A Twinkle of Trouble by Daryl Wood Gerber - 4 Stars!

When Courtney Kelly's friend, Genevieve, is murdered, Courtney investigates and wonders if Genevieve's scathing reviews and opinions had influenced someone to homicide. And when a second victim is discovered, could one of Courtney's friends be the culprit. With only a germ of a clue, Courtney will have to overturn every rock to get the dirt on the real killer.
This was a really cute cozy mystery. I love how Courtney sees fairies and how they relate to her. Fiona and her fairy friends are mischievous and cute and fun to read about. I also love how Courtney's cat relates to Fiona and the other fairies. The plot was very interesting; there were so many suspects that I almost felt confused between all of them. I also loved how the setting was described. I would love to visit Carmel-By-The-Sea to find some fairies. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

 

Brie Careful What You Wish For by Linda Reilly - 5 Stars!

With the summer heat sizzling, grilled cheese restaurant owner Carly Hale is thrilled to have Ross Baxter delivering her sandwiches to local seniors. She’s never met a more polite or hardworking young man, and she brushes it off when one of her more difficult customers complains about him. But then Ross finds her dead body. The police immediately suspect he killed her, so Carly steps in to investigate. Carly soon learns that the victim had an estranged stepson and stepdaughter and had a reputation for preying on other women’s husbands. Can Carly find the culprit before the culprit finds her?
This was a scrumptious, delectable and delicious cozy mystery. Carly is one of my favorite amateur sleuths to read about, and the mysteries are always puzzling enough to keep me turning the pages until I get to the recipes in the back of the book. And the recipes are very good. I would love to visit a grilled cheese restaurant like the one in this story. I can't wait to read the next installment. Thanks to NetGalley and Beyond The Page Publishing for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

 

The Witless Protection Program by Maria DiRico - 5 Stars!

Mia Carina has steered her Italian American family’s catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor, into becoming the premiere party site, and nothing could make her happier, except her boyfriend proposing. A strong, independent woman and respected entrepreneur, Mia never imagined she’d pine for a marriage proposal. It’s especially surprising, considering Mia’s first husband, Adam, was a philandering grifter, assumed lost at sea after a boating disaster. While working at a wedding expo, Mia is shocked to spot him. When it happens again the next day, it’s time for an emergency meeting with the Family. Because if Adam is alive, Mia is still married! Everyone wants Adam dead. Everyone except Mia. Someone out there disagrees, and if Mia doesn’t discover who, she may never be free to marry Shane, or anyone else!
Maria DiRico writes unforgettable hysterical cozy mysteries that I always love to read. Her characters are laugh out loud funny and the plots are confounding enough that I keep turning the pages until the wee hours in the morning. I am always surprised with the big reveal at the end. Out of all of the cozy mysteries I read I think this would be one of the best to become a mystery series for TV. I would love it! I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review Is my unbiased opinion.

 

Belonging: KT and Lolo by Cindy Kirk - 4 Stars!

Kaiden "KT" Slattery is the hottest artist in the country. He’s parlayed his talent into financial success. Yet somewhere between custom coffee cups and office park murals, KT lost his spark. Passing on the latest corporate offer, he returns to Good Hope to reconnect with his creative heart. When Lorraine “Lolo” Kendrick’s long-term relationship implodes, and her biggest client rejects another round of designs, she needs a change. Cashing in all her unused vacation, she returns to the site of her happiest summer, Good Hope. There Lolo finds peace, inspiration, and her teenage crush living right next door. Can a teenage romance turn into a love strong enough to rewrite both of their futures?
Cindy Kirk is a master storyteller who fills the pages of her novels with great characters that you fall in love with and want to get to know more and more. When I read this book, I was actually looking for certain characters that I hadn't heard about in a while. And when I didn't read about them, I was a little disheartened. But I had nothing to fear because this sweet love story was totally satisfying and gave me that uplifting feeling I always get after reading a Kirk romance! This review is my honest opinion.

 

Three Fudges and A Baby by Nancy Coco - 3 Stars!

April is not only the start of the season on Mackinac Island, it’s when fudge maker Allie McMurphy’s BFF Jenn Carpenter is due. Jenn wants to have her baby on the island, so she’s lined up a midwife and a doula. If there was a list of what not to expect when you’re expecting, right at the top would be coming upon your doula holding a gun over the body of her fiancé. Clearly in shock, Hannah Riversbend claims not to have shot him. Jenn asks Ally to prove the doula’s innocence before her special delivery arrives. The clock is ticking as Ally races to solve the murder in time for Jenn’s bun to come out of the oven.
This was a cute little cozy mystery filled with luscious candy and dastardly deeds. Allie will do anything to help a friend in need, so she takes on the investigation of the doula fiancé's murder. As I was reading, I wondered if I would do the same for my best friend. Because that is the essence of this mystery. It was a good story, and I hope to read the next installment in this series soon. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

 

A Smoking Bun by Ellie Alexander - 5 Stars!

The mountains are calling in Ashland, Oregon, where pastry chef turned amateur sleuth, Jules Capshaw, is baking up a bevy of delicious deserts. Ramiro’s family is visiting from Spain and Jules can’t wait to take them up to Mount A to watch the Downhill Dummy. Contestants strap dummies to skis and send them hurling down a ski jump in hopes of catching big air. It’s a fun and festive atmosphere until one of the dummies takes a deadly detour and lands atop Fitz Baskin. Fitz is a guide on the mountain who has been suspected of some underhanded deals. As Jules investigates, she unearths a web of secrets and motives that threaten to shake the rustic mountain lodge to its core. Can she catch the killer before they strike again, or will the truth be buried forever under fluffy layers of fresh snow?
I loved this wintry cozy mystery. The characters were dastardly, and the plot kept me guessing until the very end. The story flowed well, and I was never bored. There was no blood or gore as the murder occurred "off the page." This story makes me yearn to visit Ashland and see this wonderful community. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

 

Public Anchovy #1 by Mindy Quigley - 4 Stars!

Pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is catering a Prohibition-themed fundraiser where a dead body crashes the party. Soon, Capone, Delilah, and her entire staff are trapped in an isolated mansion and embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. To catch an increasingly desperate killer, Delilah will have to top all of her previous crime-solving accomplishments, and a few pizzas, too.
This was a very delectable mystery full of dastardly characters and delicious food. Delilah is a fabulous sleuth who's very real and down to earth. Reading this story gets you hungry for pizza. This plot was classic, and I was totally surprised by who the culprit was in the end. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

 

The Sign of Four Spirits by Vicki Delany - 3 Stars!

When Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, attends a séance, she finds herself banned and shown the door. Curious, she listens in from outside the room. Gemma hears a voice cut off, a cry for help, and a scream. Gemma bursts into the library to see that someone has collapsed on the table and was murdered. The windows are all locked, and Gemma was guarding the only door. Someone in this room is a killer. But who?
This cozy mystery was very entertaining and had some twists and turns that kept me turning the pages until the culprit was revealed in the end. Gemma Doyle is a great sleuth who's intelligent and observant and when asked to help in this investigation, shows the police that she's up for the challenge. The side characters are fun to read about, and I loved the romantic subplot. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.