SCENT OF TRIUMPH highlights the difficulties for business families at this turbulent time. Danielle's mother is Jewish and when she married Max, an aristocratic German, there was no difficulty. But now they have a young son at home in Poland and times have changed. However bad things are on land, the sea is about to provide their worst enemy; the sleek grey U-boat.

Sofia von Hoffman is not a well woman, but she's determinedly preparing to evacuate from Poland, with Max's son Nicky, her grandson, to Paris. When she looks for aid however, everyone else has either become a refugee or joined the Nazis. She's desperate. And then bombs start to fall.

I enjoy particularly the perfume lore at the start of each chapter. We're told about nutmegs, lilies, bergamot and orange blossom. Messages can be passed by attaching a meaning to each kind of flower; this was dreamed up by Turkish concubines. Chemical research added new notes, called aldehydes, but genuine flowers and vanilla seed pods were still required. Danielle's mother continues to prepare perfumes in Paris while her father continues banking with... well, some prospering companies in the new era, causing resentment. Danielle's brother Jean-Claude has been secretly working with Jewish people fleeing the growing Nazi powers. Maybe it's time they all fled... or picked up weapons.

Another part of the book moves to Los Angeles, where we are reminded that a simple flower, the poppy, is the producer of opium that can be a harmful addictive narcotic. Perfume however is a highly desirable commodity. Travel percolates this story as much as scents, crossing continents and seas, as the drama and despair of being parted in wartime affects the world. SCENT OF TRIUMPH by its nature can't be an entirely happy romance, but romantic it is and Jan Moran has packed in plenty of detail of the times. Lovers of historical fiction and strong women will find SCENT OF TRIUMPH a wonderful read.

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