Interesting story for the most part, but since this was the first book I read in the series I was lost a bit with some of the story lines. Charity Penn, or Penn as she liked to be called, is the owner of a chocolate shop. She inherited the shop from her grandmother, and is fighting with her uncle and aunt over the property. She is also fighting with her father's family too, so basically cannot get along with any relatives, except for her half-sister Tina. A cozy murder mystery centered around a music festival being help in their small Carolina town. I liked the story of the murder, and following the clues, but was distracted by the family drama that seemed out of place. Obviously if I had read the others it might explain more, and for the most part was not lost, but didn't see the point. Wish there would have been more of the romance with the hunky lawyer too. Otherwise, enjoyed the book and would recommend.

A great, quick, cozy mystery. A perfect read for snuggling under a quilt with a cup of hot cocoa.

Charity Penn is making a home for herself in Camelia Beach, South Carolina. The chocolate shop owner has joined forces with locals to help organize a music festival. It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt – murdered actually, when one of the singers from the festival is found dead by a bonfire. Charity gets to work right away, or at least as fast as she can with Lothario Bixby Lewis chasing after her. It would appear someone wants Charity to stop investigating the crime, and they will do anything to stop her. Bixby is nearly taken out when a barbecue explodes. Could someone in this quaint little town really be a murderer? St James combines two of my favorite things, mysteries and chocolate and pens a yummy cozy mystery with just the right amount of chills.