3.5 Stars

This is the third book in the Jaipur Trilogy, following The Henna Artist and The Secret Keeper of Jaipur.

The novel opens in Paris in 1974. Radha and her husband Pierre live busy lives with careers and two daughters. Radha works as a perfumist helping to design new fragrances. A project has her travelling to India to learn from the courtesans of Agra about how they use fragrances to entice and seduce. She has a visit with her sister Lakshmi, but learns that Niki, the son she gave up for adoption when she was 13, has flown to Paris to find her. Having never told anyone about Niki, she returns to Paris wondering if her vulnerable marriage will be destroyed by his arrival.

One of the enjoyable aspects of the book was catching up with characters (Lakshmi and Malik) from the first two books. I loved the Indian setting in these novels, but less of this novel is set in India; most events occur in Paris.

From the first novel, I remember Radha as stubborn and high-spirited. She seems less vibrant, but she is juggling the demands of her family and the job she loves. Unfortunately Pierre is not in favour of her working outside the home. And then there’s the past which she has tried to bury because it’s too painful to remember the circumstances that led to her pregnancy and having to give up her child.

The traits of hers I did not like are her insecurity, negativity, and tendency to jump to conclusions. For instance, when something goes wrong at work, she immediately assumes that she is at fault and she will lose her job. In her personal life, she lashes out at her sister for little reason. Also, rather than directly address a problem, she avoids discussion and often just runs away. Though she is 30 years of age, she often behaves like the 13-year-old she was when she first appeared in Lakshmi’s life.

The book does a great job of describing the social climate of the 1970s when the attitude towards women having careers was much different. Pierre seems to feel emasculated because his wife insists on working outside the home and not focusing just on raising their children. She, on the other hand, would like Pierre to help with household chores like laundry, cleaning, and shopping, but he thinks that would make him “’A man led by the tip of the nose.’”

The plot is interesting, but there is a big coincidence that bothers me: Someone from Radha’s past just happens to know Delphine, who becomes her boss? Delphine just happens to bring this person into a parfumerie where Radha works, a Parisian perfume shop owned by the grandfather of her best friend Mathilde with whom she attended school in India?

Readers who enjoyed the first two novels in the trilogy will certainly like this third installment. Though I enjoyed learning what happens to Radha, it is The Henna Artist tha

This is the last book in 'The Jaipur Trilogy', the first of which was the bestselling book "The Henna Artist". Joshi was born in India and although she now lives in California, she brings the sights, sounds & scents of India into her writing, but in this book we also get to visit 1974 Paris and the perfume industry. Radha is now married with two daughters and has a career developing perfumes. Unfortunately her husband resents the time the career takes and now the son she gave up for adoption in India when she was only thirteen is about to land on their doorstep in Paris. This is a compelling story about the role of women in both France and India, the perfume industry and family. It is a wonderful recommendation for readers, but I highly recommend starting with the first in the series. The three books together make a very entertaining read and would be a wonderful Mother's Day gift as they really are a tribute to women.

This is the last book in the Jaipur trilogy. I loved the first two books, so I was very excited to read the last one thanks to Netgalley. It's the story of Radha, Lakshmi's sister. I did not care for this book as much as I did the other two books. There was a good story at the bones of the book, but it was often diluted with long chapters that felt like they dragged on.

Fitting conclusion to the Jaipur trilogy that began with The Henna Artist with the wonderful Lakshmi. The Perfumist of Paris is on a par with The Henna Artist - I loved it! The second one - The Secret Keeper of Jaipur - was very good but the first and third are my favourites.

The writing is so descriptive that the reader is readily transported into the setting, be it in Agra, India or Paris, France. I found interesting the descriptions of how perfume scents are developed and really enjoyed how the author tied scents/smells to memories and the feelings they evoke.

The pacing of this character-driven story is excellent, the storyline interesting and the relationships between Radhu, the titular perfumist, and her sister, Lakshmi - so well drawn and real. These are two of my favourite female fictional characters. I love the world that the author created in this trilogy and it is one I will remember fondly. Highly recommend this series.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade/MIRA and Netgalley for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

The Perfumist of Paris was the perfect ending to the Henna Artist trilogy! If you enjoyed the other two books, this is a continuation of the story that started with Lakshmi and it ends telling about Radha.

If you have only read the Henna Artist you can still read this one without reading The Secret keeper as it doesn’t add much to this installment.

I loved the vivid descriptions and getting to see things from Radha’s point of view. While she can be a frustrating character at times, the book does a good job of describing why she does what she does. I love how each book goes further in the future and you get to see where your favorite characters end up.

As someone who uses and loves essential oils, I really enjoyed the descriptions of how the perfume was made from oils and the descriptions of their smells.

Overall another wonderfully written book by Alka Joshi!

Thank you netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books of the Jaipur Trilogy and was very excited to read the third one. I was not disappointed. It was a great continuation of a story that was now about Radha and her life. The roles of women and the price that is paid when they follow their dreams. It was so well written. I could almost smell the scents that were described in the book and couldn't wait to get back to the book and continue to read.

This is the final book in the beautifully written Jaipur Trilogy and, in my opinion, the best one. This trilogy has been the story of sisters Lakshimi and Radha and their “adopted” brother Malik. “The Perfumist of Paris” is Radha’s story.

Radha, considered the “Bad Luck Girl” in her small rural village in India, has made some poor decisions in her life and harbors secrets that could destroy her marriage to Pierre. When she was only thirteen years old, she gave birth to a son and gave him up for adoption.

Radha is now a mother of two daughters, lives in Paris, and works as a perfumer at The House of Yves. She soon finds the demands of her job competing with her family life. Radha’s first major project takes her back to India where she elicits the help of her sister and “the courtesans of Agra—women who use the power of fragrance to seduce, tease and entice.”

Now nineteen years after giving birth to Niki, he has come to Paris to find her. Radha’s struggle with the changes his arrival sets into motion is relatable and revealed the vulnerable side of Radka.

With themes of family bonds, secrets, betrayals, sacrifices, and forgiveness, I know this book will linger in my memory.

Joshi’s vivid descriptions brought this colorful land to life for me – the colors of the spices, the aromas of the foods, the scents of perfumes, and the sounds of the city. I really love how she gives the reader a glance into the lives of the various levels of society, from sheepherders and servants to royalty and the upper echelons of society.

“The Perfumist of Paris” brings a satisfying closure to the stories of Lakshima, Malik, and Radha. If you enjoy historical fiction and learning about other cultures, I highly recommend this book!

I was excited to receive an advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.

What I liked:
I enjoyed learning about what goes into designing a scent for perfume from start to finish. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of French and Indian culture.

What I didn’t like:
Chapters are 70+ pages long 😳
The story is very slow to take off. Nothing of any real significance happens in the first 40% of the book.

The Perfumist of Paris is Radha’s story with cameos of our favourite characters from the first two books. Radha is married and living in Paris with her husband and two daughters. She is working as a perfumer at one of the most world famous fragrance houses. She loves what she does and her talent is recognized by her boss. The only problem is that her husband is not supportive of her career. Radha is given an incredible opportunity for a business trip to India that will take her career to new heights. She immediately accepts at the disapproval of her husband. Her trip has proven to be successful until she discovers that “the son she never told her husband about is heading to Paris to find her — upending her carefully managed world and threatening to destroy [her] marriage.”

The Perfumist of Paris releases on March 28th. Thank you to HCC and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Perfumist of Paris is Book 3 of the Jaipur Trilogy which began with one of my favorite books, The Henna Artist. It takes place in Paris during the 1970's and tells of Radha's career as a perfumer while trying to balance the demands of her husband Pierre and her two children.

Alka Joshi does a great job bringing the cities of Paris and Agra to life. I could almost see, smell and taste the descriptions. I loved reading about the characters from previous books, it was like catching up with old friends. I also enjoyed the new characters we met in this novel. Do yourself a favor and be sure to read all three books of this series.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

4.5 stars

Just as the author's other two books in this trilogy the third is a great story. Alka Joshi is a good story teller. The Perfumist of Paris ends this trilogy with no doubts as to what may come next. A great finish. Highly recommend.

Delighted to include this title in the March edition of Novel Encounters, my regular column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction, for the Books section of Zoomer magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

The Perfumist of Paris was a welcome third book to the Jaipur Trilogy.
I loved Radha as a character and was happy to see her get her own book, especially in the work she does. It was perfect for her.
As an adult, we see a new and improved Radha and her visit with Lakshimi made me so happy.
This may be the best of the three, because we got a new story with short visits with the other characters that stole our hearts in book one!

Link and formal review to come.

LOVE this book!!!!! Great conclusion to the trilogy. I didn't know a lot about India and these 3 stories painted an image in my head. Almost made it in 4D given all the scents and their descriptions. Hopefully i can visit sometime!

The Perfumist of Paris is the last book in The Jaipur Trilogy. The reader meets Radha in Paris in the 1970s. She is now a mother and rising star as a perfumist. Characters from the first two books reappear here. New characters are added and the story is fleshed out. I enjoyed this book mostly due to my familiarity with the characters throughout the trilogy. My favorite remains The Henna Artist where it all began.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me an ARC of this novel. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

"The Perfumist of Paris" is a worthy ending to a trilogy that I have truly enjoyed. Alka Joshi's writing enlivens the senses and propels the reader into the places she is writing about. I love how she plays with the sense of smell, and how I wish I could smell the scents that Radha does.

Unlike the prior novels, this one takes place largely in Paris, so we do not get to see Lakshmi and her crew as much as I would have liked. I also missed being in India. I think the gift of the prior two books was being fully immersed in a world so entirely different than any I have known. Paris was interesting but didn't feel as satisfying as the sections that take place in India.

Overall, I did enjoy this book for the incredible writing and the well-rounded characters. I can't wait to read whatever Joshi writes next.

So happy to be back with these memorizable characters! Loved reading about Radha’s life in Paris. Just enough background so you remember the backstory without it being rooted in the past. The descriptions of smell are so realistic and makes you feel like you’re right there in the room.

I was so excited to receive an ARC of this last in the trilogy book by Alka Joshi from NetGalley! I loved both of the other books in this series, and this final instalment was a wonderful final look into the lives of the special characters that I feel like I have gotten to know.

We catch up with Radha in Paris, married with children and pursing a career as a perfumist. What a fascinating look into the science behind this! But delving into Radha’s personal life, and the choices and sacrifices she makes for her family is so relatable.

5 stars! Read the whole series, you won’t be disappointed!

What are great close to this trilogy! I enjoyed a Perfumist In Paris equally as I enjoyed the first two books. The setting is a vibrant as ever and the characters are a richly developed.

The Perfumist of Paris
by Alka Joshi
Pub Date: March 28, 2023
Mira
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. The cover is beautiful.
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.
This one is my favorite of the series!
Joshi brings the characters to life and transports you to the beautiful cities of Paris and Agra!
I love the vivid descriptions of the scents Radha was working with. I highly recommend this book for book clubs.
5 stars