Belle Epoque

A sophisticated twist on The Luxe—set during the decadence of the Moulin Rouge in Belle Epoque Paris, this is a story about Maude Pichon, a plain, impoverished girl who is hired by an aristocratic family to make their daughter look more beautiful—and the tangle of love, friendship, and deception that follows.

When Maude Pichon runs away from provincial Brittany to Paris, her romantic dreams vanish as quickly as her savings. Desperate for work, she answers an unusual ad. The Durandeau Agency provides its clients with a unique service—the beauty foil. Hire a plain friend and become instantly more attractive.

Monsieur Durandeau has made a fortune from wealthy socialites, and when the Countess Dubern needs a companion for her headstrong daughter, Isabelle, Maude is deemed the perfect adornment of plainness.

But Isabelle has no idea her new "friend" is the hired help, and Maude's very existence among the aristocracy hinges on her keeping the truth a secret. Yet the more she learns about Isabelle, the more her loyalty is tested. And the longer her deception continues, the more she has to lose.

Inspired by a short story written by Emile Zola, Belle Epoque is about that beautiful time in Paris, when the Moulin Rouge was at its peak of decadence, the city's men and women were the most beautiful, and morality was at its most depraved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ELIZABETH ROSS studied French at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, and between semesters she worked in Paris and Brittany. She lives in Los Angeles. When she isn't writing, she edits feature films. You can visit her at ElizabethRossBooks.com.