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The Scent of Jade

by Dee DeTarsio (Goodreads Author)

3.35 of 5 stars 3.35 · rating details · 74 ratings · 35 reviews

The Scent of Jade

From TV writer Dee DeTarsio, a new novel, The Scent of Jade. When an ancient jade relic that holds secrets to global warming ends up in the hands of a not-so-perfect heroine, she is thrust in a fish-out-of-water adventure, lost in the Costa Rican rainforest.

“Romancing The Stone” meets “Survivor” for Julie Fraser, who was minding her own business, living he...more

Kindle Edition, 148 pages

Published 2010

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Nov 28, 2011 Ebookitude rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dee DeTarsio will take you on a humorous, romantic adventure in the The Scent of Jade.
Julie is a voluptuous, witty, hard working entrepreneur who loves her husband, Colin. Lately, things haven’t been like they use too. So, when her best friend urged her to join Colin on his latest trip, she thought it was their chance to add some fire to their relationship-in Costa Rica no less!

As Julie launches her mission to relight the fire in their marriage, an ancient relic falls into her hands. She soon fi...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

Review by Jen: From the blurb, The Scent of Jade sounded like a sexy romantic adventure. Unfortunately it fell flat for me. While the premise was intriguing, as the story went along, all the situations that Julie found herself in... well, each one seemed more ridiculous than the last. I'm pretty sure that the story was supposed to be funny, but more often than not I was shaking my head and wondering how much worse this could get. And then I found the climax, well, anticlimactic.

But I think what...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Al rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, read-2011

A typical chick lit plot device is to thrust the protagonist into an unexpected situation where she is out of her comfort zone. She'll then make a series of questionable decisions, which make her situation increasingly worse. Although flustered, she never gives up, and eventually stumbles on a way out of the situation and finds a way of meeting whatever goal initially prompted her down this road. It's a pattern that works well.

In many ways, the plot of "The Scent of Jade" fits this formula. Howe...more

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Jun 24, 2011 Grace Krispy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book starts off running and never quite stops. It’s one misadventure after another, and just when you think it’s all settling down, it starts right back up again. Julie spends quite a bit of the book pontificating inside her head, and these often ridiculous and sometimes insightful thoughts are what really make this book fun. Julie is a well-defined character who is easy to picture, and it’s difficult not to like her in the same way you are fascinated by a train wreck. Spoiled and self-righ...more

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Feb 19, 2011 Samantha Robey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Julie Fraser is unadventurous, happy and content in her mundane day to day activities in San Diego. But when all signs point to surprising her husband on his business trip in Costa Rica, Julie decides she must follow them. The trip turns out disastrous, leaving Julie fighting to stay alive Survivor-style in the Costa Rican jungle after accidently stealing an ancient artifact. Julie must figure out if she is leaving her husband, how to get rescued and return to the stone, and if she’s losing her...more

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Dec 06, 2010 Audra (Unabridged Chick) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tres-amusing

This breezy but thoroughly entertaining novel was the perfect escape for me this last week. Boston was gray and super cold; work was long and draining. But each night I couldn't wait for my twenty-minute escape to Costa Rica with Julie Fraser, the sarcastic heroine of this novel. I certainly didn't envy her situation, but Detarsio plays out her plight with humor, action, and a hint of sexiness.

If we're considering The Scent of Jade's pop cultural lineage (parents being Romancing the Stone and Su...more

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Mar 10, 2011 Siobhan (Totally Bookalicious) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Scent of Jade was like nothing I have ever read before. It was fast paced and fun with some serious issues underneath it.

It follows Julie on a weird adventure after she catches her husband with another woman. She runs to get away from what she has witnessed. However, she ends up lost in the Costa Rica jungle. Julie is very funny. I couldnt help but laugh quite a few times while reading her story. She is very down to earth and just very easy to connect with. On her weird and wonderful adventu...more

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Feb 01, 2011 Nikki Brandyberry rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Scent of Jade was a book that I wasn’t real sure about when I started it. I have mentioned previously that I’m a reader that craves conversation. I need the interactions between characters instead of all the internal dialogue. The Scent Of Jade had a lot of that internal dialogue.

When the main charcater Julie cataches her husband having sex with a spicy Costa Rican chica on an alter…she runs for the hills. Literally. Grabbing a jade stone from the alter (for a reason I never did figure out)...more The Scent of Jade was a book that I wasn’t real sure about when I started it. I have mentioned previously that I’m a reader that craves conversation. I need the interactions between characters instead of all the internal dialogue. The Scent Of Jade had a lot of that internal dialogue.

When the main charcater Julie cataches her husband having sex with a spicy Costa Rican chica on an alter…she runs for the hills. Literally. Grabbing a jade stone from the alter (for a reason I never did figure out) she runs out into the jungle thinking she’s heading back to the hotel resort. Instead she ends up hopelessly lost.

At this point there is zero conversation for awhile. She is lost, starving and pretty pissed off. It felt kinda like Tom Hanks in Castaway. She starts talking to a monkey that is hanging around when she settles down in a POT FIELD for the night. Of course, if you’re stuck in a pot field you’re gonna smoke some right? RIGHT. She even knows how to roll a joint. Can’t get herself out of the jungle, but can stuff a blunt with the best of them. Her and the monkey get pretty stoned and she talks his little munchie-wanting head off. It was pretty hilarious.

I had an issue with her savior, Jaun, giving her a orgasm with a mere backrub. One point being…REALLY? That is one hell of a backrub. And secondly, where is her line of cheating? Now she is ticked off at her hubby for cheating yet shes having an orgasm with another man a few days later? I know, I know, it’s not nearly the same thing…but it’s a gray area.

When Jaun realizes Julie has the Jade Stone he immediately steals it for his get rich quick sister. Apparently the stone is the answer to global warming and is very valuable. What ensues is a back and worth tug of war that will result in a romp through the jungle that won’t soon be forgotten. There is plenty of local lore around the stone and environmental data to back up the lore. Whoever holds the stone is in possession of a great artifact that many have coveted for hundreds of years.

I would definitely put The Scent Of Jade into the womens literature category. This is a womans book for sure but there are some scientific backgrounds wound into it. Although parts of the story dragged for me and I didn’t find it to be a romance at all, I think readers that enjoy chick lit will get a lot out of it. Dee has a wonderfully descriptive voice that will make you envision the Costa Rican jungle with ease. Her use of scientific data to move the story along worked well and kept me interested even if I didn’t ever fully connect with the characters.

The Scent Of Jade is a cross between Indiana Jones and Romancing The Stone. Its a adventure that will keep you turning the pages and coming back if only to find out where the stone eventually ends up.

I give The Scent of Jade by Dee DeTarsio 3.75 stars! (less)

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Dec 19, 2011 Jackie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: free-books

I told myself I wouldn't finish this book but then, I did. It turned out to be pretty wild and not was I expected. That is not to say I liked it. It's OK, sometimes a laugh but mostly the tedious moanings of a character I imagine as a less likable Carrie Bradshaw. Seriously. Julie loves to whine, and her woeful tales span the majority of the book. Nothing really happens in the first few chapters. She also spares no details but usually you don't want to hear them. And she thinks she's cleverer th...more

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Mar 25, 2011 Ana rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Scent of Jade was a fun and cute book. When I started reading it, I have to admit that I was instantly pulled in. I truly love the way Dee DeTarsio writes. Her characters are funny and witty and really entertaining. I have to admit that the monkey was my favorite character though. LOL.

Julie the “Potpourri Princess” decides to go to Costa Rica and surprise her husband who is there on a business trip. Little does she know that she was in for the ride of her life. She will discover who her hu...more

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Apr 08, 2011 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, adventure

Debut ebook from Dee DeTarsio was defnitely an action-packed adventure with a strong leading lady who took me through the rain forest of Costa Rica. A fabulous premise that mixes the wildlife with sex, scandal and plenty of romantic comedy, this book has a little of something for everyone. One of the things I loved most about this book was that it was always moving forward - fast forward. I felt like I was running right alongside Julie Fraser as she was being chased through the forest. On her wa...more

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Apr 16, 2011 Raquel Vega-Grieder rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review Of The Scent Of Jade By Dee DeTarsio

The Scent Of Jade was such a fantastic book. It had me laughing so hard it brought me to tears many a time. I would call up my mother to read her certain passages that I thought were so funny that I just had to share with her. OMG, there is one scene with a bird in the jungle that Julie thinks is a quetzal and what happens afterwards had me laughing so hard my stomach hurt. Then there is another scene with a stoned monkey that is priceless. In this boo...more Review Of The Scent Of Jade By Dee DeTarsio

The Scent Of Jade was such a fantastic book. It had me laughing so hard it brought me to tears many a time. I would call up my mother to read her certain passages that I thought were so funny that I just had to share with her. OMG, there is one scene with a bird in the jungle that Julie thinks is a quetzal and what happens afterwards had me laughing so hard my stomach hurt. Then there is another scene with a stoned monkey that is priceless. In this book we follow the unfortunate mishaps of Julie our main character. She is known as the Potpourri Princess and she loves her job. Like a princess Julie lives a somewhat pampered life so when she stumbles upon her husband In flagrante delicto or just simply In flagrante, Julie runs in the direction of the resort, in which she and her husband are staying in Costa Rico, or so she thinks. In actuality Julie runs straight into the Costa Rican jungle. This is were the hilarity ensues. Julie discovers that she is more resilient than she thought she was. Granted it takes her getting lost in the jungle, finding a pot field, talking to a random monkey, blonde Juan, Natalia (blonde Juan's mother), police wielding guns, a waitress, two children she never met before, a scientist friend of her husband, Being kidnapped (sort of) by a guy on a moped, more cops, her husband Colin, and getting lost in the jungle for a second time to realize just how capable she really is. How Julie gets herself into those situation I mentioned is what makes this book so funny. Aside from all Julie's mishaps, and trust me there is a lot to keep you riveted, this book deep down is really a sweet love story. It shows us how a married couple can take each other for granted and how it takes something devastating to make one realize what is truly important in life. What I love about that message is that it wasn't preachy. The book wasn't preaching to me, as much as it was telling me a wonderful story with a hidden message about taking time to "smell the flowers" so to speak. On a scale from 1-10 I give this this book a 20. I know it is off my scale but it was such a breath of fresh air and had me glued from the beginning to the end. In my opinion everyone needs to read this book. If you are a fan of funny yet oldly romantic books The Scent Of Jade is a book you need to read. I can't wait to see what Dee comes out with next.

Link:
http://www.deedetarsio.com/index.htm (less)

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Feb 09, 2011 Colette rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

I'll be honest-I spent the first half of the book thinking this was going to be a romance-adventure type book. Once I realized it was not a romance, I started enjoying it a lot more. Julie Fraser is tired of her same old boring routine and decides to surpise her husband with a visit while he's on a business trip in Costa Rica. He was surprised alright~she finds him with another woman at an ancient temple, and for some reason steals a jade stone that was there. Julie is so shocked at finding her...more I'll be honest-I spent the first half of the book thinking this was going to be a romance-adventure type book. Once I realized it was not a romance, I started enjoying it a lot more. Julie Fraser is tired of her same old boring routine and decides to surpise her husband with a visit while he's on a business trip in Costa Rica. He was surprised alright~she finds him with another woman at an ancient temple, and for some reason steals a jade stone that was there. Julie is so shocked at finding her husband with another women that she takes off with the stone and heads into the jungle. She soon realizes that the resort is far behind her and has no clue on how to get back. Of course she didn't bring her cell phone and has to rely on her wits to survive.

While she can't find her way back to the hotel, she does manage to find a monkey and a field of pot. Julie then has very long conversations with herself and the monkey. This is when the book began to lose me for a bit, but then Julie runs into the owner of the pot filds-Blonde Juan while on the run from some helicopters who shoot at her, but thinks it's because she's in their pot field until she talks to Juan and finds out that the field belongs to him, and they were shooting at her because of the stone she stole. It turns out that she didn't just steal any old jade stone. She stole a jade stone that was vital to Costa Rica and just might hold the key to global warming. After Juan finds her, he promises to take her back to the resort. Julie soon realizes that he wants the stone for himself, and tries to get back to the resort herself. What follows next is a game of cat and mouse and she has to figure out just who she can trust.

This was a quick, fun read and a bit different then most books that are out there. While I didn't agree with all the choices Julie made, I really liked her as a heroine. She had me laughing all the way through till the end. I could just see myself saying and doing some of the stupid things she did while she was out in the jungle. The Scent of Jade was just a nice change of pace for me, though I wish I had realized it wasn't really a romance earlier on in my readings so I could enjoy it more.

Favorite quotes:
From one of the scientists to Julie:
Jakub cleared his throat. “With all due respect, Julie, you do not have the gravitas to pull off
dialogue from Mr. John Wayne.”

Julie to Colin, her husband: “You really think you get a free pass?” I couldn’t believe his audacity. “You should write your own book, The Audacity of a Dope,” I babbled.(less)

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Feb 28, 2012 Sabrina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Not a typical romance, this one kept me reading because I really wanted to figure out where it was going with it's plot, but in the end I wasn't happy with the outcome. I can't tell you the major reason I didn't enjoy the book without giving away a spoiler, but I can tell you that I was half way through the book and still wondering it is was really going to turn into a romance. The heroine had some good points in that I liked how she handled herself at first, but I felt like halfway through her...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Lindsay rated it 3 of 5 stars

Love the writing style. Very funny. The love story is a bit hoakie.

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Mar 25, 2011 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Julie the “Potpourri Princess” decides to go to Costa Rica and surprise her husband who is there on a business trip. Little does she know that she was in for the ride of her life. She will discover who her husband really is and in the process get shot at, talks to a monkey, gets arrested, meets a really hot Spanish guy and all to save the planet. Pretty funny huh? The story is really cute. I love the way the author keeps the pace up through out the whole book and throws in a few surprises. Oh an...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-reviews

The Scent of Jade is a fun and fast paced tale of misadventure in the Costa Rica jungle. Julia Fraser uncharacteristically decides to surprise her husband on his latest business trip in Costa Rica but their holiday idyll is short lived when Julia finds him inflagrante delicto amongst ancient ruins. Furious and upset, Julia flees into the jungle only to become hopelessly lost. After two nights in the bug infested rainforest, Julia is grateful to be found by blue eyed Juan until she discovers the...more The Scent of Jade is a fun and fast paced tale of misadventure in the Costa Rica jungle. Julia Fraser uncharacteristically decides to surprise her husband on his latest business trip in Costa Rica but their holiday idyll is short lived when Julia finds him inflagrante delicto amongst ancient ruins. Furious and upset, Julia flees into the jungle only to become hopelessly lost. After two nights in the bug infested rainforest, Julia is grateful to be found by blue eyed Juan until she discovers the jade stone she has been carrying since running away from her husband is a national treasure, and everyone wants to get their hands on it. Julia has to evade the bad guys and the police, rescue her husband from jail and figure out how to return the idol to it's rightful place.

The Scent of Jade is a fun story though not without its flaws. I had a few small issues with the plot, but the major problem for me was the lack of reason for Julia to have taken the jade stone that becomes pivotal to the plot. Whereas some of the more outlandish facets of the story (like the pot smoking monkey) can be taken in the spirit of comic misadventure, I feel that this plot point is something that should be resolved (perhaps she picks it up to throw at him but runs before she throws it?) as it is a sticking point that has the potential to derail a reader.
The story has a small element of romance but really its an adventure/comedy and there is plenty of both. Julia has to deal with a thieving monkey, a big breasted opportunist, gun toting mercenaries, annoyed police and a stone that controls the climate of an entire country. While the accumulation of the events verge on the ridiculous, the pace is convincing enough to ensure almost everything makes perfect sense. It's obvious DeTarsio's intent is to exaggerate for comic effect, which she does well.
The humour of the writing makes up for the minor technical errors with the occasional muddled tenses. I giggled quite a few times at Julia's witty one liners, though being in the first person, much of the dialogue is internal rather than conversational.
I liked Julia, despite her self involvement and questionable common sense. When she has to she fights for what she wants and tries to do the right thing. The other characters, including her husband Colin, rescuer Juan and his sister Julia (Hoolia) play their part well enough and fill out the story.

It would be a shame to dismiss the entire book based on its flaws though because with its snappy one liners, likeable characters and plenty of action The Scent of Jade a light and entertaining read. It certainly made me smile and distracted me for a couple of hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon.(less)

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Jan 05, 2011 Kimberley Troutte rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Scent of Jade ia a great adventure into the jungles of Costa Rica. Julie is adorable, funny, stretched to her limits and then stretched some more. I love how her character grows stronger AND more emotionally vulnerable as she tries to solve an ancient mystery while saving herself and her cheating husband. She is the true hero of this book. I also loved the satisfying ending. I'll be looking for more books from Ms. DeTarsio.

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Nov 24, 2010 Jackie Leitson rated it 3 of 5 stars

On pg 103 and 440 and I am lovin' this book! I have laughed out loud and been completely drawn in. Seems to be a really entertaining read and very, very well-written. So far so good!

I loved the first part of the book but it then took a preposterous turn in the plot and at times really seemed ridiculous. Character development was great and I could really visualize everything described. I just really didn't like the last half nearly as much.

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Oct 26, 2011 Eliza rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was excited to win the Kindle version of this book. Overall I would say that it was okay. Some of it was very beautiful written and interesting. Parts of it I just found too unbelievable and full of vulgarity. I wouldn't read this particular story again although I would be open to reading other things by the author.

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Jun 13, 2011 Stephanie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 13, 2011 Klaudyna Z. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-books

This book was a quick read but very enjoyable. It was one of those that you didn't want to put down. It was pretty fast paced but the author didn't drag the story out like in some books. The ending was also enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this book.

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Dec 31, 2011 Doreen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I LOVE this book! The story draws you in at the first page and leaves you wanting more at the end. The ending is perfect! I will definately read this again.

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Dec 12, 2011 Lisa S. rated it 4 of 5 stars

For a 99 cent book I really liked it! I enjoyed the plot, even though it was pretty far-fetched, it was still a good read :)

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Dec 29, 2011 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was an awesome short story one that I didn't want to put down. I felt as if I was in the jungle. GREAT BOOK!!!

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May 10, 2012 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, contemporary, romantic-suspense

Read my review at http://romancing-the-book.com/2011/08...

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Oct 19, 2010 Dee DeTarsio rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

I think it's fabulous--since I wrote it, ha ha! Please read and review--I'd love your feedback!

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May 21, 2012 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

A fun read. Not a deep, lasting, memory but good enough to keep me turning the pages.

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Apr 06, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

What an odd story. It was interesting, at least. I don't really know how to describe it.

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Aug 07, 2011 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-books

Check out my review here: http://www.memyshelfandi.com/2011/08/...

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About Dee DeTarsio

DEE DeTARSIO is a TV writer living in southern California. After growing up in Ennui, Ohio, and graduating from The Ohio State University she vowed never to be cold again (in a tantrum more worthy of Suellen than Scarlett) and ended up in Tucson, Arizona, producing the news for the CBS affiliate, oddly enough called KOLD-TV. She moved to San Diego where she worked in the SeaWorld entertainment dep...more

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