Title:Book of Lost Fragrances ★★½

Author: M.J.Rose

Genre: Mystery

Subject: reincarnation, perfumery, Dalai Llama

Setting: Tibet, Paris, New York

Main Characters: Robert and Jacinthe L'Etoile

Series: Yes, #4 Reincarnationist

Dates Read: February 19 - February 23

Number of pages: 416

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: yes, NetGalley

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Class Schedule, Foreign Languages

Robert and Jacinthe L'Etoile inherit the family's distinguished perfume house but because of financial difficulties they are at odds of how to proceed. Jac wants to sell the two most valuable scents to pay off their debts, but Robbie wants to try to find the scent that was originally made in the time of Cleopatra. He believes that this scent would allow people to connect with their past lives and find lost love ones.

While trying to find the missing formula, Jac and Robbie connect with stories of ancestors that worked for Napoleon in the 19th century and Tibetan monks in the current day trying to locate the 12 memory tools that are related to reincarnation.

The premise of the story was very intriguing, however, since this is the 4th in the series and I have not read any of the previous books, I felt a bit lost during the reading. There were points where the story dragged, and others where the change in one locale/character to another was slightly confusing. The flow of the book didn't grab me and take on the journey. Maybe if I'd read the first three, but not this one alone. I do want to thank Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book through Net Galley.