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kindlebabe's review
4.0
This book was an incredibly thrilling fast paced read!!! This book will have you gripping the edge of your seat the entire time. The twists and turns this story takes you on is wild!!! You will feel just like a detective trying to figure it all out along the entire way up until the very last page.
This was my first book by Kimberly Belle and will not be my last. I love her writing style and will be recommending this book once it’s release to all those who love a good trilling mystery. Hurry and put this on your TBR for its 11 June 2024 release!
This was my first book by Kimberly Belle and will not be my last. I love her writing style and will be recommending this book once it’s release to all those who love a good trilling mystery. Hurry and put this on your TBR for its 11 June 2024 release!
exquisite_tragedy's review
3.0
Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
3.5 stars rounded down to 3
First and foremost, I’m loving the fact that so many thrillers are including neon green on the cover. I don’t know why, but that’s such a vibe to me. To be honest, the cover was the main reason why I wanted to pick this book up.
This story follows married couple Stella and Adam. Madly in love and on vacation in Europe, the story opens up with them on their last day in Paris. Everything seems perfect…that is, until an explosion rocks the city square and Adam goes missing in the aftermath. Stella understandably panics and is desperate to find Adam, dead or alive. In the aftermath of the rubble, Stella learns that Adam’s disappearance may not be exactly what it originally seemed. Was Adam a random victim of wrong place at the wrong time or was he the intended target? Stella is determined to do whatever it takes to uncover the truth…all while trying to stay alive in the process.
To be honest, my feels are a little mixed overall on this one.
Things I loved:
-The international setting was incredibly atmospheric and engaging. It included a lot of references to local architecture, food, and culture. As someone who wants to travel but has been virtually nowhere, it was fun to vicariously live through the characters.
-I liked that you never knew who to trust or to believe. No matter how much we’ve gotten to know a character, I found myself constantly questioning their motives and intentions.
-The writing style/pacing was compulsively bingeable. I ended up reading 60% in one sitting because I wanted to know how things ended.
-There was an eclectic cast of side characters that added a lot to the story.
Things I didn’t love:
-I probably only have myself to blame for this, but I wasn’t expecting this to read so much like a heist thriller. It heavily deals with the dealing of blood artifacts on the black market, which I just didn’t really care that much about. But again, that completely comes down to personal preference. I think it’s worth mentioning though, because I don’t feel like you really get that from the summary.
-Stella was a little naïve to me and lacked any survival instincts. I won’t spoil anything, but there were a couple moments were I just wanted to shake some sense into her.
-The ending resolved way too quickly and conveniently for my liking. Especially paired with the slow burn intrigue we got up until like 80% or so, the ending felt a little abrupt and anticlimactic.
Overall, I had a really good time with this and would be curious to pick up more books from Kimberly Belle in the future (ideally domestic thrillers).
Huge CW for on page depiction of a bombing (paired with references to previous mass casualty events that have taken place in France).
3.5 stars rounded down to 3
First and foremost, I’m loving the fact that so many thrillers are including neon green on the cover. I don’t know why, but that’s such a vibe to me. To be honest, the cover was the main reason why I wanted to pick this book up.
A dream vacation turns deadly when secrets from the past catch up to a married couple in Paris in this new edge-of-your-seat thriller from USA Today bestselling author, Kimberly Belle.
This story follows married couple Stella and Adam. Madly in love and on vacation in Europe, the story opens up with them on their last day in Paris. Everything seems perfect…that is, until an explosion rocks the city square and Adam goes missing in the aftermath. Stella understandably panics and is desperate to find Adam, dead or alive. In the aftermath of the rubble, Stella learns that Adam’s disappearance may not be exactly what it originally seemed. Was Adam a random victim of wrong place at the wrong time or was he the intended target? Stella is determined to do whatever it takes to uncover the truth…all while trying to stay alive in the process.
To be honest, my feels are a little mixed overall on this one.
Things I loved:
-The international setting was incredibly atmospheric and engaging. It included a lot of references to local architecture, food, and culture. As someone who wants to travel but has been virtually nowhere, it was fun to vicariously live through the characters.
-I liked that you never knew who to trust or to believe. No matter how much we’ve gotten to know a character, I found myself constantly questioning their motives and intentions.
-The writing style/pacing was compulsively bingeable. I ended up reading 60% in one sitting because I wanted to know how things ended.
-There was an eclectic cast of side characters that added a lot to the story.
Things I didn’t love:
-I probably only have myself to blame for this, but I wasn’t expecting this to read so much like a heist thriller. It heavily deals with the dealing of blood artifacts on the black market, which I just didn’t really care that much about. But again, that completely comes down to personal preference. I think it’s worth mentioning though, because I don’t feel like you really get that from the summary.
-Stella was a little naïve to me and lacked any survival instincts. I won’t spoil anything, but there were a couple moments were I just wanted to shake some sense into her.
-The ending resolved way too quickly and conveniently for my liking. Especially paired with the slow burn intrigue we got up until like 80% or so, the ending felt a little abrupt and anticlimactic.
Overall, I had a really good time with this and would be curious to pick up more books from Kimberly Belle in the future (ideally domestic thrillers).
Huge CW for on page depiction of a bombing (paired with references to previous mass casualty events that have taken place in France).
cortni17's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.0
"Kimberly Belle's 'The Paris Widow' is a captivating thriller that grabs you from the first page and never lets go. With a gripping opening, the tension only escalates as secrets unravel and suspense builds. Belle masterfully weaves a tale of intrigue and deception, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. A must-read for fans of thrilling suspense and intricate plots." Thank you NetGalley and to the author for allowing me to read this early version. I loved it!
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