Plum Deluxe Tea and Fall Reads the Perfect Blend

September 21st, 2016 Kimberly Feature 106 Comments

21st Sep

Thanks to sponsor Plum Deluxe, today I am sharing my thoughts on their monthly tea subscription and recommending the perfect fall reads to pair with them. Based out of Portland, Oregon the Plum Deluxe company offers a monthly subscription for fresh, delicious loose tea and has an à la carte selection to delight you all year-long.

Grab a cup of your favorite caffeinated beverage as I share some of these teas with you, and be sure to check out the exclusive limited time offer for Caffeinated friends!

Plume Deluxe Tea

I had the delightful pleasure of chatting with Andy Hayes the founder and creator of Plum Deluxe. The first thing I asked Andy was,  “Are your teas caffeinated?” Because you all know I love my caffeine, but the truth of the matter is I also enjoy calming teas. Plum Deluxe offers a range of caffeinated, lightly caffeinated, and caffeine free teas.

Now back to Andy and Plum Deluxe. Guys, I am loving this company and its tea! Andy believes in Making Moments Matter and his vision is evident from his online community, blog posts, and deliciously blended teas to his passionate vision.

The site is more than just a storefront and high quality teas. Inspiration, recipes and more can be found. It also offers blog posts, podcasts, a cute store full of gifts for him, her, and you! There is also an online community for monthly subscribers. I had the chance to pop on and loved the environment. They even have a weekly newsletter and Goodreads book club.

I encourage you to check out the Plum Deluxe website, the online community, and wonderful collections of teas. Be sure to check out the About page and read Andy’s vision and life story. I think you will be inspired.

Plum Deluxe Monthly

Plum Deluxe offers a monthly tea subscription service that pairs fresh, seasonal loose leaf teas with a vibrant online tea community for only $10/month.

  • RECEIVE 1-2 OZ OF SEASONAL, LIMITED-EDITION ARTISAN TEA
  • ENJOY A “SURPRISE SCOOP” SAMPLE OF AN ADDITIONAL TEA
  • BE A PART OF A ROBUST AND SUPPORTIVE PRIVATE TEA LOVER’S COMMUNITY
  • ACCESS DISCOUNTS ON EXTRA TEAS AND SUPPLIES
  • GET SURPRISE GIFTS AND TREATS

Learn more about how their subscription works and RSVP today!

Andy sent me a  “monthly tea subscription” and my daughter and I settled in to taste these heavenly scented teas and talk Fall books.

Review and Recommendations

The tea of the month was Pomme Blossom – a spiced white tea with a fruity, floral bouquet perfect for late summer celebrations.  This is an exclusive blend just for subscribers. To prepare our tea I used a “tea nest” style infuser which is placed directly over the tea-cup. I scooped one teaspoon of the tea mixture into it and allowed it to steep for 3-5 minutes in a 180F water. I then reused the same tea to make a cup for my daughter repeating the method.

Pomme Blossom Tea

Ingredients: White tea, rose hips, jasmine, apple pieces, hibiscus, safflower, ginger, cinnamon, orange peel, rose petal and pomegranate essences.

Instructions: Steep 1 tsp. in 180F water for 3-5 minutes. This particular tea is low in caffeine, perfect for evenings.

Our thoughts:  A bold, spicy tea with hints of pomegranate and jasmine. My daughter prefered hers with a touch of sugar, but I enjoyed mine as is. The card that accompanies the tea states, “This tea teaches us that we can be calm and mindful while still taking bold action and being productive.”

As we savored the flavor my daughter and I began to discuss romances. We both love a romance filled with a little snark, humor and witty banter followed by passionate kisses and warm fuzzy feelings. We both agree that the Hating Game by Sally Thorne is the perfect Fall romance.  Paired with a cup of Plum Deluxe tea readers are sure to find bliss on a cold crisp day.

Plum Deluxe Tea and Fall Reads the Perfect Blend
The Hating Game
by Sally Thorne
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Goodreads
Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
Heat Level: One FlameOne FlameOne FlameHalf a Flame

Debut author Sally Thorne bursts on the scene with a hilarious and sexy workplace comedy all about that thin, fine line between hate and love.

Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
2) A person’s undoing
3) Joshua Templeman

Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual.

Trapped in a shared office together 40 (OK, 50 or 60) hours a week, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship. There’s the Staring Game. The Mirror Game. The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything—especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking.

If Lucy wins this game, she’ll be Joshua’s boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. So why is she suddenly having steamy dreams about Joshua, and dressing for work like she’s got a hot date? After a perfectly innocent elevator ride ends with an earth shattering kiss, Lucy starts to wonder whether she’s got Joshua Templeman all wrong.

Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn’t hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

2016 Fave REREADABLE ROMANCE snarky SWOON

deluxe pumpkin spice

Each month in addition to the tea of the month, you are given a sample of one of their blends. In my package I received a sample of Deluxe Pumpkin Spice Tea a low caffeine blend that goes perfect with comfy sweaters and a book. This limited edition tea is available à la carte.

Ingredients: Honeybush Tea, Black Tea, Cinnamon Bark, Cardamom, Ginger Root, Cloves, Calendula, Safflower, Natural Pumpkin Essence, Love, Gratitude. Low Caffeine Preparation Instructions: Use 1 1/2 tsp per 16 oz cup. Steep with boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Because they use the freshest ingredients, you can steep your tea twice for a second cup. Suggested Uses: Wonderful with honey, sugar, or as a tea latte.

We chose a rainy day to brew the Deluxe Pumpkin Spice tea and it was perfect. The rain was hitting the windows, and the air-filled with the fragrant scent of cinnamon, ginger and clover. I added a touch of honey to my cup and found the flavor to be rich and satisfying. While drinking this tea, we thought about mysteries and pie. This tea would go perfectly with pie! (yum)

But back to our books discussion. For a fantastic mystery thriller that took us by surprise I would recommend Into the Light by Aleatha Romig. Whether you listen as I did or snuggle up with the book it’s the perfect companion to enjoy with a cup of Deluxe Plum tea this fall.

Plum Deluxe Tea and Fall Reads the Perfect Blend
Into the Light
by Aleatha Romig
Series: The Light #1
Narrator: Kevin T. Collins, Erin deWard, Noah Michael Levine
Length: 13 hours and 17 minutes
Genres: Suspense Thriller
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Goodreads
Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
Heat Level: One FlameOne FlameOne Flame
Narration: 4 cups

Sara Adams awakes blind, unable to remember the most basic details of her life, but her darkness seems a blessing when she discovers the terrors of The Light.

Stella Montgomery investigates the news from the mean streets of Detroit, where she's noticed a disturbing trend: Young women are vanishing. When her best friend disappears, Stella digs for answers - despite warnings from her police detective boyfriend - following a twisted trail that leads her through the city's most dangerous and forsaken precincts. There she uncovers something more sinister than she could have imagined: a shadowy organization known as The Light, led by the enigmatic Father Gabriel.

As Sara struggles to understand her place in the strange world she's awakened to - an oppressive cult demanding unquestioning obedience - and her feelings for Jacob, the husband she can't recall and whose harsh and tender attentions confuse and beguile her, Stella risks all to discover the truth. But enlightenment always comes with a price....

thriller SUSPENSE ADDICTIVE 2016 Fave

Overall I found the Plum Deluxe Monthly tea subscription to be an excellent value. If you buy loose tea like me, you know an ounce of quality tea is priced at ten dollars or more. With the subscription you receive 1 oz of tea delivered right to your mailbox, enough for about 20 cups. Brewing instructions are included and as an added bonus you’ll also receive a free sample of one additional tea PLUS access to the member’s only website and private Facebook group filled with fellow tea lovers. You will also receive member-only specials and discounts.  All for only $10.00 a month.

Are you a tea-addict? Want more tea? Be sure to check out their larger subscription.

Caffeinated Limited Time Offer

“When you join the Plum Deluxe community put “Caffeinated Tea Lover” in the “How Did You Hear About Us” box when signing up for a recurring plan, and your account will be credited for 1 month free.”  HURRY Special offer expires October 6th 2016!  Monthly Tea Subscription 

Caffeine not your thing? Plum Deluxe also offers caffeine free subscriptions. Learn More

reading nook blend

While Andy and I were chatting he shared that one of his most popular black teas is for book lovers. Reading Nook Blend.

Of course I had to have some!  He was kind enough to send me an ounce and the bag declares it’s a blend of joy.  The site says, “One needs a touch of caffeine to keep the conversation flowing, the pages turning, or the pen on the move, so we start this blend with a wonderful cream black tea. We then added rosebuds for creativity and sustenance, lavender for flavor and aroma, and top it off with a bit of chamomile which adds a calming balance to it all.”

I loved the taste of this tea, and the burst of caffeine it provided. To create this tea they combined Rosebuds, Cream Black Tea, Passionflowers, Lavender, and Chamomile. My daughter and I talked about the blend of ingredients and we thought hmm, it’s caffeinated and contains chamomile? But it is brilliant and provides a crisp, smooth buzz. I allowed  1 1/2 teaspoons of this blend to steep for 4 minutes before adding sugar to taste. Both my daughter and I loved this blend. Reading Nook Blend  is available à la carte and is one I intend to keep on hand. The website even indicates this will make a great iced brew. I am looking forward to trying it.

This is the perfect tea for sparking creativity, reading a good book, enjoying a conversation, writing a blog post or perhaps your next novel!

I sampled this tea while reading Stalking Jack the Ripper a clever historical mystery that takes place in Whitechapel in the late 19th century as a young woman, along with her Uncle and his apprentice work to catch Jack the Ripper. Be sure to enjoy a hot cup of Reading Nook Blend tea while you help catch Jack the Ripper.

Plum Deluxe Tea and Fall Reads the Perfect Blend
Stalking Jack the Ripper
by Kerri Maniscalco
Series: Untitled Trilogy #1
Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Source: BEA
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Goodreads
Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

thriller historical MURDERMYSTERY HORRIFIC

Gift Ideas

Plum Deluxe Collage

Plum Deluxe offers gifts ideas that are perfect from a simple pick me up to that hard to shop for gift for your Aunt Rose. Here are some examples, but be sure to check out their site.

Remember…

“When you join the Plum Deluxe community put “Caffeinated Tea Lover” in the “How Did You Hear About Us” box when signing up for a recurring plan, and your account will be credited for 1 month free.”  HURRY Special offer expires October 6th 2016!  Monthly Tea Subscription 

I hope you enjoyed this post, I had fun sampling the teas and sharing fall book ideas. In case you are wondering, I did sign up for the monthly tea and of course added an order of Reading Nook tea to ship with it. Yes…you can do that 🙂

Plum Deluxe Tea monthly subscription review and fall book recs #sponsored Share on X Exclusive Plum Deluxe tea offer for Caffeinated Tea Lovers #sponsored Share on X

*Today’s post was sponsored by Plum Deluxe and I was compensated for my efforts. I received a monthly tea subscription sampler as well as an additional tea. All thoughts and opinions of these products are my own and I was not obligated to give a favoring opinion. Drink on! 

Photo of kimbacaffeinate
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

106 Responses to “Plum Deluxe Tea and Fall Reads the Perfect Blend”

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Aren’t you my friend who doesn’t like coffee either? Coke drinker? Or maybe that is Jenny from Supernatural Snark..lol I hope you grab the Hating Game. Such fun!

      • Jennifer

        I’m trying to acquire a taste for coffee but I’m not there yet. I don’t drink any kind of sodas. I’m a water, juice, and milk kind of gal. LOL. My library has Hating Game and I will grab it at some point.

  3. Tiffany

    This sounds like a cool subscription service. The teas look really good, and I love how you included the ingredients. Great post!

  8. Lisa

    I’ve heard SO MUCH about The Hating Game, and I love your pairing it with tea! I’ll definitely have to give this duo a go!! (PS I have a tendency to match my tea flavors with the books I’m reading as well, especially in the cooler temps when I drink tea the most! :D)

  11. AngelErin

    I like the sound of a tea subscription box, but to be honest I don’t know how to use loose leaf tea! Do you have to have a tea kettle? Because I don’t have one lol!

  12. Lark

    Several of these teas sound delicious, Kim! And I love the idea of pairing a book with the perfect tea.

      • Lark

        I did go check them out. Yum! I’m kind of loyal to New Mexico Tea Company, which is similar, but there are a few at Plum Deluxe Tea that I might order.

  13. Jeann

    Ohhh that sounds like a beautiful monthly tea subscription Kimba! I love my teas and that pomme blossom one sounds so delicious. PUMPKIN SPICED TEA, WHHHAT!

  14. Bookworm Brandee

    I adore this post! I’m a fan of tea because, caffeine. 😉 I’m not one of those caffeine drinkers who prefers one over the other but the idea of pairing these teas with books is fabulous! And since Plum Deluxe is based in Portland, where my oldest is going to college, I just might have to get a subscription…at least for her! 😉 Thanks for the tea/book recs, Kim. I’m on my way to the PD website. 😉

  16. ShootingStarsMag

    I love that they have fun gifts to buy on their site, and the subscription seems like a really good deal. I don’t drink tea, but I know many book lovers do. That’s awesome they have their own book blend! Love all the books you shared – thanks so much for the rec’s. I’ve read Stalking Jack the Ripper, but not the others.

  17. Priscilla

    Ah, I love teas! I wonder if they ship to Singapore. As far I know, there’s no tea subscription in the country I live in. Superb review as usual, Kim! On another note, I’m no longer blogging at my book blog, Priscilla and her Books. Thanks always for stopping by! And yep, I just started a completely new site 🙂

  18. Cyn

    Haha! The Hating Game definitely sounds right up my alley! Will have to check it out.
    I like that there’s a nice range of caffeinated to non-caffeinated! Some mornings, some for evenings (:

  19. Dani Chapman

    If I was able to have caffeine I would try the Reading Nook Blend. That sounds like something I would have enjoyed. I miss black teas so much.. I have yet to find an herbal tea that I can get excited about.

    Thank you for the lovely reviews of the teas and the books! 🙂

  20. Katherine

    This is fantastic! I love tea and all the different blends so what fun to have it in a subscription box. Definitely a great way to enhance a good book and a fun surprise every month to see what the blend is. This would be a fantastic gift as well.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Right. I took advantage of the Caffeinated Tea Lover’s special and signed up. I too love the idea of a new tea to try each month, and with the holiday coming I bet we will see some nice festive blends 🙂

  21. LeKeisha

    Now I want some tea. I need some, to be honest. I’ve had a stressful day and some chamomile tea sounds damn good. Just looking at the pictures make my mouth water. Thanks for sharing!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Yes, tea does sooth after a bad day. I am sorry and hope your evening is better. I know when I ordered you could select a non-caffeinated version and he has some wonderful chamomile teas 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I hope you do Melissa. I like that each month you get try a new tea. Plus sample one of the main teas. They also allow you to add additional tea orders to your monthly order -and you pay no shipping 🙂

  24. Sophia Rose

    I am allergic to some ingredients that go into teas so this is great that the ingredients are details out. The first one is a definitely no-no for me as is the third. 😉 I do love the idea of the Pumpkin Spice blend. I hadn’t heard of this company so I’ll have to check out the site especially since there is a subscription service.

    Fun to see what books you and your daughter paired up with the teas. Nice post, Kimberly!

  26. Heidi

    Based right here in Portland, Oregon. I better look them up and check them out. I am not much of a tea drinker, but today I have a sore throats and a cold, so tea would be perfect. Wonderful post.

    • Andy Hayes

      Nice to meet you, Heidi! We don’t have a retail store in Portland but look us up on Facebook – a lot of events coming up for an opportunity to meet us in person, including a tea + stretch class on October 29th.

  28. Rowena

    I’m not much of a tea drinker but dude, this is a wonderful idea for your blog. Good on you for this post. I’ve got all of those books on my TBR list (because of you, of course) but I just might have to become a tea drinker myself.

    Lovely tie in post, Kim!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I had a lot of fun putting this together Rowena, so thank you. Keep this post in mind for your tea loving friends and I hope you try a blend! . I am so excited you will be reading these.

  31. Melanie Simmons

    This is great post. I love how you paired the teas with books. I’m pretty boring when it comes to teas. I usually do Earl Gray or a basic Green Tea. My true preference is Southern style Sweet Iced Tea, but I don’t drink if often because of the amount of sugar. LOL Great book choices too. 🙂

    • Andy Hayes

      We have a couple of great earl greys too – you might try the Gratitude blend, which is a strawberry earl grey – some sweetness without the extra sugar. 😉

  32. Rita

    I love this post! My son and I like to pick up “gourmet” types of coffee and tea, caffeinated and not, so we have something appropriate for all times of day or night. I never heard of this company, truthfully, we’ve been using Teavana for our loose tea, but now I’ll go to the link and check them out– thanks!

  35. Stormi Johnson

    Not a tea drinker, that was established at the afternoon tea we went to while in Chicago…lol. Not unless it’s ice cold and comes from Sonic…hehehe. That is a cool thing though a monthly tea subscription for those who do love tea. I would do a coffee one! 🙂

    I have heard good things about The Hating Games though not really my genre but I think I will put it on my list. Also heard good things about Into the Light and can’t wait to read Stalking Jack the Ripper. 🙂

    Great post!!
    Stormi

  36. Quinn's Book Nook

    This is AWESOME! I am a tea fanatic, although I am kind of boring in my choice of tea flavors. Badically it’s all green and black tea with HONEY! I love how you paired the different teas with book recs. Such a good idea.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I think you would totally love the Reading Nook Blend, since it has more black tea and the other herbs lightly enhance it. I order another bag to go with my October box. I drank all mine 🙁

    • Andy Hayes

      Thanks Quinn! If you like honey, definitely check out our spiced and blackberry honey – so so good with tea, especially this time of year. 😉

      (We also have a couple of unflavored black and green teas – they are the “Royale” blends.)

  38. Silvia

    So you haven’t just pointed out some very interesting reads, but you also suggested some very nice tea ideas . . . Considering I’m the one in charge of making tea here, I think I could make someone quite happy! 🙂 Great post, Kimberly!!

  40. Jenny

    I have The Hating Game and Stalking Jack the Ripper on my list Kim, I can’t wait to get my hands on both of them. I’m not a huge tea drinker, I’m more a Coke person despite the fact that I know it’s probably eating away at my insides with every sip. #HealthFail

  41. Kristin

    OMG!! This is so wonderful!!! It would be like going to high tea all the time but soooo much cheaper!!!!! This is going to sound so weird but I actually hate the smell of tea but I think I would love drinking Plum Deluxe’s tea! Brilliant! *said in British accent*

    I must buy The Hating Game soon… Grrrrrrrr… too many review reads right now… grrrrrrr….

    • Andy Hayes

      I love the idea of going to high tea every day! 🙂 I know what you mean about the smell of tea; a lot of our teas are flavored, and the pure essential oils we use for our flavorings smell amazing. People say their mailboxes even smell good!

  42. Angela

    I’ve not heard of Plum Deluxe Tea so I need to remedy that. lol I’ve joined several other tea subscription services but as I’m a frequent buyer from those companies, the tea I receive is the tea I already have so there’s never anything new to try. I’m really curious about the Pumpkin Spice tea. I’ve tried several different ones but never one with honeybush.

    I’ve had my eye on Stalking Jack the Ripper but I’ve not picked it up yet.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I like that you can try a different tea every month, it lets you try new ones. Plus you can order other teas to ship with it at no additional shipping charge.

    • Andy Hayes

      Hi Angela! I think our pumpkin spice is one of the best. 😉 Honeybush has an earthy, slightly sweet, taste by itself so it lends itself well to pumpkin.

      Hope you’ll give Plum Deluxe a try!

  44. Paij Slater

    You’re killing me smalls! I want to read all of those…The tea idea is fabulous as well. I only like herbal tea, but a calm soothing herbal tea is always good for my soul! I love this post! It’s so much fun!