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The Innkeeper on the Edge of Paris
It’s three years after Isa’s divorce, and her life has become stagnant. She longs to see the world. While searching the internet, she is drawn to a centuries-old inn on the outskirts of Paris. To the shock of her family and collogues at the elementary school where she is the librarian, she announces she is quitting her job and buying a one-way ticket to France. She does not expect her new life to begin with meeting the inn’s resident ghost, a doppelganger of herself. Nor does she expect to meet the inn’s only other guest, a handsome Scotsman named Daniel, who is determined to help her discover what the ghost’s appearance means. The innkeeper, Claire, calls it destiny.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 16, 2019
42 people are currently reading
737 people want to read
About the author
J. Schlenker
15 books392 followers J. Schlenker, a late-blooming author, lives with her husband, Chris, in the splendid center of nowhere in the foothills of Appalachia in Kentucky, where the only things to disturb her writing are croaking frogs, screaming guineas, and the occasional sounds of hay being cut in the fields.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 5, 2019
I loved Schlenker’s latest book complete with ghosts and reincarnation! I enjoyed following along on Isa’s journey to Paris and the love story between her and Daniel. The setting is atmospheric and I particularly loved the shifting timelines. The author does a beautiful job crafting these quirky, endearing characters in a wholly unique story.
January 17, 2020
Isa, unhappy that a university friend who she believed she could love has drifted away, convinces herself that marriage to his roommate would be a good match and allows herself to drift into an unsuitable wedding. A few unhappy years later, and having recovered from a nasty car accident, she determines to take back control of her life and after a divorce, leaves the USA to spend the summer in France, the birthplace of her beloved grandmother. The Innkeeper at the Edge of Paris by J. Schlenker tells how checking into an old historic inn close to Paris, she is one night visited by the ghost of a previous owner, a ghost which looks remarkably like her. Determined to learn more about the apparition, she begins to investigate the history of the inn and discovers that she is not the only person to have seen the ghost. When the inn is engulfed by a cycling tour group the atmosphere changes, but the cyclists are quickly on their way again, leaving behind Daniel, a Scotsman with a damaged ankle. Personable and knowledgeable about France, he invites Isa on a train journey to Nice, a couple of hours away on the Mediterranean coast. Their relationship develops and the narrative follows their lives right up to a rather strange conclusion.
I was attracted to The Innkeeper on the Edge of Paris by the promise of a spooky ghost story set in a country that I am very fond of. I was not disappointed. It is a charming yarn, romantic and intriguing, and innovative in the way that Ms Schlenker uses the flow of time within the narrative. The characters are fluent and well-drawn. The locations, Nice, Paris, New Orleans and Scotland are brought to life with vivid descriptions. I enjoyed the book and remain impressed with Ms Schlenker’s fertile imagination along with her inventive treatment of the novel’s timeline. I warmly recommend this book as a love story, a mystery and a family saga.
I was attracted to The Innkeeper on the Edge of Paris by the promise of a spooky ghost story set in a country that I am very fond of. I was not disappointed. It is a charming yarn, romantic and intriguing, and innovative in the way that Ms Schlenker uses the flow of time within the narrative. The characters are fluent and well-drawn. The locations, Nice, Paris, New Orleans and Scotland are brought to life with vivid descriptions. I enjoyed the book and remain impressed with Ms Schlenker’s fertile imagination along with her inventive treatment of the novel’s timeline. I warmly recommend this book as a love story, a mystery and a family saga.
January 1, 2021
This story is an interesting premise. A woman moves to France 3 years after a divorce and begins having dreams about a woman who looks exactly like her but from the 1700s. This leads her to solve a mystery about the mystery woman.
I generally enjoy stories like this but in this instance, the story was difficult to follow and slow to start. The POV flipped frequently between the two women. It also jumped around in the main character's life. Sometimes it happened in the middle of a chapter with no obvious differentiation. The romance is cute and believable until the end.
The ending of the book seemed rushed and didn't even have the same writing style as the rest of the book. In my opinion, it wasn't necessary to have an "epilogue" to tell the story. The last chapter also introduces a cataclysmic event that was unnecessary and made little sense.
Once I got into the storyline, I really enjoyed the book but then the ending really ruined it for me.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, through Reading Deals, and I gave an honest review.
I generally enjoy stories like this but in this instance, the story was difficult to follow and slow to start. The POV flipped frequently between the two women. It also jumped around in the main character's life. Sometimes it happened in the middle of a chapter with no obvious differentiation. The romance is cute and believable until the end.
The ending of the book seemed rushed and didn't even have the same writing style as the rest of the book. In my opinion, it wasn't necessary to have an "epilogue" to tell the story. The last chapter also introduces a cataclysmic event that was unnecessary and made little sense.
Once I got into the storyline, I really enjoyed the book but then the ending really ruined it for me.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, through Reading Deals, and I gave an honest review.
October 9, 2020
A Ghostly Encounter At A Parisienne Inn Unlocks A Young Woman’s Destiny!
Overview: Three years after her divorce, Isa Muir announces to the shock of family and her colleagues that she is quitting her job as an elementary school librarian and buying a one-way ticket to France. She never expects her stay there will lead to a ghost, reincarnation, and timeless love.
J. Schlenker’s “The Innkeeper on the Edge of Paris” is a wonderful modern romance tale that takes place around a picturesque little cottage inn on the outskirts of the Eternal City. There is much more to this destination romance story than meets the eye when the ghost of a 17th-century French woman, named Dora, suddenly appears to the inn’s newly-checked-in American tourist, Isa. When Isa’s dreams of Dora—the inn’s resident spirit—make way for the actual appearance of the ghost in real life, the unexpected onset of a possible romance with a visiting Scotsman provokes a stunning tale of lost love, a devastating family tragedy, a keep of secret love letters, reincarnation, and destiny.
The juxtaposition of past and present between two young women born centuries apart is well presented and thoughtfully maintained between Author Schlenker’s characters, Isa, and her ghostly doppelgänger, Dora. Schlenker sets up a vivid comparison of the women’s two separate timelines while staying true to the historical and cultural differences between her two main characters. At the same time, the author focuses on the chance similarities and relationships impacting their separate yet similar life progressions, setting up a series of metaphysical ties that inextricably brings the pair together. As Isa’s days progress and her dreams fill her in on the bits and pieces of a life that she will soon realize was once hers, circumstances become fate, and fractions of Isa’s real-life begin to reflect her nightly dreams. She inevitably finds herself and her new paramour swept up in an unavoidable journey that reveals Destiny will always prevail.
J. Schlenker weaves a compelling and complex metaphysical romance novel in “The Innkeeper on the Edge of Paris”. Her compelling descriptions of the scenery, culture, and pace of everyday life in la belle France paint a marvelous portrait of Paris and the surrounding countryside. With backstories about popular French artists, descriptions about the glories of classic French cuisine, travel notes about well-known landmarks and hidden gems, and remarks concerning the history and customs of the past in comparison to modern France, Schlenker presents a vivid, realistic, and immersive novel that will instantly sweep any reader right off their feet.
This charming yet mysterious tale is quite hard to put down, and I highly recommend “The Innkeeper on the Edge of Paris” for any reader who loves destination romances, ghost stories, metaphysical mysteries, and tales of reincarnation.
Overview: Three years after her divorce, Isa Muir announces to the shock of family and her colleagues that she is quitting her job as an elementary school librarian and buying a one-way ticket to France. She never expects her stay there will lead to a ghost, reincarnation, and timeless love.
J. Schlenker’s “The Innkeeper on the Edge of Paris” is a wonderful modern romance tale that takes place around a picturesque little cottage inn on the outskirts of the Eternal City. There is much more to this destination romance story than meets the eye when the ghost of a 17th-century French woman, named Dora, suddenly appears to the inn’s newly-checked-in American tourist, Isa. When Isa’s dreams of Dora—the inn’s resident spirit—make way for the actual appearance of the ghost in real life, the unexpected onset of a possible romance with a visiting Scotsman provokes a stunning tale of lost love, a devastating family tragedy, a keep of secret love letters, reincarnation, and destiny.
The juxtaposition of past and present between two young women born centuries apart is well presented and thoughtfully maintained between Author Schlenker’s characters, Isa, and her ghostly doppelgänger, Dora. Schlenker sets up a vivid comparison of the women’s two separate timelines while staying true to the historical and cultural differences between her two main characters. At the same time, the author focuses on the chance similarities and relationships impacting their separate yet similar life progressions, setting up a series of metaphysical ties that inextricably brings the pair together. As Isa’s days progress and her dreams fill her in on the bits and pieces of a life that she will soon realize was once hers, circumstances become fate, and fractions of Isa’s real-life begin to reflect her nightly dreams. She inevitably finds herself and her new paramour swept up in an unavoidable journey that reveals Destiny will always prevail.
J. Schlenker weaves a compelling and complex metaphysical romance novel in “The Innkeeper on the Edge of Paris”. Her compelling descriptions of the scenery, culture, and pace of everyday life in la belle France paint a marvelous portrait of Paris and the surrounding countryside. With backstories about popular French artists, descriptions about the glories of classic French cuisine, travel notes about well-known landmarks and hidden gems, and remarks concerning the history and customs of the past in comparison to modern France, Schlenker presents a vivid, realistic, and immersive novel that will instantly sweep any reader right off their feet.
This charming yet mysterious tale is quite hard to put down, and I highly recommend “The Innkeeper on the Edge of Paris” for any reader who loves destination romances, ghost stories, metaphysical mysteries, and tales of reincarnation.
November 1, 2019
A WISHING SHELF BOOK REVIEW
30th October 2019
TITLE: THE INNKEEPER ON THE EDGE OF PARIS
AUTHOR: J. SCHLENKER
Star Rating: 5
CATCHY QUOTE
‘A ghost story and a romance all rolled into one! A compelling read.’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
This story is a bit of a mix of things. It’s a ghost story; but not in a frightening way. It’s a love story; not in an overly soppy way. And it’s a study of Paris; but not in a boring ‘travel book’ sort of way. As I say, it’s a mix of things which the author throws into a pot and ‘TA DA!’ we have a very enjoyable novel.
So, to the plot. Isa is the wife of Nick. But she’s not happy. So she sets off to an old inn in Paris to, well, do lots of things: to think, to find a bit of space, possibly to forget. Lots of things. But, as with life, what she finds there is not what she expected, including a ghost and new love in the form of, no, not a Frenchman, but a Scotsman.
This is a very atmospheric story. The author knows her setting and wants the reader, like the characters, to be immersed in it. It’s also very much a character-led story, most of it falling on the downtrodden Isa who must find her wings. It’s a little slow paced but that’s in keeping with the story. And the little twists in the plot worked well, keeping me turning the page.
The best word to describe this book is ‘idiosyncratic’. Or, ‘odd’. Possibly ‘unique’ is a good word for it to. Many of the characters you will meet including, of course, the innkeeper, is a little odd. Also, the inn – yes, the pub is almost a character in the story – is, well, full of character too. Finally, there’s the new love interest. He’s very different to the emotionally stunted Nick. He’s bold and a bit of an extrovert. I think I sort of fancy him myself.
All in all, this is a well-constructed story full of interesting characters and, also, a mystery (the ghost) for the characters to unravel. I would recommend it to anybody who enjoys romance and the thought of throwing away the apron and rushing off to Paris. To be honest, I wouldn’t mind doing that too.
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
30th October 2019
TITLE: THE INNKEEPER ON THE EDGE OF PARIS
AUTHOR: J. SCHLENKER
Star Rating: 5
CATCHY QUOTE
‘A ghost story and a romance all rolled into one! A compelling read.’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
This story is a bit of a mix of things. It’s a ghost story; but not in a frightening way. It’s a love story; not in an overly soppy way. And it’s a study of Paris; but not in a boring ‘travel book’ sort of way. As I say, it’s a mix of things which the author throws into a pot and ‘TA DA!’ we have a very enjoyable novel.
So, to the plot. Isa is the wife of Nick. But she’s not happy. So she sets off to an old inn in Paris to, well, do lots of things: to think, to find a bit of space, possibly to forget. Lots of things. But, as with life, what she finds there is not what she expected, including a ghost and new love in the form of, no, not a Frenchman, but a Scotsman.
This is a very atmospheric story. The author knows her setting and wants the reader, like the characters, to be immersed in it. It’s also very much a character-led story, most of it falling on the downtrodden Isa who must find her wings. It’s a little slow paced but that’s in keeping with the story. And the little twists in the plot worked well, keeping me turning the page.
The best word to describe this book is ‘idiosyncratic’. Or, ‘odd’. Possibly ‘unique’ is a good word for it to. Many of the characters you will meet including, of course, the innkeeper, is a little odd. Also, the inn – yes, the pub is almost a character in the story – is, well, full of character too. Finally, there’s the new love interest. He’s very different to the emotionally stunted Nick. He’s bold and a bit of an extrovert. I think I sort of fancy him myself.
All in all, this is a well-constructed story full of interesting characters and, also, a mystery (the ghost) for the characters to unravel. I would recommend it to anybody who enjoys romance and the thought of throwing away the apron and rushing off to Paris. To be honest, I wouldn’t mind doing that too.
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
August 20, 2024
This is one great story!
The main character is Isa, a woman who is 3 years post divorce, and looking to make some changes in her life. Turning to the internet for ideas, she is drawn to a very old inn in Paris. It simply calls to her, and she decides to jump in and answer that call. Little could she have known how that decision would change the course of her life.
Buying a one-way ticket to France, she leaves family, friends, and a job behind and soars off to her new adventure.
The inn is everything she imagined, plus more, including a ghost who looks exactly like her but wears the clothing of a much earlier time. She keeps the vision to herself, thinking others would send her off in a straight jacket.
Another guest at the inn, an injured cyclist named Daniel, is smitten with her. As she warms to him, she tells him about the dreams she is having about the life of the spirit, and Daniel becomes determined to unravel the mystery. The inn's owner calls it "destiny" that Isa would find the inn, and destiny is woven adeptly throughout the story.
This book, like all of this author's books, drew me in and took me on a ride I never wanted to end.
The main character is Isa, a woman who is 3 years post divorce, and looking to make some changes in her life. Turning to the internet for ideas, she is drawn to a very old inn in Paris. It simply calls to her, and she decides to jump in and answer that call. Little could she have known how that decision would change the course of her life.
Buying a one-way ticket to France, she leaves family, friends, and a job behind and soars off to her new adventure.
The inn is everything she imagined, plus more, including a ghost who looks exactly like her but wears the clothing of a much earlier time. She keeps the vision to herself, thinking others would send her off in a straight jacket.
Another guest at the inn, an injured cyclist named Daniel, is smitten with her. As she warms to him, she tells him about the dreams she is having about the life of the spirit, and Daniel becomes determined to unravel the mystery. The inn's owner calls it "destiny" that Isa would find the inn, and destiny is woven adeptly throughout the story.
This book, like all of this author's books, drew me in and took me on a ride I never wanted to end.
August 12, 2021
The Innkeeper on the Edge of Paris
by J. Schlenker
This is an interesting story line. A woman moves to France 3 years after a divorce. She is drawn to a centuries-old inn on the outskirts of Paris and begins having dreams about a woman who looks exactly like her but from the 1700s. This leads her to start solving the mystery about the woman. The mystery not on draws in the characters but also had me trying to figure things out along the way. She never expects her stay there will lead to a ghost, reincarnation, and love, not with a Frenchman, but a Scotsman named Daniel. The innkeeper, Claire, calls it destiny.
Paris, who could want more, the descriptions of the city and the Inn create imagery that only add to Isa’s tale. I enjoyed the story and the character development, but couldn’t get into the back and forth viewpoints of Isa and the ghost. Overall an interesting story with some twists and turns
by J. Schlenker
This is an interesting story line. A woman moves to France 3 years after a divorce. She is drawn to a centuries-old inn on the outskirts of Paris and begins having dreams about a woman who looks exactly like her but from the 1700s. This leads her to start solving the mystery about the woman. The mystery not on draws in the characters but also had me trying to figure things out along the way. She never expects her stay there will lead to a ghost, reincarnation, and love, not with a Frenchman, but a Scotsman named Daniel. The innkeeper, Claire, calls it destiny.
Paris, who could want more, the descriptions of the city and the Inn create imagery that only add to Isa’s tale. I enjoyed the story and the character development, but couldn’t get into the back and forth viewpoints of Isa and the ghost. Overall an interesting story with some twists and turns
May 21, 2020
Such a wonderful novel. I thought surely Isa, the protagonist would fall in love with France and become the owner of the Inn, but so much for trying to out-think the author. This is a wonderful tale of love, family growth, fate, surprises, and a ghost who would be the ideal visitor and family member. So many characters help to weave this wonderful drama. The details of France and New Orleans and the characters are so true to life that one can't help but feel you are right there in the midst of all scenes witnessing what is happening. This would make a wonderful movie. Do yourself a favor, cuddle up with a cozy blanket, a cup of tea, and spend the time savoring this novel. I highly recommend it.
June 8, 2023
This is nice gentle cozy read
If you like fanciful ghost stories and romance, you'll enjoy this book. I found it fairly predictable in parts, things nearly packaged up. The two hour train journey from somewhere not far from Paris to Nice is a bit of a "We'll be in Nottingham from Dover, England (on foot) by nightfall" moment. That's a quote from Kevin Cosner's film of Robin Hood that my husband and I have used since we saw that film, when unrealistic journey times are mentioned in films or books. As a resident of France, I know it would take much longer! The suddeness of the event near the end also stretches reality - and the imagination somewhat.
However this is a decent read it you don't want to tax the brain.
If you like fanciful ghost stories and romance, you'll enjoy this book. I found it fairly predictable in parts, things nearly packaged up. The two hour train journey from somewhere not far from Paris to Nice is a bit of a "We'll be in Nottingham from Dover, England (on foot) by nightfall" moment. That's a quote from Kevin Cosner's film of Robin Hood that my husband and I have used since we saw that film, when unrealistic journey times are mentioned in films or books. As a resident of France, I know it would take much longer! The suddeness of the event near the end also stretches reality - and the imagination somewhat.
However this is a decent read it you don't want to tax the brain.
February 23, 2020
Isa Muir has always been a sensible person, so her decision to strike out on her own following a divorce comes as a surprise to her family and friends. But what she finds in Paris is even more surprising. Her stay in an old inn brings forth a specter from centuries earlier as well as a man from the present who seems to bring the story to a full circle.
This book twists together a ghost story and a romance in a centuries-old inn. And who could resist the setting…Paris. The characters are engaging and the plot was captivating. This story demanded I keep reading. And the ending was a surprise.
This book twists together a ghost story and a romance in a centuries-old inn. And who could resist the setting…Paris. The characters are engaging and the plot was captivating. This story demanded I keep reading. And the ending was a surprise.
August 4, 2023
Leaving her husband, main character Isa packs suitcases with her belongings and heads for France, her grandmother’s birthplace. “In a separate bag, she carried her laptop, electronic reader and two of her most cherished books, Pride and Prejudice and Somewhere in Time.” Isa hopes for true romance and magical across time relationships. And she is not disappointed….She would fix her broken life.”
Isa books a room in a small inn in a village outside Paris. In this small town,the novel’s characters get to know each other more intimately, becoming involved in Isa’s past life. The village comes to life in both time lines of the novel with vibrant setting descriptions.
Isa books a room in a small inn in a village outside Paris. In this small town,the novel’s characters get to know each other more intimately, becoming involved in Isa’s past life. The village comes to life in both time lines of the novel with vibrant setting descriptions.
November 30, 2019
3.5 stars. Isa is a character looking to start over and moves to Paris to do just that. She is a complicated person and quirky, but she grows on you. I love the little inn and the owners who befriend her and treat her like family. There is a ghost involved, but not scary and not a lot. You get the feeling that Isa keeps reliving her life and she is finally where she’s supposed to be and with whom.
January 28, 2020
Thanks to the author for an ebook copy of The Innkeeper on the Edge of Paris. This book had a little bit of everything thrown in there, but in perfect doses to make it work beautifully. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction, romance or supernatural thrillers.
February 5, 2020
I won this Kindle edition book in a Goodreads
Giveaway. Thank you to everyone involved.
A true romance and a ghost story all in one!!
Giveaway. Thank you to everyone involved.
A true romance and a ghost story all in one!!
June 3, 2023
3.5⭐️
October 21, 2024
A lot is going on in this book...divorce, reincarnation, ghosts, and some kind of space event 300 years ago which is never explained. I found the first third to be a confusing jumble, with many characters and different situations and I almost decided to give up. Then, the story settled, with the focus on just a few characters and a lovely romance. I enjoyed this book, especially the bits set in France, but some of the characters & subplots seemed superfluous.
November 28, 2019
The Innkeeper on the Edge of Paris by Jen Schlenker was a very well written heartwarming, sometimes emotional journey of Isa’a journey Paris to find happiness and discover love. The author did an exceptional job of describing the characters. For me personally, it was sometimes hard to follow the shifting timelines so I rated it a four.
December 29, 2019
This book had great character descriptions and lots of sensory appealing locations. I enjoyed the majority of the story very much but was a little disappointed at the end. That being said, I don’t know of any other way to pull it all together. Still a very pleasant read and well worth the time.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews