The Scent Keeper: A Novel

Erica Bauermeister, the author of the February Reese's Book Club pick The Scent Keeper, presents a moving and evocative novel about childhood stories, families lost and found, and how a fragrance conjures memories capable of shaping the course of our lives.

Emmeline lives on a remote island with her father, who teaches her about the natural world through her senses. What he won’t explain are the mysterious scents stored in glass bottles that line the walls of their cabin, or the origin of the machine that creates them. As Emmeline grows, however, so too does her curiosity, until one day the unforeseen happens, and Emmeline is vaulted out into the real world--a place of love, betrayal, ambition, and revenge. To understand her past, Emmeline must unlock the clues to her identity, a quest that challenges the limits of her heart and imagination.

Captivating and emotional, The Scent Keeper explores the provocative beauty of scent, the way it can reveal hidden truths, lead us to the person we seek, and even help us find our way back home.

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320 pages

Average rating: 7.13

156 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Tarajo
Feb 08, 2025
10/10 stars
As Emmeline grows up with her father on an island all their own, she doesn’t even realize that there are other people outside their little world. As she grows up she learns from her father that smells can be nearly magical triggers for memories of all kinds, her own and others

After a tragedy changes her circumstances greatly she is suddenly thrust into a new world where she has to learn to trust others. As she seeks the truth about herself and her family she learns what really matters.

Certain smells can bring me immediately to long lost memories, so i was intrigued by this story and look forward to reading other stories by this author.
stackedlibrarian
Dec 11, 2024
8/10 stars
3.5
Carla_is_Reading
Oct 24, 2024
8/10 stars
A beautiful and wonderful read filled with lyrical or poetic prose, and such detailed writing that is sure to inspire the reader. My full review is on Lit Buzz! Go check it out.

https://thelitbuzz.com/2020/05/the-scent-keeper
Xine
Feb 23, 2023
8/10 stars
I found that the story flowed and the author's descriptions of the scents enveloped my senses taking me further into the story and Emmaline's world. A coming of age story, a story about family, it's a story which everyone can relate to in some way or another.

"Grief makes a tunnel of our lives. And it is all too easy to lose sight of the other people in the darkness with us. To wish they weren't there so their loss wouldn't rub up against us."

Claremarie
Feb 02, 2023
10/10 stars
I really enjoyed this one. Emmeline lives on a remote island. We hear about her childhood stories, families, lost and found.

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