I totally wanted to like this, and I did starting out...but 1/3 of the way through I just felt the pace slow to the speed of molasses, or maybe ghee if we're going to be culturally accurate.

Tilo travels through time from a magical island to a spice shop in Oakland, where she gives out magic potions to other Indians but is supposed to let everyone else suffer through life on their own. (Yeah, that's the premise.) Then she meets a handsome American who appears to see how beautiful she is under her disguise of an old woman, and they fall in love, or something. I didn't get that far.

I like Indian food and cooking so the writing was appropriately exotic, and I didn't know what kalo jire was until I looked it up and realized it's what we call nigella and I have some in my cupboard right now. I doubt, though, it'll reduce my pain and/or suffering.