A richly hued tale of love and adversity at a time of great upheaval.
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About the Book
Born into one of Grasse’s elite perfumier families, Fleurette Delacroix is beautiful, intelligent and has The Nose, a rare yet crucial skill for perfume creation. It’s 1915; as a high-born woman Fleurette is forbidden from any official role in the business and instead forced to marry the owner of the neighbouring De Lasset estate to bind two great perfume houses. Then, on the night of her wedding, the men of Grasse are mobilised for war. The women take on the tasks of their men and though still curtailed by convention from becoming the perfume maker she longs to be, Fleurette takes over management of the estate. When her brother-in-law Sebastien walks into her life, wounded and handsome and bearing a devastating family secret, Fleurette faces her biggest challenge. Will Sebastien save her—or ruin her?
My Thoughts
Fiona McIntosh delivers another evocative tale of women who find their strength through adversity and the men who love them. Set among the famous rose fields of Grasse, scent is very present and it’s easy to feel transported to that time and place, to feel the sun on your face and inhale the fragrance of the fields. Though set at the start of the Great War this isn’t a story of war, but of those left behind, of the upheaval caused to a carefully ordered and gendered social structure. As always, McIntosh provides plenty of contextual information about the cultural norms and societal expectations. On occasion that context threatens to overwhelm the storyline, yet the tale moves along at a good pace with plenty to intrigue. The details of perfume creation are fascinating and instructive: I certainly feel I’ll be a more informed purchaser next time I’m shopping for scent. One or two of the early secrets may be a touch predictable but these secrets are layered and some of the latter revelations you definitely won’t see coming!
In The Perfumer’s Secret McIntosh delivers another immersive and fascinating tale that does what all good escapist historical fiction should do: educate as it entertains. I finished the novel feeling I’d been to Grasse in 1915 without the worry of war or all those crushing social conventions. If you enjoy sweeping stories of love and adversity set in a previous time, you’ll love The Perfumer’s Secret.
Read an interview with Fiona McIntosh about The Perfumer’s Secret
About the Author
Fiona McIntosh is the author of 30 best selling commercial novels ranging across various genres including fantasy for adults and for children. But increasingly she is becoming better known for her romantic period adventures with their lush landscapes from around the world and her suspenseful, fast paced storytelling style.
Read more about Fiona McIntosh
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