Set against the backdrop of mid-century Parisian glamour and the timeless art of perfumery, a captivating tale of resilience, love, and the intoxicating pursuit of passion.
Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from The Lost Perfumes of Paris by Christine Wells, which releases on September 8th 2026.
Élodie Limeaux’s beloved mother, Aurore, was the most legendary perfumer in France before World War II, renowned for the exquisite fragrances she created for the family company, the House of Limeaux. Now in her twenties, Élodie longs to join the family business. Her father, however, has refused to let her follow in her late mother’s footsteps and Élodie has had to fight to become a mere lab assistant at Limeaux.
But Élodie plans to enter the Essence of Paris contest run by the French Perfume Institute, hoping that a win will secure investment from Swiss banker Monsieur Caspari, who is looking to launch a new scent for women—and possibly to buy the House of Limeaux.
Impressed with Élodie’s drive and talent, Caspari agrees to back her, provided that she collaborates with his son, Marcelo. Élodie is forced to agree, although Marcelo strikes her as a wealthy dilettante—albeit an extremely charming one.
When they join forces, though, Élodie is surprised to discover Marcelo’s passion for perfume is genuine, his obsession as deep as hers. With Marcelo by her side, Élodie battles family betrayals and corporate sabotage, searching for that elusive essence of Paris that will launch her career…and possibly the love of a lifetime.
Excerpted from The Lost Perfumes of Paris, by Christine Wells. William Morrow Paperbacks, 2026. Reprinted with permission.
Élodie felt like a caged tiger waiting for Marcelo to return to Paris. The other perfumers and assistants in the contest would be getting on with writing their briefs already. They might even have settled on their themes by now. By the time she saw Marcelo again, the others would have moved on to the first steps of creating their perfumes.
Who knew if she could rely on Marcelo to return to Paris when he’d promised, or at all? He might be delayed negotiating with Prince Rainier or get caught up in the social whirl in Monte Carlo. She pictured him wearing a dinner suit, playing baccarat with a beautiful woman dripping in jewels and smelling of Fracas by his side.
Fine. She’d simply begin without him, that was all. Élodie took her journal and pencil and her coffee and stepped out to the small balcony of her bedroom, which overlooked the garden.
She closed her eyes and sniffed deeply. The air was fresh from recent rain, and the oxidized bronze planters on either side of the door exuded a cold, metallic tang, the earth inside them moist and ripe. The pepper of red geraniums that spilled over their edges vied with the creamy scent of lilacs from her grandmother’s garden.
Her morning tisane was redolent of the warm spice of ginger and the sweetness of honey, and she sipped it appreciatively. Somewhere in the house, or perhaps in the garden below, her grandmother was smoking Sobranies—Black Russians, if Élodie guessed right. As cigarettes were forbidden throughout her marriage due to Grandpère’s sensitive nose, Mimi had taken up the habit with a vengeance after he died. His punishment for leaving her alone.
As Élodie sat pondering, she tapped the end of her pencil against her lips. The biggest question about this perfume was, what raw materials did she want to build the fragrance around? How could she capture the spirit of Paris in one scent?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
CHRISTINE WELLS writes historical fiction featuring strong, fascinating women. From early childhood, she drank in her father’s tales about the real kings and queens behind popular nursery rhymes, and she has been a keen student of history ever since. She began her first novel while working as a corporate lawyer and has gone on to write about periods ranging from Georgian England to post World War II France. Christine is passionate about helping other writers learn the craft and business of writing fiction and enjoys mentoring and teaching workshops. She loves dogs, running, the beach, and fossicking for antiques, and lives with her family in Brisbane, Australia.
Visit Christine online at christine-wells.com, on Instagram @christinewells_, on X @ChristineWells0, and on Facebook at ChristineWellsAuthor.
