If I lived in Ashland, Oregon, Torte would be my favorite place. With the remodel underway and her mother’s surprise wedding, Juliet has her hands full. Complicating matters is the arrival of her husband Carlos and his son. When Lance reveals he has been spending time with his estranged father, Juliet’s life gets more complicated, especially after Lance’s father dies. Another fun adventure for the staff at Torte.

Till Death Do Us Tart is the 8th book in the A Bakeshop Mystery series. I have read the entire series as I find it quite delightful and well written. Till Death Do Us Tart is a great addition to the series.

Ashland, Oregon is the setting for this series. Ashland is a unique town in southern Oregon that hosts a Shakespeare festival every year. Many parts of the town follow this theme. Author Alexander brings Ashland alive for the reader.

Till Death Do Us Tart is centered around the surprise wedding ceremony of Jules' mother and the Professor. Between the secret wedding, Carlos and his son showing up and the remodel of the bakeshop, things are already hopping when a guest is served poisoned wine. The guest who is served the wine is a PI hired by Jules friend Lance to help with his estranged family. Lots going on in this book!

Great book! It looks like the next book in the series is out at the end of the year! Yippee!

This is a good Cozy mystery. Jueles is working overtime to surprise her Mother with a surprise wedding! That itself was too much too believe, considering she was also renovating at the same time! I liked her, her Mother, her friends, everyone who worked in the shop! Her husband who has a teenage son, he never told her about, and they never behaved like they were married, spoiled this book for me. I am sorry,that was the deal breaker for me. If you like just cozy mysteries with no depth, this is for you. A light read, for a rainy afternoon.
Thank you!
Carolintallahassee.com

This is the first book that I have read in the series and I thoroughly enjoyed it even though it probably would have been better to read others first. I plan to go back and check out others in the series. The characters were likable and well developed with a multilayered mystery that kept me interested. Juliet Capeshaw and her mother own a delightfully sounded pastry shop, Torte, in the picturesque town of Ashland, Oregon. Her mother and her fiance', Doug (the Professor) want to have an Elizabethan themed wedding but haven't been able to work it out. Unbeknownst to them, Jules and the Torte crew as well as the whole town are planning a wedding for them at the Uva Winery where Jules is a partner. Jules is also helping her friend, actor and theater director, Lance, investigate who might be trying to kill his father-even looking at Leo, Lance's brother. There are different other suspicious characters to look into as well. Torte is being remodeled and expanded for extra cooking space as well as serving spaces by a contractor whose wife appears to hate Jules; but why? The wedding is lovely and turns out really well until someone poisoned a glass of wine intended for Jules but drank by an investigator hired by Lance. Jules is also on edge because her estranged husband, Carlos, and his son, Romiro, are in town from Spain for the wedding. What is to become of their marriage? This book has all the qualities to make a fun cozy mystery-a small town of quirky characters where everyone knows each other, a murder plot with twists and turns, a pool of suspects and yummy sounding foods! This is a fun read with a ending that I really didn't see coming. I highly recommend.
I received a complimentary ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The thoughts and opinions stated are mine only.

The Bakeshop Mysteries series maintains its charm (and its status as my one of favorite cozy mystery series) with Till Death Do Us Tart! Ok, so I cannot tell a lie, I was hooked from the very beginning of this book when Jules describes the edible cookie cups she is baking to fill with milk. I've been talking about wanting to make cookie cups to fill with milk for at least 15 years now (ok, probably closer to 20), and I'm newly motivated to try using the method described in the book (was really hoping this would be included in the recipes at the end, but I'll have to wing it!). On to reviewing the primary content of the book- it's always a pleasure to be back in Ashland, and the story of the Professor and Juliet's mother getting married was a well deserved point of happiness for these characters. I can't wait to read about the setup at Tarte once all the renovations are complete (and will continue to wish that it was a place I could visit). I initially thought the mystery in this book was exclusively going to be about Lance's family, and was intrigued to find out how some other details in the book connected. One thing I appreciate about this series as opposed to some other cozy series is that while the author has written a setting that is unique, there isn't a reliance on overly quirky characters to fill out the community. The characters in this series are all given thought and development, which I much appreciate.
If I were going to put a cozy mystery series into the hands of a new reader, this would be one of the first I'd reach for! Like many cozy mystery series, you could certainly pick this one up without having read the previous books in the series, but I'd really recommend starting from the beginning with this one to fully invest in the characters.

How have I missed this series until now? Its got all the elements of a cozy= a terrific heroine in Jules, who has a great relationship with her family, a bakeshop, a small town, recipes, murder! Even though I hadn't read it before I quickly found myself swept up in the drama as Jules was both renovating Tart and planning a surprise wedding for her mom. I loved the details of the baking as well as the small town of Ashland. Who meant to poison Jules? What about her ex- Carlos, who is back in town - where is that going? And Lance is interesting. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm going to look for Alexander in the future.

It's the wedding that fans of the Bakeshop mysteries have been waiting for! I loved all the descriptions of the food and the decor and actually liked that the wedding, rather than the mystery, was the real star of the story. I've also really enjoyed the progression in this series with thing like the development of characters, relationships, and setting (the renovation of Torte!). I'd love for a few of the staff at Torte to get bigger story lines in some later novels.
As per usual (and especially after that ending!) I can't wait till the next instalment is out!

Till Death Do Us Tart: A Bakeshop Mystery
By Ellie Alexander
St. Martin’s Paperback
July 2018

All of Ashland, Oregon was in on the secret. It wasn’t easy hiding the truth from the head of law enforcement, but Jules Capshaw was determined that the Professor not know the plans that were in store for him. It’s not every day a Shakespeare-obsessed couple found love and married, so Jules was sparing no expense to ensure that her mother’s wedding was a perfect Midsummer Night’s Dream surprise. Using the cover that Jules’ new wine vineyard was hosting a grand reopening, she and all of Ashland were covertly baking and decorating for a costumed, Shakespearean wedding.

This being the eighth in a delightful cozy mystery series, one expects a murder to occur at some point. So what instead creates the heightened, edge-of-the-seat tension is whether or not Jules’s mother and the Professor will walk down the aisle before it happens. There’s enough drama and misdirection to keep this in doubt, especially when Jules’s friend Lance Rosseau, Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s artistic director, returns from a mysterious absence acting out-of-character and being secretive. A mix-up with wine glasses does finally lead to the collapse of a mysterious young woman, with her last words to Jules seeming to indicate that the poison was meant, “For you.”

Jules soon learns that the reason for Lance’s previous departure has followed him back to Ashland, bringing along no small amount of family confrontations. And for once, Lance’s normal outrageous and theatrical assertions may be justified, as there seems to exist a very real threat to his existence. When not attempting to hide wedding plans from the future stepfather trained to observe details and detect lies, Jules has her hands full opening a winery with two partners she never expected. Richard Lord has been her nemesis ever since Jules returned to Ashland, and he has made it his mission to put her Torte bakery out of business. Almost as disconcerting is the renewed partnership – professionally, for now – with her estranged husband Carlos, who is confusing both her heart and her mind. It’s no wonder that with so much uncertainty in her life, Jules retreats to what makes sense and brings joy; baking in Torte’s kitchen.

Not since Diane Mott Davidson’s novels have the details of mixing butter, chocolate, and sugar been so gloriously and mouthwateringly depicted. There is true joy in Jules’s love for baking, and it is in her bakery where she finds the calm presence of mind to put together the clues and solve the crime. Lance is at his most likable here, made vulnerable by his predatory, money-obsessed relatives. Wedding scenes are always fun to observe, and never more so than here when the entire town becomes an accomplice in the secretive event. Seeing Jules mature is a true pleasure, especially when she begins to feel at home in Ashland’s unique Shakespearean community. Along with a completely unexpected conclusion, the author delivers humor, outstanding dialogue, and an abundance of food porn.

Ashland's Jules Capshaw and her staff are frantically busy with Torte's expansion, as well as planning a surprise midsummer's wedding for her mom and the Professor at Uva, the new winery she had recently purchased with her estranged husband Carlos. Carlos is returning to Ashland to help with the wedding prep and has brought his teenaged son Ramiro for Jules to meet.

Meanwhile, OSF director Lance Rousseau asks Jules for help regarding his estranged family. Lance's dying father is in a hospice in nearby Medford. Lance suspects his younger brother Leo of wanting to hasten his father's death, and swindle Lance out of his portion of the wealthy Brown estate. Lance hires Megan, a PI, to find proof of this devious plan.

The magical fairytale-like wedding is a success until someone tries to poison Megan's wine and she ends up in hospital. Lance and Jules want to question Megan but she has discharged herself from the hospital so the duo goes to her Medford office and find her dead. Was Megan killed because of her investigation into the Brown family or for some other reason?

This was another yummy entry in the Bakeshop Mystery series. The characters are continuing to develop and the book's ending points towards new directions in Jules' personal life.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and St. Martin's Press with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

This is the 8th book in the Bakeshop Mystery series, and I loved it. They get better and better with every book.
I love going back to Ashland, Oregon and visiting everyone at Torte. In this book, Jules' mom Helen and the Professor are finally having their wedding, but the actual date and location is a surprise to them. Jules decides that the Summer Solstice festival is the perfect cover for the wedding at the winery she owns with her ex Carlos, who is back in town with his teenage son.

Also back in her friend Lance, and he brings a lot of family drama with him from his past that he's kept secret for many years. When a body turns up at the wedding, Jules gets involved to solve the murder.

The plot is excellent, and the characters feel like old friends. I was sorry that the book had to end, and I highly recommend it. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review,

This is book 8 of the Bakeshop mysteries set in Ashland, Oregon. I have enjoued every one. This gives us the opportunity to peep in on Jules' Mom's wedding to the Professor. Jules's husband Carlos comes to visit with his son Ramiro. Torte is expanding and construction is nearly done. And we learn about Lance's past, which rather comes back to haunt him.
I love this book. I do think a new reader would enjoy the story more if they read the other seven mysteries first so they have context for the characters lives.

I’m always excited to hear when another Bakeshop Mystery by Ellie Alexander is scheduled to release and TILL DEATH DO US TART is no exception. This eighth book in her delightful series proves once again that cozy readers love memorable characters that we can relate to and cheer for. Ms. Alexander brings back the full cast of characters, including the dreamy Carlos. (Can you tell I’m team Carlos?!?!) We also get to finally meet his son, who is just as dreamy and has all the teenaged girls in Ashland, Oregon swooning. For those who have never read any of the other books in this series, there shouldn’t be a problem with following the story and figuring out who is who. The author provides just enough backstory to make it easy to follow.

The protagonist, Jules Capshaw, owns Torte Bakeshop with her mom. They are expanding and remodeling so the shop is quite chaotic, to say the least. Still, Jules manages to bake copious amounts of bread, goodies, and even an amazing one-of-a-kind designer wedding cake for her mother and ‘The Professor’s’ surprise wedding. The descriptions of her baking process are quite vivid and will have the reader drooling and wanting a special treat. Another central character in this new release is Lance, the artistic director for Ashland’s Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Even though Lance has been a fixture in previous books, he’s always been an enigma. I enjoyed reading as Jules is finally allowed to see beyond his façade and it was sweet to watch their friendship grow as they worked together to solve the mystery.

While I love revisiting the cast of characters and catching up with them, the actual murder(s) took place much later than usual in a cozy. I felt that it slowed the pace of the plot down, despite Jules being frantically busy with the remodel and her mother’s wedding. However, once the murder happened, the pace picked up and kept me glued to the pages. Ms. Alexander provides some twists that kept Jules (and me) guessing and the surprising reveal was one I didn’t see coming. Fans will gobble up this newest installment along with the delectable recipes at the back of the book!

It was great to catch up with Jules, her mom, the Professor, and the rest of the gang in Ashland, Oregon. This was another clean, crisply written cozy. It balances just the right amount of small-town artsy drama with danger and intrigue. And of course, there's food! This is like a group of friends I get to catch up with every once in a while, and I always look forward to it!

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really love this series! The descriptions of baked goods will have you running to your nearest bakeshop, and I was very happy to find the recipe for the triple berry coffee cake at the end of the book - because I'm totally going to make it.

This series continues with Jules, a baker living in a small town in Oregon. There's a nice backstory with her husband and his "secret" son coming for a visit and the usual cast of wacky town members. If you're a fan of culinary cozies, this series is definitely one to add to your TBR list.

While you can easily read this story as a standalone, I suggest beginning with the first in the series. I also love that the entire series is in audiobooks which makes it so convenient to enjoy.

Once again, Jules and her crew at Torte deliver the goods in this latest installment set in idyllic Ashland where Jules has returned to helping her mom while sorting through her feelings about her marriage.
Jules is planning a secret themed MidSummer Night's Dream wedding for her mom and the Professor. Unfortunately among all the wedding plan prep, Lance suffers a personal loss and enlists Jules help getting to the bottom of the situation. An entire cast of characters comes to life in this story; the relationships between the people and the food stand out. I love how the author really gets the character's speech and tone in the story, you can really imagine the characters accent and how they come across in the dialogue. The food prep made me hungry, and I bit my nails to the nub trying to figure this one out. Each book in this series gets better with the next..

This is a good solid cozy series. I highly suggest you read them in order.
The characters are first rate and the whodunit was well written.
Overall I found this book more entertaining than the previous one in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

This is one of my favorite series and each book seems to be getting better and better. I love the way the relationships are forming and the characters are developing. The writing style is easy to read with enough description to picture the town but not so much that it bogs down the story.

The mystery was enjoyable with twists and turns. And as much as the mystery kept my attention, I enjoyed the additional mystery regarding Jules and Carlos. I must say that I had the opportunity to visit Ashland very recently and it was interesting 'seeing' the town through Ms. Alexander's eyes.

This is the first book I have read in the series, but it won’t be my last!

Ellie Alexander and the town of Ashland Oregon are planning one heck of a surprise wedding for her Mother. But there are more secrets being kept in town than just the wedding when Ellie finds that her best friend Lance is actually a fairly local boy and still has family in the area and his father has expressed fears for his l life shortly before he passes away.

With the wedding, a possible murder, a visit from Ellie’s estranged husband and his teenage son, and a threat against Ellie’s life, things are certainly busy in Ashland. It certainly makes for a fun read and lots of mystery. This is a great book to add to your Summer must read list!

From the emotional highs and lows of a wedding and the introduction to Carlos’ son to Lance’s family drama and undercover double-crossing, the latest entry in Ellie Alexander’s cozy series is a fun and fast-paced read.

It has been a weekend of weddings here. I finished Death Do Us Tart on Friday, perfect book to read just before the royal wedding. I love Ellie Alexander's series based in Ashland Oregon and her bakery Crew from Torte. This was a great read. So much more than a book just about a wedding. There was the beautiful wedding of The Professor and Jules mom, but also great twists with in twists of story lines. Lance, Carlos, Thomas, not to mention the staff and changes happening at Torte, Even the nasty Richard Lord in the mix. I loved this book, I love this series and I know you are going to as well! This one is out June 26th and is published by St. Martin's Press.