Member Reviews
Another great book by this author. Spells and Oregano had all the ingredients for a great story!! Kudos to the author.
Synopsis:
A mother desperate to save her twin sons, a war veteran in torment, a beautiful young psychic with a terrible secret, a powerful magician with a shattered soul, and a Queen steeped in history and glory. These extraordinary beings cross paths and set off a remarkable chain of events in Spells and Oregano: Book II in The Secret Spice Cafe Trilogy.
Overcome by despair after a trauma when she was sixteen, Sarita Taylor has spent the past ten years isolated and lonely aboard her beloved RMS Queen Mary. Fearful of outsiders, she dedicates her time to managing The Secret Spice Café, now an award-winning restaurant. Until Luca Miceli, a man with a dark past, steps on board.
I just couldn’t get into this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.
This book does what every great mystery story does, gives you all the pieces you need to put together that aha! moment. Even with everything out there, I still wasn't sure until right before the big reveal. Being one known for ruining the magic of mysteries (TV shows, movies, books, you name it and I've probably spoiled it for my husband), the twists and turns of this story kept me hooked.
Poor Lucca. First he loses both of his parents, then sees his brother's corpse, and by the time he falls into a drunken haze it's completely understandable. In my eyes, he never needed to be redeemed, though throughout the story he believes he does. It's still nice to watch him fall in love and wonder if it'll stick.
Good writing. Great plot. Nothing to complain about.
this was just as good as the first book, the characters were great. It still had what I enjoyed reading from the first one and improved on.
I read both books in this series. I loved both for its plot, magical elements and a great character development.
This author was new to me, and I loved both books equally. Great paranormal romance!!
Book Two in The Secret Spice Café trilogy continues the adventures aboard the RMS Queen Mary. The supernatural elements combine with romance and humor to provide a delightful reading experience. The blend of factual history and fiction results in a well-told story. While this is part of a series, this book can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel.
The first book in this trilogy had me hooked, so of course I had to read this one too. Some of the characters from the last book is included in this one, as well as a few new characters. The plot and the storyline makes it a really fun read and one will not be disappointed.
I was unable to download and read this book because it was archived before I could download it, I am rating it based on my love dfor the other books in the series which I did read and download. You will not be disappointed.
The Secret Spice Café has been the scene of many stories, good and bad. Aboard the RMS Queen Mary, this restaurant sees many people come through her doors. Patricia Davis has woven the mystery of the Queen Mary into the stories of the people who work at the café, setting them up with their own life's path to romance and letting us come along for the ride. This is the 2nd book in the series. You'll have a little more background info if you have read the first, which I have, but it's not necessary. You can enjoy this story and the amazing community of friends and lovers at the Secret Spice.
Patricia Davis has once again provided a tasty suspense-filled mystery set on the beautiful ship Queen Mary. It is a continuation of characters but the mystery, plot, and adventures are quite different. We return to the Secret Spice Cafe aboard the ship where passengers bring with them their personal baggage as well as their suitcases. It is a charming mystery, a bit more than a cosy but definitely not a hard core "thriller." As with the first in the series, it a very enjoyable read.
While some have suggested that Spells and Oregano can be read as a stand-alone, I do believe that you should read the books in order. Understanding the primary characters will be difficult otherwise.
This is the 2nd book in the trilogy. I have read and reviewed the first in series that I enjoyed very much. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the advance review copy. My review opinion is my own.
In this next in the series we are returning to the Spice Cafe aboard the Queen Mary 10 years later. Two of the four women have moved on and are not part of this book. The author has deftly created a new story based on Sarita. Sarita has now grown up and manages the Cafe. The ghostly atmospheric story of the Queen Mary's history is still part of this book and includes a new arrival with even new magical abilities. I enjoyed this book overall but did find that I do miss the previous charcters and the receipes they created together. I look forward to the 3rd in series and highly recommend this series for all who enjoy ghost stories with a suspenseful historic background. The author has a wonderful writing style that is enjoyable and fun to read .
One of those lightning in a bottle books the surpasses the first in a series! I was so hooked right at the beginning that it was difficult to put it down when I had to. Davis is a master at structuring a story, weaving plotlines so enticingly so that there is not. one. lull. in the narrative, not one thread that is not leading us somewhere intriguing or satisfyingly closed. Highly recommend, for the pace, the characters, the (amazing! And so detailed!) setting, language and lyricism. I'll keep reading books by this author, and I'll likely read this one again this winter. Well done.
A very enjoyable book. Although I read the first in this series, it is not necessary. Patricia Davis knows how to grab your interest from page one and hold it until the end, and then some. This book is well written, a smooth and charming read. A must for any ship lover or fans of great storytelling. As with Cooking for Ghosts, highly recommend.
I really enjoyed part two of this trilogy even more than the first installment. It is a excellent continuation of book one, with excellent deepening of the characterization of the characters, but with an interesting new plot and new mysteries. We are also introduced two new characters with their own dramas and trials and tribulations. It's a compelling story and you will like these characters, both the originals and the new ones. Excellent excellent ending. I cannot recommend this book more.
I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.
I think this book is definitely better than the first one.
I enjoyed the storyline, entertaining and engrossing, and I think the cast of characters was well written and I appreciated the character development.
I will surely read the next instalment in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I enjoyed this second book in the series much more than the first. It has a storyline that has a point to it. The first book didn't really seem to have a point other than to tell the story of the friends. This has an storyline that tells the story of the friends but primarily it's the story of the now grown-up daughter of one the friends and the cousin of one of the other friends. It's funny how entwined the lives of the 4 friends and family are. But in the end the two fall in love despite adversity, and all is well. #SpellsAndOregano #NetGalley