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The Scent of Rome
In a last-ditch attempt to secure an investor for an app she’s developed, Rome Foster travels to her namesake city hoping her luck is going to change. Just as she’s about to pitch her life’s work, she meets the charming and captivating Nadine; a high-end escort who shocks Rome by flirting with her. Rome is straight, but Nadine sparks up a fire in her so strong that it seems impossible to extinguish.
Nadine Costa is pleased with the way her life is going. She lives in a fantastic apartment in the city she loves, and her lucrative job provides the funds she needs to support her expensive passion: perfume making. When Rome crosses her path, she knows she’s never smelled anything quite so exquisite in her life.
Rome is a loner and doesn’t let people in, but when an incident occurs and Nadine steps in to save her, she realizes her feelings go deeper than just lust. Neither of them was looking for something more than physical, but when the stars are aligned, it’s hard to escape destiny…
103,000 words
Nadine Costa is pleased with the way her life is going. She lives in a fantastic apartment in the city she loves, and her lucrative job provides the funds she needs to support her expensive passion: perfume making. When Rome crosses her path, she knows she’s never smelled anything quite so exquisite in her life.
Rome is a loner and doesn’t let people in, but when an incident occurs and Nadine steps in to save her, she realizes her feelings go deeper than just lust. Neither of them was looking for something more than physical, but when the stars are aligned, it’s hard to escape destiny…
103,000 words
375 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2020
274 people are currently reading
1129 people want to read
About the author
Lise Gold
50 books687 followersLise Gold is an author of lesbian romance. Her romantic attitude, enthusiasm for travel and love for feel good stories form the heartland of her writing. Born in London to a Norwegian mother and English father, and growing up between the UK, Norway, Zambia and the Netherlands, she feels at home pretty much everywhere and has an unending curiosity for new destinations. She goes by 'write what you know' and is often found in exotic locations doing research or getting inspired for her next novel.
Working as a designer for fifteen years and singing semi- professionally, Lise has always been a creative at heart. Her novels are the result of a quest for a new passion after resigning from her design job in 2018.
When not writing from her kitchen table, Lise can be found cooking, at the gym or singing her heart out somewhere, preferably country or blues. She lives in London with her dogs El Comandante and Bubba.
Working as a designer for fifteen years and singing semi- professionally, Lise has always been a creative at heart. Her novels are the result of a quest for a new passion after resigning from her design job in 2018.
When not writing from her kitchen table, Lise can be found cooking, at the gym or singing her heart out somewhere, preferably country or blues. She lives in London with her dogs El Comandante and Bubba.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
November 7, 2020
Edit: November 7th, 2020
When I read The Scent of Rome, I was overwhelmed, much as I often am in Italy, which is another proof of Lise Gold’s talent. Because of that sensation overload, I didn’t enjoy this story as much as it deserved, which resulted in a 4* rating. I’m now giving it the 5* it probably should have been from the start.
While I’d needed a little time to get know and appreciate Nadine in my first read, I liked her immediately this time around. I didn’t feel as overwhelmed when listening to the audiobook, and I wonder if it’s because I already knew the story, the characters, the atmosphere, or if it comes from the nature of audiobooks. As paradoxical as it may seem, when I read, I hear the sounds the author conjures. When listening to a narrated book, there’s no background noise. All there is is the voice. It falls entirely to the narrator to bring everything to life, the characters obviously but also the environment they exist in. And that’s the difference between a good narrator, who will make listening nice and enjoyable, and an excellent one, who will breathe life into the narration. TJ Richards falls into the second category.
The voice TJ Richards gave Nadine didn’t sound like the one I had imagined for her but it still worked perfectly. And Rome’s voice, in particular when she tells her best friend about Nadine, gave me goosebumps. I think what impressed me most is all the tiny nuances, especially the vulnerability TJ Richards manages to inject. Nothing is sexier than a strong woman allowing her vulnerability to show or a vulnerable woman finding her strength. We get both from both women in this novel.
------------------------------------------------
Once again, I’ll start a review of a book by writing not about the book but about me. I love Italy, I love my Italian friends, I love the food in every region I’ve visited. My wife is of Italian descent and it’s one of the things that make her her, one of the reasons I love her. That said, I deal with sensory issues and for me to enjoy everything Italy, I sometimes need to go slow.
Italy is a lot. A lot of everything. Noise, touch, smells… All things I struggle with. It’s a testament to Lise Gold’s talent at describing the countries she makes her readers travel to that almost as soon as I began reading The Scent of Rome, I felt the need to pull away. To take a step back. To give myself time not to be overwhelmed. Exactly as when I arrive in Italy.
Rome Foster is in Italy (yes, in Rome) to meet with potential investors for the world-changing app she has created. Nervous about what is probably her last chance to make her dream come true, she’s a little early at the restaurant, hoping for some liquid courage before her pitch. At the bar, she meets a gorgeous woman, Nadine, who soon tells her she’s an escort. They chat easily, with Nadine flirting shamelessly with her, despite Rome’s insistence that she’s straight, and by the time Nadine’s date (who happens to be one of the businessmen Rome is trying to convince) arrives, the connection is there.
Lise Gold’s books are happy places for me. The stories they tell are not free of angst or problems but they make my heart feel all warm and fuzzy, so to find myself resisting going too deep in one was new and uncomfortable. Make no mistake, I’m not saying that as if it were a bad thing. Quite the opposite, actually.
And it’s probably for the same reasons that Nadine unsettled me at first. I didn’t know what to make of her, in particular of her heavy flirting. I was a tad bothered by it, as I felt it paralleled what she didn’t like about the men she dates for work, until I realised that as soon as she thought Rome was uncomfortable with it, she immediately offered to stop. Fortunately, Rome said go ahead, keep flirting, I’m not as straight as I thought I was. Nadine is so sexy and sensual from the first time we meet her, no wonder Rome can’t resist her. Nadine bewilders even herself by opening up to Rome, allowing her to see beyond the beautiful body and deceptively laid-back attitude to the vulnerability and her secret talent and ambition. For Nadine is what is called a nose, someone who can perceive, analyse and combine scents to make the most amazing fragrances. When Rome meets her, she’s working on her own life dream, a very special set of perfumes, using her job as a high-end escort to fund her research.
The Scent of Rome is all about senses so naturally, it’s brimming over with sensuality from the start. Lise Gold is not one to shy away from sexy scenes but she outdid herself here. Beyond the obvious, what makes those scenes so hot is the undeniable and irresistible chemistry between the two women, which takes them both by surprise. Neither is ready to fall in love – Rome because she was sure she was straight and too busy changing the world, Nadine because she doesn’t do relationships, period –, both are aware of their own and each other’s fear of commitment, and I liked the way Lise Gold made them handle that, by communicating and being honest about their feelings and their concerns.
There’s also a #MeToo aspect to the story, bringing both the narrative and the relationship at its heart another layer. Rome’s strength shines through, as well as Nadine’s caring side, all combining in a feeling of empowerment with effects radiating far beyond just the two of them. Another strong point of this book is its secondary cast. Besides the slimy and scary bad guy, Rome and Nadine are surrounded by captivating characters: Luca, Nadine’s grumpy neighbour, Angelo, her unofficial bodyguard, Eliza, Rome’s striking colleague, her investors and lawyers… Depending on their importance to the story, they’re not all as detailed and complex, but they’re fleshed enough to be real and make their mark. As usual in Gold’s books, the city is a character in its own right, and unsurprisingly, now, I want to visit Rome.
Lise Gold’s books are sure bets when looking for heartwarming stories with sweet yet resilient characters, who turn their flaws and vulnerabilities into strengths. The Scent of Rome is no exception.
When I read The Scent of Rome, I was overwhelmed, much as I often am in Italy, which is another proof of Lise Gold’s talent. Because of that sensation overload, I didn’t enjoy this story as much as it deserved, which resulted in a 4* rating. I’m now giving it the 5* it probably should have been from the start.
While I’d needed a little time to get know and appreciate Nadine in my first read, I liked her immediately this time around. I didn’t feel as overwhelmed when listening to the audiobook, and I wonder if it’s because I already knew the story, the characters, the atmosphere, or if it comes from the nature of audiobooks. As paradoxical as it may seem, when I read, I hear the sounds the author conjures. When listening to a narrated book, there’s no background noise. All there is is the voice. It falls entirely to the narrator to bring everything to life, the characters obviously but also the environment they exist in. And that’s the difference between a good narrator, who will make listening nice and enjoyable, and an excellent one, who will breathe life into the narration. TJ Richards falls into the second category.
The voice TJ Richards gave Nadine didn’t sound like the one I had imagined for her but it still worked perfectly. And Rome’s voice, in particular when she tells her best friend about Nadine, gave me goosebumps. I think what impressed me most is all the tiny nuances, especially the vulnerability TJ Richards manages to inject. Nothing is sexier than a strong woman allowing her vulnerability to show or a vulnerable woman finding her strength. We get both from both women in this novel.
------------------------------------------------
Once again, I’ll start a review of a book by writing not about the book but about me. I love Italy, I love my Italian friends, I love the food in every region I’ve visited. My wife is of Italian descent and it’s one of the things that make her her, one of the reasons I love her. That said, I deal with sensory issues and for me to enjoy everything Italy, I sometimes need to go slow.
Italy is a lot. A lot of everything. Noise, touch, smells… All things I struggle with. It’s a testament to Lise Gold’s talent at describing the countries she makes her readers travel to that almost as soon as I began reading The Scent of Rome, I felt the need to pull away. To take a step back. To give myself time not to be overwhelmed. Exactly as when I arrive in Italy.
Rome Foster is in Italy (yes, in Rome) to meet with potential investors for the world-changing app she has created. Nervous about what is probably her last chance to make her dream come true, she’s a little early at the restaurant, hoping for some liquid courage before her pitch. At the bar, she meets a gorgeous woman, Nadine, who soon tells her she’s an escort. They chat easily, with Nadine flirting shamelessly with her, despite Rome’s insistence that she’s straight, and by the time Nadine’s date (who happens to be one of the businessmen Rome is trying to convince) arrives, the connection is there.
Lise Gold’s books are happy places for me. The stories they tell are not free of angst or problems but they make my heart feel all warm and fuzzy, so to find myself resisting going too deep in one was new and uncomfortable. Make no mistake, I’m not saying that as if it were a bad thing. Quite the opposite, actually.
And it’s probably for the same reasons that Nadine unsettled me at first. I didn’t know what to make of her, in particular of her heavy flirting. I was a tad bothered by it, as I felt it paralleled what she didn’t like about the men she dates for work, until I realised that as soon as she thought Rome was uncomfortable with it, she immediately offered to stop. Fortunately, Rome said go ahead, keep flirting, I’m not as straight as I thought I was. Nadine is so sexy and sensual from the first time we meet her, no wonder Rome can’t resist her. Nadine bewilders even herself by opening up to Rome, allowing her to see beyond the beautiful body and deceptively laid-back attitude to the vulnerability and her secret talent and ambition. For Nadine is what is called a nose, someone who can perceive, analyse and combine scents to make the most amazing fragrances. When Rome meets her, she’s working on her own life dream, a very special set of perfumes, using her job as a high-end escort to fund her research.
The Scent of Rome is all about senses so naturally, it’s brimming over with sensuality from the start. Lise Gold is not one to shy away from sexy scenes but she outdid herself here. Beyond the obvious, what makes those scenes so hot is the undeniable and irresistible chemistry between the two women, which takes them both by surprise. Neither is ready to fall in love – Rome because she was sure she was straight and too busy changing the world, Nadine because she doesn’t do relationships, period –, both are aware of their own and each other’s fear of commitment, and I liked the way Lise Gold made them handle that, by communicating and being honest about their feelings and their concerns.
There’s also a #MeToo aspect to the story, bringing both the narrative and the relationship at its heart another layer. Rome’s strength shines through, as well as Nadine’s caring side, all combining in a feeling of empowerment with effects radiating far beyond just the two of them. Another strong point of this book is its secondary cast. Besides the slimy and scary bad guy, Rome and Nadine are surrounded by captivating characters: Luca, Nadine’s grumpy neighbour, Angelo, her unofficial bodyguard, Eliza, Rome’s striking colleague, her investors and lawyers… Depending on their importance to the story, they’re not all as detailed and complex, but they’re fleshed enough to be real and make their mark. As usual in Gold’s books, the city is a character in its own right, and unsurprisingly, now, I want to visit Rome.
Lise Gold’s books are sure bets when looking for heartwarming stories with sweet yet resilient characters, who turn their flaws and vulnerabilities into strengths. The Scent of Rome is no exception.
June 8, 2020
A sensual and sumptuous read. So much passion and yet vulnerability too.Just a beautiful story.
Communication is so damned sexy. The fact these ladies own their issues but talk and work on them has me want to cry out 'Hallelujah!'
It shows you don't need a lot of angst to tell a relationship story worthy of reading.
I loved the discussions they had about scent and stars, food and community. Beliefs and lonliness. All very real and down to earth. Yet touching in its sincerity.
Communication is so damned sexy. The fact these ladies own their issues but talk and work on them has me want to cry out 'Hallelujah!'
It shows you don't need a lot of angst to tell a relationship story worthy of reading.
I loved the discussions they had about scent and stars, food and community. Beliefs and lonliness. All very real and down to earth. Yet touching in its sincerity.
May 7, 2021
Holy shit, this was so bloody good!
The chemistry between Nadine and Rome was sizzling from the get go. That they started as friends first was great too. Individually, I liked their characters but I really enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve the way it did. And BONUS! There was no typical scripted break up between the two, it was awesome.
Oh, and another important note... the intimate scenes between Rome and Nadine weren't over done. At times Gold implies it happened, and at times that's enough 'cause then we're actually going on with the story itself instead of having another sex scene added for word count purposes.
Sometimes, less truly is more!
The chemistry between Nadine and Rome was sizzling from the get go. That they started as friends first was great too. Individually, I liked their characters but I really enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve the way it did. And BONUS! There was no typical scripted break up between the two, it was awesome.
Oh, and another important note... the intimate scenes between Rome and Nadine weren't over done. At times Gold implies it happened, and at times that's enough 'cause then we're actually going on with the story itself instead of having another sex scene added for word count purposes.
Sometimes, less truly is more!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2020
This book has three main characters - Nadine Costa, a high end escort who works the job to finance her real passion as a perfumer, Rome Foster, an environmentally conscious app developer looking to get investors in her namesake city to make her dream a reality, and the city of Rome itself. And I absolutely loved all three! If traveling there wasn't already high on my bucket list, it would certainly go straight to the top after listening to this. (You deserve some tourism promotion compensation from them, Lise Gold!)
What a breath of fresh air this book was! A well developed, fleshed out story that didn't cut corners, MCs that have strong, healthy communication and sizzling chemistry, people that step up and do the right thing, characters that don't self sabotage, great supporting characters and messages that have social significance. And soooo very romantic. All while making you feel like you're seeing the sights, (not just touristy ones, either), tasting the food and meeting the locals in one of the most amazing cities in the world. What more could you want? And in the very capable voice of narrator TJ Richards, this was a completely enchanting experience. I especially love what she did with Rome's voice. I heard Nadine's differently in my head. Not that TJ didn't do an excellent job, because she did. I just imagined her voice being a bit more sultry. So that I can entertain that fantasy - and because it's a great book with a gorgeous cover - I must have this in print as well.
So often I find myself craving something exactly like this - a book that you can relax and immerse yourself in that just makes you feel good. And here it is! Definitely recommend.
What a breath of fresh air this book was! A well developed, fleshed out story that didn't cut corners, MCs that have strong, healthy communication and sizzling chemistry, people that step up and do the right thing, characters that don't self sabotage, great supporting characters and messages that have social significance. And soooo very romantic. All while making you feel like you're seeing the sights, (not just touristy ones, either), tasting the food and meeting the locals in one of the most amazing cities in the world. What more could you want? And in the very capable voice of narrator TJ Richards, this was a completely enchanting experience. I especially love what she did with Rome's voice. I heard Nadine's differently in my head. Not that TJ didn't do an excellent job, because she did. I just imagined her voice being a bit more sultry. So that I can entertain that fantasy - and because it's a great book with a gorgeous cover - I must have this in print as well.
So often I find myself craving something exactly like this - a book that you can relax and immerse yourself in that just makes you feel good. And here it is! Definitely recommend.
June 7, 2020
4 Stars - Solid Read - 100% worth your time
I love Lisa Gold and The Scent of Rome is another great romance with two really likable leading ladies, set in a beautiful location (Rome) and some interesting plot points: one of the ladies is an escort and there is a whole sexual harassment sub-plot.
Nadine is an escort, but you could think of it more like a professional date. She does not have sex with her clients (unless she wants to, and only the ladies and not for money). But even cooler, imo, is she is a perfumer getting ready to launch her own business with a very special brand of perfumes. The reason I love this bit so much is I have always wanted to have a custom perfume made for me so I got to live vicariously thru Rome a bit.
Rome is a app developer with a cool app she is trying to sell. For me she is a bit to savvy/well dressed and I think it would have been a bit more fun to have her be a bit nerdy-er and awkward. But really it's just a nit-pick. She is a lovely person and I was rooting for the romance the whole way.
The angst is low, the sex is hot. In fact I want to give kudos to Lise Gold to writing a thought-she-was-straight girl's first time in a really realistic way where it doesn't take much to get her over the edge that first time cuz it is so overwhelming. Basically no porn star antics right from the start, which I appreciated.
tl:dr
This is a solid, low angst romance with likable characters, hot ladies having hot sex and a really lovely HEA bow on the end.
I love Lisa Gold and The Scent of Rome is another great romance with two really likable leading ladies, set in a beautiful location (Rome) and some interesting plot points: one of the ladies is an escort and there is a whole sexual harassment sub-plot.
Nadine is an escort, but you could think of it more like a professional date. She does not have sex with her clients (unless she wants to, and only the ladies and not for money). But even cooler, imo, is she is a perfumer getting ready to launch her own business with a very special brand of perfumes. The reason I love this bit so much is I have always wanted to have a custom perfume made for me so I got to live vicariously thru Rome a bit.
Rome is a app developer with a cool app she is trying to sell. For me she is a bit to savvy/well dressed and I think it would have been a bit more fun to have her be a bit nerdy-er and awkward. But really it's just a nit-pick. She is a lovely person and I was rooting for the romance the whole way.
The angst is low, the sex is hot. In fact I want to give kudos to Lise Gold to writing a thought-she-was-straight girl's first time in a really realistic way where it doesn't take much to get her over the edge that first time cuz it is so overwhelming. Basically no porn star antics right from the start, which I appreciated.
tl:dr
This is a solid, low angst romance with likable characters, hot ladies having hot sex and a really lovely HEA bow on the end.
June 10, 2020
It's official. Lise Gold is now one of my favorite authors. I've liked all her books that I've read, and her stories are wonderful. In this book we find two awesome women, Rome and Nadine… and a terrific city: Rome. Thank goodness I've been to Rome before. If not, I'll be booking my next holidays there!
May 26, 2025
4.5⭐️I loved the chemistry between Rome and Nadine with that heady mix of pheromones, physical attraction, very good sex scenes. Add to this vivid descriptions of Rome, food that made that book feel so alive and almost took me back to my own memories of this city. Nadine being a perfumer/escort was really original and all the sent description made me want to buy her perfume. Thank god her ecort job is adressed immediatly with no secret adding angst, and Gold made it rather « clean ». There was not unecessary drama between them, with a lot of communication and honesty, just the perfect ammount, with them working through there issues really quickly. Nadine and Rome are both really likeable and her being a sexy nerd made them an original pair. They are the kind of couple that just click and everything becomes more colorful when they get together.There was a case of sexual harassment that kept me hooked and although I really admire Rome for her strenght to go through it head first, she had so much to lose, I wished she voiced the doubt and fear I would have had in her shoes. Once or twice there was a jump from POV in the same chapter and it was a bit confusing. TJ Richards narration is really good and would have been perfect with the addition of a little bit more emotions in the heartfelt moments. But overall, this was a very good and rather low angst audiobook.
September 23, 2020
I’ve read this wlw romance novel back when it was released and now with the audiobook version narrated by TJ Richards, I didn’t hesitate to listen to it. If you are looking for a sensual lesbian romance, you are in for a treat.
Rome Foster travels to her namesake city to look for funding for an app she developed. During a dinner with potential investors, she meets Nadine Costa, a high-end escort who unabashedly flirts with her. Nadine’s lucrative profession helps her fund her perfume-making passion. Rome is straight but not completely unaffected by Nadine’s charms. Together they will explore the city, their friendship, and eventually something more…
This novel is a mixture of different things that work well combined together. To start with, it’s a tribute to the sensuality of smells, foods, and places that is available if we tune in to discover them. I cannot recall reading about perfumes before, I thought it’d be a topic hard to pull off but Ms. Gold does an excellent job at describing its sensual undertones and her description of the process perfume making was absorbing.
But ‘The Scent of Rome’ doesn’t stop there, it’s also an exploration of the sensuality of love. If you’ve read Ms. Gold’s books before, you know that she can write sex and intimacy well but here she has outdone herself. A sex scene that lasts three chapters without becoming repetitive or boring is an accomplishment in itself. And it’s really, really hot.
You’d think it would be enough with this but additionally, there is a case of sexual harassment in the workplace that it’s treated with realism and delicacy. It was a good catalyst for the relationship between the mains and it also helps to bring more awareness to this unfortunately common problem.
I loved the book and adored the audiobook too. TJ Richards is one of my favourite narrators who did a great job with the sensuality aspects of the story along with the more emotional parts. Her Italian, while not perfect, was good enough for the English audience to understand, I just wished the Italian characters would have sounded more native but maybe it would have bothered the English speaking listeners. Anyway, it’s a small detail that didn’t affect my overall enjoyment, which was a lot. Highly recommended. 5 stars.
ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
Rome Foster travels to her namesake city to look for funding for an app she developed. During a dinner with potential investors, she meets Nadine Costa, a high-end escort who unabashedly flirts with her. Nadine’s lucrative profession helps her fund her perfume-making passion. Rome is straight but not completely unaffected by Nadine’s charms. Together they will explore the city, their friendship, and eventually something more…
This novel is a mixture of different things that work well combined together. To start with, it’s a tribute to the sensuality of smells, foods, and places that is available if we tune in to discover them. I cannot recall reading about perfumes before, I thought it’d be a topic hard to pull off but Ms. Gold does an excellent job at describing its sensual undertones and her description of the process perfume making was absorbing.
But ‘The Scent of Rome’ doesn’t stop there, it’s also an exploration of the sensuality of love. If you’ve read Ms. Gold’s books before, you know that she can write sex and intimacy well but here she has outdone herself. A sex scene that lasts three chapters without becoming repetitive or boring is an accomplishment in itself. And it’s really, really hot.
You’d think it would be enough with this but additionally, there is a case of sexual harassment in the workplace that it’s treated with realism and delicacy. It was a good catalyst for the relationship between the mains and it also helps to bring more awareness to this unfortunately common problem.
I loved the book and adored the audiobook too. TJ Richards is one of my favourite narrators who did a great job with the sensuality aspects of the story along with the more emotional parts. Her Italian, while not perfect, was good enough for the English audience to understand, I just wished the Italian characters would have sounded more native but maybe it would have bothered the English speaking listeners. Anyway, it’s a small detail that didn’t affect my overall enjoyment, which was a lot. Highly recommended. 5 stars.
ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
June 30, 2020
Another Gem!
With The Scent Of Rome, Lise Gold has outdone herself. She created an engrossing storyline with well developed characters who are not afraid to stand up for themselves. The vividly descriptions of Rome, the culture, the food and the locals, make you feel like you are there and experience Rome like a true local. You get a real taste of La Dolce Vita. The romance was very adorable and the passion hot and oh so sexy. I loved how their dreams came true, how they embraced the Italian lifestyle. The stars of Nadine and Rome were indeed aligned and I devoured every moment of their story. Highly recommended.
With The Scent Of Rome, Lise Gold has outdone herself. She created an engrossing storyline with well developed characters who are not afraid to stand up for themselves. The vividly descriptions of Rome, the culture, the food and the locals, make you feel like you are there and experience Rome like a true local. You get a real taste of La Dolce Vita. The romance was very adorable and the passion hot and oh so sexy. I loved how their dreams came true, how they embraced the Italian lifestyle. The stars of Nadine and Rome were indeed aligned and I devoured every moment of their story. Highly recommended.
May 27, 2021
The Scent of Rome brought me down memory lane to a trip I made pre-covid days, back in 2018 to Rome. All good memories and would have been a lot better if I knew a local or two, who can point me out to some of the local gems since I did mainly the touristy stuffs. How I missed travelling and it’s been a while...
Back to TSOR, it was a lovely read and almost angst-free with very sensual moments between charming high-end escort Nadine Costa and not-so straight app developer Rome Foster. If you have read Lise Gold’s book before, then you will probably know what are the common themes in her writing; descriptive surroundings, gorgeous femmes, MC one of whom is not-so straight and very sexy, steamy and sensual sexy scenes. You’ll get all 4 in TSOR and oh yes... there is a #metoo storyline in the book.
Ratings: Solid 4 ⭐️
Back to TSOR, it was a lovely read and almost angst-free with very sensual moments between charming high-end escort Nadine Costa and not-so straight app developer Rome Foster. If you have read Lise Gold’s book before, then you will probably know what are the common themes in her writing; descriptive surroundings, gorgeous femmes, MC one of whom is not-so straight and very sexy, steamy and sensual sexy scenes. You’ll get all 4 in TSOR and oh yes... there is a #metoo storyline in the book.
Ratings: Solid 4 ⭐️
June 18, 2023
4.5 ⭐️
OH MY GOD!!! Why haven’t i read this book sooner i have no idea!!!!!
I loved everything about it! The story, the drama, the City, The writing is so amazing and the description of Rome is so breathtakingly beautiful and made me feel like i was there myself (if only! I hope i can go one day ), also my favorite food is Italian and this book made me so hungry! Now i am craving Italian food 😭😭
And The ROMANCE!! I loved both Nadine and Rome, but Nadine have my heart
She is so passionate and the way she find joy and beauty in everything in life was so overwhelming, i think she made me appreciate life more 🥺
The chemistry between them is off the chart!!! I felt connected to them on so many way, their love for each other is so heartwarming, I couldn’t get enough of them 🥺🥺.
And the way Nadine was so protective of Rome made me tear up
The sex scenes was amazing and hot as fuck but I wanted more come on!!! 😭😭😭😭
Overall I enjoyed it very much and I can’t wait to read more by the author
Thank you Nic for this amazing recommendation 🤍
“The rest of her words were lost against Nadine’s mouth as she claimed hers with force. Being kissed by Nadine was like being swept away in a storm, the world around them vanishing instantly as their locked lips connected them on all levels.”
OH MY GOD!!! Why haven’t i read this book sooner i have no idea!!!!!
I loved everything about it! The story, the drama, the City, The writing is so amazing and the description of Rome is so breathtakingly beautiful and made me feel like i was there myself (if only! I hope i can go one day ), also my favorite food is Italian and this book made me so hungry! Now i am craving Italian food 😭😭
And The ROMANCE!! I loved both Nadine and Rome, but Nadine have my heart
She is so passionate and the way she find joy and beauty in everything in life was so overwhelming, i think she made me appreciate life more 🥺
“I never understood the concept of falling head over heels for someone, but I do now. I understand jealousy, passion, so many things I never even got close to grasping before I met you.”
The chemistry between them is off the chart!!! I felt connected to them on so many way, their love for each other is so heartwarming, I couldn’t get enough of them 🥺🥺.
And the way Nadine was so protective of Rome made me tear up
The sex scenes was amazing and hot as fuck but I wanted more come on!!! 😭😭😭😭
Overall I enjoyed it very much and I can’t wait to read more by the author
Thank you Nic for this amazing recommendation 🤍
November 29, 2020
I liked it, but didn't love it, which is rare for me with this author. I found my interest waning, it easily could have been 100 pages less and a solid read. While I did like Nadine's confidence at times, she also came across as a little predatory. Having the Matteo situation thrown in turned my stomach, as this happens to women way too much, and I hate seeing it in my lesfics as well when I'm trying to escape the real world for awhile. However the descriptions of Rome were lovely, I visited there years ago and was able to fully put myself into some of those winding streets and sampling that gelato. OH GOD THE GELATO. I was actually interested in the app that MC Rome is working on, it sounded pretty cool and forward thinking.
All in all, a good read, just not my favourite. 3.25/5.
All in all, a good read, just not my favourite. 3.25/5.
June 10, 2020
I loved this book so much that I read it twice in a row!
I love an excellent Lise Gold novel and this is one of my favourites by her to date. I was immersed in the story from the first chapter and felt like I was part of the story. The story flowed beautifully and I read it in one sitting then started it all over again!
Lise Gold upped the bar on her writing in this book. Much like ‘Living’ she made the character’s realistic and added an element that drew me further into the story and totally captured my attention.
The chemistry between Rome and Nadine was palpable and sexy as all hell. A few times, my mouth hung open with the sheer sexiness of them both together. Lise Gold definitely knows how to write a sex scene. There is also the intimacies that Rome and Nadine shared outside the bedroom that further endeared me to them, they really had a beautiful love story.
This book is phenomenal and best enjoyed with a glass (or bottle) Frascati and lots of yummy Italian cheese. I highly recommend you grab your copy as soon as possible!
Five stars
I love an excellent Lise Gold novel and this is one of my favourites by her to date. I was immersed in the story from the first chapter and felt like I was part of the story. The story flowed beautifully and I read it in one sitting then started it all over again!
Lise Gold upped the bar on her writing in this book. Much like ‘Living’ she made the character’s realistic and added an element that drew me further into the story and totally captured my attention.
The chemistry between Rome and Nadine was palpable and sexy as all hell. A few times, my mouth hung open with the sheer sexiness of them both together. Lise Gold definitely knows how to write a sex scene. There is also the intimacies that Rome and Nadine shared outside the bedroom that further endeared me to them, they really had a beautiful love story.
This book is phenomenal and best enjoyed with a glass (or bottle) Frascati and lots of yummy Italian cheese. I highly recommend you grab your copy as soon as possible!
Five stars
May 30, 2022
I might be suffering from an enormous book hangover or this just isn’t 100% to my liking.
I think the characters move a tad too fast, also because Rome (a character’s name *eye roll*) is in Rome and seduced by Nadine, an escort… there is so much to unpack even in that one line… What you can gather most from this book is that not everything is at is seems and people have layers. The added layer of the assault case feels just a bit forced. It’s important to tell these type of stories, but I’m just not sure if this is the right way to do it…
I think the characters move a tad too fast, also because Rome (a character’s name *eye roll*) is in Rome and seduced by Nadine, an escort… there is so much to unpack even in that one line… What you can gather most from this book is that not everything is at is seems and people have layers. The added layer of the assault case feels just a bit forced. It’s important to tell these type of stories, but I’m just not sure if this is the right way to do it…
June 4, 2020
Smells like Love
Rome is in her name sake city to pitch an idea for a carbon footprint app to a group of investors. She is in desperate need for this to go well as she is out of options and nearly dead broke. She meets Nadine at the bar. They get to talking and while Nadine flirts with her a bit, she is straight and doesn’t think much of it. Nadine works as an escort to fund her true passion, perfume making. She loves living in her city, loves women and shopping at local markets. Life is so good for her. When she meets Rome, she is taken by the woman, especially how she smells. When Rome needs to stay in the city for another day, Nadine shows her around. It’s not long before a friendship develops and maybe, just maybe, Rome isn’t as immune to Nadine’s flirting as she thought she was….
I adore Lise Gold. I really do. She writes incredible stories in the neatest places and even if it’s someplace you never wanted to go to, like me with Rome. I found myself really enjoying most of the scenery and enjoying it. Her characters are admirable women with so much wonderfulness in them that you can’t help but cheer for them! Speaking of, I just adored Nadine. She is so classy and elegant…refined at first glance but has her troubles just like anyone else. I admired her control and self-restraint so very much!! Rome is also a class act. She had so much riding on the pitch and her future was so uncertain but she didn’t give up. When things went wrong, she gathered her courage and fought back and I admired her for that. Both women are strong and sexy, smart and brave… and perfect for each other!! Truly yummy! The story is entertaining throughout, holding my attention from cover to cover. I was so bummed when I was too tired to read anymore and had to sleep… But I got back to it ASAP and finished it without looking up. It was sweet, mushy, tender, passionate, romantic and endearing. It is simply perfect, just like Ms Gold.
Rome is in her name sake city to pitch an idea for a carbon footprint app to a group of investors. She is in desperate need for this to go well as she is out of options and nearly dead broke. She meets Nadine at the bar. They get to talking and while Nadine flirts with her a bit, she is straight and doesn’t think much of it. Nadine works as an escort to fund her true passion, perfume making. She loves living in her city, loves women and shopping at local markets. Life is so good for her. When she meets Rome, she is taken by the woman, especially how she smells. When Rome needs to stay in the city for another day, Nadine shows her around. It’s not long before a friendship develops and maybe, just maybe, Rome isn’t as immune to Nadine’s flirting as she thought she was….
I adore Lise Gold. I really do. She writes incredible stories in the neatest places and even if it’s someplace you never wanted to go to, like me with Rome. I found myself really enjoying most of the scenery and enjoying it. Her characters are admirable women with so much wonderfulness in them that you can’t help but cheer for them! Speaking of, I just adored Nadine. She is so classy and elegant…refined at first glance but has her troubles just like anyone else. I admired her control and self-restraint so very much!! Rome is also a class act. She had so much riding on the pitch and her future was so uncertain but she didn’t give up. When things went wrong, she gathered her courage and fought back and I admired her for that. Both women are strong and sexy, smart and brave… and perfect for each other!! Truly yummy! The story is entertaining throughout, holding my attention from cover to cover. I was so bummed when I was too tired to read anymore and had to sleep… But I got back to it ASAP and finished it without looking up. It was sweet, mushy, tender, passionate, romantic and endearing. It is simply perfect, just like Ms Gold.
June 2, 2021
4,75 stars
This was my third book by Lise Gold and it's my favorite so far.
I'm having a little book hangover and I miss Nadine and Rome already.
I loved both main characters because they were strong, smart and communicated with each other instead of creating unnecessary drama.
The story was beautiful and entertaining and the setting in Rome was described very well and you felt as if you were right there. It was so good!
I was a little jealous everytime they had a cappuccino 🤭
This was my third book by Lise Gold and it's my favorite so far.
I'm having a little book hangover and I miss Nadine and Rome already.
I loved both main characters because they were strong, smart and communicated with each other instead of creating unnecessary drama.
The story was beautiful and entertaining and the setting in Rome was described very well and you felt as if you were right there. It was so good!
I was a little jealous everytime they had a cappuccino 🤭
April 1, 2021
The Scent of Rome is a well written and entertaining romance set in , of course, Italy. Two women from vastly different careers meet by chance and everything changes. If you need some comfort or just to feel better about life then The Scent of Rome is the perfect read.
May 2, 2021
Absolutely, wholehearted love this book. My goodness, no amount of words will be able to describe my love for this book. Man! It's just too too good. This book is so perfect, everyone should read it. I love the characters, the story, the way it's been written...Todo! I love everything about it. A 5/5 star without a single doubt!
September 30, 2020
A really nice read with an interesting sounding premise but even better read. The characters were nice and the story was very believable, even though you may not think from the first look.
Even with over 300 pages it did not feel too long the way other books sometimes feel nor it felt stretched out. I will have to add writer Gold into the trusted folder of writers that don't disappoint, write heart warming books and don't ruin them with cheap drama, simply my favorite ones.
Even with over 300 pages it did not feel too long the way other books sometimes feel nor it felt stretched out. I will have to add writer Gold into the trusted folder of writers that don't disappoint, write heart warming books and don't ruin them with cheap drama, simply my favorite ones.
October 2, 2020
Just didn't work for me - unusual for LG - but didn't particularly care for either MC, and the save the planet seemed a bit shoved down the throat complete with sterio-typical nasty man... didn't help that I bounced about the book looking for a hook... Didn't find it.
December 11, 2020
I have been indulging a bit recently and read quite a lot of lesbian romance. I was getting to a point, that I thought that all of them were following a certain scheme: difficulties getting to accept the attraction and then a setback, a sort of reconciliation and then an even more serious setback that in some cases made me cringe about the protagonists immaturity (even though most of them are in their thirties or a little older) then a long break and finally happily ever after.
So imagine my delight, when I found two main characters here, who, despite their apparently serious issues, manage to own them and start to work through them: together! A brilliant change of concept (at least for me), since the insight into the workings of a scared human mind is great and true. Both ladies develop their character throughout the story and the love scenes are truly hot and also very tasteful, never vulgar.
What is also very refreshing about this book is that although both are professional ladies they build their relationship around their jobs, always making time for each other when they can and neither begrudges the other her job and the time spent there, with only one little exception, but that situation is soon resolved and in a very courageous and honest manner.
I have enjoyed this book immensely and am looking forward to reading more of Lise’s books.
So imagine my delight, when I found two main characters here, who, despite their apparently serious issues, manage to own them and start to work through them: together! A brilliant change of concept (at least for me), since the insight into the workings of a scared human mind is great and true. Both ladies develop their character throughout the story and the love scenes are truly hot and also very tasteful, never vulgar.
What is also very refreshing about this book is that although both are professional ladies they build their relationship around their jobs, always making time for each other when they can and neither begrudges the other her job and the time spent there, with only one little exception, but that situation is soon resolved and in a very courageous and honest manner.
I have enjoyed this book immensely and am looking forward to reading more of Lise’s books.
March 5, 2021
impressive, I love the MC's. How Lise write them. And specialy the writing of the scents of the city and the perfumes. It was almost that you can really smell it from the book. This was an excelent read.
March 16, 2022
5 stars. This was so good. From the moment Nadine and Rome met I knew this romance was going to be something beautiful and I was absolutely correct. The writing is fantastic. It’s set in Rome and the author really uses that to her advantage and I really liked it. The setting is vivid and made me want to go on vacation. It’s paced well, the characters and their relationship are extremely charming and easy to root for and the biggest win of all is that there’s no third act break up. Rome and Nadine act like adults and actually talk to each other when there is an issue and I appreciated that so much.
Rome is an app developer and Nadine is a high end escort who is passionate about scent and making perfume. Nadine is a proud lesbian, Rome is straight…or so she thinks. I loved the self discovery that Rome goes through here. It’s damn near impossible not to fall in love with Nadine. She’s charismatic as hell and I loved her confidence. She’s so forward and self assured and I’m obsessed with her. Their chemistry was great and their romance made me swoon.
Also, there was this scene that had me going crazy.
”I don’t know what he would have done if you hadn’t shown up.”
Nadine wrapped her arms around Rome and pulled her closer. “Matteo deserved every bit of pain he got.” She stroked Rome’s hair and kissed the top of her head. “I should have just killed him when I had the chance.”
I FUCKING CANNOT PEOPLE. I CANNOT.
The 'touch her and you die' trope….but make it sapphic. Like, I swooned so hard during that scene that I almost passed out. It was everything to me.
Anyway, this review is a mess but I adored this book and I can definitely see myself reading it again. It was absolutely wonderful.
Rome is an app developer and Nadine is a high end escort who is passionate about scent and making perfume. Nadine is a proud lesbian, Rome is straight…or so she thinks. I loved the self discovery that Rome goes through here. It’s damn near impossible not to fall in love with Nadine. She’s charismatic as hell and I loved her confidence. She’s so forward and self assured and I’m obsessed with her. Their chemistry was great and their romance made me swoon.
Also, there was this scene that had me going crazy.
”I don’t know what he would have done if you hadn’t shown up.”
Nadine wrapped her arms around Rome and pulled her closer. “Matteo deserved every bit of pain he got.” She stroked Rome’s hair and kissed the top of her head. “I should have just killed him when I had the chance.”
I FUCKING CANNOT PEOPLE. I CANNOT.
The 'touch her and you die' trope….but make it sapphic. Like, I swooned so hard during that scene that I almost passed out. It was everything to me.
Anyway, this review is a mess but I adored this book and I can definitely see myself reading it again. It was absolutely wonderful.
June 7, 2021
Amazing! Quite an unique adventure felt like I was in another country along with them.
June 8, 2020
I wasn't sure what I would think about this book but I was pleasantly surprised!
I enjoyed the details of the places they visited throughout Rome and surrounding areas as it reminded me of my own time spent there. I liked that each character had their own major plot line going on but by the time "the incident" was introduced to the storyline, it did make it sort of clunky. Each of the plots were interesting on their own but at times they weren't woven together seamlessly and I think that was distracting (for me).
Something I really liked about this book? When the characters had conflict, I didn't have to read about it over and over again for 23 chapters. The characters addressed it rather quickly like normal adults would do. (::Breathes happy sigh of relief::)
At the end of the day, I loved reading about a cute nerdy girl (smart girls ARE sexy), happy that an escort can see her worth beyond being arm candy (and perfumer??? FUN!) and thrilled that "justice" was served even if it wasn't the level deserved.
I enjoyed the details of the places they visited throughout Rome and surrounding areas as it reminded me of my own time spent there. I liked that each character had their own major plot line going on but by the time "the incident" was introduced to the storyline, it did make it sort of clunky. Each of the plots were interesting on their own but at times they weren't woven together seamlessly and I think that was distracting (for me).
Something I really liked about this book? When the characters had conflict, I didn't have to read about it over and over again for 23 chapters. The characters addressed it rather quickly like normal adults would do. (::Breathes happy sigh of relief::)
At the end of the day, I loved reading about a cute nerdy girl (smart girls ARE sexy), happy that an escort can see her worth beyond being arm candy (and perfumer??? FUN!) and thrilled that "justice" was served even if it wasn't the level deserved.
July 7, 2020
Again, I have read some good ones in 2020. This was a little longer than it needed to be, but it was still an enjoyable read.
July 9, 2020
Marvelous read
I think I loved this book from the first chapter!
I think the idea is brilliant. The setting and characters, the feelings all of that comes into this wonderful book I could not put down.
Not only I fell in love the characters, but I feel like I fell in love with the city as well.
Absolutely amazing book!
I think I loved this book from the first chapter!
I think the idea is brilliant. The setting and characters, the feelings all of that comes into this wonderful book I could not put down.
Not only I fell in love the characters, but I feel like I fell in love with the city as well.
Absolutely amazing book!
May 18, 2021
Top-notch sweet romance book!
April 1, 2023
The Scent of Rome is a beautifully written contemporary romance set in one of the most romantic & picturesque cities on earth. The book focuses on two women who meet at a critical time in their lives. The last thing either woman is looking for is a relationship, but the connection when they meet is immediate, intense and can’t be ignored.
April 26, 2024
3.8 ⭐️ A brilliant sapphic romance that looks at themes of questioning a sexuality you were previously so sure of.
This was a brilliant romance read. There’s an intriguing story beside the romance that had a dash of drama and angst for people that want a romance with more depth to the plot.
It was a read that leaves you feeling immersed in the setting, and Gold has a style of writing that’s a breeze to read.
For people looking for spicy romances, yes this has spice and it has multiple scenes.
Rep// Lesbian MC (29), bisexual MC (32)
Set in// Rome.
TW’s listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
Tw// sexual harassment/assault (on page, including groping), attempted SA/rape (on page, interrupted before anything happens), biased / dirty cops, scenes with police, semi-public sex.
This was a brilliant romance read. There’s an intriguing story beside the romance that had a dash of drama and angst for people that want a romance with more depth to the plot.
It was a read that leaves you feeling immersed in the setting, and Gold has a style of writing that’s a breeze to read.
For people looking for spicy romances, yes this has spice and it has multiple scenes.
Rep// Lesbian MC (29), bisexual MC (32)
Set in// Rome.
TW’s listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
Tw// sexual harassment/assault (on page, including groping), attempted SA/rape (on page, interrupted before anything happens), biased / dirty cops, scenes with police, semi-public sex.
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