Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Stockholm : HarperCollins Nordic AB [2017]
Description
Newlywed Grace Monroe doesn't fit anyone's expectations of a successful 1950s London socialite, least of all her own. When she receives an unexpected inheritance from a complete stranger, Madame Eva d'Orsey, Grace is drawn to uncover the identity of her mysterious benefactor. Weaving through the decades, from 1920s New York to Monte Carlo, Paris, and London, the story Grace uncovers is that of an extraordinary women who inspired one of Paris's greatest perfumers. Immortalized in three evocative perfumes, Eva d'Orsey's history will transform Grace's life forever, forcing her to choose between the woman she is expected to be and the person she really is.
Media reviews
Tessaro dazzles the senses in this novel ... Nuanced observations soften the blow of the contrived banter, familiar form, and one particularly overindulgent shopping-day passage
User reviews
LibraryThing member TerriS
This is a beautifully written story about a young English woman in 1955. She finds out that she has received an inheritance, but it is from a woman that she has never heard of and she must go to Paris to claim her legacy. However, she decides to do some investigation before taking the money and
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finds out much more than she bargained for. The story is written back and forth between the current 1955 and 1927, being the story of the legator. Also, the story is based around a perfumier, and the author's description of the scents created is worth reading the book alone. I thought this book was very smart, had twists and turns that I did not expect, and kept me interested throughout. I highly recommend it! Show Less
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Flipping back and forth between Grace and Eva, The Perfume Collector explores identity and how perceptions are not always reality. As Grace rushes to resolve the mystery of her unknown benefactor, the final truth, once revealed, is nothing she expects to find. At the same time, the woman Grace
Much of the novel explores the hedonistic lifestyle of the rich and famous in the 1920s and, to some extent of the 1950s. While Eva is only on the fringes of this society, it is all too easy to imagine how seductive a lifestyle it really was thanks to Ms. Tessaro’s exacting prose. The juxtaposition between what she sees as she cleans the hotel rooms and what she knows and hears from her morally upright roommate only serves to heighten the allure of one over the other. A reader cannot help but make further comparisons between Eva’s 1920s socialite lifestyle to the one Grace inhabits. While the ongoing war recovery subdues the fervor to some extent, there remains the same appetite for pleasure, for gossip, and for scandal that exists in Eva’s youth. It provides for an intriguing contrast between characters and their milieus.
The historical elements of The Perfume Collector are superb but even they place second against the fascinating information about the perfume industry. Ms. Tessaro’s descriptions of scent are highly evocative, while her explanations of the complex process of creating perfumes is absolutely stunning. One finishes the novel with a heightened appreciation for the beauty in all natural aroma and a desire to find that one uniquely individual scent which is as much as one’s identity as appearance.
The Perfume Collector is as carefully layered as the most delicate of fragrances. Ms. Tessaro builds her story using a mixture of beautifully depicted settings, luscious characters, and the most vibrant of descriptions. With shifts between time and character clearly distinguished, the story flows smoothly between past and present, adding complexity and intrigue with each change. The result is a novel that entices all of the senses and entrances with its tale of love, heart break, and personal growth.
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discovers herself to be is in no way similar to the meek, awkward thing to which readers are first introduced. It is a most satisfactory example of character growth, just as it is a wonderfully fluid story that quietly but completely immerses a reader into its depths.Much of the novel explores the hedonistic lifestyle of the rich and famous in the 1920s and, to some extent of the 1950s. While Eva is only on the fringes of this society, it is all too easy to imagine how seductive a lifestyle it really was thanks to Ms. Tessaro’s exacting prose. The juxtaposition between what she sees as she cleans the hotel rooms and what she knows and hears from her morally upright roommate only serves to heighten the allure of one over the other. A reader cannot help but make further comparisons between Eva’s 1920s socialite lifestyle to the one Grace inhabits. While the ongoing war recovery subdues the fervor to some extent, there remains the same appetite for pleasure, for gossip, and for scandal that exists in Eva’s youth. It provides for an intriguing contrast between characters and their milieus.
The historical elements of The Perfume Collector are superb but even they place second against the fascinating information about the perfume industry. Ms. Tessaro’s descriptions of scent are highly evocative, while her explanations of the complex process of creating perfumes is absolutely stunning. One finishes the novel with a heightened appreciation for the beauty in all natural aroma and a desire to find that one uniquely individual scent which is as much as one’s identity as appearance.
The Perfume Collector is as carefully layered as the most delicate of fragrances. Ms. Tessaro builds her story using a mixture of beautifully depicted settings, luscious characters, and the most vibrant of descriptions. With shifts between time and character clearly distinguished, the story flows smoothly between past and present, adding complexity and intrigue with each change. The result is a novel that entices all of the senses and entrances with its tale of love, heart break, and personal growth.
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LibraryThing member bongo_x
This is the second book I’ve read by Tessaro, and like the other I’d have to call this ChickLit, but with more depth and quality of writing than I would expect. This one is also a bit darker than I expected.
An entertaining read with moments that call for reflection.
An entertaining read with moments that call for reflection.
LibraryThing member cjordan916
Newlywed Grace Monroe doesn’t fit anyone’s expectations of a successful 1950s London socialite, least of all her own. When she receives an unexpected inheritance from a complete stranger, Madame Eva d’Orsey, Grace is drawn to uncover the identity of her mysterious benefactor.
Weaving through
Weaving through
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the decades, from 1920s New York to Monte Carlo, Paris, and London, the story Grace uncovers is that of an extraordinary women who inspired one of Paris’s greatest perfumers. Immortalized in three evocative perfumes, Eva d’Orsey’s history will transform Grace’s life forever, forcing her to choose between the woman she is expected to be and the person she really is. Show Less
LibraryThing member voracious
Grace Monroe had just discovered that her husband was cheating on her when she is summoned to Paris, after receiving a surprise inheritance from a woman Grace had never met. Determined to figure out why she was selected by the mysterious Eva D'Orsey, Grace searches down connections to Eva's past.
There were interesting aspects to this historical novel, which spans from the 1920's to the 1950's, including women's rights and social class issues. The cultures of New York, Paris, and London are richly described and the characters seemed true to those time periods. Overall, however, I thought the novel was a little slow and I struggled to get through it. The language was somewhat simple and I never felt closely connected to any of the characters. Although I didn't love this novel, everyone else in my book club did, so I guess I am probably not representative of the majority opinion on this one.
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In alternating chapters, Eva's past is slowly revealed. There were interesting aspects to this historical novel, which spans from the 1920's to the 1950's, including women's rights and social class issues. The cultures of New York, Paris, and London are richly described and the characters seemed true to those time periods. Overall, however, I thought the novel was a little slow and I struggled to get through it. The language was somewhat simple and I never felt closely connected to any of the characters. Although I didn't love this novel, everyone else in my book club did, so I guess I am probably not representative of the majority opinion on this one.
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LibraryThing member jbarr5
The Perfume Collector
1955 Grace Monroe finds her husband cheated on her and is given an inheritance. Book also follows Eva Dorsey in Paris and she has been told she must stop drinking.
An abandoned perfume shop and all the secrets they hold. Loved when she found the shop with all the vials and they
Kind of confusing as the chapters change to different years along the way and go back, then forward, then back, etc. Really good story if you can follow along.
Especially loved learning how to blend the items to create one's own special fragrance.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
1955 Grace Monroe finds her husband cheated on her and is given an inheritance. Book also follows Eva Dorsey in Paris and she has been told she must stop drinking.
An abandoned perfume shop and all the secrets they hold. Loved when she found the shop with all the vials and they
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are able to read their names...Kind of confusing as the chapters change to different years along the way and go back, then forward, then back, etc. Really good story if you can follow along.
Especially loved learning how to blend the items to create one's own special fragrance.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
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LibraryThing member Pmaurer
Tale of a young English woman, going thro difficult times with her husband, that I finds herself the beneficiary of a large estate in France. Before accepting the inheritance Grace wants to find out who Eve is, and what prompted the gift. Fun, fantasy sort of read that I finished quickly .
LibraryThing member indygo88
For the most part, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It tells the story of two female characters, their stories separated by a few decades, but ultimately connected. Grace, married & living somewhat unhappily/unsettled in London, unexpectedly receives an inheritance from an unknown
As stated above, I enjoyed this book, although I'm not sure it was as fluid as it could've been. It was a bit too predictable at times, and the ending was rather abrupt. However, it was unique enough in plot that it kept me interested and I read it quite quickly.
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benefactor, Eva D'Orsey. She travels to Paris to learn more about this unexpected windfall and to try to discover who Eva was and why she would will her inheritance to Grace. In the meantime, the reader sees bits & pieces of Eva's life, leading up ultimately to her death. As stated above, I enjoyed this book, although I'm not sure it was as fluid as it could've been. It was a bit too predictable at times, and the ending was rather abrupt. However, it was unique enough in plot that it kept me interested and I read it quite quickly.
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LibraryThing member Gingersnap000
Having recently finished another novel told through two women in two different time era, Secret Life of Violet Grant, I believed that The Perfume Collector would be a good choice in keeping with the same genre of literary. The Perfume Collector is a far darker novel than Violet Grant but still
I will admit the subject of the making of perfume versus splitting atoms was far more interesting to me. Perfume Collector was a study into the science of perfume making mixed with the choices in life one needs to make.
The story centers around two protagonists, Eva and Grace. Eva is an orphan who does what is must to survive and Grace is a daughter of fine British lineage. The mystery of the novel is what exactly connects them. A fascinating read for a lover of Historical Fiction.
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intriguing. I will admit the subject of the making of perfume versus splitting atoms was far more interesting to me. Perfume Collector was a study into the science of perfume making mixed with the choices in life one needs to make.
The story centers around two protagonists, Eva and Grace. Eva is an orphan who does what is must to survive and Grace is a daughter of fine British lineage. The mystery of the novel is what exactly connects them. A fascinating read for a lover of Historical Fiction.
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LibraryThing member jakesam
A very charming read,
LibraryThing member lauriebrown54
In 1955 London, Grace Monroe inherits a stock portfolio and a flat in Paris from Eva d’Orsey- a woman she has never heard of before. With her husband away on work (and possibly an affair), she goes ahead and flies to Paris to find out what she has inherited, along with who the mysterious
The story bounces back and forth between 1955 and 1927, a duel story of young women growing up. Eva’s story isn’t an easy one; she left home to work at 14 and ended up being taken horrible advantage of; the full extent of what happened doesn’t come out until the end of the book. Grace’s story is a much easier one; she grew up in an insulated, wealthy household and doesn’t know much beyond being a nice girl and a good wife. But learning about Grace, and experiencing Paris, expands her horizons and allows her to become her own woman.
I enjoyed the book; the author’s descriptions of fragrances, fine foods, wines, and buildings were done with gemlike care. The big secret at the end I’d already figured out half way through the book, but that didn’t take away from it. I was really rooting for Grace, but even more so for Eva.
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d’Orsey is. With the aid of Monsieur Tissot, d’Orsey’s lawyer, she discovers Madame Zed, a former perfume creator fallen on hard times, living above a long deserted and boarded up perfume shop. She proves able to fill in some of what Grace wants to know, starting back in 1927. Slowly, the pieces of the story fall together. The story bounces back and forth between 1955 and 1927, a duel story of young women growing up. Eva’s story isn’t an easy one; she left home to work at 14 and ended up being taken horrible advantage of; the full extent of what happened doesn’t come out until the end of the book. Grace’s story is a much easier one; she grew up in an insulated, wealthy household and doesn’t know much beyond being a nice girl and a good wife. But learning about Grace, and experiencing Paris, expands her horizons and allows her to become her own woman.
I enjoyed the book; the author’s descriptions of fragrances, fine foods, wines, and buildings were done with gemlike care. The big secret at the end I’d already figured out half way through the book, but that didn’t take away from it. I was really rooting for Grace, but even more so for Eva.
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LibraryThing member writerbeverly
3.5 stars. A not-particularly mysterious inheritance leads Londoner Grace Monroe on a journey to Paris to discover why her benefactor, Eva D'Orsey would leave her a valuable flat, stocks, and some cheap trinkets.
Grace's story is set in 1955; Eva's begins in New York City, 1927. Both women smoke.
Much of the writing is beautiful. I especially loved the weird ingredients in the perfume formulas, the hint of earthiness or decay necessary to make a really memorable scent. Those descriptions leave a lingering fragrance in the mind.
The plot is thin; I think everyone BUT Grace has figured out who Eva is in relation to her, long before she gets it. I also felt cheated of Eva's transformation; we see her as a young, naive, and soon traumatized 14 year-old, and in her next scene, she's glamorous, poised, so sophisticated in the ways of the world she can tutor/act as muse to a young parfumist with great skills in formulation, not so much with people. How did Eva get from Point A to Point B?
Grace's transformation is done subtly, but well. The story is told from omniscient point of view and IMO, there are some unnecessary digressions into the heads of minor characters which add nothing to the story. But overall, despite (or perhaps because of) its flaws, it's a lovely book and I do recommend it.
Grace's story is set in 1955; Eva's begins in New York City, 1927. Both women smoke.
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Yes, typical for the period, but for a modern reader, it's jarring, and somewhat paradoxical, in a book that's all about scent and perfume, since smoking dulls the sense of smell. There's a character, Madame Zed, who is so sensitive to odors that she can't stand the smell of bleach in her hotel bathroom, yet everyone around her is constantly puffing away, and THAT doesn't bother her...? If there was a drinking game to take a shot every time someone lit a cigarette in this book, the reader would risk death by alcohol poisoning by the end (like Eva herself).Much of the writing is beautiful. I especially loved the weird ingredients in the perfume formulas, the hint of earthiness or decay necessary to make a really memorable scent. Those descriptions leave a lingering fragrance in the mind.
The plot is thin; I think everyone BUT Grace has figured out who Eva is in relation to her, long before she gets it. I also felt cheated of Eva's transformation; we see her as a young, naive, and soon traumatized 14 year-old, and in her next scene, she's glamorous, poised, so sophisticated in the ways of the world she can tutor/act as muse to a young parfumist with great skills in formulation, not so much with people. How did Eva get from Point A to Point B?
Grace's transformation is done subtly, but well. The story is told from omniscient point of view and IMO, there are some unnecessary digressions into the heads of minor characters which add nothing to the story. But overall, despite (or perhaps because of) its flaws, it's a lovely book and I do recommend it.
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LibraryThing member susan0316
Grace Monroe is an upper class English socialite who doesn't feel as if she really fits into her life in London in 1955. She receives a letter from Paris telling her that she has been left a large amount of money from the estate of Eva d'Orsey. Since she doesn't know Eva, she goes to Paris to
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investigate who Eva was and why she left her estate to Grace. The book is Eva's story starting in 1927 and Grace's story told in alternating chapters. I found both stories very interesting and I liked the way the author wove them together. I also enjoyed reading about the perfume industry during these years. I would highly recommend this book - especially to readers who enjoy reading about Paris. Show Less
LibraryThing member riverwillow
This was a great Sunday read, the plot is interesting but follows the conventions of the genre, so the connection between Grace and Eva isn’t that hard to figure out. But the descriptions of the perfumes are wonderfully evocative and I love how different perfumes and aromas are used within the
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plot to trigger key memories. Lovely. Show Less
LibraryThing member whitreidtan
When I was small, my grandmother had a collection of tiny, decorative perfume bottles on her dresser that fascinated me. The scents inside them weren't necessarily to my taste, but the exotic looking bottles with their fancy stoppers and their gold leafing appealed to my usually hidden girly side.
Two intricately interwoven tales, the novel is the story, set in the 1950s, of Grace Monroe, a bright woman who is struggling with who she is, who she wants to be, and the uncomfortable persona of socialite wife her husband expects her to be to help him advance his career and, at the same time, it is also the story of Eva d'Orsey, a young French girl starting with her job as a chambermaid at a chic, glamourous, and discreet hotel for the daring and dallying jet set in New York City in 1927 and ranging through the rest of her fascinating and unusual life. When Grace is facing a crisis point in her marriage, having uncovered evidence of her husband's infidelity, she receives a commmunication from a lawyer's office in Paris, informing her that Eva d'Orsey has passed away and that she, Grace, is the sole beneficiary. Taking the opportunity to escape London, Grace heads to France, certain that there has been a mistake; after all, she has no idea who Eva d'Orsey is. Assured that she is indeed Eva's heir, she is unwilling to accept such a generous bequest from a perfect stranger and so she enlists the French lawyer, Edouard Tissot, to help her uncover who Eva was and how she was connected to Grace. As she and Edouard start to discover the smallest pieces of information about the late Mlle. d'Orsey, the plot shifts to Eva's tale and her trajectory from chambermaid to muse for one of the most sought after and talented perfumers of the time, Monsieur Valmont, a Jew.
Tessaro skillfully weaves the two stories together, moving from one to the other and back again, beautifully balancing Grace's personal unhappiness and her quest to understand what her inheritance means for her future with Eva's eventful story and the revelation of the connection between Grace and Eva. The immersion in the world of scents is fascinating and having Grace learn about this rarified profession allows the reader to learn about it as well without being overwhelmed by reams of authorial research. Both past time periods and the public restraints placed on women are artfully rendered and there is an air of elegance to the story as a whole. How Grace and Eva are connected is presented as a mystery but it's really only a mystery to Grace as the astute reader has no doubts about it right from the start of the novel but this predictability is only a small misstep in a sophisticated and over all enticing novel. A wonderful tale for historical fiction fans, this is also an appealing look at women, unusual certainly, but firmly of their times, the avenues open to them, and the ways in which they choose to order their lives, celebrate their own intelligence, and ultimately create themselves. It is one to savour slowly even as it becomes increasingly difficult to put down.
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They seemed so grown up, the very definition of a lady and I loved to touch them, hold them, and imagine stories about them. On a seemingly unrelated note, when I was pregnant, my sense of smell was heightened beyond all belief. I could open the refrigerator and know which of its contents were going off in the next day or two. I could smell and identify the faintest hints of things underneath showier scents. This was a blessing and a curse both. Combine my memories of these two sensory experiences, the touch of the perfume bottles and the heightened smell of intricate odors, and it comes as no surprise that I was attracted to Kathleen Tessaro's latest novel, The Perfume Collector.Two intricately interwoven tales, the novel is the story, set in the 1950s, of Grace Monroe, a bright woman who is struggling with who she is, who she wants to be, and the uncomfortable persona of socialite wife her husband expects her to be to help him advance his career and, at the same time, it is also the story of Eva d'Orsey, a young French girl starting with her job as a chambermaid at a chic, glamourous, and discreet hotel for the daring and dallying jet set in New York City in 1927 and ranging through the rest of her fascinating and unusual life. When Grace is facing a crisis point in her marriage, having uncovered evidence of her husband's infidelity, she receives a commmunication from a lawyer's office in Paris, informing her that Eva d'Orsey has passed away and that she, Grace, is the sole beneficiary. Taking the opportunity to escape London, Grace heads to France, certain that there has been a mistake; after all, she has no idea who Eva d'Orsey is. Assured that she is indeed Eva's heir, she is unwilling to accept such a generous bequest from a perfect stranger and so she enlists the French lawyer, Edouard Tissot, to help her uncover who Eva was and how she was connected to Grace. As she and Edouard start to discover the smallest pieces of information about the late Mlle. d'Orsey, the plot shifts to Eva's tale and her trajectory from chambermaid to muse for one of the most sought after and talented perfumers of the time, Monsieur Valmont, a Jew.
Tessaro skillfully weaves the two stories together, moving from one to the other and back again, beautifully balancing Grace's personal unhappiness and her quest to understand what her inheritance means for her future with Eva's eventful story and the revelation of the connection between Grace and Eva. The immersion in the world of scents is fascinating and having Grace learn about this rarified profession allows the reader to learn about it as well without being overwhelmed by reams of authorial research. Both past time periods and the public restraints placed on women are artfully rendered and there is an air of elegance to the story as a whole. How Grace and Eva are connected is presented as a mystery but it's really only a mystery to Grace as the astute reader has no doubts about it right from the start of the novel but this predictability is only a small misstep in a sophisticated and over all enticing novel. A wonderful tale for historical fiction fans, this is also an appealing look at women, unusual certainly, but firmly of their times, the avenues open to them, and the ways in which they choose to order their lives, celebrate their own intelligence, and ultimately create themselves. It is one to savour slowly even as it becomes increasingly difficult to put down.
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LibraryThing member BooksCooksLooks
This novel interweaves the stories of Eva D'Orsey and Grace Monroe back and forth in time. Eva is a young girl working in a hotel in New York when she meets a variety of people that will impact her future; Madame Zed and Andre Valmont, perfumers, and "Mr. Lambert", of the English nobility but
Grace Munroe is wife to a thoughtless man who learns she is the sole heir in Eva D'Orsey's will. Just as she learns of her husband's infidelity she receives a plane ticket to France and a letter from an attorney. She flies over to learn why this woman left her fortune to her. Of course the reader figures it out quite quickly but as the story bounces back and forth in time Eva's story unfolds and we learn that things are not as simple as they might seem.
I read this book in one sitting - I couldn't put it down. It captured me from the very first and I was just entranced with both Eva and to a lessor degree Grace. Eva was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but I think she did the best she could with the situations placed in front of her. She was a highly intelligent woman in a time that did not value intelligence in women - only their ability to be the perfect accent to a man.
Ms. Tessaro is one of those authors that writes in a way that makes you forget you are reading; you enter the world of the characters and you do not want to leave. The world around you just disappears and you have found yourself in a place where you see what they see, taste what they eat and in the case of this book, smell the perfume in the air. When you stop reading it's like you have come out of a trance. These books are few and far between but I've been fortunate enough to have now read two in a row from great writers. Lucky me!
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currently disowned and on the make. She learns about life and she learns some very hard lessons about people at a young age.Grace Munroe is wife to a thoughtless man who learns she is the sole heir in Eva D'Orsey's will. Just as she learns of her husband's infidelity she receives a plane ticket to France and a letter from an attorney. She flies over to learn why this woman left her fortune to her. Of course the reader figures it out quite quickly but as the story bounces back and forth in time Eva's story unfolds and we learn that things are not as simple as they might seem.
I read this book in one sitting - I couldn't put it down. It captured me from the very first and I was just entranced with both Eva and to a lessor degree Grace. Eva was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but I think she did the best she could with the situations placed in front of her. She was a highly intelligent woman in a time that did not value intelligence in women - only their ability to be the perfect accent to a man.
Ms. Tessaro is one of those authors that writes in a way that makes you forget you are reading; you enter the world of the characters and you do not want to leave. The world around you just disappears and you have found yourself in a place where you see what they see, taste what they eat and in the case of this book, smell the perfume in the air. When you stop reading it's like you have come out of a trance. These books are few and far between but I've been fortunate enough to have now read two in a row from great writers. Lucky me!
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LibraryThing member sarahlizfits
I received an uncorrected proof of this as a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Thus, I won't quote anything, as this is not the final work.
This book follows two women, one in 1927 and the other in 1955. The story revolves around the beauty of perfume, and it is simply lovely. In a time when pop
I flew through this book. It's beautifully written, and despite jumping from '27 to '55 nearly every other chapter, it flows perfectly.
This book follows two women, one in 1927 and the other in 1955. The story revolves around the beauty of perfume, and it is simply lovely. In a time when pop
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stars regularly release perfumes, I hadn't given much thought to what perfume used to be and could be. I flew through this book. It's beautifully written, and despite jumping from '27 to '55 nearly every other chapter, it flows perfectly.
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LibraryThing member librarian1204
The basic story is predictable but the setting and the descriptions of perfumes and perfume ingredients make the book very interesting and enjoyable.
LibraryThing member pennykaplan
Young British society matron Grace, unhappy in her marriage, and living without purpose, finds she has been left a fortune by The French mistress of a weathy perfume maker. An engrossing story told in flashbacks in various countries and times during the early to mid 20th century.
LibraryThing member LoveAtFirstBook
I received this book from SheReads in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Wow. Who would have thought I would have loved a book that focuses on perfume? And have read it in less than 2 days when it’s over 400 pages?
Sometimes, I get scared of novels that are over 350 pages and wonder why on
The story is told in two pieces: Every other chapter tells either Grace or Eva’s story.
Grace (story told in the 1950s) all of a sudden finds out that she is the sole inheritor of a massive fortune, but has no idea why she was chosen to inherit anything since she doesn’t even know the woman (Eva) who died.
For the full review, visit Love at First Book
Wow. Who would have thought I would have loved a book that focuses on perfume? And have read it in less than 2 days when it’s over 400 pages?
Sometimes, I get scared of novels that are over 350 pages and wonder why on
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earth they are so long! But The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro was such a pleasant surprise. I could have read 400 more pages of it, to be honest.The story is told in two pieces: Every other chapter tells either Grace or Eva’s story.
Grace (story told in the 1950s) all of a sudden finds out that she is the sole inheritor of a massive fortune, but has no idea why she was chosen to inherit anything since she doesn’t even know the woman (Eva) who died.
For the full review, visit Love at First Book
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LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
This novel followed the parallel stories of Eva d'Orsey and Grace Monroe. Having read many other books with similar plot lines, it wasn't too difficult to work out the connection between the two women fairly early on.
Eva's story was interesting and she was a survivor, but I didn't like how the
In particular, I struggled with the second-half of the book and was glad to reach the last page. The first half was okay when Eva worked as a maid and Grace received word of her unexpected inheritance from a woman she never knew existed, but the latter half was very mediocre.
Eva's story was interesting and she was a survivor, but I didn't like how the
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author ended it. Grace. on the other hand, was fairly average and didn't show much potential except at the end when her husband arrived in Paris. I never emotionally connected with either woman and found them both rather uninspiring and flat as main protagonists.In particular, I struggled with the second-half of the book and was glad to reach the last page. The first half was okay when Eva worked as a maid and Grace received word of her unexpected inheritance from a woman she never knew existed, but the latter half was very mediocre.
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LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
There are two stories within this book: that of Eva D'Orsey and that of Grace Munroe. I guessed the relationship between them long before it was revealed in the book.
Eva was raised by her uncle, who found her a job as a maid at a hotel in New York. During her time as a maid, Eva met Madame Zed and
Grace was raised by an English couple, and is now married. Out of the blue, she gets a message from a French lawyer that Eva has left her a bequest. Grace is confused because she doesn't know Eva D'Orsey from Adam. Grace decides that she wants to know more about Eva before deciding what to do with the inheritance. Tissot, the lawyer, helps her with this quest. The story Grace uncovers is a romantic tragedy, but she also finds a sense of self and of what she wants.
Eva was raised by her uncle, who found her a job as a maid at a hotel in New York. During her time as a maid, Eva met Madame Zed and
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her apprentice Andre Valmont, both of whom had keen senses of smell that they used in creating perfumes. She also met Charles Lambert, who admired her skills with math and cards, and Katherine Waverly, an aspiring actress. Grace was raised by an English couple, and is now married. Out of the blue, she gets a message from a French lawyer that Eva has left her a bequest. Grace is confused because she doesn't know Eva D'Orsey from Adam. Grace decides that she wants to know more about Eva before deciding what to do with the inheritance. Tissot, the lawyer, helps her with this quest. The story Grace uncovers is a romantic tragedy, but she also finds a sense of self and of what she wants.
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LibraryThing member John_Warner
Residing in 1955 London, Grace Munroe is in traditional marriage but is dissatisfied. Her friends believe that she should be happy supporting her husbands career, but she wants more in life than being a housewife. One day she receives a letter informing her that a woman from Paris that she has
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never heard from has recently died and has left her an apartment and an inheritance portfolio. Believing that a mistake has been made, she travels to Paris to learn more about this mysterious woman. named Eva D’Orsey. The novel then alternates between 1920s New York City and Paris telling the story of Grace's benefactor and the 1950s Paris as Grace learns about the connection between the two of them. I found the book enjoyable and learned much about perfumeries and their craft. Show Less
LibraryThing member scot2
I did enjoy this story. Switching between two different time periods did not bother me at all. I liked the way the main characters were portrayed, especially those from the earlier period of time. I didn't actually like the characters although that in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the story.
LibraryThing member trudychar
Wonderful story is told. Excellent read.
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2012-08-30
Physical description
399 p.; 17.8 cm
ISBN
9789150926842