Review by Sara Palacios
The Will of Venus by Cynthia Robinson, PhD, is a magical, enchanting tale of two sisters, Livia and Danae. On the brink of turning 40, Danae feels lost. She has built her entire life around her looks, only to watch her beauty fade and her superficial life crumble around her. Unable to take it any longer, she vows to end her life as the clock strikes midnight on the eve of her upcoming birthday – unless something magical happens to her before then. Livia, a successful chef in Manhattan, feels for her older sister and embarks on a journey back to her Southern roots. She has her friend Ester, an aspiring santera, craft a magical enchantment that will hopefully save her sister and provide the magical spark that she feels she may be missing.
Enchanting and adventurous, I found The Will of Venus to be a very light, fun read. I enjoyed following the two sisters as the story wove their lives through time, taking them back to their cultured childhood in the South and bringing them back to the current day. The novel is filled with deliciously rich descriptions of Livia’s culinary creations (including a chocolate tart that sounds to-die for), vivid memories from the past that invoke a sense of love and longing, and an unbreakable bond between two sisters. This book is in a class of its own, unlike anything else that I’ve ever read. The Will of Venus will leave you feeling charmed.
[Rating: 4]
