What I really liked from this book was definitely how alive and well-developed the characters are and the relationship between them. It has a fairly slow start as our main character, Asha found herself back at home after failing to do her important job as a perfumer due to her sudden loss of smell. Not knowing where to return after her boss put her into a month-long break, she decided to come home to her family, never expecting it'd bring her insights necessary for her life path and how she navigated herself in the midst of her 'supposed' dream and her actual passion.

I admitted I wasn't a fan of the slow start at first. But the writing had its certain charm to keep you wanting to stay and read for more, and I ended up finishing the book and appreciating how the pace truly make the whole book even enriching in its flavor. The compelling family dynamic, characters that are given color, and ultimately how we witnessed thoroughly through Asha's lenses of her life changed gradually was pretty satisfying. I really liked how we are there in every single moment, no matter fickle and futile it is, that the transition and the self-discovery Asha found during her holiday, and how it truly paid off in the end. I also loved her connection with Neel, and honestly I'd be lying if I don't want more of them. I liked the type of relationship they have; petty and subtly bitter due to their past, and yet still steady and mature at the same time.

But aside from all the goodness, it's also true that I didn't particularly feel emotionally attached to all the characters; apart from Asha and maybe a little bit of Neel. I want more of closure about Asha's family dynamic which wasn't exactly the best, and I feel they were given less importance near the end when it should have mattered more. I guess I just want more to make this heart-wrenching to read because it has so much potential to be an emotionally profound read.

Nonetheless, Scent of a Garden is a well-written story of a woman's self-discovery in her dream, family, and love.

This was a lovely, compelling read - I couldn’t put it down! I absolutely adored the cast of characters, as well as the dynamics between them. They really popped off the page. I feel like the author developed their character traits nicely. Asha’s character development was phenomenal and I just LOVED Asha and Neel’s relationship. At the beginning, the pacing was a bit slow but it picks up quickly afterward. Overall, this was a captivating and well-written story with several profound themes that’ll really stick with you.

This was a quick and charming read. Asha is a likeable character who is struggling with her identity after a large piece of it disappears. The cast of characters around Asha create depth in the story. The two grandmas are laugh out loud hilarious in their devil may care attitudes, so different from their lives when they were younger. The family dynamics in the story feel familiar as Asha navigates returning home after being away for so long. The book addresses the topics of family dynamics, passion for work, love, goals, and finding yourself. I wish I could have seen more evolution in Asha and Neel’s relationship throughout the book. I really enjoyed watching Asha evolve over the story and come into her own identity. This was a good book.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this so bad but while reading, i felt very disconnected from the characters and storyline. Very disappointed. The book started off slow and did not get any better as i anticipated. I have to give it to the author, great idea for a novel, and i did enjoy poppy's self discovery journey.

My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. I found Namrata Patel Scent of a Garden to be quite interesting and captivating

First of all, I loved that that MC Asha has a career as a perfumer! We don't see enough of those into literature, am I right? Namrata Patel obviously did so much incredible research into scents and the industry, and it really brought Asha's background to life. The same goes for Patel's descriptions of teas as well as hotel life.

I also appreciated that this was one of the first books I've read that seamlessly incorporated COVID-19 in a way that was central to the story; it made a lot of sense that a perfumer would have an identity crisis over losing her sense of smell after contracting the virus.

The biggest struggles I had with this one were repetition and pacing; we got a lot of the same conversations and ruminations for well over half of the novel, and then it only really took off close to the 60% mark. (That final 40% was flying though!) I just wish we'd been able to move along a little quicker and maybe throw in a few different variables.

Still, Scent of a Garden was an interesting and inventive story, and I'm intrigued to read what Namrata Patel publishes next. (I'm also going back to read her debut!)

I wasn't engaged by the plot which has a potential but was badly executed. The style of writing is full of metaphors and repetitions. It seems like the first attempt at the writing of a student of secondary school. One star for trying.

Scent of a Garden has an intriguing premise - Asha (aka Poppy) has a “super nose” and is living in Paris, working as a perfumer (what a cool job!) for a prestigious company. Unfortunately, Asha hasn’t yet recovered her sense of smell she lost during her bout with COVID. When she fumbles an important campaign, her boss orders her to take a vacation. Asha’s family lives in Napa Valley so she reluctantly goes there and is surprised to find herself enjoying her time, as she reconnects with her family and friends.

This was an enjoyable read though I wished there was more of a focus on the family and friends aspect and Asha thriving as she figures out what she wants out of life rather than on a second chance romance which felt a bit forced. Would recommend this to people looking for a fairly quick read about people with interesting occupations (perfumer, hoteliers) discovering that family may be more important than a career. 2.5 stars.

The cover is appealing and should draw in readers fascinated by the premise. The story is interesting enough, however I find that some of the descriptions and parts of the narration could have been trimmed down to make a more engaging story, rather than being bogged down by details.

Asha "Poppy" Patel was living in Paris and working at her dream job. Leela and Sapna, grandmother and mother of Asha, recognized that she had a gift when she was a little girl. They charted her steps to become a perfumer in France, the world's fragrance capital. Poppy's world has changed as her sense of smell is gone. She's trying to make it work, but her boss has insisted on a leave. Poppy returns home to California, and for the first time in her life, she pauses in reflection to consider if she's living her dream or that of her mother and grandmother. As an only child, should Poppy carry on the legacy of her grandfather and parents as a hotelier in Napa Valley, or can Poppy finally chart her course? Where will Poppy find fulfillment? A balanced life of work and personal time. A life filled with family, friendships, and love.

The compelling family drama highlights a young woman's search for identity and her place to belong. Through storytelling, the author gives a window to explore whether generational legacy is a burden or pleasure. Regardless of the reader's age, it's easy to empathize with Poppy, especially if you've experienced an unforeseen change in life (e.g., accident, illness, employment downsizing).

A well-written, immersive novel. The author's writing captured the scents of perfume and flowers with words on a page. I was captivated. I’m already wondering what stories the author has yet to tell.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read an eARC of this novel.

#ScentofaGarden #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this book and don't want to give too much away as I went in blind and loved it all the more for it. The book is well written and had me laughing out loud at times, the story is riveting and the characters are well developed and likeable, especially Asha, I instantly cared about her.
A rewally enjoyable read

Asha is a perfumer - she has a gift of smell and has a high flying job in Paris … everything is great until…. She can’t do her job anymore and hasn’t told anyone…. But has lost a huge client. Her boss sends her on vacation.

So Asha returns home to her brown American family after three years and the story unfolds…

The book was well written, funny and relatable. The themes of family pressure and expectation was strong and the effects of COVID which hasn’t been addressed in many books I’ve read this year and the main theme that stood out for me was family.

An easy quick read with likeable characters and a story of following your passion.

Interesting book about families from India and their relocation to America to start anew. This novel involves two families , both involved in the hotel business. (Before I read this, I did not know that many hotels in this country are owned by Indian families). When the grandchildren of these families decide to choose different paths from what had been decided for them, difficulties arise. A predictable end, but I did enjoy the book.

The idea for the story was an interesting one, but the story never really drew me in. I felt like it was just metaphor on top of metaphor until a final resolution in the last couple chapters. It was difficult to stay engaged in this read and while I appreciate that Poppy wants to chart her own course, she sometimes comes off as unappreciative.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Interesting storyline with likable characters. Would recommend

Thank you to Namrata Patel, NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book.