Book Review: At Home with Madame Chic

Book: At Home with Madame Chic: Becoming a Connoisseur of Daily Life by Jennifer L. Scott

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: Simone & Schuster

Description:

Approach life at home the Madame Chic way: a beautiful, illustrated toolbox of tips and ideas for organizing, entertaining, and savoring a stylish life.

When she arrived at Madame Chic’s Parisian apartment as a foreign exchange student, Jennifer Scott was a casual California girl who thought sweatpants were appropriate street attire. Madame Chic took Jennifer under her wing and tutored her in the secrets of how the French elevate the little things in life to the art of living.

Years later, Jennifer was back in California with a husband, two young daughters, a dog, and her first home. Every day she confronted mundane duties like folding laundry and unloading the dishwasher, and she began to think about Madame Chic’s home—how the breakfast table was set beautifully the night before, the music that always played in the background, the calm of Madame and Monsieur Chic’s ritual cocktail hour together. Jennifer wanted that life. She decided to see what would happen if she didn’t perform her chores impatiently or mindlessly, if, instead, she could live like Madame Chic.

At Home with Madame Chic reveals the secrets to having a happy, fulfilling, and passionate life at home. Jennifer explains the morning send-off need not be chaotic, it’s possible to look stylish with minimal time and effort, a little forethought makes it possible to serve a home-cooked dinner every night, and details like music and scented candles can set the tone for the whole family’s evening. Organized by the pleasures that can be found throughout the day, this charming, helpful book is full of ideas, playlists, recipes, beauty routines, and advice that can turn an irritating day into an enjoyable experience.



Rating: 3 stars

Review:

At Home with Madame Chic is a light read that focus on the author detailing how she reclaimed her chic-ness that she felt she had lost. The author had spent some time in Paris when she was younger and had stayed with a family there. She had picked up tips from observing the mother of the family and for a time incorporated some of them into her life.

But over the years, after getting married and having children she sort of let her chic way of life wane and with this book she described how she went about changing her lifestyle.

I thought the beginning was interesting with the author describing how being chic for her means gaining inner peace and being comfortable in one's own skin. And enjoying life and everything in it, even chores. Throughout the book she does try to encourage readers to have a good attitude.

However, with most books like this a majority of the information is something that I already read or heard about. It didn't feel like I was being offered anything new. The title also feels misleading because although Madame Chic is mentioned a few times it's mostly the author detailing how she strives to be chic again.

Since the author is a stay-at-home mom most of the tips and information she gives is more geared towards them. But the information can apply to anyone following a few adjustments.

Even though the information in the book is something I heard before it's still good and the author does have a way of making me think about how I go about my day. Am I really taking time to enjoy it?

I would probably recommend this book to new moms or that friend who has sort of let themselves go and maybe need a little help restoring or rejuvenating themselves again.