Polly s life is great. Her children are away at uni, her glamorous mother — still modelling at eighty-five — is happily settled in a retirement village, and her perfume blog is taking off. Then her husband announces he needs some space and promptly vanishes.

As Polly grapples with her bewildering situation, she clings to a few new friends to keep her going — Shirlee, the loudmouthed yoga student; Guy, the mysterious, infuriating and hugely talented perfumer; and Edward, an old flame from university.

And while she distracts herself with the heady world of luxury perfume, Polly knows she can t keep reality at bay forever. Eventually she is forced to confront some difficult truths: about her husband, herself and who she really wants to be.

Praise for Maggie Alderson:

Maggie Alderson has a light touch, a well-sharpened wit and lots of heart Better Reading

The Scent of You is just that: a classic Alderson which mixes everything good in life; perfume, the internet, family and Very Good Looking men, into one can t-put-down read Vogue