Tag: Jan Moran

Scent of Triumph by Jan Moran

June 9, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Scent of Triumph is the story of Danielle Bretancourt, a talented young French perfumer with a flair for fashion and a natural olfactory gift. In the language of perfumery, she is a Nose, with the rare ability to recognize thousands of essences by memory. The story opens on the day England declares war on Germany, and Danielle and her family are caught in the midst of a raging disaster sweeping across Europe.

Her life takes a tragic turn when her husband and son are lost behind enemy lines. She spies for the French resistance, determined to find them, but is forced to flee Europe with fragments of her family. Destitute, she mines her talents to create a magnificent perfume that captures the hearts of Hollywood’s top stars, then gambles again to win wealth and success as a couturier. Her intelligence and flair attracts the adoration of Jonathan Newell-Grey, of England’s top shipping conglomerate, and Cameron Murphy, Hollywood’s most charismatic star.

Danielle charts her course through devastating wartime losses and revenge; lustful lovers and loveless marriages; and valiant struggles to reunite her family. Set between privileged lifestyles and gritty realities, here is one woman’s story of courage, spirit, and resilience.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing this advance reader’s copy in exchange for a review!

I have read other novels by Jan Moran (see my reviews on Flawless and Beauty Mark), but this by far is her most enthralling and multi layered work. The character development is deeper, the settings lusher, and the sweeping triumphs and tragedies make this book almost larger than life. Moran’s talent as a writer shows on every page and in each subplot. Moreover, her love and knowledge of perfume and its creation shines throughout SCENT OF TRIUMPH. Scenes are not only described, but experienced with olfactory details: we smell the scent of Jon’s cologne, we breathe in the odor of sweat and salt air as Danielle travels on a crowded ship, and we become aware of not only the squalid appearance of a tenement–we live it as the food odors permate our consciousness.

Another plus is that Moran, as always, gives us a strong female presence. Danielle is master of her own destiny, always pushing forward, seeking the best life for her family first. Her natural ability to manipulate scent and create perfume helps her in her personal and financial growth; and perfume vials serve as weapons, messengers, and signs of hope for Danielle and her relatives. Moran’s treatment of the injustices of WWII are descriptive and hit hard–keep tissues close at hand, for this is not a soporific romance with a little history thrown in. SCENT pulls no punches as the character of Danielle experiences hardship and struggle.

I found it easy to identify with Danielle’s drive; her ambition flows naturally and she is not overbearing. Rather, she is painted as a woman of class and character, determined to make her way in the world. As the plot shifts, there is suspense in the form of missed opportunities. The author knows her audience and creates roadblocks for her characters accordingly.

Finally, this novel is unique due to the author’s affinity for perfume. Each chapter begins with a quote from the fictional Danielle that resonates with the action to follow; and also gives the reader some insight on what goes into creating a lasting and pleasant scent. I love a book where I can learn tidbits about familiar things, and understanding more about perfumes and their creation was what made this book so wonderful on another level. Our sense of smell can evoke many memories and emotions. Moran utilizes this knowledge to create a perfect blend of word, image, and essence.

Want your own copy? You can pick it up [easyazon_link identifier=”1250048907″ locale=”US” nw=”y” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″]here[/easyazon_link].

Beauty Mark by Jan Moran

December 30, 2014 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

I received this book from author Jan Moran in exchange for this honest review.

We find ourselves back in Beverly Hills with a story about Scarlett Sandoval, intellectual property lawyer and friend of Verena Valent, who we met in the first book, FLAWLESS. Scarlett is preparing herself for the finalization of a huge deal between Fleur of London (who reminded me of Lady Gaga) and High Gloss cosmetics. She is expecting to be made partner in a few weeks and has devoted her entire life to the firm. First one thing goes bad, then another, and those who she thought were on her side are against her. Her only comfort is with her long term friend Johnny, who works at the Beverly Hills Hotel with Lance, Verena’s boyfriend. Scarlett is having trouble keeping platonic thoughts in her head, and things at her job are going from bad to worse. She has to make some serious decisions–but will they be the right ones?

Once again I was thrust into the world of the rich and famous. Luxury abounds on every page, from Gulfstream 550s to Louboutins. Moran’s vivid descriptions make me feel as if I’m enjoying each amenity, alongside Scarlett. The Spanish beauty is a smart and confident woman, full of class and sass, with no time in her life for romance, much to the despair of her mother. As things with her High Gloss (great name!) deal go bad, she realizes that there is more to life than work.

Scarlett seemed to be a stronger character than Verena Valent, and I enjoyed this story better. She is very independent and hot tempered (as evidenced in the scene on the plane in the beginning of the story) and thrives in a world dominated by men. The ending was more satisfactory to me than in FLAWLESS as well. I feel that Moran’s writing is showing more strength and depth, as she introduces us to the women in the Hostile Beauty world. The plot is something that is entirely believable, and there was drama and tension along the way, with enough plot twists that kept me reading and wondering how it would all end. Johnny and Scarlett are a very well matched couple, and Moran shows us that hard work may be rewarded, in the sub plot of Johnny and Lance trying to open their own restaurant.

BEAUTY MARK is a patent- leather- shiny winner of a story, and I found myself pulling for Scarlett the deeper I got into the book. There are many great scenes, such as Scarlett exacting a small bit of revenge on her boss using a pen, and I can tell that Moran had a lot of fun writing this book. I’m eagerly awaiting #3 in this series, for sure.

Want your own copy? Click [easyazon_link asin=”B00N4LO1B6″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here[/easyazon_link] to buy it.

Flawless by Jan Moran

November 11, 2014 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

I received this book from author Jan Moran in exchange for this honest interview.

Flawless is an easy, breezy type of read. Set in Beverly Hills, it oozes opulence and glitters wonderfully. The plot is fairly simple: Verena Valent, head of a family owned skincare company, is dealing with money problems. The economy is not what it was, and her big launch in Asia is threatened. Her boyfriend Derrick is pushing her to sell the company, but Verena’s family ties are too strong for this to be an easy decision. To top it all off, she is starting to develop feelings for a man she just met: Lance, the executive chef of the Beverly Hills Hotel. She wants to stay loyal to Derrick, but his actions are pushing her away. As money gets tighter, her family and friends cannot give her all the answers she seeks. Only Verena can be the master of her own destiny. Can she save her beloved company from the sharks?

This book made me feel as if I were sitting along Verena in the boardroom, in the spa, on a jet, and in Paris. Each detail is accurate and adds to the luxury of the story. In fact, if I knew more about the skincare world, I might think this book could be a roman a clef. It’s that authentic.

Verena Valent is a strong woman, even is she is unsure of what she wants, or needs. Her loyalty to her family is strong and refreshing. There is just enough romance in the book to add that warm feeling without overpowering the plot or reality….and what woman wouldn’t want a guy like Lance?!

The bad guys hold the purse strings, and there is a good deal of merger/acquisition/banking talk going on–but not so much that it bogs you down. This book will appeal to those who want romance, and those who want to read a twisty plot with some thorny intellectual problems to solve.

The character’s attitudes are not entitled or exclusionary; rather, they are real and understandable. Granted, most of us don’t have million dollar companies, but Verena and her grandmother are easy to identify with and root for, as you turn the pages and hope that their financial worries will be rectified. No spoilers here; but the ending was satisfying and left the door open for many different paths for Verena’s life to take.

Jan Moran is an expert in the beauty field, and it shows here in Flawless. I would definitely read book two of the Hostile Beauty series, just to see what Verena and her friends have accomplished. Want your own copy? You can pick it up here.

Also, if you haven’t already, download the Kindle reading app here.