“Gown With The Wind” by Stephanie Blackmore is a delightful 4-star read that combines fashion, humor, mystery and an entertaining package. Blackmore’s Writing style is engaging in numerous, making for a light and enjoyable reading experience. The fashion-centric backdrop adds a unique and vibrant element to the story, with the author’s attention to detail in describing the glamorous world of couture. The protagonist, with her wit and charm, is a likable and relatable amateur detective who finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of secrets and intrigue. The plot is well paced with enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing. While some secondary characters could have been further developed, the overall storyline and the enjoyable blend of fashion and mystery make “Gown With The Wind” a fun and entertaining read for fans of cozy mysteries.

I really loved this book in a new to me author. The characters and location really and to the story. I can't wait to read the next one. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

Mallory and Rachel are working hard to expand their B&B/Wedding business so when there is a cancellation they move the wedding of Keith (Mallory's ex) and Becca (the other woman) forward. It isn't a pleasant situation, but business is business. The girls are really pressed for time by arguments over the wedding gown, conflicts over the decorations,color scheme and food, the attempted murder of the bride's grandmother, the murder of the bride's enemy, and the return of the bride's current husband. Why would there be any difficulty?

This was so much fun, laughing as more and more problems arose and the bride and future mother-in-law grappled for control along with the bride's grandma!

I really hope that Keith and Becca find their balance.

Loved it!

The fourth book in the Wedding Planner Mystery series by Stephanie Blackmoore is Gown with the Wind. Mallory says she is fine with handling the wedding arrangements for her ex-fiance Keith and his new bride Becca. When Becca and another bride get into a fight over a Scarlett O'Hara wedding gown, Mallory starts to regret her decision. Things go from bad to worse when the second bride is found dead in Becca's swimming pool. This is a fun, light series and checks off all of the cozy mystery boxes. I look forward to more in the series.

This book was one that I found enjoyable. I'm a big fan of Gone with the Wind so when I read the title and description I figured this would be right up my alley. I wasn't disappointed. The characters were fun and believable and the plot held my attention to the very end of the book.

Professional wedding planner Mallory Shepard knows her job is challenging under any circumstances. But when the groom is your ex and someone invites murder, there may never be another tomorrow. Mallory's fine really handling the wedding arrangements for her ex, Keith. But his fiancé, Becca, has at the last minute decided to switch from a Japanese cherry blossom theme to a Gone with the Wind theme. She wants to honor her ailing grandmother, who owns an impressive collection of Gone With the Wind memorabilia and who is fiercely at odds with the groom's mother over the nuptial plans. But among other complications, Becca gets into a fight with an old childhood rival over a replica Scarlett O'Hara wedding gown. She wins the dress but soon becomes a murder suspect when the other woman is found dead in Becca's swimming pool. And it's up to Mallory to solve the mystery behind this unhappy occasion, before a different kind of civil war breaks out.

The author gives the reader a well written mystery that is full of twists ,turns, suspects, and red herrings. The plots weave the characters into relationships and encounters that will keep you guessing about who the real culprit is until the surprising conclusion. The characters are well written and well developed, which makes them seem very lifelike.

I like that no matter what gets thrown in Mallory's path, she doesn't let it stop her living her life or running her business. I also like how Mallory and Garrett's relationship is continuing to grow as the series goes along. I hope they find themselves with their own trip down the aisle sometime in the series.
The one thing that I haven't liked since book 1 and that I continue to dislike is Helene, I hope now that Keith is married and Mallory doesn't have to plan his wedding we won't be seeing anymore of Hurricane Helene. I'm looking forward to book #5 Marry Christmas Murder to see what Mallory gets herself into.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Kensington Books for my review.

In the fourth entry in the Wedding Planner series, Mallory has been manipulated into planning and hosting her ex's wedding .... in two weeks! Unfortunately, another wedding and a theater opening get added to her already full plate, not to mention a murder or two. Even though I was new to the series, I had no issues with keeping up. Decidedly eccentric characters mix in with a core of people you will care about in a complex and fun mystery.

Gown with the Wind is the fifth installment in the Wedding Planner Mystery Series. Mallory and her sister have more business than they know what to do with at their B&B. When they have a cancellation her ex fiancé and his new fiancé, Becca, grab the opportunity to get married at the B&B.

Mallory gracefully decides to help plan the wedding of Becca’s dreams. The problem is that Becca’s future mother in law expects everything to be done to her expectations. Mallory wants to help but Becca gets into a fight with an old childhood rival over a replica Scarlett O’Hara wedding gown. She wins the dress—but soon becomes a murder suspect when the other woman is found dead in Becca’s swimming pool. And it’s up to Mallory to solve the mystery behind this unhappy occasion,

Gown With the Wind: A Wedding Planner Mystery
By Stephanie Blackmoore
Kensington
January 2019

Review by Cynthia Chow

Wedding planner Mallory Shepard really has no one to blame but herself. If she wasn’t so nice and wasn’t such a good person, not only would Mallory not be planning and hosting the wedding for her ex-fiancé, she wouldn’t be forced into dealing with the obnoxious demands of her near-mother-in-law. Helene Pierce’s obnoxious meddling in Mallory’s failed wedding still gives her nightmares, and it was an experience she generously hoped to spare the new fiancée Becca. Unfortunately a blizzard foiled their secretive plans, and as a result Becca’s Japanese cherry-blossom-themed wedding is now becoming an over-the-top extravaganza. With Becca being the reason that Mallory never walked down the aisle in the first place, she is genuinely surprised to find that she actually like’s the bride’s family. So when Becca’s grandmother is attacked and her valuable Gone with the Wind memorabilia collection believed to be the cause behind it, Mallory finds herself pressured into mounting in less than two weeks a now Southern-themed wedding in honor of Alma Cunningham. Third times the charm and getting paid triple her normal fees certainly helps, but Mallory also has her hands full with a baby shower and Mother’s Day tea.

Like Mallory - and readers - will alternatively feel resentment, frustration, sympathy, and pity for the tempestuous Becca. While it’s impossible not to empathize with the bride as her wedding plans are completely upended by her mother-in-law, it’s not like Becca’s a sweetheart herself. Yet Mallory somehow finds herself determined to deliver the wedding of Becca’s dreams, protect the Cunningham family, and solve the murder that seems motivated by a missing bell-skirted wedding gown. The last-minute complication further throws everything off the rails, and Mallory’s not sure whether to be relieved that she’s off the hook or even more resolved to see her clients’ in wedding bliss.

The real fun of the novel comes with shenanigans of the wedding party members who seemed determined to upend Mallory’s meticulously organized plans. Revolving wedding-themes, ordered and just as quickly discarded menus, and even venues are shuffled in and out much to Mallory’s despair. What is impressive is how quickly Mallory rolls with the punches and finds creative solutions, especially considering how irritating and annoying the bride and groom may be. Perhaps that is why Mallory finds herself questioning the entire institution of marriage, or at least how it pertains to her own relationship with boyfriend Garrett. Malloy’s business partner sister seems the most determined to have Garrett “put a ring on it,” a thought that only inspires panic and fear in Mallory. Readers will be genuinely invested in finding out whether Mallory regains her faith in her own future as a bride, succeeds in giving Becca the wedding she wants but doesn’t deserve, and of course catches a killer.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.5 Hearts hearted and fun. This is the 4th in the series and though I have not read the other three it is a stand alone and can be read without feeling like anything was lost.

This is a quick read with a bit of thriller and mystery but mostly just cheesy light reading. Great book to take you out of your own head for a while.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Gown With The Wind is a wonderful installment in the Wedding Planner Mystery series. The story is fast paced and fun! The mystery plot was well thought out and had some twist and turns. Overall this was a very satisfying read. I xant wait for the next book in the series. Thanks to netgalley and Kensington publushing for the gift of the arc. The opinions are my own

This was a fun, fast-paced read. The characters are great, whether you love them or hate them. The plot was twisty and original. I haven't read the previous books yet, but I definitely will now! This is a great series and I look forward to more

What another great addition to the Wedding Planner Mystery Series! I have to say, I LOVE these characters, both the good and the bad. They are so colorfully written and have such amazingly created personalities. I just can't get enough of Mallory and Rachel! The mystery was once again a true whodunit of suspense and had enough twists and turns to keep me sitting on the edge of my seat guessing at who "did" it! I also loved all of the hype of Gown With the Wind...I just love that book and used to daydream about what it would be like to be Miss Scarlet O'Hare. I love venturing into this world and this time it was off the charts amazing!

Princess Fuzzypants here: While Mallory dodged the bullet when she broke her engagement to Keith, it seems she cannot escape Keith and his mother or the woman with whom Keith cheated. In fact, she is lassoed into planning and holding the wedding of Keith and Becca. It is going to be a rushed affair now that there is an opening in Mallory’s busy schedule. Between the members of the wedding party, she is stressed to the limit.
Then Becca’s arch-rival, with whom she had a knock-em-down fight over a wedding dress is found floating in Becca’s pool, wearing said dress. There is enough bad blood circulating that it is no wonder when there are two other attempts on lives. Who is responsible for all the mayhem and why? Is it the Gone With The Wind crew or someone else? As if things were not chaotic enough, when Becca’s ex, who actually isn’t her ex yet, shows up for his wedding things really get complicated. Luckily, he also shows up with a handsome Maine Coon named Pickles who charms all.
I enjoy this series because no one goes off half-cocked and despite having some colourful (read: frustrating) characters, no one is over the top. Clearly though when Mallory left the practice of law, she went from the frying pan into the fire as far as stress. But this time she loves what she does. If I was planning a party, I would hire her.
This is an interesting story, with a couple of good mysteries and some twists that were unexpected. Overall, it was a fun read. But then I am a sucker for a story with a Maine Coon.
Five purrs and two paws up.

While this book was slightly out of my comfort zone in terms of the wedding planner angle, I was so intrigued by the idea of how this connected to an iconic book such as Gone with the Wind. I'm so glad that I had the chance to read it! Incredibly lighthearted and fast-paced, this is a great choice for a fun escape especially during the spring or early summer and filled with every reason why I am not a wedding planner or B&B hostess!

There are a dizzying number of suspicious characters all with their own motives and quite a few concurrent mysteries to solve; however, this seemed to really add to that whirlwind feeling that surrounds weddings in general. You'll definitely experience how busy Mallory is trying to keep everything in order! The frenzy, indecisiveness, and over-the-top drama were all on high alert with this story and it was so much fun! There are also quite a few twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very unexpected end.

Although this was the fourth book in the series, I never felt that I was missing anything from the previous installments and look forward to starting from the first book to get to know these characters even better. Between the bridezilla antics, the overbearing and domineering maternal figures, and haughty family dynamics, there are A LOT of unlikable people. Ultimately, so much ugliness showcased just how incredibly impressive the connections shared between Mallory and Truman, the Chief of Police and her potential father-in-law, as well as between her and her sister, Rachel, became, while also adding some much needed calm to the story. Mallory's welcoming personality and outstanding resourcefulness combine to make her a fantastic planner and amateur sleuth.

Overall, this was a solid introduction to a new series that frankly my dears I can't wait to read more of!

Who doesn't love a wedding? But getting this one off without a hitch or murder will be quite the challenge.
This was a fun read!

I really enjoyed the story/plot.

Mallory and her sister Rachel are fun and dependable characters even with all the chaos going on with a couple of brides. One bride needing 'a quickie divorce' so she can get married. All the while her soon to be ex is trying to get married as well.
And then there is a 1 year old murder.
A baby shower to plan a along with a theatre opening and Mothers Day Brunch .
Just when things calm down a bit with all the Bride and
Future Mother In Law'zillas' a body is found in bride #1's
pool and she is wearing bride #1's Gone With Wind inspired wedding dress!
Next on the agenda..find new dress..change the theme again and find the murderer!

So did bride #1 do the pushing, then again it might been anyone. There is no shortage of folks with weird grudges and attitudes and personal agendas.

Even with all the drama and chaos and crime this one
was a great read that is written as a stand alone.

If you love a good cozy check this one out especially if you like and enjoyed animals making mischief and being key 'players' in the plot.

I especially enjoyed 'Pickles' the Maine Coon Cat that
appears on the cover.

I am looking forward to book 3!
I received a complimentary copy

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Juggling should be listed as a key talent for a wedding planner. Mallory Shepard has many balls in the air, two weddings, a Mother’s Day tea, a partner that wants to book more non-wedding events. All that before the murder.

Becca, her ex’s new bride has planned a Japanese Cherry Blossom wedding but then the groom’s mother steps in to put her own spin on the festivities. Becca finally decides she wants a Gone With the Wind theme to honor her grandmother and tells Mallory to plan accordingly. She even finds the perfect dress. Until a fight breaks out in the bridal salon with a childhood friend/enemy. She wins the dress but loses the war when the other bride is found floating in Becca’s pool. Of course, she is the prime suspect. Becca and her grandmother come to depend on Mallory to not only clear Becca but also handle another event.

This was a delightfully fast-paced read.

Mallory Shepard is a great protagonist. With all that is thrown at her she rarely gets rattled. I mean dealing with the wedding of an ex is tough but have to plan it and go with the flow of all the changes is beyond hard and she keeps it together for the sake of her business. Her sister Rachel also seems to always be pushing her buttons and the envelope with a more, more, more attitude when it comes to their business. Strong women that do make a good team but they need to be aware of their limits.

Again this installment brings in a batch of new characters that were very well developed. The author gave us great descriptions that easily brought them to life within the story. With the theme of this series, new characters are a must and really keeps each edition fresh. It also gives new readers to jump into this series anywhere.

The mystery is very well plotted and written with many twists and turns. The subplots were entangled perfectly into the mystery. The story completely held my interest, making it a difficult book to put down.

I have enjoyed each visit Thistle Park B&B and look forward many more.

A quick and easy cozy mystery read. This series does have interesting storylines and mysteries for Mallory and Rachel to try to help solve. This one kept me guessing at how all the pieces would end up coming together and held my attention. An inconsistency of a previous murder victim showing up alive and well in this book in passing was a bit jarring. All in all, a decent cozy read. I look forward to visiting with Mallory and the gang again soon.

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

I could not wait to get my hands on this newest installment to this adorable cozy series. We finally get to see if the cheating ex makes it all the way to the alter after Mallory agrees to plan it even moving up the date when they get a cancellation. What follows is this blend of attacks, deaths, weird occurrences, and so much more all mixed around several events. Mallory has to struggle to keep up but she figured it all out in the end with a nice surprise ending. Perfect for fans of cozies and weddings. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.

In the fifth Wedding Planner Mystery, we find Mallory and her sister Rachel with so much business that they have a waiting list. With a cancellation and after their failed elopement, Keith Pierce and Becca Cunningham jump at the chance to have Mallory and her sister, Rachel plan their wedding. It doesn’t matter what Mallory plans or how secret she tries to keep those plans, Keith’s mother, Helene, a thorn in Mallory’s side, takes over and informs the bride and groom-to-be of her plans for the wedding. In this story we meet Becca’s family: her twin sister Samantha, her parents Rhett and Jacqueline and her grandmother Alma. When Alma is injured in an attack on her life and some of her valuable Gone With the Wind memorabilia is stolen, she makes a quick decision. She is leaving all her collection to Becca. When Becca finds a Gone With the Wind Gown, the theme for the wedding changes again. Before Becca can change her clothes another bride-to-be, Felicity Fournier sees the dress and wants it. The funniest scene in the book ensues. When Felicity is found dead in Becca’s and Keith’s pool, they are immediately suspects. There are bodies or attempts at murder taking place all over this book. If this were my business, I think I would sell it and move on, but Mallory is a wonderful sleuth and does not give up easily.

This story is well written and developed. There are a lot of characters in this one, but it is easy to follow. All the varied threads are pulled together and the ending is quite satisfactory. I enjoyed the quirkiness of some of the characters in this story to offset the acidic personality of Helene. It is nice to see Keith finally stand up to her. With the wedding on, then off, then on, then off and so on, it will keep the reader on their toes. Like in all Stephanie Blackmoore’s books, there are a lot of clues sprinkled along the way, several suspects and red herrings to that this reader did not guess the culprit or the motive until the final reveal. I read this book in one sitting as I enjoyed it so much. The publisher, Kensington Publishing, generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, opinions and ideas shared are my own.