Cooking for Ghosts

This was a very interesting book. I really enjoyed how all the women worked together and fought together like real friends. Cynthia, Rohini, Angela, and Jane complemented each other. As the story moved along, I loved how their histories came to light, how the ghosts played into all of their lives, and how things were resolved. I had tears, smiles, groans, sighs, and moments of "oh no". I look forward to reading more in this series. Ann Marie Gideon did a wonderful job in telling this tale, and she was able to bring the emotions off the page. The accents were well done as well as inflections to keep the characters separate. Thank you Patricia Davis for a great story and thank you Ann Marie Gideon for great narration. I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.

Wow!! This book has so much to offer the reader!! Secrets, Ghosts, a Haunted Ship, Tragedies, Second Chances, Delicious Recipes, Four Strong and Spicy Women, and so much more!! I love books with strong female lead characters, and this book has four sassy, bold, driven, and passionate women. I really liked the main characters, Cynthia, Rohini, Jane, and Angela, as they were realistic, genuine, and likeable. I really liked that they met on a food blogging website and took a huge leap of faith to open the Secret Spice Café aboard the RMS Queen Mary. I love that they each brought something unique to the story. All four women had real problems, flaws, baggage, and drama. Plus, they were all being haunted by a tragedy from their past. The Queen Mary was their second chance, their fresh start, but it seems the Queen has other plans for them. I enjoyed the story line and felt engaged in the story structure and plot points. The writing was steady and easily flowed. The POVs effortlessly switch back and forth without hesitation. I loved the setting!! The RMS Queen Mary sounded so beautiful and mystical!! I had never heard of her before, but now I am quite intrigued and want to go check her out!! The fact that is was a luxurious ocean liner then converted into a warship during WWII then back to a cruise ship again. But then eventually sold and permanently docked in the 1960s in Long Beach as a floating hotel and museum – wow!! It all sounds so fascinating!! I definitely learned quite a bit during this story as the author provided such engaging historical facts!! I really liked the cooking angle of this book as I am a total foodie so I really enjoyed reading the recipes. Especially the additional recipe cards that were included in the paperback copy of my book. I am excited to try Shrimp Rohini, Salsa di Pomodoro, and more specifically the featured dessert lol – the Secret Spice Café Raspberry Chocolate Tart. I loved the amount of historical content and attention to detail featured throughout this book. It is clear the author did a thorough and extensive amount of research while constructing this book. That plus her own unique advantage of spending time at the Queen Mary created reliable and credible details throughout the story line. I really enjoyed and appreciated the author’s depth of research that was thoroughly highlighted in this book. I liked that she kept the material educational, but not overwhelming as it was easily to grasp and follow. I really enjoyed the section at the end of the book titled, “Author’s Notes.” I liked being able to connect with the author and understand the meaning behind some of the passages. Also, it was great getting additional background information on the book. There are some predictable scenes. However, there are still a few very unexpected twists and turns that you won’t see coming! This book is Book One in The Secret Spice Café Book Series. This book can absolutely be read as a standalone. Currently there are already three books published in this book series and are available for sale at any major book retailer. I really enjoyed book one and can’t wait to check out the other books in this book series!! All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and would absolutely recommend it! I think all magical realism readers and woman’s paranormal fiction and mystery fans will like this book too – and this book series! So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading - you won't be disappointed! **Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**