by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of Salted Caramel, and a link to purchase it from Amazon. Our reviewer Kathleen Costa also shares a recipe at the end of the post.

Chocolate, Magic, and…Murder!
It’s only been a few months since Caityn Le Fey arrived in Tillyhenge and had her whole world turned upside down multiple times. The first flip of her world came when, after her mother’s tragic accident, she learns she’d been adopted. Well, actually she’d been found abandoned on the side of the road just outside the little Cotswold village of Tillyhenge and around her neck, an unusual runestone that she still treasures today. The second dizzying discovery was she had a real family (a grandmother, an aunt, a cousin), but somersaulting out of control was the revelation they are witches, she’s a witch, and her guardian uncle is a six-centuries-old vampire who loves fruit and prone to losing his teeth! Her American, “not quite a cousin,” best friend Pomona is supportive of Caitlyn’s new life including pushing her to further the relationship with the handsome James Fitzroy, Lord of Huntingdon Manor, “Have you kissed him yet?” However, uncovering more about her past, improving her ability to manipulate chocolate, dealing with antagonistic neighbors, and staying out of trouble when murderous incidents pop up come with a price.

Salted Caramel Sorcery Earns 5+/5 Caramel Fountains…Engaging and Clever!
Caitlyn Le Fey is improving with her apprenticeship and working meticulously to create the delicious caramel sauce befitting her grandmother’s reputation and worthy to be the centerpiece at Lord James Fitzroy’s Mabon Ball. But, her efforts are impeded when Pomona shows up critical of Caitlyn’s lack of effort on her costume for the ball. Worse, she’s shocked to learn and witness that Pomona can actually do magic; not the magic one should be proud of or one that helps people, Pomie takes pleasure in casting pain on a bunch of ants setting upon some spilled caramel. Caitlyn knew Pomona associated with Thane Blackmort, the enigmatic billionaire, and was showing signs of darkness, but doing magic…for evil? That’s disturbing. Could it have anything to do with the black jewel she wears around her neck? What is Blackmort’s game plan as he is trying to gain control of a key piece of Fitzroy’s estate? It gets worse, when at the ball, Pomie shows up with the non-gratis Blackmort as her date. Caitlyn is busy spurning the advances of the pushy Daniel Tremaine who seems oddly interested in Lord Fitzroy’s father’s collection of occult objects. So, why does Tremaine end up in a closed to the public hall empaled by one of the occult objects? Will Caitlyn turn in a piece of costume found in the room that may implicate her cousin? Will Lord Fitzroy ever make a move on Caitlyn or will their “alone” moments continue to be interrupted?

Magically Delicious! After almost two years, H.Y. Hanna has brought an exciting new predicament for Caitlyn and the residents of Tillyhenge in the seventh book of her Bewitched by Chocolate series. We left Caitlyn continuing to worry about her family, her secret, her budding, often complicated, relationship with Lord Fitzroy, and her unfortunate luck finding herself entwined in mayhem and murder. However, it seems not much has change for Caitlyn: magic and a few mishaps with chocolate and, of course, conflicts with the locals. Isn’t that the way when you’re a witch. Fortunately, good things, too, abound with the handsome Lord of the manor taking a shine to her. Hanna has developed an exciting new challenge with her dear cousin Pomona crossing over to the darkside. It was exciting to see a bit more magic beyond the chocolate creations with dark magic, glamour spells, poppets, and a murder with details the local CID struggles to explain. A small, yet vocal, group of villagers turn vigilante, expertly written to make me feel the anger, the anguish, and the angst, causing more than just an annoyance which did well to illustrate prejudice and the results of misinformation. Ok, it’s witches they protest, but you can’t deny a contemporary connection. I am very invested in the series and the characters, so it was great to see Evie, Caitlyn’s blood cousin, get a more important role in the drama to free Pomona and having a personal revelation that shows her growth and maturity. There is a shocking revelation and a bit of a cliffhanger to contend with, but what a great read!

Bewitched by Chocolate…Magic!
Dark, Witch & Creamy and Witch Chocolate Fudge (2017) KRL Review HERE?
Witch Summer Nights Cream (2017) KRL Review HERE
?Blood, Sweets, & Tears (formerly Witch Chocolate Bites 2018) KRL Reviewed HERE?
Bonbons and Broomsticks (2018) KRL Reviewed HERE
Double, Double, Toil & Truffle (2019] KRL Reviewed HERE
Salted Caramel Sorcery (2021)

Be a Big H.Y. Hanna Fan!
USA Today bestselling author H.Y. Hanna is the author of my all-time favorite series; the now ten-book Oxford Tearoom Mystery always adds a little treat for me to bring a proper English tearoom into my home. Another top favorite is the six-book Bewitched by Chocolate series sprinkling a bit of magic to the delectable descriptions of all things chocolate. She has given me another favorite with this four-book English Cottage Garden Mystery planting wonderful characters and a clever mystery along with a bit of humor. All of her series are in print and eBook, but several are produced in audio format giving readers a little extra with the delightful voice artistry of narrator Pearl Hewitt who enriches the already engaging story with varied accents, dialects, emotions, and tone. I always say, “Murder is better with an English accent.”

Facebook – H.Y. Hanna Books
Website – H.Y. Hanna
Twitter At @_HYHanna

Deliciously Google-worthy!
I am always eager for the books I read to offer some details, tips, or insights into a subject sending me to Google to find more: Mabon celebrations, apples, and poppets. Caitlyn’s Aunt Bertha is quite the fascinating resource as she explains some of the intricacies of the Mabon celebration, historical insights into “apples,” and dispels misinformation about “poppets.” Mabon, the autumn equinox, will begin in the Northern hemisphere on September 21, and is the time to celebrate the harvest, including apples. Here’s a perfect recipe for any harvest celebration.

Evermine—Apple Spice Pecans
Happy Mabon! From Evermine’s list of creative blogger, Chelsia posts a delicious and easy treat using apple spices and “pecans,” although other nuts, like walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts, may be great alternatives or use all of them for a nice mix. I “mixed it up” by adding 1 cup of diced apples creating a delicious topping for ice cream or sponge cake.

Ingredients
• 3 cups whole pecans, shelled and cleaned
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp apple pie spice
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions
1. Add all the ingredients to a large (10-12 inch) skillet over medium-low heat. Stir to mix all the ingredients together and then stir continuously as the sugar begins to melt, making sure to coat the pecans well.
2. Cook until the pecans are lightly toasted and the liquid is absorbed, about 5-10 minutes, and remove from heat.
3. Pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet to cool.
4. Cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container. Perfect for gifts!

To enter to win an ebook or print copy of Salted Caramel Sorcery, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “caramel,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen August 14, 2021. U.S. residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like. MAKE SURE TO STATE IF YOU WANT PRINT OR EBOOK.

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Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.