Review – The Spice King

Gray Delacroix has dedicated his life to building his very successful global spice empire, but it has come at a cost. Resolved to salvage his family before it spirals out of control, he returns to his ancestral home to save his brother and sister before it’s too late.

As a junior botanist for the Smithsonian, Annabelle Larkin has been charged with the impossible task of gaining access to the notoriously private Delacroix plant collection. If she fails, she will be out of a job and the family farm in Kansas will go under. She has no idea that in gaining entrance to the Delacroix world, she will unwittingly step into a web of dangerous political intrigue far beyond her experience.

Unable to deny her attraction to the reclusive business tycoon, Annabelle will be forced to choose between her heart and loyalty to her country. Can Gray and Annabelle find a way through the storm of scandal without destroying the family Gray is fighting to save?

My thoughts: One of the things I love about Elizabeth Camden is her ability to find unique topics to write about. She has a loyal fan here for that reason alone. The Spice King is about a man who got rich off spices and the woman who works for the Smithsonian and wants his well-guarded secrets.

Despite his mistrust of Annabelle, and that his personality is as drab as his name, Annabelle and Gray form a friendship that comes under fire when the government decides Gray is a spy and promises Annabelle all her dreams come true if she spies on Gray and finds him guilty. Despite her initial misgiving she succumbs and snoops….

Gray is openly anti-government but is he a spy?

I really liked Gray’s brother and sister, but both Gray and Annabelle as well as her sister were one dimensional and I couldn’t force myself to care for them. The sexual tension between them was nonexistent but should appeal to readers who like love to come softly. I did take issue with a works-based faith message instead of grace…

I liked the touch of suspense and loved the unique topic.  Fans of Elizabeth Camden and regency time period romances will likely love The Spice King.