Even the closest families have secrets ... it's when they are shared that things begin to change. The lives of three very different sisters collide in this witty new novel from bestselling author Maggie Alderson. Recently divorced Rachel is juggling her new dream job in interior design PR with the demands of two young daughters. She's full of creative ideas but—even with a colourful childminder or two—some days she can't make it into the office in time and in matching shoes. Her life is balanced more precariously than she cares to admit. Tessa, a talented muralist, is feeling flat. Her kids are growing up and she's feeling upstaged by her husband's new-found celebrity as the host of a reality TV fireplace restoration show. But everything turns on its head when she gets a surprise from her past. Youngest sister Natasha leads a glamorous jet-setting life—she's one of Vogue's favourite make-up artists who regularly creates the looks for the biggest shows in Paris and Milan. Single and childless, she's been focused on her career—but when the lie she's concealed for years threatens to come to light, the truth will make her question everything. Meanwhile their mother, Joy, a hippy vegetarian caterer, is carefully ignoring the letters that keep arriving at her door. Into the mix comes Simon, Rachel's urbane boss, hiding secrets of his own. And everything lurking beneath the surface of this seemingly happy family is about to come out ... 'Stylish and engaging ... an elegant treat' The Lady 'Maggie Alderson is a national treasure. Her writing is pithy, warm, incisive and touching, her characters extremely lovable and relatably flawed.' Lauren Sams, Cosmopolitan 'Classy, entertaining, smart ... Seriously, buy this book, pour yourself a bath and crack open the chocolate. Your Friday night is now sorted. You're welcome.' Set in Motion 'Maggie Alderson has a light touch, a well-sharpened wit and lots of heart' Better Reading 'A lovely combination of glamour, humour and poignancy.' Marian Keyes on Handbags and Gladrags 'Brimming with wit and wisdom' Courier-Mail
Author
Maggie Alderson is a British-Australian author (that’s how I’m supposed to write it, but I’m not very good at talking about myself in the third person, so I’m going to can it). I was born in London, brought up in rural Staffordshire, and educated at the University of St Andrews - and then at the University of Life, Sydney campus. I spent many years covering the fashion shows in Paris, Milan, London etc which is the best people watching ever (I had to remind myself to look at the models…). An obsessed bookworm since childhood, all I wanted to do from the age of six was write books. I also hoovered up every magazine and newspaper I could lay my hands on and by the time I was a teenager was determined to edit a magazine and be a newspaper columnist. I have edited five magazines (including British ELLE) and my Style Notes column ran in the Good Weekend colour supplement for twelve years, as well as being syndicated to The Times. My first novel Pants on Fire was published in 2000 and was a bestseller in the UK and Australia. I’ve written eight more novels since, which have been translated into many languages. I’ve also published four collections of my columns and a children’s book called Evangeline, the Wish Keeper’s Helper, which was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Award in Australia. My latest novel is called The Scent of You and is the story of perfume blogger Polly, facing up to a crisis in her marriage – and her sense of who she is - told through a filter of her obsession with perfumes (and also featuring very well dressed, seriously damaged, red-hot men, which are my speciality). The book was inspired by attending perfume events in London and realising just how many fascinating people there are in that world (and a fair few brilliant nutters). You can read my heroine's blog fragrantcloud.net
