Book Review: Three Tainted Teas by Lynn Cahoon

I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Business is bubbling at Mia’s catering service and cooking school, Mia’s Morsels, but toil and trouble are not far behind. Mia just accepted her toughest gig yet: last-minute wedding planner for Magic Springs’ own Romeo and Juliet. Though the small town is fairly accepting of magic, two families have been locked in a vicious feud spanning generations. Unfortunately for both families, they’re about to become in-laws! Amethyst and Tok are excited to wed in a few weeks and somehow Mia must ensure the event is flawless.

But when she goes to pick up paperwork from the couple’s previous wedding planner, Mia discovers the woman murdered in an apparent attempt to stop the contentious union. Now, not only is Mia a prime suspect, as the new planner she may also be the killer’s next target. Backed by her squad, her charms—literal and figurative—and a protective amulet from her Grans, it’s up to Mia to save the star-crossed couple’s wedding, her professional reputation…and maybe even her life! (NetGalley synopsis)

I have read all of Lynn Cahoon’s Kitchen Witch Mystery series, both novels and novellas, and I absolutely adore them. I find the novels to be quick and fun reads for all seasons. I especially love the recipes in the back. I was slightly disappointed because I expected a tea and scones type recipe at the end. I don’t know much about peach crisps so maybe that’s what it is. Please let me know if I’m wrong here.

I love Mia and Trent’s relationship. I felt this novel was a mix of plot and character driven, because it wasn’t just Mia and Trent that the readers got to experience. There were plenty of glimpses at Christina and Levi, and we finally were introduced to the Majors mother, Abigail. I do hope that future novels introduce the rest of the Majors family. The father was mentioned but there weren’t any descriptive scenes with him or the other brother. The interaction and discussions from two different witch families, and one human, were interesting, too. It was easier for me to see that Mia and Trent were almost starting their own scion, which reminded me of another paranormal series.

The other personality trait I like about Mia is her determination. She is absolutely certain that she will get Mia’s Morsels up and running. Which is a sentiment that she brings into the wedding planning. She is warned over and over about the two families and how they act, but she takes charge, making everything run smoothly for Amethyst and Tok. I wish I had half of her determination and will power.

The mystery was even more particular to this type of genre than in previous novels. With a witch and shifter wedding, and the feud attached to their histories, I felt that Mia (and the reader) were beginning to get into the mysteries of the school and Mia’s own family. The author leaves a wonderful set up into the next novel, but I do hope that we (the readers) get to learn more about Magic Springs’ paranormal connections. It seems like there is much potential for future novels just waiting for the author to expand on.

I will give away one spoiler and that is that I feel the synopsis is wrong in one fact. No where in the novel was Mia ever a prime suspect. I believe that these things are added to the synopsis because someone thinks it will draw in attention, but I feel that it is redundant as each novel’s synopsis has something similar. It was nice to go through the book without Mia being scrutinized by the police every time something happened.

Overall I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.