A Photographer and a Quilter go to a Winery...

 

The Look of Love by Bella Andre
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After Chloe Peterson's car skids off the road in the Napa Valley wine country, she's ready to throw in the towel on a horrendous day. Chase Sullivan, a successful photographer, is driving to his brother’s winery and sees her car broken down in a ditch. He stops and offers her assistance not knowing that he has found his one and only. But can he help her heal from her abusive past?
I absolutely loved this contemporary romance; it has everything that I love about the genre. A loving, and strong man who lets his love interest find her strength and doesn’t need to overpower her. A woman that has survived her past and is strong enough to change her life. And the love between them is sensual and heartfelt. Some scenes are very steamy. I will definitely read more from this series.


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Mint Chocolate Ice Cream and A Murder!

 

Mint Chocolate Murder by Meri Allen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Udderly Delightful Ice Cream shop manager Riley Rhodes is preparing for a fantasy ice cream social to celebrate the opening of a photography exhibit by Adam Blasco. The exhibit is taking place at Penniman’s Moy Mull Castle. The gothic structure was built by an eccentric New England Gilded Age millionaire. It has been transformed into a premiere arts colony by Maud Monaco, a reclusive former supermodel. When Riley hears rumors that Blasco has a dark history of obsession with his models, her curiosity is aroused. But, when Adam is found dead behind the locked door of Moy Mull’s dungeon, Riley realizes there’s more to the stories, and she’s determined to find the truth.
This was an interesting cozy mystery. When I started reading, I couldn’t get a handle on who the characters were. The main character, Riley, was likeable and hard-working. She loved to investigate and search for clues. But I didn’t understand some of the other character’s roles. I felt like I had missed a part of the story. The plot was easier to understand as the story progressed. I was able to comprehend the mystery in the end. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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Blueberries, A Viking, And Murder!

 

Murder at the Blueberry Festival by Darci Hannah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lindsey Bakeswell is gearing up for the pie eating contest that she’s running during Beacon Harbor’s blueberry festival. But soon the event runs into a patch of trouble. In the morning, a local real estate agent gets pranked. Then, a parade float gets pelted with water balloons. But, when the stunts start escalating, it starts to look like sabotage. When a man dressed up as a Viking is found dead in a boat, it’s no longer mischief but murder.
This was a great story in this wonderful series. I love reading about this main character and her bakeshop. All of the side characters were interesting, and I would love to see them again in subsequent books. The plot was wonderfully puzzling, and the culprit was a surprise. I will definitely read more of this series. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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Cupcakes, Beagles, and Murder!

 

A Killer Edition by Lorna Barrett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

With her assistant, Pixie, picking up more responsibility, Tricia Miles, owner of the Haven’t Got A Clue mystery bookshop, suddenly has a lot more time on her hands. Tricia decides to join the local animal rescue board and enter the Great Stoneham Bake-Off. When Tricia stops by Joyce Whitman's romance bookstore looking for a book, she stumbles on an argument between Joyce and her neighbor Vera Olson. When Vera turns up dead in Joyce's garden hours later, Tricia has to wonder, could Joyce be the killer? Or is the culprit still lurking in town? Tricia is determined to win the cooking contest, but first she will have to make sure no one else is in danger of getting burned.
This cozy mystery was a very intriguing read. I love reading about Tricia and her attempts to better her life and deal with the townspeople. I would love to live in a place like Stoneham with all of its wonderful bookstores. The plot was full of suspense. The mystery had enough twists and turns that I couldn’t figure out who the culprit was until the big reveal. But there was one thing that bothered me, the subject of animal abuse. Even though there were no graphic scenes of said abuse, it was related through the story. Otherwise, another great read!


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He Is A Remarkable Rogue!

 

A Remarkable Rogue by Anna Harrington
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lady Sydney Rowland, Baroness Rowland, has spent a lifetime keeping secrets, one of them being her young son. Now that the husband she despised is dead, she'll do anything to get her son back and protect him however she can. And that includes risking her life when she's coerced into working for a revolutionary group determined to overthrow the government. Captain Nathaniel Reed has heard of Sydney's involvement with Scepter. Though he quickly learns that Sydney is innocent, he's determined to keep the secretive widow at arm's length despite the attraction that burns between them. But when she turns to him for help, nothing will stop him from coming to her aid and showing her exactly what she means to him.
The moment I opened this book and read the first page; I was hooked. This historical romance has everything I look for: a hero who is strong, confident, and loving, a heroine who knows her own mind and is independent, a suspense-filled plot that helps to build the loving link between the main characters, and a happy ending. This is the best historical romance that I’ve read this year so far. I highly recommend it to all romance book lovers. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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A Killer Kung Pao, Anyone?

 

Killer Kung Pao by Vivien Chien
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lana Lee runs her family’s Chinese restaurant in Cleveland’s Asia Village. Before she leaves for the weekend, she witnesses a car accident in the parking lot. June Yi, of Yi’s Tea and Bakery, meets her match when she rear-ends the Cadillac belonging to Mah Jong lover Mildred “Millie” Mao. After each woman curses and threatens the other, Lana believes that trouble lies ahead. Still, she couldn’t imagine that Millie would end up dead at the beauty salon. All eyes are on June. Can Lana find a way to solve this case before another fatality occurs in Asia Village?
This was a great cozy mystery to curl up to on a rainy day with some wonton soup. Lana is a girl that I love to read about because she takes chances and things happen. I also love to read about the Mah Jong loving women who seem to always know the scoop. The plot was a puzzler, and I was shocked when the culprit was revealed. These stories are always fun reads. I will definitely read more from this series.


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Grilled Cheese, and a Great Mystery - Yum!

 

No Parm No Foul by Linda Reilly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After a long hot summer in Balsam Dell, Carly Hale, owner of the Grilled Cheese Eatery, is ready for autumn weather and the upcoming Halloween food competition. But Ferris Menard, the owner of Sub-a-Dub-Sub, is nursing a grudge against Carly. Two days before the competition, one of Carly's employees quit his part-time gig at Menard's sub shop, sending Menard into a snit. In a confrontation at the Eatery, Menard accused Carly of sabotage and vowed to bring her down. The morning after the competition, Menard's body is found with a steak knife sticking out of his heart. But he had a slew of enemies, and if Carly doesn't figure out which one is the culprit, someone she loves will be serving grilled cheese sandwiches under lock and brie!
This was a great new installment to a mystery series that I deem one of the best. Carly Hale is a woman who values friendship and hard work. She caters to the population of her town with luscious grilled cheese delights, as well as making the reader (meaning me) hungry. The plot was a puzzle, and I was surprised with the ending. It also had enough suspense and a cozy setting that I loved. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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There's Never a Good Time for Murder!

 

A Time for Murder by Jessica Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Young Jessica Fletcher teaches at the local high school while she and her husband, Frank, are raising their nephew Grady together. But when the principal is found murdered, Jessica knows something is off and, for the very first time, investigates a death. Present-day Jessica returns to high school for a colleague's retirement party and has fun seeing familiar faces. That is, until the colleague winds up dead, and his death has mysterious links to Jessica's very first murder case. With nothing but her own instincts to guide her, Jessica embarks on a quest to find out what really happened all those years ago and who's behind these murders.
This was a very enjoyable Murder, She Wrote mystery. It was fun to see a little of Jessica’s history before she became a mystery writer. One of the characters I personally wanted to see one day was Frank, Jessica’s husband. There was only a picture of him on the mantel in the TV series. It was sweet to see how devoted he was with Jessica. This story actually contained two different plotlines, yet I never felt confused and understood the whole scenario. I recommend this story to anyone who’s a lover of the TV series.


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Will A TV Cooking Show Kill Tea By The Sea?

 

Murder Spills the Tea by Vicki Delany
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The country's hottest TV cooking show is filming in Cape Cod at Lily Roberts’ charming tearoom, Tea by the Sea! The filming becomes intense when infamous bad-boy chef and celebrity judge, Tommy Greene, loses his temper with Cheryl Wainwright. Then, Tommy is found dead in Tea by the Sea's kitchen, murdered with Cheryl's rolling pin.
This was a good cozy mystery with great main characters and a fabulous setting I wish I could visit. I love seeing the recipes at the back of the book and hope to try them soon. The plot was a big puzzle, and I couldn’t figure out the culprit’s identity. I felt that this story was a little slow but satisfying. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this advanced reader’s copy.

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Another Death at the Castle!

 

Castle Deadly, Castle Deep by Veronica Bond
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After settling into her role as an actor in Derek Corby's castle murder-mystery troupe, Nora Blake is troubled by the setting of Derek's fall mystery: the catacombs in the depths of the castle. When a man is killed during one of their first shows, the eerie catacombs become a place of terror. Joined by her castle companions, Nora attempts to find the motive for killing a seemingly innocent victim. She discovers that someone else is in danger and that she may also be in the sights of the killer. With the help of her handsome boyfriend, Detective John Dashiell, Nora will have to go off-script to prevent a murderous encore.
I loved this cozy mystery. The gothic castle gives the mystery an enigmatic setting, which reminds me of the mysteries from the early nineteenth century. Nora is a very relatable character, and I find that I want to know more about her life as the story unfolded. The plot was similar to a closed room mystery. I was unable to figure out whodunit, and I was surprised when the killer was revealed. I will definitely read more of this series.


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Is A Poisonous Page at the Sweet Fiction Bookshop?

 

A Poisonous Page by Kitt Crowe
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It’s summer festival time in Confection, Oregon, and Lexi, bookseller at the Sweet Fiction Bookshop is making the sales. When a member of the chamber of commerce suddenly dies of a heart attack, and another chamber member dies just one week later, Lexi is concerned. Then, her friend Dash becomes a suspect in the murders. With the help of her friends, can Lexi find the truth and help Dash before he’s sent to prison?
This was a great cozy mystery. I loved Lexi and her sleuthing skills. The setting was one I would like to visit. The plot and suspects confused me a little. There seemed to be an abundance of suspects and motives. By the end of the story, I understood what had happened. The conclusion was satisfying. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader’s copy.


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Death of a School Board President!

 

Death Gone A-Rye by Winnie Archer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In the Northern California seaside town of Santa Sofia, baker’s apprentice Ivy Culpepper is baking focaccia in preparation for the local school district’s Spring Fling. When school board president Nessa Renchrik is murdered, Ivy is shocked. But she’s just as surprised when her beau, Miguel Baptista, becomes a suspect. It’s up to Ivy, her boss Olaya Solis, and octogenarian Penelope Branford to separate the wheat from the chaff to determine the identity of the real culprit.
This was a great cozy mystery that made me hungry. Ivy is a very likeable character, and I enjoyed reading about her investigation. I thought the townspeople, the suspects, were interesting, and I hope to hear about them in subsequent stories. The setting was very appealing, and I would love to visit Yeast of Eden. The plot was just what I love about cozy mysteries. No gore, or violence, but action and suspense mixed with homey vibes with a smattering of romance. I recommend this book.


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Wedding Cake and Murder?

 

Donut Disturb by Ellie Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love is in bloom in Ashland, Oregon as everyone gathers at Lithia Park for the celebration of the year—Thomas and Kerry’s wedding. Jules and her team at Torte have been tasked with catering the outdoor reception and everything is going according to plan, until a wedding crasher shows up. It’s Kerry’s estranged father who was just released from prison. Kerry is upset. Jules vows to do everything she can to make sure that there are no other surprises on her friend’s big day. But when the bassist for the wedding band is found stabbed with the blunt end of his instrument, Jules will slice through the five-tiered cake and a bevy of potential suspects in order to track down the killer.
This cozy mystery is lots of fun and cake. I love Jules and her bakery filled with her friends, family and sweet treats. The plot was a nice little puzzle that kept me guessing until the end. Reading this story put me in a good mood because of the little touches the author used to describe the setting. I felt that, even though I don’t know the author, that she was a positive, upbeat person through the wording of the novel, and the lasting impression I got in the end. I will definitely read more of this author’s work.


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Would You Visit a Castle for a Night of Murder?

 

Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Actor Nora Blake finds her dream job when she is cast in a murder-mystery troupe that performs in a captivating old castle. During one of the performances, Nora stumbles upon the dead body of one of the other actors. As she helps with the investigation, things take a nightmarish turn. Can she find the true killer before she becomes the next target?
Some cozy mysteries are so good that they become one of my favorites. This is one of them. The plot of this story was so suspenseful, and the suspects were so intriguing, I wanted to figure out the solution but couldn’t. The atmosphere of the book was one that I wanted to visit in real life. This story dripped “coziness.” Personally, I want to be a guest the next time they have a murder-mystery dinner. I will read the next book in this series.


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Is Love Stronger than the Demons of our Past?

 

Something About You by K.B. Barrett
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Danny has seen his brothers find true love but never thought it was for him. He believes that his demons would scare anyone away. But what about Jill? She has her own past to deal with while taking care of her younger brother. Can their awkward friendship turn into a romance that can last forever?
I was eager to read this mafia romance, but I was highly disappointed. On the positive side: the story was exciting and easy to read. The negative: The most prevalent word was a curse that didn’t need to be used. There are so many other words in the dictionary that can describe what a character is feeling and would show more of what a character is like. Because that word was used so much, I didn’t understand Danny or what he went through, prior to this story. I felt that Jill was a little naïve and too controlled by Danny through their sexual relations. In my opinion, they had more of an attraction, not love. Danny wanted to own her. I felt that both characters needed to be fleshed out more. This story needed a lot of editing. I received an advance review copy for free, and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.


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Romance and Cozy Mystery New Releases for July 2022

 There are several books being released this month. Here are the ones I recommend you watch out for:

The One I Need by Cindy Kirk, published on July 7th

The One I Want by Cindy Kirk, published on July 14th

The One I Love by Cindy Kirk, published on July 21st

Murder Spills the Tea by Vicki Delaney, published on July 26th

No Parm, No Foul by Linda Reilly, published on July 26th

A Remarkable Rogue by Anna Harrington, published on July 26th

Murder at the Blueberry Festival by Darci Hannah, published on July 26th

Mint Chocolate Murder by Meri Allen, published on July 26th

and, The Paper Caper by Kate Carlisle, published on July 26th

I think this month is full of great reads! Have Fun!