"Reminiscent of the enchanted realism of Alice Hoffman's bestselling novels, Madame Metier and Her Friends weaves together magic, romance, and a powerful bond of friendship in celebration of the female spirit. Facing destitution after the untimely death of her husband, Madame Metier revisits a long-forgotten talent-the creation of healing botanical creams and lotions. Her rediscovery of this sacred practice marks the beginning of her spiritual odyssey of self-actualization and empowerment. Meanwhile, two eccentric friends of hers begin a passionate affair that ends their respective marriages. Invigorated by their relationship, Monsieur Sorbonne searches for his life's passion while Mademoiselle Objet helps Madame Metier with her new business. While the couple explores the nuances of their romance, Madame Metier finds herself in a relationship with a mysterious being who redefines her understanding of human love. Just as things are looking up, Mme. Metier's creams result in a customer's death, and the three friends face an ordeal of profound doubt, spiritual crisis, and persecution that threatens to tear them apart. Daphne Rose Kingma brings insights from her self-help books to a modern fairy tale that is both enlightening and entertaining. This is an extraordinary debut about the nature of love and relationships"--