The Cook of Castamar

Addictive series with beautiful costumes and production value, a compelling central love story, generally strong acting, and food! The cooking scenes with the voiceovers are reminiscent of "Like Water For Chocolate."

I loved the main actress playing Clara. She's very good at the "slow simmer," the passionate woman beneath the serene surface. The romantic male lead is a little less impressive. He's a stalwart, honorable aristocrat with a soft side, but spends a little too much time looking pained and pensive. No matter, they have good chemistry.

There is a lot happening with intrigue and side characters, sometimes too much. The Duke's adoptive brother, Gabriel, is charming but his side plot with Amelia is not fully baked (sorry). The mother is superb and most of the servant characters are well played and endearing.

My biggest issue with the series is the ending. It is rushed and too much is left unexplained. It's not entirely unsatisfying, but it could have been so much better. It feels like they ran out of time and had to write/film it really quickly or something?

Anyway, worth watching. And it was fun practicing my Spanish.

A lovely spanish series that ticked all of the boxes. The characters were well cast and well acted, the leads had good chemistry. The storylines were well developed and just the right amount of too much. Costuming was very well done throughout.

Nice romantic story, it is a kind of a light version of Grand Hotel series (Spanish version), the production is superb, the acting is fantastic, all the characters fits in the role, excepting the main actor Don Diego which looks "too mature" in my opinion for this show, don't know if in the novel happens the same, I didn't feel the chemistry in both lovers, it was not a good match, even their kisses looks quite repulsive, he could be his father!. But anyway, Amelia actress robbed entirely the show, she produces that kind of love-hate feeling, she's a 10. Although it is a mild & light classic romance-drama, give it a chance.

Good storyline and fabulous set and costumes. Actors are wonderful. I'm confused as to why they did not cast a younger, more charismatic Lord Diego who's closer to Clara's age. It is such an odd pairing.

I just love the chemistry between Clara and Diego, it feels so natural. I fell in love of their love story!

I do agree the end feels rushed, wish they had at least 1 more episode to explain.

This show makes me want to learn Spanish so I can read the book! Hopefully someone will translate it into English and REALLY with for another season!