The novel Patriot's Passing seems to be written with the best of intentions. It honors the spirit of those who survived their military husband following a battlefield fatality. I like that about it. However, the novel is very simply written, with very short paragraphs, leaving a lot of white space on the page. There is nothing complex to the writing or the story, so I feel that experienced readers may find it unappealing. I personally look for a more complex story, and did not find it here.
Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

There are many eays of going on with your life and honoring the ones you lost. Rossalyn did just that after losing her husband in the military. What she wasnt expecting was a huge mystery.

The cruelty of the Afghan war comes sharply home to Rossalyn and Ryan Channing when husband and father William is killed while on deployment there. A funeral and the need to vacate military housing lead to a cross country journey to Illinois and the arms of Rossalyn’s parents; a temporary refuge she hopes. A fortuitous stop in the small town of Chatsworth, just short of Rossie’s childhood home brings to light an interesting vacant building, once a restaurant. Its charm casts a spell and puts ideas in her head. Since this is a time of new beginnings, and with the support of Ryan and her parents, she decides to open a café there. Things go smoothly, and soon “Hawg Heaven” is almost set to open. Unfortunately, that is when the obnoxious Willis brothers, Jasper and Merle, show up to ruin and intimidate. Then, when the mysterious mountain sized motorcyclist comes by, and the dead body of a young woman is found on the back of her lot, things begin to look grim. Can she weather the storm? Will she lose her investment? Are their lives in danger? Lots of questions arise. And then there is the crooked Sheriff, Buckley Willis, to consider.

The subtitle, “Cozy Culinary Mysteries” tells you that food central to the story and “Cozy” lets you know you are not going to have to unravel a Sherlock Holmesian conundrum. For good measure “Hawg Heaven” also manages to be interesting in the bargain. And it is short, sometimes that is very desirable too. My one complaint is that the ending is abrupt and unsatisfying.

This story is sweet, simple and just the right thing for someone who does not want, or should not want, spectacular violence, or language “bombs” of various types to be present in the books they read. If that sounds good to you, go for it. I give it three stars.

Thanks to Summer Prescott Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader’s copy for review.