Dollycas’s Thoughts

When I first saw the cover of this book I didn’t know the author was a pseudonym for Tonya Kappes, but as soon as I read the first page, I knew I was reading a book by Tonya Kappes. She has a distinctive writing style and her characters are so much fun.

This new cozy series introduces us to Sophia Cummings, a pastry chef at a top Manhattan restaurant. That is until she finds her boyfriend, also a chef at the same restaurant, cheating on her. She decides to head home to Rumford, Kentucky to get a break. She quickly runs into a friend from high school and finds herself making her wedding cake. The reception is being held at the Rumford Country Club where Sophia used to work. She knows she will have everything she needs there to create the wedding cake of her friend’s dreams. Unfortunately, when she arrives she finds the club’s head chef, Emile, dead on the floor with a cast iron skillet nearby. She notices something about the pan and informs Sheriff Carter. The next thing she knows she has accepted the job as an interim chef for the club. Maybe while working there she can find out who clobbered the chef, but her main concern is that her friend’s wedding goes on without any more interruptions or dead bodies.

This series is off to a divine start. Sophia is a talented chef with a huge heart. She loves creating desserts that make people happy. She couldn’t say “no” to anyone, which is why she ends up committed to baking things even after the date she plans to return to Manhattan. Her mother, on the other hand, is demanding, bossy, and you know a mom that really loves her daughter. She is also not beyond a little matchmaking. Her father does his best to keep the peace and has a strong bond with his daughter. It was great to meet all of Sophia’s high school friends, even the one she doesn’t recognize. These characters are so well developed already in this first book. I am excited to see the beyond high school relationships grow and evolve. Their Southern charm shines throughout the whole story.

The author has filled these pages with a great whodunit too with plenty of suspects and twists galore. So well-plotted and full of clues and just the perfect amount of humor.

Ms. Bell’s descriptive talents set the scene perfectly. She has created this wonderful little town of Rumford and I escaped away right into it.

Southern charm, mystery, great characters, fantastic dialogue, and a bit of comedy make Cake and Punishment a must read! The talk of sweet treats will also have your mouth watering.

I really enjoyed reading Cake and Punishment. I found it a bit formulaic as far as cozy mysteries go, however. Girl has guy trouble and flees to her hometown, finds potential love interest and works to solve the crime etc. One thing that impressed me about Sophia was that she wasn't playing amateur detective because she thought she was smarter than the police, but because to her it was a puzzle, Another thing that was markedly different from other cozies was that she didn't know the victim and at no time was she a person of interest in the crime. Much like cozy fans, she was following the clues and making her own theories. I love how she compared it to a recipe and the science of cooking. I think this is a promising start to a new series.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Cake and Punishment is the first book in the new ‘A Southern Cake Baker Mystery’ series. I found the characters, the setting, the mystery and the romance in the book came together to create an extraordinarily enjoyable read, in fact, one that has me now chomping at the bit for the next in this series.

Sophia Cummings is a broken hearted pastry chef returning to her hometown for a bit of a respite away from her busy life in Manhattan while nursing a broken heart. While back in Kentucky, she is talked into making a wedding cake for her high school chum (Charlotte). The wedding reception will be at the Rumford Country Club and while Sophia was checking the place out, what (or should I say who) is discovered? A dead chef…apparently by one swipe of his own cast iron skillet! This leads to not only Sophia working on the wedding cake but also running the country club’s kitchen until a replacement head chef can be found. And let me tell you… the replacement is not someone Sophia is ready to see.

Early one evening Sophia can’t sleep (she is staying at her parent’s home) so she is up late at night, baking cookies. Her dad walks in to the kitchen and they share stories, coffee and some heartfelt conversation – such as the following, which added depth beyond normal cozy mysteries (at least for me):

“Seriously, what was really my validation that my cookies were good was the look on people’s faces after they ate a cookie that I created from scratch, with these hands.”

And what would a mystery be without a romance or two. I quite enjoyed the sparks between Sophia and the local sheriff – Carter. Hmmm…will they or won’t they? That is for you to read and find out. Let’s just say that the path to romance is not always paved nor straight and narrow ☺. But the journey was enjoyable. Unfortunately, I will have to wait for the next book in the series to see where this romance may lead.

Another aspect of the story which grabbed me was the changes that were happening in Rumford (like the local bakery had closed or that Charlotte was a real estate agent) and how that set up nicely the reintegration of Sophia into the small town.

I did get a bit antsy when the cheatin’ ‘ex’ came into town. How dare he impinge on Sophie’s break away from Manhattan. I really wanted him to just go back home! Other events happened that added more depth into the storyline (as well as possible red herrings… or actual pieces of information which might help solve the mystery).

The bringing in of the “cozy mystery” discussion at the library was priceless…had my chuckling:

“You’ve been investigating?” Cat seemed interested. “That’s so fascinating. Kinda like the cozy mystery genre we have here at the library.”

“Cozy mystery?” I laughed at the name.

“Yeah. They are popular mysteries where the amateur sleuth has a job and happens upon a murder. Kinda like what you did. Then she takes the investigation into her own hands. Sorta like what you’re doing.”

The story flows effortlessly with many suspects to consider. Figuring out ‘whodunit’ was not an easy task and it wasn’t until the end that it all came together, which is just the way I like my cozy mysteries. With all of the depth and tangents that were intertwined in the story – it lead to a veritable cornucopia of reading fun. So much so that I had a difficult time putting the book down!

I am most assuredly waiting with baited breath for the next installment in the A Southern Cake Baker Mystery series. Well done Mayme Bell (aka Tonya Kappes) … well done.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

When I heard that Tonya Kappes was going to start a new series under the name Maymee Bell, I was eager to read it and I wasn't disappointed. This is a great start to what I hope will be a long running series. The main character is Sophia Cummings, a young woman who has returned for a short visit to her small home town in Kentucky and the comfort of her family. She needs to take a break from her job as the pastry chef at an upscale New York restaurant after her boyfriend cheats on her with another staff member. Her plans for a nice visit with Mom and Dad and some school friends goes sideways when she finds out that one of those friends is getting married but is now without a baker for her dream wedding cake. The local Piggly Wiggly store sure isn't going to be up to the task. Sophia says yes to the cake when asked only moments before the country club chef is found dead in the kitchen - blunt force trauma with an new uncured skillet. Any good cook knows you must cure the skillet first so Sophia has her first clue. That leads her to offering to fill in as chef until a replacement can be found. What better way to be on the spot and investigate? After all, in true mystery fashion, she knows the police are focusing on the wrong suspect and, this being a small town, she has a past relationship with the suspect.
I liked the fact that Sophia can investigate while not being the super know it all nosy amateur who thinks she can do better than the bumbling local police. The local police know what they are dong. It helps that the investigating cop is a hunk, adding the possibility of a romance. Besides a bit of romance there is humor and a nice family relationship. The mystery was satisfying with just enough twists to keep me guessing. I know I will be on the look out for the next entry in this new series.

This was an absolutely fantastic and enjoyable start to a series that I will definitely be waiting for more of!

As a pastry chef, Sophia's descriptions of ingredients and flavors merging to create delicious baked goods will have your mouth watering! So make sure to grab some sweet tea and something sweet before you begin! Or better yet with recipes provided, I can see pantries being quickly emptied in an attempt to recreate some tasty treats. I loved learning about the process of baking as Sophia expertly detailed her creations. Any foodie or culinary cozy fan will take pleasure in eating this book up, especially knowing you can whip up a batch or more of your very own Red Velvet Crunchies!

This was a solid mystery throughout with just enough twists and quirky side characters to keep readers guessing until the very end. Bell's casual and conversational writing style really plays on the Southern hospitality, drawing you into this friendly and welcoming community. The story's pacing also created the right amount of tension and suspense to keep the pages turning in an effort to figure out who the murderer ultimately was. I'm also a fan of the hate-to-love troupe, so the push and pull between Sophia and the sheriff added an additional layer to the antagonistic relationship that generally exists between amateur sleuths and law enforcement.

Overall, this was a fun and charming read that I look forward to continuing. Highly recommended for any fan of cozies as well as a perfect place to start for those looking for a place to start!

This book is a promising start to a new cozy mystery series. I'm looking forward to where the author takes the characters in the future.

Sophia is a very likable character. I enjoyed getting to know her, her family, and the town that she grew up in. The setting is described in enough detail that it allows the reader to picture the area for themselves. The mystery kept my attention and the killer completely took me by surprise.

I really enjoyed the recipes in the back of the book. Sophia's treats are described with enough detail that I was craving sweets majorly while reading this book.

I did not want this book to end, that's how good it was! From the small town Southern setting to the amazing characters and their overall chemistry with one another, I loved everything there was about this mystery. I do admit that I was able to guess the killer but it was fun seeing how that person got caught. Retribution came swiftly to the killer at the end, but to me it was very satisfying.

Sophia Cummings was head pastry chef for The Manhattan, an exclusive New York restaurant, who, after finding her boyfriend Noah, their main chef, with the hostess, needed some time away to keep herself sane. She came back to her hometown of Rumford, KY where just about right away she found herself the cake baker for her good friend Charlotte's wedding. The more word spread about Sophia's amazing desserts, the more people just assumed she would be staying. Sophia even let herself dream about staying every so often when she saw that the local bakery had closed. Conveniently, her friend Madison was the listing agent for it as well as a very cute little cottage.

Sophia didn't think there would ever be a murder in this small town but when the country club chef was found dead and Evelyn, the general manager became the main suspect, Sophia felt it was only right to clear her longtime friend who had given her her first job right there at the country club. Hopefully Sophia and her other friend Madison can figure out who the killer is before Sophia becomes the next one killed!

This book had so many fun and likable characters! Sophia's mom, Bitsy, was a real trip! She had a way of getting her way all the time but everyone loved her for the kind person she was. I felt like any of the main characters would make for some really good friends especially Madison and Charlotte. At first I wasn't sure whether to trust Charlotte's fiance Brett or some of the other suspects to choose from. I did pick the correct one but I feel like the author helped a lot by planting clues that I picked up on.

I could totally picture this book as a TV mystery movie since it has everything they look for in a very sweet but compelling mystery. There was a wedding, a budding romance, a few tense or scary moments but the very happy ending that I always love when I read a cozy mystery. This book fit everything I have come to expect in a great cozy! I absolutely cannot wait for the next book!

There were some amazing-sounding recipes at the end of the book that readers will recognize as desserts that Sophia made throughout the book. There is also a recipe from the author's own mother.

A fun start to a new series. I love a good Southern mystery, and this definitely is. There were some amusing surprises, great characters, and awesome southern charm. I feel that this book would be amazing as an audio book. The mystery was a tiny bit weak, and it seemed a little anticlimactic, but it was very enjoyable.

This book takes place in a small Kentucky town, called Rumford. The story follows Sophia Cummings. Sophia has run away from her ex-boyfriend Noah, and her head baker job in New York at the Manhattan. Sophia grew up in Rumford. Rumford is pictured as a nice southern town. It was a morning after her getting there that we meet her "Mama, aka Bitsy". The town has changed in the ten years Sophia has been gone. Businesses have closed, and some have remained opened. Ford's bakery was recently closed and Sophia has an eye for baking. Though what really gets Sophia going on her sleuthing way is when a body turns up. While prepping for the wedding of Charlotte Harrington the body of head chef Emile was stumbled over. Why is there a new unseasoned cast iron skillet by his head? Every southerner knows if your a chef, you wouldn't be using an unseasoned iron skillet. Though bludgeoning is a little lazy to start with my usual murder mysteries. It just came out of no where, and it made it seem like a lazy killer. Moving on though the clues were great. Would Evelyn be taken in for the murder? What is this with scribbling in the ledger?
Though Sophia is a dessert maker she quickly took over the kitchen at the RCC. It was great to learn of so many things that Bitsy is into. A word to readers. This book is clearly Southern. You will maybe get a little frustrated at all the Southern slang, and euphemism in this book. I live near Kentucky, and even had a hard time with so much use of our Southern Slang. But that aside; the book was great. I was all going one way with the actual murderer and then wham into the ending.
This book is a mystery, but who doesn't love brown eyed police officers. Carter was a great guy cop. I could look at him all the time. Plus he was on Sophia's side the whole time. Though this book was a little heavy on the romance, but it was cute, and nothing over the top.

This is a great book; this is the first book in the Southern Cake Baker Mystery Series written by Maymee Bell. Sophia Cummings is a professional pastry chef and had come home to Bucolic Rumford, Kentucky to get away from her ex who is a chef. She is talked into making a friend from high school’s wedding cake. While at the Rumford Country Club she walks into the kitchen and finds Chef Emile’s body with a new cast iron skillet near him. She knows right away that the skillet is not Chef Emile’s because no chef would use a new skillet without it being seasoned it first. To make matters worse the new interim chef they get for the wedding is Sophia’s ex from New York. Sophia is determined to find the killer before the wedding. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

I always enjoy a good laugh and this author provides wit and humor throughout her stories. This is a great beginning to a wonderful series. I can see the potential and am looking forward to the next installment.

I like that the story kept me engaged, didn’t drag, and provided me with some cooking knowledge along with a few recipes at the end.

Sophia Cummings is a pastry chef in New York City who has taken some time off to get over a cheating boyfriend and figure out what her next move in life will be. Her healing time is back home in Rumford, KY.

She agrees to make the wedding cake for her friend and is fortunate enough to be able to use The Rumford Country Club’s kitchen. The unfortunate part is that the same venue will have a dead body in it.

Sophia assists in figuring out the clues and I had a good time following along.

The mystery is well written with lots of descriptions to help the reader feel involved in the story. Add to that a dose of southern charm, a budding romance and some great food (recipes included) and you get the quintessential cozy mystery. First in a new series, Cake and Punishment is a great mixture of mystery and romance.

Pastry Chef Sophia Cummings is visiting her home town of Rumford, Kentucky to recover from the shock of finding her live-in boyfriend, Chef Noah, in the arms of another woman. She soon finds herself not only baking an old friend's wedding cake but also being the fill in chef at the local country club after the chef was murdered.



Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Maymee Bell may become the Southern Mystery Queen after this book and I say that after book one! It was such a delight to meet Sophia a baker with a flare for solving a mystery. She may have gone back home, but she is certainly not leaving her dream behind.
Maymee Bell has whisked a confection of mystery in her debut novel that will have readers savoring every word.

I am always pulled into books by their covers and this one got me from first look. I was so hoping that the story held up to my already high expectations of what the cover promised. And let me tell you, this book and Maymee Bell didn't disappoint. For this being the first book in a new series it had to really stand out, and boy did it ever. This is a fast-paced read with great character and story building. The mystery is so well thought out and full of twists and turns. I also loved the bits and pieces of romance and I can't wait to see where that story leads. I found this book to be a delicious treat wrapped in a perfect mystery. And guess what? Today is release day, so you can go buy it and you won't have to wait to start reading!

In Cake and Punishment, the first in the Southern Cake Baker series by Maymee Bell, you meet Sophia. She's a pastry chef who has recently returned home from NYC to Rumford, Ky. to nurse her broken heart. Since she is in town, she is talked into making her best friend from high schools wedding cake. While checking out the kitchen at the country club/venue's kitchen she finds the body of Chef Emile. Sophia finds herself caught up in making a wedding cake, her mother's match making, and trying to figure out who the murderer is. The story flows, has a great cast of characters, and keeps you guessing until the end. There is mystery, a little romance, and decisions to be made. Cake and Punishment is an easy read and a great cozy mystery.
There are recipes included for delicious sounding desserts.
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
I was given a ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an honest review.

CAKE & PUNISHMENT by Maymee Bell (aka Tonya Kaapes) is the first book in the brand new Southern Cake Baker Mystery series and one not to be missed! Filled with Southern charm and sayings, the characters bring the Kentucky region to life for the reader. The protagonist, Sophia Cummings, is a talented pastry chef taking a short leave from her prestigious position at a Manhattan, New York restaurant after catching her boyfriend in a compromising position with the maître d’. Returning home to Rumford, Kentucky to stay with her folks, Sophia finds herself volunteering to make the wedding cake for one of her old high school friends. I love how the author integrates cake baking and decorating tips into the story and the descriptions of her gorgeous confections are drool-worthy. Bitsy, Sophia’s mother, is as southern as they come and adds appeal to the story. Many of the scenes are centered at the Rumsford Country Club and when the head chef is found murdered right before Sophia shows up to start on the cakes, she gets involved. Some might call her nosy but she pays close attention to details and finds that people like to talk to her. The author provides many suspects to keep the reader guessing while for the most part, the pacing of the story was good. The final reveal felt a bit rushed or maybe I just didn’t want this enticing story to end.

Not only did Sophia bake the wedding cake for her friend, she pitched in to work in the country club’s kitchen after the chef was murdered. She also baked yummy treats for her friends and family throughout the book and I was constantly drooling. Fortunately Ms. Bell provides several mouthwatering recipes at the back of the book and I want to try them all!

Loved it! So glad to see this is the beginning of a series. I am eager to read the next delightful installment in the life of the Southern cake baker. Familiar premises, but done with a slighter different edge. Romance, breakup, move back (or visit) to small hometown, and more. Yummy recipes, too!

Cake and Punishment is the first book in a new cozy mystery series. I loved this book and thought it set up the major players for the series really well.
Sophia Cummings is an excellent main character. She is a pastry chef, working in Manhattan, who comes home to Kentucky for a few weeks to reevaluate her life after walking in on her live-in boyfriend in flagrante delicto with the hostess at the restaurant they both work at.
Sophia finds it is far too easy to fall into the rhythm of her old life, and before she knows it she is baking the wedding cake for her friend, Charlotte's, wedding; joining her mother, Bitsy, at various club meetings; reaffirming old friendships; and stepping in to help run the country club kitchen when the head chef is found, murdered, days before Charlotte's wedding.
Sophia feels honor bound to figure out who killed Smile, the chef - to make sure her friend's wedding happens without a hitch. Investigating is more dangerous than expected - both for Sophia's life and her heart. She locks horns with the hunky hometown sheriff, and sparks fly.
Everything about Cake and Punishment was a lot of fun. An excellent bonus are the yummy recipes at the end of the book.

After her boyfriend cheats on her, the head pastry chef Sophia leaves New York City and goes back to her small hometown in Kentucky. There she gets pulled into baking a wedding cake for her old school friend. To make matters worse, chef at her parent's local country club is killed. What is she to do but look into it, trying not to step on hot Sheriff's toes while doing it.
Lovely set of charming southern characters. Funny and witty with laugh out aloud moments, and cleverly plotted.
It has all the right ingredients for a great cozy and it is a definitely a must read for all mystery lovers.

Sophia Cummings has come back to her hometown of Bucolic Rumford, Kentucky to take a much needed breather from her everyday life. She found out that the man she was seeing was cheating on her and needed to get away, not only do they work together but they live together too. While in town her friend asks her to make her wedding cake, you see Sophia is a very talented pastry chef and she immediately says yes. The kitchen at the local Country Club has agreed to let Sophia make the cake there and she can't wait to get started but when she finds the body of the chef she doesn't know what to do. It looks like the man has been knocked over the head with a frying pan, but who would do such a thing and why? Sophia decides she must find out and before her friends wedding, she doesn't want anything to overshadow that day. Join in as Sophia asks questions to find out who had something against the chef that would cause them to commit murder. Along the way she is asked by several people to provide pastries for different occasions, that has her wondering does she want to return to her life or start anew in her home town. This was an amusing read that had me laughing throughout. Sophia is a truly wonderful character filled with plenty of spark and determination. I loved the relationship between her and her parents, the southern style made me think of parts of my own upbringing. I can't wait for the author to write the next chapter in Sophia's life!!!