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.

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.

#FragranceofForgottenTruths #NetGalley is an intriguing story that I read in one sitting.
Anna and Emilia are sisters who have a lot going on. There mom passed away suddenly and their grandmother has dementia.
Prior to the onset of dementia, their grandmother was an herbalist who made her own perfumes. Anna has inherited the trait, but there's so much more going on and it takes a village to make things right.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.