by Kristin Billerbeck
- File Size: 600 KB
- Print Length: 320 pages
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson (August 7, 2012)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B0078FABW2
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0
Book Description
Publication Date: August 7, 2012
When deprived of her most prized sense, Daphne discovers a life she never expected, right under her nose.
Daphne Sweeten has left Paris - and a career she loves - in order to marry a man she loves even more. But when he stands her up on their wedding day, Daphne's left reeling. Trained as a professional "nose" or perfume creator, Daphne soon realizes that her sense of smell has somehow disappeared too.
In the days following she moves to Dayton, Ohio, to take on a job creating fragrances for household products. Without her sense of smell, she must rely on her chemistry skills, and hope her handsome new boss, Jesse Lightner, doesn't notice before she can figure out how to get it back.
Despite her desire to return to Paris, she can't deny the way Jesse makes her feel. But when Daphne approaches former contacts, she learns her missing ex-fiance has somehow snagged her old job.
As Daphne and Jesse work on a signature scent for their new line, she feels God at work in her life as never before. And the promise of what is possible is as fresh as the scent of rain.
Daphne is a ‘professional nose.’ She has always been able to distinguish scents and she had a prestigious job with one of the most important perfumers in Paris. But she was willing to give up her position to marry for love. To her dismay her fiancé doesn’t show up for the big society wedding.
Daphne doesn’t know why Mark didn’t show but she admits that she had some niggling at the rehearsal dinner that all was not right. Rather than beg her old boss for her job back, or stay in San Francisco to suffer the whispers of society, she decides to travel on to Dayton, Ohio where she and Mark had arranged jobs and a home waiting. Granted the job she is going to is for formulation at a household products company and they think she will rescue the company by her special ‘nose’ ability. Now she faces a whole new problem... after leaving the wedding she lost her sense of smell. She hopes it is temporary - a cold or stress - and that she can start her job using her chemistry skills to create.
Daphne’s new boss, Jesse, isn’t thrilled to have his boss, Dave, force the budget expense of a ‘nose’ on him instead of using other ideas that Jesse has suggested to turn around his division. Jesse isn’t prepared for the impact Daphne has on him as a man who still grieves the loss of his wife. Jesse’s main goal has been to spend more time raising his three year old son but he finds himself caught up in the struggles and stresses of succeeding at work.
I really loved Daphne’s positive attitude toward life even during her disappointments with a groom that doesn’t show, moving alone to a new town, discovering her new home is a horrible fix-er upper and then learning her ex-fiancé got her old job in Paris. And she is facing her new challenges with the loss of what she might have thought as her most valuable asset, her ‘nose.’ I enjoyed how Daphne was able to use emotional definitions in creating smells and ideas for products. Jesse is a nice character too: dedicated to his son, struggling with balancing his business and personal needs and conflicted by the stresses of having a boss overwhelm his own suggestions and better judgment.
The story read very smoothly with an up beat tone even in the midst of the struggles and conflicts. In addition to the troubles, there are fun experiences in the story. The romance is light and developed almost reluctantly. There is a bit of mystery and a surprising twist in the resolution of the story. The spiritual aspects are nicely portrayed in the characters’ actions and attitudes. The source of the title is a nice connection too. I recommend this book as a light romance and upbeat story. I hope to read more stories by this author.
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Daphne's positive outlook: "It’s the same job. Less romance, as you pointed out. But as the Bible says, there’s a time for everything under the sun. A time for sensual pleasures and a time for washing the dishes. This is my time to wash the dishes and make that job a more pleasurable experience." Location 475.
No one probably saw her situation as dire as she did. Resilience was required. Life was meant to be lived triumphantly, not passed in the dark corners of one’s worst moments. Location 967.
Thank you to Ruthie at Thomas Nelson who provided this book through NetGalley.
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