I enjoyed this first book in this cozy series. Nina has moved to a small Georgia town to start over and open a Bed and Breakfast. Not everyone in the town is happy about her plans. The previous owner's nephew believes he was supposed to inherit the house. Meanwhile a developer is turning a local nunnery into a resort and the homeless nuns have moved in. When the developer is found dead they set out to solve the crime. I enjoyed the small town setting and the characters. The mystery was good with lots of suspects. I look for word to the next book in the series.

Book 1 of the series and it's off to a great start.

Peach Clobbered finds Nina, recently divorced and retired at 41, living in a historic Queen Anne House. The problem is under murder interrupts her idyllic life.

Great characters!

This was a wonderful cozy mystery. Nina has come to this small town after her life is torn apart, hoping to rebuild, but she's greeted with troubles and complications from the outset. I couldn't help but love her from the start, and I loved trying to follow the many mysteries surrounding the murder. There are plenty of laughs along the way to keep you smiling, and I look forward to seeing what other mysteries will fall into Nina's lap in later books.

An interesting intro to a new cozy series that I enjoyed and look forward to other books in the series. The author kept me guessing about the whodunit to the very end.

Peach Clobbered is the first in the Georgia B&B mysteries. It is set in quaint Cymbeline, Georgia but being a small town doesn't mean you aren't going to have crime. Nina Fleet (pronunced Nie -na) has moved to Cymbeline after being there for a visit and seeing a home for sale that she fell in love with. Her plan is to turn it into a B&B, but before she has a chance to put her plans into action, the previous owner's nephew, Harry Wescott, shows up with a letter stating that he was supposed to get the house when she died. It is hard to take anyone seriously when they are wearing a penguin suit. Next thing Nina knows, she has a group of nuns staying with her as the convent they have been renting is being torn down and turned into a golfing community. Of course what is a cozy mystery without a murder. When Nina and the nuns are protesting outside the developers office, someone screams and it turns out the Penguin has been stabbed. It is not Harry, the nephew, but the hated developer. Things heat up as Nina helps to solve the crime to get the nuns and herself off the hook. Then of course is the question of who the intended victim really was.

Nina is a spunky and funny main character. She loves her new town and is accepted quite readily. She is getting over a divorce and is very likable and relatable. The secondary characters act some quirkiness to the story, especially the nuns. They are a hoot, but again, seem real. I felt so bad for them, many knowing no other home. To hear the sadness about losing their goats was heartbreaking. Then there is Harry. He is handsome and actually quite nice, but being a down on his luck actor, the penguin gig made me laugh out loud. The setting is idyllic for a cozy. A sweet, quaint town that is undergoing growing pains and has a seedy side, just not well known. The mystery was a good one. Lots of questions, red herrings and many suspects depending on who the intended victim was and the motive behind it. I did not figure this one out and was surprised but satisfied with the reveal. I was quite happy with this first book in a new series and with the first three already published, I will be checking them out shortly. I definitely recommend this one to cozy mystery lovers.

"Peach Clobbered" was a delightful cozy with a particularly quirky cast of characters, a unique setting, and enough red herrings to keep me guessing about the killer’s identity right up until the end.

Gerard does a fine job of capturing the antics of small-town Southern life, and even her minor characters, like Mayor Melissa Jane Green, are spot-on.

The idea of a new B&B owner hosting a group of nuns as her very first guests sounds rather slapstick, but Gerard makes it work. And for some reason, I really loved the fact that the main character’s name, Nina, is pronounced “Nine-ah.” Makes it memorable and meaningful all at once.

I wish the book hadn't have had the profanity it did (some of my blog readers will not read cozies if they know this), but otherwise, I very much enjoyed this first entry in the series and look forward to more!

This is the first book in the Georgia B&B series. The main character, Nina Fleet, is a divorcee, who left Atlanta to live a less hectic life in the small town of Cymbeline. As an outsider in the town, Nina has run into a few problems- a question of ownership as well as a wall with getting permits for renovations to the old house she purchased until the Mayor needs a favor and rushes all the paperwork through. What was the favor? Open her B&B immediately and house 6 nuns who are being evicted from their convent by the landlord.

When the landlord is found murdered, Nina sets out (with Harry who disputes her ownership) to find who killed the landlord and will that help the nuns.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. On one side, the characters of Nina and the nuns were amusing, on the other hand Harry was obnoxious and needed a good swift kick in the butt. Nina needs to get over the fact the no one seems to pronounce her name the way she wants them to. I don't know why that was even in the book and stressed so often.

Hope that any future books will eliminate Nina's name issue and Harry's bad attitude.
Characters need more development.

Peach Clobbered is the first book in the new Georgia B&B series. The main character is Nina (pronounced Nine-a). She is recently divorced and has purchased a historical home that she is hoping to turn into a bed and breakfast. The only problem is that the deceased previous owners nephew, Harry Westcott, who is currently dressing up as a penguin mascot, is contesting the sale of the property.

Before Nina is ready she finds herself hosting a household of nuns as her first guests who are losing their home to a greedy developer. Before she knows it she is entwined in a murder investigation with the nuns and Harry. Can she help solve the murder and save her bed and breakfast??

I really enjoyed the characters and the story. I look forward to reading more of this series!!

This book was okay. I feel like the story dragged on a bit near the end and I found myself skipping sections just to finish the book. I will read the next book in the series to see if the writing is any better just because I did like the main character. Hopefully the writing will improve.

Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book from Netgalley.

If you want to pull me into a book then mention penguins on the first page, I'm automatically in.

Loved this story, the characters are wonderfully interesting and quirky, the nuns are bloody brilliant, it has a nice easy humour and a beautiful setting.

The mystery is well done and keeps you engaged throughout, can't wait to read more by this author.

*Huge thanks to Anna Gerard, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own*

Considering that the main character Nina (pronounced Nine-ah) lives in small town Georgia where the temps are never arctic, especially not in the summer, that first line from Peach Clobbered should pique your interest right from the start. It only gets more engaging from there, as poor Nina must juggle a penguin-costumed actor who insists he has legal claim to her newly purchased home, a gaggle of suddenly-displaced nuns with nowhere else to go, and a murder victim that any number of people wanted dead.

I really enjoyed ‘meeting’ Nina and the rest of the residents of Cymbeline, Georgia. In typical cozy mystery fashion, the quaint town houses a healthy dose of quirky characters as well as a heaping helping of loyal friends and a host of potential suspects. The nuns were particularly endearing, with several chuckles as well as sweet moments, and I hope we might encounter them again at some point. I’m also curious about Harry and the role he’ll play in future books – and Nina’s life. And of course Nina’s faithful companion and sweet dog Mattie totally had my heart.

The mystery is well-plotted and full of twists and turns, including a surprise find or two. Local law enforcement seems competent, and Nina did at least try to play by the rules. I mean, it’s not her fault that she’s housing two of the potential suspects in her impromptu B&B – it’s only logical that she would try to prove their innocence. But she’s (mostly) smart about it which I always appreciate in a cozy mystery heroine.

Bottom Line: Delightfully written with plenty of characters to love (and suspect), Peach Clobbered is a great start to a new cozy series! The author portrays small town southern life with wit, authenticity and fondness, and while I figured out whodunit the journey to get to the why was truly enjoyable. I’m looking forward to finding out what Nina and Mattie are up to next, as well as what role (if any) some of the characters we met in this story will play in future books.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

This book reminded me so much of the Hannah Swensen mysteries by Joanne Fluke only funnier and faster moving; the vivid setting of a Georgia B&B and the tone of Southern people that I recognize very well from being a Southerner myself definitely made this a fun and juicy read. In the interest of leaving you with no spoilers (which is always my aim) I will just say that, if you like mysteries that don't take themselves too seriously pay a visit to Cymbaline and meet Nina- you won't be sorry you did.

This is the delightful first book in a new cozy mystery series, with plenty of yummy little tidbits, as evidenced by the book’s title. I’m absolutely excited for the next chapter!

Nina Fleet (pronounced Nine-a) is a transplant to the little town of Cymbeline, Georgia, having just purchased her beautiful home after a nasty divorce. But a relative of the late owner is threatening to sue, a bus load of nuns just showed up at her door and to top it off, she finds a dead body in a penguin suit in a back alley. Talk about anything but a sleepy start to her small-town life.

I loved all the quirky little details in this story - from the order of nuns that become Nina’s first B&B guests to Nina’s Australian Sheperd, Mattie, who reminds me of my own Aussie-mix. The author clearly thought things out and created this entire little world that is just a delightful treat to read about.

The central mystery is very good. There’s a lot of possibilities and a lot of different things that ll come together nicely in the end. I didn’t guess the ending at all and I was really satisfied with it.

Plus, there’s a couple things at the end that set up what could be some great storylines for the future. I really am super excited to see that this is a new series, and will certainly be following up with it.

If you are looking for an adorable, heartwarming cozy mystery, this is a great option. However be prepared - you will want some more of this delicious cobbler!

Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard is the first book in the Southern B&B Mystery series. Nina moves to a small Georgia town with plans to open a B&B. Problems arise with both politics and a strange man in a penguin costume showing up at her door. The political problems are resolved when the town becomes desperate to find a temporary home for a group of displaced nuns. The penguin costume causes more problems when Nina discovers it along with a dead body inside. I loved the southern setting and the characters in this book. The mystery had plenty of twists and turns. I look forward to seeing how the series develops with future books!

Peach Clobbered begins a delightful new southern mystery series by Anna Gerard and I enjoyed it very much. It’s well written, complex, populated with engaging, sometimes quirky characters, and filled with funny, if not outright hilarious moments. Would have given a higher rating had there been no profanity.

One of its strengths is the strong sense of place, the fictional town of Cymbeline, Georgia, located about an hour from Savannah. The author has her finger on the pulse of the small southern town and vividly conveys the charming feel. Into this town comes lead character, Nina, who fell in love with a Queen Anne house while visiting and quickly made the decision to purchase. Having lived in Atlanta and recently divorced from a well-known professional golfer, Cymbeline offers the quieter pace and fresh start that she needed.

Nina is an engaging character, spunky and caring of people. Interesting secondary characters add richness and depth, as Nina discovers that Cymbeline has its share of problems. Small-town politics come into play as the mayor initially turns down Nina’s application to open a B&B, only to fast-track the opening (three days) when she needs to find a temporary home for six displaced nuns. At the heart of the nuns’ situation, and also the dislike of many Cymbeline citizens, is a shady real estate developer.

And then there’s Harry Wescott, Harry Westcott, nephew of the previous owner of Nina’s home, who has a letter claiming she intended to bequeath the house to him. When Nina first meets Harry, he is dressed in a penguin outfit, working to promote the local Taste-Tee Freeze Creamery. I was never sure whether I liked Harry or not, and still have questions, which is a good thing. He’s a potential foe to Nina with his seemingly legitimate right to ownership, yet a reluctant friendship of sorts begins to develop as they form a truce. I feel sure we’ll see more of Harry in future stories and I actually look forward to that.

Although the murder takes place in the early pages, this story focuses more on the people, Nina’s efforts with the B&B, and the nuns, who I absolutely loved. Suspects abound, as well as red herrings, and I didn’t even try to solve the murder because the journey was so much fun. I look forward to returning to Cymbeline in future stories. The only negative for me was the occasional use of profanity, which was totally unnecessary.

Recommended.

I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is book 1 in the new cozy series, Georgia B&B. Nina uses her divorce settlement to purchase a rundown home in Cymbeline Georgia to turn into a Bed and Breakfast. As she's working on her renovations a relative of the previous owner shows up contesting the sale. Now he's installed in a room upstairs and a dead man is found in the garden. It gets even more crowded when 6 nuns show up needing rooms. I'll give book 2 a try to see how things develop. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Princess Fuzzypants here: I’d forgotten that the author used a pseudonym and was one of my favourite ones. Once I did, it was no surprise why I enjoyed this one so much. It has a good story about a woman who moves to the small town in Georgia after her marriage to a golf celebrity dissolves. She has this amazing old house, she loves the town and the people and life seems truly good. Then one day a stranger turns up at her door in a penguin suit. That should have been her first clue that things were about to get very quirky.
There are a lot of moving parts in the story including a landlord who could make Simon Legree look like a good guy, a group of displaced nuns, a hunky actor who is between gigs but thinks the house should be his and lots of other interesting characters. Nina herself is smart, compassionate and she loves cozies where smart kitties solve crimes. She also has an Australian Sheepdog who is her protector and an excellent judge of character..
There is the nucleus of a great series but even as a one off, it’s an enjoyable read. I give it the full five purrs and two paws.

This book is a great start to a new series. I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

4.5

Nina - pronounced like nine-a and not nee-na - bought a lasrge southern home with the tidy sum of money she received in her divorce. She has hardly put down her roots when she gets an unexpected visitor in a penguin suit. The visitor is Harry and he has a letter from his great aunt saying she wants to leave him the house. Unfortunately, the great aunt never made her promise legal. When someone is found dead in a penguin suit, Nina can't help get involved in finding the murderer.

Oh this was good! I loved the southern setting and everything that goes with it - southern charm, southern sayings and that delightful sense of southern wit/sarcasm. Nina is funny and smart. Not much gets by her. The other characters in the story are an extra bonus. I am thrilled that I got in on this series with book one. This was very entertaining and often had me chuckling. I'll be looking forward to more of the Georgia B&B Mysteries!

My thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley.

This was a fun quick read. It is a good cozy and i would recommend it to others looking for something fun to read. I enjoyed the setting, the characters and the writing. I will be back for more!