Mr Mawer has fused pure story-telling with complex genetictheory to produce a fable that is accurate and readable a mature marriage of science and fiction in which scientists are no longer Frankensteins, Strangeloves or nerds.
If you have made a good genetic choice of partner (ie, someone with a significantly different MHC), then the theory suggests that you should not be able to choose something that smells nice to them based on your own preferences.