From the publisher:
AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER ∙ AN AMAZON BEST OF ROMANCE PICK FOR APRIL ∙ A LIBRARY READS HALL OF FAME PICK FOR APRIL ∙ A JULIA QUINN TODAY SHOW RECCOMENDATION FOR 2026 ∙ A TOWN & COUNTRY BEST NEW ROMANCE NOVEL TO READ IN 2026
A woman tests the limits of her so-called amicable divorce when she flies to Paris for the destination wedding of her former sister-in-law, only to butt heads with the deliciously gruff best man, in a poignant and romantic novel from Kate Clayborn.
Physician Layla Bailey has spent over a year telling herself she’s moved on from a painful but amicable divorce from her college sweetheart. Staying friends with her ex seemed like the mature thing to do, but when Layla is invited to her former sister-in-law’s destination wedding in Paris—where Layla once spent her own romantic honeymoon—she knows her commitment to maturity might be her worst enemy…especially since her ex isn’t attending alone.
The only thing that could make the week more difficult is getting through it without the distraction of the wedding…. But when what Layla thought was a harmless conversation about the choices of her younger self leads to the bride getting cold feet, Layla finds herself facing down the groom’s mysterious, taciturn best man, Griffin, who will do anything to make sure this wedding happens.
Since she broke it, Griff demands she help him fix it. Going along with his plan to alleviate the engaged couple’s doubts seems like Layla’s best chance at maintaining a good relationship with a family she once called her own. But as she learns more about the past heartbreak that’s driving Griff to help his friend, she gets closer and closer to confronting the true depth of her own pain…while finding herself more and more willing to risk it all again for Griff.
“[A] tremendous love story … proof that Clayborn only gets better with every book.” —Kirkus (STARRED)
https://bookshop.org/a/123058/9780593819371
I love stories about people in their second acts—people who’ve already lived a little, made mistakes, and are trying to figure out what comes next. This one hooked me immediately: Dr. Layla Bailey agrees to attend her former sister-in-law’s destination wedding in Paris—the same city where her own marriage began and eventually fell apart. She plans to keep her head down, survive the awkwardness of seeing her ex-husband with his new girlfriend, and make it through the week drama-free. Instead, one well-meaning conversation leaves the bride questioning everything, and suddenly the groom’s gruff, intimidating best man, Griffin, decides Layla is responsible for fixing the mess she caused.
What follows is a slow-burn romance built on forced proximity, shared responsibilities, and two people reluctantly lowering the walls they’ve built around themselves. The connection between Layla and Griffin grows naturally, through errands around Paris, late-night conversations, quiet walks, and the small moments where defenses begin to crack.
Layla is so used to caring for everyone else that she’s forgotten how to care for herself. Griffin, meanwhile, is all quiet competence and hidden tenderness—the kind of man who shows up when needed but struggles to let people truly know him. Their chemistry builds beautifully in tiny moments: a coat draped over cold shoulders, a steadying hand on slick cobblestones, conversations that slowly turn vulnerable. Watching them learn how to communicate, negotiate boundaries, and admit what they actually want felt refreshingly mature and deeply romantic.
I also loved that the primary conflict isn’t between the romance leads themselves, but the wedding unraveling around them. Layla and Griffin are pulled together trying to keep the bride and groom from imploding, and through that chaos, they slowly begin to understand each other. Clayborn does a great job delaying Griffin’s point of view, too. At first, he seems antagonistic and impossible to read, but once his perspective clicks into place, earlier interactions take on entirely new meaning.
Paris adds so much atmosphere without overwhelming the story. The cafés, markets, side streets, and quiet gardens feel intimate rather than touristy, almost like the city is gently nudging these characters toward bravery. I also appreciated how thoughtfully the book handles bodies, consent, and physical intimacy. There’s a tenderness and attentiveness to those scenes that makes the romance feel grounded and genuinely swoony.
That said, the book occasionally felt overcrowded. There are a lot of moving parts—family drama, wedding disasters, secrets, side conflicts—and at times, the sheer amount of chaos surrounding the wedding became exhausting. I also found myself more emotionally invested in Griffin than in Layla. His backstory felt especially raw and compelling, and he often stole the scene for me. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! The emotional payoff worked for me. By the end, I was fully invested in Layla and Griffin choosing each other—not perfectly, but intentionally. Messy, honest, and grown-up in the best way. This is a thoughtful, mature, slow-burning romance about second chances, healing, and learning how to let yourself be loved again. If you love grumpy-meets-warm dynamics, emotional vulnerability, and romances built through small, intimate moments rather than instant sparks, this is an absolute gem worth picking up.
5/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE PARIS MATCH by Kate Clayborn. Berkley (April 7, 2026). ISBN: 978-0593819371. 464p.
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