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Everyone's a neighbor. Paris Daillencourt is a recipe for disaster. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List comes a new locked room mystery, set in a Paris apartment building in which every resident has something to hide… Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question. And everyone knows something they’re not telling. Still, neither his growing romance with Tariq nor his own impressive bakes can keep Paris’s fear of failure from spoiling his happiness. And yet, not only does he impress the judges and win week one's challenge - he also catches the eye of fellow contestant, Tariq Hassan. A truly scrumptious, hilariously funny novel about a baking show by bestselling author Alexis Hall
Reviews
JOSEPH DAVIES
Moreover, Hall does a wonderful job of exploring mental health issues, in the fact Paris has an (as of the start of the story) undiagnosed anxiety disorder. That may sound like oversimplifying it, but it really is the gist. Aside from that, I absolutely adored the story and devoured it speedily as I couldn't wait to see what happened next and if Paris could overcome his issues to succeed and get the adorable object of his affection. The only element that really brought the book down for me would enter spoiler territory, but suffice to say there is an element that is just left rather open ended with no explanation for why those involved are like this, and have done what they do to Paris.
It isn't vital to the core story and characters in so much as it wouldn't change the thrust of the outcome, but it did leave me wanting. A highly recommended read. This could easily have caused the lead character to come across as a bit of a wet blanket, but Hall writes him and his issues with such care and sympathy that it is actually, if anything, incredibly informative and actually endearing as we the reader get to understand Paris' mind and how it sabotages him.
Alexis Hall has crafted a beautifully charming story that is essentially a gay romantic comedy set at Bake Off. It's a deftly and smartly woven tale exploring not just the core romance, between the titular Paris and gay Muslim fellow contestant Tariq, but also being part of a reality competition show and the resultant social media inextricably linked to that. I get that these things can happen, but I was left desperately wanting to know why it happened, why they made that choice.
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