that makes me want to settle in with a cup of tea and see what secrets it might hold. Add a mysterious recipe book, a bit of magic, and a woman looking for a fresh start, and you've got the makings of a story worth exploring.
The other draw was that Amazon offered this on sale for $.99! A book for a buck?? You know I'm jumping on that if it the book looks remotely interesting. There was a mystery, a bakery, present day story mixed with WWII history in Compiègne, France which meant it was meant to be part of my library.
A Little About the Story
The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods follows Edith “Edie” Lane, a woman who has spent much of her adult life caring for her mother. After her mother's death, Edie decides it's time to make a change and leaves Ireland for what she believes will be her dream job at a bakery in Paris.
But things don't quite go as planned.
Instead of finding herself in the heart of Paris, Edie arrives in the French town of Compiègne, where she takes a job at a small bakery on Rue de Paris. The bakery belongs to Madame Moreau, a rather stern woman who isn't exactly eager to welcome Edie with open arms.
As Edie settles into her new surroundings, she begins to discover that this is no ordinary bakery. There's an old recipe book, a mysterious baker in the basement, and pastries that may hold a little more magic than anyone could have imagined. The deeper Edie digs into the bakery's history, the more she realizes that its secrets stretch back through the years, including the difficult days of World War II.
Along the way, she meets new people, including Hugo Chadwick, and begins to find pieces of herself that may have been set aside while caring for her mother. But the bakery's future is uncertain, and Edie soon finds herself facing a decision about how far she's willing to go to protect the place that is beginning to feel like home.
What to Expect
This book brings together several elements that make for an interesting reading experience:
- A charming French bakery with a touch of magic.
- A mystery involving an old recipe book and the bakery's past.
- Historical elements connected to World War II.
- A woman discovering who she is beyond the responsibilities she's carried for so long.
- Friendship, romance, and the possibility of new beginnings.
There's something appealing about a story where a bakery becomes more than just a place to work. It becomes a place where people gather, secrets are uncovered, and lives begin to change.
My Thoughts
Short version? I loved it!
It is so beautifully written with attention to detail without having an over-the-top painterly quality. I was totally emersed in this French city, could envision the quaint, quietness of Rue de Paris and the history of it all. The characters are memorable, right down to the very minor characters. I want to live on this street with these people and visit this bakery for a cup of hot chocolate and a croissant.
The "mysterious" part of the bakery wasn't what I expected and was actually delighted with the reveal. There's also the closure, or feel of justice that comes to Madame Moreau after the tragedy she suffered during WWII. Like the main character Edie, I didn't know the details of Compiègne's history during WWI.
If you're drawn to stories with a little history, a little mystery, and the possibility of magic in unexpected places, The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris might be worth a look.
Sometimes a fresh start begins in the most unexpected place. Even a bakery in a little French town.
This book hit all the marks and gets a very solid 5/5 ★★★★★
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