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The ultimate summer reading list for fragrance lovers…

The ultimate summer reading list for fragrance lovers…
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When it comes to choosing the perfect summer reading, there’s nothing quite like being swept away by books that tantalise the senses as well as the mind. Fragrance, after all, is the ultimate invitation to travel – whether it whisks you away on a physical journey or transports you via memory, longing and imagination.

 

Even if you’re staying close to home this summer, these six perfume-themed books from our scented bookshelves promise the most vivid of olfactory travels. Let your nose – and your mind – be your transport, with every page a passport to new adventures.

 

 

This summer reading line-up is curated just for you – our fellow fragrance-lovers – to evoke a sense of escapism, relaxation and sensory delight to be enjoyed on sunny afternoons or sultry evenings, home or away, whenever you want to explore your senses…

 

 

 

The Perfume Collector – Kathleen Tessaro

 

Tessaro’s ‘The Perfume Collector’ is the very definition of a summer reading sensation – a luxurious page-turner full of Parisian magic, secrets and the transformative power of scent. Grace Munroe, the story’s reserved protagonist, finds her buttoned-up London life turned inside out when she inherits a mysterious fortune from Eva d’Orsey, a woman she’s never met but whose life is intimately tied to the perfume world. Tessaro masterfully weaves together two timelines, with the smoky, decadent salons and perfumer’s ateliers of 1920s Paris blooming from the page, their scents almost tangible under the heat of a summer sun.

Apart from being a gripping read, this is a book about identity and reinvention, rich in historical detail, but above all about how the memory of scent can connect lives, loves and losses across time. As Grace chases enigmatic clues through Paris and Monte Carlo, each chapter is redolent of powdery iris, earthy patchouli and the quietly heady thrill of becoming someone else – the ultimate summer reading daydream. And really, isn’t that the feeling a wonderful fragrance can give us, too?

 

 

 

 

The Secret Ways of Perfume – Cristina Caboni

 

If your idea of summer reading is to be utterly transported, Caboni’s luminous novel is a journey from the lavender-draped hills of Florence to the hidden perfumeries of Paris. Elena Rossini, the heroine, possesses a rare nose for scent, her life haunted and enriched by aroma as she tries to piece together her own fractured story. A betrayal at home sends her on a quest to find an elusive family perfume recipe, uncovering secrets stitched into the very molecules of her past.

Caboni’s writing is drenched with Mediterranean warmth, thick with the scent of citrus zest, rose petals baking in the sun, and ancient libraries hiding secret vials. Every turn of the page is like discovering a new facet of a fragrance on skin; memories and possibilities, heartbreak and renewal, all awakened by the evocative power of perfume. Absorbing, romantic and gorgeously immersive, it’s the kind of summer reading that lingers long after you’ve turned the final page.

 

 

 

 

A Natural History of the Senses – Diane Ackerman

 

For those who crave a summer reading experience that’s as intellectually stimulating as it is sensory, ‘A Natural History of the Senses’ is a wonderful (and wonder-filled) book, though can be a little more challenging to find sometimes. Ackerman is a writing virtuoso, drawing you deeply into the scientific mysteries and poetic marvels of smell, taste, touch, sight and hearing.

With prose as lush as a blooming summer garden, she explores the primal link between scent and memory, the biology behind why a whiff of fig or jasmine can make one’s heart race, and stories of perfumers, botanists and dreamers who built entire worlds around fragrance. More than a book, it’s an experience: you’ll find yourself walking differently, breathing more consciously, and imbibing the everyday with newfound delight. Ideal for lazy days under a leafy canopy, this summer reading masterpiece transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary and reminds us how – through scent – life becomes vivid, unforgettable and utterly enchanting.

 

 

 

 

 

The Scent of You – Maggie Alderson

 

If your summer reading must include both escapism and a touch of real-life heart, look no further than Alderson’s enchanting ‘The Scent of You’. Polly, a perfume blogger with an emotional life as complex as her olfactory wardrobe, leans on her beloved bottles as her own world tilts off its axis. Family fissures, a missing husband and the demands of daily living weave together into a story as warm and inviting as a favourite cashmere sweater spritzed with a signature fragrance.

Alderson brilliantly captures the rituals and comfort of scent – the little moments that make us feel safe, loved and alive – while threading in secrets and suspense that keep the pages turning long after sunset. As a perfect summer reading treat, this novel is heartfelt, witty, and an ode to the messiness and wonder of everyday life, all underpinned by the reassuring, escapist joy of perfume. [P.S: Did you know that Maggie Alderson researched this novel by working with us one summer, and coming to launches to interview perfumers? AND, that she now sub-edits our magazine, The Scented Letter?!]

 

 

 

 

summer readingsummer reading

The Scent Trail: A Journey of the Senses – Celia Lyttelton

 

Summer reading often calls for armchair travel, and Lyttelton’s ‘The Scent Trail’ is a globe-spanning adventure for the nose and soul. Tracing the origins of some of the world’s most coveted fragrances, she leads readers from the opulent rose fields of Turkey to the bustling souks of Morocco, the sacred groves of India to the wild forests of Indonesia.

Lyttelton’s tale is both an engaging memoir and a love letter to the sensory world: every scent she discovers opens a new chapter in the complex histories of culture, botanics and the people who preserve these traditions. With every encounter, whether humorous, revelatory or poignant, we’re reminded just how entwined our identities are with the scents that surround us. You’ll be planning your own expedition – or at the very least, sniffing your summer reading pile with new reverence.

 

 

 

 

The Book of Lost Fragrances – M.J. Rose

 

This intoxicating novel is pure summer reading escapism at its finest. M.J. Rose’s thriller follows Jac L’Etoile, a perfume heiress haunted by tragedy, on a suspenseful chase across Paris to unravel secrets hidden within her family’s legendary perfumery. When her brother goes missing after unearthing clues about a scent said to reveal past lives, Jac finds herself drawn deep into a world where history, mystery and fragrance entwine.

From the shimmering streets of modern-day Paris to the dusty shadows of ancient Egypt, Rose paints each setting with such vivid detail you can almost smell the perfume clinging to every page. A clever blend of romance, myth, and fast-paced adventure, ‘The Book of Lost Fragrances’ is for summer reading lovers who crave both heart and intrigue – and who suspect there are stories locked inside every bottle, waiting to be discovered.

 

 

 

 

This summer, let your reading be guided not just by genre or plot, but by the scents lingering around the stories you choose. Whether curled up in a sunny corner at home or journeying afar, these summer reading gems are an invitation to indulge your senses, explore new worlds, and let fragrance guide your imagination.

Want even more scented summer reading suggestions? You can virtually flick through our fragrant bookshelves and then pack your holiday bags with perfume books!

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale



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