A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a cute little novella about a candel shop owner. It seemed like there was quite a lot going on for a short book so some pieces felt incomplete, but an enjoyable quick afternoon read.

The Scent of a Romance is a cute, fake-dating, short, fast-paced romance where they meet at a candle shop that the FMC (Alexa) owns.
I enjoyed this story, but I felt like it was rushed. The characters weren’t that deep and interactions between them felt rushed and kind of cliche.
This is a great book if you’re looking for a quick, cute romance read!

“The Scent of Romance” by T. Atkins
Reviewer Vibes:
Writing Style: Smooth like silk ✍️✨
Plot: A slow burn, but oh-so-worth it! 🔥❤️
Romance Level: Off the charts—chemistry overload! 💘💫
Characters: Relatable & swoon-worthy ✅
Twists: Just enough to keep you guessing 🤔🌹
Ending: Satisfying with a touch of bittersweet beauty 💔➡️❤️

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is a short & sweet novella - the book had it's funny moments and was overall just really cute. It was really just 86 pages of sweetness!

this was way too short for me. and its a shame because it was actually a great story and well written, I liked the characters immediately and for something so short, I didn't expect to. this needed to be fleshed out a lot more.

Review: The Scent of a Romance by T. Atkins
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

A short, sweet, and uplifting read! The Scent of a Romance delivers a heartwarming story of rediscovery and resilience. After being betrayed by her ex, the main character finds herself at a crossroads—and the journey that follows is both relatable and empowering.

The characters are instantly likeable, and the writing is light yet emotionally grounded, making it easy to fly through in one sitting. If you're in the mood for a feel-good romance with a strong touch of personal growth, this one’s for you.

A great pick for fans of quick reads with heart!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book — all thoughts in my review are my own.

this was a really short read that was great as it was but i actually liked it so much i think it wouldve been perfect s a longer novel.
we have two really likeable characters. both are fine just as they are thanks. but their family dont see it that way and are on their backs to meet someone and get married already. errrmm no tah. what follows is a plan that will serve both of them. right? right? nope. because when real feelings become involved what then?
Alex is a witty and smart soul. i really enjoyed her as a character. she was strong and held her own agency well. and Callum was the perfect swoon character. yes please we shall have a bit of him for Alex.
Alex is the owner of a candle shop which happens to be the candle shop Callum walks into with his sister to pick wedding gifts. but on meeting these two feel something. the chemistry is written so well. instead of getting together because of course this pair dont want that. they come up with a better plan that will be what both of them need right now. and that is their family off their backs. and so they device a fake dating plan. all so easy breezy. wrong on every level because these two cant get enough of eachother.
but behind it all they have their own issues to heal or move on from. they have their own fears. so can they take a chance on love. and does how close they are becoming only feel possible because they both know their is an easy end point? but then then ending doesnt seem so easy now at all.

i really enjoyed this book, it was definitely something different than what i have read in romance book which was why i really enjoyed. As a candle maker myself it really caught my attention since the beginning of the chapter because its true you barely have time for yourself and to find love. won't spoil it for others that haven't read this book but there's a part we think something, and it turns out to be something else hahaha. i read this in one seating which i loved.

Every is where she wants to be, she has her candle shop and after her ex cheated on her she has no real interest in love no matter what her mum things.

Caleb has no interest in love, and is sick of his mum trying to set him up with her friends daughters.

So when his sister decides for bespoke candles for her wedding announcement Avery and Csleb meet and they try to ignore the dparks, but then they realise that a fake relationship woul solve their problems but what happens when the fake starts to become real.

A fabulous short story, great characters and plenty depth in the story. Definitely worth a read

Rating: 3.25 stars

If you want a quick, adorable romance with the fake dating trope, this book is for you! The Scent of a Romance follows our small business owner Alexa falling into a fake dating scheme with Caleb, who stumbles into her store one day as a customer. The pacing was fast, the banter was adorable, and the side characters are fun (especially Megan!!)

I docked a few stars off my rating for a few reasons. Firstly, the fake dating trope hinges on either one or both parties being actively unwilling to date for whatever reason, and I did not feel like their reasons came across clearly enough to have me convinced that they needed to fake a relationship rather than actually try one. Second, there was a microtrope used that I really don't like in my romance novels, but to be fair it was resolved quickly enough that it wasn't too much of an issue.

Overall, I would recommend this if you're looking for a quick, silly, cute romance story with the fake dating trope!

I received an eARC of this book by Netgalley and it was so heartwarming and cozy, and very enjoyable to read, it also happens to be the fastest read of the year at only 83 pages!
I love the chemistry. I love the tension, the main characters were charming, and absolutely lovely, it was cute, quirky, and enjoyable.
The author had such a unique writing style, that showed just how talented she is, I definitely recommend this book!

The Scent of a Romance is a sweet, no spice novella. It is funny and charming, with a witty fake dating trope that turns into the real deal. Both MC’s are approachable and kind and are really good people. I love the minor characters and would have loved to have learned more about them. They were funny and adorable. Protective yet also supportive and the FMC’s biggest cheerleaders. Would love to see books following their stories.

I received an ARC of #thescentofaromance from #netgalley in lieu of my honest review of the book.

3⭐️ - I liked it

This feel good and fake dating novel started out so good! The candle store and the sweet characters felt like a warm bath which I couldn’t get enough of. The second part was really quick which resulted in a very short ending. I would have loved this novel even more if we had a longer ending and less miscommunication. Fun and feel-good short read!

a cute & quick read, perfect for a palate cleanser! this novella follows alexa and caleb who agree to fake being in a relationship to escape pressure from their parents about dating and marriage. i've never read a book where the fmc is a candle shop owner so the concept was really fun and interesting. the pacing felt a bit quick and i would've liked more buildup to their relationship but overall i still enjoyed this!
～thank you to victory editing and netgalley for the arc!

A nice light easy read. I know it is a short story however I would have enjoyed a bit more build up as the main characters just seemed like complete strangers to friends within one meeting.

A sweet little candle shop romance about love at first sight.
The book was perfectly long; it couldn't have needed any more pages.

Absolutely adored this little gem.
It’s a short, fast-paced story that gently pulls you in. A boy meets a girl, finds himself intrigued, and starts looking for reasons to be around her. She feels the same, though neither of them fully realizes it at first. With their parents nudging them toward marriage, they agree to fake date—just to buy some time.

But as they spend more time together, what starts as pretend slowly turns into something real.

This one’s a tender, feel-good read that’s sure to warm your heart. Perfect for when you need something sweet and comforting.

3⭐️ 0🌶️

This was a cute fake dating novella. I found myself wanting this to be longer, a novella just isn’t long enough to portray the feelings and emotions a fake dating trope should include. Overall found myself wanting more, but still enjoyed the quick read.

They main character's name isn't consistent....she is referred to as Alexa, but a few pages in it's Andrea? Then back to Alexa? Major editing needs to be done to make this readable.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.