The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro

The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro is a wonderful piece of historical fiction that weaves love, loss, sacrifice, desire, and good perfume into a memorable novel that fans of this genre will enjoy for years to come.

Book Description

“An inheritance from a mysterious stranger . . .
An abandoned perfume shop on the Left Bank of Paris . . .
And three exquisite perfumes that hold a memory . . . and a secret.

London, 1955: Grace Monroe is a fortunate young woman. Despite her sheltered upbringing in Oxford, her recent marriage has thrust her into the heart of London's most refined and ambitious social circles. However, playing the role of the sophisticated socialite her husband would like her to be doesn't come easily to her—and perhaps never will.

Then one evening a letter arrives from France that will change everything. Grace has received an inheritance. There's only one problem: she has never heard of her benefactor, the mysterious Eva d'Orsey.

So begins a journey that takes Grace to Paris in search of Eva. There, in a long-abandoned perfume shop on the Left Bank, she discovers the seductive world of perfumers and their muses, and a surprising, complex love story. Told by invoking the three distinctive perfumes she inspired, Eva d'Orsey's story weaves through the decades, from 1920s New York to Monte Carlo, Paris, and London.

But these three perfumes hold secrets. And as Eva's past and Grace's future intersect, Grace realizes she must choose between the life she thinks she should live and the person she is truly meant to be.

Illuminating the lives and challenging times of two fascinating women, The Perfume Collector weaves a haunting, imaginative, and beautifully written tale filled with passion and possibility, heartbreak and hope.” – The Perfume Collector

My Thoughts

The Perfume Collector is a well written book that transports you back in time and thrusts you into the story. Perfumes and scents in general help to remember things, both positive and negative. I love how the author used scents to trigger memories. I don’t think I’ve ever read something where an author has used this method before, and it worked out very well with this novel.

The characters in the book are well developed, especially Eva d’Orsey and Grace Monroe. They are dynamic, and as a reader, you care to read more about their journeys. Although each woman is truly unique, their story weaves together beautifully.

This is a fabulous piece of historical fiction that fans of this genre will definitely enjoy. I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of The Perfume Collector, Harper, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.