Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble

By: Alexis Hall

Narrated by: Ewan Goddard

From the bestselling author of Boyfriend Material comes a sweet and scrumptious romantic comedy about facing your insecurities, finding love, and baking it off, no matter what people say.

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.

Critic reviews

"[Hall] crafts some of the most sparkling prose in contemporary romance. . . . we give this fully baked concept our highest compliments."—Entertainment Weekly on Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, A-

"Hall does it again with this scrumptious, quietly subversive rom-com again . . . Hilarious, heartwarming, and grounded, Rosaline's story proves that happy endings look different from person to person."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review, on Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

"In this delicious romantic comedy . . . Hall creates a memorable cast of characters, from Rosaline's supportive ex-girlfriend to the utterly adorable and scene-stealing Amelie. Setting the book at a reality TV show is a brilliant choice . . . there's sparkling humor and plenty of baking mishaps. A perfect bake."—Kirkus, Starred Review, on Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

"Hall seamlessly combines humor, romance, and drama to create a story that is intimately believable and at once cozy and sexy. . . . The book combines sweet escapism and poignant cultural touchstones with well-crafted characters and hilariously familiar settings. Hall does it again with this culturally relevant, wonderfully escapist foray into the baking world. This is a must-buy for any library."—Library Journal, Starred Review, on Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

"Hall’s creation is a joy—a deeply emotional and ultimately rewarding story about a woman finding her true path and true love, surrounded by delicious baked goods on a BBC soundstage."—Bookpage on Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

"A romance that's made for fans of the UK's Great British Bakeoff."—Oprah Daily on Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

"[A] romance perfect for fans of The Great British Bake Off!"—Book Riot on Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

"With loads of wit and baking-related banter . . . perfect for fans of the Great British Bake Off and Hall’s trademark humour."—The Nerd Daily on Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

"A must-read."—Hypable on Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

Solid Followup Bake Expectations Story

I really enjoyed this story! Paris & Tariq are the kind of realistic characters I crave more of. Evan Goddard’s narration does a wonderful job of conveying Paris’s downward spiral and ultimate redemption.

Delightful book

It was so funny. It made me laugh out loud. I really enjoyed it. Would recommend.

Fun

Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble is a delightful romp for anyone who enjoys a lighthearted fiction novel, with a light intermingling of romance and the desire to see the Great British Bake Off brought to life in the pages of a book. Alexis Hall's writing is very good, the plot line is fun and interesting, and this novel will work for you on all levels if you love novels along the lines of Sophie Kinsela. I enjoy Alexis Hall as an author and truly enjoy explore his works. If you are looking for a true romance, this is not it, this is definitely more long the lines of a "women's fiction" novel (even though I hate using the term Women's Fiction, it is just a fiction novel). It truly focus' on Paris' journey through the story and the romantic elements are very light throughout the novel. But if you love Alexis Hall's writing and works in general I think you will definitely walk away from this novel with a smile on your face.

A beautiful story of mental health recovery (with laughs, cakes and romance ❤️)

I loved this book. It reminded me of Glitterland in its representation of a 3-dimensional MC's mental illness, loneliness, doubts, self-loathing and road to recovery through love and human connections. I can see why other reviewers got annoyed with Paris (just like the fictional Twitter trolls in the story). He does worry, complain and cry A LOT in the first half of the book. But I've frankly never seen such accurate, nuanced, loving representation of anxiety disorder and coming to terms with getting help when your brain is literally plotting against you. This is what happens in our brains. It's exhausting. And therapy is so freaking hard. Except, unlike Paris we hide it a little bit better in the real world (which is equally exhausting). Like in the first book we get a lively cast of bakers, family and friends - and a reunion with the zany hosts/judges/producer. But the core of the book really is Paris's sensitive heart, his journey to recovery and his truly lovely friendship/relationship/romance with Tariq. The narration was, as usual, absolutely perfect.

Another great story by Alexis Hall

Paris really is a hot mess, and I totally understand why that’s offputting to some people, but in order to have a meaningful journey to the place where he shows real growth we do have to see the reality of what he’s like. I really appreciated how much time and detail went into the resolution phase of this novel. Totally rooting for this adorable couple. Also, even in the hard/dark/annoying times, there’s still the signature Alexis Hall laugh out loud touches. And the narrator for this one is great, too. Great work all around!