I want to give a huge thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Alibi and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Juliet Langley is a PI and manages a coffeehouse in Nashville named Java Jive. She's smart, independent and cares about her friends and their opinions. Juliet does have a lot difficult emotions about previous relationships that have caused her a good bit of pain. She is still  having a hard time with her breakup with the town detective, Ryder Hamilton. Her biggest trial though has been her breakup with ex fiance Scott who ran off with another woman and cleaned out their bank accounts. What an asshat! So, it's a huge surprise when Scott shows up at Java Jive begging for Juliet's help to find his missing wife. What's even more surprising is suddenly Scott drops dead right in the middle of the coffee shop!!! With Juliet's reputation on the line will she be able to clear her name of murder? Will she be able to find Scott's murderer? Read this book to find out.

Review: I loved this cozy and loved Juliet Langley! I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. This book is part of a series but it states it can be read as a standalone and I felt that it was okay that I didn't read the previous ones. Sometimes you can feel like your missing out on characters when you read them out of order but this one was good as a standalone. This book was fun and full of adventure. Highly recommended!

A private Investigator/Coffehouse owner, Juliet Langley has her hands full but her knack for solving mysteries is what keeps her in business. Fun Cozy, and it makes you want to read the whole series.

This is the best of the series so far. Juliet, Ryder and Pete are actually fun to read about. They all want to clear Juliet's name in the poisoning of her ex-husband with sassy dialogue, humor and suspense.

If you were law enforcement, you'd also think Juliet was responsible for the murder of her ex- who she punched in the nose earlier in the day that he dropped dead in her coffee shop. Scott was a creep, who stole not only her heart but also her money. If you're a cozy reader, you know Juliet and another ex- Ryder- are going to solve the mystery (she's a PI as well). You'll like the Nashville setting and the "Cheers" atmosphere of the shop. The mystery is just complex enough, with enough red herrings, to keep you engaged but not so twisty as to lose the sense of humor. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I have read some but not all of the books in this series and I was fine with this as a more or less standalone.

Caroline Fardig’s newest and, in my opinion, strongest of her Java Jive Mysteries, Murder Over Mochas, is quite entertaining and enjoyable. While I don’t know if this is the case, this book has the feel of a final book in a series, completing different arcs and seeing the maturing of Juliet Langley. She is still juggling attractions to a bevy of men but her heart, as always, belongs to her longtime best friend, Pete Bennett. This has been a recurring theme throughout the series, sometimes frustratingly so. 

Juliet’s much despised, low-life ex, Scott O’Mallery appears at Java Jive, the coffee shop that Juliet runs, and she promptly punches him in the nose. This isn’t a good thing when he later drops dead at Java Jive while in a conversation with her and Pete, who are now in the sites of Detective Tom Delaney, an almost too stereotypically dense cop determined to pin Scott’s death on Juliet and Pete. With their freedom at risk, Juliet and Pete decide to solve the crime, rules be damned. And they do break some rules along the way. Ryder Hamilton, one of Juliet’s exes, lends a good deal of support throughout the story. 

I like that much of the book takes place away from Java Jive as Juliet, Pete and Ryder travel to Juliet’s hometown of Liberty, Indiana in an effort to solve the crime. While in Liberty, they receive help from Blake Morgan and Lizzie Hart, who are apparently featured in a different series by Caroline Fardig. There are several other characters, some of note, others as diversion. The book featured enough twists and a couple of particularly well-laid clues to keep the reader guessing and entertained. 

This is a solid mystery and I absolutely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of this series and to anyone who enjoys a cozy mystery. This book is a standalone novel but a reader will probably appreciate it more if the reader has read the previous entries in the series. Juliet is a likable character and, in this particular book, doesn’t take ridiculous chances, something which has annoyed this reader in past books. I am hoping there will be future books in this series. Four and a half stars.

I was given a free copy of this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions stated are solely my own.

I love this series set in Nashville. One reason is that I think that the descriptions of Nashville are accurate but the biggest reason is that I love the characters and the intriguing mysteries that the author has written. This one is the best yet with twists and turns that kept me reading late into the night!

Murder Over Mochas
Java Jive, Book #5
Caroline Fardig
5 Stars

Synopsis:

A blast from the past gets Nashville PI and coffeehouse manager Juliet Langley in hot water in this explosive mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of Death Before Decaf.

As a newly minted private eye, Juliet Langley has sworn to leave homicide to the authorities, limiting the scope of her investigations to cheating spouses and dirty business partners . . . like her ex-fiancé, Scott O’Malley. When Scott shows up unannounced at her coffeehouse, Java Jive, Juliet’s first instinct is to punch him in the nose. Her second is to turn down his desperate plea for help with a case that’s way too dangerous for her liking. But when Scott drops dead before her eyes, Juliet isn’t going to wait around for someone else to clear her name.

It’s only a matter of time before her tumultuous past with her ex-fiancé comes out, so Juliet teams up with her ex-boyfriend, police detective Ryder Hamilton, to figure out who poisoned Scott. They soon confirm that Scott was involved in an illegal scheme that’s definitely grounds for concern.

Just as romance is finally beginning to percolate for Juliet and her best friend, Pete Bennett, she has no choice but to head back to her hometown to seek out the truth. And she’ll need help from the locals to find the real killer—otherwise her happily ever after could easily end up including an actual ball and chain.

Caroline Fardig’s thrilling Java Jive mysteries can be read together or separately:
DEATH BEFORE DECAF | MUG SHOT | A WHOLE LATTE MURDER | BREW OR DIE | MURDER OVER MOCHAS

“I was hooked from the first page. I loved it!”—Dorothy Cannell, award-winning author of the Ellie Haskell mysteries, on Death Before Decaf

“This series is delightful, well written, and wildly entertaining.”—Suspense Magazine (Amazon)


Review:

Juliet is a spunky, sarcastic, big hearted woman who will do anything to help her family or friends. And that includes her ex-fiance who cheated on her and stole all of her money. When he shows up at Java Jive, the coffee shop that she manages, after she punches him she wants to help him. But there is little she can do for him when he keels over and dies. Now with the help of her friends she has to find the real killer before she finds herself behind bars.

The characters are well rounded and well developed. I really like all of the characters in this book and love spending time with them. Juliet surrounds herself with caring loving friends that will always pitch in and help whenever she needs it. I think that the relationship between her and Pete, her boss and best friend, is special and exceptional. They know each other so well and really care about each other and will do anything to help each other. They are like an old married couple, bickering and bantering with each other but never forgetting how much they mean to each other.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is able to create suspense with just the written and I found myself turning pages well into the night, when I should have been sleeping. The mystery was well written and carried on well throughout the entire book. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to uncover that solving this mystery was no easy task. Thrown in some red herrings and enough twists and turns to make a rollercoaster proud and you have a five star mystery.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. If you like engaging characters, a difficult mystery and humor, this is a must read book.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Alibi for the opportunity to read and review this fantastic book.

Juliet Langley, the manager of Java Jive, finds herself a "person of interest" when her ex boyfriend,
Scott O'Malley, drops dead at her feet in the coffeehouse. She is determined to find out who murdered Scott. Love, drugs, and intrigue make this a delightful tale.

Juliet Langley is surprised by the sudden appearance of her ex-fiance, Scott O’Malley. I couldn’t wait for him to be killed off. I found him annoying and clingy. So, it’s no mystery that she and Pete Bennett, Java Jive’s owner are persons of interest in Scott O’Malley’s murder.
Juliet teams up with ex-boyfriend Ryder and Bennett to resolve the case. They must travel to her home town in Indiana to get more information and see what Scott was into before his death.
This is a quick read with quirks along the way. Juliet must figure out her love life and decide what direction, if any, it should go. Lots of twists and turns in this cozy. I highly recommend it.

I was more than a little trepidatious when requesting this book from NetGalley. The previous couple of books have pissed me off more than made me smile from enjoyment of reading. This book cleared up most of my issues. Juliet is finally settling in to being a PI. She's not bumbling around but actually doing her job. Well, sort of. It seems she needs to use her developing skills to prove that she didn't kill her ex-fiancé. The one who stole her life. The one who just walked back into it. The one she punched in the nose.

I didn't love the crossover. Maybe those who regularly read about Lizzie and Blake would enjoy. I did love that the romance triangle (quadrangle?) is finally resolved.



Four stars

This book comes out October 24

It's about time!! Juliet and the gang are back in a new adventure. Juliet's ex-fiancée shows up saying that his wife has been kidnapped and wants Juliet to help him find her. Before she can find out the whole story, he drops dead. So, again she is suspected of murder. As Juliet, Pete, Ryder and Maya try to figure out what happened, they find that things are not what they seemed with Scott, Mandi and the company they worked for. The more they investigate, the more confusing things become. I won't spoil anything, but I am so glad the way things are working out.

Fast-paced from page 1. This book appears to be the last in the series. Relationships come together as well as careers.

I had enjoyed the prior books in the series in part because the coffee shop itself was a character. Not so with this edition. Nashville was left behind for quite a bit of the action.

The title is clever but I am not sure what it has to with the plot.

An entertaining read, I will miss returning to the coffee shop as a reader.

I decided I wanted a to take a break from my usual fantasy, science fiction, and psychological thriller reads so I settled on the cozy mystery, Murder Over Mochas by Caroline Fardig. I have to admit that the title and the cute cover were what initially drew me in, but I was also intrigued by the storyline. I settled into my favorite reading chair and proceeded to devour the book in just a couple of sittings. The story, which is book #5 in the Java Jive mystery series, follows Juliet Langley, a coffeehouse manager who is also a private investigator. Juliet is working at the coffeehouse one evening when her ex-fiance Scott O’Malley shows up unannounced, begging to see her. Outraged because she hasn’t seen Scott since he dumped her and took basically everything she owned, including all of her money, Juliet immediately punches Scott in the face and has absolutely zero interest in hearing what he has to say.

Finally, she relents, and over a cup of coffee, Scott tells Juliet that he is in deep trouble with some dangerous people who have kidnapped his wife, Mandi (who is of course the woman Scott left Juliet for). Mid-conversation, Scott suddenly keels over and drops dead right in front of Juliet. When preliminary test results indicate Scott was probably poisoned, Juliet realizes that her tumultuous past with Scott, along with the fact that she practically attacked him in front of a roomful of people, is going to automatically put her at the top of the list of suspects. So she sets out, with the help of another ex-boyfreind, police detective Ryder Hamilton, to figure out what has really been happening with Scott and if someone actually poisoned him.

Will Juliet be able to solve the mystery and clear her name or will Scott continue to screw her over from beyond the grave, sending her to prison for a crime she didn’t commit? And can her budding romance with coffeehouse owner, Pete, survive the chaos and drama that Scott’s death brings into their lives?

* * * * *
Okay, I don’t want to say too much else about the plot because I don’t want to give away any details that would spoil the mystery, so I’ll just say that this was a fun and quick read for me. It was the perfect read to curl up with in my favorite reading chair and I will definitely keep this series in mind the next time I’m looking for a light and entertaining mystery.

Okay, on to some highlights…

LIKES

I really enjoyed the main character, Juliet. She is feisty, independent, and very resourceful. I was hooked on Juliet from the opening scene of the book when her ex shows up and she immediately punches him in the face. Juliet gets herself into several humorous scrapes along the way, but thinks fast enough on her feet, thankfully, to get herself out of trouble most of the time. In that sense, Juliet actually reminded me a lot of Stephanie Plum from the series of the same name, who is one of my favorite mystery heroines. They’re both kickass and yet hilarious at the same time.

I loved the author’s writing style as well. It’s very conversational, with lots of witty banter between the characters, and I just found myself effortlessly pulled through all of the twists and turns of the story.

The romance was handled well too. Those who follow my reviews know that I don’t like it when a romance takes over and distracts from the rest of the storyline. In the case of Murder Over Mochas, the romance is clearly there but it isn’t heavy-handed at all. Instead, it is skillfully woven in so as to complement the mystery storyline rather than distract from it.

DISLIKES/ISSUES

The only real issue I had with Murder Over Mochas was that although the book technically works as a standalone even though it’s part of a series, I just would have liked more information about each of the characters. I felt like there were details about their backstories that I was missing, and that with those details, it would have been an even more enjoyable read than it was. I especially would have liked to see more of the early interactions between Juliet and Pete. That would have made it a solid 4 star read for me.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you’re into cozy mysteries or just want a quick, light mystery with a touch of romance and humor, I’d definitely say Murder Over Mochas is worth a read. If you’re like me and think you’d want more backstory, maybe consider starting at the beginning of the series and working your way to this one. I think any of them would make excellent weekend or vacation reads.

RATING: 3.5 STARS

Thanks so much to Caroline Fardig, Random House Publishing Group - Alibi, and to Netgalley for allowing me to preview this book. It in no way shapes my opinion.

Murder over Mochas by Caroline Fardig is yet another winner in the series of murder mysteries centered around around the now PI Juliet Langley and the Java Jive coffee house. All the familiar characters are there (Maya,Ryder, and Pete ).
While the semi predictable plot twists are all there, the end is certainly not what anyone would have guessed going in. This only leaves us wanting more.

Manager of Java Java, Juliet Langley ‘s ex-boyfriend, Scott, comes to Nashville to ask for her help. Before he can say anything, Juliet punches him. Scott returns later in the day to talk to Juliet and claims his wife has been kidnapped. After acting odd and sick, he dies in front of Juliet. Both Juliet, and the owner of Java Java are brought in by the police as suspects for giving Scott coffee and water. The new homicide detective doesn’t want to believe anyone else could be guilty.
To clear her name and Pete’s, Juliet goes back to her hometown to dig up the truth behind Scott’s story of kidnapping and his unexpected death. Juliet unearths a complicated pharmaceutical scheme of kickbacks, drug stealing and extortion that leaves the reader guessing as to who the murderer could be.
Even though I couldn’t completely relate to Juliet’s background of being a manager of a coffee shop and a PI and an aspiring musician, I found the story entertaining. Really liked the characters that surround Juliet including Pete and Ryder.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Alibi section of Random House Publishing for the ARC.

Easy to read, attention-holding and a wonderful way to take a break from my usual shoot-'em-up, gore-filled action books: That's my take on this fun book that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. If there's a downside, it appears to be the last in a five-book series that I wish I'd started from the beginning (although this one stands on its own just fine).

Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of cozy mysteries - but for one primary reason: It seems to be the rule that the heroine be downright obnoxious. She goes off on her own, never paying any attention to anyone - as well as the kind of woman who, when chased by a bad guy with a knife, turns left into the dark alley instead of heading toward the well-lit, people-filled street to the right.

Not so here. In fact, I quite liked Juliet Langley, a sometime musician and self-appointed private detective who manages Java Jive, a coffeehouse in Nashville. She's intelligent, assertive but not pushy, and actually listens to the counsel of friends (and yes, even police officers) before going off the deep end. That's not to say she doesn't have emotions, though; in fact, she's got plenty. For starters, she still hasn't come totally to grips with losing her romance with town police detective, Ryder Hamilton, who switched to her best friend and PI-business partner, Maya. She's also got mixed feelings about her current, much younger go-to guy, and conjures up visions of getting together with long-time friend and coffeehouse owner Pete. Mostly,though, she's furious with her former fiance, Scott O'Malley, who ran off with another woman, cleaning out their bank accounts and causing the downfall of the coffeehouse in Juliet's home town of Liberty, Indiana, that she and Scott co-owned (yes, it does seem she's run through an excess of male companions over a very short period of time, but then that's not necessarily a bad thing).

Needless to say, Scott's totally unexpected appearance at the Nashville shop took both her and Pete by surprise - so much so that she punches him in the nose - and when he begs Juliet to use her PI skills to find his missing wife Mandi (the one he dumped Juliet to be with), she's dumbfounded. She's flat-out gobsmacked, though, when he drops dead right in the middle of the shop. When it's determined that he may have been poisoned, the local police become aware of the hostility Juliet's harboring toward the victim and consider her a person of interest at the very least.

With her reputation at stake, Juliet is intent on clearing her name and sees no alternative except to take the investigation into her own hands; somewhat reluctantly, Ryder agrees to help. The place to start, they agree, is in Liberty - just a couple of hours from Nashville - where they quickly learn that Scott and his wife are "drug dealers" (a.k.a. pharmaceutical reps). Despite the potential for better-than-decent income, though, it's pretty clear they're living lives of luxury well beyond their means.

Are the drugs in any way connected to Scott's untimely death or his wife's sudden disappearance? If she's been kidnapped, is she still alive - and can they find her in time to prevent a worst-case scenario? Of course, I can't reveal the answers - but I will say it was a real treat finding them for myself. I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh yes - a personal note that gave this book extra-special interest to me: Like Juliet and the author, I'm Hoosier born (but Buckeye bred). Even more coincidentally is that I grew up in Union City - less than an hour northeast of Liberty. My favorite shopping excursions were to nearby Richmond, where for a time my late father - "Buckeye Poet" Harold Pickett (a.k.a. "Slim Acres") taught Business Law at the Ivy Tech Community College campus.

Small world!

Loved it as usual. The series is great and look forward to next title after a few revelations in this one.

The Java Jive crew is back in another mystery with some unfinished business from Juliet's past. Just when Juliet seems to be at a good place in her life, in walks trouble in the form of her ex-fiance, Scott; the jerk who stole her money, he belongings, and left her bankrupt. Before he can get past hello, Juliet punches him in the nose! Scott says he needs her help desperately, but Juliet doesn't trust him, not after what he put her through. Before he can fully explain himself, he keels over dead in front of her and Pete! Since they both have a history with the victim, they become the number one suspects regarding his murder. Naturally, Juliet and Pete have to clear their names. With the help of a few friends old and new, what ensues is a roller coaster ride that allows Juliet and Pete to explore their evolving relationship, and catch a killer. Another good read.

Juliet Langley's fiancé left her for another woman, stole all her possessions and took all their money. When he suddenly appears back in her life a year later he was greeted with a punch to the nose. Later when she agreed to talk to him he dropped dead. Now Juliet and her BFF Pete are suspects and Juliet decides to use her PI skills to try to expose the real murderer.

This is one of my favorite series. It is well written with characters you want to cheer on. Juliet is tough and sassy yet vulnerable too. There is also an interesting assortment of men in her life.

This is book 5 in the Java Jive series and could be read as a stand alone but you will get even more out of it if you have read the other books too. An ARC was provided to me by NetGalley for a honest review.

Now who would want to kill their ex? Juliet's horrible ex Scoot who stole everything from Juliet when they lived together ends up dead in the coffee house. Juliet and Pete are prime suspect and need to quickly figure out who did it before they get locked up.

Murder over Mochas is book 5 in the series and is a wonderful cozy mystery that will keep you guessing who did it. It can be read a s a stand-alone book. If you haven't done so yet do yourself a favor and pick up