March 1, 2024
Reliably Entertaining
3.5 stars
The Paris Widow is a thriller about a woman who, while on a trip to Paris, becomes entangled in a scheme related to her husband's tragic death.
Stella and Adam, married for four years, are on a three-week European vacation. While in Paris, Adam is a victim of a horrific accident. As Stella tries to put the pieces together of what happened to Adam, she finds herself caught up in a dangerous world built on deceit, lies, and murder.
Narrated by Stella and Adam, Stella is the more dominant character, and she has more chapters. She is also a more developed character. Adam’s chapters were flat and not necessarily needed. Stella is a strong lead, but the narrative structure doesn’t do her any favors when her past is finally revealed.
Belle relies too much on telling instead of showing Stella's character development. Although we learn about her past and the events that shaped her personality, we never see her in action. As a result, when her personality changes in the second half of the novel, it feels inauthentic and unconvincing. Similarly, her previous relationship lacked depth and believability, leaving me unconvinced.
The Paris Widow shares plotlines and plot devices from The Marriage Lie, but the last 3rd takes the novel in a different direction.
There are some issues, especially in the telling aspect, and a few plotholes and plot devices that didn’t fully work, but it was fun to read and experience Paris and some other European cities. Also fascinating was the focus on the art black market.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
The Paris Widow is a thriller about a woman who, while on a trip to Paris, becomes entangled in a scheme related to her husband's tragic death.
Stella and Adam, married for four years, are on a three-week European vacation. While in Paris, Adam is a victim of a horrific accident. As Stella tries to put the pieces together of what happened to Adam, she finds herself caught up in a dangerous world built on deceit, lies, and murder.
Narrated by Stella and Adam, Stella is the more dominant character, and she has more chapters. She is also a more developed character. Adam’s chapters were flat and not necessarily needed. Stella is a strong lead, but the narrative structure doesn’t do her any favors when her past is finally revealed.
Belle relies too much on telling instead of showing Stella's character development. Although we learn about her past and the events that shaped her personality, we never see her in action. As a result, when her personality changes in the second half of the novel, it feels inauthentic and unconvincing. Similarly, her previous relationship lacked depth and believability, leaving me unconvinced.
The Paris Widow shares plotlines and plot devices from The Marriage Lie, but the last 3rd takes the novel in a different direction.
There are some issues, especially in the telling aspect, and a few plotholes and plot devices that didn’t fully work, but it was fun to read and experience Paris and some other European cities. Also fascinating was the focus on the art black market.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.