The Spice King (Hope and Glory #1) by Elizabeth Camden

About the book

Gray Delacroix has dedicated his life to building a successful global spice empire, but it has come at a cost. Tasked with gaining access to the private Delacroix plant collection, Smithsonian botanist Annabelle Larkin unwittingly steps into a web of dangerous political intrigue and will be forced to choose between her heart and her loyalty to her country.

My thoughts:

Elizabeth Camden has been one of my must read authors for quite sometime, so I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of The Spice King, which is the first book in her new series, Hope and Glory.  Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and I love the way the author takes a subject that I never considered interesting but after reading a few pages, I find it fascinating, especially in this novel.

Annabelle Larkin is such a great character, she is sweet, kind and tenacious. She's a botanist at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC and when she begins a correspondence with Gray Delacroix to see his private plant collection, she shows just how determined she can be.  Gray is equally determined so I knew these two would become near and dear to my heart. I'll be honest here and admit that I never expected the world of spices and politics to work so well into a storyline but the two merged spectacularly. 

They are both fantastic characters and I could easily imagine them spending time together,

Another character who held my interest is Elaine, Annabelle's blind sister who works at the Library of Congress which I think would be an awesome job for anyone. I was glad to learn of her experiences with coping with her disability.   

Overall, The Spice King is impeccably written and is filled with instantly likeable characters and also has a few twists that I didn't expect.  A definite must read in my opinion.  

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.  Opinions expressed are my own. 

Listening to Love (An Amish Journey #2) by Beth Wiseman

About the book

He’s Amish. She’s Englisch. They are best friends, despite what the gossips say. But could the rumor mill know more than they do?

Englischer Natalie Collins looks forward to Friday night suppers at Levi and Mary Shetler’s house every week: delicious food, wonderful conversation with her Amish friends, and, best of all, the presence of Levi’s older brother Lucas. Natalie and Lucas have become best friends despite their different backgrounds. They share a love of books, and he is teaching her about God in a way that she can understand.

But the closer they become, the more opinions everyone seems to have. Levi and Mary, Lucas’s family, and even Natalie’s mother—whose own life is a mess at the moment—have concerns about their relationship. Why can’t everyone understand that it’s possible to just be friends? Besides, they couldn’t be together even if they wanted to be. Lucas would never leave the Amish faith, and Natalie is Englisch and pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine.

But when a terrifying accident happens, Natalie and Lucas are forced to confront their true feelings and decide if they can stay true to themselves and each other.

The second novel in the Amish Journeys series by bestselling author Beth Wiseman explores the compromises and sacrifices it takes to truly listen to love. He’s Amish. She’s Englisch. They are best friends, despite what the gossips say. But could the rumor mill know more than they do?

Englischer Natalie Collins looks forward to Friday night suppers at Levi and Mary Shetler’s house every week: delicious food, wonderful conversation with her Amish friends, and, best of all, the presence of Levi’s older brother Lucas. Natalie and Lucas have become best friends despite their different backgrounds. They share a love of books, and he is teaching her about God in a way that she can understand.

But the closer they become, the more opinions everyone seems to have. Levi and Mary, Lucas’s family, and even Natalie’s mother—whose own life is a mess at the moment—have concerns about their relationship. Why can’t everyone understand that it’s possible to just be friends? Besides, they couldn’t be together even if they wanted to be. Lucas would never leave the Amish faith, and Natalie is Englisch and pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine.

But when a terrifying accident happens, Natalie and Lucas are forced to confront their true feelings and decide if they can stay true to themselves and each other. 

The second novel in the Amish Journeys series by bestselling author Beth Wiseman explores the compromises and sacrifices it takes to truly listen to love. 

My review:

Listening to Love is the 2nd book in Beth Wiseman's new series, An Amish Journey and what a journey she takes her readers on. I loved reconnecting with all of the characters in the first book but I was really curious to see what had planned for Natalie and Lucas.   

The one thing that remains the same are the Friday night dinners that Natalie who is English shares with her three Amish friends, Mary, Levi and Lucas. 

I loved how Lucas and Natalie grew closer through their love of books and most importantly with him teaching her about God in a way she could understand.

Just when I thought I knew what direction their relationship would go, something or someone would interfere and throw everything off but it was realistic for their family and friends to voice their concerns given the stark differences in their lives.  They were both levelheaded by maintaining a close friendship and not automatically going the romantic route immediately which I totally respected.

Okay, I'm going to be honest here and say that I was completely caught off guard by Natalie's mother and her storyline but I really enjoyed it.  That is one of the many things that I have loved in this series, the relationships are believable and the characters are likable and genuine. 

Ms. Wiseman continues to impress me with her writing with each and every book. One of the many qualities she possesses is her ability to make a story feel fresh to me even though I have read this genre for many years which is why she has become one of my must read and favorite authors.

Overall, this book has everything a reader could want, characters you  will love, a perfectly  paced storyline with surprises galore. Time flew by while I was reading this book because it is just that good. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed are my own.