Season of the Dragonflies audiobook

This is a beautifully written book. The story is captivating. The only thing that stopped me was the constant reference to the mother, Willow, as being old. Gees, she was only sixty. This book is a must read for all those who love to mix magic with a good relationship story. Excellent book.

If you took Patrick Suskind’s ‘Perfume’ and mixed it with Alice Hoffman’s, well, any of her books, you might come up with ‘Season of the Dragonflies’. In the 1920s, on a tropical island, Serena Lenore discovers a magical variety of gardenia, which not only smells divine but also amplifies a woman’s talents and gives her… something… that allows her to succeed beyond all others. Through the decades this perfume has been shared, secretly and profitably, with a very few women in all different trades. There are a few rules that Serena handed down; one was to never, ever alter the secret formula. The sales of this perfume has made the Lenore family fabulously wealthy, although they live without conspicuous consumption and put a lot of money into philanthropy. Willow has run the company alone for decades. When one of her daughters,Mya – who was the assumed heir to the company- goes behind her back and makes a deal with a client that blows up, the entire operation is in danger of failing. And when she performs some dark magic to repair things, it gets even worse. Can the recently divorced Lucia, who never had any magic in her and had no talent for mixing scents, help her mother and sister? During the book, things change dramatically for all three Lenore women. Their roles change, their relationships change, even their talents change. It’s a time of growth for them; sometimes very painful growth. It’s also a time of learning to let go and trust the universe. The story is well written enough although it does have a little bit of ‘first novelism’ in places- mainly in the romances. All three women find themselves involved with men who are almost too good to be true; it’s always hard for me to accept characters that have no flaws and when three of them appear in the same book it’s unbelievable- but then, this book *does* have magic as a reality in it, so perhaps this can be forgiven. The other thing I found a bit difficult was how easily the three women accepted the changes- major changes- in their lives. Still, I enjoyed the book a great deal and look forward to more by this author.

Season of the Dragonflies: A NovelBySarah CreechWhat I knew about this book before I read it...My perusal of this book led me to believe that it was about a family...dominated by women...who invented and manufactured a delightful perfume. I also anticipated a little touch of magic!My thoughts after reading this book...I found this book to be very lovely and magical! It takes place mostly near the Blue Ridge mountains but its opening pages were quite different. Serena is being "given" to an older banker in order to save her father's money. At her dining table that night is a young doctor. They immediately fall in love and leave on a sailing ship for exotic places. They have two daughters and Serena discovers a sort of magical flower that she hides in her hair...I know...that part was far fetched...and brings back to America. The flower only thrives for her and her daughters and becomes the basis for their perfume dynasty. The flower can be made into perfumes that will help the careers of other women. This is all very discreet and is the mainstay of their fortune until a teensy mistake is made and the flowers begin to change. Willow and her daughters Mya and Lucia have to figure all of this out. Plus...they have issues of their own that Willow worries about...Mya's childless state and her young boyfriend and Lucia...recently divorced...definitely floundering, and Willow's forgetfulness...who will save and inherit this family business? Can the flowers be saved? Can Mya and Lucia repair their relationship?What I loved about this book...I loved the magic of it all. The dragonflies that swarmed around Lucia. Mya's cooking...especially her vegetable soup...I am gathering things to make some momentarily. The land around their cabin, the deer who follow Mya and the fawn...all so lovely. I loved the idea that although these women were billionaires...they lived in a rustic simple and messy cabin...no granite or stylized kitchen...just Formica and moonshine in a jar!Final thoughts about this book...I found this to be a lovely book. It was beautifully written, with multi- layered slightly complicated yet interesting characters. It had just enough magic to give it a slightly mystical feel. I loved the setting. I enjoyed the characters. It was just a very special reading experience for me. Sent from my iPad2 by PattyLouise

Love the magical tone, the fantasy events. Love that 3 women rule the story. Would recommend. There are, however, one or two places this story lost me. A little confusing, but very good overall. Also, the Mya character was not likeable at all., and I found myself getting bored with Willow’s story. Liked Lucia. One last thing...have no idea what the dragonflies have to do with anything. I expected them to be a distinct symbol for something, especially since they are actually in the book title. I may have just embarrassed myself by missing the whole meaning there, but they served no purpose for me.I know people compare ths to Practical Magic, but this is a very distant second to that book.

Great story line. I particularly enjoyed the magical elements. We all need that little bit of wonderment in our lives after all. Found it just a bit scattered at times or maybe details were not deep enough but all in all a nice read.

This book was fabulous. Picked it up today, a Sunday morning and literally couldn't put it down. Finished it already. Loved the flowers and essential oils.

How much experience do you have with working in a family business? Have you ever felt like you play a role in this business or are you happy to pass it onto someone else to take care of? The story that I am sharing today is about two sisters and the family business they are the heir apparent to; in Sarah Creech’s The Season of the Dragon Fly. Which sister will take over the business?Synopsis: For generations, the Lenore women have manufactured a perfume unlike any other, and guarded the unique and mysterious ingredients. Their perfumery, hidden in the quiet rolling hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, creates one special elixir that secretly sells for millions of dollars to the world’s most powerful—movie stars, politicians, artists, and CEOs. The Lenore’s signature perfume is actually the key to their success.Willow, the coolly elegant Lenore family matriarch, is the brains behind the company. Her gorgeous, golden-haired daughter Mya is its heart. Like her foremothers, she can “read” scents and envision their power. Willow’s younger daughter, dark-haired, soulful Lucia, claims no magical touch, nor does she want any part of the family business. She left the mountains years ago to make her own way. But trouble is brewing. Willow is experiencing strange spells of forgetfulness. Mya is plotting a coup. A client is threatening blackmail. And most ominously, the unique flowers used in their perfume are dying. Whoever can save the company will inherit it. Though Mya is the obvious choice, Lucia has begun showing signs of her own special abilities. And her return to the mountains—heralded by a swarm of blue dragonflies—may be the answer they all need. (Amazon)My Thoughts: I enjoyed this novel. I always am interested in family sagas and how the author influences the direction of the story. This story for example is about sisters, and each have their own gifts. I was drawn from the first page where the author shares about the beginning of the business. Who would run the business in the future? Who is the possible heir apparent? The author goes onto explore the conflict between both sisters Mya and Lucia. One wants to control her destiny while the other is just looking for direction, in her life. How often do we as readers feel that our lives take us down one path only to turn down another? The plot is not predictable and readers will not see who wins control of the business until the end. This novel is page turner and one that I was able to finish with great satisfaction.

This was a book that is out of my comfort zone, but I did enjoy it. Definitely magical realism because of the perfume and what it can do to a person.I didn't like some of the characters and I think that is why I didn't give this book 5 out of 5 stars. The writing was very good and the story was definitely unique, but there was something about the characters in this book that I just didn't like. I just can't put my finger on what it was about the book that I didn't care for.I read this because I saw that she had a new book coming out and it got very good reviews, so wanted to read something from this author to compare.4 out of 5 stars for me.

I love this book so much! This is my second time reading it and I'm still just as in love with it! There is magic and romance and surprise events that keep you hoping for a wonderful outcome but unsure of whether or not you'll get your wish. This is a book that sends vivid images through my head and leaves me with a book hangover that takes a couple of days to recover from. Definitely a long standing favorite that will remain a staple on my bookshelf.

A story with mother/daughter/sister relationships.....enter the mystical, magical world of Lenore Inc. and get to know the generations of women who create an alluring perfume from a mysterious flower discovered by an earlier generation in Borneo. The women who wear this perfume seem to acquire power, glamour and success. The beautiful cover of this book drew me in, and the story and characters quickly intrigued me. I couldn’t put this book down and enjoyed the enchanting ride!

ScentsationalThis is a multi-generational story about strong and proud women. Beginning with the matriarch Serena who discovered a flowering plant in Borneo and brought it to the Smokey mountains area where she discovered it had magical properties. Thus began a business that would make her family rich for generational. Serena turned the business over to her daughter when she retired and set rules as to how it should be run. The main rule being, never change the perfume formula or suffer a curse.

Mothers, daughters, choices.... excellent storyline which starts in the late 1800’s and quickly jumps three generations to late 1900’s. Enjoyable, difficult relationships, yet love and a sense of family carries the story...takes place mostly in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and centers around floral essences for perfume.

when serena's mother died and she is left with her father , she finds herself betrothed to an undesirable older man. immediately she's falls for scientist, dr.alex. they escape and sail for borono.while in boron, she wanders into the jungle and discovers a rare gardenia.This begins the multigdrneational story of an extremely sucessful perfume dynasty.