THE SECRET WAYS OF PERFUME by Cristina Caboni (Black Swan £7.99)

I lOVE perfume and, since this debut Italian novel was number one in its home country, I had high hopes for the English translation. I was not disappointed by this evocative, atmospheric read that takes its protagonist, Elena rossini, from Florence to Paris and all sorts of unexpected emotional places in between.

Elena is a perfumier, the latest in a long line of women from her family to possess unique skills in this intriguing field.

the rossini women, however, are all obsessed with discovering the secret formula for the so-called Perfect Perfume, invented by an ancient ancestor and the stuff of legend for generations. Eleni doesn’t just smell a perfume, she feels it. When she takes tentative steps back into the family business after having sworn off it for ever, she realises she doesn’t want to fight her destiny.

Another thing she can’t fight is her growing attraction to her neighbour Cail, a mysterious rose-grower with secrets of his own. this engaging story has the added benefit of educating readers on different scents, what they mean and what feelings they evoke.