Village Life..
A County Cork mystery and there’s much afoot in the small village in which Maura Donovan has now settled. Running the pub, Maura is beginning to enjoy village life. When mysterious and bizarre events occur can Maura count on the villagers for assistance? A short, easy read.

A sweet and short Christmas cozy mystery, that gave Christmas feels without being overly cheesy like most Christmas rom com's

Tied Up with a Bow by Sheila Connolly is A County Cork Mystery Novella (#6.5). Maura Donovan has been Leap for over a year (maybe two) now since she inherited Sullivan’s. Christmas is approaching and a mysterious holiday project is going on across the street from the pub. A raffle is started so people can guess on the secretive holiday undertaking. Considering the amount of time Maura has been in this village, she should know more about the running of the pub. The first thing Maura should have done was learn all there is to know about running the pub. Maura seems to have other priorities (does anyone know what they are). She also does not seem to know where anything is in the village (the school for instance). Maura makes contradictory statements as well (in the same book and information from previous books). I have tried to like Maura, but it seems to be a lost cause. I wonder if she has any common sense at all. I am tired of hearing that she cannot cook (or make a sandwich) plus seems oblivious on where the local market is located. There is a lack of consistency in the series which is unusual for this author. Tied Up with a Bow is not a standalone story. It is a series that is best read in order. I wish the pacing had been livelier and repetitive information had been eliminated. I also would have liked more holiday spirit. I did like young Danny. The poor kid and his mother are having a rough time. I do like that Maura is trying to help them (in her way). Tied Up with a Bow was just not the right book for me. I suggest you obtain a sample of Buried in the Bog (first book in series) to see if this story suits you. Tied Up with a Bow transports readers to Ireland for wacky wagers, a puzzling project, a dangerous due, a concerned child and Celtic Christmas customs.

This was a cute, short holiday read. I enjoy the folks in Ireland. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

This book was fast paced. Hard to put down. It flowed well and it was very well written. It caught hold of me and had me hooked from the start . I was literally on the edge of my seat reading this book.

Tied Up with a Bow is a quick novella in this series and the first I have read in the series. Well written and great characters.

I enjoy visiting Cork County and Maura at the pub. This is book 6.5 (a novella) in the County Cork series. Maura and the villagers are getting ready for the Christmas holidays and the town is building a Christmas surprise across the street from the pub. They hold a raffle to see if anyone can guess what it will be. Maura gets involved with a young boy hanging around and decides to help him and his mother. A quick read for a surprising Christmas treat. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

3 out of 5 stars, I liked it.

Novella in the County Cork series.

I didn't realize this was a novella when I requested it on NetGalley. I am still glad I did, though. It's nice to see Maura's softer side, since relationships/friendships seem to baffle her a bit.

I'm loving the group led by Seamus, as well and of course, The Thing across the road.

This was a nice, quick read.

A quick, easy novella to tide us over between books 6 & 7. It's nearly Christmas in Leap and the town is spooling up for the holidays. Maura is, as usual, indecisive about everything and waffling over ideas about decorating for the holidays, getting the kitchen up and running, and whether running a contest to guess what the 'Thing' across the road is going to be when it's finished is illegal/gambling and if it'll get her into trouble.

In the meantime, she meets a young boy outside her pub who is new to town, and whose mother is working at the Inn across the road. There is some secrecy and fear about them, and Maura and her friends work to gain their trust and welcome them - even if it's temporarily - to Leap.

I just get frustrated that everything Maura thinks about or doesn't know has to to be discussed and repeated with every other character, endlessly. She's been there two years already, and she's running out of excuses for not knowing more about her pub and how to run it, Leap, her friends and neighbours, etc. She has no time to read the local paper? She's that busy? Really? What about between customers at the pub, or taking a 15-minute break? Rose would be a far more competent and knowledgeable manager. A manager needs to know how to do everything and Maura doesn't like or seem to know anything and doesn't seem interested in learning, so how is that helpful to anyone? Anyway...

This is one of my favourite cosy series, but seven books in and the person who is the purpose of the series continues to frustrate me.

A wonderful holiday short that gives you a look into Maura's life and how she is adjusting to all things Irish. Maura is use to holidays in the states and is trying to figure out just how much to do for the upcoming holiday season. While trying to figure things out secrets are being kept about some ongoing construction not to mention a young boy has been coming around and hinting about what truly happened to his mom. When a strange man starts coming around Maura begins to worry that something sinister is going on. With no real answers and an abundance of questions Maura looks to the locals for help with all that is going on. Follow along and enjoy the holiday season with Maura while she tries to solve all the mysteries that have fallen in her lap. This is a great series that will have you ready to hop a flight to Ireland and see all things Irish.

Maura and her friends tried their best to welcome the new implants by looking out for their safety, having a ding of a time while doing it the Irish way. Poor Danny and Hannah running from an abusive relationship and father, but with the people of Leap, they are surrounded by kindness and love. A kind and gentle cozy with a mild intriguing factor.

Sheila Connolly gives us a short story in which Danny and his mother have fled to a small Irish village to avoid a dangerous man. The owner of the pub figures out how to protect them and sets a trap for the bad guy. Meanwhile there is a mysterious figure being built across the road and everyone is guessing what it is.

I was delighted to see that this series is continuing as it is always a pleasure to spend time with Maura and friends at the pub. This is a heartwarming story of life in a small town, where everyone looks out for each other. Maura sees young Danny sitting on a bench outside the pub looking cold and hungry. She invites him in for some hot chocolate and is soon trying to help Danny and his mother, who are running from an abusive man. All of the pub regulars are here as well, and the image of small town life in Ireland is so attractive that you will want to pack your bags to see it and become a part of it yourself.

Tied Up With a Bow is a nice novella mystery. Fast read and nothing out of the ordinary. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the writing and story of this novella. It is a nice tie over while waiting for the next novel in this series.
I did like that it had a sort of holiday theme and the raffle for guessing what was going up across the street.
It was a book of redemption and leaves the reader feeling good at the end of the story.

This is a County Cork Christmas novella, and I loved it! Maura isn't sure how much decorating to do at the pub, and she's intrigued when a giant structure starts to take shape across the street from the pub. Maura finds a small boy without a family nearby and she brings him in and befriends him and eventually his mother, who are having some personal problems that Maura tries to solve.

This a lovely Christmas story and I enjoyed it very much. Thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tied Up with a Bow is the first book I have read written by Sheila Connolly. I read the description, thinking the book would be interesting. It certainly was that. It also had surprises, mostly in the character Maura Donovan. I guess I was thinking of a kind, naïve woman who inherited the pub. I found Maura to be anything but that. Maura is gruffer and grumpier than I expected but an old soul with a kind heart if a questioning mind

Maura looks to her new found friends and co-workers when she has questions about the puzzling holiday construction across the way, Christmas customs in the Irish village, a key-latch boy and a mysterious stranger. It is these friends are patient, guiding Maura along in her new home and country.

Not long in length but a satisfying one. I easily followed all the events and characters without having read the previous book. However, reading the first novel so that I can see how the series all begins is high on my to-do-list.

By the end of this novella, I really enjoyed it, but I struggled at first because the pace is a bit slow and I haven't read any of the other books in this series and it didn't give too much background right off the bat so I had to catch up to the characters and their backstory, the setting in Ireland, etc., especially how Maura is American and not Irish and how she came to end up in Ireland owning a pub. The story happens around Christmastime, but it doesn't really have a lot to do with Christmas. The mystery isn't a murder, more simple, which is fitting for the short novella style. But it intrigued me enough that I would enjoy going back to read the previous books in this series and get to know more about the characters and Leap (pronounced "Lep"), Ireland. It's a short, fast read and is probably a great addition to the series for fans who are already familiar with the characters.

4 stars
When I picked up this ARC, I didn’t realize it was a short story but it ended up being just the perfect length for the story that unfolded.
It’s a perfect pre-Christmas story to read to get you in the mood for the holidays. Maura finds a young boy sitting outside her pub one day and wonders where he came from since almost everyone in the Irish village knows everyone else. And no one seems to know who he belongs to. Maura finds out that his mother is working locally and decides to help the boy and mother out when it becomes clear they are hiding from something they fear.
In addition to the mystery, the county is building a “thing” across the pub as decoration for the holidays. Maura decides to challenge her pub guests to a raffle to guess what the “thing” might be with the Euro cost going to a charitable cause.
The village atmosphere is at its best in this story – of caring for each other, helping one another and a little bit of fun as well. A good, heartwarming simple mystery read for the holidays.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher, Beyond the Page Publishing, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Whether it is called a novella or a short story, sometimes a shorter book than normal just hits the spot. When it involves characters from a well loved series, it is an especial treat. The County Cork stories are always interesting and poignant as Boston refugee Maura settles into life in a small Irish village as its publican. The people around her have become her family and no matter what happens they band together to take care of their own.
It is pre-Christmas and the County Council has contracted to put of a “Thing” across from the pub. Since no one knows what it is going to be, Maura decides to run a raffle where each guess costs a Euro. She enlists the workmen to keep it a secret and there is considerable curiosity about what will be revealed. But The Thing is not the only mystery in town.
Maura takes a young boy and his mother under her wing when they arrive in the village, clearly running away from something. The something turns out to be someone and they have every reason to be afraid. But Maura and her staff and customers rally around to protect and nourish the two. I would guess they will be part of some future stories as well.
As always, it is heartwarming, interesting and welcoming- much like the pub itself. It is a fast read but highly entertaining.
Four purrs and two paws up.