Elegance: A Novel

Now reissued with a beautiful and modern new cover, the debut novel from the bestselling and beloved author of THE PERFUME COLLECTOR.

Louise C. wants what Jackie O had . . .

Unhappy with her looks, her life, and her empty marriage, Louise Canova needs help—and she finds it in a secondhand bookstore. A forty-year-old encyclopedia of style titled Elegance, the slim volume by formidable French fashion expert Madame Dariaux promises to transform even the plainest of women into creatures of poise and grace. It is a fairy godmother in print, an A-to-Z manual with essential advice that Louise vows to take to heart. But within its pages lie not only clues from her past, but also powerful lessons for the future.

And as the old Louise gives way to the stunning new, she's about to find out that there's more to every life than what appears on the surface ... and that everything, even elegance, has its price.

“Ultra-smart and classily edgy.” - Sunday Times (UK)

“An irresistible love story and self-help manual rolled into one.” - Elle

“A lively, irresistible read.” - Publishers Weekly

“An appealing first novel. . . . the fashion details are vivid and atmospheric. . . . the friendships that develop through the book are drawn carefully and with insight.” - Independent (UK)

“Through vivid descriptions, lively mishaps and devastating details, Tessaro serves up a witty, original, fast–moving debut.” - USA Today