THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS
Author: Alka Joshi
ISBN: 9780778386148
Publication Date: March 28, 2023
Publisher: MIRA Books
BOOK SUMMARY:
“A stunning portrait of a woman blossoming into her full power…this is Alka Joshi’s best book yet!” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye
From the author of Reese’s Book Club Pick The Henna Artist, the final chapter in Alka Joshi’s New York Times bestselling Jaipur trilogy takes readers to 1970s Paris, where Radha’s budding career as a perfumer must compete with the demands of her family and the secrets of her past.
Paris, 1974. Radha is now living in Paris with her husband, Pierre, and their two daughters. She still grieves for the baby boy she gave up years ago, when she was only a child herself, but she loves being a mother to her daughters, and she’s finally found her passion—the treasure trove of scents.
She has an exciting and challenging position working for a master perfumer, helping to design completely new fragrances for clients and building her career one scent at a time. She only wishes Pierre could understand her need to work. She feels his frustration, but she can’t give up this thing that drives her.
Tasked with her first major project, Radha travels to India, where she enlists the help of her sister, Lakshmi, and the courtesans of Agra—women who use the power of fragrance to seduce, tease and entice. She’s on the cusp of a breakthrough when she finds out the son she never told her husband about is heading to Paris to find her—upending her carefully managed world and threatening to destroy a vulnerable marriage.
Review
Radha has two beautiful young girls and a wonderful job as a perfumist for a prestigious perfume house in Paris. However, her husband is wanting her to stay home and raise the girls and to give up her career. When she receives a promotion and is asked to travel to India to do some research, this puts her marriage in jeopardy.
I absolutely loved the first book in the series, The Henna Artist. The second book, The Secret Keeper was just ok. This one was in between.
I really enjoyed learning about the perfumes. I have read several books about this process, so this really captivated me. However, I felt the author spent a great deal of time on the subject of Pierre and the issue of his wife working and I was not a fan of Pierre. So, that may have been part of the problem. But, I did love Radha and her intelligence. I just felt the plot needed a little more.
Need a story which will have you reminiscing and remembering some fascinating smells…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Author BIO:
Born in India and raised in the U.S. since she was nine, Alka Joshi has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. Joshi’s debut novel, The Henna Artist, immediately became a NYT bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon Bookclub pick, was Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, & is in development as a TV series. Her second novel, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur (2021), is followed by The Perfumist of Paris (2023). Find her online at http://www.alkajoshi.com.
SOCIAL:
Author Website: http://www.alkajoshi.com TWITTER: @alkajoshi
FB: @alkajoshi2019
Insta: @thealkajoshi
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18257842.Alka_Joshi
BUY LINKS:
The Jaipur Trilogy
Book 1: The Henna Artist
Book 2: The Secret Keeper of Jaipur
Book 3: The Perfumist of Paris
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