Nicole “Nikki” Bridges, reeling from the betrayal of her husband and their subsequent divorce, is stymied even further in her life when her house blows up due to a faulty furnace. Homeless, possession-less, and with her daughter touring Europe with her ex and his new wife, Nikki needs to figure out what to do ito get her life together again. She rents an apartment in a building nicknamed “Splitsville”, where she meets an intriguing group of neighbors. She spends her days working at an organic restaurant and dreaming of owning and making her own perfumes—a dream she has had and quashed for many years.

Through the encouragement (and sometimes without it) of friends and a newfound friend, possibly a love interest named Niraj, Nikki makes steps toward discovering who she really is and how to make her dreams come true.

For anyone who has gone through a divorce, Madame Mirabou's School of Love will ring true and hit deep in so many ways. The title is unfortunate, because it makes the book seem like fluffy chick lit when just the opposite is true. This is a poignant, touching look at what happens when life is turned upside-down and you have to discover how to move on.

Each character in Madame Mirabou's School of Love adds another dimension and plays an integral part of the story. Ms. Samuel’s writing style is warm, inviting and definitely moving. It will cause readers to examine their own emotions in light of characters who seem very real and true to life. This book will make you laugh and cry, and you won’t leave the reading unchanged. The smells and tastes in this novel are exquisitely described and make reading it an almost-sensual experience. Madame Mirabou's School of Love is highly recommended.