Dear Reader,
There is truly nothing like cracking open a book. No matter how young or old the pages are, there is something to be said about breathing in a whiff of that memorable scent. Woodsy serif fonts. Hardcover. Paperback. Fresh sheets laced with ivory notes. It’s a special kind of high that comes with being a certified book lover.
If you’re like us you miss the glorified days of romantic comedies, the ones where Jennifer Garner turns 30 overnight and is sharing Razzles with Mark Ruffalo, or following Meg Ryan on one of her many romantic adventures with Tom Hanks or Billy Crystal. Maybe you’re a Julia Roberts expert and quote ‘Big Mistake! H U G E!’ every time you so much as look at a fancy department store, or maybe you have a personal vendetta against every person who leaves My Big Fat Greek Wedding off their Best Rom-Com list (We’re looking at you Vanity Fair).
Well gird your loins folks, we’re the ladies behind The Trope Notes. We met during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic . . . Cassie in California. . . Taylor in Alabama. We found each other on Twitter through Rachel Syme’s #PenPalooza, a match-making pen pal experiment. Instantly our letters became our guiding force throughout the pandemic. So here we are, now writing letters to you about two of our favorite things: perfume and romantic comedies.
If you’re new to the literary scene that is the romantic comedy (Taylor), or if you’re someone that is a longstanding member (Cassie)–welcome! In this newsletter, we will review and analyze a book and assign a variety of scents and perfumes. We are after all, certified scent-heads (is that a thing? Can we make it so?)
What better way to kick off this series than with the Queen of the Modern Rom-Com, our Nora Ephron if you will, Emily Henry. We are in the limbo between Spring and Summer (though Taylor can testify Alabama gets a headstart). We are ready to embrace June with all its sandy trailed edges, blasting heat, and coconut-scented sunscreen. What better way to truly begin the season than with Henry’s New York Times bestseller Beach Read.
In this novel, our main character, January Andrews finds herself broke, uninspired, and cleaning out the house of her late father on the sandy shores of Lake Michigan. She spends her days selling furniture online and avoiding her father’s mistress in this small yet charming mid-western town.
Before Book Deal - Blackberry Tonic by Mix:Bar
Notes: scribbled notes, boozy bookclubs, and looming deadlines
The fruity and refreshing scent opens with notes of blackberry, the perfect mix to pair with January’s favorite gin. The scent evolves into the lily of the valley with splashes of jasmine and finishes with a base of woodsy notes: musk and amber wood. This fragrance is perfect for many of us who operate on a book deal-less budget.
Soon we meet our unlikely boy next door, Augustus Everett. Grumpy, rumpled, and completely sexy, Gus almost doesn’t recognize the former fairy princess who no longer believes in love. To try and get around their respective writer’s blocks, Gus and January embark on a summer-long writing challenge to turn the tables, meet deadlines, and get out of their rut.
Gus – Burning Bridges by Snif
Notes: writer’s block, smoke, and evil crooked grins
Burning Bridges opens with a smoky tobacco scent, dappled with spices, and dries down with an addictive sweet boost of vanilla. The bold scent smells like rumpled t-shirts, neighborly rivals turning into lovers and pretending like they’re not holding hands at an Olive Garden.
While planning activities for each other to learn from, these former workshop rivals can’t stop thinking about that one night in college, bodies pressed together in some frat house basement, stale beer on the tips of their tongues as music blares and heartbeats move in sync. As feelings begin to resurface, Gus and January find themselves roaming around the different neighborhoods of Lake Michigan. From researching cults one late summer evening to line dancing at the local pub, January and Gus pack a lot into their three months living next door to each other.
Lake Michigan – Echo Lake by Lake & Skye
Notes: taylor swift references, cool gray mornings, and drive-in movie kisses
The scent opens with a waft of bergamot before carefully leading into a swift breath of fresh juniper, just like the gin and tonics January loves. Each layer takes us right to the beachfront of Lake Michigan where Gus and January live. He lacks deck furniture, she’s trying to get rid of her own–all while notes are passed between them through their kitchen windows. This dreamy scent finishes with an earthy dose of sandalwood and sunkissed skin.
Emily Henry gives us a classic slow burn, the kind that leaves us wanting and begging for more until we’re satisfied. But happily ever afters and deadlines aren’t the only things on January’s mind this summer. With every scrap of her father’s possessions she packs up and gives away, her mind turns with even more questions and those answers change the meaning of happily ever afters for our girl January.
Letters from Dad - Bibliothèque by Byredo
Notes: morning boat rides and forgiveness
One spritz of Bibliothèque is enough to transport us to another time. A time when Dad is writing letters to January on each of her birthdays. The top notes begin with plum and peach, giving a hint of sweetness before drying down into vanilla, musk, and patchouli. The final smell of leather notes and old pages surrounds us with swift coastal waves and love that can only be described as complicated and fierce.
This New York Times Bestseller lives up to the hype. If you’re a first-time reader we hope you find yourself on your own sandy shores (maybe with a box of tissues handy) or maybe our recommendations are pointing you back towards this instant classic. With these scents and all their lovely notes, we’re sure that Beach Read will be one of your favorite summer reads that you can wear all season long.
Scent-cerely, Cassie & Taylor
P.S
After Book Deal - Let’s Be Real by Confessions of a Rebel
Notes: personalized autographs and diving behind bookshelves to avoid an unfortunate crush
Spoiler alert: January and Gus meet their respective deadlines. To celebrate their contracts, January levels up her perfume game with Let’s Be Real. This white floral scent starts off with lovely sprigs of lavender and orange blossom then settles into a summertime dream of tuberose and jasmine. The fragrance finishes with vanilla and a cozy winter cashmere sweater, perfect for a writing date at the beach house.