The Perfumer's Secret

'Meticulously researched and beautifully written, The Perfumer's Secret solidifies McIntosh's place as one of Australia's most loved storytellers.' 2015 Booktopia Book of the Year

'I am at one with Nature's perfection - her beauty, her colours, her fragrances - and she has allowed me to glimpse it in a man.'

On the eve of the First World War, Fleurette, the only daughter of the wealthy Delacroix perfume dynasty, is being forced to marry a man she loathes, Aimery De Lasset, head of the pre-eminent perfume house in France. It is only the rally to the frontlines that saves her from sharing his bed.

When she receives an unexpected letter from Aimery's estranged brother, Fleurette is left holding a terrible secret, and the sparks of a powerful passion. Her discoveries risk shattering the two families, bringing tragedy to both their perfume empires.

The Perfumer's Secret is an intoxicating feast for the senses, a dramatic story of duty, deception and desire.

Reviews for The Perfumer's Secret

'A wonderful love story, set among the flowers and scents of Grasse during the First World War.' Goodreads

'McIntosh's latest offering is an intimate and unusual portrait of wartime France, and of a perfume dynasty . . . A romance for the senses.' Better Reading

'Fiona McIntosh offers a lively tale with a rich assortment of ingredients: France, perfume, shocking family secrets, war heroes, and a feisty heroine with feminist sensibilities, which nonetheless do not get in the way of true love. This is a well-crafted read.' The Age

'All the elements of a great read are in The Perfumer's Secret. There are families united and torn apart by war, there are women emerging from their chrysalis, there is conflict and love. Importantly, I love fiction which includes fact and teaches me something new; in this novel I learned about the journey the rose blossom takes from its bush onto my shelf as perfume.' Starts At Sixty Book Club

'A grand historical love story ideal for francophiles and romantics.' Book'd Out

'Fiona McIntosh delivers another evocative tale of women who find their strength through adversity and the men who love them. If you enjoy sweeping stories of love and adversity set in a previous time, you'll love The Perfumer's Secret.' Goodreads

'A rich historical tale of passion, duty, secrecy, love, perfumery and family scandal . . . Fiona McIntosh writes a beautiful, engaging and vivid story about women finding strength through a difficult time.' Goodreads

'Uplifting, emotional, romantic and raw, at times devastating, always thoroughly engaging . . . I couldn't put The Perfumer's Secret down. It's brilliant.' Goodreads

'A wonderful love story, set among the flowers and scents of Grasse during the First World War.' Goodreads

'Do you love novels that completely transport you into another world? Bestselling Australian author Fiona McIntosh has delivered another compelling historical read . . . Passion lies in her future with a Romeo and Juliet-style love affair. A fabulous Sunday afternoon read.' Family Circle

'A beautiful, remarkable story full of family secrets, family duty, drama and romance.' Novels in Heels