What a beautiful and sensuous experience! This book had me longing for the art galleries and cafés of France and dreaming about the vibrant lands of India where my grandparents and ancestors lived. Alka Joshi has an incredible way of writing that has you immersed within the pages of her work. I could almost smell every fragrance, see every colour, feel every texture, hear the sound of the music and laughter coming from kotha, and taste the sweetness and spiciness of the chai (I highly recommend reading this book with your own hot cup of chai to sip on!).

What I loved most about this book - besides the luscious sensory experience - was the way it tackled the universal struggles of womanhood, motherhood, relationships and identity. I am not a parent, but I could appreciate the way this story navigates questions and anxieties of parenting. I loved how the women in this book stood together. I loved being able to take this (MIND-BLOWING) step into the world of art and perfume. And I loved Radha, the main character! She is so warm and gentle and I want to protect her at costs!!!

I probably would have enjoyed this book a bit more if I had read the previous books. I was disappointed to find a number of the foreign words/terms (and there are many of them) not in the glossary. I don't mind foreign words in books, and I do think they enhance the reading experience, but I felt like the vast amount of both French and Hindi made this more of an active reading activity and the constant need to turn to the glossary slightly dampened the immersiveness.

Overall, quite a charming read and I can't wait to try out the delicious recipes shared at the end!