This novel is a unique and sensual adventure. By that I don't mean that it's an erotic book. I mean that the narrative description (as well as the characters) openly delight in the senses. Brief plot: Lila is a New York City ad executive in her thirties who meets a) Exley, a hottie at the green market who sells Lila her first exotic plant and b) Armand, an eccentric owner of a business normally associated with drab and dreariness but which he has turned into a botanical garden filled with vibrant, flourishing rare plants. The lives of these three cross in a completely unexpected way, which leads to the three of them crossing paths again in Playa Del Carmen (Mexico's Mayan Riviera). There's a criminal act, a quest of atonement, another hottie, danger, possible tragedy, a lot of scorpions, and HUGE bugs. The nine plants are each described in a lavish and loving way that almost humanizes them. Legend says that anyone who has all nine plants at one time will receive every desire known to humankind. Plant obsessives will do ANYTHING to collect all nine, hence the crime, the journey, and the possible tragedy. A mistake of Lila's causes her to be central to this world of which she, only recently, was entirely ignorant. Her complete unsuitability for this adventure is pivotal to the novel's charm. I enjoyed it tremendously! ( )

it's all here adventure, romance, pithy philosophy and humor with a quirky cast of characters ( )

This was pretty lame. I only read it because I had no other books checked out from the library at the time that I hadn't already read. Also, it was only like 4 pages or something, and it went quickly (because it was completely without meaningful substance). Also, it was in bed with me and I was too tired that day to get up, so I just kept reading. Really, if you put any effort into it whatsoever, you'll probably go get a different book. ( )

I confess. I read Harlequin romances at the rate of about one a year. After reading this novel I don't have to read one for this year as this book qualifies. Basically it is a romance novel. It has a little plant lore, botany, and mysticism thrown in for good measure. The romance was annoying as I think it got in the way of the story. Overall, it is a nice light fun read. ( )

Mystical novel of plants and love is a pleasure to read.Margo Berwin’s tale revels in the magic and mysticism of tropical plants. Lush descriptions and tight plotting make for a delightful reader experience that is both artistic and sensual. However, certain metaphysical aspects fail to deliver on the initial promise of the story.Story: New York ad woman Lila Nova, increasingly disillusioned with her job and the city, becomes enchanted by David Exley, a handsome guy selling plants at a green market. Soon, she's hooked on him, and her budding fascination with tropical plants leads her to a Laundromat that has a rare fern displayed in the window. Proprietor Armand quickly befriends Lila and gives her a trimming from the fern to take home, telling her if it forms roots, he'll show her the nine special plants he keeps in the back room. When Exley sees the fern trimming, Lila tells him about Armand's special plants, and soon the plants have been stolen and Exley has disappeared. Armand guilts Lila into coming to Mexico with him to find replacement plants, and there's magic, romance, greenery and greed as Lila and Armand venture through the Yucatan, hooking up with potential love-interest Diego and running into the devious Exley. (from Publishers Weekly)Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. In the preface, Berwin explains that her knowledge of plant magic and shamanism is drawn from her experiences with a friend named Armand. I know little of the art of herbal magic, but her descriptions are fascinating. Armand’s knowledge of plants makes me wish I knew more. Although the material is extremely intriguing, I found myself wanting to learn more about Armand’s experiences in the spiritual realm that I could learn from and apply in my own life.Debut author Margot Berwin has produced an excellent novel. The plot is tight and moves quickly, her language pleases the senses, and I particularly enjoyed how she structured the chapters around the plants that are vividly described in the book. The introduction to each chapter contains a quirky introduction to the plant that aptly sets up the story to follow. The exotic setting perfectly complements the story’s mysticism.My take: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot is a page turner, and the lush and lascivious descriptions of plants made the novel a pleasure to read on several levels. However, although I felt engaged by the book, I never did connect to the main character. Lila seems cold and remote from the beginning, and her later actions prove her to be greedy, ruthless, and destructive. The ending was definitely unexpected, which is always good. However, it was not entirely satisfying from a metaphysical perspective. More people than just Lila and Exley were revealed to have selfish motives, and Lila did not seem to learn or change very much as a result of what should have been truly profound spiritual experiences.For more reviews of new age novels, see Fiction For A New Age. ( )