The Spice King
Book Description:
“Gray Delacroix has dedicated his life to building his very successful global spice empire, but it has come at a cost. Resolved to salvage his family before it spirals out of control, he returns to his ancestral home to save his brother and sister before it’s too late.
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 Review:
Elizabeth Camden is fast becoming one of my top favorite authors in the genre of Christian historical fiction. This story was unusual and the storyline kept me guessing all the way through to the end of the book. Gray has the reputation of being “The Spice King” as far as selling and developing spices, and Annabelle is a researcher at the Department of Agriculture. There’s quite a bit of intrigue surrounding the development and sale of the spices. Gray and Annabelle find themselves working together to protect consumers from being deceived about the purity of what they are buying. But Annabelle is forced into an almost impossible decision, and it completely tears apart her relationship with Gray.
The political intrigue in this story was quite interesting, but it’s Gray and Annabelle’s characters that give this story it’s spark. Annabelle has Kansas roots and is loyal, patriotic, determined, and committed to her family. Gray is somewhat cynical and unforgiving. but you always have the sense that if he breaks out of the shell he’s built around himself, he’s a good match for Annabelle. Their road to romance is a rocky one, and quite honestly did not end the way that I suspected at first that it would. I especially loved the ending to this story as there were a couple of surprises along the way.
I enjoyed reading this story and look forward to the next book in this series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.