In this next book of the series Hayley's best friend Liddy is finally getting married. She is marrying local attorney Sonny Lipton and with their age difference it is all anyone can talk about. Wedding plans are on track until Liddy finds out that her mother hired her much hated cousin Lisa to bake her wedding cake. She would love to put her foot down and say no but her mother is paying for the wedding which leaves her no choice but to go along. Things go from bad to worse when Hayley finds Lisa face down dead in a cake much like the one Liddy has asked for, for her upcoming nuptials. The suspect list is long and Hayley wants to do everything she can to keep LIddy's wedding on track. Things don't look so good for the wedding though when at every turn Sonny is showing up and he won't talk to LIddy about what is going on. He says he loves her and wants to get married so Liddy soldiers on. Hayley doesn't know what is going on but is determined to figure things out before her best friends big day. With Lisa dead she has the extra pressure of baking the wedding cake. Will she be able to find a killer and bake a beautiful cake before the big day? Follow along as she tries to do that in more in hopes of keeping her friends day a happy one. This was the best book yet, I was surprised in the end and loved the direction that the author took with the characters. I look forward to seeing what journey she takes them on next!!!

An amusing cozy mystery. Bridezilla, along with mother of the bride, one of the bridesmaids, and even the groom, all cause havoc. There was one glaring inconsistency regarding a phone that may have been cleared up since I was reading an ARC. The dreaded cliffhanger had me shaking my head. I enjoy the protagonist's newspaper columns that separate the chapters, along with the recipes. I considered skipping the one near the end. Glad I didn't. Death of an Author is my name for the book now. I do look forward to reading the next one.

Death of a Wedding Cake Baker by Lee Hollis is the 11th book in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series, and another great addition to the series. Hayley is busy helping her best friend, Liddy, plan her wedding. Liddy's nasty cousin Lisa is baking the wedding cake, until she is found dead. I really enjoy the character of Hayley, she is fun and you can't help but like her. This book is fast paced with a well thought out plot and great characters. This might be my favorite book so far in the series with all the surprises. Once I started this book, I had to keep reading, until I was done. I often find myself laughing out loud I strongly recommend this book/series for all cozy mystery lovers like myself.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.

A five star cliffhanger ending after a roller coaster ride of wedding preparations involving three unlikely friends makes this a fun ride. Haley Powell's best friend is getting married but the brides emotions are out of control and deceptions are adding up to the point that Hayley wonders if the wedding will or should take place.

This is book #11 in A Haley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery but could easily be read as a stand alone. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington books for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

This particular series is a personal favorite of mine. I love the different twists and turns that the author includes in every book. I’m always excited to see a new book by this talented author.

I loved this entertaining, enjoyable and fun to read book.
It's a well written mystery with a cast of likable characters and an interesting plot.
The mystery was good, no plot hole, and it kept me guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Weddings can bring out the worst in people- even when the bride (especially) and groom are, ahem, mature. Hayley, who has solved any number of murders, really finds herself on the spot in this latest installment in a cozy series that you'll fine reading as a standalone. Her friend Liddy is the bride and even she though she and her cousin Lisa don't like each other- not in the least- she hires her- and then fires her to make her wedding cake. Lisa may be a good baker but she's a real pain so when she's poisoned, Liddy, the most recent person to have a run in with her is the main suspect. Thanks to Hayley, however, she's not the only one. Hayley's also helping Liddy deal with her groom-to-be. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Classic cozy for fans of the genre.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

It's always nice to pick up a cozy and feel like you just fit in with the characters. The cast in this one isn't overwhelming, and you soon know who they all are and how they relate to one another. Food is obviously the theme with this series, and this one focuses on the wedding of Liddy, Hayley's good friend. It's when their disagreeable wedding baker is killed that the mystery starts, but there are layers of mystery here as to who is the target and why. At some points it was over the top dramatic, but after a while I just accepted the crazy and went with it. Liddy was written perfectly for that role, and although you never really LIKE her, you enjoy reading her character.

I thought this was a fun mystery and I'd like to catch up on the series. I did find that by having the recaps and recipes IN the text instead of at the end like a normal cozy mystery distracted me from the events at hand though, but I get the feeling that is how the rest of the series was written and it worked up until now- I'm the odd one out here. If you're looking for a new mystery or an established series, don't go past this one. Five stars!

Death of a Wedding Cake Baker is the eleventh book in the Hayley Powell Mystery series written by Lee Hollis. This is the first book by Lee Hollis and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

For Matron of Honor Hayley Powell, catching a half-baked poisoner before her friend's wedding will be icing on the cake . . .

Liddy Crawford, best friend of food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell, is getting married. The wedding is the talk of the town in Bar Harbor, Maine, including snide gossip about the age gap between the bride and her groom, local lawyer Sonny Lipton. But the cruelty of the comments is nothing compared to the nasty wedding cake baker, Liddy's quarrelsome cousin Lisa.

So when the belligerent baker is found facedown in a three-tier cake, the victim of a poisoned slice, there are more suspects in town than names on the guest list. With Sonny getting cold feet, Liddy getting hot under the frilly collar of her wedding gown, and a killer possibly crashing the ceremony, Hayley vows to solve the crime before her best friend walks down the aisle . . .

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the quirky characters which are well developed. There are plenty of twists and turns in this story, and I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. The story moves at a steady pace, and I had a hard time putting it down.

I cant wait to take another trip to Bar Harbor, Maine, to see whats new with Hayley and her friends.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading light, cozy mysteries.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!

Liddy Crawford, Hayley Powell’s best friend, is getting married! And quickly. The groom-to-be is a much younger man. Sonny is a lawyer in Bar Harbor, Maine and seems to be getting cold feet. The wedding preparations begin to fall in line except for the wedding cake. Liddy’s mother insists on using her niece Lisa. Liddy and Lisa do not get along. When Lisa is found dead, Liddy is a possible suspect.

The story is full of surprises and the ending even more so. I very much enjoyed this book. It is my first foray into this series and I enjoyed it tremendously.

As a fan of cozy mystery’s and of small costal towns, this book is definitely enjoyable. Small town rivalries, crazy wedding planning and mystery? Count me in.

DEATH OF A WEDDING CAKE BAKER by Lee Hollis, is the eleventh book in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series. The inviting, elegant cover lures the reader in and then delivers a ride that keeps them on their toes and turning pages. I so enjoy that the protagonist, Hayley, and her friends are women of a “certain” age. Hayley’s children are grown and living their own lives, which gives her a greater amount of freedom. The author provides plenty of positive optimism that it’s never too late for love, no matter what your age may be. Although, to make the story entertaining, there are plenty of bridezilla and mother-of-the-bridezilla moments, involving Hayley’s friend, Liddy. I was especially tickled over the scene when Hayley must try on her bridesmaid dress… it was hysterically accurate of what so many bridesmaids have endured in serving their friend, the bride! The story also brings in the factor of family and the squabbles that can happen when a wedding is involved.

As the title implies, the bride’s wedding cake baker, who just so happens to be Liddy’s cousin, is poisoned and dies. The very talented bakery owner was a difficult woman and had a reputation for being nearly impossible to deal with, even within her own family. This gives Hayley almost too many suspects to look in to, but she’s determined to clear things up so that the bride can enjoy her nuptials. There are twists and turns along the way, plus humor sprinkled throughout that kept me entertained. DEATH OF A WEDDING CAKE BAKER is a terrific addition to a delightful series!

I just loved the previous books in this series, and this newest entry did not disappoint! Protagonist Hayley is so realistic, funny, and loyal to her friends and family. I really like her newspaper column entries at the end of some of the chapters. They include fun mini-stories and recipes for tasty foods and cocktails. Death of a Wedding Cake Baker, Hayley is wrapped up in the planning of her best friend's wedding, when the titular wedding cake baker winds up dead. When other mysterious things happen, Hayley begins to wonder if the wedding will actually take place. There are plenty of great twists and turns in this story, and I kept guessing and second-guessing my theories right to the very end. The story moves at a good pace, and is a fun, easy read that I had a hard time putting down. It was great to take another trip to Bar Harbor, Maine, to see what was new with Hayley and her crew. I already can't wait for the next book to see how the cliffhanger will turn out!

I received an advance copy of this book. My review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

The next installment in the Hayley Powell mystery series finds her trying to solve the murder of a nasty wedding cake baker. The baker is Lisa and is also cousin to Liddy the bride to be and Hayley’s best friend. Liddy’s Mom pressures her to hire Lisa although the cousins do not get along. After just too many arguments, Liddy fires Lisa and shortly after that she is poisoned. The cake she is poisoned with is the one Liddy wanted Lisa to make (which she refused and why Liddy fired her) so was Lisa or Liddy the intended target. Hayley has to investigate. Good solid mystery which will have you guessing and all the characters you have come to love in this series.

Death of a Wedding Cake Baker by Lee Hollis is the latest installment in the Haley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series (#11).

This is a fabulous series focussing on the main character, Haley, that is a 40-ish divorced (but now in a positive committed relationship with felllow writer/reporter Bruce) with two college aged kids and a whole host of awesome friends, quirky neighbors, and an awesome brother Randy and his husband Sergio the police chief.
The relationships, the banter, and the quick wit and dialogue are hilarious and beyond entertaining. I love the characters and hope that I can continue to see them all mature and grow.

The mystery of the murder that is taking place (without giving anything away) is top notch and it took me a while to figure out the culprit.

I like reading Haley’s column as well, however I love the characters and their interactions the best.

I have always loved this series and this author. 5/5 stars. A must-read.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in return for my honest review.

It was a fun read and all that, but what bugged me a little bit was all the "something is going to happen" comments from the narrator and the ending itself that made me a bit puzzled. All in all, it's a fun and light entertainment, with an added bonus of a few recipes.

Death of a Wedding Cake Baker is the eleventh book in the Hayley Powell Mystery series written by Lee Hollis. The story moves along at a steady pace, the mystery is interesting and well plotted, and the characters are well developed. There are twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. The reveal surprised me, but I was disappointed that the book ended with a cliffhanger. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading light, cozy mysteries.

Hayley Powell is the food columnist for the Island Times in Bar Harbor, Maine and she humorously writes about her memories of past events and includes tasty recipes in her column. Hayley has two adult children, Gemma and Dustin, one brother, Randy, who’s married to Sergio Alvares, Bar Harbor’s police chief and owns a bar, Drinks Like a Fish, and is dating an Island Times coworker, Bruce Linney. One of Hayley’s best friends, Liddy Crawford, is getting married to Sonny Lipton, a local lawyer, who’s much younger than she is. Hayley is the matron of honor and their other friend, Mona Barnes, is one of two bridesmaids. Hayley’s overwhelmed with her responsibilities of helping the bride plan the event, dealing with her friend who has turned into a bridezilla and the overbearing and controlling mother of the bride. Liddy isn’t happy when her mother, Celeste, promises the proprietor of Calk Walk, Lisa, the cousin Liddy doesn’t like, that she can provide the wedding cake. Lisa refuses to listen to what Liddy wants and insists on baking a non-traditional wedding cake with nuts even though Liddy’s allergic. Shortly after Liddy fires Lisa, the baker has a change of heart and bakes the cake the bride wants, but after tasting the cake, the baker’s body is found on Cake Walk’s kitchen floor, and it’s determined she’s been poisoned. Hayley is concerned Liddy might have been the intended victim and takes it upon herself to figure out what’s going on.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Death of a Wedding Cake Baker is the eleventh installment in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series set in Bar Harbor, ME and featuring columnist Hayley Powell. Hayley's best friend Liddy Crawford has managed to not only snag much younger lawyer, Sonny Lipton while on vacation but also gotten him to propose and the wedding planning is moving at top speed.

With Hayley chosen to be Maid of Honor and the sometimes rough lobsterwoman, Mona Barnes named as a bridesmaid, neither are impressed with Liddy's choice of Pepto-Bismol colored gowns which resemble something little Bo Peep would be wearing. But, the dresses aren't the only problem, Liddy's mother Celeste is taking over and has announced that Hayley's childhood nemesis Sabrina Merryweather is joining the wedding party and that she has chosen her niece Lisa Crawford to bake the cake. Problem is that Liddy absolutely despises the ogre Cousin Lisa.

Things are getting tense with Lisa not wanting to listen to a thing Liddy says and insisting that Liddy's choice of cake for her big day is tacky. After several tastings that ended in failure, the girls arrive at Lisa's bakery for one more shot only to find the baker lying face down in one of her cakes. Fingers point to Liddy but the temperamental baker isn't very popular in town so the suspect list is lengthy.

Teaming up with her two best friends and her brother Randy and his husband Police Chief Sergio Alvares, Hayley sets out to track down a killer. The antics of Hayley and her friends will have you laughing aloud from the first page to the last. A fun plot with returning characters that ends with a cliffhanger.

I received an advanced copy of Death of a Wedding Cake Baker from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

I love Hayley Powell. In her latest adventure 'Death of a Wedding Cake Baker' her best friend Liddy is getting married. I don't love Liddy, she is annoying. That is the mark of a great author in my mind, that she can make me invested in characters that are unlikable, and Lee Hollis is expert at this. There are family intrigues and Liddy's more than annoying cousin is a victim. There are plenty of suspects, all which reached first on the list at various times for me. This has one of the most memorable endings of any book I have read in a long while, and it has stayed with me. I am anxious for the next in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions express in this review are entirely my own.

Lee Hollis never disappoints, and Death of a Wedding Cake baker is classic, outrageously funny yet cozy and mysterious, Hayley Powell. Liddy is getting married and matron of honor Hayley is determined that Liddy'll get hitched without a hitch which isn't easy when the wedding cake baker is poisoned to death, Liddy asks frenemy Sabrina Merryweather to join Hayley and Mona in the bridal party, and the groom is sending mixed messages! An absolute hoot of a book which I read in one sitting. I love this series and absolutely recommend Death of a Wedding Cake Baker (and the rest of the series!) to one and all. A+++