The Spice King

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The Spice King
Elizabeth Camden
Bethany House

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.

     After being a bit underwhelmed with this author's last series, I was pleased to find myself thoroughly enjoying The Spice King. Elizabeth Camden has a way of expertly handling history in her novels, spotlighting events of the past we've often forgotten about or overlook. This one focused on the intersection of politics, science, and business at the turn of the century, specifically on the purity of canned and processed food produced throughout the country. The politics of the Spanish-American War the the country's relationship with Cuba also play a role in the characters' lives. Yet the book never feels dull or textbook-like; rather, the focus is on the characters and how their opinions, beliefs, and roles within this historical context help drive their actions. It's a splendid way to write historical fiction, and Camden excels at it.

     I'm very intrigued for the next books in this series! And it looks to me like Luke Delacroix specifically has some secrets we haven't yet uncovered, so I can only hope we'll get to hear more about that in the future!

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

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