Book Review: Tea and Alchemy by Sharon Lynn Fisher

Author: Sharon Lynn Fisher

Title: Tea and Alchemy

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Historical

Format: ebook

Pages: 293

Published: January 1, 2026

Where I got It: My shelf (BookBub)

Summary: 

Cornwall, 1854. The people of Roche have always whispered about the recluse in the black granite tower that looms above the moorland. But one young woman is driven to discover the truth behind the old tales.

Her life overshadowed by family tragedy, Mina Penrose escapes her lonely days by working at The Magpie, a cozy tearoom on the village’s edge. Lately she’s been seeing shapes in the sodden leaves that hint at the future. After one such omen, Mina stumbles upon a murdered man on the heath. Villagers immediately suspect Harker Tregarrick, a living, breathing mystery who never ventures beyond the bounds of his centuries-old estate.

Until the day after the murder, when the handsome and compelling recluse visits The Magpie…leading to a meeting that will change both their fates. Captivated by a man around whom danger and rumors of death swirl, Mina has never felt more alive. Can she uncover Harker’s heartbreaking history—and the truth about the murder—before tragedy strikes again?

Review:

Randomly saw this on BookBub, so why not! Love, I had zero idea that this would be a vampire tale!

Here we have Mina, who loves working at The Magpie. It allows her to escape her lonely existence after tragedy. However, she's been seeing shapes in the tea that scare her. After one omen, she stumbles upon a body. Everyone starts expecting Harker even though he never ventures beyond the bounds of his estate. The day after the murder, Harker shows up at the Magpie and will change their lives forever. 

I was shocked that we had vampires here LOL. The summary never really went over this. Did I miss something in the summary? I'm not mad, but I was shocked. 

This started off slow, and I never really and truly settled into the story. What is wrong with me? This has everything. Historical, vamps, tea, a mystery! I just couldn't connect.

The story was interesting enough that I kept reading. There were little sparks that kept me intrigued enough to keep pushing, but I just felt meh at the end. Didn't hate it or love it. Just meh.

Mina was okay, and Harker was eh. 

Again....am I the problem? Two books in a row I just couldn't connect with. I need a refresh, I think. 

In the end, that was just alright. I felt meh by the end, but I didn't hate it. It kept my interest enough to finish the book. I'll stamp this with 2.