Book Summary (Goodreads): 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... I immediately fell in love with this cover the first time I saw it. I found myself curious...who is the Spice King? What's his story? I also knew from past books I've read from Elizabeth Camden that this would have some ties to historical events. How would Camden weave true events and fictional characters into a compelling story?
Gray and Annabelle have contrasting histories. Gray comes from a wealthy family that lost their wealth in the Civil War and had to build it back up from nothing. Gray knows what it's like to be wealthy, lose it all, and gain wealth once again. Annabelle has never had the wealth that Gray has, but through her poverty and desire to help her family, she sacrifices almost everything to provide them with a better life. Yet even in her sacrifice she is able to something she loves...work with plants. That's something I appreciate about her character, yet it's also at times a flaw. She is willing to sacrifice everything out of duty instead of fight for what she wants at times. This could just be another cultural aspect of that time period, but I mentally wanted to say, "Come on, girl!" When she is approached by those who are in positions of power and manipulated to spy for them, that's when the moral conflict begins.
Part of me wanted Annabelle to outsmart those "bad guys"...and her naivete was at times frustrating. Yet I was pleasantly surprised that there were twists in the plot that didn't follow the typical. Predictability is not always a bad thing...because let's be honest...I love a happy ending. It's how the characters get there that makes it fun. The journey Gray and Annabelle take is interesting, entertaining, and redemptive. If you enjoy historical Christian fiction, you'll enjoy this newest novel by Elizabeth Camden.
**I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in order to give my honest opinions, which I did.**
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