Romance • 2026
The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris
By Evie Woods • ★★★
I was actually looking for a different Evie Woods book, but it wasn’t available at the library — this one was. It sounded fun and whimsical, and since I’m learning French, the Parisian setting tempted me enough to give it a go. I went in with no real expectations, which was probably the right call.
This is essentially a Hallmark movie in book form: a woman goes to a small town to find herself, falls in love, and saves a beloved local shop from the big, bad bank. There’s a warmth to that kind of story, and when this book leaned into it, it genuinely worked. The setting is charming, the romance is easy to root for, and there’s a coziness to the whole thing that made it a pleasant read. I can see exactly why someone would pick this up on a rainy afternoon and finish it in one sitting.
Where it lost me slightly is when it reached for something deeper. I didn’t go in expecting profound, and I don’t think the story needed to be — but it seemed to think it did, and those moments felt a little at odds with the lightness that made everything else enjoyable. The magical element was along those lines too: a nice touch, charming even, but ultimately unnecessary. And like a lot of books in this space, it could have used an editor willing to cut about 100 pages. The story was there — it just overstayed its welcome a bit.
Still, I enjoyed it for what it was. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t ask much of you, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods. 📌 This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.
Marin Robinson 
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