I really had a hard time getting into this book at first, but it did improve somewhat as I continued to read. Each of the four women in the Secret, Book & Scone society has a secret in their past that helped shape their lives, and by sharing their secret with the other women in the group, they were able to learn to trust them and form a true friendship and this is the part that I enjoyed the most. I do think this book would be a good read for a book club discussion and there is a reading guide included with the book.

4.5/5 stars
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. I wasn’t looking for a new cozy series, but a friend highly recommends this author, so I gave her a try. I am so glad that I did. This book was an absolute delight from beginning to end. I love this team of real women with real flaws and real emotions. I also adored all of the book references. I’m ready for book 2 already 😊

Ellery Adams is one of my favourite authors and when I read that she was going to write a new series ,I couldn't wait to read it.
I thought the book would be different, and what a book. I couldn't put it down it drew you in right from the start with Nora's secret, with the friends she made Hester ,Estella and June together they have a bond .,the miracles that happen in Miracle springs..
They team up together to solve a mystery and get justice to someone who was killed.
A brilliant start to a new series , can't wait for the next instalment.
Thankyou net galley for letting me read and review this book.

This is a charming cozy mystery with paranormal elements. After being severely injured in a car accident, Nora Pennington moves to Miracle Springs, North Carolina and opens a bookstore. Miracle Springs is a town where people come who are in need of help. People come for healing at the natural hot springs and often find less tangible sources of healing as well. At her bookstore, Nora practices "bibliotherapy". People tell her their problems and she gives them a stack of books to read that will set them on the right path. One day, Nora meets a stranger when she is feeding the birds. He needs help. She sends him to the local bakery for a comfort scone (the owner, Hester, makes special scones that remind her customers of happy times in their lives and give them comfort) and asks him to come to the bookshop afterward. Before he makes it to the bookstore, he is murdered. Nora, Hester and two other women decide to form the Secret, Book & Scone Society and find his murderer.
This is a fascinating idea for all of us who love books - the idea that someone could listen to our problems and give us a stack of books that would show us the way forward. I'd actually like to see more time spent on this idea in future books in the series - and I certainly hope there will be many more books in this series. A really charming read.

Ellery Adams is one of the best cozy mystery writers I have discovered, but this book just does not live up to the standard set by her other titles, especially in the Books by the Bay and Book Retreat series. I am not crazy about the setting to begin with - a community focused on helping people to heal from their past traumas - and only decided to try it because I trusted that the author could tell a good story. Sadly, I read a little over a third of the book and found that I didn't care about the characters or the mystery, and that the little comments about how powerful and healing books can be made me roll my eyes. I found the writing to be more cliched than in the author's earlier books, and I ultimately decided not to finish the book.

I really liked the message of this book. It's 4 unlikely women who don't have many friends if any and are guarded due to traumatic past events. As they pull together to figure out what kind of dark force is killing people and taking advantage of people within their quiet community, they find friendship, respect and acceptance among each other. I was just as interested in the characters past stories as I was in the present story unraveling before me. Excellent book!

The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams was a strong beginning to a new series. It was more than a cozy mystery as Ms. Adams combined very detailed descriptions of the four main women characters in the book. I thought of this book as a combination mystery and women's fiction.

Nora, Hester, Estella and June are some of the strongest, determined and loneliest women I have ever met in a book. Their stories as they are revealed during the mystery had me tearing up and cheering them on as their friendships strengthened. The plot was smoothly paced, the suspects were corrupt and sadly realistic in this current time. There were plenty of twists to keep me turning the pages as I never did quite figure out what was behind the murders until the reveal. Ms. Adams detail of Miracle Springs, North Carolina makes me want to visit and enjoy the spa with June, get a makeover with Estella, eat one of Hester's "special" scones, and visit Nora for a "bibliotherapist" session. The mystery was wrapped up; but I am so curious about Jed's past and the young mystery woman who appeared at the end of the book. I'm am already anxious to read the next one in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own. Thank you Kensington for allowing me to read and review a remarkable book.

unique cozy mystery

Ellery Adams did a great job in this the first book in a new series. She has created 4 very strong women, Nora, Hester, Estella and June. Each have their own strengths and emotional burdens. Unlike most cozies this book was at time poignant. There is a number of male characters that are likely to paired off with the women. The mystery had its share of twist and turns that kept my interest.
I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

"...if you're lucky, the words in those books will force you to grapple with the hardest truths of your life."

A new cozy series with a bookstore as the focus - yay! This was a great start to a new series. The four main characters were really likable and their stories, while sad and a bit somber for a cozy, have really set the foundation for future stories. The mystery was solid and this book is chocked full of beautiful writing, as well as smart and witty literary references. All around a smart and really elevated cozy.

Ellery Adams' new book "The Secret, Book, and Scone Society" was a very surprising book for me. I enjoyed it tremendously. Even though I knew it wasn't really a cozy mystery before I read it, I didn't expect just how different it was compared to other mysteries I've read. I've never cried while reading any mystery book before, but I did while reading this book. It's such a good story, even if you were to take out the murder mystery element. I would read about the four main characters and their friendship and reading group even if the author decided to do away with the murder mystery aspect of the series. Some parts of the women's stories are sad, but their resilience is heartwarming. At times I did get aggravated with Nora and how she'd think about another character or how she'd act towards them, but once I learned her story I kind of understood her attitude a little better. I was very pleased with how the story was resolved and with how the book ended. I rarely give 5-star reviews on books, but this one truly earned it from me. I don't summarize plots or anything like that in my reviews, but suffice it to say that I do highly recommend this book if you're a mystery lover or even a women's fiction lover. I think that the story really appeals to both genres. I look forward to reading the next one in the series if there is one.

Note: I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.

This is a new series by Ellery Adams revolving around four women that come together to solve a murder, but at the same time, to create a friendship that is centered around each woman telling their deepest secret.

Nora Pennington walked away from her previous life that left her scarred and is looking for a new beginning. She can read peoples troubles and in doing so recommends books from her small bookstore, that if read in specific order, can help people find the answers that they are looking for. Hester Winthrop creates comfort scones in her bakery. Estella Sadler, who is called nasty names behind her back and has a flair for the dramatic, is the local salon owner and June Dixon who works at the local thermal pools.

Together the women of Miracle Springs set out to find the answer as to why Neil Parrish, either fell or was pushed in front of a train. Sheriff Todd, also known as the Toad around town, calls it suicide but that quick answer does not hold up for the women. As they sip their coffee and gather around a table with a secret compartment, they begin to compare their notes on Neil. Something is very fishy in Miracle Springs and with a new housing development going in, that Neil was part of, the women set out to solve a murder, expose a fraud, and help to get one of their own out of jail when she has been accused of killing yet another person involved in the Pine Ridge development.

I enjoyed the first book in this new series. With interesting women and a bit of mysticism on the side, they take the reader through their lives and the small town that they call home. I can’t say that this book fully falls under the cozy mystery heading, but then again, it does not fall fully under romance, because you know that there has to be some, and it does not fit completely under women’s fiction or paranormal. Just little bits and parts of all of them, which leaves something for everyone.

Nora Pennington has lived through a life-changing trauma and ended up in tiny Miracle Springs, North Carolina, where she owns and operates a book store. This is not just any bookstore, though -- it's the place where Nora practices her own special brand of bibliotherapy, using her special insights into customers to choose books that will heal their pain as they read. Since the town is known for its healing hot springs, Miracle Books fits right in, and Nora gets plenty of opportunity to practice her avocation with the visitors who comes to Miracle Springs in hopes of easing their pain.

She meets a man in a park and invites him to come to her bookstore for a bibliotherapy session... but he never arrives. Instead, he ends up squashed on a train track. The tragedy brings Nora together with three local women who have experienced tragedies of their own. When one of the four is wrongly arrested, the other women can't resist pitching in to clear her name -- even though it puts them in danger.

There is a mystery in this book, but the main course of the story is the drawing together of the members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society. There's a bit of romance, a lot of book talk, and plenty of healing. This book establish's Nora's story and the surprising friendship of four unusual women. No doubt the intrepid crew will get together in future books to solve more problems.

The Secret, Book and Scone Society is the first in a brand new cozy mystery series from Ellery Adams. Readers will be introduced to the beautiful setting of this charming small town and meet 4 women who become close friends over a murder that occurs in their town. In an essence, this is what starts their little group of amateur investigating, the secret book and scone society. Each of these women, while vastly different from one another, have their own secrets that unfold as the story progresses and it is these secrets that open up the characters and allow us to connect with them. At first, I thought the story was a little slow and frankly a bit darker than the lighter cozy mysteries that I am accustomed to, but I did like it. The characters are great- very well written and flawed like regular people, the town is as charming and atmospheric as they come, and the plot was intriguing. I liked how everything unfolded before our eyes and how I didn't know WHY this murder occurred until the very end. This one kept me on my toes, kept me interested, and left me feeling the thrill of it all. So I am really excited to see where the series goes next. Should be interesting to see these women come back together to solve another mystery.

Likes
- The author wrote these characters as PEOPLE who have flaws and tough backgrounds.
- The friendships between these women.
- The overall feel of the story
- The ending when we finally figure out what is happening and who the killer is

Dislikes
- The pacing was really slow. It didn't bother me so much when I had to put the book down either which can be a major turnoff. I look for a lot of excitement in cozy mysteries and if I had to rate the excitement in this book it would be a 4/10

Injured Souls, Murder, and Corruption
The Secret, Book and Scone Society is the debut novel in Ellery Adams’ Miracle Springs, North Carolina series. This book isn’t your average cozy, but is a book that will touch readers deeply. It has the cozy trademarks of a small town and amateur sleuths. It’s filled with strong emotions and has more adult language and sexual references than most cozies do. Ms. Adams has written a well-plotted mystery with well-developed characters. The four main characters are strong females who are very different, each suffering personal torments and holding secrets close to their hearts, who find themselves involved in a mystery that is tearing their small town apart and develop a unique bond with each other. Ms. Adams’ writing style pulls readers in and keeps them turning pages until they find themselves at the end of the story and wanting more.

Miracle Springs, North Carolina is a unique town where people move to or visit to find healing at the natural hot springs, a location that has a reputation as being a place to go to relax and heal, but if that doesn’t help, there are other options for troubled souls to explore. Nora is a bibliotherapist who owns a bookstore and helps to heal customers who need it by suggesting books to read; June works at a luxury spa where the hot springs are located; Estella owns a hair salon and works magic on her clients; Hester owns a bakery, where everything tastes wonderful, but her specialty is custom made comfort scones. When the mysterious death of a visitor who had reached out to Nora becomes the talk of the town, the authorities rule the death a suicide, but the women don’t agree and decide to get answers. They also decide that they need to build trust between themselves and to accomplish that, they need to share their stories, creating Secret, Book and Scone Society. When a second death occurs and Estella is arrested, Nora, June, and Hester are determined to clear their friend’s name, which places them in harm’s way.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This book is unusual in that while it's very much a cozy mystery, it also fits nicely in the women's fiction genre as it introduces us to four damaged women who are brought together to solve a murder. Nora, the central character, has disfiguring scars from a fire, and we don't learn the tragic details of what she's been through until the very end. The other women's stories come out gradually over the course of the book, and while they all have very different backgrounds and their friendship seems unlikely, they forge a deep bond over books and scones while plotting to clear the name of one of their own after she's falsely accused of murder. Book lovers will appreciate the many literary references, and for romance readers there's a swoon-worthy love interest for Nora who sees beyond her scars to the beautiful woman within. There's something for everyone in this book, and a cliff-hanger at the end that has me eager to see what's in store for the ladies of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society.

There was a desperation in 'The Secret, Book & Scone Society' that engaged me from the very beginning. There was so much depth in this book. It was not a typical feel good cozy, which made the resolutions all the more satisfying as they were heartfelt and deep. Nora's story drives the narrative and there is a set-up for much more about her from Ellery Adams. I look forward to it with great anticipation.

Miracle Springs is a small town hidden between the mountains in North Carolina where people come to heal. Nora is the owner of Miracle Books and she uses her bibliotherapy skills to introduce the right books to the right people and help them heal from whatever has broken them. Hester, the owner and baker from Gingerbread House is famous for her custom scones which bring back memories for each of the customer and make them smile. Estella, the serial dater is beautiful and helps everyone realize their own beauty and confidence through the work in her spa. June is an employee at the Thermal Pools, whose waters are supposed to be miraculous. All these women have secrets from their past which they are trying to forget but are forced to confront them when not one, but two murders rock this little town. They become fast friends, call themselves the Secret, Book & Scone Society and decide to find the culprits themselves because the local law enforcement seems incompetent or even complicit.

I fell in love with the book from the very first page. Even though this is supposed to be a cozy mystery, all the four women characters are well developed. They are all scarred by their past but it doesn’t stop them from trying to help and better the lives of others. The mystery is also quite good and I really couldn’t guess some of the villains till the end. But the best part of the book is the love that almost all characters share for books. Everyone is a book lover which is awesome. Miracle Books is an amazing store and the way it’s nooks and crannies are described, I fell in love with it. I love everything about it – the books, the shelf enhancers, the coffees named after authors, Nora’s collection of coffee mugs with amazing quotes on them and so on and so forth. I just want to go there, order a Louisa May Alcott coffee, pick up a cozy mystery and relax. What bliss would that be!!!

Review: This book receives 5++++++ stars out of 5 stars! I absolutely fell in love with this story I didn't want to stop turning pages but then again I didn't want it to end. I felt like I could connect with all the main characters and feel their pain and their strength. I loved that it was largely focused around book lovers. There is mention of the everlasting TBR, literary quotes in the beginning of each chapter and so many references to books compared to life experiences. This book warmed my heart and made me proud to be a bibliophile, made me want to be a bibliotherapist, made me cry, had me on the edge of my seat with suspense and had me smiling through my depression. This book should definitely be a best seller! I would have to say this is one of my top favorite books ever! I recommend this to anyone for whatever they are searching for!

Let me first start by saying, how grateful I am to have been selected to read and review The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams. This book is going to be out October 31st, 2018 and is published by Kensington. This is a book that needs to be on my shelf and and will be forever in my heart! I wished that the world would pause so I could have finished it in one go, but at least this way I savored it! Not your average cozy, and a book that touched me very deeply. It has the trademarks of a cozy, the main characters all starting over, some in a new place and some just deciding then and there to make changes in their lives and alter their paths forever exactly where they are. One of the things I took away most from this book was that it is really never too late to start over and begin again new.

Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is supposed to be a place of healing. People flock to the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and a renowned spa. But when none of the usual treatments help they land at Miracle Books. With a fresh-baked “comfort” scone from the Gingerbread House, they tell Nora Pennington their troubles. Nora can always find the perfect book to help them in ways other treatments can’t.

When a visiting businessman speaks with to Nora while sitting on a park bench, she knows exactly which novels will help him. Unfortunately, before he can keep the appointment at Miracle Books, he’s found dead on the train tracks.

Nora doesn’t believe it was an accident, so she forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society to prove it. Four women with issues of their own gain trust and confidence in each other by helping others. To join the society, members must divulge their darkest secret—the truth that brought them to Miracle Springs in the first place.

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Series: Book 1
Author: Ellery Adams
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Kensington

The Secret, Book & Scone Society is a story of women determined to uncover the truth. What's behind a murder of a stranger. Perhaps the answer can bring a form of redemption or salvation to the women’s lives. Ellery Adams writes as though she fully understands what the women have gone through, and how they each hide what they feel from the world. The story is realistic on many levels. All people have something they do not tell others, and most will do their best to hide the things that hurt them the most.

Nora is not a perfect person; she is scarred physically and emotionally. She moved to Miracle Springs to start over. To bury the past and prevent her heart from ever being broken again. The character is a study in the human condition. Unwilling to get involved with others, afraid to let them in on her secrets Nora nonetheless cares about people and tries to help in the only way she thinks she can.

The other characters, Estella, Hester, and June, are unique in their own way. They have secrets of their own and do not judge each other based on their past. It is interesting to read each chapter and watch as the characters develop into mostly happy people who have taken responsibility for their own wellbeing. Having friends is something they did not anticipate or ever consider but becomes something they don’t want to give up. They are willing to risk their secrets in order to have friends and help when a friend is in trouble.

The other characters in this book are well-rounded and believable. They enhance the story and make it a challenge to figure out who the killer is. Even the “bad” characters make the story a bit more interesting. The reader cheers for revenge and justice, hoping that the killer will pay the ultimate price for their crimes.

Miracle Springs, North Carolina does not exist, but wouldn’t it be great if it did? To know there is a place where a person can go to help ease their worries or heal their pain is a place everyone would visit. More description of the town and the shops, and their owners would be interesting. Hopefully, this will evolve as the series progresses.

Overall The Secret, Book & Scone Society is a well-written book with memorable characters and a plot that although somewhat convoluted, plays well in today’s society. This book is highly recommended for those that love intricate plots and character story-lines that will keep them guessing and turning the page.