The Paris Novel

When Stella's estranged mother dies, she inherits a one-way plane ticket to Paris and a note instructing her to go. Confined by a traumatic childhood to cautious routines, Stella initially resists but eventually honors her mother's wishes. Alone in Paris, Stella continues her careful habits until she discovers a vintage store and impulsively purchases a fabulous Dior dress. This purchase marks a turning point. At the iconic brasserie Les Deux Magots, she tastes oysters for the first time and meets Jules, an octogenarian art collector who becomes her mentor, introducing her to Paris's literary, art, and culinary circles. Over weeks of decadent meals, Stella lives as a "tumbleweed" at Shakespeare & Company bookstore, investigates a hundred-year-old mystery in a Manet painting, and discovers a passion for food that may connect to her past. Set in 1980s Paris, the novel explores themes of adventure, living boldly, and finding one's true home through the city's food, art, and fashion scenes.