The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden

The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Book Description:  Gray Delacroix has dedicated his life to building an acclaimed global spice empire, but it has come at a cost. Resolved to salvage his family before they spiral out of control, he returns to his ancestral home for good after years of traveling the world.

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: The title of the book was the first thing that intrigued me. I wanted to know who the spice king was? Did he live in another country? There were so many possibilities.

What I found was a great book set during the McKinley Presidency. This was a time of agricultural upheaval. It appears that food wasn't regulated and that cheap imitations and fillers could be sold to unsuspecting consumers. I was fascinated with the political intrigue, bribery, and the struggle to change packaging and honesty in the food industry. Of course, that is not what this book is all about. It is about two people from different worlds falling in love. There are outside circumstances that pull them apart and they have to figure out how to forgive and move forward. (I don't want to spoil anything by giving details.)

I loved the loyalty to family that both Gray and Annabelle exhibit. They both make hard decisions with their families in mind. They were a couple that I was rooting for and hoping that the dilemma could be resolved in the way that I wanted it to be. This story did not disappoint me in any way and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Online Purchase Links:

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About the Author:  (Taken from Amazon)  Elizabeth Camden is best known for her historical novels set in gilded-age America featuring clever heroines and richly layered storylines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won the RITA and Christy Awards and have appeared on the CBA bestsellers list. She lives in Orlando, Florida, with her husband, who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books. Learn more at www.elizabethcamden.com.