First of all, the cover drew me in, it really appealed to me, that's why I wanted to read it. Cozy fantasy is one of my favorite genres, so I had high expectations for the book. Unfortunately, it didn't bring the atmosphere I wanted. The story started off slowly for me, but certain events moved very quickly. I know this sounds strange and a bit contradictory, but that was my impression. I expected a lot more magic in it, but I only really got a taste of it towards the end of the book. Since this is the first part, the magic may be explained much better in the following parts, so I would like to read the next parts, especially since the love story wasn't completely settled and I'm a curious person. Unfortunately, for me, this is now 3/5⭐️.

Loaded with intrigue and family secrets make this read a must! Serenity Falls has some not so common aspects which I found quite captivating. Really enjoyable! Thanks #Netgalley and #EnchantedOwl for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

I really got pulled into this one right from the start. There’s something about the mix of small-town vibes, family secrets, and a touch of magic that just clicked for me! The way the story uses scent as a way to unlock memories and emotions was really cool and added a beautiful layer to the story. It wasn’t just about solving a crime; it was about uncovering what people try to hide, both from others and themselves.

Anna is the kind of character you can’t help but root for. She’s dealing with a lot—her past, her family, and trying to find a place where she belongs. Her relationship with her sister felt real and layered, full of tension and love in equal parts. Watching Anna come back to her family’s traditions and figure out what she wants for herself was one of my favorite parts. It’s slow and honest, but it never feels rushed or fake.

The mystery kept me guessing, with some twists that genuinely surprised me. But what really stood out was the atmosphere. Serenity Falls truly felt alive, with its own history and secrets weighing on everyone. The writing is warm and inviting but also just a little ominous, like you’re wandering through a foggy town where not everything is as it seems.

If you’re into cozy mysteries with heart, a little magic, and characters who feel like real people, this one’s definitely worth your time. It left me thinking about family and forgiveness long after I finished it.

A story full of suspense and magic that captivated me from the very first page. It follows a group of people from different families, all with magical abilities passed down through generations in a charming little village. I was fascinated by how secrets from the past shape the present, especially in the story of the Attar family. It’s a tale that celebrates friendship, family love, and the bond between generations. Cozy, mysterious, and magical; it’s one of those reads you just can’t put down.

Many thanks to Enchanted Owl Publisher, Iris Applewood-author of this wonderful story-, and NetGalley for the Arc.

I find it to be a cozy, magical realism read. At first I was confused over is the narrative fantasy or not until it really gets spelled out for the reader and the protagonist further into the narrative. Part of the reason, which is part of the appeal really, I had hard time deciphering if genre is fantasy or not is any of the fantasy elements present (especially around the perfumed arts) is low and magical realism in nature. Helps hands on craftwork is a magic itself in real life too. Author really got down the perfumery and scented imagery well!

Synopsis: After losing her city job, Anna returns to her small hometown and the painful memories she left behind - her mother's sudden heart attack, her grandmother's dementia, and the town's whispered disdain for her family's herbal perfume business. But Anna's newfound peace relaunching her family's perfume business is shattered when her grandmother suddenly shares in a moment of clearness that Anna's mother's death wasn't an accident. As Anna and her sister uncover the town's dark secrets, there's more to fear than mortal threats as magic stirs beneath the surface and old enemies emerge.

Review: Small town contemporary fiction dealing with family problems just isn't for me, and the magical part of the story was so sudden and unnatural and came far too late to bring me back.

Fragrance of Forgotten Truths by Iris Applewood is a 5 star book! Loved every second of it and I couldn't be more grateful to have read this story.

Fragrance of Forgotten Truth was a cozy, atmospheric read with a slow-unfolding mystery that pulled me in more than I expected. The story centers on Anna, who begins to uncover long-buried secrets about the people she grew up around—and, more importantly, about herself.

There’s a quiet magic woven through the page, but something that lingers. As Anna digs into her past and starts piecing together her heritage, you can feel the weight of history and unspoken truths surrounding her. The small-town setting adds to the intrigue—everyone seems to know more than they’re saying.

This isn’t a fast-paced thriller, but that’s part of its charm. It’s thoughtful, layered, and a little haunting in places, with The Good Witch vibes wrapped in a family mystery. A solid four stars and a great pick if you’re in the mood for something introspective and a little magical.

~ Fantasy, Small-town, Mystery, and more!~

3.5| Fragrance of Forgotten Truths is a delightfully cozy book. The story was unique, and I enjoyed the characters. The relationship between the Attar sisters, Anna and Emilia, was beautifully represented. I especially liked that their past wasn't glazed over with all being forgiven immediately, but instead, we got to see the growth in their relationship throughout the book. The Attar family has a rich history, and I enjoyed that being revealed during the book. The mystery aspect was ok, a bit hard to follow at times, especially towards the end. I think where this book shines is the descriptions surrounding scents. It created a beautifully atmospheric vibe, which added to the story and showed the importance of this aspect to their family. While the atmosphere of the books is cozy and easy to fall into, I did feel like there were some issues with the plot. For starters, everything ramps up a bit too quickly in the end; instead of creating an intense moment, it just felt rushed. I also felt like there were times when things came out of nowhere, like the romance at the end. I will give a little grace since it's the first book in the series, but at times, it felt like there was nowhere else for the plot to go, so something random was added to keep things moving. There is one more thing I have to mention. While it has nothing to do with the plot, at around 20% in the book, a comment is made about "crochet needles". This is incorrect; crochet is done with a hook, and knitting is done with needles. Not important to the book at all, but as someone who both crochets and knits, it felt necessary to mention in this review. Overall, this book was a quick and cozy read, while not perfect, I would still recommend it to anyone who enjoys a nice cozy witchy read.

This was a wonderful read. A mix of magic, mystery and romance tied up with a bow of sisterhood and loss. Magical realism at its finest, this is a story for anyone who enjoys a cozy mystery. It really did keep me guessing right until the end, and now I really want to learn perfumery.

3.25 Stars

Ah, yet another book perfectly suited to my tastes. Another witchy cozy mystery set in a small town. This one follows two sisters, Anna & Emilia, who lost their mother a few years ago, and have both been dealing with the tragedy in different ways. Anna moved away to start a new life, and Emilia tucked herself away at home, becoming isolated. Anna moves back to her hometown with her sister after losing her job. She has to adjust back to her childhood home, Serenity Falls, which she describes as both comforting and disorientating. As she settles back into her old home, old secrets begin to emerge.

When visiting their elderly grandmother, diagnosed with dementia, asks them about their mother's killer. This sparks a litany of events, and both sisters are embroiled in a decades old mystery.

I really enjoyed the bond between the two sisters and their growth over the series. Both Anna and Emilia retreated in themselves in different ways to deal with their grief, and seeing them work through the grief together was very heartwarming and uplifting. The mystery portion was just ok, I think, but it was a good way to maneuver the plot forward. There was enough intrigue to keep me interested, though most of my investment in the story was for the sisters. Some witches, a little magic, and some lovely perfume all coalesced for a pleasant read. There is even a spot of romance and the hint of a love triangle brewing. While the story was not particularly imaginative, I thought it was sweet and am interested enough to continue the series. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy! All opinions expressed are my own.

"Fragrance of Forgotten Truths (A Serenity Falls Cozy Mystery #1)" by Iris Applewood is that first book in a new witchy paranormal cozy mystery series. Anna Attar is returning to her hometown after being let go from her city job. Her last trip home was for her mother's funeral after she had left without returning after high school. Now she's back in the family home with her true crime obsessed younger sister. Since she's not sure what to do now she takes up the family perfume making trade.

While bringing her grandmother a perfume that supposedly helps with memory recall she sees how far her grandmother's memory loss has gotten. Except after smelling when smelling Anna's memory perfume. Then her grandmother claims someone murdered Anna's mom. There's another family that started some rumors about Anna's family. There's also some squabbling over property that got her mother an enemy or two as well.

Genre : Cozy Mystery / Magical Realism
Release Date : July 8, 2025

I enjoyed this! The mystery was solid; it took a few unexpected turns and kept me questioning how everything fit into place.

It gave me The Good Witch and Practical Magic feels, with the witchy vibes, subtle magic, and a small town weary of the 'witchy' Attar family. I loved the use and blend of fragrances and the subtle magic infused throughout the story.

I really enjoyed the characters and the community and would definitely pick up another story from this series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a eARC in exchange for an honest review.

All opinions are my own

As I’ve said before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again, I’m always on the hunt for a book that fits into the genres I adore. I requested this one on that premise. I did get a good book, and it fell mostly into the genres I like best. I really liked the Attar sisters, and I thought they had a lot of good growth throughout the book. While I loved the book by the end and definitely want more, this book wasn’t exactly perfect, with a little bit of difficulty in the book trying to decide what genre it wanted to be exactly (romance, suspense, both, magic, no magic, etc). However, once it settled in, it was great. I do want more. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

Fans of Charmed and Hallmark's Good Witch would enjoy this cozy mystery set in a town with an equally cozy name: Serenity Falls. Any fan of the Bell, Book & Candle would recognize (if you know you know) the ambiance. A more modern story than I usually prefer indulging in, I still appreciated the quieter beginning this tale brings than a fantasy or adventure might offer.

There might not be dragons, fae or runaway carriages, but the story explores truths of loss and fear and hope that many face today.

However, the shorter-styled chapter lengths definitely helped move the story along. I found myself trying to figure out the mystery before the story ended and I was only half right! I must also admit I didn't realize just how much magic is woven into the story, but that didn't bother me in the slightest. If you love cozy mysteries but don't like magic, then perhaps this story isn't for you.

All in all, I think this book could become a series, exploring more of the other characters and shops, especially of the connect in any way to the FMCs family. There's also the potential for a future love triangle (yes this is cozy mystery, not romance, I know!)

Pros: well thought out characters, setting and Watson
Cons: a shorter read, action could've started a little sooner, and I do wish one character had been a bit more nefarious.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley for extending me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this story. This review will appear on my blog sometime this weekend, June 20th to the 22nd at this link: https://penandmoss.wixsite.com/penandmoss/arc-reviews

Fragrance of Forgotten Truths by Iris Applewood is magical realism at its finest! With heartfelt characters you’ll instantly root for and a captivating storyline that keeps you hooked, this Serenity Falls cozy is impossible to put down. (I received an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.) I stayed up way too late finishing it—and now I’m counting the days until the next one!

This isn't my typical genera of books, but the title and blurb intrigued me enough to give it a go. The story itself was nice and cozy. I thought the name of the town 'Serenity Falls' was a little on the cheesy side, but thats just my opinion. I liked the small town, mystery plot of the book. I thought how the different perfume sce is unlocked different memories was clever and I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. Overall it was a nice cozy, quick read for me and I enjoyed it. This would be a great 'palette cleanser' book or a nice read when you're in a slump and just want to have a nice time reading.

This magical mystery is just what my heart needed! The love and bond that was there between all the characters was breathtaking! Here's hoping we get some more amazing books about Serenity Falls!

5/5
I absolutely loved this book, so much that I couldn’t even put the book down. I had to binge-read it. There were a lot of twists I didn’t expect in this book, and did in fact kept me engaged.

If you’re looking for a small-town book with mystery and a hint of magic, this is your book to read.

This book was absolutely adorable! I felt like it was perfectly descriptive. Just enough to be able to envision the scenery and town without being overboard.
The whole thing felt like a warm hug. I loved Anna and Emilia’s growth. Watson was definitely the star though!
This was a very easy, quick read that kept my attention the whole time.
The “it takes a village” message was so heartwarming.