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.