Fun beginning to a new series! Excited to read the next book in the series! Mystery was really good, kept me guessing to the end!

"Steeped in Secrets" is the first book in a new series, Crystals and CuriositEAS, by Lauren Elliott.
This story is set in a small California town that Shay returns to after a long absence where she is summoned when Bridget, a local tea shop owner and mystic, dies, and Shay becomes enveloped in a new life and a mystery that she, along with the pub owner next door, Liam, try to solve.
This was a fun story, and I like the magical elements which make it a bit different from so many cozy mysteries. I look forward to future books in this series. 4 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC.

This is the first book in the crystals and curiositeas series. I really enjoyed this book. Shay Myers leaves her life in New Mexico and returns to the town she grew up in after inheriting a tea shop. Shay is such a great character and easily relatable. The mystery was well done. I can't wait to read more in the series.

This was such a fun cozy mystery!!! Finding the truth from your past, tea readings, and plot twists! I definitely loved this book!

What a great debut for this series! It immediately drew me into Shayleigh's story and why Bridget Early left her the tea shop and cottage. Enjoyable characters that I am already anxious to read about again.

Gemologist Shay Myers returns home to Bray Harbor, CA after her ex basically takes control of their shared business in New Mexico. Shay hasn't returned to the tourist town in many years, the death of her parents left a hole, even though her sister remained. The impetus for her return, in addition to the chance to start over, is the how. Local business owner of a shop called CuriosiTEAS, has died, leaving Shay her sole heir. Shay has only fuzzy memories of Bridgit Early, and how her shop seemed so mysterious and magical. Right away, the discovery of a dead body on the rooftop greenhouse sends the town and Shay on high alert. Old high school friends are at odds, her sister Jen acts strange, and someone is really hoping Shay will just sell the building. I really liked teenaged Tassi--she's perceptive and smart and helps to fill gaps in Shay's knowledge of how Bridget managed the tea reading shop. I wasn't sure in the beginning if the dog Spirit was real or not, but a lot of the town sees him, so I guess he is. Magic fan or not, there are a lot of wonderful characters rounding out this book and a lot of action to keep up with.

I love tea....I have a huge tea stash and sip my way through multiple cups daily. So, when I see a tea-related cozy mystery, I grab a copy and read. Especially when the book is the first in a new series! I've enjoyed several books in Lauren Elliott's Beyond the Page Bookstore cozy series and enjoyed each one. It was not a hard decision to grab up a review copy of this first book in the Crystals & CuriosiTEAS series!

The Basics: Shay Meyers is having a rough time. Her entire life in New Mexico has imploded...so she's heading back to her hometown. Not because she wants to, really. But because she inherits an estate from someone she barely knew. But, in a pinch, weird circumstances are better than living amongst the flaming ashes of her former life....so she heads to California. Little does she know....but things are going to get a lot stranger.

I enjoyed this book! I was intrigued by the crystals and slightly paranormal background plot. I like the characters. And, Shay is a scrappy, determined main character. Made for a fun cozy read!

I can't wait to read more of this series! It's quirky and entertaining! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington Books. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**

5 Stars!

I've recently become a fan of Lauren Elliott's work this year. So, when I found out she had written a new series, I just had to check it out. Anyone looking for a cozy mystery, enjoys tea, or just looking for something different should check out this book. Readers will definitely root for the protagonist, who recently had a rough situation and is looking to make a fresh start. I found this book a nice, cozy read and highly recommend it.

My thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this new series!

Shay Meyer’s is flat broke and divorced an intuitive gemologist that has changed since leaving her artsy hometown of coastal Bray Harbor sixteen years ago. But when she comes back under strange circumstances old instincts may be the only key to spilling the tea on a deadly mystery. With her new business and a crime scene and questions brewing over Bridget’s accidental death Shay fears she’s also inherited the attention of a killer. This sets her on an impractical investigation for answers aided by her sister an elusive pure-white German shepherd, a strikingly handsome pub owner who speaks in a gentle brogue and a misunderstood young woman with perceptive talents of her own. As Shay struggles to figure out her true purpose in Bray Harbor and the powerful connection she has with the tea shop she must trust her judgment to identify a ruthless killer and save herself from becoming victim number three. This is very enjoyable story I would recommend to everyone.

Divorced and broke, Shay Myers moves back to her hometown of Bray Harbor. She takes over an estate left to her by a woman she barely knew. After finding a body strewn across the roof of the greenhouse, Shay along with her sister and a beautiful white german shepherd, the pub owner and a perceptive young woman.
This is a great first book of the series. I feel that we have a great backstory for the main character and a little more to learn about the rest of the cast. I can't wait to read the next story and continue Shay's journey.

Shayleigh (Shay) Myers comes home to Bray Harbor, a coastal California town when she is bequeathed a shop, Crystals & CuriosiTEAS that belonged to Bridget Early. Theres also a charming beachfront cottage, and a white German Shepherd named Spirit. Shay's broke as her husband stole from her and she's now divorced. A dead body is found on the patio roof and Shay sets about solving the mystery and a few more besides. An engrossing and delightful first instalment in a promising series.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel, at my own request, from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I'm not a fan of Beyond the Page mysteries but the blurb of this book, the first in a new series, attracted me and I enjoyed it.
It's well plotted, the mystery is solid and the characters fleshed out. It's an entertaining mystery that kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Steeped In Secrets by Lauren Elliott (Crystals & CuriosiTEAS Mystery #1) 3.5 stars

I’ve read Lauren Elliott “Beyond The Page Mysteries” and adore them. This is a new series with a slight paranormal element. The mystery is well written, but for me it doesn’t hit all the marks. I think since it is the first in an eventual series, the world building aspect took a lot of time. Also I wasn’t enthusiastic about the main character, Shay Myers. The supporting cast was OK, but not great. I do look forward to the next book in this series because sometimes it shores up the foundation of the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for this ARC.

Steeped in Secrets by Lauren Elliott is the debut of A Crystals & CuriosiTEAS Mysteries. Shayleigh “Shay” Myers returns to Bray Harbor, California with her life in a disarray. Her ex-husband cheated on Shay, swindled her out of her jewelry store, and has ruined her reputation as a gemologist. Shay has inherited Bridget Early’s shop and beach cottage, but she does not know why Bridget left them to her. Shay is touring the Crystals & CuriosiTEAS with the realtor when they discover a man dead on the roof of the greenhouse. Shay does not like how Sheriff Frank Burrows is railroading the local pub owner. She decides to do a little investigating to see what she can uncover. Shay gets help from her sister and Bridget’s special dog named Spirit. She also uses her empathic gifts in her quest for the truth. I enjoyed reading Steeped in Secrets. Shay is an interesting character. I liked learning about Shay and her special gift. I have a feeling we have just scratched the surface. There is an eclectic cast of secondary characters that includes the charming Liam who owns the pub next to Shay’s shop. I enjoyed the descriptions of Bray Harbor. The mystery was interesting, but I wish it had not been so easy to solve. I enjoyed following Shay as she searched for clues and asked questions. Her special gift guides her along with Spirit, Brigit’s dog (now Shay’s dog). Shay still has questions regarding her inheritance and her ancestry. We will have to wait for the next book to learn more. My one negative comment is I was not fond of the repetitive details (I got it the first time). Steeped in Secrets was a fun book to read. Steeped in Secrets is a spirited tale with a smarmy ex-spouse, enigmatic inheritance, an appealing pub owner, a dishonest sheriff, a mysterious dead man, and empathic capabilities.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Shay is broke and unexpectedly receives a call that she has been left a shop and living quarters by a lady in her old home town. When she arrives she find how she is connected to the lady who left her the shop. Then a body is discovered on the roof of the shop, she needs to find out how the two are connected and who is behind the murder. She is helped by Spirit a pure white German shepherd.

Lauren Elliott has started a new series: Crystals and CuriosiTEAS mysteries with Steeped in Secrets. Shay Myers is broke because her former partner who cheated her out of her home and business also framed her for his criminal behaviour. She has returned to her home town where she has inherited Crystals and CuriosiTEAS shop from Bridget, a woman now deceased whom she barely knew. A body is found on the roof of the store. Someone is pressuring her to sell the store. What could be the cause? Could it be the Irish mystery behind Bridget? Why is Sprit, Bridget's dog so protective. A whiff of magic and murder.

“Even with her life in ruins in New Mexico, Shay feels uneasy about settling into the small seaside town where she grew up on California’s Monterey Peninsula and taking over an estate bequeathed to her by Bridget Early, a woman she had barely known. Her heightened senses—an empathic gift she’s had since childhood—go into overdrive upon touring Crystals & CuriosiTEAS, Bridget’s eclectic tea and psychic shop brimming with Irish lore and Celtic symbols. They reach a boiling point when Shay looks up to discover a stranger’s body sprawled across the shop’s greenhouse roof . . . " .”
***
This book had all the makings for a favourite.
Small town? Mystery? Murder? Romance? Magical realism? A FRICKIN DOG?!

Put that stuff right in my veins.
What most comes to mind after reading this book?
It was fine.
<<insert half-hearted, one-shouldered shrug>>
The story was fine.
The characters were fine.
The dialogue was fine.
The mystery was fine.
The romance was fine.
Nothing was WRONG, per se, it’s just that, by the end, I was happy to be moving on to my next read with little regret, and little incentive to search out the next book in the series.
4/10
Thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Tantor Audio for this ARC.

What an amazing start to a new cozy mystery series! The characters are fantastic and I loved the magical vibes.
How can you go wrong with tea, crystals, a guardian dog named Spirit, and a hot Irish guy next door?
Shay our main character is endearing and very likable. Her journey of discovering her past and learning why she inherited the tea shop and cottage was great. She went through all of that while also solving a mystery and starting a new life.
This was a nicely plotted and well paced mystery. I'm very much looking forward to the next book in this series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A fantastic beginning to a wonderful new series! I can’t wait till the next book to see what happens next.

While I didn't love this one. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of it. I thought it was a great start to a new mystery series. And I have enjoyed Lauren Elliott's other series in the past. So I will be picking up more books in this series.