‘But that’s not a reason to duck out of life, sweetie. So, you’d be hurt. Big deal. That’s the chance we all take. What’s the point in being alive at all if you’re so afraid of pain that you can’t appreciate the rare gems when they do come along?’

Louise Canova finds a second-hand book simply entitled Elegance written by Madam Antoine Dariaux in a second-hand bookshop. Louise looks up to Madam Dariaux completely and turns to her book as a guide to improve her fashion as well as to turn herself into an even more elegant lady than she is now.

Louise decided that it’s time to change her fashion sense and lose some weight after being mistakenly perceived as a pregnant woman! Her husband, however, does not care how she dressed and looked. In fact, Louise just realized that their love life is starting to deteriorate.

So, she started by sorting out her wardrobe and threw out the ones, which might be deemed unfashionable in Madam Dariaux’s eyes. As her fashion changes, her life changes too. She’s beginning to attract men who might not have bothered to look at her twice before. Unfortunately, her husband does not approve of the new ‘Louise’ and so begins their fight.

One day, Louise could not take it any longer, packed her stuff and moved in with her friend, Colin, who’s a homosexual, by the way. Ria, the artistic one is also their flatmate. Louise learns more new things and discovers more about herself while living with them.

Kathleen Tessaro inserts in bits from the original ‘Elegance’ book by Genevieve Antoine Dariaux into this novel of hers. This is Tessaro’s first novel and I think it’s a fine book and easy to read. Her style is straightforward and captures the reader’s attention entirely.

Other Bloggers’ Reviews: KittyCat