The Pearl TeaHouse by Samantha Brooks

First off, "The Pearl tea House" is well worth the 99 cents in case you're undecided. I just finished it and I feel as if I've been hit by a typhoon. The author paints such a vivid picture of Sri Lanka that it makes me want to pack my bags right now and go if only the rain would stop! (and no murderers are after me!)

If you like historical thrillers like "Rebecca" by Daphne Du Maurier and others by Victoria Holt you will love this. The author takes the reader to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in the 1930s where the heroine is to meet her arranged groom. Amidst monsoon storms the heroine deals with a brooding husband, strange nightmares and an insane stepdaughter making for quite the suspenseful adventure..

CONTENT:

SEX: While there are no sex scenes per se', there are some rather sensual moments which, while tastefully written are perhaps not suitable for YA readers.

LANGUAGE: Mild cussing sparsely sprinkled throughout.

VIOLENCE: There is a violent moment at the end of the book which I can't go into details about without spoiling the story but the scariest images are actually in the form of nightmares. And yes, they are quite scary. (I'm prone to nightmares so I read over these portions very quickly!)

 DRINKING: There is a LOT of drinking in this book. It is a common thing if you read or watch any movie set in the 20s and 30s; it seems like everyone drinks non stop. I find it puzzling, did people really do this? If so, the upper class must have always been in a state of slight inebriation. Perhaps the source of delirium and nightmares??? Methinks the heroine should have put down her sherry and had a glass of milk instead!

THE ENDING: I AM MORE PUZZLED THAN EVER!!! I think we need a group club read just to figure out what it truly means...do I sense a ground hog day??

BOTTOM LINE: I don't know if this is a first novel by the author but it is very well written and an exciting read. I did get a bit confused in places where dreams mingled with reality and I wasn't sure which was which but that is part of the story so I think it's intentional; the author wants the reader to feel what the heroine is feeling.

One minor criticism : I don't care if I never hear the word "recalcitrant" again...