SCENT OF TRIUMPH

 SCENT OF TRIUMPH

By

Jan Moran

I inadvertently did a short sneak release of this review a few weeks ago, but pulled it to wait for a time closer to when this wonderful book would hit the stands.  There are so many activities happening to celebrate the release of Scent of Triumph, book signings, appearances, wonderful reviews by many noted authors.  But my favorite, and I dearly wish I could be there to celebrate with everyone is the Scent of Triumph Launch Tea in San Diego in March.  What a delight to discuss a WWII period book over English High Tea. 

Seeing as distance prevents my presence, I thought I would send you a lovely bouquet of English roses to let you know I will be thinking of you all that day.  My best wishes to the continued success of the Hostile Beauty Series and the brilliant woman who makes true magic happen between the pages of each book.

Karen

The Review:

The fogs of war care not wither or where they blow. The great and mighty feel the travail as mightily as the least when the iron boots of travesty come in on the heels of the rolling armies and tanks of the conquering war machines.  It is through the story of a young heiress, mother and wife who was born and raised as a part of one of the great perfume industry families of France that we experience the wages of war in the opening days of WWII in Europe.

The notes to her perfume journal on developing a new perfume are scattered throughout the unfolding story like gentle punctuation points of a person desperately working to hang on to her sanity and the life she has always known.  At the same time, the notes give the reader a beautiful glimpse into the artistic world and mind of the perfume artist.  The story of her perfumes and development of her business during the war provide a beautiful backdrop to the true saga of a strong, brilliant woman who survives and overcomes.

Like Jan Moran’s other novels, the men in Scent of Triumph  served as the supporting actors to the leading ladies.  The women held the spot light as we saw war at its worst, on the home front, through their eyes. Danielle Betancourt von Hoffman was one of many women who were caught in the cataclysm of the early days of WWII.  Her station in life did not protect her or her family from the encroachment and doom that Hitler and his armies brought as they invaded, first Poland and then the other countries of Europe over the next few years.  She watched as those who were nearest and dearest to her disappear and in some cases die.  She watched as the war split her family due to ideological issues.

It is not often that we have the opportunity to witness such an event through the eyes of a woman, to see the effects that it has on the soul of the one who holds the heart of the family.  For while men go off to war, it is the woman who must have the strength to face the day-to-day issues, who must face the crisis at hand.  It is she who must pick up the pieces when he does not come home, who must start again, and sometimes again. 

Within the climate of France, not only does the devastation of loss of family and life have to be dealt with by grieving mothers and wives, but the loss of family fortunes and sometimes sudden turn of tables to find yourself vilified and hunted.  To face times such as these takes a woman of strength and resilience. In the end Danielle must find the strength to escape and forge on to new places to find a safe harbor for her and her family. 

Jan’s mastery in story telling was at its’ best when she wove the love story within the story for Danielle in Scent of Triumph.  There was a depth and maturity in the way the story of Danielle’s love for her husbands and the love of her heart was shared and developed over time.  Through her we discovered the depth of love beyond the physical planes and into the metaphysical planes.

Jan Moran is a master at putting pen to paper and creating magic.  She peels back the veils of time and gives us glimpses of what these giants of women must have lived through and survived.  She poured it out in a heart rending story that made me proud to be who I am as a woman.  It gave me inspiration to strive harder.  In the case of this novel, I could almost smell the fragrances along with Danielle.

Jan Moran has scored another five star success from this humble reviewer.  Scent of Triumph is a wonderful addition to her continuing series of books on women of strength and character.

A copy of Scent of Triumph of provided for reading and reviewing by this reviewer.

About the Author

Jan Moran is an author for St. Martin’s Press (Scent of Triumph, 2015). She writes the Hostile Beauty contemporary series, which includes Flawless, Beauty Mark, and other upcoming titles. She wrote Fabulous Fragrances I and II, which earned spots on the Rizzoli Bookstore bestseller list. She is represented by Jenny Bent at The Bent Agency.

As a fragrance and beauty expert, she has been featured in numerous publications and on television and radio, including CNN, Women’s Wear Daily, Allure, InStyle,and O Magazine. As an editor and writer, she has covered fragrance, beauty, and spa travel for a variety of publications such as Cosmopolitan, Costco Connection, and Porthole Cruise.

You can read more about Jan and her work and writing at www.JanMoran.com