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    The Book of Lost Fragrances: A Novel of Suspense
    The Book of Lost Fragrances: A Novel of Suspense
    The Book of Lost Fragrances: A Novel of Suspense
    Audiobook11 hours

    The Book of Lost Fragrances: A Novel of Suspense

    Written by M J Rose

    Narrated by Phil Gigante

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    A spellbinding novel from the internationally bestselling author!

    A Secret Worth Dying For...

    Jac L'Etoile has always been haunted by visions of the past, her earliest memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up with as the heir to a storied French perfume company. These worsened after her mother's suicide until she finally found a doctor who helped her, teaching her to explore the mythological symbolism in her visions and thus lessen their painful impact. This ability led Jac to a wildly successful career as a mythologist, television personality, and author.

    When her brother, Robbie—who's taken over the House of L'Etoile from their father—contacts Jac about a remarkable discovery in the family archives, she's skeptical. But when Robbie goes missing before he can share the secret—leaving a dead body in his wake—Jac is plunged into a world she thought she'd left behind.

    Traveling back to Paris to investigate Robbie's disappearance, Jac discovers that the secret is a mysterious scent developed in Cleopatra's time. Could the rumors swirling be true? Can this ancient perfume hold the power to unlock the ability to remember past lives and conclusively prove reincarnation? If this possession has the power to change the world, then it's not only worth living for...it's worth killing for, too.

    The Book of Lost Fragrances fuses history, passion, and suspense in an intoxicating web that moves from Cleopatra's Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet's battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris. This marvelous, spellbinding novel mixes the sensory allure of Perfume with the heartbreaking beauty of The Time Traveler's Wife, coming to life as richly as our most wildly imagined dreams.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateMar 13, 2012
    ISBN9781455869374
    Author

    M J Rose

    New York Times bestselling author M.J. Rose grew up in New York City exploring the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum and the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park. She is the author of more than a dozen novels, the founder of the first marketing company for authors, AuthorBuzz.com and cofounder of 1001DarkNights.com She lives in Connecticut. Visit her online at MJRose.com. 

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    Reviews for The Book of Lost Fragrances

    4/5

    42 ratings32 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I had previously read this author's "The Reincarnationist". It was over two years ago. I remember being somewhat disappointed in it, but couldn't tell you an exact reason.

      In this, her most recent novel, M.J. Rose again visits the subtle and fascinating world of past life echoes, over-layered with tense political drama. Well-crafted, with no jarring character notes, the plot flows and builds at a steady pace. Although one can guess what the final crisis will be, the outcome is not a given, and there are a few loose ends that are nicely wrapped up.

      This book also uses a subject near and dear to my heart, fragrance. Called here simply the art of perfume, we know it today as aromatherapy. Ms. Rose has done her homework well, and gives some historical accounts, including references to Cleopatra.

      By the way, the book's coverage of the subject of reincarnation is not preachy at all. There are several passages referring to various cultures, religions, and individuals who either espoused the concept, or were open to the possibility of its verity. But several characters, including the main one, retain a pretty healthy skepticism.

      I greatly enjoyed this novel, and I'm very glad I came across it.
    • 4/5
      What the publisher wants you to know:A sweeping and suspenseful tale of secrets, intrigue, and lovers separated by time, all connected through the mystical qualities of a perfume created in the days of Cleopatra—and lost for 2,000 years.Jac L’Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as the heir to a storied French perfume company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances—and of her mother’s suicide—she moves to America, leaving the company in the hands of her brother Robbie. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing—leaving a dead body in his wake—Jac is plunged into a world she thought she’d left behind.Back in Paris to investigate her brother’s disappearance, Jac discovers a secret the House of L’Etoile has been hiding since 1799: a scent that unlocks the mysteries of reincarnation. The Book of Lost Fragrances fuses history, passion, and suspense, moving from Cleopatra’s Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet’s battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris. Jac’s quest for the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past.My thoughts about The Book of Lost Fragrances: I've read that the author burned highly perfumed candles while crafting this hypnotic story and I can see why. Layer upon layer of stories and characters, drifting back and forth over two thousand years of fragrances make this a winner. I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book as I've always been someone who associates fragrances, scents and smells with people and memories in my own life. Whenever I smell juniper trees it reminds me of a treasured great aunt, whose old house on a hill was surrounded by them, and in the air, after a rain, the scents of the junipers that filled the air were like perfume to me. Fresh baked bread always takes me back to my grandmother's kitchen as us kids waited for the bread to cool so she could slice into it and then thickly smear on the lusciously fragrant home made strawberry jam. I'll never pass a fragrance counter without stopping at the Joy bottle and spritzing a bit on my wrist so the wafts bring my Mom back to me. These are the sorts of things that permeate M. J. Rose's The Book of Lost Fragrances. It wasn't until I had finished the book and sat down to write this review that I learned that this is part of M.J. Rose's Reincarnationist series, don't let that scare you away from this book, it's fabulous on its own. I liked that Rose told the story from multiple perspectives as it helped the story flow a bit easier. Sometimes the many plots and stories could get a bit confusing, but I was so entranced with the book that I just kept reading. I don't believe in reincarnation, but I accepted it as a plot device that made the ancient Egyptian plot lines easy to buy into, even though I easily saw some twists and turns coming.All in all, I would have liked a bit more character development as I really like to know the characters, but I suppose the author gave us what she felt the readers needed. It's sure a mystical read! I give this one 4 stars out of 5. **This was provided to me by the publishers through NetGalley and that in no way affected my ability to write an honest review.
    • 4/5
      This book is a mix of ancient history, paranormal, religion, mystery with a little romance tossed in on the side! It doesn't sound like a combination that would work, but it really does. The only thing missing was the actual smell of the fragrances being described in the story (remember scratch and sniff??). I really liked the character of Jac. She had an interesting history and a few scars from her troubled past remained, but she strong enough to move on with her life. I would have liked to know more about her brother, Robby. The author, M.J. Rose, tossed out some enticing bits of information about him that made me want to know him better! (Maybe in another book...) The pace of the book was good, but at times, I found myself re-reading the first few paragraphs of each new chapter. The story flip flops between ancient Egypt, Napoleonic France and present day. It was like reading several different stories that all converge in the last few chapters. Some of the plot was predictable, but there are a few surprises along the way.So why didn't it get 5 out of 5 stars? Well....my 5 out of 5 stars are for books that haunt me for days after reading them. The Lost Book of Fragrances just didn't do that for me. It's a quality that is hard to pin point, but you know it when you see (or read) it! This is still a book I will recommend to my friends. It would be a great book to take on a trip. I look forward to reading more books by this author!Many thanks to netgallery for allowing me to read and review this book.
    • 4/5
      The House of L'Etoile has a long history. The perfume business has been in the family for centuries and has a strong reputation. Facing financial problems, the heirs to the House of L'Etoile must decide how to keep the business running. Jac, the sister with a haunted past, wants nothing to do with the perfume business as it brings up painful memories of a mother lost. Robbie, her brother, is convinced that finding the Book of Lost Fragrances will save the business. The book, a long rumored family secret, contains a recipe for a perfume that unlocks your past lives and was created for the illustrious Cleopatra. Found by Giles L'Etoile during Napoleon's invasion of Egypt and transported to France, the book is mysterious. After finding pottery shards that smell of this fragrance, Robbie disappears and leaves a dead body in the House of L'Etoile. Jac frantically races to Paris to save her brother. Adventure, Love and History all await the reader as they travel back in forth between times.Starting at Cleopatra's Egypt, and traveling to France in Napoleon's time and present day Paris, this book spans many centuries. This novel encompasses all three times with surprising ease and authenticity. Each time period is a critical link to the Book of Lost Fragrances. Even the minor characters, such as Marie Genevieve and Thoth seems to come alive. The main characters are multifaceted and very realistic. Jac was genuine, even putting her fears aside to find her beloved brother. The plot line was twisted and mysterious, but made perfect sense. The themes of reincarnation are a strong current in this book, though they aren't overwhelming. The ending is wonderful and leaves the reader satisfied, but still wanting more.
    • 5/5
      The Book of Lost Fragrances is another superb novel by M.J.Rose. This time she takes the readers into the world of perfumes and reincarnation. In the story there was Cleopatra's personal perfumer who created all of her scents, he is currently working on a scent that with the aroma will bring on past life memories. He is having an affair with a married woman which is taboo and they know if they are found out they will be killed. They both end up taking poison and left instructions to be embalmed and buried together. In Napoleon's time, while searching this tomb where the two lovers were entombed, a book and shards of a pot that had carried the secret perfume of reincarnation is found and taken out of Egypt secretly and is supposedly in the possession of the L'Etoile family.Fast forward to current time, there is a conflict waging by China and the Buddhist Monks over how a Dalai Lama is chosen and monks are setting themselves on fire in protest. The Dalai Lama is thought of as the latest reincarnation of a series of spiritual leaders who have chosen to be reborn in order to enlighten others and China wants to control how this is done. A side story that is weaved in is about a young man who is visiting Paris from China, but you dont's really find out what his purpose is in the story untill the end, so I will not say here.Jac L'Etoile, one of the main characters in the story has had many issues to deal with and moved from France to the US in order to deal with this. As a young girl her mother committed suicide and Jac found her. As a result she has had to have therapy in order for her to accept what happened to her mother. The L'Toile family have been perfumers for a long time and Jac's father is now unable to continue creating perfumes due to dementia. Jac has the ability to be able to smell a scent and tell what the ingredients are. Jac's brother Robbie has taken over for their father but disappears and Jac is obligated to go back to France to find him. She also sees her lover from time past and needs to deal with her feelings about him and try to figure out the mystery of her brother's disappearance. Robbie is in possession of the ancient chards of the perfume container from ancient Egypt and evildoers are after the chards for their own purposes and Robbies goal is to see that they are given to the Dalai Lama. So the race is on, first to find Robbie,then to find the The Book of Lost Fragrances that Robbie believes exists but Jac does not. From Egypt,to France and the catacombs of Paris the story swoops you along for the ride.What ensues is a story that is exciting and mysterious. This is a story that shows the love of perfume by the author. When the different scents were described in the book, I could almost smell the vanilla, musk, frankincense and myrrh. Combining the history of the Dalai Lama, perfumes, and past lives ensures that the story is a pleasure to read. I loved it!!! But I am biased as I love anything that M.J.Rose writes and look forward to reading more of her stories.
    • 3/5
      This is the second Reincartionist book I have read. I love the idea of memory tools and the slipping back and forth between lives. The descriptions of the freagrances were terrific, I wish that I was able to add them to my perfume wardrobe.
    • 3/5
      I’m a bit scent-obsessed, even making my own perfumes and soap years ago, so this book really caught my eye on NetGalley. The blurb describes THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES as a “sweeping and suspenseful tale,” and that is a completely accurate description. It was an intricate story involving reincarnation, soul mates, the history of perfume making, China’s policy on Tibet, Buddhism, the Chinese mafia, Ancient Egypt and the power scent has over a person’s mind. Complex, right? The author did a masterful job weaving all of those element together in this fascinating book.

      My favorite parts of the story were the flashbacks to the past lives of the main characters, especially their time in Ancient Egypt, and also the rich descriptions of the scents and smells the characters experienced. I think my only problem with the book was the ending. In my opinion, the plot had been building up to one particular conclusion, and then – ? I was really hoping for a solid resolution to the reincarnation story line. I don’t know if the author is leaving an opening for a sequel, but I feel like this story is incomplete as is. Overall, though, I enjoyed THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES, especially the wonderful details of fragrance making. I’d recommend this book to scent-fanatics like me, and to history and archaeology buffs too.
    • 4/5
      Once again, I am fascinated and impressed with Rose's knowledge of reincarnation. By now, everyone knows about my interest and belief in the subject and I truly never tire of reading about it, whether it be in a fictional context or in non-fiction (although some may argue that it's all fictional). What I like about Rose's portrayal of the subject is her incorporation of it with history, as well as the current events of the day.

      In this book, the fourth installment in The Reincarnationist series, we are treated to ancient Egypt, another subject of endless fascination for me, and the culture's use of fragrance as a link to past lives, particularly during the Ptolemaic period. From there, we are whisked forward to present day China and the endless struggle between Tibet and the Chinese government to control the reincarnation of the next Dalai Lama. As usual, there is mystery and intrigue, which adds a suspenseful element to the story. For me though, the historical aspects of the story are sufficient to keep my interest. Add in a bit of alchemy, and you have a well-rounded and interesting story of history, science, and mysticism.

      The beauty of this series is that you really can read the books without having read the earlier books. I still have not read the first and second books in the series (although they are on my shelf), but I had no problem reading the third, The Hypnotist, and the fourth (this one) books as stand alone novels. Rose is a talented author, with a gift for writing about a subject of which she is clearly passionate. I sincerely look forward to any and all future offerings from her, whether it be more books in this series, or a new set of books down the road.
    • 4/5
      This was a very interesting book. Not a time travel novel but rather a novel taking place in three different time periods at once with the same characters playing their roles over again in their reincarnated selves. It is written in a fascinating and masterful way and I really wanted more - more meetings in time of the protagonists. At its heart the book is about discovering the secret to reincarnation and learning about past lives so one can learn from the mistakes of the past to move forward mixed with a bit of Chinese/Tibetan politics. Trust me, it works.Jac is the daughter of the famous House of L'Etoile, a perfume house that has fallen just about to ruin after years and years of vibrant life. Although she has a very sensitive nose she has not entered into the family business leaving that to her brother. He is far more romantic and more convinced of the family lore of a book of Lost Fragrances that will make them rich. When a tragedy brings her to Paris, Jac starts having flashbacks to revolutionary Paris and even further back in time to the era of Cleopatra. She thinks she is going crazy - she does not realize she is seeing her past.It could take me the length of the book itself to explain it so I will stop here hoping I have whetted your appetite for this most enjoyable tale. It's part romance, part thriller, part suspense, part political lesson all tied together with a most interesting tour of the catacombs of Paris. The writing keeps you well involved and turning the pages until you reach the end where you realize you are sorry you are there. The characters are quirky and appropriately good or nastily bad with some quite on the fence between the two. It really was a good all around fun read.
    • 4/5
      The Book of Lost Fragrances by MJ Rose circles around history, reincarnation, and naturally enough, perfumes. The book opens with Napoleon in Egypt and a mysterious clay bottle of scent. Fast forward a couple hundred years to modern-day America, China, and Paris. Jac, descendent of the famous L’Etoile who discovered the original perfume with Napoleon, is drawn into the mystery by her brother Robbie. Soon there are powerful American organizations, Chinese Triads, and Tibetan freedom fighters all after the shards that are all that’s left of the clay bottle of scent.There’re piles of intrigue throughout the book, with tasty dashes of history. The opening draws you in, and the plot points and historical flash backs keep the action moving nicely. Those were perhaps my favourite parts, along with the interesting bits of trivia (earlier perfumers all began as glove makers, wanting to improve their products with scent; and the catacombs under modern-day Paris). I liked all the different characters, and how each had a story thread in their own right that ended up being all woven together by the end.Rose uses beautiful language and description; you can practically smell the perfumes, and feel you’re standing there right alongside Jac. The author described the scents and art of perfuming very well: enough to keep the interest level high, but not too much detail to bog the story down.There are elements of fantasy and the paranormal (ghosts, memories of past lives), but it never comes across as a fantasy novel. Reincarnation plays a huge role, but for the most part it’s treated well and the intrigue keeps the book moving along nicely. There were some points it got a bit overpowering, with talk of the “mythical language of the soul” and schizophrenia in some cases instead being attributed to the sufferers experiencing past life memories. Barbara Erskine fans would like this book, with the strong focus on past lives and how they can impact the present.The ending was a mixed bag for me. I liked how the story threads tied up, but I found the last few pages a bit weird and not at all satisfying. Overall, however, the Book of Fragrances is an enjoyable read with enough intrigue and mystery to keep the pages turning.
    • 3/5
      Book of Lost Fragrancesby M.J. RoseI wanted to like this book, I really did. I picked it up and attempted to read it so many times. Unfortunately, the book just did not hold my interest.The idea behind this story is both captivating and imaginative. This book does give the reader a wealth of information about fragrance creation. There is also an underlying reincarnation theme.I found this book to be very slow. It was very confusing, as the author jumped around too much. The only character I truly enjoyed was Xie, he had a very calming influence on the others. I found this refreshing.Unfortunately, I did not finish this book. Perhaps I will try again. I did not realize it was part of a series. Maybe if I read the series from the beginning, I will be able to enjoy this more.
    • 3/5
      The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose is a novel that spans centuries as well as continents. With the heavy them of reincarnation, The Book of Lost Fragrances involves a handful of diverse characters all with a mysterious common goal. They're all after the same thing but you don't know exactly what. This book takes on a slow but steady pace building the mystery that is not only historical but also spiritual. The story centers around Jac L'Etoile and her brother Robbie. They come from a long line a perfume makers. Jac and Robbie are going through tough times. They've both had difficult lives, especially Jac. They know the power that certain scents have over us. They know how it can trigger a powerful memory. Their family has kept many secrets over the years and now the secrets are coming back to the surface. The story is told from several points of view. This aspect keeps you guessing but also broadens the scope of the mystery at hand. At first the different characters can be a little confusing. As the story moves along the author slowly reveals not only how the characters are connected but are also the serendipitous nature of the story. Overall this book is an interesting read. The historical elements as well as the mythological elements are very enjoyable. M.J. Rose teases the olfactory senses with her descriptive words and reminds us how powerful a memory can be.
    • 4/5
      Sometimes a book comes along and meets you where you are and so resonates on different planes. Few books engage me to the point of staying up all night to read them and this was one of those books. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. From the inclusion of the history of perfuming, the eloquent and engaging descriptions of the trade and its nuances to the elaborate and intricately woven story lines which travel throughout time, this was a delicious read that evoked my highly refined sense of smell. The pace of suspense in this mystery novel was just right.
    • 3/5
      This book kept me completely engrossed and on the edge of my seat and sanity. I loved the historical references, the character development, the psychologicl exploration and the various plots and sub-plots woven together.
    • 4/5
      Jac L?Etoile and her brother Robbie are the products of a revered perfume dynasty involving mysterious fragrances and the history behind them. However, their father is in a home with dementia and has left the company close to ruins. Will they have to sell off their most notable fragrances or has Robbie found a valuable Egyptian artifact filled with a unique fragrance that could make them millions?Can Jac, who is not in the perfume business anymore, come back and help her brother who has become a suspect in a murder investigation and can she bear to team up with her former lover and close friend of her brother who betrayed her so many years ago?This is a maze of a book. Fourth in The Reincarnationist series, this is a tale of intrigue and how the hunt for a fragrance instills danger, passion and memories of past lives that can either enrich or destroy those who dare to take it.Thank you to Ms. Rose, Simon and Schuster, Inc. and NetGalley for giving me this opportunity to review this book.
    • 4/5
      What do modern Tibet, Cleopatra’s Egypt, revolutionary France, contemporary Paris, reincarnation, the Chinese mafia, the Dalai Lama, the catacombs, perfume production, and Greek mythology have to do with each other? Read The Book of Lost Fragrances and you will find out. Danger, deeply held beliefs, philosophical contemplations, broken hearts and unbreakable hearts, murder and theft: this book has a lot to offer.All these strands take a while to lay out, and despite some excellent atmospherics, the opening chapters went a little slowly for me—background on myth and past life memories and other topics that I could have done with a bit more efficient introduction to, although they are all interesting topics. Then M. J. Rose introduced danger, and the thrill in the thriller kicked in. You do not want these bad guys coming after you—I won’t tell you who they are, that would be spoiling some of the fun.On the whiff of a scent this book floats back and forth in time and memory. It combines the fun of a thriller with the allure of romantic historic settings. Despite the number of plot threads, Rose still has time to build complicated, conflicted characters. Jac, the beautiful, cynical woman at the center of the novel, comes from a long line of parfumiers from the House of L’Etoile. As a troubled teenager she rejected her father and his mystical beliefs about scents. She is determined to escape the violent visions she calls hallucinations that have haunted her life, and she devotes her career to uncovering the historical realities behind Greek mythology. But a dead man, an old flame still burning in her heart no matter what she wants and her brother’s dreams drag her back into this perfumed world. Love and loyalty are central themes in this book, and Rose gives them a sophisticated treatment, not an easy thing to do with such old stand-bys. The Book of Lost Fragrances offers a satisfying mix of food for the brain and pure entertainment.
    • 3/5
      The Book of Lost Fragrances is a book with a little something for everyone. There's mystery, intrigue, suspense, history, reincarnation, and romance! Who knew you could fit all that into one story. M.J. Rose did, and she meshed all of that together and more for this interesting tale.The best parts of this book for me were where I learned new things. I never knew Cleopatra had her own perfumery and personal perfumer. There is a lot of information revealed about the perfume business as Jac does her investigating. Also, though I knew about the tunnels under Paris, Ms. Rose's descriptions brought them to... ummm life (I'm sorry, I had to!), as she talked about the dead. For me, things got a bit muddled as the story jumped from character to character. Some of the jumps being the same character, but past lives, made it difficult to keep up with at times. Because of this, I think, the book dragged in places.Still, I have to say the whole book may have been worth reading just for the climactic scene at the end where all the characters came together. I may not have been sure where Ms. Rose was going a lot of the time, but when we got there, I was so glad I came along for the ride!
    • 3/5
      A French perfumer is commissioned in the 1800s to recreate a scent formula from Cleopatra’s fragrance factory. It is believed that those who smell the euphoric scent find a portal to past lives.The Book of Lost Fragrances—part thriller, part ancient history, and part romance—surprises on many levels.Martyred Tibetan monks attempting to prove reincarnation. Napoleon. Cleopatra’s secret soul-mate fragrance formula. A modern day near-bankrupt perfume company. The famous 18th century French L’Etoile House of Fragrance. Children cooking up scents to be used as a secret language for the nose. A jazz musician and martial arts instructor tied to the Chinese mafia. A past-life therapist.All are linked by a secret fragrance.Jac L’Etoile, haunted by the past and her psychotic episodes, tries to cope when her brother, Robbie, disappears. Preferring to live in reality, Jac reluctantly delves into the hazy history of her family’s two hundred and fifty year old perfume business to find her brother and save their legacy.Well-known for her erotic thrillers, best selling author, M. J. Rose, produces a new historical fiction suspense novel. Fascinated with reincarnation, as evidenced by her three-book Reincarnationist series, Ms. Rose imbues her new novel with a unique plot line.This is bold writing with an intriguing, original plot. Ms. Rose is a master of intrigue. Suspense and sensuality build through the novel as the characters embark on separate treasure hunts for the mysterious fragrance. While the plot concept is compelling, the execution is less impressive. The novel is overpopulated, dampening its intensity. The story line digresses into so many changing points of view and scenes that the reading is frustrating. The many elements are fascinating and informative, but don’t relate well to each other. Finally, congruence is found but seems forced. If the reader is patient, the last third of the novel satisfies as an electrifying thriller. The book’s most interesting elements are the art of fragrance making, the reoccurring link to reincarnation, and unexpected rekindled romance.Atria Books through Netgalley graciously provided the review copy.
    • 3/5
      It was ok. A little Dan Brownish.
    • 4/5
      The Book of Lost Fragrances was a nice change of pace for me. Jac L’etoile is a woman haunted by her past and also by the auditory and visual hallucinations she’s had as a child. Smell is a huge component of that, having been raised in a family of perfumers, and she has a natural ability for fragrance. However, she’s chosen a different path, as the creator and producer of Mythfinders, which originally sought to debunk myths, but has evolved into finding the true stories that started the myths in the first place. When Jac’s brother, Robbie, tells Jac about a discovery that could possibly lead to a scent that could take someone into their past lives, Jac is drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. And when Robbie goes missing, it becomes clear that more than one person is interested in past lives, and they’ll do anything to get their hands on the secret. If you’re looking for a read that will transport you to another time and place, this is the one. Jac is a wounded, yet relatable character, and her devotion to finding her brother is her driving force. There is some romance in the form of an ex love of Jac’s that offers his help, and the author keeps you on your toes since you never quite know who you can trust. Fascinating storylines about Cleopatra, living Buddhas, Chinese history (and Triads), not to mention locations ranging from Egypt, to New York, and Paris will keep you turning the pages. I especially enjoyed a trip into the catacombs that sprawl under Paris, and contain the bones of millions of the dead. If you love a good, rich mystery, combined with historical details and lyrical prose, you’ll really enjoy The Book of Lost Fragrances.
    • 2/5
      While I was reading this book, certain themes rang familiarly. Perfume, Paris, immortality, Tibetan holy men, an institute dedicated to finding the key to eternal life, a search to find a particular perfume formulation.......hmmmmm.

      I was thinking, "Well, this book is sort of boring, what would spice it up? How about a strong, independent female character; how about if we make her a Hindu woman on the run after refusing the suttee ritual.......now let's add a new male lead, a nice barbarian leader who is seeking immortality and has learned a thing or two already. Now, let's add.......the god Pan......only he will be invisible because no one worships him anymore, but he still smells pretty rank and needs some powerful fragrance to cover his foul miasma......"

      Anyone who reads The Book of Lost Fragrances should treat themselves to Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins afterwards. It will be like a sweet, delicious, delightful dessert after sitting through a long, overcooked very bland meal.
    • 3/5
       Robert and Jacinthe L'Etoile inherit the family's distinguished perfume house but because of financial difficulties they are at odds of how to proceed. Jac wants to sell the two most valuable scents to pay off their debts, but Robbie wants to try to find the scent that was originally made in the time of Cleopatra. He believes that this scent would allow people to connect with their past lives and find lost love ones.While trying to find the missing formula, Jac and Robbie connect with stories of ancestors that worked for Napoleon in the 19th century and Tibetan monks in the current day trying to locate the 12 memory tools that are related to reincarnation. The premise of the story was very intriguing, however, since this is the 4th in the series and I have not read any of the previous books, I felt a bit lost during the reading. There were points where the story dragged, and others where the change in one locale/character to another was slightly confusing. The flow of the book didn't grab me and take on the journey. Maybe if I'd read the first three, but not this one alone.
    • 4/5
      Jac L’Etoile and her brother Robbie are the products of a revered perfume dynasty involving mysterious fragrances and the history behind them. However, their father is in a home with dementia and has left the company close to ruins. Will they have to sell off their most notable fragrances or has Robbie found a valuable Egyptian artifact filled with a unique fragrance that could make them millions?Can Jac, who is not in the perfume business anymore, come back and help her brother who has become a suspect in a murder investigation and can she bear to team up with her former lover and close friend of her brother who betrayed her so many years ago?This is a maze of a book. Fourth in The Reincarnationist series, this is a tale of intrigue and how the hunt for a fragrance instills danger, passion and memories of past lives that can either enrich or destroy those who dare to take it.Thank you to Ms. Rose, Simon and Schuster, Inc. and NetGalley for giving me this opportunity to review this book.
    • 4/5
      A fun read set in the world of perfume and memory. Jac L'Etoile comes from a family with a long history of creating fragrances and when her brother suddenly disappears from his Paris workshop, Jac discovers her brother's work on shards of Ancient Egyptian pottery which may contain a scent with the ability to resurrect memories of past lives. The pottery is desired by many, including a therapist determined to prove reincarnation, Tibetan Buddhist with religious beliefs about past lives, and the Communist Chinese government. A fun read with the ability to envelope the reader in its sensory world.
    • 3/5
      I read this courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley. This had a promising plot, but it didn't really hold my attention. I think it's because it was too choppy, switching back and forth between multiple characters' points of view, with complicated back stories for each. It's well written and suspenseful in parts, evocative and lush with the scents and descriptions of the family mansion and grounds, but it kept losing me. I wasn't that emotionally engaged with the characters either.

      Jac E'Toile is a young woman who, along with her brother Robbie, is the heir to an generations-old French perfume company, and heir also to a family legend of a lost perfume of Queen Cleopatra's, said to induce memories of one's past lives. Jac has left the business behind and moved to America, even though she has the better nose for making perfumes, because she associates it with a mentally ill mother and terrible childhood hallucinations that seem to be fragments of past lives - but she feels they were a mental illness. When her brother finds shards of Egyptian pottery with ancient writing in their family archives, he believes he has found the key to Cleopatra's recipe. When he disappears, Jac is called back to Paris and embarks on a quest to find him. Her ex-lover Griffin (now married), who in years past broke her heart, assists her now. She begins to experience her hallucinations again, and we see glimpses of history through her past lives.

      Here's where it gets too complicated for my enjoyment: the other storylines feature several characters. Jac's ex-psychologist Malachi, who saved her mental health as a teenager and who believes in reincarnation and the memory of past lives, is also involved in the quest, though really he is a scholar on the search for Cleopatra's perfume as it would confirm his scholarly and personal beliefs. Unfortunately, the Chinese government in its political machinations about Tibet has suppressed beliefs about reincarnation, and the Chinese mafia is also on the hunt for the shards on its behalf. A couple of the Chinese mafia characters have stories here; a young Chinese calligraphy student who is a reincarnated lama but who was kidnapped away from the Tibetan monks as a child also has a story; and another couple of characters are also on the hunt for the shards, but frankly I can't remember why. There's much danger and suspenseful clambering about.

      If you have excellent focus and a love of passionate stories about lost one true loves, souls tied through the centuries, reincarnation, Tibet, and perfume, you might enjoy this. It wasn't really my cup of tea. too bad, as the author has several others that seem to tie into this general theme.
    • 2/5
      I really, really wanted to love this book. I love the ideas and the themes (the cover is beautiful). I worked with essential oils some years back, and still have a cabinet of lovely fragrances. I have studied ancient Egypt to mine their magical secrets, I admire the Dalai Lama, am a practitioner of meditation, and I have been a "knower" of reincarnation since I was a child. All of that should have made me the perfect reader for this novel. But I just wanted to slap Jac every page and make her show some gumption, she was so whiny and full of self pity! Perhaps if she had been left out of the story and the book was about Robbie it would have worked better for me.
    • 2/5
      A few months ago, I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Seduction by M.J. Rose to read and review, and I found I really enjoyed it. The novel was actually the fifth installment in a series called The Reincarnationist, and even though each book can be read as a one-shot, I'd learned that the protagonist Jac L'Etoile actually first appeared in the previous book. Long story short, I was intrigued enough by her character after reading Seduction that I was motivated to pick up its predecessor, and that's how I came to read The Book of Lost Fragrances. I went backwards in the reading order, so here we're given a formal introduction of Jac L'Etoile and her brother Robbie, heirs to a preeminent French perfume company. Haunted by memories of her mother's suicide, however, Jac moves to America to become a TV host of a show about mythology, leaving her sibling to take care of the family business. Like all the other books in the series, this one explores themes around the idea of reincarnation and other paranormal occurrences. While going through the old archives, Robbie stumbles across a collection of ancient pottery shards and a family secret about a scent rumored to enable a person to remember past lives. Robbie has big plans for the discovery, but there are others who would do anything to stop them from happening. When Robbie goes missing, leaving the dead body of a stranger at the scene of the crime, Jac and her former lover Griffin North are drawn into the search, becoming embroiled in politics, suspense, passion, and a mystery that goes back thousands of years.The first thing I gleaned about this book is that it suffers from a problem I also noticed in its sequel, except to a greater degree -- the fact that there's so much going on! We have multiple plot threads and multiple character points-of-view, and when some of these character perspectives are also past reincarnations, it just makes this book feel even more complicated and jumbled. In addition to Jac, Robbie and Griffin, we also have the story lines about the Panchen Lama, the members of the Chinese mafia, the Parisian police, flashback sequences involving a L'Etoile ancestor and his lover, flashback sequences about an affair in ancient Egypt involving Cleopatra's perfume maker, sections about Jac's past and her psychological disorder, sections focusing on Jac's doctor Malachai...I think I've caught most of them, but it's possible I still missed some. Despite being called "A Novel of Suspense", I didn't find this to be very suspenseful at all, and I have a feeling this is because all the plot threads going on might have "watered" it down a little. I once saw an interview with M.J. Rose in which she said that booksellers often have trouble categorizing her books, and I can see why this would be the case since this series appears to cross multiple genres, including suspense, fantasy, romance, historical fiction, mystery and paranormal. I loved Seduction because it managed to incorporate all these genre elements and still made it work, but I didn't think it did so much in The Book of Lost Fragrances. In some ways, the writing and characters feel completely different when I compare the two books, almost like they were written by two separate people. TBoLF felt awkward whereas Seduction was incredible; it's like the latter was a more refined and improved presentation of all the ideas put forth in the former. Perhaps it was because of all the subjects crammed into this novel, ranging from ancient Egypt to Chinese politics to Tibetan Buddhism, and how some of the character perspectives jump all over the place in history. The author tried to weave it all together, but it didn't end up very well. The last few chapters of the book started to fizzle out after what I suppose was the climax, because it still had to wrap up all the other story lines. Also, Robbie and Griffin had little to no presence in Seduction, which might be another reason why I liked that book so much more. I found both their characters extremely unlikeable in TBoLF; Robbie was more like a stubborn child than a grown man in many ways, and Griffin made for a very frustrating and unsympathetic romantic interest. I have to say though, M.J. Rose can write one hell of a love scene. That one torrid and intense chapter notwithstanding, I still couldn't really get into the Jac/Griffin relationship at all, and that was even with the "eternal love" and "soulmates" angle the book was emphasizing.Anyway, my opinion would be to save this one, and pick up Seduction instead if you can. And one final note: I half read this and half listened to the audiobook. If I could do it again, I wouldn't have opted for the Whispersync bundle. Phil Gigante is a narrator I've listened to and enjoyed for many books in the past, but I admit was a little surprised he was chosen for this one, since it doesn't seem like a book suited for his voice. He also mispronounces a lot of French words, which was a pretty big distraction.
    • 5/5
      Excellent story with a fresh approach to the mysterious. I really enjoyed the sub story of Tibet intertwining that of the lost fragrances in France.
    • 5/5
      I picked this book up and put it down several times. Fragrances? Ancient Egypt? Yes, please. But… international intrigue? Thriller? Not my thing. But… fragrance as proof of reincarnation? Paris catacombs? Oh, what the heck. I’d give it a try. I’m so glad I did, because from the first lines of the book I was hooked.Jac and Robbie L’Etoile have a mess to deal with- their father, in the grip of dementia, has sunk the family perfume business deep into debt. The only way out seems to be to sell the rights and formulas to a couple of the company’s best sellers- but Robbie won’t do it. His attention is consumed by some ancient Egyptian pottery fragments he’s found in the building that holds the family house, perfume lab, and retail store. Imbued with a fragrance over two thousand years old, he feels the scent is the key to remembering past lives. As a Buddhist, this is a very big thing to Robbie: proof of reincarnation. But he’s not the only one who thinks the scent is important; a past life therapist and the Chinese government also want it. What ensues is a mesh of storylines: Robbie disappears, Jac wants to find him, and several people want the shards and their scent. Some of the storylines are compelling (the search for a missing brother, the ancient fragrance itself, the lamas), some merely interesting (the Chinese Triad members); the characters were all interesting (none are deep, but they are all distinct- and some are not what you think they are at all), and the settings are marvelous. Rose’s strength seems to be in creating an atmosphere that the reader can fall into with all senses. The physical beauty of the house and perfume workshop; the dank, damp mystery of the Paris catacombs; the austerity of the Chinese calligraphy artist’s life; the heat of the Egyptian desert of Cleopatra’s time are all brought vividly to life. It’s a marvelous mix of the psychological, supernatural and political; a blend you wouldn’t think would work but does, seamlessly.
    • 3/5
      I received this book from Netgalley to review upon request. It was later that I learned it was a part of a series, but as it happened, the installments aren't dependent on each other.

      I noticed several types of grammatical errors: 1. there were times when words that sound alike were substituted for each other (to for too); 2. In the beginning, entire paragraphs were repeated several times; 3. There were sentence constructions that could've been tweaked to sound better.

      The story started out real slow, and nothing really happened till we hit the 50-60%. There were many points of view, but they were all fairly easy to follow. There was going back in time, there was romance, there was brotherly love, devotion, faith.

      Unfortunately, the story couldn't really grab me. Perhaps I was expecting too much of it - I was thinking it would go into more anthropology, and instead there was just romance and a couple of tortured souls. The only part of the novel which stirred me was the one pertaining the Tibetan lama's. Not that I hold their beliefs, but I respect people who do not give in to the authorities pressure on faith.

      The characters:

      *Jac - I didn't feel close to her at all. She sounded really unreasonable to me from the very beginning when she was visiting her mother's grave. She was too stubborn for her own good. And on top of that she was weak when pertaining to one character - Griffin North, who plagiarized her thesis back in the day and on top of that abandoned her. Afterwards she'd spend years smelling his perfume in the hope that that would make her hate him. Seriously, who does that??? Then at the first possible moment, she beds him. Umm.. not realistic at all. Not in my book at least. And to be honest, it felt gross. Also, she kept on thinking she was crazy because of the visions she'd get when smelling that special fragrance. If it had only happened once or twice, sure you could think that something's wrong with you. But it happens every time, and any person in their right mind would be tempted to investigate. She didn't, which made her unrealistic to me even more.

      *Griffin - He was the character I absolutely loathed from the moment I met him on the pages. He was a man who ran from his responsibilities the first chance he got. He was weak, full of self-doubt and ready to blame his problems on his girlfriend/wife/whatever. When he tried to manipulate his life into Jac's life, I felt like leaving the book and never picking it up to read at all. Soul mates or not, he didn't deserve a single thread of her hair.

      *Robbie - I wanted to congratulate that man for his strong faith. Neither money, nor pressure were able to make him give up on his beliefs. That's the sort of man who can earn my admiration.

      *Malachi - I kept feeling that he was misunderstood. He wasn't given enough time/space to show his character. It felt like he was cut short, before he had the chance to bring out his real self. He had potential.

      *Xie - he was my favorite character of the lot and the only reason I gave 3 stars to this read. He gave the essence to the book. Coming from a society where anything you say or do might get you killed, it's difficult to mask your identity and your bright mind and still pretend that the brainwash performed on you is working. I admired him - his courage, his determination, his faith.

      If all the characters in this book were like Xie, it would've earned a better rating.