Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies

This is a heart warming story that focuses on Gina, a great Chef, who finds herself caught in not one but two love triangles. She's good with food and spices and knows how to create a dish that'll melt your soul but she's not as good when it comes to reading people, especially her friends: Cristi and Marcia. The former stabs her with a pair of scissors because she caught the attention of her boyfriend who happened to dine at the restaurant where Gina works. The latter takes her time in plotting her revenge and it's her actions that finally lead Gina to another path.
I enjoyed reading this book and like the author admits that she's a sucker for happy endings, well, she did not disappoint with this one. I received a copy of the book from NetGalley.

Sugar and Spice And All Those Lies,  Evy Journey

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Romance, Women's Fiction

Gah! Women's Fiction roll eyes I hate that classification, I won't do my usual rant except to say why shouldn't a man enjoy this?

I wasn't sure what to expect here, but its a mix of romance, riches, and resolution.

Gina is from (her words) a white trash background, though I don't think I'd describe it as such. She decides to go for what she really wants after deciding that she wants more than to just marry and have a family. Cooking is her love, nurtured by her mother, and originated from her grandfather.
She's working in a Michelin starred restaurant as a line cook when she meets Leon. Her workmate and friend Marcia tells her a little of his history, he's a true Ladies man, going out for a brief while with them and treating them really well, but finishing within a couple of months. Payoff is good though, diamonds, jewellry, meals out, flowers... Marcia says go for it when he shows an interest in her, but he's dating Gina's long time friend who isn't happy that he's asking about Gina.
She meets Brent and he seems interested in her, but she's not sure if he's being polite or not, Leon is still pressing her to go out and she's uncertain what to do. Brent seems to be keen on her but hasn't asked her out, Leon asks her out almost daily.

I loved Brent, wasn't sure about Leon, but he seemed to be open about what he wanted, and what he would do even if I didn't agree with his ends, felt a bit shallow to me, I couldn't respect someone that made that choice. I wasn't sure about Marcia, she seemed friendly and open, and was really helpful to Gina. Gina herself I admired to begin, and felt for her when her friend was upset with her, she couldn't help what happened, it wasn't anything she could control. Her family were lovely, very supportive even if her mum really hoped Gina would just live close, get married and have a family. Somehow though I didn't really warm to her, I felt she was swayed too much by Leon's money, even though initially she held out against him. I wanted her to see poor Brent was attracted to her as more than just a friend.
Its kind of a mixed romance and suspense/thriller read. I did like the food/restaurant part, an interesting world where people pay more for a meal than many earn in a month. That happens, and always stuns me ;-(


 Stars: Three and a half, a fun read but the romance side was pretty much a side issue.
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

NOTE: I received this book free from NetGalley for a fair review

Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies from Evy Journey is an interesting story about a lady sous chef, trying to find love and happiness among two men, and found herself betrayed several times, by people whom she thought were her close friends. The beginning was a good hook, with her on a hospital gurney being pushed, and ends... on an HEA (but this is a romance, so that's not a spoiler)...

Gina wanted to be a chef for a long time, brought up surrounded by her grandpa's recipes as well as her mom's tutelage. She never seems to realize her mixed parentage gave her exotic looks that men seem to find irresistible, not that she's the kind of woman that would take another woman's man. When she was wooed by Leon, a rich young man, she was mildly amused, but Leon was with Cristi, her childhood best friend... Until Cristi stabbed her with a pair of scissors because Gina had "stolen" Leon from her. The detective investigating the battery case was Brent, who was also interested in Gina, but Gina was with Leon then. Thus Gina introduced Brent to her best friend from the restaurant, Marcia the pastry cook. But even as Gina's relationship with Leon reached a decision point, a stalker sent threatening notes to Gina... warning her of bad things that will happen...

The cooking details are excellent, though I was somewhat disappointed they didn't play into the plot except very peripherally. Gina... came across as a really ambivalent character. Her kind heart was both a strength and a weakness, in a way that really elicits empathy from the reader, but also made her weak-willed at times. Without spoiling the plot, I'll just say Leon and Brent both came across as decent guys, albeit, only one will win at the end.

All in all, this book just lacks that... something that really moves me.

I enjoyed this book and found it an interesting read. It was easy to pick up and put down as the story wasn't complicated which I found satisfying. Recommended.

Gina comes from a poor family but several generations of excellent cooks. She works in an upscale restaurant. A regular customer, Leon has decided he is in love with her. Leon is from a wealthy family with a father that controls his life more than realized by those around him. Gina is finding that best friends are not always to be depended upon. Then there is Brent the detective who is interested in her but his job comes first. Gina learns much about her mother's love for her and how she shows it. Can she find love and have her own place to cook her favorite recipes?

#SugarAndSpiceAndAllThoseLies #NetGalley

I recommend the book. A good story to read during the weekend at the cottage. Interesting story.