A review by prosepander
Perfume & Pain by Anna Dorn

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If toxic lesbians with bad attitudes are your schtick, this is the book to read. Perfume & Pain by Anna Dorn pays homage to lesbian pulp, a genre of novel popularized in the late 50’s and early 60’s. The book follows Astrid Dahl, a mildly successful novelist who is trying her best to stay under the radar after being canceled, but only a little! Honest! When one of her novels is optioned by famed actress Kat Gold, the pressure is on to remain on the straight and narrow- especially when Ivy, a lesbian pulp scholar, and Penelope, a vegan artist come into the scene. 

Funny and irreverent, Perfume & Pain is one of my most entertaining reads of the year so far. Astrid’s wannabe cynical narration found me snorting out loud. If BRAVO were to make a reality show about writers, Astrid would be at the top of the list- which I’m sure she would consider a compliment of the highest order. 

However, despite her penchant for making the worst decisions for herself whenever the opportunity presents itself, I couldn’t help but root for Astrid throughout. 

If you’re a fan of The L Word, Real Housewives, or the original novel of the same name, I highly recommend Perfume & Pain by Anna Dorn.