I’m sure many bookworms like me would agree: it’s so much fun getting book mail!

Whether it’s a physical book or a digital file download, acquiring books causes inexplicable giddiness in me. It’s like finding the hottest toy with your name on it under the Christmas tree!

Today, I’d like to spread the word about some of the French-inspired books I’ve received this year, including six novels and a cookbook. (All links are for information only; they’re not affiliate links).

Daisy in Exile by J. T. Allen

Synopsis from the back cover: “Twelve-year old Daisy Tannenbaum gets expelled from school for punching a bully and sent to live in Paris with her Aunt Millicent, who teaches math at The Embassy School. Daisy arrives to find her enigmatic Aunt Mill moonlighting as a cryptographer, working to decipher an antique code used by Louis XVI’s secret service during their covert operation to recover the infamous Queen’s Diamonds from Comtesse de la Motte. Daisy gets involved in a serpentine plot involving spies, forged documents, French history, secret codes, and priceless diamonds that takes her racing through the streets and even into the sewers of Paris to escape the criminals and solve the mystery all while trying to keep up with her math and French lessons.”

[Note: I received a copy of this children’s mystery-adventure/young adult novel from the author. If you’re interested in the follow-up, I invite you to read my review of Daisy and the Missing Mona Lisa, the third book in the series by J. T. Allen.]

Black Truffle & Spice by Mathis Bailey

This contemporary novel is a culinary adventure set in Toronto and Paris.

Synopsis from the back cover: “Zola Washington and her gay roommate, Pierre Jackson, are cooking up to open a café after recovering from unsavory relationships. Tensions flare when a French-fusion bistro catches smells of the upcoming restaurant. Darshan Singh is a food critic for Gourmet magazine. His job jet-sets him to all corners of the world, tasting extravagant dishes at Michelin-starred restaurants. Then he meets Zola. Will his review send her knives packing or set their relationship simmering? Black Truffle & Spice is a witty commentary on a multi-cultural society and exploration of food, family, culture and love.”

[Note: I received a copy of this book from the author.]

Macaron School: Mastering the World’s Most Perfect Cookie with 50 Delicious Recipes by Camila Hurst

In her cookbook, Macaron School: Mastering the World’s Most Perfect Cookie with 50 Delicious Recipes, Camila Hurst shares step-by-step instructions and clear photos that take the guesswork out of making macarons. Check out her recipes for unique macaron flavors, like Bourbon Eggnog Custard and Chili Hot Chocolate.

[Note: I received a copy of this cookbook from the publisher, Page Street Publishing.]

Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

Synopsis from the back cover: “Mia Jenrow has always known she’s destined to be a professional ballerina. She’s thrilled to be spending a magical summer in France pursuing her dream, but as she pirouettes into Paris, she realizes it may be a bit more complicated than she hoped. Rivals and impossible instructors nearly push her to the breaking point. And then… there’s Louis. Devastatingly, distractingly charming Louis. He’s eager to show Mia his city—and Mia is more than happy to hop on his Vespa and wrap her arms around him as they pass the gleaming lights of the Eiffel Tower. Mia’s summer was supposed to be about ballet—but there’s a reason Paris is called the City of Love…”

[Note: This teen/young adult novel was a gift from my younger daughter.]

The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher

Synopsis from the publisher: “The story begins in 1917, as World War I ends and Paris is alive as a thriving center for culture and modernity. With new ideas rapidly taking the post-war world by storm, Sylvia Beach moves to Paris and opens the doors to her new English-language bookshop with the help of fellow writer and bookseller Adrienne Monnier. What starts as a partnership and friendship with Adrienne soon blossoms into a romance, and the women work together to create a haven for English writers and readers.”

[Note: I received a copy of this biographical historical fiction from the publisher, Berkley Books, and NetGalley.]

The Little Bookshop on the Seine by Rebecca Raisin

Synopsis from the back cover: “When bookshop owner Sarah Smith is offered the opportunity for a job exchange with her Parisian friend Sophie, saying yes is a no-brainer. Sarah is sure she’s in for the experience of a lifetime—days spent surrounded by literature in a gorgeous bookshop, and the chance to watch the snow fall on the Eiffel Tower. But her expectations cool faster than her café au lait soon after she lands in the City of Light. Plus her relationship with her journalist boyfriend has been reduced to a long-distance game of phone tag. As the holidays draw near, Sarah is determined to get the shop—and her life—back in order…and make her dreams of a fairy-tale Christmas in the city of love a reality…no matter what.”

[Note: This holiday romance novel was another gift from my younger daughter.]

Sophie Valroux’s Paris Stars by Samantha Vérant

Synopsis from the back cover: “When grand chef Sophie Valroux is invited to cook at an exclusive event her culinary idol is attending, she thinks this could be the thing to catapult her to greater heights, maybe even bring her one step closer to her one and only dream of achieving the stars—Michelin stars.

After she suffers a fall and loses her senses of smell and taste, she keeps this secret to herself. All she has to do is get through life—and the event—tasteless without missing a single step. Fake it ‘til you make it…right?”

[Note: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher, Berkley Books, and NetGalley. If you’re interested in Samantha Vérant’s debut novel, I invite you to read my review of The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux.]

I’d love to know what books you’re reading. If you’d like to share, let me know in the comments below.

Thank you for reading my blog. I wish you the best in the new year! 🥂