The Essence of Perfection

March 15, 2020
Nicola King has always been the dependable daughter, so the pressure is on when her family's cosmetics company, Queen Couture, lands a deal to design a fragrance for R&B superstar Desiree. She's ready, though. Her work is her life, and she leaves her regrets for a secret list of adventures she wishes she had taken. When the list is accidentally sent to a national morning show, Nicola agrees to check items off on-camera for the good publicity it will bring Queen Couture. Going on a date with the one that got away is a (hilarious) bust, but when she signs up for a pottery class with the gorgeous Damien Hawkins, things start to look up. But the list brings up unresolved issues with her gorgeous, Instafamous sister and leaves her little time to actually work on Desiree's perfume. Readers looking for an escape will be drawn in by Nicola's misadventures, her complicated family, and fascinating details of perfume-making. Most appealing, though, is Nicola, and Brooks (Redesigning Happiness, 2019) perfectly captures the voice of a smart, funny woman who is learning to live a little.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)