Because of my freelance gig as a Shelf Awareness reviewer, I get a batch or two of books every month, to try out and possibly to review. Last spring, Alyssa Harad’s gorgeous memoir, Coming to My Senses: A Story of Perfume, Pleasure, and an Unlikely Bride, landed in my mailbox, and I savored every luscious description of perfume and every heart-stirring passage. (Read my gushing Shelf review.)
I admit to being a perfume novice. I have long worn Banana Republic’s Classic perfume, spicy and citrus-y, which my mom used to wear and which smells like elegance to me for that reason. But Alyssa’s book intrigued me enough that I’m sniffing out (ha) a few new scents. Her descriptions (and her blog posts) are absolutely swoon-worthy.
Of course, Coming to My Senses isn’t just about perfume. It is also about Alyssa coming to terms with herself as a woman who enjoys perfume, and about finding her way both in life and love (including an unconventional path to wedded bliss). It is brave and tender and lovely, like all the best memoirs – even if you’re not a perfume hound.
Alyssa’s book is out in paperback on June 25 (with a gorgeous new cover, above). You can pre-order it now from your favorite indie bookstore. And she has generously offered a copy for me to give away to a reader.
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below telling us about your favorite perfume and/or a smell you love, and I’ll draw a name early next week.
Happy sniffing!
I would love to win! Also, I have loved your recommendations for the Mother Daughter Book Club and Bread and Wine. Great books!
I love Happy by Clinique. Cute story… in the seventies, a woman told me that I should wear Shalimar to attract a husband, that it worked for her. I bought some and the first time I wore it, a guy came up to me and asked what I was wearing for perfume. I told him and he said, ” Great, I will buy it for my girlfriend, thanks!”
My favorite is Tuscany Per Donna by Estee Lauder. I used to wear Lauren by Ralph Lauren, but it’s hard to find.
My favorite scent is Masaki by Masaki, but it’s hard to find and Marchesa Parfum D’Extase has become a new, easier to find favorite. I do have quite a collection and wear cologne to suite my mood and get many compliments when wearing Clinque Happy or Estee Lauder’s Beautiful. On one of my Clinque Happy days, I was pulled over by a police officer who stuck his head in my car window (after asking for my license and registration) and told me mine was the best smelling car he ever pulled over, and he let me go on my “Happy” way with a wink and smile.
One of my all time favorites is Beautiful by Estee Lauder. Everytime I wear it people always ask what it is- therefore, making me feel beauitful 🙂 LOL Love entering contests – especially to win books!!!
I haven’t found one yet that’s “my” scent. I do like Narciso Rodriguez Perfume For Her.
I used to wear Beautiful all the time, but I also love Happy by Clinique. However, I don’t wear any scents right now because I don’t feel like paying a lot for it. But maybe I should. Why do we always put ourselves down at the bottom of the list when it comes to “extras?”
When I was passing through Heathrow in April I picked up a bottle of Jo Malone’s Earl Grey and Cucumber. I love it!
My all time fave is likely Joy, even if I personally wouldn’t wear it. In general the smell of baking bread gets me every time.
Good old White Linen. The scent of my grandmother. But as for scents in general…Dove soap, Jergens lotion, Barr $ Co oatmeal soap, lemon anything.
Sadly, I’ve not found a scent I love since Woodhue (by Fabrege, I think) in the seventies. But, then, I haven’t really been looking
. Maybe this book will inspire me!
My current signature scent is a combination of Orange Sanguine and Bois Blanc by Atelier Cologne. Mmmmmmm!
Like Cyndap I wore Tuscany for a long time–a friend’s glamorous mother used to wear it and I would have done anything to step into her shoes for just a bit. I’m glad they still make it! My last perfume love was Helmut Lang, which was a unisex fragrance that is unfortunately no longer in production. It smelled like clean skin, somehow, and was never over-strong. Now that I ride public transit more often I wear perfume much less often, because people can be so sensitive to it. I hate the thought of someone being uncomfortable because of a perfume I can live without.
The book sounds wonderful! I love to hear people’s perfume stories.
I have two signature scents — Lolita de Lempicka and Bulgari Black. The first is for when I’m feeling girly, and the second for when I’m assertive. I would love to read this book.
My favorite changes all the time. At the moment it is L’artisan Chasse Aux Papillions, maybe because I’ve been working in my garden nonstop and the smell reminds me of delicate white flowers and butterflies. And Kathy, Woodhue? That’s a long time girl! You need to step into the world of perfume, it’s a wonderful community!
I have a perfume obsession, so this isn’t an easy question for me! But for the moment, my favorite is Tom Ford Bois Marocain. And Slumberhouse Norne. And Andy Tauer L’Air du Desert Marocain. And Annick Goutal Encens Flamboyent. And on and on and on…..I’ve been dying to read Alyssa’s book for a long time…thank you for this drawing!
My favorite perfume is Shalimar and/or Obsession.
Oolang Infiniti is my current favorite – new experiences tend to eclipse everything for me. I imagine I won’t stop fixating on this for a long while.
Thank you for the opportunity!
My fave perfume is Timeless with the runner up being Anais Anais. Thanks for the giveaway!
A perfume memory…When I was in elementary school, I stumbled upon Love’s Baby Soft “perfume” in my parents’ closet. It was a Christmas gift and I was so excited because I knew I’d feel so grown up whenever I wore it!
Like Laura, I’m a big fan of Jo Malone colognes. I wear Pomegranate Noir and I LOVE it. 🙂 It is also easy to mix her colognes to create truly customized scents. I wore Ralph Lauren Romance for a long time and have happy memories of that one.
My very first cologne was CK1….We were living in Rome and it was THE thing to get. I hoarded my pocket money to buy the tiniest bottle sold and went to La Rinsacente. I think it’s getting popular again because I smell it a lot….and it always takes me back to high school dances. 🙂
Recently, I stopped using my favorite perfume of the last year — Collette by Toca — because with the warmer weather, I’m offended by the strong scents of others passing by. They’re too strong, too sweet and I think to myself, again, that natural oils or natural substances are better. But, reading your entry, I’ve ordered the book and will return to my lightly-sprayed Tocca. What it does for me is make me feel pulled together at the start of my day. Like a fine accessory! Thank you for the inspiration. Again. Nancy
Sounds like a wonderful book!
This book is on the top of my list!
Instead of a perfume smell, I think I’ll list one of my favorite foodie smells. I love the smell of ginger and garlic chopped together to add to a delicious stir fry. Very aromatic, as you can imagine. 🙂
I don’t like a lot of “regular” perfumes – maybe I just haven’t found the right one yet. I do like amber & sandalwood a lot, and sometimes use an amber scent from Nadina’s Cremes. 🙂
I may be banal but I love Jo Malone’s array of scents. Not complicated but lasting and enticing. My favorite is Amber Lavender for its holding power and all round
I too love Jo Malone (inspired by my reading of Harad’s book last summer.) My choice is Amber Lavender– a powerful but delicate scent that lasts all day. But all her florals and spicy scents are wonderful.
I don’t know if I can pick a favorite…I am a lover of so many!! I can only imagine it to being a mother picking a favorite child…lol. I am a fragrance manager for Nordstrom here in Chicago on Michigan Avenue and I have the pleasure and delight of surrounding myself everyday with all things beautiful. A rare love is anything be Parfume de Nicolai. Hermes is a house that always makes me happy along with Chanel. The art in Gurelain and Robert Piguet is untouchable. There is nothing more magical than having the pleasure of helping a woman find her scent. I actually downloaded the book this week on my kindle and DEVOURED IT!! If I would be so lucky to win this delight– I know exactly whom I would pay it forward to…so best of luck to everyone. If we don’t fall lucky….I highly encourage you to gift it to yoursel!! Priceless!!
My absolute favorite used to be Opium. Alas, the formula was changed about two years ago and the new version is horrendous. The first week I wore the original…… all the men who came into my office stopped and asked what the nice scent was in the room. Some of them even purchased it for their significant other. I enjoyed reading all of your comments.