Mother's Day Mayhem by Lynn Cahoon is a novella in celebration of the holiday. It is centered on Coffee, Books, and More's owner Jill and her police detective boyfriend, Greg. At lunch, Greg has sprung an invitation on her: to meet his mother on Mother's Day. Jill is not thrilled, to say the least. Well, neither is Greg, really. His brother Jim already doesn't really like Jill and she is as far away as being like his ex-wife as possible. To make it up to her he suggests they go away for a weekend, which suits her purposes just fine since she wants to find Kyle's, her friend from the store next door, estranged mother. What Greg doesn't know won't hurt him, for now.

This was a sweet little book. All's well that ends well and it all ended well, although not necessarily as expected. The characters were cut, although somewhat flat. To be fair, I have not read any other books in this series so there may be more than meets the eye. The mystery was subtle, one that was actually pretty realistic. It was a short and sweet read. I recommend it.

I was given a free ARC of Mother's Day Mayhem. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #mothersdaymayhem

What to do when it’s time to meet the family, especially if you feel like it won’t be pleasant. I think Jill was just a little nervous. She did find plenty to keep herself busy and not have time to think about it too much. How convenient that their weekend get-a-way just happened to land them in a town where she could do some checking for a friend. Would your boyfriend be so willing to help you if you were doing the “checking”? We can only hope. Poor Kyle, such a roller coaster ride with all his emotions. I love Jill and Greg together. I like these characters and the book store sounds like a great place to hang out. I hope to be able to hang out with them again soon. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

When I saw this title was coming out, I was so excited. I love the Tourist Trap mysteries. It was then I realized it was only a 75 page novella with no dead body! I wanted it to be longer but I will take what I can get. I believe Lynn said the next book won’t come out until November!

This story centers around Kyle who is the assistant to Josh Thomas, the antiques dealer. It focuses on his search for his birth mother and how Jill and boyfriend Greg step in to help him find the truth to a mystery surrounding who Kyle’s mom actually is.

Even though there was no dead body, I thought this was a great peek into the series and will give newbie’s a taste of what to expect when taking a gander into the goings on in South Cove.

A definite recommendation for the author and the series. Check it out!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

I love this series and always enjoy seeing more from Jill, Greg, Jackie and everyone else in South Cove. This was no exception. I enjoyed this read and it was definitely a one sitting novella. I also liked seeing more of Greg's family than his cranky brother and there was a softer side of Josh that was nice to see. I also really loved the family aspect be it blood or community.


However, I found this a bit unsatisfying. Jill's mood seemed off for most of the book. While she did mention feeling grumpy several times the tone of the book itself felt off somehow. The mystery was definitely not the typical murder mystery which didn't bother me. What did bother me is that there seemed to be a lack of focus of the story itself. There's a lot crammed into 75 pages and none of it seemed to really get the attention it deserved. While I love this series this novella just didn't quite work for me. I waffled a bit on how to rate this one. I did enjoy it but at the same time the story just didn't feel quite complete.

Jill isn't sure how she feels about meeting Greg's mother and on Mothers Day no less. She loves Greg but meeting a parent is always a scary ordeal, will she like her won't she like her. When Kyle from the store next door comes looking to Jill for help she is happy to do what she can to keep her mind off her nervousness. Kyle hasn't seen his mother in years, she went to prison a long time ago, but he heard that she was free and he wants to make contact. When he hears back that she wants nothing to do with him Jill decides to step in and find out what the issue is. Her and Greg are going away for a weekend why not to where Kyle's mom lives. Follow along as Jill tries to step in and help bring Kyle and his mother together. She likes Kyle and wants him to find some sort of closure when it comes to his mother. Will Jill be able to help or will it be a wasted trip. This was a fun short that gave us a better look into Jill and Greg's relationship and also a fun mystery to dig into. I love getting to know the characters better through a novella and can't wait to see what happens with them in the next book.

Mother's Day Mayhem is a easy to read novella with the Tourist Trap Mystery series by Lynn Cahoon.
Even though there are no dead bodies, there is a mystery Jill is set to get to the bottom of. Her friend Kyle wants her to find his mother he never knew and Jill finds a way to incorporate a week end get away with her detective boyfriend, Greg. Throw in meeting Greg's mother for the first time on Mother's Day and you get a cozy mystery you won't want to put down.
I received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

It’s always fun to catch up with South Cove in the Tourist Trap series, and I’ve been enjoying the current run of holiday novellas. This one (obviously) is about Mothers Day—Greg’s mother and Kyle’s maybe mother. A short read, but a nice addition to the series.

Lynn Cahoon is back with another tourist trap novella! I absolutely love this series and the characters. This time the mystery focused around Kyle, Josh's employee at his antique store, and his search for his mother. There isn't a murder to solve for once and instead Jill is trying to discover what is going on with Kyle's absentee mother and why she's been out of his life. I really enjoy Kyle and it was lovely to see his interactions with Sasha and especially with Josh. You get a lot of insight into their relationship and you get to see Josh in a way we haven't seen him since Aunt Libby was dating him. There is also a side story of Jill having to meet Greg's mother and take that next step in their relationship, so hopefully we will see that progressing even more in the next full length book. Unfortunately, I found the mystery dull and unlike some other novellas in the series I wasn't left wanting more I was just not captivated. It could have been the lack of the traditional "murder who dunnit" that made the plot less exciting. This novella is for fans already invested in the series who read the books as much for the mystery as for the characters and their interactions with one another.

A charming novella. Familiar characters with new issues. Spoiler alert...no dead bodies. There is a mystery and it does involve mothers. A tear or two may have been shed along the way. A quick, entertaining read.

California Cozy Mystery
This is a short and sweet cozy mystery. The story takes place in a small coastal town where everyone knows everybody. The plot is cute and keeps the reader engaged. I have read several books from this series and they all leave me with a smile on my face. This is a quick read – only 75 pages which makes it excellent to fill a lunch hour or read before bed. There is nothing scary in this book! I received this ARC for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Mother's day is coming to South Cove and Jill is stressed out after her boyfriend Greg just told her that his mother is coming and they will have dinner together. On top of that, Kyle, who works at the next door antique dealer is looking for his own mother and it is more complicated than it seems !
I enjoyed the book, as I have enjoyed every book from the Tourist Trap Mysteries serie. Jill is being her usual self and it is also nice to read a novella that takes us back to South Cove.

“Mother’s Day Mayhem” by Lynn Cahoon is a lovely, short read - a perfect novella with which to settle down on the sofa on a cold and windy afternoon, along with a mug of steaming hot chocolate!

Part of best-selling author, Lynn Cahoon’s, ‘Tourist Trap Mystery’ series, this is the first story I have read and I delighted in this easy-to-read novella. Although I’m sure the books would be best read in sequence, it was easy enough to follow the story and make the connections between the different characters. I didn’t particularly have a favourite in this book though I found I could really relate to Jill Gardner, the owner of ‘Coffee, Books, and More.’

Although there was no dead body in the story, there were some fun moments and plenty of mothers and it was wonderful getting to meet all of the other characters!

This was a charming little story and I will be reading more from this series in the future.

{Thank you to #NetGalley and Kensington Books for the free copy of #MothersDayMayhem and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}

Jill Gardner gets an unpleasant surprise when her boyfriend Greg springs on her that his mother is coming for Mother's Day. She already knows his brother cannot stand her so she feels this visit is doomed for failure. Jill is also feeling bad because she accidentally let a secret slip about someone who works next door to her coffee and book store.

This novella is #10.5 in A tourist Trap Mystery series but could easily be read as a stand alone. It is a quick mystery that will leave you wanting more and I am especially interested in the secret in Jill's family tree in which she feels her boyfriend would not be able to forgive.

Thanks to Kensington Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this story. The opinions expressed are my own.

I always enjoy a trip to South Cove, California where Jill Gardner owns Coffee, Books and More, the perfect place to get coffee, books and yummy treats. These new novellas are a fun step back in time for a quick visit to see what is happening with the townspeople. Jill loves to make sure her South Cove family is safe and happy. Kyle works with grumpy Josh Thomas' antique store next door to her shop. Kyle was from a program that helped young people find a job in South Cove for a new start. Sasha is from the same problem and has been a wonderful addition to Jill's shop. Kyle was raised by his grandmother but always wanted a relationship with his absent mother. Last he heard she was released from prison. In the past, she never fulfilled her promise to get together with him but Mother's Day is coming up. Maybe they can get together. Jill and her boyfriend, Detective Greg King, are going on a weekend getaway and she plans to investigate Kyle's mother, who lives in the town in Oregon where they are going. As she and Greg work together, will they have success and find out what is going on with his mother, Rebecca? Or will it be a bust? As a side note, Greg's mother is going to be in South Cove for Mother's Day. Yikes!
I received a complimentary ARC from Lyrical Press and Kensington Books through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

I’ve been reading the Tourist Trap series from the beginning and looked forward to reading this one. I didn’t realize that this was a novella and was disappointed to find it so short…I had been looking forward to a good long visit with Jill, the main character. It took me a bit to figure out where in Jill’s past this story fits in. That being said, I really liked the story and was glad to revisit events filling in blanks of the well-established characters. I found it a fun, easy read and look forward to the continuation of the series…either in the past or the present. As one reviewer pointed out, a new reader might want to read them in chronological order rather than by publication date. But if you don’t…jump right in and enjoy a great ride!

Coffee, Books & More is preparing for the next book club meeting and Mother's Day is approaching. Jill's personal life takes a turn when the "meeting of the parents" is sprung on her and to add to her worry is Kyle's strange behavior that has Josh in a twist. The characters are superb, the storylines are entertaining and in this Novella the mystery is very unique which is an interesting change of pace. My only complaint is that the novella's are now going back to fill in between books that have already been written and read so it is so odd that the character's personal lives are so out of sequence with what you have already read. I love the idea of the Novella's being centered around holidays, but I do wish that they had continued from where the last full length book left off. I am absolutely itching to see where the characters go from there, but instead we are in a time warp that takes us backwards in the character's developments. If you haven't read the series, then I would definitely read them in the order that the author wants you to and not by published date as they are not in correct order that way.

I have enjoyed these novellas until the next full-length novel is released but I felt this was out of order. I would suggest reading Mother's Day Mayhem before Killer Party.

Mother's Day Mayhem is the perfect way to pass a lazy Sunday afternoon.

I received a complimentary copy from Kensington through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Continuing with her holiday-themed short stories, Lynne Cahoon takes on the joys that can only be called Mother’s Day. Whether you love it or dread it, Ms. Cahoon takes the reading on the rollercoaster of meeting a mom for the first time. Hard to believe that local detective Greg, the boyfriend of main character and coffee shop owner Jill Gardner has never had a meet-the-mom before now. What does tug on the heartstrings is the story of Kyle who is desperate to find again the mother that had abandoned him when he was only five-years-old.

Unless you have been following the Tourist Trap series, this book is not going to keep your interest. You needed a background history of South Cove and its people. The understanding that they take care of their own and that once they accept you, you will always have a family.

This is another interesting novella in the Tourist Trap series and it takes place around Mothers Day. These novellas are short, quick, fun reads and this one wasn't really a cozy mystery. Also keep in mind that these novellas take place earlier in the series which takes a little getting used to. Jill owns a book store & coffee shop in South Cove. Her boyfriend, Greg, is the town Police Detective. Greg announces that his mother is coming to visit and they are all going out for dinner including Jill's Aunt Jackie and her beau Harold., and Greg's brother Jim. A friend of theirs, Kyle is looking forward to seeing his mother who hasn't been part of his life for a long time. That is an interesting part of the story. This is another fun addition to the series. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

This was my first introduction to Lynn Cahoon (I'd read about her on Jungle Red Writers, a blog by several mystery writers who I enjoy reading), and I was eager to dive in. Mother's Day Mayhem is a novella, labeled as #6.5 in the "A Tourist Trap Mystery" series and it took several pages to become acquainted with the characters. I quickly come to the conclusion that this is not a series that you can pick up anywhere, and think I would have enjoyed the story more if I were more familiar with the characters.

As it is, the story was okay (and it took me a while to figure out what the mystery was meant to be). I'm not going to put this in the "do not read" category, but plan to pick up the first entry in the series and then re-visit this story when I know the characters better.

In my opinion, this is worth a read if you follow "A Tourist Trap Mystery", but for fellow newbies, it may make more sense to defer this until its proper place in the chronology.