The Secret of a Heart Note

Title:

The Secret of a Heart Note

Author:

Lee, Stacey

Subject:

Romance

Young Adult Literature

Young Adult Fiction

Description:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Downstairs Girl, Stacey Lee, an evocative novel about a teen aroma expert who uses her extrasensitive sense of smell to help others fall in love—while protecting her own heart at all costs. Perfect for fans of When Dimple Met Rishi and I'll Be the One and now in paperback.Sometimes love is right under your nose. As one of only two aromateurs left on the planet, sixteen-year-old Mimosa knows what her future holds: a lifetime of weeding, mixing love elixirs, and matchmaking—all while remaining incurably alone.For Mim, the rules are clear: falling in love would render her nose useless, taking away her one great talent. Still, Mimosa doesn't want to spend her life elbow-deep in soil and begonias. She dreams of a normal high school experience with friends, sports practices, debate club, and even a boyfriend.But when she accidentally gives an elixir to the wrong woman and has to rely on the lovesick woman's son, the school soccer star, to help fix the situation, Mim quickly begins to realize that falling in love isn't always a choice you can make.At once hopeful, funny, and romantic, Stacey Lee's The Secret of a Heart Note is a richly evocative coming-of-age story that gives a fresh perspective on falling in love and finding one's place in the world.

Publisher:

Katherine Tegen Books

HarperCollins

Date:

2016/12/27

Digital Format:

HTML

ADOBE EPUB

KINDLE

Language:

English

Summary

Sometimes love is right under your nose. As one of only two aromateurs left on the planet, sixteen-year-old Mimosa knows what her future holds: a lifetime of weeding, mixing love elixirs, and matchmaking--all while remaining incurably alone.

For Mim, the rules are clear: falling in love would render her nose useless, taking away her one great talent. Still, Mimosa doesn't want to spend her life elbow-deep in soil and begonias. She dreams of a normal high school experience with friends, sports practices, debate club, and even a boyfriend.

But when she accidentally gives an elixir to the wrong woman and has to rely on the lovesick woman's son, the school soccer star, to help fix the situation, Mim quickly begins to realize that falling in love isn't always a choice you can make.

At once hopeful, funny, and romantic, Stacey Lee's The Secret of a Heart Note is a richly evocative coming-of-age story that gives a fresh perspective on falling in love and finding one's place in the world.

Reviews (4)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Mimosa has inherited an ultra-sensitive nose. Besides being able to smell people's moods, she and her mother are skilled at mixing scents to create personalized aphrodisiacs for lovelorn clients. Growing weary of her cloistered life as one of the last aromateurs on Earth, Mimosa enrolls in public school but discovers that her private life and the high school social scene don't blend as smoothly as the ingredients in her potions. The trouble begins when Mimosa's algebra teacher requests an elixir that falls into the hands of the mother of popular soccer player Court Sawyer, who is, in turn, on his way to winning Mimosa's heart. In this tantalizing book of contrasts-science and magic, ancient tradition and contemporary life, and seclusion and exploration, among them-Lee (Outrun the Moon) introduces a cast of memorable characters while tracing the external and internal conflicts of an engaging heroine. The book, a playful departure from Lee's historical fiction, opens the door to many possible outcomes, and readers will be on the edge of their seats to find out how Mimosa's snowballing dilemmas are resolved. Ages 13-up. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary. (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Horn Book Review

Mim, one of two "aromateurs" left in the world, knows that "love witches can't fall in love." But she's beginning to think there's more to life than mixing love potions for others. As she tries to balance the demands of her olfactory legacy with high school, an amorous disaster ensues. This unique romance contemplates the nature of personal destiny, identity, and forgiveness. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Review

The daughter and apprentice of a famous magic-worker who helps others fall in love doesnt know the feeling herself. Bay Area residents Mimosa and her mother are the worlds last two aromateurs, love witches with senses of smell so precise they, like their ancestors, perceive individual scentprints the way most people can distinguish faces. They dedicate themselves to making pro-bono customized love elixirs for clients. But the cost of being an aromateur is high for 15-year-old Mim: shes not supposed to fall in love herself, or shell lose her nose and the ancestral profession will die. When Mim accidentally gives her algebra teachers scentprint elixir to school soccer star Courts newly divorced mother, she must figure out a way to undo the damage before her mother finds out. The cast of characters is refreshingly diverse, starting with the multicultural Mim, her Samoan best friend Kali (whos also LGBTQ), white Court, his Latina ex-girlfriend, and other identifiably ethnic students. Lee is a synesthete, and her appreciation of natural fragrances and botanicals is evident. Although not as exceptional as the authors previous historical novels (Under a Painted Sky, 2014; Outrun the Moon, 2016), this contemporary fantasy is charming and likely to resonate with readers who gravitate toward romance or mother-daughter stories. This imaginative and sweet coming-of-age tale is infused with the magic of first love. (Magical realism. 12-16) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

Lee's first contemporary romance hits all the right notes. Sixteen-year-old Mimosa and her mother are the last in a long line of aromateurs, a profession that relies on having an extraordinary sense of smell in order to create elixirs that help others fall in love. While love is their family business, Mim and her mother have been jinxed to never fall in love themselves. If they do, they'll lose their great talent. When Mim accidentally gives an elixir to the wrong person, the mother of her forbidden crush, she finds herself drowning in a mess of feelings. Lee takes a typical first-crush, coming-of-age tale and adds a touch of magic to it. In spite of its lighthearted premise, the story gains some depth with a bullying subplot, wherein Mim's best friend is blackmailed about her sexuality by the school mean girl. Mim navigates a twisty path of emotions, and her journey rings true as she uncovers the truth about her family and falling in love. A solid 2choice for libraries looking to add contemporary romance.--Thompson, Sarah Bean Copyright 2016 Booklist