ABOUT THE BOOK
For centuries, the Hua women have held sway over the courts of emperors and billionaires with their magical perfumes able to stir hearts and ensure fortunes. And in every fifth generation, an eldest daughter is born with the rarest gift of all: the ability to summon true love.
As a long-awaited fifth daughter, Lucy was supposed to be the miracle her exacting mother had been waiting for. But when her magic failed, Lucy fled Vancouver, her legacy, and the expectations that had nearly broken her. Now, years later, she runs a tiny perfume shop tucked away in Toronto’s Kensington Market—crafting beautiful, perfectly ordinary scents and keeping her extraordinary past firmly behind her. That is, until a death in the family brings her home…and saddles her with an unwelcome inheritance: the centuries-old Hua family register, brimming with secrets, formulas, and forgotten truths.
As Lucy unravels the stories of the women who came before her—including the mother whose complicated heart she never could understand—she must confront the tangled threads of love, power, and identity…and ask herself whether her magic was ever truly gone, or simply waiting for her to decide for herself what it means to be a daughter of the House of Hua.
MY REVIEW
Right off the bat, the cover of this book is gorgeous! And I have to say, the premise of this book is absolutely intriguing. An ancient perfume empire passed down through the Hua women, who have a magical power to bring true love through perfume. However, despite its captivating concept, it didn’t fully come together for me the way I hoped. The pacing felt all over the place, and I lost interest halfway through.Â
Lucy Hau is the fifth Hua daughter, destined to be a great perfumer with her magical gift called moli. But after her first and only attempt at creating a signature scent fails spectacularly, Lucy decides to leave home and find her own path. But as fate would have it, her gift calls her back to the Hau family register, a 1,000-year-old treasure trove of her ancestors’ diary entries, perfume creations, and wisdom passed down through generations. Pretty cool intro, right? However, the main character, Lucy, is, to put it bluntly, unlikeable, with a mountain of growing up to do. And while I get that the pressure she’s feeling is monumental, it still made it hard to root for her at times.
On the bright side, I really liked Lucy’s business partner and friend, Ana. Her positive vibes do a great job at balancing out Lucy’s more negative tendencies. Plus, I’d love to check out her shop! I can only imagine how fabulous her jewelry and clothes must be. Then there’s Lucy’s mother, who starts off feeling overbearing and demanding, as if she’s got a strict agenda for her daughter’s future in the family business, but there’s more to her character than meets the eye. And how can I not mention Rafe, Lucy’s long-time friend? He’s a gem in the story, providing a supportive presence that’s refreshingly different from the other guys around her.
Ms. Chu’s writing is refreshing and compelling. I could really appreciate the research she put into perfume-making and its connection to Chinese history, which added depth to the story. And I loved having the glossary on the language of perfume at the back of the book. It really helped enrich the reading experience. However, the slower pacing did lead me to pause my reading every now and then, and honestly, I found myself wanting to delve more into Lucy’s ancestors’ stories rather than just her own.
In conclusion, if you enjoy tales about family heritage, finding oneself, and navigating second chances in life, then this book might just be worth your time.Â
Thank you to Ms. Chu for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lily Chu loves ordering the second-cheapest wine, wearing perfume all the time, and staying up far too late with a good book.
Six of her books have been released in audio as Audible Originals, performed by Phillipa Soo, John Cho, Steven Pasquale, and Simu Liu. Lily’s best-selling stories are critically acclaimed and have spent multiple weeks at number one in Audible Top Plus Listens, and have been named in Best of the Year lists.Â
Her books have been recommended in the New York Times, and her rom-com debut, The Stand-In, was named Target’s Book Club Pick as well as an Amazon Book of the Month and Apple Best Books of May. The Library of Flowers was also a Target Book Club pick.
