New Releases in Cozy Mystery and Romance for June 2023!

 Hey Everyone! We're coming up on the beginning of a new month, and you know what that means. New books are being released. And, if you're like me, you can't wait to read them! 

Here are my recommendations for a great romance and cozy mystery read: 

Death Knells and Wedding Bells by Eva Gates (Crooked Lane Books, published June 6th)

The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela M. Kelley (St. Martin's Press, published June 6th)

A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality by Kate Khavari (Crooked Lane Books, published June 6th)

How the Murder Crumbles by Debra Sennefelder (Crooked Lane Books, published June 20th)

Hunting a Hometown Killer by Shelly Bell (Harlequin, published June 27th)

Harper and the Single Dad by Amy Andrews (Harlequin, published June 27th)

Thank you to NetGalley for granting me the honor of reading these ARCs. As always, all opinions are my own!

Happy Reading!

A Shady Creek Murder!

 

Through the Liquor Glass by Sarah Fox
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s Autumn and Shady Creek Vermont is participating in the A Taste of Shady Creek festival. Pub proprietor Sadie Coleman is looking forward to visitors coming to sample her literary-themed cocktails, and her mother’s visit. But, when a food critic is found dead at Grayson’s craft brewery, pinned under a barrel, Grayson becomes a suspect. While Grayson lays low, Sadie investigates to find the truth.
This was a fun and fast paced cozy mystery. Sadie is an intelligent and lovable sleuth, and I love her attitude and how she helps her friends and family when there’s a need. The plot was very engrossing, and I didn’t want to stop reading until I got to the end. I was surprised by the big reveal. The setting is so well described I would love to visit a literary pub in a place like Shady Creek. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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An Old Corpse Mystery!

 

On Spine of Death by Tamara Berry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Bestselling author Tess Harrow and her teenage daughter Gertrude have decided to make Winthrop their home. They're turning the family hardware store that Tess inherited from her late grandfather into the town's first independent bookstore. But when renovations unearth bones from a cold case Tess calls in a fellow horror author for reinforcements. Together, they'll come up with a perfect story to make all the clues fit, and solve a mystery more than thirty years in the making.
This was a very interesting cozy mystery. I felt like I was missing something from the start. I realized I didn’t understand the romantic subplot. I think I will have to read the first story in the series. Otherwise, the characters were likeable, and the plot kept me turning the pages until the end. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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A Bakery Murder!

 

Bread Over Troubled Water by Winnie Archer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Photographer Ivy Culpepper is working in the Yeast of Eden bakery when a customer has been murdered. Josh Prentiss always turned heads with his startlingly good looks and thousand-watt smile. But Ivy can’t help noticing one morning that he seems distracted and off his game. Later, during a visit to the park her rescue pug, Agatha, sniffs out Josh lying dead in a bed of poppies. When the bakery is accused of poisoning him, Ivy decides to investigate to find the truth.

This was a great culinary cozy mystery. Ivy is a very likeable, smart sleuth who cares for her coworkers and family. The plot was so engrossing that I kept on turning the pages to find out whodunnit, but I was surprised by the identity of the culprit in the end. I will definitely read the next installment of this wonderful series. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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Secrets and Jewels!

 

Steeped in Secrets by Lauren Elliott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When divorced Shay Myers returns to her hometown of Bray Harbor, she’s inherited a mystical tea shop and cottage from a woman with a past connected to hers. Things get more mysterious when a body is found on the premises. Can Shay figure out the truth before another person gets hurt?
I really liked this book. The story has all of the best cozy elements: a very relatable amateur sleuth, a fun mystery, some very likeable side characters, a setting with a seaside homey feel, and a potential romance for the main character. I can’t wait for the next installment. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

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