Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall

Description from NetGalley:

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.

---

My Review:

I was so disappointed with this book. I have liked other books by Alexis Hall and was so excited to read this book. I felt so good when I was chosen to receive an arc through NetGalley. Unfortunately, I was unable to finish the book. I made it about halfway before I decided to drop it.

I really did not like Paris. At first, I was understanding as I also have extreme anxiety. It manifests in a different way, but I could see where Paris was coming from. However, Paris is just a jerk and not a lovable character. We're supposed to give him a pass because of his anxiety disorder, but he said so many rude and inappropriate things. He treated Tariq horribly. I just did not find him redeemable. Maybe it would have been better if there was another point of view besides his, but he also was not a reliable narrator. Sometimes that can be charming in its own way, but not with Paris.

I did really like the idea of a televised baking competition being the setting for the book. I thought it was fun and I enjoyed reading about the other competitors. It just wasn't enough to keep me going. Overall, the book was just too much for me and it just wasn't worth it.