"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.
The Jaipur Trilogy
Book 1: The Henna Artist
Book 2: The Secret Keeper of Jaipur
Book 3: The Perfumist of Paris
“Lush descriptions and complex characters lead to a wholly satisfying conclusion to Joshi’s stand-out Jaipur trilogy… Filled with the rich and evocative scents of India and Paris, this novel will transport readers.” –Library Journal
“I loved every fragrant page of Alka Joshi’s The Perfumist of Paris, as I cheered Radha along her fascinating journey from fragrance house lab assistant to fully realized woman and mother. Five Indian jasmine-scented stars!” —Martha Hall Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls, Lost Roses, and Sunflower Sisters
"THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS is a stunning portrait of a woman blossoming into her full power. . . . Powerful and evocative as the attars from Radha's perfume lab, evoking India and France with equal beauty, this is Alka Joshi's best book yet!” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author The Diamond Eye
“Joshi proves yet again that she's an exemplary storyteller, effortlessly weaving together a tale of long-buried secrets, the pursuit of one's true calling, and the moment of reckoning when it all collides. THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS is a sensory reading experience, teeming with sumptuous detail about the art of blending fragrance. Complex, intelligent, and emotionally charged, Joshi's final installment is as captivating as we've come to expect from her. Readers will devour—or shall I say inhale?—this one.” —Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary
“Like a great fragrance itself, THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS blends sparkling scenes, new and well-loved characters, and fascinating insights into the scent industry to create a deeply satisfying story of a woman coming into her own. I inhaled the words in a glorious rush, but you can choose to read slowly and feel your senses awaken.” —Erica Bauermeister, New York Times bestselling author of The Scent Keeper and No Two Persons
"A lush, spell-binding story that feeds the senses and charms the soul. . . . Here we are treated to the bouquet-rich scents of France and India, to complex relationships and women's passions for meaningful work, all beautifully animated by Joshi's unforgettable characters, whom we have come to adore. This is one gorgeous read." —Jennifer Rosner, award-winning author of The Yellow Bird Sings
“Riveting from start to finish, as Alka Joshi once again weaves her glittering magic, taking us on a voyage of discovery to Paris and to India and illuminating the world of scent . . . [Radha's] journey to fulfillment through the course of the novel is heartrending, thrilling, and inspiring. When I reached the end of the story, I had to return to the beginning to experience it all over again.” —Lauren Belfer, New York Times bestselling author of Ashton Hall and winner of the National Jewish Book Award
"What an extraordinary adventure. Alka Joshi bewitches, suffusing the reader with a sensory feast of scents from India to Paris and back to India, weaving threads as delicate and complex as a gorgeous quilt. The Perfumer of Paris is an immersive, emotional cocktail of passion, turmoil, betrayal, love and the ties that bind. A triumph!” —Bisi Adjapon, author of The Teller of Secrets
"The evocative details of 1970s Paris, motherhood in the early days of the women’s movement, long-buried secrets, and the making of perfume mix into an absolutely luscious and unforgettable read." —Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Postmistress of Paris
“I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Alka Joshi’s next book and it exceeded my high expectations. This beautiful, lush, insightful, captivating and escapist novel has me inhaling deeply as if I were a professional ’nose’ myself analyzing perfume scenes. Plus the nuanced family scenes have me rethinking my own parenting! An immersive, lush, accessible yet textured read, THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS has all the rich, satisfying elements of a meal overlooking the Seine. Where’s my passport?!" —Zibby Owens, podcast host of Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books; author of Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature
