“Book Review: Spice of Love”

Reviewed by Felicia Nicole Hall

An easygoing romance with a beautiful setting, a bit of friendship, and a whole lot of love.

In Spice of Love, a group of friends travel to Grenada for a wedding. And what they find there might surprise them. Told in four different viewpoints, romance lovers are in for a treat with this triple-love-story, catching feelings from all angles.

First up, it’s Angelina. She runs into her high school crush (Kai) during an in-flight emergency, and the sparks they used to share return, making Kai’s move to Grenada and Angelina’s dead relationship that much more complicated. Meanwhile, also on the flight, Gretchen meets Mitchell. The instant connection is palpable, unable to get enough of each other from that moment on. And lastly, let’s not forget about Jenna and Brian, the duo set to make one of the biggest decisions of their life—tying the knot in the beautiful Caribbean islands.

The characters and their backgrounds are definitely what make this story what it is. Having so many viewpoints initially makes it a little difficult to connect to each character—because time spent with them is brief—but once you get to know each one through their unique voice and personality, each journey becomes equally important and satisfying.   

I am a huge fan of multiple point-of-view books, and Spice of Love definitely does not disappoint in this category. With the multiple narrators I feel as though I’m reading four different, fully-fleshed stories that all mesh and overlap in the perfect way.

Due to the title, it’s no surprise that the highlight of this book is the romance. With a balance of innocent new love and steamy long-endured passion, I couldn’t ask for a better way to get my romance fix. We don’t get just one love story—but three! Each romance—Angelina and Kai, Gretchen and Mitchell, and Jenna and Brian—is so unique and faces so many different issues and victories that each one ends up beautiful and captivating in their own unique way.

“He smells of nutmeg, cinnamon, and chocolate, a smell that promises a sweet spice of happiness.”

If I had to pick just one part of this book that felt like a downfall, it would be the pacing. It feels as if things move very quickly both in the plot and also with the writing itself. For example, on one page, Gretchen is head-over-heels in love with Mitchell and they’re snuggled up on a balcony. That’s great.

Then, within a few pages, Gretchen questions their new relationship and tells him that he should leave. This isn’t a huge problem–as you can read between the lines as to what’s happening within her–but it feels disjointed considering the two extremes are only pages apart. However, this is still just a small issue that pops up rarely, meaning it is heavily outweighed by all the lovely parts of this novel.

The best part of this story is, without a doubt, the setting. Starting out in an airport, I knew the story was headed to a magnificent backdrop; and when they land, I’m not disappointed. The island of Grenada, with its warm sun, beautiful views, and enticing nutmeg flavored ice cream, makes a great place to serve as the backdrop of a love story. To me, there are very few things that are more romantic than sunny resorts and starry skies, and that made Spice of Love that much more swoon-worthy.

I picked up this book expecting a lighthearted vibe, tons of romance, and a bit of drama mixed in, and this totally lives up to that expectation. If you’re looking for a quick, fun, romantic read, you won’t be disappointed in Spice of Love by Anya Stassiy.

Paperback: 272 pages

ISBN: 978-1732905337

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