Slow Burn, Stern Brunch Daddy | Coffee Tobacco Perfume | Romance Readers Collection Chapter Four | Eau de Parfum

LAUNCHING 10/9, 10AM ET

Slow Burn, Stern Brunch Daddy is Chapter Four of the Romance Readers Collection, a slow burn romance-inspired perfume built around dark roasted coffee, burnt sugar, toasted clove, cured tobacco leaf, and aged cedar. Rich, warm, smoky, and subtly gourmand, it captures the unbearable tension of a romance that takes its time—the lingering looks, almost-touches, and all that restraint before someone finally gives in.

Black coffee in a too-expensive mug, the sharp bite of citrus on your lips, and the lingering warmth of spice on his. It’s rich, smoldering, and just a little indulgent—burnt sugar, warm woods, a whisper of smoke. The kind of scent that lingers on your sweater and your skin, like the ghost of his hand at the small of your back.

He orders for the table, reads the news in silence, and insists he’s not a dessert guy—then takes the first bite of yours, his mouth curving into a slow, knowing smirk.

WOOD | BALSAMIC | GOURMAND
TOP Ruby Red Grapefruit Pulp • Burnt Sugar
HEART Toasted Clove Bud • Dark Roasted Arabica • Maple & Herb Roasted Nuts
BASE Cured Tobacco Leaf • Aged Atlas Cedar

What is a Stern Brunch Daddy?

Coined by romance author Andie J. Christopher, “Stern Brunch Daddy” is romance-reader shorthand for a very particular kind of character trope: commanding and a little intimidating, but deeply caring and attentive underneath it all. He’ll take you to brunch, keep your mimosa full, make sure you’re taken care of—and save a rather different kind of sternness for later.

Think Mr. Darcy, if he had a brunch reservation; Adam Carlsen in The Love Hypothesis; or Charlie Lastra in Book Lovers: stern, competent, a little intimidating, and far more attentive than he’d ever admit. A little mean, maybe a bit bossy (in the best way), but tender underneath that stern exterior.

The term inspired the original Stern Brunch Daddy perfume, and that perfume became the spark for the entire Romance Readers Collection. For Chapter Four, he returns as Slow Burn, Stern Brunch Daddy, with a slightly refined version of the original formula.

Available In

• Eau de Parfum Spray — Alcohol Base
• Rollerball Perfume — Jojoba Oil Base
Not sure which format is right for you?
👉 How to Choose Between Spray & Rollerball

🌿 About Our Perfumes
Each Stardust & Stems perfume is hand-blended in small batches in my home studio, created with intention to weave a moment of magic into the everyday — a soft pause from life’s demands, meant to bring joy, wonder, and whimsy to those who wear it.
All perfumes are paraben-free, phthalate-free, and unfiltered. Natural cloudiness or botanical sediment may appear over time and is part of the living beauty of artisan perfume.
👉 Why Natural Perfumes Change Over Time
Learn more about my ingredients, sourcing, and slow hand-blending process here:
👉 Our Materials & Process 
Almost all perfumes are vegan. Full vegan status can be found here:
👉 Master Scent List
👉 Details on synthetic aroma molecules used in natural perfumery