4.5 out of 5 stars.
Welcome! Today, I’m featuring a stop on the Great Escape Virtual Book Tour for Seashells, Spells, & Caramels, the first book in the Spells & Caramels series by Erin Johnson! It was an absolutely delightful read! I really enjoyed it!
Purchase Links: Amazon
Synopsis
Imogen’s spent her twenties in Seattle, saving every penny and missing every party, to follow her dream of opening her own bakery.
When that dream goes up in flames, she accepts a spot in a mysterious baking contest—one she doesn’t remember entering. She travels to a bustling, medieval village off the coast of France and discovers an enchanting world of magic and mystery, and learns that she, too, possesses powers.
Unable to so much as cast a spell, Imogen struggles to keep up with the other witches and wizards who have come from all over the magical world to the Water Kingdom’s big competition. She juggles relationships with a sweet new friend, a snarky baking fire, and a brooding, handsome baker. As Imogen falls for this bewitching world, she fears she won’t master her magic in time to win the job of Royal Head Baker, and will be forced to return to the shambles of her non magical life.
It only gets worse, when a competitor drops dead in the middle of the big white baking tent, and Imogen’s the prime suspect. Now, she’ll not only have to survive the vampire and psychic judges, but also clear her name by finding the real murderer, before they strike again.
With a killer on the loose, a missing prince, and the Summer Solstice Festival fast approaching, Imogen will have to bake like her life depends on it – because it just might.
Review
This was an absolutely delightful read! It didn’t quite have that magical touch that made it a 5-star read, but it’s a solid 4.5 in my opinion!
Imogen is a wonderful character, full of spunk and makes the best of whatever situation she’s in. She’s well-developed, complex, and full of life. I’m looking forward to getting to know some of the other characters further as we get further into the series, especially Maple, Sam, Iggy, and Hank.
The setting was great. I thought the descriptions of Bijou Mer were delightful and magical (which is only fitting). I could imagine everything pretty well but yet could still use my imagination to fill in details.
The mystery was pretty good. I did have an inkling of the culprits, but I wasn’t sure until closer to the end. It ended up that I was right, but it didn’t spoil the rest of the story for me.
All in all, this magical mystery is a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to the sequel coming out later in November!
About the Author
A native of Tempe, Arizona, Erin spends her time crafting mysterious, magical, romance-filled stories that’ll hopefully make you laugh.
In between, she’s traveling, napping with her dogs, eating with her friends and family, and teaching Pilates (to allow her to eat more).
Website: www.erinjohnsonwrites.com.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EJohnsonWrites.
Twitter:@EJohnsonWrites
Thanks for joining me today for this stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Seashells, Spells, & Caramels. If you wish to visit other stops on the tour, please click on the banner below. It will take you to the main tour page where you will find a list of participants!
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