 |
| Gorgeous cover! |
8th September 2016, MIRA, 384 pages, Ebook, Review copy
Book Summary
Paris, 1956. Eighteen year old Daphné may be from a
tiny French village, but she knows she’s destined for more. Stepping off
a bus into bustling Paris with a suitcase full of her home-made beauty
products, she’s ready to do whatever it takes to claim her stake in the
world.
London, 2016. Scandalous love affairs and
an iconic cosmetics brand have kept Daphné Le Marche in spotlight – but
her darkest secrets have never come to light. Now, in her London
penthouse, enveloped in her rich signature scent, the Grande Dame of
glamour has died.
But not even those closest to her could have been prepared for what came next.
Nayu's thoughts
Little beats putting 2 relatives together on a
business after an elderly relative dies, especially when they don't know each other well. Billie and Celeste are
very different, and have opposing views on their joint business, so there
are a lot of clashes and disagreements. Yet it's because of these
differences they are able to support each other's complicated life
which continues to unravel at unwelcome moments. The twists were a constant surprise, and made the ending that bit more triumphant.
Their life is as
vivid as Daphne's, which is shown in flashbacks. I was as eager to
read her life as I was Billie and Celeste's. I posiively adore
stories where a shop is run, as there are frequent mishaps and always
some massive obstacle in the way. That's true for Billie and Celeste,
and makes a superb read which I'm definitely going to reread, despite
not liking all of the girls' choices.
I laughed a lot, sighed in
frustration, wanted to bash certain heads together and got teary over
the special moments which create this family themed tale. They find
both support amd opposition from unexpected characters which added to
the lovable chaos of a tale about forgiveness and moving on. I don't
use makeup so found the cosmetic side of the tale fascinating-who
knew you needed so many red coloured lipstick to suit various skin
types!
Find out more on Kate's website, and be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour! Here's a sneak peek of the book for you...
Extract from The Last Will and Testament of Daphne Le Marche by Kate Forster
Edward wrote quickly and then handed the papers to Daphné,
who lifted her hand.
Where do I sign?’ she asked with a tired sigh. Dying was
exhausting, she thought. No wonder people only did it once in their lifetime.
Edward picked up a book from her bedside table for her rest
the paper on.
‘The Book of Perfumes,’ he said with a wry smile.
‘Still working, are you?’
‘I am always working,’ she said tiredly, as the door opened
and the nurse came into the room. ‘Even on my deathbed, I am working.’
‘Can you witness this, please?’ Edward asked the woman, in a
tone Daphné admired. He had grown into a confident man and she trusted him,
which was as rare in business as it was in love.
The nurse watched as Daphné signed her hand and then Edward
and the nurse added their signatures to the document.
‘It is done,’ said Edward, in a deferential tone, after the
nurse left the room.
‘I don’t envy you,’ she said, a small smile creeping onto
her face.
‘Why is that?’ he asked, as he packed his papers into his
satchel.
‘What is about to come, I am sure I don’t pay you enough.’
She laughed a little, happy at the thought she could still create waves, even
after her death
‘I am capable of handling anything, I’ve been taught by the
best,’ said Edward, reaching down and touching her hand. Her skin was cold, but
her grasp firm, as she held his hand.
‘Thank you,’ she said, meaning it deeply. Edward had been
her greatest support over the last years and she hoped he could be the same for
the girls.
‘Look after my petites-filles,’ she said, so tired
now.
‘I will, and I will be back to see you again,’ he said, his
thumb stroking the back of her hand.
She nodded, but she knew he wouldn’t be back while she was
alive. If there was one thing Daphné Le Marche knew how to keep it was a
schedule.
After Edward had gone, and the fire was dying in the grate,
she saw the colour she had been chasing her entire life.
Dernières lueurs—the perfect afterglow.
And she cursed God that she could never replicate it in her
lifetime. All she had ever wanted was to create a product that gave women the
glow as though they had just fallen in love or made love or even both. She
touched her own cheek with her hand and tried to remember when she last had
that glow.
It was too long ago, she thought sadly, and she closed her
eyes and slept, and between the hours of two and four, just as she had
suspected she always would, Daphné Hélène Le Marche née Amyx died. She had
never been late to a meeting before, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to be
late for this one.
No comments:
Post a Comment