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Sensations #1
Scent
Beauty in a bottle, earth's most captivating scent, danger hidden in petals of pink - from the corporate boardroom to the New Guinea rainforest, the hunt is on to capture the very breath of beauty and secure the success of struggling perfumers, Cassie and Nick Dixon. When the fragrance Cassandra is at last unveiled, the public goes wild, and the Dixons are crowned the queen and king of fashion aroma. Then the unthinkable happens. Cassandra has a dark side. And it's about to wreak deadly havoc...havoc mirrored in the emptiness of Cassie's soul. As a war rages in her heart, Cassie desperately struggles to regain her spiritual footing. But will her desire for success cost her everything? The deadly qualities of beauty come to life and the stakes couldn't be higher in this riveting new thriller. Scent will overwhelm the senses. How could innocent beauty be so deadly? Scent introduces the Sensations series - unique, page-turning thrillers centered on the five senses. the worlds of scent, sight, taste, touch, and sound, unfolding spiritual truths through the fast-paced experiences of colorful, skillfully developed characters.
334 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2006
About the author
C.L. Kelly
3 books2 followersClint Kelly is a communications specialist for Seattle Pacific University and the author of Scent, the first book in the Sensations series, as well as novels for both children and adults. As a journalist and freelance writer, he has written on a wide variety of topics, from dinosaurs to child rearing. Clint and his family live in the Seattle area.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 23, 2025
An interesting, riveting book about the perfume industry.
May 8, 2010
Most likely the worst book I have ever read---but worst in the MOST spectacular and enjoyable way. It is the regretsy of books. I almost rated it higher because of the pure enjoyment I got out of it, but that seemed wrong. The plot is SO incredibly stupid and the characters and situations SO unbelievable that I found myself laughing all the way through. It was an amazon kindle freebie and worth every penny. :)
May 4, 2010
I finished this book and really it took forever to read because I really didn't care about the characters in the slightest bit. I would have given up early in the book but I was reading it for a challenge and I needed to finish to receive the points for it.
February 5, 2023
What happens when you put a romance novel, an adventure story, a thriller, a family drama, and a "prodigal son" spiritual tale into the blender and turn it on? Well, you'd probably kill the appliance, for one thing. But once you extracted the pulpy remains from the jar, it might read something like C.L. Kelly's Scent.
The novel centers on Cassie and Nick Dixon, an improbably named couple who have the equally improbable job of co-owning a perfume business. Their company, Azure World, is struggling. WIth no new recent scents, they have become the laughing stock of the industry. Nick has disappeared into the jungles of New Guinea to find a mysterious orchid - a rare specimen that holds a mystical scent that could save the company. While Nick is away, Cassie runs the day-to-day business, while raising their teenage daughter Beth, managing media inquiries, and fending off jealous professional rivals (one of whom once had an affair with Nick). When Nick returns with the exotic odor, the company prepares to launch Cassandra, a perfume that will revolutionize the industry and put them on top - financially and personally.
But hold on! Cassandra has a dark side. When animals smell the rare odor, they go crazy, attacking humans and committing other heinous acts. Meanwhile, one of the Dixon's professional rivals may have hired a hit man to knock the two of them off, star Azure World employee Royce "The Nose" Blankenship has had his million-dollar proboscis injured in a freak accident, and Beth may or may not be getting too close to her hairdresser, the older and more worldly Andre. What's Cassie to do? She can only confide in Father Byron, a kindly but hip Episcopal priest, and her geriatric friend Mags, with whom she takes trapeze lessons.
They tell authors to write what they know. I think that's silly, as it would limit the possible topics of books to things set in the present and within the scope of the author's personal experience; may as well just write a memoir. But I also think it's a good idea for authors to do their homework. Here, it is unclear whether Mr. Kelly has done any research on what it takes to run a perfume business or on how scents are created, marketed, branded or sold. The core of the Dixon's lives feels as inauthentic and unrealistic as a soap opera. The characters too often lapse into stereotypes, and the scenarios are so over the top as to be ludicrous. What other book will take you from bloodthirsty natives in New Guinea to rabid raccoons on the mean streets of San Francisco, from catty talk show hosts to weepy family reconciliations, from criminals throwing themselves off of high rise buildings to the reappearance of long lost daughters, all in less than 300 pages?
At times, I could almost appreciate Scent as a camp classic. I kept turning the pages, my mouth hanging open, unsure of what exactly to make of this bizarre story. I will hand it to Kelly, every scene and every character is intentional; the entire thing is tightly constructed, like a Rube Goldberg machine of madness.
In the end though, the book has too many things going on and not enough cohesion of style for me to really recommend it. The spiritual lessons Cassie and Nick must learn don't rest easily with the thriller and adventure elements, and the romance angle is too modest to add much spice (this was put out by Christian publishing house Zondervan). Kelly sews up his plot threads, but the whole is not greater than the sum of the parts. It may in fact, be a bit less. Still, I guarantee that you've never read anything like this and for the sheer weirdness of it, you might enjoy the ride.
Did I mention that this book has two sequels?
The novel centers on Cassie and Nick Dixon, an improbably named couple who have the equally improbable job of co-owning a perfume business. Their company, Azure World, is struggling. WIth no new recent scents, they have become the laughing stock of the industry. Nick has disappeared into the jungles of New Guinea to find a mysterious orchid - a rare specimen that holds a mystical scent that could save the company. While Nick is away, Cassie runs the day-to-day business, while raising their teenage daughter Beth, managing media inquiries, and fending off jealous professional rivals (one of whom once had an affair with Nick). When Nick returns with the exotic odor, the company prepares to launch Cassandra, a perfume that will revolutionize the industry and put them on top - financially and personally.
But hold on! Cassandra has a dark side. When animals smell the rare odor, they go crazy, attacking humans and committing other heinous acts. Meanwhile, one of the Dixon's professional rivals may have hired a hit man to knock the two of them off, star Azure World employee Royce "The Nose" Blankenship has had his million-dollar proboscis injured in a freak accident, and Beth may or may not be getting too close to her hairdresser, the older and more worldly Andre. What's Cassie to do? She can only confide in Father Byron, a kindly but hip Episcopal priest, and her geriatric friend Mags, with whom she takes trapeze lessons.
They tell authors to write what they know. I think that's silly, as it would limit the possible topics of books to things set in the present and within the scope of the author's personal experience; may as well just write a memoir. But I also think it's a good idea for authors to do their homework. Here, it is unclear whether Mr. Kelly has done any research on what it takes to run a perfume business or on how scents are created, marketed, branded or sold. The core of the Dixon's lives feels as inauthentic and unrealistic as a soap opera. The characters too often lapse into stereotypes, and the scenarios are so over the top as to be ludicrous. What other book will take you from bloodthirsty natives in New Guinea to rabid raccoons on the mean streets of San Francisco, from catty talk show hosts to weepy family reconciliations, from criminals throwing themselves off of high rise buildings to the reappearance of long lost daughters, all in less than 300 pages?
At times, I could almost appreciate Scent as a camp classic. I kept turning the pages, my mouth hanging open, unsure of what exactly to make of this bizarre story. I will hand it to Kelly, every scene and every character is intentional; the entire thing is tightly constructed, like a Rube Goldberg machine of madness.
In the end though, the book has too many things going on and not enough cohesion of style for me to really recommend it. The spiritual lessons Cassie and Nick must learn don't rest easily with the thriller and adventure elements, and the romance angle is too modest to add much spice (this was put out by Christian publishing house Zondervan). Kelly sews up his plot threads, but the whole is not greater than the sum of the parts. It may in fact, be a bit less. Still, I guarantee that you've never read anything like this and for the sheer weirdness of it, you might enjoy the ride.
Did I mention that this book has two sequels?
August 4, 2019
If I hadn’t been reading this for a challenge, I wouldn’t have finished it. Not sure why, but it just didn’t catch my interest. Possibly because I didn’t like any of the characters enough to root for them - except Gretchen, the most neglected pet I have ever read about. Poor pup.
December 17, 2023
Couldn't get into it ans keep reading
I tried multiple times and I just couldn't keep reading. I found myself bored with it. It had very drawn out sentences and everything over dramatized.
I tried multiple times and I just couldn't keep reading. I found myself bored with it. It had very drawn out sentences and everything over dramatized.
October 30, 2024
different
December 30, 2016
Captivating story
April 24, 2008
I am about halfway through and the sense of impending doom that hasn't let up since page one really isn't helping me enjoy the story.
Cassie and Nick Dixon are perfume makers and own Azure World (their perfume company). Nick goes off to find and bring back the fragrance of a rare pink orchid without getting killed by nature or the natives. Meanwhile Cassie is dealing with trying to keep their business, Azure World, afloat until Nick comes back with the beguiling perfume of perfumes. Cassie feels like he is being attacked by both competitors and media. Things get better, then worse for the couple...
I sure hope it has some sort of happy ending (which no doubt it will, just not before there is more pain). It is the sort of book that from page one feels like the ending will be "they lost everything, but they found each other; family and friends are all they really needed anyways".
Cassie and Nick Dixon are perfume makers and own Azure World (their perfume company). Nick goes off to find and bring back the fragrance of a rare pink orchid without getting killed by nature or the natives. Meanwhile Cassie is dealing with trying to keep their business, Azure World, afloat until Nick comes back with the beguiling perfume of perfumes. Cassie feels like he is being attacked by both competitors and media. Things get better, then worse for the couple...
I sure hope it has some sort of happy ending (which no doubt it will, just not before there is more pain). It is the sort of book that from page one feels like the ending will be "they lost everything, but they found each other; family and friends are all they really needed anyways".
July 6, 2010
This book had a pretty interesting plot. I thought it was creative too, and would make a good movie. It is a Christian fiction novel, but I just didn't like the way some of these characters interacted or talked about God. I know there is no perfect relationship with Jesus, but usually at the end of Christian fiction the character finds God, or all is made right.....but this relationship was left the same it began, dysfunctional. Maybe it is because there is another novel about the Dixons written after this one.
May 4, 2010
This is, without a doubt, the worst book I have ever read. But it's bad in the best kind of way - it's like a trainwreck. I can't look away. I love the horrible writing, the implausible plot twists and the circus school. Yes, this book has a *circus school* subplot.
Here's a sample of the amazing writing: "He's a genius, Mom, practically a protege."
While I could never call this a good book, if you have a Kindle and can get it for the low price of free (like I did) I must recommend it!
Here's a sample of the amazing writing: "He's a genius, Mom, practically a protege."
While I could never call this a good book, if you have a Kindle and can get it for the low price of free (like I did) I must recommend it!
May 17, 2010
This book was free, so I thought I'd give it a shot. "Scent" is an interesting mix of religion and business. It's a story about how life doesn't always go the way we'd like it to, but we have to take the good and the bad and see how we can fit God into it all. All-in-all I liked the story, but I've been a bit more afraid of dogs lately as a result of reading this interesting plot line. Creepy and good at the same time.
August 2, 2010
I found it hard to believe the actions and motivations of some of the characters. This book would probably appeal to people who like to read about glitz and glamour, those who enjoy reading about travel to exotic places, and those who like horror that isn't too explicit.
November 11, 2010
So far I have no clue what this book is really about.
Read
August 3, 2012Interesting book!
January 6, 2013
kept my interest
Writing not bad, plot moves quickly along. I actually remember this one, 8 years later? That says something!
Writing not bad, plot moves quickly along. I actually remember this one, 8 years later? That says something!
June 5, 2010
Ehhh. Just ok. The last several chapters were superfluous and some of the action was quite strange
April 17, 2017
This is the worst book I've read in a long time! It's so bad, I was forced to abandon it. Just goes to show, anyone can get published.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews