Book Review: The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister

The lowdown from Goodreads

Publication Date May 21st, 2019

Emmeline lives an enchanted childhood on a remote island with her father, who teaches her about the natural world through her senses. What he won’t explain are the mysterious scents stored in the drawers that line the walls of their cabin, or the origin of the machine that creates them. As Emmeline grows, however, so too does her curiosity, until one day the unforeseen happens, and Emmeline is vaulted out into the real world–a place of love, betrayal, ambition, and revenge. To understand her past, Emmeline must unlock the clues to her identity, a quest that challenges the limits of her heart and imagination.

Lyrical and immersive, The Scent Keeper explores the provocative beauty of scent, the way it can reveal hidden truths, lead us to the person we seek, and even help us find our way back home.

Book Review: The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister

I was gifted a physical copy of The Scent Keeper as well as an eBook copy from NetGalley. I did not see the book before I received it. When I opened the box, I thought the cover was breathtaking! The description on the back had my interest piqued, so I put down my current read and got started. I was not immediately hooked, but each chapter I read I became more invested. I ended up loving the story in the end.

Scent Memories

What an incredibly unique story based on the memories a scent can evoke. Maybe a certain perfume reminds you of your mother, or the smell of a homemade pie reminds you of your grandmother’s kitchen. For me, Old Spice reminds me of my dad and the smell of black licorice my grandpa.

A Different Read

I’ve never read a book like The Scent Keeper, and I love that the storyline was thought provoking! I finished the book a month ago, but I still think about it often. I recommend the book to both of my book clubs. Emmeline lives with her father on an Island just the two of them. He’s all she knows and he spends his days teaching her everything she needs to know through real life experience. The most important thing he teaches her is how to use her sense of smell, and to capture these precious scents into memories in a glass bottle. He has a wall full of beautiful bottles all sealed with different colored wax, and won’t tell Emmeline what they are for.

As she grows older her natural adventurous side takes over. She starts to explore the island and discover secrets that her father never shared with her. A life changing accident changes everything for Emmeline. Her life as she knew it was all a lie. She doesn’t know who she is, or even her father for that matter. Emmeline must take a trip to discover who she is, where she came from, and find the one person who can possibly answer all her questions. Will she find what she’s looking for, or only be more confused in the end?

THE VERDICT

I am Really Into The Scent Keeper! It is a beautifully written story that I guarantee will warm your heart. By the end, you will be in love with the main character. This book is going in my top 10 list for 2019!

Special thanks to Net Galley & St. Martin’s Press for providing our free copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR ERICA BAUERMEISTER

Erica Bauermeister is the bestselling author of four novels — The School of Essential Ingredients, Joy for Beginners, The Lost Art of Mixing, and The Scent Keeper (coming in May, 2019 from St, Martin’s ). Her memoir, House Lessons, will be published by Sasquatch in the spring of 2020. She is also the co-author of 500 Great Books by Women: A Reader’s Guide and Let’s Hear It For the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14. She currently lives in Port Townsend, Wa with her husband and 238 wild deer.