Chloe Richards is a small town girl with a big heart. At least, that’s what the local folk of Rosehip Village think. But when her parents turn up on her doorstep asking for help, her secret past is about to be revealed.

Being the daughter of Hollywood royalty was never going to be easy, but at 19, Chloe Richards managed to leave that life behind along with the scandals that almost destroyed her. A fresh start was all she needed, and a fresh start was what she got in Rosehip. Girlfriend of a local bookshop owner, best friends with fiercely loyal café owner and owner of a perfume business herself, Chloe has a happy life. But her parents are about to turn her perfect life on its head. Again.

What do you do when you’re torn between loyalty and protecting yourself? Should you trust your heart when your head is telling you not to?

Chloe Richards has had enough of living in the spotlight, so one night decides to slip away unnoticed, leaving her past and parents behind, to go to a place where no one will recognise her.

After stopping at a garage and asking for help, she meets Billy, who tells her he’s from a little village called Rosehip, population of about 60.

Chloe follows Billy to the village and falls in love with it. Three years later, she is still there running her own shop ‘Scents by Chloe’ creating scents, including perfumes, aftershaves etc and loving the quiet life.

When her parents stroll in to town though, will her past finally catch up with her?

Perfume and Promises is a sweet tale of one woman trying to get her life back in order and take some control over it. Chloe wants a fresh start in a place no one will know her, thus no one will be able to judge her.

She has spent her whole life being in the spotlight because of her parents professions. She craves love and friendship and thinks that in Rosehip she may have just found both.

Chloe is a very trusting, yet naïve woman, even if she won’t disclose any information of her past. I had mixed feelings about her. She seemed very sweet and innocent, but I wasn’t convinced. She was a very likeable character though, just like her parents are when they arrive in town, bringing a bit of glamour with them.

Her boyfriend of one month Billy (yes the same one from the garage three years ago), is a very strange character. He runs the local book shop and may not be exactly who he claims to be, but I won’t say any more – you’ll have to find out for yourself.

The secondary characters were all adorable, including village grandma Netty, restaurant owner Mr Melio, Postman Mr Rhodes and Chloe’s best friend Lyssa.

Perfume and Promises reads like an easy summery chick lit. The story was lovely and full of shocks and surprises. It had a few jaw-dropping moments, especially with nearly all of the characters hiding secrets, leaving me to think it should have been called ‘Scents and Secrets’ instead!

Ellen lives in the wonderful county of Yorkshire, England with her husband, where she spends most of her time with her nose in her laptop, a book or plate of food.

Legal secretary and daydreamer by day, writer and serial tweeter by night, Ellen finally decided to put all the magic in her head to some use one day and put finger to laptop where "The Story of Us" was born and became her début novel.

Four novels later, the daydreams are still going strong, thankfully!

She loves to travel and enjoys taking her readers on a journey to escape with her, in whatever country or village she decides on next.

@EllenFaith16
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