The Essence of Perfection

Book excerpt: Wickedly entertaining, insightful, and always surprising, Nita Brooks delivers a delicious new novel about a celebrity perfume designer forced to add a daring new ingredient to her carefully curated life . . . Among the uber-famous, she’s the most highly sought-after fragrance maker—and a well-kept secret. But designing a scent for pop’s newest superstar could take Nicola King and her family’s business from elite to downright legendary. Of course, mystery is part of Nicola’s brand—so no one knows she’s actually an over-cautious person who always puts her own life on permanent hold. Until her ultra-personal list of regrets is accidentally put on a social media blast—and she’s challenged to go after everything she really wants . . . From finding a hobby to reconnecting with a family member, Nicola’s getting some surprising results. But when she reveals her deepest, darkest secret of all to her troubled sister, the fallout threatens her budding romance, her career, and her reputation. Now between ambition, heartbreak, and hard truths, Nicola must risk the courage to fix the damage—and decide what success truly means . . .