The Perfume Collector is the fifth book by Kathleen Tessaro, and it may be her best yet!
Grace Monroe has always felt like an outsider when mingling with her elite peers. It’s 1955 in London, and Grace is on the verge of starting a new and exciting life with her husband. One day, a mysterious letter arrives, informing her she’s received an inheritance from a woman she’s never known or heard of. Compelled to learn more about her benefactor, Grace flies to Paris to learn more about why she’s been chosen as the woman’s heir. Shortly after arriving in France, Grace unravels the most decadent, seductive history about a perfume and the woman who inspired it.
The Perfume Collector is beautifully written. Its story is mysterious and provocative, and may give some a fresh outlook on love and romance.
In hindsight, I wish I had taken more notes while reading this novel. With excellent prose and beautiful imagery, The Perfume Collector embraces the entire idea behind the muse, and the roles they play in artistic creations.
Here’s my favorite quote from The Perfume Collector:
“Most people assume that a muse is a creature of perfect beauty, poise and grace. Like the creatures from Greek mythology. They’re wrong. In fact, there should be a marked absence of perfection in a muse – a gaping hole between what she is and what she might be. The ideal muse is a woman whose rough edges and contradictions drive you to fill in the blanks of her character. She is the irritant to your creativity. A remarkable possibility, waiting to be formed.”
Isn’t that the most perfect definition of a muse you’ve ever read?
I’ve also reviewed The Debutante (2010) for this website, and featured Kathleen Tessaro in this post called The Best-Ever Chick Lit Authors. She’s also written these books:
- Elegance (2003)
- Innocence (2005)
- Rare Objects (2016)
Do you like this author, and which ones have you read?
Last Updated on February 19, 2026 by Sarah Ann
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