Genre: Fiction
Twenty-seven-year-old Josey Cirrini is sure of three things: winter in her North Carolina hometown is her favorite season, she’s a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and sweets are best eaten in the privacy of her hidden closet. For while Josey has settled into an uneventful life in her mother’s house, her one consolation is the stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to each night…. Until she finds her closet harboring none other than local waitress Della Lee Baker, a tough-talking, tenderhearted woman who is one part nemesis—and two parts fairy godmother…
Fleeing a life of bad luck and big mistakes, Della Lee has decided Josey’s clandestine closet is the safest place to crash. In return she’s going to change Josey’s life—because, clearly, it is not the closet of a happy woman. With Della Lee’s tough love, Josey is soon forgoing pecan rolls and caramels, tapping into her startlingly keen feminine instincts, and finding her narrow existence quickly expanding.
Before long, Josey bonds with Chloe Finley, a young woman who makes the best sandwiches in town, is hounded by books that inexplicably appear whenever she needs them, and—most amazing of all—has a close connection to Josey’s longtime crush. As little by little Josey dares to step outside herself, she discovers a world where the color red has astonishing power, passion can make eggs fry in their cartons, and romance can blossom at any time—even for her. It seems that Della Lee’s work is done, and it’s time for her to move on. But the truth about where she’s going, why she showed up in the first place—and what Chloe has to do with it all—is about to add one more unexpected chapter to Josey’s fast-changing life.
Brimming with warmth, wit and a sprinkling of magic, here is a spellbinding tale of friendship, love—and the enchanting possibilities of every new day. – Bantam Dell
Photo courtesy of BN.com
Yes, I can affirmatively declare Sarah Addison Allen is one of my favorite authors. I’m beyond absorbed by the magic she sprinkles delicately through each of her romantic novels. The Sugar Queen is the follow-up to Allen’s debut novel, Garden Spells. I think I relate more to this one than the others because of Josey’s story. Her love of sweets is one I harbor. I don’t go to the extreme as she does—hiding a closet full of treats—but I do have my weaknesses. I can be bribed with Peanut Chews. No, I’m not kidding. Josey uses food to fill the void in her life. She’s missing something and doesn’t realize it is love until she sees Adam for the first time. He’s the mailman and love of her life. And here is where the story begins. Josey isn’t shy by any means but keeps to herself and lives only to assist her mother.
While this story is filled with a lot of hurt and pain, it quickly turns into the goodness life can bring with each new day. Because with each new day, you can start again, try something new, not make the same mistakes. Josey learns this through her association with the woman living in her closet, Della Lee. Now how she got there is a mystery (which is solved by the ending) but her reasons for being there are genuine, pure, and needed. Josey needs her—needs that push to do something. While I’ve come to expect magical elements, secrets and family turmoil in each one of Allen’s books, The Sugar Queen takes me by surprise. I always think “there’s no villain as villainous as the one I just read,” and Allen pulls me into her world with yet another hideously vicious character, Josey’s mother, Margaret. She’s evil on the sly. While she doesn’t do anything physically to harm Josey, she works on her emotionally and shackles Josey to her by not offering Josey what she needs—forgiveness.
Forgiveness is a major theme throughout the novel as we come across Chloe and Jake. Be prepared for a little heartache. It won’t hurt too much or for too long, but it stings a bit. I always enjoy meeting the Southern gentleman Allen creates. They tend to have that extra something that makes them otherworldly. As an author, she knows exactly how to hook her female readers. Give them a gorgeous man with charm and appeal, and they get sucked right into the tale. I can’t get too much into the story here because I know I’ll spoil it. But it’s good. Really good and as satisfying as the candy Allen labels each chapter with.
My only complaint is the book isn’t long enough and I felt the ending was rushed. I dreaded getting closer to the final pages because I didn’t want the story to end. While everyone does get their happily ever after, I want more. I want to know more. There are secondary characters that remain a mystery, like Julian, Della Lee’s boyfriend. He’s slime but he’s not at all what I thought he was. And his magnetic appeal to women has me wondering how he got that characteristic and why Josey is able to detract him from it. It’s all about the details with me and my adage is “the more, the better.” So while I’ve finished up this one, I’ll hungrily jump into the next novel, keeping my secret stash of Peanut Chews handy so I can munch and read and munch some more. If you’re looking for a little romance, mixed with sweet treats that’ll leave you craving chocolate, I highly recommend you read The Sugar Queen.
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1 comments
I want to read this book! I’m a sweets-gal myself and this sounds so enchanting! Love your enthusiasm – it rings through the entire review!!