Where Lemons Bloom

Happy National Covered Chocolate Anything Day!  This is my kind of day!  The possibilities are endless.  Just about everyone (even picky me) love chocolate!  Melt some chocolate tonight and start dipping! Yum!

Where Lemons Bloom by Blair McDowell takes us on a trip from the United States to Barbados to Lisbon and on to Italy.  Eve Anderson is enjoying a vacation after taking care of her father the last five years.  He just passed away.  She has flown to Barbados from where she will board a ship.  Eve decides to go swimming and finds herself captured by the heavy undertow.  Eve is rescued by Adamo de Leone.  Eve and Adamo enjoy a special night.  Eve does not expect to see Adamo again and is shocked when they encounter each other on The Wind Surf (the ship).  They spend the time on the ship getting to know each other.  Except Eve does not know that Adamo is hiding a secret.  A secret that will endanger both of them. 

After the ship they spend two days in Lisbon.  Adamo is going to be heading to Positano, Italy (where he was born and lived until age fourteen) on the Amalfi coast.  Adamo inherited a small inn (and a little money) from his grandfather.  Adamo invites Eve to join him.  Adamo is hoping to make a success of the inn.  But Adamo’s past follows him to Italy.  Adamo spent five years in jail (and one year probation) for a crime that he did not commit.  Someone is not happy that Adamo is still alive (evidently he is a threat) and is trying to rectify it.  Eve and Adamo need to find out who committed the actual crime.  Can they solve a six year old case?

Where Lemons Bloom is a beautiful story.  I really liked the mystery and how it was resolved.  Though this novel did contain more romance than mystery.  Blair McDowell crafted an intriguing novel.  She did a wonderful job describing the various settings in the book (especially Italy).  Positano sounded just lovely with all the lemon trees and old buildings (my allergies would go nuts though).  I wish there had been a little less romance (it was a little over the top, but it is the type of love every woman dreams of finding).  The book does contain some explicit sex scenes.  Where Lemons Bloom is a fast-paced novel.  I read it straight through in a few hours one night.  I give Where Lemons Bloom 4 out of 5 stars.  The ending will leave you with a smile on your face.  This is the second novel I have enjoyed by Blair McDowell, and I will definitely be reading her works in the future.

Romantic Road is the first book written by Blair McDowell.  It is a great book with a wonderful mystery.  I received a complimentary copy of Where Lemons Bloom from NetGalley and Reading Alley in exchange for an honest review.

I am currently reading Plain Dead by Emma Miller.  I am off to run a couple of errands.  I still have to finish getting lights on our main tree (it takes forever).  Make sure to take time to indulge in some chocolate today!  Have a great afternoon and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader