Rare Objects by Kathleen Tessaro

Good morning, everyone! Today I'm a stop on the TLC book tour for Kathleen Tessaro's latest, Rare Objects.

Maeve Fanning always wanted more. Clever and educated, she nonetheless found herself in a situation of her own creation that demanded escape. And escape she did, all the way to New York City. There she worked as a dancer, partying and drinking away the evenings after work. Unfortunately Maeve's grand adventure ended with her being committed, something she'd never admit to. Instead, she spun a lie that she'd been employed as a secretary for an eccentric and wealthy man whose demands were such that the had no time for writing or visiting home. 

Now, in 1932, Maeve is one of many qualified women searching for work that will allow her to eke out a living. But it's hard enough considering the current Depression, and being Irish doesn't make it easier. With a bit of a lie and a bit of bleach, though, Maeve transforms herself into May, earning a spot as a salesgirl at an antiques dealership. It's there that a new world opens up to her, one that offers connections and opportunities she could never dream of. It's a glimpse inside the world of the rich and elite, one whose doors open to her due to a surprising connection of her own - someone she met in her darkest days in New York. 

Rare Objects is essentially a tale of friendship and of the dangers of keeping up appearances. The time period in particular amplifies the issues, but they are not foreign to what some face even today.

Maeve has marks against her: the economy means less opportunity for everyone, even those in a better position than most. Maeve's own education and qualifications make her suitable for any number of jobs but that simply doesn't matter when there are no jobs to be found! The fact that she's Irish makes it worse considering no one in Boston wants to hire them and Maeve's red hair stands out as an undeniable marker of her heritage. But Maeve's own past is her enemy as well. She's dissatisfied with the life around her. She has secrets she'd rather those around her not know - secrets that could ruin every chance she and her mother have worked for. And her time as a patient at Binghamton State Hospital is certainly not something she's interested in sharing.

Which is why she finds something of a soulmate in Diana Van der Laar. Their reunion is purely coincidental, but their shared shame is a bond that trumps all of their other differences.

Their friendship is one that could save them both, if they'll allow it. But both women bear deep emotional scars that could, if they bend to weakness, ruin them both. And of course both of them must, at all cost, ensure that their carefully built facades remain unquestionable and unshakable. The stress of that alone is enough to threaten each girl's grip on reality!

I love Tessaro's work! I've mentioned in past reviews how graceful and fantastic her writing is and how alive her characters are on the page. Rare Objects is definitely no exception. From the start, Maeve's story had a hold on me that begged for attention. I couldn't put this book down until I knew how things would turn out for her. And of course, as with any great story, hers is one that still had me in its grip well beyond the final page.

Rating: 4/5

To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here. For more on Kathleen Tessaro and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook.

Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro

Morning, readers! I'm the first stop on the TLC blog tour for Kathleen Tessaro's latest, The Perfume Collector!

Readers, I've been looking forward to this book ever since I turned the last page of The Debutante back in 2010. After such a long wait, I am thrilled to say that Tessaro has delivered yet another fabulous must read!

Grace Monroe doesn't really feel cut out for a life as a society wife. In truth, she feels like she's disappointed her husband and is becoming desperate to find purpose. When she receives notification of an inheritance from Eva d'Orsey, Grace is uncertain what to do. But a sudden discovery about her husband leads her straight to France to find out more. Grace has been listed as the sole beneficiary in Eva's will, but Grace has no idea who Eva is. She's sure it's a mistake and decides it's necessary to learn as much as she can about her benefactor if she's to accept the inheritance. What she discovers will change everything. 

Tessaro's latest tells the story of two women in two different time periods - Eva d'Orsey in 1927 and Grace Monroe in 1955. d'Orsey's story unfolds as Grace learns more about her and tries to find out why she'd be named in her will. As with The Debutante there's a certain element of mystery and suspense as Grace tracks down people who can tell her about d'Orsey. And there's a certain amount of tragedy and innocence as well.

I find that there's an elegance to Tessaro's writing. The way she weaves a story, the language she uses, the characters she brings to life, all of this combines to create a luscious reading experience. I could see Grace and Eva as if they were standing in front of me. I could smell Andre Valmont's perfume creations. I could even taste Grace's first oyster in France.

Both The Debutante and The Perfume Collector are what Tessaro calls "found object" books, they both concern one character learning about another character through items left behind. It's a story device I particularly enjoy - I'm that person that always imagines finding an old attic filled with fascinating things!

The Perfume Collector is out on shelves today.

Rating: 5/5

To see more stops on the tour, visit the official TLC blog tour page here.

For more on Kathleen Tessaro and her work, check out her website here. You can also like her on Facebook.

Pre Pub Book Buzz: The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro

I'm bringing back Pre Pub Book Buzz -- or Books I'm Stoked About -- Saturdays! Why? Because there are always a ton of upcoming releases I can't wait to read and Saturdays are kind of a free day to do promote those.

When I read The Debutante by Kathleen Tessaro, I was kind of blown away by how great it was. The premise was intriguing and the history behind it even more so. It's been a while in coming, but Tessaro finally has a new book due out this year called The Perfume Collector.

Here's the synopsis from the publisher's page:

A remarkable novel about secrets, desire, memory, passion, and possibility.

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.

The Perfume Collector explores the complex and obsessive love between muse and artist, and the tremendous power of memory and scent.

The Perfume Collector is due out from Harper on May 14.

And the story behind the story is just as fascinating...

I may have asked before, but do you read the Author's Notes? The acknowledgments, dedications, introductions, forewords, afterwords? You should. You learn some fascinating things. Further readings, inspirations, or just seeing who is important to the person who created the work you've just enjoyed. It's a peek inside their lives. Just a peek, and it may not hold any meaning for anyone except those closest to them, but I love it either way.

And when you find out where a story came from, I think it's completely rewarding.

On a recent business trip (so odd to say that), I had the pleasure of reading Kathleen Tessaro's latest, The Debutante.

The Debutante is the story of a young woman trying to leave behind a relationship and move on with her live. She travels to London where her aunt gives her a job helping to catalog the contents of an old estate called Endsleigh House, the owner of which has just passed away, leaving no heirs. Cate is fascinated by the house and the story of the owner, particularly the part that involves Baby Blythe, a debutante (and sister of the recently deceased) who disappeared decades ago. In her search of the house, Cate comes across a shoebox containing a collection of items: a pair of shoes, a framed portrait of a soldier, and an expensive Tiffany bracelet. Cate suspects the items, cleverly hidden behind a collection of children's books, must have belonged to the long missing Baby Blythe, and she becomes obsessed with learning the story.

In reading Tessaro's note after the book, I was fascinated by the inspiration for the story. Two events in UK history that prompted the beginnings of The Debutante. What's more, there's even a story behind the shoebox itself. I won't tell you what it is, but the shoebox served as a catalyst in shaping The Debutante and the events that inspired the story really do prove that truth is stranger than fiction!