amalgamawesome's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
cj_mo_2222's review
4.0
Recently married Lady Arianna and Alessandro “Sandro” Saybrook attend a party of several foreign diplomats as a favor to Saybrook’s uncle, Charles Mellon. The party begins and Lady Arianna is shocked to see one of the Russian diplomats is the same man who had tried to forcibly take a book of chocolate engravings from her while she was purchasing it for Saybrook. What would make this book so interesting to the Russian and could it be related to a possible traitor in the midst at the peace conference in Vienna?
"The Cocoa Conspiracy" is an excellent follow-up to the author’s first regency mystery "Sweet Revenge". While not quite as charming as the first book in the series, this sequel is still clever with two, strong intelligent main characters who are fearless when on a mission to do the right thing for their loved ones or their country. As in the first book, the manipulative Lord Grentham makes a formidable enemy, even while he is supposed to be on the same side as Arianna and Sandro. Basil Henning, the gruff but compassionate Scottish surgeon, is a loyal friend to both Arianna and Saybrook and an interesting character as well. At the title says, chocolate plays a large part in this mystery as it did in the first. Each chapter begins with a different chocolate recipe and Arianna’s skill at preparing chocolate dishes might hold the solution to her latest dilemma. This book could stand on its own, but the first book helps to provide the background needed to fully appreciate the relationship between the main characters.
While circumstances in the first book made marriage an ideal solution for Arianna and Sandro, their chemistry and obvious affection for each other makes it seem more than just a marriage of convenience. These two unique characters bring out the best in each other, so the best scenes in the book are when Arianna and Saybrook are working together. However, they are both afraid to show the depth of their feelings because of events in their past. While it’s understandable the two would hold back, it can be frustrating. Saybrook seems to be becoming more confident confiding in Arianna, so hopefully it’s just a matter of time before can tell Saybrook her true feelings and also no longer feel the need to go behind his back with some of her schemes.
While this is a very good book, the beginning has too much emphasis on history and not enough action related to the current mystery being tackled by Arianna and Saybrook. The background is necessary to understand the intricate plot, but all of the rich historical details definitely slow the pace of the story. Thankfully, once the couple arrive in Vienna, the level of intrigue increases and the book becomes much more fun to read. The story becomes a little unbelievable at the end, but Arianna and Saybrook once again prove they have what it takes to solve complex puzzles, while falling a little more in love as they go. Although "The Cocoa Conspiracy" is lacking some of the romance of the prior installment, it is still a well-written historical novel to savor with likeable characters and a unique plot that stands out from other mysteries.
The review was originally written for The Season E-Zine. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
"The Cocoa Conspiracy" is an excellent follow-up to the author’s first regency mystery "Sweet Revenge". While not quite as charming as the first book in the series, this sequel is still clever with two, strong intelligent main characters who are fearless when on a mission to do the right thing for their loved ones or their country. As in the first book, the manipulative Lord Grentham makes a formidable enemy, even while he is supposed to be on the same side as Arianna and Sandro. Basil Henning, the gruff but compassionate Scottish surgeon, is a loyal friend to both Arianna and Saybrook and an interesting character as well. At the title says, chocolate plays a large part in this mystery as it did in the first. Each chapter begins with a different chocolate recipe and Arianna’s skill at preparing chocolate dishes might hold the solution to her latest dilemma. This book could stand on its own, but the first book helps to provide the background needed to fully appreciate the relationship between the main characters.
While circumstances in the first book made marriage an ideal solution for Arianna and Sandro, their chemistry and obvious affection for each other makes it seem more than just a marriage of convenience. These two unique characters bring out the best in each other, so the best scenes in the book are when Arianna and Saybrook are working together. However, they are both afraid to show the depth of their feelings because of events in their past. While it’s understandable the two would hold back, it can be frustrating. Saybrook seems to be becoming more confident confiding in Arianna, so hopefully it’s just a matter of time before can tell Saybrook her true feelings and also no longer feel the need to go behind his back with some of her schemes.
While this is a very good book, the beginning has too much emphasis on history and not enough action related to the current mystery being tackled by Arianna and Saybrook. The background is necessary to understand the intricate plot, but all of the rich historical details definitely slow the pace of the story. Thankfully, once the couple arrive in Vienna, the level of intrigue increases and the book becomes much more fun to read. The story becomes a little unbelievable at the end, but Arianna and Saybrook once again prove they have what it takes to solve complex puzzles, while falling a little more in love as they go. Although "The Cocoa Conspiracy" is lacking some of the romance of the prior installment, it is still a well-written historical novel to savor with likeable characters and a unique plot that stands out from other mysteries.
The review was originally written for The Season E-Zine. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
tita_noir's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 eh. Didn't like this one as much as the first one. It barely kept my attention. There were times when I felt I was listening to people talk...a lot....about Napoleon. I ended up skimming after about half way through. I still really like Sandro and Arianna, but not enough to wade through what felt like a ponderous mystery.
tlsouthard's review
4.0
3 1/2 stars, rounded up. I enjoyed this, but I thought one of the bad guys was thrown in too randomly at the end.
jeannine's review
4.0
Our badass chocolate addicts are chasing down assassins in Vienna this time. I enjoy Andrea Penrose’s style so much that I kind of laugh at how sugar-obsessed she makes the leads in this series (another reviewer found it tedious). This installment is heavy on action, with Arianna flirting, sneaking, and even reprising her chef role from the last book.
I love the use of Spanish language and characters (even household staff) with Spanish backgrounds. So many books set in this time almost ignore Spain completely.
I’m glad I’m reading when the next book is available...the ending sets you up to want to start the next book in the series immediately.
I love the use of Spanish language and characters (even household staff) with Spanish backgrounds. So many books set in this time almost ignore Spain completely.
I’m glad I’m reading when the next book is available...the ending sets you up to want to start the next book in the series immediately.
krisrid's review
5.0
I loved the first book in this series, and book 2 was even better!
I absolutely love Arianna. She is a strong, smart, capable and independent woman in world where women are expected to be decorative at best. The back-story the author has given her makes it entirely plausible that Arianna would be able to do the things she does and I love everything about her. Her insistence on being involved in the action and danger that she and her newly acquired husband find themselves involved in made for a delightful read that kept me glued to the eReader the whole way through.
I also enjoyed the romance between Arianna and Sandro, as they come to terms with the fact that while their marriage may have started as a convenience for them both, it has developed into a genuine love between them. The fact that both of them take some time to realize and admit that they actually love each other was a fun and entertaining side-plot as they each battled their own inner demons about love and trust.
The action and intrigue component of the book was excellent as well. Exciting, well conceived and plenty of real historical activities and people made for a very engaging story for the characters to navigate through.
The supporting characters do their jobs well. From Henning as Sandro's best friend, to the various political big-wigs, everyone plays their part to add colour and layering to the rest of the plot and story.
My one gripe with this was the atrocious lack of copy-editing in the eBook version [which was the only version I was able to obtain, having read book one as a physical printed book]. There were multiple grammar errors, missing words, wrong words, etc., in every single chapter, and as a grammar and editing nerd, this seriously affected my reading enjoyment by distracting me continually as the errors jumped out and poked me in the eye every time they occurred. I still loved the book, but whoever is responsible for the epublishing of this book should be ashamed of themselves for charging $5.99 for such bad quality. Regardless of the format, the book should be properly edited if you are going to charge people good money for it. One or two minor text or grammar errors can be overlooked, but this book was LITTERED with errors. Shame on the publishers, because this reflects on the author and does not do her wonderful writing the justice deserved.
Aside from that one irritant, I loved this book, and look forward to reading the final book in the trilogy, which I have already purchased. This is a favourite historical fiction, Regency era series.
I absolutely love Arianna. She is a strong, smart, capable and independent woman in world where women are expected to be decorative at best. The back-story the author has given her makes it entirely plausible that Arianna would be able to do the things she does and I love everything about her. Her insistence on being involved in the action and danger that she and her newly acquired husband find themselves involved in made for a delightful read that kept me glued to the eReader the whole way through.
I also enjoyed the romance between Arianna and Sandro, as they come to terms with the fact that while their marriage may have started as a convenience for them both, it has developed into a genuine love between them. The fact that both of them take some time to realize and admit that they actually love each other was a fun and entertaining side-plot as they each battled their own inner demons about love and trust.
The action and intrigue component of the book was excellent as well. Exciting, well conceived and plenty of real historical activities and people made for a very engaging story for the characters to navigate through.
The supporting characters do their jobs well. From Henning as Sandro's best friend, to the various political big-wigs, everyone plays their part to add colour and layering to the rest of the plot and story.
My one gripe with this was the atrocious lack of copy-editing in the eBook version [which was the only version I was able to obtain, having read book one as a physical printed book]. There were multiple grammar errors, missing words, wrong words, etc., in every single chapter, and as a grammar and editing nerd, this seriously affected my reading enjoyment by distracting me continually as the errors jumped out and poked me in the eye every time they occurred. I still loved the book, but whoever is responsible for the epublishing of this book should be ashamed of themselves for charging $5.99 for such bad quality. Regardless of the format, the book should be properly edited if you are going to charge people good money for it. One or two minor text or grammar errors can be overlooked, but this book was LITTERED with errors. Shame on the publishers, because this reflects on the author and does not do her wonderful writing the justice deserved.
Aside from that one irritant, I loved this book, and look forward to reading the final book in the trilogy, which I have already purchased. This is a favourite historical fiction, Regency era series.
dulindiel's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
3.0
cynpra1520's review
4.0
The only thing that stops me from giving this book a 5 in that I hate the character of Grentham and I find it hard to accept the hold he has over the stories. I think that is why I like Penrose's other series with A.J. Quill slightly more. (THat and its hard to diet with all these chocolate recipes!)