A body at the bakery - Lucy Connelly

 St. Patrick’s Day in Shamrock Cove has brought out countless Irish flags, streams of green bunting, lots of good-natured cheer… and the body of the local baker.

One of Mercy McCarthy’s daily haunts is the patisserie at the heart of Shamrock Cove’s main street, run by her good friend Paisley. The enticing aroma of rich chocolate and perfectly baked sweets is a treat she can rarely resist. She never expected that her pastry run would turn deadly.

Following the breadcrumbs with her trusty canine pal, Mr. Poe, Mercy freezes in terror when she stumbles across the lifeless body of Paisley’s ex-husband, John. All fingers point to Paisley, but Mercy is determined to prove her dear friend’s innocence.

John’s cousins refuse to help Mercy’s investigation just as a suspicious stranger starts lurking around the bakery. Mercy is worried that Paisley could be next, so she enlists the help of her neighbours to catch the killer before another body turns up at the bakery. With her friends at her side, Mercy is sure the case will be a piece of cake.

Then another devastating murder happens in front of Mercy’s own eyes. With the St. Patrick’s Day parade just around the corner, can Mercy catch her killer before another innocent bystander at the bakery becomes toast?

An utterly compelling and totally Irish cozy mystery. Fans of Agatha Christie, Carlene O’Connor and Faith Martin will absolutely love the Mercy McCarthy series!

My Review

I do enjoy the Mercy McCarthy series, if you want a good cosy mystery that doesn't take itself too seriously, then I don't think you'll go far wrong here. The series is set in Ireland (or at least an idealised version of Ireland) and Mercy and her sister Lizzie live the kind of lives that I think many of us daydream about: moving to a small town and becoming part of it, writing (in Mercy's case) or running a bookshop (Lizzie). Unfortunately, they do keep having to solve the odd murder, but in books like these, that just helps to keep life interesting.

This time Mercy stumbles on the dead body of her friend's ex-husband; there seems to be a number of different people who might be responsible for his death and Mercy also has to try and protect her friend from becoming the next victim herself.
I did have one or two ideas about who might have done it this time around, but I was on the wrong track for most of it. I got there in the end, as did Mercy, finally getting to the bottom of who was doing the killing and why.

I enjoy this series and I'm looking forward to some more in the near future.

The Poison Pen Murders - Dee Macdonald

 Anonymous letters, a years-old mystery and… a dead body? Ally McKinley is on the case!

Ally McKinley might be the owner of the cosiest little guesthouse in the Scottish Highlands, but she also has a reputation as an amateur detective! So when a threatening note drops through her elderly neighbour Juliet Munro’s door, Ally is called in to investigate. But what first seems like a nasty prank soon proves lethal, when the very next day, Juliet is found murdered…

Her faithful dog Flora by her side, Ally soon learns that more than one woman in Locharran has received a poison pen letter. And though locals’ lips are sealed over coffee and cake, Ally skilfully unlocks the old Locharran mystery that connects the recipients: they were all rumoured to be involved in the death of a young woman called Marie McKay. Is someone trying to stamp out Marie’s killer? And if so, who in Locharran is not who they seem?

A faded photo of a little blond boy with pale eyes has Ally on the right track, but when a woman’s scream shatters the village’s gentle calm, can Ally sort through the secrets before the post delivers another murder?

Fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Clare Chase will love this totally addictive and cozy mystery set in the beautiful Scottish Highlands from bestselling author Dee MacDonald.

My Review

I always think it sounds strange saying that I really enjoyed a book about murder, but strange or not, I do enjoy them and this one in particular. I've read a few of the Ally McKinley series now (this is book 5) and each one of them has been really entertaining and a good read.

This time, Ally finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation again when a series of women seem to be being attacked and drowned in their baths. As Ally investigates further, she finds out why this might be happening and who might be behind it from their past, without knowing who that might be today.
I didn't solve this one before Ally, I had a few ideas, but I hadn't got it quite right. I didn't really matter though, as this was an entertaining read in any case and I wasn't millions of miles away from the solution.
I'm sure we'll be back with Ally again before much longer and I'm looking forward to reading more about her adventures.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Not Home Alone - Kayley Loring

 She just walked into her dream Christmas rental… and found her worst enemy already unpacked.

Eternal optimist Merrily Tucker is excited to spend Christmas in the most beautiful house in town; a twinkly, tinsel-lined rental that’s just hers for the holidays. But inside is one big problem… the man who once turned her down in front of the whole of Holly Grove, irritatingly handsome, certified Grinch Grant Moody. He says he’s the owner. And he’s planning to spend Christmas here too.

The town might think he’s a playboy, but Grant Moody is determined to spend his Christmas nights alone. Zero decorations, a ban on baked goods, and definitely no holiday spirit. A mix-up with the rental company isn’t going to get in his way. Even if the woman at his door is the irresistibly gorgeous one-who-got-away Merrily Tucker…

Merrily and Grant are both too stubborn to leave.

Battling for control over what music plays on the speakers and heaving Christmas trees in and out of the house, they find themselves all tangled in tinsel. But Merrily’s “when I think about you, I touch my elf” t-shirt has Grant’s candy cane tingling in a way that begs the question…

Secretly, do they actually want to be home alone together this Christmas…?

An enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity Christmas romance perfect for fans of Meghan Quinn, Lucy Score and Ali Hazelwood. Holiday cheer in female fo

rm + the six-foot grump she loves to hate = the perfect festive read.

TROPES:
Forced proximity

Enemies-to-lovers

Fake dating
Spice levels 🌶️ 🌶️

My Review

I was worried when I started this that it might be just a bit too much 'Christmas' after all; our heroine's name is Merrily! Fortunately, as soon as I got into the story and the blossoming relationship between Merrily and Grant, I really didn't care. Merrily loves Christmas; her father owns a Christmas shop in the small town she grew up in and coming back to visit after years away, she rents a house very much like the famous Home Alone house from the film to stay in, as she can't stay with her Dad. Her plans are to have some time to herself there, but she finds herself sharing it with her nemesis, Grant Moody. He's the man who humiliated her when she was in her late teens in front of the whole town and the reason she has stayed away since.

I loved the chemistry between this pair and how they came to eventually accept one another as they understood more about each other. When the humiliation is revealed, I have to admit, I thought she was being a bit dramatic, but it worked for the plot. They make a great couple and although there are some things to work through, there isn't the big misunderstanding you often get with books like this.

This IS a Christmas story; it would be great to read curled in front of a fire with a mulled wine and snow falling softly outside the window. Sadly for me, when I read it yesterday, it was an unseasonably hot October day and not at all festive. I still really enjoyed it, though. 

A Wedding Date with Death - Maeve Haran

 Something old, something new, something borrowed… someone dead?!

When Sadie Sutton swapped four walls for the four wheels of her trusty orange VW campervan, she didn’t realise that it would come with a new career as a super sleuth! But when a wedding at local beauty spot Winching Priory Hotel is halted because the father of the groom has been found fatally poisoned, Sadie drops everything to take on her next case!

As the wedding grinds to a halt, Sadie soon learns that the victim, gifted local artist Benedict Lawrence, also had a talent for making enemies, from the snooty hotel owners to his long-suffering ex-wife. With an ever-growing list of possible suspects, Sadie is stumped. Until she finds a crumpled, threatening note sent to Benedict hours before he died.

The note leads Sadie deep into Benedict’s past, to a secret love affair, a bitter feud and a long-buried grudge. And when she finds a faded newspaper article about him and his artist friends in their youth, she’s stunned at who else she recognises in the photo…

With secrets and lies at every turn, Sadie knows no guests are safe. Can she crack the case before the nearly wed become newly dead?

My Review

A Wedding Date with Death is the second book in the campervan detective series. This time Sadie and her gang of campervan-living detectives find themselves investigating the murder of a famous artist, who may have been popular for his art, but doesn't seem to be popular in person. 

I do enjoy the way in this series we have a whole cast of people who get involved in solving the mystery, each bringing their own skills. Being the second book, I'm starting to get my head around who is who, as much as I like having a few people involved, it was confusing at first as to who was who.

This was an entertaining read (always feels funny to say about a murder story) and one that kept me turning the pages until the end.

Murder at the Manor House - Katie Gayle

 Julia Bird is as keen as anyone in Berrywick to see inside the famous Greystone Manor. But when she does, the last thing she expects to find is a body!

When Julia Bird is asked to clear out the gatehouse at Greystone Manor after the sudden death of Colonel Loxton’s sister, she is intrigued to finally see inside the impressive house. But when she discovers the body of the Colonel, who greeted her only hours before, dead behind the sofa with a bruise on his forehead, Julia believes his death is no accident.

Once forensics confirm it was murder, Julia tries to piece together what happened. On the day the Colonel died, she saw an unknown man getting into a car outside the manor. The butler Garforth and the housekeeper Biddy claim there were no visitors that day, so who was this mysterious man? Or is someone in the Colonel’s family not telling the truth, with tensions running high over the inheritance?

Days later, Julia finds another body dead among the rhododendrons and knows the deaths must be connected. At the Colonel’s funeral she heard his friends talking about a long-buried secret. Had the second victim discovered it, and is it motive enough to kill? With time running out, can Julia solve the case before there’s another murder at the manor?

An addictive and totally charming cozy mystery set in the English countryside. Perfect for fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and J. R. Ellis.

My Review

I do love these Julia Bird murder mysteries. I don't think they are all that believable (at least I hope they're not; I don't think I'd want to come across nearly as many dead bodies as she seems to manage to), but they're very entertaining.

This time, Julia finds herself at a local manor house, helping to clear out the belongings of a woman who has died. It's not this woman who has been murdered, though, but while there, the woman's brother and owner of the house is killed.

I'd like to think that in Julia's shoes I'd be just as inquisitive and help the local police get to the bottom of things, but if I'm being honest, I'd probably be too scared. Julia isn't, though, and soon is snooping here and there and discovering all kinds of things that escape the police's notice.

I didn't figure this one out before Julia, sadly, but it didn't matter as it was still very entertaining and a really good read. I'm looking forward to more from Julia soon.

Readers are loving the Julia Bird Mysteries:

‘Fantastic… had me hook, line and sinker!!!… Stunning… I absolutely love reading these fantastic books in this amazing series… devoured the whole book in just a few hours… absolutely addictive… absolutely page-turning!!!’ Bookworm86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Terrifically entertaining… So much fun!… I devoured in one sitting… Delicious and delightful read with a terrific sleuth that I absolutely loved. Funny, fabulous and far too good to miss.’ Bookish Jottings, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A great whodunnit… I was laughing out loud and was in complete quandary of who the killer was… Charming and extremely entertaining… Wonderful.’ PageTurners Blog, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Oh my, I loved Julia Bird… She is a delight! I can’t wait for the next one! Please don’t let it be long!’ MoongloTexas, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I was hooked on the mystery immediately… If you haven’t read this series you are missing out! Pure entertainment… A fabulous read and I can’t wait for the next one.’ Onceuponatimebookreviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Kept me engrossed and I completed the book within a day… I would highly recommend this cosy crime page-turner as the perfect indulgent summer evening escape.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Wedding Favor - Sharon M.Peterson

 She needs a plus one for her ex’s wedding. He’s the perfect fake date.

Iris can’t believe she’s agreed to be her ex’s best woman at his wedding—as if the humiliation of still being hung up on him isn’t bad enough. If only she had a hot boyfriend to bring as her plus one…

So when her gorgeous neighbor, single dad Abe, offers to be her date in return for being his cute daughter’s nanny for the summer, she leaps at the deal. With his tattoos, ear piercings and thirteen years on her, Abe is the exact opposite of her ex. The idea of turning up with him is perfection.

Iris once swore off love for good. Never mind that being on Abe’s arm as they twirl around the dance floor starts to feel so right… and so does daydreaming about being a real family with Abe and his daughter, instead of playing fake.

Abe is settled in their small town. And Iris has no idea what her future holds.

But with her hand in his, and her cheek on his chest, Iris secretly wonders: what if this fake wedding date could turn into an oh-so-real love story?

A totally uplifting, heart-stealing age-gap single-dad romance full of true laugh-out-loud moments. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Sarah Adams and Abby Jimenez.

My Review

With a title like The Wedding Favor, you might be excused for thinking that this is a story that revolves around or culminates in a wedding. The wedding in question happens midway through the book and although it does form part of the plot, it really is quite a small bit. Instead this is a story of someone finding their way in life, other people not always knowing what's best for someone and most of all, Love.

I fell in love with the characters in this book. Iris herself was brilliant; she was feisty, fun but had such a good heart. Then there was Abe, how could you not fall for him? His daughter Hallie was such fun and best of all was old starlet Gloria. 

I loved every second of this fun romance; it might not have been the spiciest and it took Abe and Iris quite a while to find their way to one another and accept what was going on between them. I think that added to the enjoyment of this story. What a fantastic and satisfying read!

Readers are falling hard for The Wedding Favor:

“This book is pure sunshine… Melted me… Warm and slow-burn… Made me kick my feet… Adorable… How it made me feel: cozy, smitten, and a little weepy… Uplifting and swoony… Charming… Gave me a full-body grin… A hug in book form.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I adored this… Made me cry (in all the right places). Laugh out loud, giggle with toe wiggles, and snort your soda laughter all happened.” kelsomath, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Ooft, this was GOOD! I *loved* this… Laugh-out-loud… The slowest burn romance… Witty, light and a pleasure to read.” selliereads, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I absolutely loved… Captivating… Made me laugh… Heartwarming, and simply beautiful… Really special… Truly stole my heart from beginning to end… Such a sweet, entertaining, and heartwarming read.” mich.entrepag, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Made me laugh, cry, and feel all the feels… Their slow-burn chemistry was EVERYTHING… Full of heart… Had me laughing one minute and reaching for tissues the next… Beautiful!” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Omg I ADORED this!… Charming small-town romance, I loved it!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Brought out all the emotions—I laughed so much… I also cried big tears… Carries so much heart… Warmed my heart.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I devoured this!… Had me laughing out loud, sobbing, and feeling all the feels… This book was just what I needed… I am obsessed… I am a fan for life.” nicolereadsalot96, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“SO sweet… Adorable… Made me happy… Sharon, THANK YOU… loved this!” readerrambling, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Oh my god this was soooooo hilarious and emotional!… I LOVE… Beautiful… Wholesome… I had such a good time.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Wow, wow, wow! I loved everything about this… I laughed, cried… Sweet… Such a great read.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Will put a big smile on your face, and maybe shed a tear or two… Funny and sassy… Will touch your heart.” Riffle Books, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I can’t wait for this to come out and for y’all to lose your minds… I raced through it… Twisty, romantic… Deserves to be such a hit.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Oh my gosh… Absolutely adorable… A winning book!… Kept me laughing and crying.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Work Husband - Sophie Ranald

ou’re just friends that work together. Nothing more. Riiiiiiiiight?

When Georgia’s boyfriend Sam tells her he’s meeting up with his ex, she’s living every girlfriend’s worst nightmare. Because it’s not just any ex, it’s his first love – the relationship everyone thought would last forever. Convinced she’s one pinot-grigio-fuelled evening away from having to argue custody of their beloved cat, she turns to her work husband for help.

Jamie fixes all Georgia’s work crises (like that time she jammed the printer so badly it started smoking…) so when he suggests faking a romance to make Sam jealous, she’s all ears. After all, he’s already her work husband, how hard can it be to pretend he’s something more?

From flirty texts to a dangerous number of G&Ts in the local pub, Jamie’s declarations of love soon start to get out of hand. Suddenly, Georgia’s not sure her work husband was the best choice to help her keep hold of her (hopefully) future husband.

Georgia has watched enough romcoms to know office romances are not a good idea and, as she soon finds out, even fake ones can be dangerous… Is she prepared for what happens when fake dating turns out to be not so fake after all?

A warm and fabulous romantic comedy, perfect for anyone who has ever thought about crossing the line at work. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Sophie Kinsella and Mhairi McFarlane.

My review

It's no surprise that many of the reviews of this book are quite low; it's a hard book to review. From the title, blurb and cover, I was expecting something completely different. It's a bit of a shame, as I can see that might put off a lot of people, but if you put aside those first expectations, it is an enjoyable read. 

This isn't a fun romantic comedy between workmates. This is more about what makes a relationship, the trust that builds it and how sometimes a good relationship is less about the good times and more to do with how you handle the bad ones.

The main issue I have with this book is Georgia's boyfriend, Sam. I don't want to give away spoilers, but I found his behaviour to be so annoying and wrong, but that is never addressed. In all honesty, everyone seems to behave badly, one way or another, but there was something about it that felt a bit more real than most romances.

If you go into this wanting a fun romcom, then there's a good chance you'll be disappointed and not find what you're looking for. If you don't expect that and instead want to read a story of less-than-perfect people trying to find their way in a relationship, then you might get a bit more out of it.