Where Lemons Bloom

One of the most glorious places in the world must be the Amalfi Coast. If one cannot get back there in person, it is nice to do so immersed in a book.
Blair McDowell has written a book that tickles the senses and allows you to travel to this beautiful spot.
It is where heroine, Eve, and hero, Adamo, journey after he saves her from drowning and their one night stand turns into love. Adamo is a felon who was wrongly convicted for a crime he did not commit. When he is released from prison, he has nothing until a bequest from his grandfather wills him a hotel in Positano.
The story has a fair helping of romance, lots of twists and turns, suspense, and did I mention-romance. I would not call it a mystery although the discovery of who and what was behind Adamo's incarceration is exciting especially as the perp wants him dead.
The two lovers find friends in unexpected places. The characters were fascinating and their stories compelling. As Shakespeare wrote: all's well that ends well and this story certainly did end well.
I walked away with a big cheesy grin on my face. Could one ask more from a book? I think not.

Blair McDowell's writing transports you on the journey to Italy, but doesn't stop until it ends right back in Italy. I felt like I was right there, and I want to smell the lemons! I would die! I loved the characters and how they came together. A touch of mystery within the romance was outstanding. I kept hanging onto every page, turning faster, wanting to soak up every word!

Where Lemons Bloom by Blair McDowell takes us on a trip from the United States to Barbados to Lisbon and on to Italy. Eve Anderson is enjoying a vacation after taking care of her father the last five years. He just passed away. She has flown to Barbados from where she will board a ship. Eve decides to go swimming and finds herself captured by the heavy undertow. Eve is rescued by Adamo de Leone. Eve and Adamo enjoy a special night. Eve does not expect to see Adamo again and is shocked when they encounter each other on The Wind Surf (the ship). They spend the time on the ship getting to know each other. Except Eve does not know that Adamo is hiding a secret. A secret that will endanger both of them.

After the ship they spend two days in Lisbon. Adamo is going to be heading to Positano, Italy (where he was born and lived until age fourteen) on the Amalfi coast. Adamo inherited a small inn (and a little money) from his grandfather. Adamo invites Eve to join him. Adamo is hoping to make a success of the inn. But Adamo’s past follows him to Italy. Adamo spent five years in jail (and one year probation) for a crime that he did not commit. Someone is not happy that Adamo is still alive (evidently he is a threat) and is trying to rectify it. Eve and Adamo need to find out who committed the actual crime. Can they solve a six year old case?

Where Lemons Bloom is a beautiful story. I really liked the mystery and how it was resolved. Though this novel did contain more romance than mystery. Blair McDowell crafted an intriguing novel. She did a wonderful job describing the various settings in the book (especially Italy). Positano sounded just lovely with all the lemon trees and old buildings (my allergies would go nuts though). I wish there had been a little less romance (it was a little over the top, but it is the type of love every woman dreams of finding). The book does contain some explicit sex scenes. Where Lemons Bloom is a fast-paced novel. I read it straight through in a few hours one night. I give Where Lemons Bloom 4 out of 5 stars. The ending will leave you with a smile on your face. This is the second novel I have enjoyed by Blair McDowell, and I will definitely be reading her works in the future.

I received a complimentary copy of Where Lemons Bloom from NetGalley and Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.

Non-stop thrill ride!
Blair McDowell is known for her tales of romantic suspense and mystery. McDowell won the 2015 Romance Reviews Readers’ Choice Award in the ‘Action/Suspense/Mystery’ category. Stories include; Abigail’s Christmas, The Memory of Roses, Delighting in Your Company, Sonata and Romantic Road. On holiday in Barbados, Eve gets into difficulty when swimming in the ocean. Her rescuer, Adamo, not only saves her life but sweeps her off her feet. Fate strikes and they meet again on a cruise ship bound for Europe, where their adventure truly begins. Eve and Adamo then travel to Adamo’s home town on the Amalfi Coast and move into an Inn left to him by his grandfather. But there is trouble in paradise, both their lives are at risk and it’s all down to Adamo’s dark and mysterious past. McDowell reveals a lot about Eve and her difficult past from the offset. However, Adamo is a cryptic character, guarding a dark secret that later endangers both their lives. The plot is a puzzle of unsolved questions, keeping you on your toes throughout. I could only reward this book 3 out of 5 stars as the story is not always believable, particularly in terms of the romance. This is not helped by the fact there is little characterisation and description of the setting. Considering it is set in one of the most beautiful and enchanting places in the world, more description would have been beneficial. Much of the sex is irrelevant and adds nothing to the plot, whereas other more crucial aspects of their relationship are missed out. The story is fast paced, which despite being a good thing, leads to many ‘Later that day’ and ‘A week later’ which makes it harder to become entirely immersed in the story.
Kristie R Lovegrove

All reviews appear on Amazon, Goodreads plus Gr Facebook, LibraryThing plus LT Twitter, eyes.2c review blog

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017PT3K7I?keywords=where%20the%20lemons%20bloom&qid=1450702407&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1 (Dec 21, 2015)

LibaryThing plus LibraryThing Twitter http://www.librarything.com/work/16930550/book/124381161 (Dec 21, 2015)

Goodreads plus Gr FB https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1451632022
(Dec 21, 2015)

eyes.2c reviews blog http://eyes2creviews.blogspot.ca/2016/01/sunshine-and-mystery.html (Jan 5, 2016)

Sunshine and mystery

The more I moved into this story the more Involved I became. At first I went, really? A short time later I was exclaiming...Really!!! Wow! Waste no time! All right extenuating circumstances--maybe?
Eve is a strong and determined woman who finds herself through love with a handsome stranger, sunshine and a picture postcard habitat on the Italian Amalfi coast.
I swear I felt the sun's rays kiss my face and the sea view calm my soul as I sipped coffee with Adamo and Eve's on their pensione balcony The meeting of Eve Adomo de Leone is dramatic. They part, never to meet again, but fate throws a curve ball and they find themselves on the same boat bound for Italy.
Instead of going their own ways Eve accompanies Adamo to the Almafi coast and to the beginnings of a new life--dogged by the mystery of eighty million missing dollars Adamo has supposedly embezzled, and now attempted murder.
As the story spun out I found myself glued to the pages awaiting the outcome. There are some very interesting secondary characters whose lives intersect Adamo and Eve's seamlessly, bringing further interest to the plot.

A NetGalley ARC