Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies

by Evy Journey

Cooking a wonderful meal is an art. An act of love. An act of grace. A gift that affirms and gives life--not only does it nurture those who partake of the meal; it also feeds the soul of the creator. These are lessons Gina learns from her mother, daughter of an unfortunate French chef.

Gina is a young woman born to poor parents, a nobody keen to taste life outside the world she was born into. A world that exposes her to fascinating people gripped by dark motives. Her passion for cooking is all she has to help her navigate it.

She gets lucky when she's chosen to cook at a Michelin-starred restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area where customers belong to a privileged class with money to spare for a dinner of inventive dishes costing hundreds of dollars. In this heady, scintillating atmosphere, she meets new friends and new challenges--pastry chef Marcia, filthy rich client Leon, and Brent, a brooding homicide detective. This new world, it turns out, is also one of unexpected danger.

Can the lessons Gina learned from her mother about cooking and life help her survive and thrive in this other world of privilege, pleasure, and menace?

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Mystery

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 29, 2017

About the author

Evy writes short stories, blogs, and cross-genre novels. She’s also a wannabe artist, a flâneuse, and a former social science researcher. Also listed as E.Journey elsewhere on this site, you'll find her other books at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Having studied psychology (M.A., University of Hawaii; Ph.D. University of Illinois), her fiction spins tales about nuanced characters dealing with contemporary life issues and problems. She believes in love and its many faces.

Her one ungranted wish: To live in Paris where art is everywhere and people have honed aimless roaming to an art form. She has visited and stayed several months at a time.

Reviews

[Gaufre · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a non-BillionaireRomance. There is a filthy rich guy but the author tries really hard to get away from plots where a controlling stalker is obsessed by a young understated girl and sweeps her to charity galas. In theory, I love the idea and it was exciting at the beginning. In practice, this book started to drag after 25%. All the intimate small moments that build a relationship were also missing. On top of that, Ms. Journey fell into the bigger trap of making secondary female characters jealous and despicable.

Gina is working as a cook at the best restaurant in the Bay Area. She catches the eye of a wealthy diner, Leon, despite the fact that he was on a date with Gina's childhood friend. Leon breaks up with the friend after a couple of months and pursues Gina. A terrible argument ensues with the friend - so bad that the police is called and it is when she meets Brent, Mr. Handsome Detective. Who falls for Gina too, of course. She likes him but starts dating Leon.

The story sounds a little crazy but it could have been interesting with good characters. Gina felt a little wooden. At first, I loved her. She is passionate about her job and works hard. When she received flowers from Leon, she thinks But I am not flattered. I'm angry. Mixed with that anger is the stirring of fear. It was so refreshing. But when she dates Leon, she keeps saying I know it's only a matter of time until [break-up] happens despite the fact that Leon has been nothing but good to her. Talk about non-romance. Leon is underdeveloped too. We are shown that he is patient and listens. We are told over and over how rich he is but he does not really behave like a rich guy - no, I don't expect rich guys to be jerks but they certainly won't give Merlot wine to their friends. And Mr. Detective does not do much detectiving. He spouts some unoriginal musing about trying to figure out why people kill.

The writing was pretty good, so it would have still earned 3 stars if it weren't for the terrible revelation ending. I saw it coming but it was still awful. Gina's best friend got so jealous of Leon and Brent's love for Gina that she tried to KILL Gina. I wasn't exaggerating when I said female characters were despicable.

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Arlena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies
Author: Evy Journey
Publisher: Sojourner Books
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:

"Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies" by Evy Journey

My Thoughts....

I found that this novel had a good romantic storyline with a dark twist that will definitely keep you reading. The jest of the story is that Gina comes from a poor family but loved to cook and ends up getting a wonderful Chef's job at a restaurant in the Bay area of San Francisco where she quickly has a life change. Gina's life really changes as she has a different life since her move, working in a rich restaurant and making friends, however, there will be twist and turns that will come from all of this when jealous women [Cristi & Marcia] come out of the woodwork.

This author really gives the readers a interesting romance thriller read with some 'intriguing characters and unforeseen dangers.' What will happen as two guys have a interest in Gina with one of the two being a former boyfriend of Gina's friend. Who will Gina choose...Brent the detective or Leon the rich playboy? What will happen when Gina's began to receive death threats? By the end will these men 'help, harm or be a part of her journey? To get these questions and more answered you will have to pick up "Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies" to see how this story will come out.

I really enjoyed how the author included cookery-themed recipes with tips on how to cook better. This story really will capture the readers attention to the last page.

This novel was from "BookLikes giveaway" and I received this copy from the BookLikes Giveaway contest!

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a mixture of romance, a little mystery and food! All three are a good combination in my book.

This story follows Gina - from her involvement with Leon, a spoiled millionaire, to her attraction to Brent, a police detective, to her life as a chef/cook for a high end restaurant. Her life hasn't been easy and she even refers to her family as "white trash" because of where they live and her family life as a child.

The story is fairly consistent in pace and tone. It was near the end that the action picked up as Gina was being targeted because of her relationship with Leon. The who was quite surprising but looking back, it was somewhat obvious by some of the conversations with this character.

Gina is talented and has a soft heart, but sometimes I thought she was naive. She is young, in her 20's, and that could play a factor into her actions. It also made me wonder about her relationship choices. She did not want to become involved with Leon because of his playboy nature and his previous relationship with her childhood girlfriend, Cristi.

I do like that this story comes full circle and Gina is able to build a strong relationship with her family despite her childhood. I don't want to give away too much, but her mother is able to find some peace even though tragedy struck her family when she was a young child. This tragedy carried forward and is most likely part of the reason Gina felt the way she did about her family.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gina wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She grew up in a hard working family, living paycheck to paycheck. She felt fortunate to land a job as a cook at a very exclusive restaurant owned by a woman who wanted to help other women thrive in the profession. She worked long hours and went home exhausted. Then, a rich handsome customer showed an interest in her. Should she take the risk? Enjoy seeing how the other half lives? Perhaps not. He had a reputation as a womanizer. But, if she accepted that, why couldn’t she just have a little fun? No harm, no foul, right?

I connected easily with Gina. She reminded me of myself when I was younger. Her naivete and vulnerability. Her wanting to take chances. I liked her strength and drive to achieve. Wanted her to achieve her dream. And find love. The real kind.

The prologue was a strong opening and an indication this story would be suspenseful. It was, in a quiet, sneak up on you kind of way. I found myself getting more anxious to see how Gina ended up where she was in the opening scene and couldn’t stop until I found out, reading the book straight through. I’m lucky to have more books from Evy Journey waiting on the shelf, and I’m excited to get to them.

I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very looking forward to reading this book as I absolutely loved this author's prior novels and writing style. The author could just spin a lovely story of real people and their stories to make me get transported into their story.

Sadly, this book took a step back for me. I honestly struggled to find my footing with this book. It was very slow to read for me. This is because I found myself lacking the human character connection that I had started to grown and know from this author. Plus, the story while light hearted seemed like it wanted to be a bit darker by dipping its toes into the water.

Gina was fine. She was not as strong as I wanted. Also, I was not feeling the two romances. Leon came off as creepy and stalker like. Gina had her reservations about him but she ignored them. Brett on the other hand was nice but Gina didn't pursue him as much in the beginning. All and all, this was not a favorite read of mine from this author. I hope that the next book brings back the magic I enjoyed from the prior novels.

[Amy Koster · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of love, jealousy, friendship, and loss all packed in one. Gina grew up poor but has a dream of becoming a French Chef while owning a restaurant. Having worked her way up the food ladder, she never expects what happens next.

Gina is a very beautiful fun woman who has a passion for food. Her downfall (without trying) is men have a passion for her. I really enjoyed Gina’s story. She is strong and lives life to the fullest (as much as her food lets her). Leon is a spoiled self-centered man. I found myself curious about him. He knows what he wants and how to get it. Brent is a sad brooding man who I grew to love. He is patient and kind but also tormented.

This was my first book by this author. I could not put it down. There were so many twists and turns. I had to find out what would happen next. Please not there are some “closed door” bedroom scenes. A fun quick read!

*Please note I received a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Gregandemy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

There are some good points about this book- the writing was decent and it was a fast, easy read. I also liked the ties to cooking. Food does have such strong ties to memories, family, and special occasions and I liked how that was incorporated into the story. However, there were a few negative points that outweighed the good. The story was too simple with some weird, confusing parts included I'm guessing in an attempt to add depth to the story. They didn't work for me. I couldn't connect with the too beautiful main character that has won guys attention at first glance her whole life- even her best friend's boyfriends. She seems to shun those that judge her on her appearances, but then she does the same thing with the two guys she is in a love triangle with. And I could not get behind liking either guy- the excessively rich spoiled guy who she says has a sweet, kinder side but its not really shown to us and the tormented cop with the "sad eyes". There is talk of love and commitment, but its all based on attraction and first impressions, not on anything solid or worthwhile, despite her abhorrence for those that judge by those standards. Confusing book and then you get to the ending and I kept thinking, "What!?! Where did that come from?" It was weird. Sorry

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.’ - Harriet van Horne

Follow World traveler Evy Journey on her website and worlds of creativity open. She states as her lead in, `I see. I watch. I think. Therefore, I write.' But reading all the information she offers there about the career of writing among many other topics is a satisfying experience. Journey earned her PhD from the University of Illinois and has enjoyed a career in a mental health program in both research and evaluation. She writes love stories - five to date - and enjoys the experience of entering her characters' minds and emotions. `My novels deal with protagonists' insecurities and disappointments, love/hate relationships with parents, characters who seem to behave out-of-character, and even life events not typically included in romantic fiction. My stories do have happy epilogues, and I've tried to work in intriguing plotlines into them....So, why write romance? The main reason, of course, is I like reading a good well-written romance. My love for reading, after all, was sparked and sustained by devouring Jane Austen. I'm also a sucker for happy endings. I find enough that depresses me about real life, but seek no catharsis by writing about it. I want escape, entertainment. I don't strive to enlighten. Not consciously, anyway, but because my previous training has given me a bias, I'm also interested in the inner lives of characters, including the passages they go through. I also love beautiful prose. I confess to being enchanted with words that evoke lyrical or haunting images and written with much thought in choosing the most economical, liveliest prose possible.'

Evy’s warm conversational prose is one of the many facets that make her stories so endearing. A bit of taste from the Prologue – I’m alive. I’m dead. I’m in-between. In that limbo where my vital signs hover just above death. I rise above my body and look down on it, lying on a gurney. Hospital staff are rushing me along the brightly-lit hallway to the operating room. One of them holds an oxygen mask on my face. Another, a bag of intravenous fluid connected to my veins by a tube. I’m not ready to die yet. These good people anxious to rescue me don’t know that my resolve is the only thing that is keeping me alive. No, I’m not ready to die—I’ve only just begun to live. I have yet to prove to myself, to the world, that I have what it takes to prevail. My family—now on their way to the hospital—doesn’t know yet exactly what happened to me. And except for one detective, neither do the police. I see him now by the foot of the gurney, keeping pace with the nurses. He’s scowling, his lips pressed into a grim line. A tall, taut, and solitary man, he has deep-set gray eyes clouded by too many images of violent death and a lower lip that hangs perpetually open in disgust or despair. So much darkness he has already seen in his thirty odd years in this world. He needs to piece together the facts that constitute the attempt on my life, events that may have led to it, and various fragments of my past to understand what brought me to this point. The first time I met him, I fell in love with him. There was something primal about him, some paternal, animalistic instinct to save hurt or fallen victims. Like me, maybe. It gave him power and it made him irresistible to me. But fate is fickle. It teases. It entices. One day, something quite ordinary happens to you. Yet, you sense that that ordinary something can change your life. Not necessarily for something better, but for something new. Fate is dangling before you the promise of a world that, before then, was totally out of your reach. How can you not seize it? Now, of course, I see the end of that promise. And it’s not where I want to be. It’s tragic, don’t you think, that the end of that promise should be right here on a gurney, with me fighting for my life? It certainly is not what I hoped for. How could it end this way? I embraced life, took chances, but half-dead on this gurney, I wonder: Am I paying with my life? But, like I said. I’m not ready to die yet.

Evy provides a fine synopsis for her new book – ‘Cooking a wonderful meal is an art. An act of love. An act of grace. A gift that affirms and gives life—not only does it nurture those who partake of the meal; it also feeds the soul of the creator. These are lessons Gina learns from her mother, daughter of an unfortunate French chef. Gina is a young woman born to poor parents, a nobody keen to taste life outside the world she was born into. A world that exposes her to fascinating people gripped by dark motives. Her passion for cooking is all she has to help her navigate it. She gets lucky when she’s chosen to cook at a Michelin-starred restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area where customers belong to a privileged class with money to spare for a dinner of inventive dishes costing hundreds of dollars. In this heady, scintillating atmosphere, she meets new friends and new challenges—pastry chef Marcia, filthy rich client Leon, and Brent, a brooding homicide detective. This new world, it turns out, is also one of unexpected danger. Can the lessons Gina learned from her mother about cooking and life help her survive and thrive in this other world of privilege, pleasure, and menace?’

Once again we have substantial proof that Evy Journey is an important author of substance. Romance, intrigue, a study of family...it is all here

[Heather]

 

The main character is working at a restaurant.  She has a chance to serve one of the dishes she created to a favored client.  He is there on a date with her childhood best friend.  He immediately, like while sitting in front of his date, starts talking about his interest in the main character.  That's super creepy behavior.  Then he starts to stalk her in spite of her repeated requests for him to stop.

Apparently every time her friend's boyfriends meet our main character they immediately fall for her without her doing anything at all to encourage them.

 

 

 
I actually checked several times to confirm that this was written by a woman. You usually don't see the 'vapid heroine who doesn't do anything to attract men but they fall all over her just for existing storyline' in books written by women. You especially don't see it to the point where other women are physically attacking her - repeatedly. This book also doesn't really seem to consider stalking to be a bad thing. It is just proof he loves you. If he won't stop, you just haven't said no hard enough and why are you wanting to say no anyway?

I thought our stalking dude was obviously the bad guy of the story but I was wrong.  Our MC decides to move in with her stalker because he's rich and she wants to live that lifestyle until he gets tired of her and kicks her out.  That's her plan. When her mother tells her that it is a completely stupid idea she is presented as out of touch.

I didn't care about anyone in this story except maybe Christi, the main character's childhood best friend.  Everyone else was only out for themselves and didn't give you any reason to root for them.  I'm not a fan of books with amoral characters.  Books where everyone is just using each other with no concern about the right or wrong of their actions don't usually work for me.  That's definitely the case here.



Evy Journey, writer, wannabe artist, and flâneuse (feminine of flâneur), wishes she lives in Paris where people have perfected the art of aimless roaming. Armed with a Ph.D., she used to research and help develop mental health programs.

She's a writer because beautiful prose seduces her and existential angst continues to plague her despite such preoccupations having gone out of fashion. She takes occasional refuge by invoking the spirit of Jane Austen to spin tales of love, loss, and finding one’s way—stories into which she weaves mystery or intrigue.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest  

I received a copy of the book from IRead Book Tours.This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story

[Lauren Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Women can be strong. Women can be fragile. Women can be jealous of other women who have men, money and power. Women can kill…all because they don’t have those things. This tale is spun around lies and jealousy. Looks aren’t everything, but when they get you into the good graces of the men with deep pockets, then it becomes something to be leveraged. For some, it is what’s on the inside that counts; however, men and women have come a long way from that analogy today. With divorce rates as high as they are, commitment is hard to find. So how do you know what love is? How do you identify it? Is it completely gone and replaced with lust at first sight? Journey has a novel filled with obsession, jealousy, deceit and mystery…one that will leave readers entertained.

Gina has a beauty that captivates most men. With her mixed heritage, French and Chinese, she is a force to be reckoned with. She is a cook at a wonderful Michelin-starred restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her only complaint would be that she has no time for herself, except holidays with her parents. Pleasing the high-paying customers and astounding the owner with her skills, Gina doesn’t know the first thing about relationships and friendships or mixing the two. When Gina gets a visit at the restaurant from her childhood friend and her new beau, she begins to realize how ill-willed and vengeful other people can be. Being attacked by someone you considered to be your best friend can be mind-boggling, but jealousy wins every time. After reluctantly pursuing the man who broke up with her best friend, she finds joy and delight in how the rich live, but her heart belongs to another, the detective who comes to question her after the attack. It makes her question her feelings in ways that can be very dangerous for her. When packages and threatening letters appear at her condo, she understands that someone may be targeting her again out of jealousy for the two men who have captivated her. How can she get out of this predicament alive and can one of these men be her forever?

Journey has a good story-line and interesting character development in this novel. The main characters all seem to have their own agenda…either money, love, or power. The pace is very fast and provides a sense of thrill and urgency to the story, but the plot is a bit dramatic and predictable. Jealousy can be everything that this story portrays, but the emotional turmoil and some of the scenarios are not completely blameless on the main character as the author would have the reader believe. It is also difficult to believe in constant jealousy from friends who Gina acquires in such a short time; it provides the story with a sense of falseness and lack of credibility. If you are a fan of women’s fiction and cozy mystery, you may be interested in picking this book up for a quick read.

A copy of this book was provided to Turning Another Page by Loving the Book, but this in no way affects our honest opinion of the book or the review that has been written. We provide a three-star rating for Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies by Evy Journey.

[Danielle Urban · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies by Evy Journey is a contemporary readers like myself won't forget. The plot itself is this dark edgy vibe to it with a hint of romance. It's more dangerous than anything. Friendships are tested, broken, and destroyed. Romances begin so fast and end just as quick as they started. From a sexy filthy rich man to a regular average joe, the main protagonist has her hands full. Being seduced by a rich man can be nice...but with comes unwanted danger. Unexpected events occur and kept me intrigued. I felt both sympathy for the bad ones at first but I felt even more sorry for the protagonist. Her pain is both a physical and emotional one. What a rollercoaster...

Evy Journey has created three-dimensional characters. I could see, hear, and feel everything they did. It was crazy. One moment Gina's work life goes from being busy good to a nightmare. Her past friendship comes out and it gets worse with each page. I felt connected to Gina. She's a hard worker and a good person.

Gina comes from a poor family. Inherited her skills of cooking from her family, Gina works her butt off in the food industry. She has finally landed herself at a top star restaurant and her personal life unwinds completely. All it takes is for one rich customer and a former best friend to bring the unexpected and disasters to Gina. What Gina thought she knew will change as the course of events escalate out of control. Life threatening, deadly, and stunning...scenes kept me turning the pages.
Leon is the filthy rich customer who wants nothing but Gina. However, he's dating her best friend. Talk about issues and complications. Here, this was the first warning bell for Gina,,yet she didn't think things would turn out for the worse...

Imagine trusting a best friend one moment and then fighting for your life...

That's what happened to Gina...not once but twice.

Pastry chef, Marcia, is the other best friend that Gina has. I really liked Gina until I noticed her crazy moment over the "brooding" cop, Brent. She was obsessed with him as hers until she learned he doesn't like sweets. Luckily, Brent had that going for him...because Gina has a past that one doesn't know until the unexpected happens...

Brent is the homicide detective that meets with Gina when the accident with her first best friend happens. From there, Brent and Gina have been in contact since. Brent soon becomes a little jealous because Gina is gorgeous and Leon is trying to take her. Brent knows something about Leon and try's to tell Gina, but she still goes with Leon. Thinking Leon really loves her...

Romance, work, and friendships are deeply explored in this exciting piece. Evy Journey has captivated me from the beginning with this tale. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was worth reading every single last page. Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies is exactly what's in this novel. There's a little of all that inside...overall, I recommend this contemporary to readers everywhere.

I received this copy from the publisher. This, is my voluntary review.

[Jeannie Zelos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sugar and Spice And All Those Lies,  Evy Journey

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Romance, Women's Fiction

Gah! Women's Fiction roll eyes I hate that classification, I won't do my usual rant except to say why shouldn't a man enjoy this?

I wasn't sure what to expect here, but its a mix of romance, riches, and resolution.

Gina is from (her words) a white trash background, though I don't think I'd describe it as such. She decides to go for what she really wants after deciding that she wants more than to just marry and have a family. Cooking is her love, nurtured by her mother, and originated from her grandfather.
She's working in a Michelin starred restaurant as a line cook when she meets Leon. Her workmate and friend Marcia tells her a little of his history, he's a true Ladies man, going out for a brief while with them and treating them really well, but finishing within a couple of months. Payoff is good though, diamonds, jewellry, meals out, flowers... Marcia says go for it when he shows an interest in her, but he's dating Gina's long time friend who isn't happy that he's asking about Gina.
She meets Brent and he seems interested in her, but she's not sure if he's being polite or not, Leon is still pressing her to go out and she's uncertain what to do. Brent seems to be keen on her but hasn't asked her out, Leon asks her out almost daily.

I loved Brent, wasn't sure about Leon, but he seemed to be open about what he wanted, and what he would do even if I didn't agree with his ends, felt a bit shallow to me, I couldn't respect someone that made that choice. I wasn't sure about Marcia, she seemed friendly and open, and was really helpful to Gina. Gina herself I admired to begin, and felt for her when her friend was upset with her, she couldn't help what happened, it wasn't anything she could control. Her family were lovely, very supportive even if her mum really hoped Gina would just live close, get married and have a family. Somehow though I didn't really warm to her, I felt she was swayed too much by Leon's money, even though initially she held out against him. I wanted her to see poor Brent was attracted to her as more than just a friend.
Its kind of a mixed romance and suspense/thriller read. I did like the food/restaurant part, an interesting world where people pay more for a meal than many earn in a month. That happens, and always stuns me ;-(


 Stars: Three and a half, a fun read but the romance side was pretty much a side issue.
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
 

[Angela Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sugar and Spice Catches Readers with its Flawed Characters. The characters in this novel range from immature and naive to self-centered, self-absorbed and brooding. From the beginning pages, I did not particularly like any character in the story. They each had faults and flaws and issues--but, there was an enduring hope that continued through to the end that each could somehow find love and a future. While the storyline moves nicely and the scenes flow well from page to page; it is the characters and their never-ending faults, doubts, and inconsistencies that keep readers engaged from beginning to end.

Sugar and Spice Combines Soap Opera Romance with a Psychological Drama. Fans of "love at first sight" romance novels with love triangles and trust issues will certainly enjoy this book. If you are not a fan of soap opera romances where the words, "I love you," are dropped within minutes of the couple's first meeting--you may meet this novel with a bit of eye rolling. I am not a fan of romance novels with superficial, love-at-first-sight encounters. However; Evy Journey allows her characters to build on those silly, in-lust connections--and she creates relationships that will actually interest readers from those encounters. There are some inconsistencies in the character interactions that lessen the potential effect of the psychological aspects the author presents--but, the author does a nice job combining that superficial soap opera world with a little psychological suspense.

Would I recommend Sugar and Spice? This novel holds the realism of a soap opera--but, the hope of real-world relationships. While I didn't like the characters--they all had flaws and personality failures--I wanted to see the good in each of them--and I wanted them to find happiness. If you enjoy love at first sight romances with flawed characters who wheedle their ways into your heart--this is a light, quick read that I would recommend.

I received an ebook copy of this novel from the author or publisher for use in a blog review. All opinions are my own.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance, lies, jealousy, revenge and amazing cooking - Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies has a little bit of everything!

I think we can all agree that for so many of us cooking is an expression of love - we put our time, effort and creativity into cooking healthy meals that our family will love and devour. Cooking is at the heart of this brilliant, well written story that stars Gina as our main character. Gina grew up poor and this has influenced her in many ways. She wants to see how the other world lives but never gives up or forgets her past. She makes incredible and exotic dishes at a very famous restaurant for the rich (and more than likely famous!).

It is here where she meets an incredibly interesting (and extremely rich) man who is coincidentally on a date with one of her friends from her primary school years. While she feels attraction to this man (and we know he is definitely attracted to her!), she feels an obligation to her friend to not date him. Especially as her friend constantly blames Gina for her boyfriends leaving her.

On the advice of a colleague, she decides to give this man a chance and enters a world of privilege, romance, lies, murder and jealousy. At times, Gina's own life is put on the line!

This is an excellent book with an amazing plot line. I loved every moment and never saw the ending coming! I loved how strong yet compassionate Gina was. While she was hurting herself (both physically at time and emotionally), she was always there for others even if they did not treat her the best. She denied herself happiness several times throughout the book and you just wanted nothing but for her to find a bit of light and joy.

This is a definite must read novel that you will not be able to put down!

[Karlie Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story Ivy Journey has created is an interesting bit of intrigue mixed with romance and a very confused protagonist. Gina is an aspiring chef who's taken on a position at a fancy, well-to-do restaurant in California. While working there, she attracts the attention of wealthy Leon Barrett, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He instantly decides he's in love with her, dumping her childhood friend practically on the spot. But despite his advances, she resists giving in to the temptation of finding out what it would be like to live the finer life.
Meanwhile, devastated, her now former best childhood friend goes into a jealous fit of insanity and stabs her, which leads Gina to find Brent, a lieutenant with the police department sent to investigate the incident. Gina doesn't want to condemn her friend and fights for her. During the legal battle, she finally accepts Leon's offer of giving themselves a chance at a relationship, only it goes a lot farther than she thought it would. There's only one problem, he's not the only one she's developed feelings for.Mixed in a sea of jealousy and intrigue, Gina may not make it out of this alive.

Ms. Journey has created an interesting story with a heroine full of heart, even if she is misguided. The pacing of the story is fantastic and the story compelling. There is a bit more "pink" in some of the scenes than I care for, but, overall, it's not as explicit as some things I've read. If you like completely clean romances, this is not for you as there is a bit more than a suggested 'behind closed doors" incident or two.

Overall, I'm giving it four out of five stars.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few years back I read all three books in Between Two Worlds series by Evy Journey and I enjoyed them, especially the second book, Hello, Agnieszka!, which I thought was the best out of the three books.

I was therefore eager to read Journey's latest novel. Romance, French cuisine and intrigue are a perfect combination, especially when included with a catchy title and a great book cover that suits the novel well. Journey's writing flows at an even pace and for the most part this was a super quick read. It was also a light read and unlike her other books, I wasn't emotionally invested in the characters. I did like that the main character, Regine (Gina) Lambert, was a chef in an haute cuisine restaurant. This was a great setting, as I love to cook. Her family's history revolved around cooking and food, something I am very familiar with in my Italian culture. So I could relate to her passion for cooking.

I'm not a fan of insta-love, however, and that's mostly what the romance entailed. Apart from good looks, I was not taken in by either of the men that Gina simultaneously loved. I found the characters lacked maturity and there was what felt like teen drama throughout. There was some growth of character for Gina as she works hard to fulfil her dreams and accomplishes them.

There are two explicit sex scenes in the novel, hence the R rating but no foul language at all. If you like light romance books that include lots of delicious food and some intrigue, then this might be a fun and easy book for you to read.

[Ivan Hecimovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies is a romance/thriller novel written by Evy Journey. It is a story about a young woman named Gina and her life, where she is trying to do her best in spite of all circumstances that are everything except for her.
Gina is a young chef. She was born in a poor family where she had the opportunity to learn about the “evils’’ of the world since she was very young. Since her mother was the daughter of a French chef, Gina also learned much about food; she learned that not only food satisfies the needs of our bodies, but it also satisfies the needs of one’s soul.
Gina’s life will change drastically and radically after she finally gets something, she thought it was the chance of a lifetime: an opportunity to cook in a Michelin-star restaurant. While there, Gina will also meet several other characters. All of them will later create a unique story of twists, turns, “earthly’’ pleasures and dangers, which will ultimately create satisfying drama/thriller novel. The fact that the novel is written from the first person perspective greatly helps us (the readers) to be able to be drawn into the story even more and on a deeper level, which is a very good thing. When we put everything together, it can be deduced that it is a very good novel in which the complexity of Gina’s character, the drama, and the romantic segment are combined in a very good way. All in all – 4/5.

[Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies is a jumbled mess that's not all romance or all mystery, but a hybrid of both and neither quite succeeding.

Gina is a young chef in the Bay Area who captures the eyes of two different men; one, Leon, a rich man involved with one of Gina's childhood friends, the other, Brent, a detective. I find it hard to believe that this rather insipid young woman managed to capture two men's interest, as she was boring and one dimensional at best. Leon is the rich man in question, and when Gina first meets him, he's on a date with her childhood friend, Cristi. But, he's enamored of Gina, and breaks up with Cristi in order to pursue Gina. Gina knows better than to get involved with a rich playboy like Leon, but allows herself to be swept up in him. And then there's the 2nd man in the love triangle, Brent. He's a hot detective, but I never quite got a good feel of him.

I guess the main problem I have with Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies is that it's all so disconnected and jumbled. The mystery turns out to be absolutely ridiculous, over the top verging into soap land, and the romance never got off the ground. None of the three leads are particularly likable and the chemistry they share is negligible. About the only thing I liked was the ending, which took too long to get to.

I received an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This romance has some unexpected dark turns and under tones. Our young heroine works hard to overcome past difficulties and follow her dream. She focuses exclusively on her work with no time for a social life. A chance encounter with a frenemy from her past opens unexpected doors into a kind of life she never expected to experience. Gina believed her success and interactions with the uber wealthy would come from preparing their food.
Handsome, wealthy Leon is a known playboy. Don't count on him for a longterm romantic future. Gina isn't counting on him for anything more than praise for her signature recipe. As with many singleminded men, the more he can't have something, the more Leon pursues it, or in this case, Gina.
Prepared to really dislike Leon, he managed to surprise me. He is not as unaware of his flaws as I would expect. He is also not as narrow and exclusive as one might think.

Every good romance needs conflict, and there is no shortage here, from Gina's friend who is dating Leon, and is not willing to share his attention, to the moody detective who comes into their lives not in a romantic way.
While this book moves along in a steady way, that storm cloud over any potential happiness never fades from the scene.

[Kimmie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a story! So well written and thought through. I loved this book. It was my first by Evy Journey, but it most defiantly won’t be my last.

This is Gina’s story and she is a young chef. Her family was not rich and she had a not so good childhood. her mother was the daughter of a French chef, so she learned a lot about food; she learned that food dose not just satisfy the needs of the body, but it also the soul. Everything changes in her life when she gets the chance of a lifetime: an opportunity to cook in a Michelin-star restaurant. Gina dreams of owning her own restaurant. She recently got out of a relationship, not wanting to get back into one she wants to only focus on her job. Then a charming rich playboy notices her and won't stop sending her roses. Since she doesn't want to have a relationship she ignores Leon's attentions. Then she meets homicide detective Brent who catches her heart. But things keep happening to keep them apart. but who or what will she choose.

Now before I ruin this for you I will leave off here. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. If you do like this book, please consider leaving a review. The Authors really like it when you do; they value your opinions too

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The romance template is strong with this one. Evy Journey didn't shy away from the tried and true with Sugar and Spice and All Those Lies. The background of life here is, you guessed it, cooking. Gina takes the role of poor, plain Jane heroine gobsmacked by the trials and tribulations of life and love. Leon plays our stereotypical obsessive kajillionaire who, despite women of extraordinary beauty and talent vying for his attention, only has eyes for Jane. I mean Gina. Other customary stock plot positions are filled in the form of catty female frenemies, possible only for the purpose of drama romantic rivals, and surly but well meaning bearers of wisdom for our characters to benefit from. It all happens exactly as you imagine it happens. Almost.

All of that sounds terribly negative, and there is a level of disappointment in mind numbingly formulaic genre novels, but Journey's style of writing has the ability to make you forget to be irritated. Before you know it, you've devoured Sugar and Spice. It is a romance book for romance book lovers, no pun intended.

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Editorial Review:
Plot: 4/5
Flow: 3.5/5
Character Development: 4/5
World Building: 3.5/5
Overall: 5/5 Stars

Those who enjoy chick lit with suspense and mystery laced in should try this book - there's a combination of light and more serious atmospheres in this story. Some characters aren't as straight forward and have a bit of mystery to them.

My Take on the Book:
The culinary industry can seem pretty cut-throat at times; and at times - Gina Lambert appeared to ignore or sweep things under the carpet that should have been dealt with or faced the truth about some things. I wasn't sure what to make of Leon Barrett. There were some turn of events that were pretty interesting.

Please note that this is an Editorial Review, and I received a review copy from BooksGoSocial (The International Review of Books), though part of this review includes opinions that are my own. If you’re an author, please consider supporting ‘The International Review of Books’, you can find out more information about them with this link: https://bgsauthors.com/product/produc...
To read the other part of my review, please use this link: https://tranquilreader.com/Home/Blog41

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a mix of romance, dark twists, lots of descriptions of food, and lies and jealousy.

The protagonist of the story is Gina, who is chosen as a chef for a Michelin-starred restaurant. She is gorgeous and has always gained men’s attraction, even her best friend Cristi’s boyfriends. This book follows her involvement with two men, Leon, a spoiled self-centered millionaire; and Brent, a police detective. Little does she know that one of them brings danger into her life. By the end of the book, Gina’s mind, spirit, and trust are tested and broken.

The writing was good, but the story did not hold my interest. The characters were not well developed. I didn’t like how the women are portrayed in the book. Gina is portrayed as a woman with whom men fall for her on first sight and pursue her. And the other women are so jealous of her that they attack her - not once, but twice. This was just too much for me. Also, her relationships with people were pretty shallow. I found I couldn’t connect with any of the characters.

[Julius Blitzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t explain how much this story resonates with me, this is a very touching story that you would never forget.
To start, the story itself is nothing new by any means, and certain aspects aren’t that original, but still the big highlight for me was our beloved protagonist, Gina. Life hasn’t been kind to Gina but not even that stop her from doing her best, her passion is cooking and with her abilities she finds a job in a real fancy place where she will face the hardest trials of her life.
A stable future, seeing love as an obstacle between her closest friends, Gina will face a lot of challenges in this book and what I love is that none of the situations feel forced or anything like it, everything runs smoothly and it manages to merged really well with Gina, who exceeds in making her own path between a job that makes her see a total different world than she knows and her own personal life.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sugar and Spice and all those lies by Evy Journey takes the reader on a thrilling journey through the eyes of Gina, who's lessons learnt from her mother about cooking and life help her survive and thrive in this other world of privilege, pleasure and menace. It's a well written story that like all romances does end with a happy ending.

The reader meets Gina a girl with a heart of gold that sadly can't read people all that well. She is a character that the reader can easily empathise with. She comes from humble surroundings that saw her grow up in a loving family and learned to cook from her grandpa's recipes and her mother's guidance. She wanted to be a chef from a young age and lands a fabulous job as a sous chef in a Michelin stared restaurant in San Francisco. However like most romances there's a love triangle, jealous frenemies and Gina finding herself in danger!

Don't want to give it away but a good read. I look forward to experiencing more of Evy Journey's work.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful book! I feel like this story was one that I will have on my mind for a while. Gina is a gourmet chef, and her life is centered around her food and her dreams of owning her own restaurant. She recently got out of a relationship, not wanting to commit because of her passion for her job. Then a charming rich playboy notices her and won't stop sending her roses. It's an interesting story that has some crazy twists when jealous women come out of the woodwork. Gina doesn't want to have a relationship so she ignores Leon's attentions. Then she meets an intense homicide detective named Brent who catches her heart, but numerous events keep them apart. It's a compelling story with quite a few ups and downs and sometimes I wanted to say to these people, "What is wrong with you people? Can't you just admit you love each other and live your life happy already?!" I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read more by this author.

[Elisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't read any prior books by this author but the blurb for this book sounded really interesting so I was looking forward to diving into this book. The story-line itself was entertaining and did keep me pulled in. There were times when the pace of the book slowed down a bit and I wasn't feeling the jealous friend but I get why the author added that layer. I loved Gina's passion and work ethic. Although, I didn't understand why Gina was unhappy about receiving flowers or why she felt a break-up was needed when he is good to her and seems truly invested in her. I wasn't a fan of the double romance but can appreciate the author wanting to add an element of suspense. All in all it was an alright read. I haven't given up on reading books by this author as she obviously has a talent for writing.

For my full review, go to:
http://bookjunkiemom.blogspot.com/201...

[Shanell Meek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting story with great characters.

Sugar and Spice and all those Lies by Evy Journey is a compelling story of a young woman, Gina discovering herself and relationships. She learns who she can and can not trust the hard way, the women she considers to be friends try to kill her over the men who love her. In all her naivety Gina doesn’t realize just how much of an effect she has on those around her. The story itself has romance, and a little mystery, and a decent plot. It kept me interested and entertained throughout the whole book. I enjoyed getting to know Gina, and the people in her life, Evy Journey did a wonderful job creating her characters and building the story. I didn’t expect the mystery to end the way it did but it was an interesting surprise that added to the plot. I’m curious to see what else Evy Journey has up her sleeve and will be checking out her other books.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sugar and Spice. Evy.

My first impulse is to call this a love story, but that's somehow insufficient.

Really, the person Gina must get to know, fall in love with, trust and grow is herself.

It's not an easy journey. Leon and Brent may be the men after Adam in her life, but they make her stumble as much as they help her grow. They make her more vulnerable. And it seems anyone Leon thinks he loves is pretty doomed to suffer some damage and heartbreak.

So will Gina fine the path to her true self, and get further along the road to fulfilling her dreams? Will the men help, harm, or be part of her journey?

It's a lively read with lots of insights that I was proud to read an advance copy.

I think if you enjoy a romance that has angst and personal growth, more than parts thrusting, this could be a great read for you.

[Chelseyam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a lot of fun to read. The author does a great job of creating a solid character that does her best to navigate the world around her despite all of the troubles that she inherited in life. I especially loved the way she talks about food. The main character is an aspiring chef who comes from a long line of passionate cooks, so she gets to learn about French food that has been passed down in the family. The romance element was also very entertaining and thrilling. This story is well thought out and offers lots of great details and amazing dialogue to help the story progress. I would recommend the book to romance fans, but if you’re simply looking for a story that is going to keep you glued to the page from beginning to end then this is a great option. I am excited to read more from this author.