The Perfume Garden: A Novel

This text will introduce you to characters you will like and a few you will despise. You will find yourself learning more about the Spanish Civil War as the story moves back and forth, but the switch from past to current time is easy to follow. What is perhaps more important is the wisdom this text shares. Characters endure loss, but they also find that love can happen in both dangerous times of armed conflict and in times that are dangerous because not everyone within a character's sphere is trustworthy. Secrets play a part, but is the outcome worth the risk of a secret? This text is worth the read. I found that the more I read the harder it was to put the book down.

I had to waver between three and two stars, and chose three (I didn't hate it, I just didn't like it much). I did have to force myself to finish it, however, and that's mainly because I paid for it. This was a book with unlikeable characters that weren't developed fully. (Spoilers) Things just happened magically, there was no story development or progression (the house in Spain was dilapidated and had been boarded up & uninhabitable, with no running water, heat, etc, but magically the pregnant, single main character moves in it on the spot - with no problems or inconveniences). The first "love of her life" cheated on her and married another woman; the new "love of her life" answers his apartment door wrapped in a towel just out of the shower, and later slaps her on the backside just because. Seems she has some man issues. She has good lifelong friends, but they're never introduced. And why the use of the attacks on Sept 11 as a piece of the storyline when it wasn't developed further made no sense to me. It was a book that was all over the place, and wrapped up quickly, all nice and neat in the end. Wish I could've given a better review, wish it had been a better book.

Enjoyed this one a lot! It's refreshing to read historical fiction set in a time period/event I'm not very familiar with like this one was. It's historical venue is mainly Valencia, Spain during the Spanish Civil War. The characters, both historical and modern, were interesting. I also appreciated that the modern story was set in 2001 and touched on something that is a defining moment for all of us living at that time. It's a book about strong women raising strong women. I love Liberty-- even though she's not actually present much, her presence is felt through what she leaves for Emma in the black lacquer box. Wonderful things in there;) I would love to have one full myself!Would read more of her work and recommend it to others:)

While I thought it was going to be too much history and not enough love, it turned out to be well balanced and certainly intriguing! A very good read, indeed!

It kept my interest throughout and I loved the way that it ended. The characters were unique and memorable. I hope you keep writing.

This novel includes three generations of interesting and talented women. This book held my interest all the way to the end.

I loved the intermixing of the historical and contemporary stories and how the writer slowly introduced the family relationships.I am not an avid reader but could not put this book down until it was finished.I not only learned about the war and the huge role woman played in it but so much about perfume making. It has given me a new perspective on the importance of perfume.

This is the first book that I have read by Kate Lord Brown and found the book very interesting and loved the details regarding Spain under Franco in the 1930's and links to the present when Emma moves into a house her mother purchased in Spain. Many secrets are revealed and while reading the plot isn't obvious! LOVED IT and look forward to reading more Kate Lord Brown!

Fab

Loved this book from start to finishI couldn't put it downThe interweaving of history mixed with an enchanting tale is excellent. It vividly described Spain and history i was unfamiliar with. It made me feel as if I had visited. Highly recommended by me.

Like so many books this story is bogged down by dialogue. The dialogue is tedious and superficial. So many writers stuff their books with words that mean nothing. Give me a good story told beautifully.

But besides romance there is so much more. The history of the Spanish Civil War made into a wonderful, insightful and romantic story. thank younger opening my eyes to a quite forgotten time!

Loved the story