Steeped in Secrets is the new paranormal cozy series by Lauren Elliott and it has a lot going for it! I love her Beyond the Page Bookstore cozy series so I was looking forward to reading this. Shay Myers is getting a divorce, lost the jewelry store she worked hard for and inherited a tea & psychic shop from someone she doesn't know in Bray Harbor. . Shay grew up in Bray Harbor and her sister lives there so she returns after many years to figure out her life. It turns out Shay has some magical powers but has a lot to learn. The tea & psychic shop belonged to Bridget Early. Bridget had a dog Spirit who comes and goes and was involved in a few eye-roll-worthy moments. She is getting ready to open the tea shop when a man is found dead and no one knows who he is. Shay becomes friends with Liam,who owns the pub and has a cottage near hers, and Tassi who works for her. Shay spends most of the book figuring out who Bridget was and why she left her the shop and cottage. The paranormal elements were ok at times but odd sometimes too. The .main characters are great. There are a lot of people in town who are suspects along with Shay. The book is pretty busy going from one thing to the next so the reader won't be bored. Overal, it was enjoyable. #NetGalley #SteepedInSecrets

A new series about Shat who inherited a Crystal and Tea shop from a stranger.
While trying to firgue out what to do with the shop Shay dicovers possible murder and a few mysteries.
Good drama,twists, agnst and romance.
Good character that help the story.
A great cozy mystery enjoyed.
Voluntarily reviewed.

Amazing start to this new series that hooked me right from the start with the amazing mix of tea, crystals, loveable characters, wonderful setting. and more. This is definitely going on my to continue series list.

Lauren Elliott’s brand-new mystery series is tea-rrific fun! Shay moves back to her hometown after a messy divorce and a mysterious inheritance from a shopkeeper she barely knew. While reconnecting with old friends and acquaintances, she unravels a bigger mystery that has been brewing for quite some time.

What I loved about the web of stories and mysteries is how Elliott intricately and beautifully wove it all together. Anyone who has been part of a small town and moved away will immediately relate to the feelings Shay has of familiarity marked with feeling an outsider or out of the loop.

Having read Elliott’s other mystery series, she once again brings us characters we love to root for and villains we love to boo. Dashing gentlemen, frenemies, and family ties abound. I don’t want to get into spoilers, but the way relationship dynamics were written and handled was so beautiful.

I’m truly glad that I was able to read and review this book. It’s absolutely a must-read and I’m looking forward to reading more about characters I’ve already fallen in love with.

(I have been given a copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my very own.)

Steeped in Secrets by Lauren Elliott was a fun, cozy mystery for me! I enjoyed the plot and thought it was a fast paced story.

When I think of cozy mysteries, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels, thrills and can satisfies just about every reader's heart. This is a perfect books to snuggle up with on any day. Perfect start to this new series.

Wow. There is so much going on in this intro to a new series that I don't know where to start. I started out simply reading, no notes, but found myself grabbing a pen and paper at one point because there were so many different potential mysteries that I couldn't keep that straight. It speaks to author Lauren Elliott's talent that this only drew me into the story more, determined to figure out who did what, when, where, and why, and how the heck Shayleigh (Shay) Myers was connected to it all. I'm normally not particularly drawn to what I'll call magical or fantasy type stories but this one had me hooked, although I do wish a bit more explanation had been provided upfront regarding Shay's talents. I'm leaning toward that being intentional, however, as Shay herself seemed to be confused as she grappled with her sensory talents and how best to utilize them.

So, what happened to Bridget? Did she drown or was it murder? How or even is her death connected to the dead body found on the greenhouse roof? Why did she leave the business and cottage to Shay anyway? Do we know the real story of what happened to Shay and Jen's parents? How does Spirit know what he, well, seems to sense and know? How is some robbery in Shay's former business place connected? Why is Pierre hanging around? How did the sheriff, Burrows, overlook clues? Could he be the killer? How does Liam fit into the whole picture? Will Shay's magical pouch do it's work? Is Julia, the realtor guilty of anything except for wanting to make a big sale?

And, oh, "a chara".... enough teasers. "A chara" means "my friend in Gaelic, by the way. There is a great deal to unpack from this book, the first in a new series. I'm already looking forward to the next book, especially after that ominous teaser near the end. Putting it on my MUST read list right now, just as you should be putting this one on your TBR list.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #KensingtonPress, not to mention #LaurenElliott for the fantastic trip into the suddenly magical life of Shay.

This was a great start to a new series. I enjoyed the setting, the characters, the theme of the tea shop, and the mystery. Will definitely continue reading this series! Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the complimentary digital review copy of this title.

I started reading this author with the Beyond the Page Bookstore and loved them , I wasn't sure how I was going to like this book but I really enjoyed it. This about Shayleigh moving back to Bray Harbor after inheriting Crystals and Curiositeas the store that belonged to Bridget Early. She also got a dog named spirit and a 2 bedroom cottage on the beach. Wouldn't you know, A murder took place on the store's on the rooftop. It looks as though Shay is the Amateur sleuth and is really good at it. Having no spoilers displayed, it is up to you to read this and found out how it happened. This is a very good book and I am sure I am going to be reading this series. A VERY GOOD READ.

Shay’s been having a rough time of it, thanks to a nasty ex-husband and losing her business and income. But, this is a cosy mystery, so we start off with the fates smiling on her and dropping a new career and a free house into her lap. Yea-ah o.O

Of course, all is not smelling of (tea) roses, as pretty soon a dead body turns up, as they do. Oh, and the oh-so-cute bloke she has a crush on in about 5 seconds flat has a girlfriend, so that’s not okay either.

I do like a cosy mystery between more serious reads, and this sounded like a great chance to try a different theme – I usually go with book/library-based mysteries. But I like tea, and the whole crystals-and-woo-woo sounded like it might add a fun layer, so overall I thought there was at least escapism to be had here. And there is, as far as cosies go, but overall I think far too much of this book irritated me.

Right from the off, our heroine is practically throwing her hand to her forehead in despair and oh look isn’t the ocean so pretty? And clean air so marvellous, but woe woe. It felt hugely uneven and somewhat jarring, and as an opener it had me almost instantly disliking this too-lucky-by-half lead character.

It does settle down, thankfully, but still not issue-free. I loathed all the ‘Oirish’ that one character speaks in – at least, when it suits. There’s a whole former friends now hate each other subplot, but we won’t explain until the end and it wasn’t worth the wait. And the woo-woo: nope, just didn’t work for me. I was down for tea leaves being read, and soothing teas, but the whole fairies in the wood and visions bit was just too weird. And don’t get me started on the dog that appears to know everything in advance.

On the plus side, there’s a nice teenager – a little too helpful, but it’s well-explained – and I did like the bulk of the character interactions, especially how the family functions. And the mystery wasn’t awful, in the end, if – as is so often the case – more than a little far-fetched.

I’m not sure I’d want to try another in the series. Maybe one, to see if it calms down any once the intro stuff is out of the way. But… hmm. Not a bad read, but definitely flawed.

The first title in Lauren Elliot's new Crystals & CuriosiTEAS mystery, Steeped in Secrets is a good beginning. Gemologist, Shayleigh Myers, (Shay for short) has returned to her hometown, Bray Harbor, California, to relocate, heal and start again after a bitter, divorce left her emotionally, financially and professionally on the edge of ruin. She has returned to Bay Harbor for support from her sister, Jen and to try and figure out why she has inherited the Crystals & CuriosiTEAS shop from Bridget Early. She plans to reopen the store as a tea shop and eventually added a crystals and gem area too, but is being pressured to sell to an art dealer who wants to open a gallery. When a strangers body is found on the shop roof, life gets more complicated and she becomes determined to unravel all the mysteries, even if it will change her life forever. Well written, intriguing, with good supporting characters including Spirit, a large white German shepherd. A book one that leaves you wanting books 2 & 3! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I actually enjoyed this book very much. I loved the writing, the setting and the characters. I did end up guessing the plot twist pretty early on but it didn't spoil the book for me. I quite liked the folk magic element in this book, the magical elements were very realistic! I was a little disappointed with the love triangle aspect? I think I just wanted more in the end. Overall the book was great and I can say I would continue the series (if there will be one).

This was a solid 3.5 stars

You really must read this one! So many elements combine in a new way in this mystery with a bit of woo woo. Believer, non believer, it doesn't matter as the pages fly by with humor and heart
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

Shayleigh is starting life over following a nasty divorce. An unexpected inheritance brings her back to her hometown and mysteries that upend her life. A great new cozy mystery series.

A new exciting series from one of my favorite authors. With her life turned upside down, Shayleigh heads to Bray Harbor where a childhood acquaintance has left her a business and a home. Good story plot. Excellent character development. A solid whodunit. This one has everything a cozy reader wants and enjoys. Thanks #netgalley and #Keningston for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

The cover really pulled me in it’s stunning. This is a first in a new series and it’s off to a great start.
Flat broke and divorced, intuitive gemologist Shay Myers has changed since leaving her artsy hometown of coastal Bray Harbor sixteen years ago. But when she moves back under strange circumstances, old instincts may be the only key to spilling the tea on a deadly mystery.
I can’t wait to go on more adventures with Shay.
#SteepedinSecrets #NetGalley

A wonderful start to a new series. As a fan of the author, I was looking forward to this book and I was not disappointed. I give this 5 stars, which I don't often do for new series. Most time to settle in on but not this one. It's good from the start.

We jump right in to a mystery and we are off and going! I will say, there are multiple mysteries, secrets and a few things linger making way for a second book. A great way to bring one back and keep one rooting for the main character.

The characters are rich and appealing. It's easy to like our main character Shay, and root for her. Tassi also became a favorite to me.

Shay is a bit new to her hometown after being gone for some time. She's inherited a tea and crystals shop that is an interesting place. I wasn't sure if it would be a bit woo-woo for me but it was not.

This book offers some adventure and caused me some anxiety but held to being a cozy, which I personally prefer. I cannot wait for further stories and adventures. I encourage fans of Lauren Elliott and cozies to definitely give this one a try.

Shay Meyers left Bray Harbor as soon as she finished high school. while she loved the town, it was the loss of her parents that sent her running. Now, after a failed marriage and a ugly end to her business, she’s back home once again, thanks to the bequest of the town’s resident “Witch”. Having lost everything she had built up in her life in New Mexico,

Shay is committed to making the most of what life has sent her way…and trying to figure out why the woman kept everything to her. On her first visit to the new age tea shop she inherited, a body is found on the roof the greenhouse. Is it tied in someway to Shay? She knows the business owner next door didn’t do it, but she’s determined to find out what happened, why, and if it relates to her in anyway at all.

This is a fabulous start to a brand new cozy series from one of the best cozy authors. The setting, the cast and the premise of the series are all solid and grabbed me right in. I couldn’t put the book down and can’t wait for the next one in the series!

As a first in a new series, I found this book to be a fun read after the first chapter.
The beginning started off slow, but the story progressed into a well done whodunit.
I enjoy this author, so I'm looking forward to reading more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
#SteepedinSecrets #NetGalley

I absolutely love a great cozy mystery and this one hit the nail on the head. Another wonderful addition to the genre.