Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble
by the author of Boyfriend Material
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2.3 • 3 Ratings
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- £2.99
Publisher Description
'Powerfully written, tender. . . showcases the talent of this brilliant author' The Courier
Paris Daillencourt is a recipe for disaster.
Despite his passion for baking, constant self-doubt has 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.
And yet, not only does he impress the judges and win week one's challenge - he also catches the eye of fellow contestant, Tariq Hassan. Sure, he's the competition, but he's also incredibly cute with more confidence than Paris could ever hope to have.
But when the show's vicious fanbase confirms his worst anxieties, neither his growing romance with Tariq nor his success in the competition can keep Paris's fear of failure from spoiling his happiness.
If Paris can find the strength to face the chorus of hecklers that live in his brain, he'll realise it's the sweet things in life that he really deserves.
Find out why readers are raving about Alexis Hall . . .
'The undisputed master of romantic comedy' Jenny Holiday
'Every once in a while you read a book that you want to SCREAM FROM ROOFTOPS about. I'm screaming, people!' Sonali Dev
'The writing is witty, and [the] chemistry is irresistible, but it's Hall's insights about trust and self-worth that set the story apart. This is a triumph' Publishers Weekly
'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
'A tasty tale that most Bake Off fans could get their teeth into...' Sunday Post
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Centering the depiction of a romantic protagonist on mental illness is a risk; making that depiction comic is riskier. If anyone can pull it off, it's Hall (Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake), but even so, this laugh-cry rom-com about anxiety disorder succeeds more as a personal growth story than a love story. Wealthy, white university student Paris Daillencourt's crippling anxiety means he's most at ease in his London flat. But his roommate pushes him to compete in a Great British Bake Off–style reality show, and because Paris can't face conflict, he does as he's told. Initially the spirals of paralyzing antilogic that dog his every thought have a Robin Williams quality, but once he starts negotiating the flirtatious overtures of Tariq, a Bangladeshi Muslim fellow contestant, the wrecking ball of Paris's anxiety overcomes the humor. Internalized bias and social pressure exacerbate the damage to the men's budding relationship, but luckily, as the wince factor rises, expertly sketched supporting characters assume the comedic responsibility. Resolving the lovers' angst requires something of a fairy tale twist, but the rocky road to their happy ending is thoughtful, worthwhile, and, yes, funny. Series fans will not be disappointed.
