Book Review: The Perfumer’s Secret by Neroli Lacey

In the first chapter of The Perfumer’s Secret, the protagonist, Alexandra ‘Zandy’ Watson, is in her boss’s office in New York City. As the reader, you quickly sketch a mental image of her character. Zandy is a hard-edged aspiring documentary filmmaker who dreams of making a film entitled ‘Your Climate, Your Change.’ She has three minutes to pitch the storyline about how we all can save the planet. Stewart, Zandy’s boss, is not interested in her project but rather in explaining an opportunity for her to direct and produce a 90-minute profile on a French perfume house in the South of France. Zandy is stunned, and not in the way you might imagine. The Perfumer’s Secret is an incredibly engaging novel about culture clash, preconceived opinions, brilliant marketing ideas, and telling the whole truth.

About the Author

Neroli Lacey is a wife, mother, and journalist. Before she started “Writing delicious fiction for clever women,” she was an investment banker and commodity futures trader. Her articles have appeared in The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Evening Standard, Vogue, Tatler, and New Statesman.

Lacey is an adventurous traveller, having visited Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Today, she and her husband split their time between New York and a village in Provence’s Alpes-Maritimes.

Book Review: The Perfumer’s Secret

For Zandy, who likes to wear combat boots and goes to a boxing gym for fitness, travelling from New York City to Grasse, France, is like arriving on another planet. Arriving at the Nice airport, Zandy meets Dominique Severin for the first time. He is co-owner of the prestigious perfume house Severin Frères, which his grandfather founded. Severin Frères is struggling financially. Camille, Dominique’s sister and equal share owner, feels the CNM Documentary Channel movie could save the company’s reputation and financial situation.

Dominique is sure that a documentary will be the death knell for Severin Frères. He is entirely against the idea, as he is sure the filmmaker will discover their precarious financial situation and, perhaps worse, their mother’s drinking problem. Meeting with Zandy at the airport, Dominique is more convinced than ever that the documentary was a terrible mistake.

The Perfumer’s Secret unfolds with Dominique’s attempts to welcome Zandy to the French Riviera with a glass of champagne on a hotel’s terrace overlooking the Mediterranean. Rather than embracing the hospitality, Zandy feels like he is beginning to influence the film, which he might be. This sets the stage for an intriguing transformation of characters. Dominique is working to save the ‘face’ of his family’s company, and Zandy is sure that Dominique is hiding something. Camille and Jacqueline, the Severin Frères’ Nez, introduce Zandy to the artisan nature of the perfume industry and the ultra-competitive environment. Zandy and Dominique begin to soften and work in the same direction to showcase Severin Frères until Zandy discovers the perfumer’s secret!

Buy – The Perfumer’s Secret

The Perfumer’s Secret is a novel with strong characters, an understanding of industry nuances, and the dangers of looking at history in the wrong context. Anyone who loves the South of France and an engaging novel should read this book. It is available on Amazon and other retailers.

About Grasse, France

Grasse is considered France’s perfume capital. The town’s rich history dates to the 16th century, beginning with local tanners who sought to enhance the smell of leather. They specialized in crafting exquisite leather gloves, but soon faced the challenge of unpleasant odours. To remedy this, they created a cream from animal fat infused with the region’s exquisite flowers, such as jasmine, tuberose, and rose, giving the leather a delightful fragrance while softening it.

Video: Spending a Day in Grasse

Today, many internationally acclaimed perfumes trace their origins back to Grasse. Notably, the legendary designer Christian Dior, who envisioned becoming a perfumer, cultivated a garden with thousands of flowers at his nearby vacation home. Here, he crafted the iconic Miss Dior, a fragrance rich in jasmine and May rose. The house of Dior continues to honour his legacy by collaborating with local flower growers.

Similarly, Coco Chanel developed the timeless Chanel No. 5 in 1921 with perfumer Ernest Beaux. Her vision was to create a scent that embodied the modern woman, blending floral notes with aldehydes for a fresh twist. Its launch on May 5, 1921, marked a pivotal moment in fragrance history, establishing the perfume as a symbol of luxury and elegance.

Read More About Grasse, France

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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).