The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique by Samantha Verant -a Review

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Description:
Kate Jenkins doesn’t believe in fate. She believes in a clear vision, meticulous planning, and hard work in order to achieve her culinary dreams. On the cusp of opening her own Parisian restaurant, Bistro Exotique, she isn’t even concerned when her standoffish–and annoyingly sexy–neighbor dismisses her as a crazy American tourist or when she meets the wildly eccentric Garrance, the self-proclaimed Spice Master of Paris, who ominously warns her of the previous owner’s failures.

Confident and optimistic, Kate keeps calm and cooks on. Until a series of unfortunate events derail her plans and her entire staff quits.

Kate is about to throw in the kitchen towel on her lifelong dream when Garrance offers to use her mastery of scents and spices to help her, but it comes at a price: Kate must work with Garrance’s son, Charles, a world-class chef and total jerk. After Kate hesitantly concedes to the deal, she slowly learns to open her heart and mind to new concepts, not quite sure if the magic she’s experiencing comes from Garrance’s spices, from within herself, or from the growing chemistry with Charles. One thing is certain, though: her kitchen is getting increasingly hot.

Review:

The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique by Samantha Verant is a sweet fun standalone novel.  Kate Jenkins, our heroine, finds herself in a quarry, with the opening of her new Paris restaurant, Bistro Exotique; as everything that could go wrong, does go wrong; with things unsettled, almost all of her staff quits.  Help comes from her wealthly and friendly landlady, Garrance, who claims to be the Spice Master of Paris, using her wonderful scents/spices, and offers her a deal, that she can’t refuse.  Kate must work with Garrance’s son, Charles, a world-class chef, who both recently got off on the wrong foot

The two are forced to work together, especially with the restaurant opening pushed up two weeks, to make the changes, use the special spices into the meals, and to hire people.  In a short period, both Charles (who used to be a former Michelin starred chef) and Kate begin to work well together, as they are determined to make the opening a grand success.  Kate opens her mind to new senses, as she begins to experience the power of Garrance’s spices that are amazing.  She also finds herself falling for Charles, as their chemistry was becoming sizzling.  When the restaurant opens to raves, with the unique scents driving everyone to a touch of magical senses.

What follows is a charming story, set in Paris, with a couple that were meant for each other, two mothers pushing them, great secondary characters, magic, and romance.  Kate knows that Charles has many admirers, including women who try to get his attention; she learns to accept his love, and her feelings for him.

The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique was a wonderful sweet love story, with a fantastic setting in Paris, and amazing food senses we get to learn about throughout.  Kate and Charles were a terrific couple, even with their bad start.  I really enjoyed watching them slowly fall in love.  I loved everything about the restaurant, the food and spices, and the great secondary characters.  The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique was very well written by Samantha Verant.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher