Disclosure: I received a digital copy from the author through Netgalley for review. The opinions expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from others.
Brief Summary:
"Stan" is from a small town owner of a pet bakery. She is marrying her Irish fiance who own a local Irish pub. The couple do not want a large wedding. Her meddling mother, sister, and practically the whole town, have other ideas and want to change everything right down to the dress she wears. Her sister wants to throw a bridal shower which will be a "surprise" location. It just happens to be at her bakery. That is where the story and murder really begin.
My review:
This is a 7th book in a series which I mostly enjoyed. I was glad to know that I could read it and not have any carry over characters to catch up with. It did take me longer than I thought it would to read.
The wedding story and the actual murder story could almost have been two separate stories in and of themselves. I felt the author almost ran away too much with the wedding part and not the murder part. I felt she also had troubles keeping track of her characters. I also felt it took too long to get to the actual murderer who was only briefly mentioned nearer to the end of the book.
Having said all that though, I loved the character "Stan". She is an independent woman who I could actually relate too. She has strong opinions of what she truly wants but tries to be a people pleaser too. Her relationship with her Mother is often teen-ager like (which is mentioned) and it causes her heartache to the point she wants to run from it all. To make matters worse is her soon to be sister-in-law is also the local sheriff. I would like to have known more about her relationship with her pub-owning brother.
I found her pet bakery to be a great idea and I almost wished it had been described even more. I saw it to be cozy and place where everyone wants to hang out. Stan and her soon-to-be co-business partner are likeable and people this reader would just want to hang out with. The back of the book included some real pet recipes which I thought was a nice touch and one of the reasons I wanted to read and review the book.
I found it funny that she was able to do so much investigating on her own. Although her sister-in-law often told her to butt out, she plain didn't. She got away with a ton in my mind but her stubborn persistence paid off for what seemed like a somewhat inept sheriff.
The twist in the book were okay including the (spoiler alert) stalker but even that was surprising and took a long time to get to for such a minor character.
I would have also liked to have know even more about the character that was murdered. He was likable and complex. Again, it took near the end of the book to really get to know him. When I did, I wished he had not been killed off. Suggestion to author: write a prequel about him, I would read it!
Again, overall, I liked the book and the recipes, but would like those minor characters to be beefed up more. For these reasons I give the book a 3 star review.
Where to find author:
Liz Mugavero has been writing stories since she could hold a pen. Before that, she would tell them to anyone who would listen (not many at the time). After deciding early on she would write books for a living, she practiced by writing bad, angst-filled poems, short stories and even a storyline for a soap opera–all by age 15. She never wavered from her goals despite all the usual questions including, “So are you going to be an English teacher with that degree in English?” or, “That writing thing sounds nice, but how are you REALLY going to make a living?” She went on to get a master’s in writing and publishing and spent time in journalism, PR, and presently, corporate communications. And she’s confident this writing thing IS the way to make a living. Aside from writing, she loves animals (has a houseful), the beach, reading other writers’ masterpieces and Starbucks coffee.
Author Links Webpage – http://www.lizmugavero.com; Twitter – https://twitter.com/lizmugavero; Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Liz-Mugavero/329291780446231
~Michelle aka Naila Moon GIVEAWAY: Michelle of Reading Authors is not responsible for prizee or shipment. This is sole responsibility of the author. Please read rules. a Rafflecopter giveaway
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