Review: "The Spice King" by Elizabeth Camden

Leave it to Elizabeth Camden to write a "science-y" novel that captivates me!

Review: "A Daring Venture" by Elizabeth Camden

I absolutely loved A Dangerous Legacy, the first book in Elizabeth Camden's Empire State series, when I read it last year. So of course I jumped at the chance to read the sequel, A Daring Venture!

"A Dangerous Legacy" by Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers of historical inspirational romance. Her latest novel, A Dangerous Legacy, kept me captivated from start to finish.

"To the Farthest Shores" by Elizabeth Camden

If you've followed my blog very long, you know that I read far more contemporary than historical novels, and many of the historical novels I do read are set during World War II. But there are a couple authors who write historical fiction not set during the Second World War whose books I always want to get my hands on, and one of them is Elizabeth Camden.

"from this moment" by elizabeth camden

I have enjoyed several of Elizabeth Camden's books in the past, but From this Moment is easily my favorite. I was captivated from start to finish!

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Stella West's artistic talent made her the toast of London, but when her beloved sister dies under mysterious circumstances she abandons everything and heads for Boston. With single-minded determination she fights to pierce the ring of secrecy surrounding her sister's death. Upon meeting Romulus White, a publisher with connections into every important power circle in the city, she quickly realizes he could be a valuable ally in navigating Boston society.

Romulus has been pursuing Stella for years to create art for his magazine. Her luminous illustrations are the missing piece he needs to propel his magazine to the forefront of the industry, and he will stop at nothing to get her on board. 

Sparks fly the instant they join forces, but Romulus is unsettled by the unwelcome attraction he feels toward Stella, fearing she might be the one woman who could disrupt his hard-won independence. He may have finally met his match in Stella, but is helping her solve the mystery of her sister's death worth the risk to his publishing empire?

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From this Moment is a delightful mix of romance, mystery, and suspense. Romulus White runs a magazine with his cousin Evelyn. When he learns that Stella West, an artist he has been trying to hire for years, has moved to Boston, he sees his chance to get what he wants. What he doesn't count on is falling for Stella.

Stella is desperate to discover the truth behind her sister's death, so she goes undercover and takes a job at City Hall, where her sister worked prior to her death. She has no intention of working for Romulus until she realizes that he has the connections she needs to further her investigation. But danger follows them, as someone is desperate to keep Stella from uncovering the truth.

Fans of witty banter will love From this Moment, as sparks fly from the moment Romulus and Stella meet! Both are very strong, stubborn, driven people, and their banter back and forth was one of the highlights of the novel.

The mystery is also done very well—the plot contains many twists and turns that aren't too predictable and kept me guessing as to which characters Romulus and Stella should trust.

There's also a secondary plot surrounding Evelyn and her husband Clyde (the subjects of Camden's novella Summer of Dreams, which is currently free). The two are estranged when the novel begins (which kind of broke my heart, as I loved reading their love story in Summer of Dreams), and their journey throughout the book is both heartbreaking and affirming.

From this Moment's romance, characters, and plot make it a top-notch historical novel—and the cover is simply gorgeous. I highly recommend it! 5 stars.

Buy the book.
Buy the novella Summer of Dreams.
Read my review of Camden's Beyond All Dreams (5 stars) and Against the Tide (4-1/2 stars).

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Elizabeth Camden is the author of eight historical novels and has been honored with a RITA Award, Christy Award, and Daphne du Maurier Award. With a master's in history and a master's in library science, she is a research librarian by day and scribbles away on her next novel by night. She lives with her husband in Florida. Learn more at www.elizabethcamden.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Bethany House Publishers through their book reviewer program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links are "affilliate links." This means if you click the link and buy the product, I will receive a commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"beyond all dreams" by elizabeth camden

Sweet romance, intriguing mystery, and US history intersect in Elizabeth Camden's fascinating new novel Beyond All Dreams.

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Is bringing the truth to light worth risking all they've ever dreamed for their futures?

Anna O'Brien leads a predictable and quiet life as a map librarian at the illustrious Library of Congress until she stumbles across the baffling mystery of a ship disappeared at sea. Thwarted in her attempts to uncover information, her determination outweighs her shyness and she turns to a dashing congressman for help.

Luke Callahan was one of the nation's most powerful congressmen before his promising career was shadowed in scandal. Eager to share in a new cause and intrigued by the winsome librarian, he joins forces with Anna to solve the mystery of the lost ship. Opposites in every way, Anna and Luke are unexpectedly drawn to each other despite the strict rules forbidding Anna from any romantic entanglements with members of Congress.

From the gilded halls of the Capitol where powerful men shape the future of the nation, to the scholarly archives of the nation's finest library, Anna and Luke are soon embroiled in secrets much bigger and more perilous than they ever imagined. Is bringing the truth to light worth risking all they've ever dreamed for their futures?

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Beyond All Dreams is a fascinating story full of romance, intrigue, and a gorgeous library! The fact that the heroine is a librarian ... a map librarian ... was just icing on the cake! (I simply adore maps, and I used to dream of being a librarian, so her job is basically the greatest thing ever.)

The characters in Beyond All Dreams are particularly strong. Anna is quiet and shy, yet she possesses surprising tenacity. Luke, handsome and charming yet still very flawed, makes a great love interest for Anna. And the supporting characters, from Anna's friend Neville to Luke's troubled family to the enigmatic Speaker of the House, are fleshed out and realistic.

The romance is sweet, the plot (partially based on actual events) is intriguing, and the setting (Washington, D.C. in the late 1890s) is fascinating. I especially loved the look at the inner workings of Congress and the mention of real political figures like William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt. Overall, I found Beyond All Dreams to be completely captivating. Those interested in American history (or simply a good romance) will love it! 5 stars.

See what others are saying.
Buy the book.
Read my review of Camden's Against the Tide (4-1/2 stars).

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Elizabeth Camden is the author of six books and a RITA and Christy Award winner. With a master's in history and a master's in library science, she is a research librarian by day and scribbles away on her next novel by night. Elizabeth lives with her husband in Florida.

Find Elizabeth online: website, Facebook

Travel back in time to the U.S. Capitol and the Library of Congress in Elizabeth Camden's newest release, Beyond All Dreams. From the gilded halls of the Capitol where powerful men shape the future of the nation, to the scholarly archives of the nation's finest library, Anna and Luke are soon embroiled in secrets much bigger and more perilous than they ever imagined. Is bringing the truth to light worth risking all they've ever dreamed for their futures?

Elizabeth is celebrating the release of Beyond All Dreams with a Kindle giveaway and Facebook party on February 17.

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• One copy of Beyond All Dreams

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 2/17. Winner will be announced at Elizabeth's 2/17 Beyond All Dreams Facebook author chat party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Elizabeth and historical fiction fans, as well as for the opportunity to win some great prizes!
{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 17th!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"Against the Tide" by Elizabeth Camden

About the book (from the back cover): After a childhood rampant with uncertainty, Lydia Pallas has carved out a perfect life for herself. She spends her days within sight of the bustling Boston Harbor, where her skill with languages has landed her an enviable position as a translator for the U.S. Navy.

Lydia's talents bring her to the attention of Alexander Banebridge, a mysterious man in need of a translator. Driven by a campaign to end the opium trade, Bane is coolly analytical and relentless in his quest. He cannot afford to fall for Lydia and must fight the bittersweet love growing between them.

When Bane's enemies gain the upper hand, he is forced to turn to Lydia for help. Determined to prove her worth, Lydia soon discovers that carrying out Bane's mission will test her wits and her courage to the very limits.

My take: Against the Tide isn't your average historical romance. Sure, the basic elements are there—handsome hero, palpable chemistry between the hero and heroine, interesting supporting characters—but there's so much more to the story.

A large portion of the plot centers around the fight to ban opium. Perhaps I've just forgotten my American history, but I had no idea how prevalent opium use was in the United States. Along with Lydia, I was horrified as I learned that many people (like Lydia) became addicted without ever purposefully taking opium because it was in popular over the counter medicines. And never before had I read a book that put me inside the head of an addict and helped me understand (at least on a small scale) the true scope of addiction.

Against the Tide is a completely engaging and intense novel. I did feel that the everything with the villain wrapped up a bit too conveniently, but overall I loved the book! 4-1/2 stars.

Buy the book.
Read an excerpt.

About the author: Elizabeth Camden, author of The Lady of Bolton Hill and The Rose of Winslow Street, received a master's in history from University of Virginia and a master's in library science from Indiana University. She is a research librarian by day and scribbles away on her next novel by night. Elizabeth is a member of ACFW and RWA and lives with her husband in Florida. Visit her website at ElizabethCamden.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Bethany House Publishers through their book reviewer program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.  Also, some of the links are "affilliate links." This means if you click the link and buy the product, I will receive a commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."