My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

First in the series.

Thing I liked: Most of the characters, especially the nuns.
Thing I don't like: Are the nuns going to make an appearance in every book? Because at the moment I like them better than Nina. And I am not fond of Harry, and certainly not a fan of the Nina/Harry romance that's being set up.

The story is a bit light on detecting, mainly because Nina is actually busy running her B&B. Frankly, that makes a nice change, since most mystery main characters tend to abandon their businesses to snoop at the drop of a hat.

I liked this well enough that I look forward to the next book in the series to see how things develop.

Peach Clobbered is the first book in a new series. What a great start! The characters are well developed and interesting. The story held my interest and is well written. The mystery is satisfying and well done. I look forward to the next book in the series. And will be looking for more books by Anna Gerard. Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for this honest review.

Peach Clobbered was a great read. Wonderful cozy mystery set in a Bed & Breakfast run by Nina Fleet. With a wonderful cast of characters, a murder, a skull and plenty of twists and turns. Who do you trust?

Anna Gerard has created a wonderful start to a new series. I can’t wait for the next installment on this one.

If you’re looking for a really good cozy mystery, this is definitely a good one. I highly recommend this book.

Nina Fleet's life is starting over after her divorce. She's bought an historic Queen Anne house in Cymbeline, Ga, and is ready to turn it into a B&B. But then a man wearing a penguin suit shows up on her front porch, and things

Actor Harry Westcott is working as an ice cream shop's mascot to earn money while he pushes his claim to the house that Nina has bought. He says his aunt left him the house. Nina says otherwise.

In the meantime, the Sisters of Perpetual Poverty have lost their lease on their convent, thanks to real estate developer Gregory Bainbridge intends to turn the convent into a golfing community. Nina is persuaded to take the nuns in as her first borders at the B&B.

But days later, while the nuns are protesting against their eviction, a man in penguin suit is found dead in the alley. But this time it's not Harry. It's up to Nina to figure out whodunit, before she joins the ranks of the dead.

Penguins, nuns, and murder, oh my. Peach Clobbered is the first in the Georgia B&B series, and it mixes humor and a tight mystery that made for an entertaining read.

Nina is a wonderfully constructed character. She is strong yet sympathetic, and it made her a person that was easy to relate to. The supporting cast was perfect. The nuns were entertaining, and had backgrounds that made them seem very real. And Harry...what to say about Harry. You wanted to hate him, because he wanted Nina's house, but then again I liked him because he's so very...well, likeable.

I really enjoyed watching the characters grow, and look forward to see where they go in future books.

The mystery was tightly woven, and it was one that I didn't figure out, which always pushed a book up to a five for me.

This series has been placed on my must read list. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Peach Clobbered (Georgia B&B #1)
Author: Anna Gerard
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: July 09, 2019
3 Stars

After a divorce and a desire for a change, Nina Fleet decided to buy a beautiful, historic Queen Anne house in Cymbeline, Georgia. Nina’s grand plans for the house included turning it into a bed and breakfast. She hit her first roadblock, however, when she was informed that the city’s current zoning ordinances would prevent that from happening. An even more troublesome problem landed on her front door steps. The problem…a piping, hot mad penguin. The penguin turned out to be Harry Westcott, the great nephew of the previous owner, in a mascot costume. Harry was livid and threatened to sue Nina and had come to her house with proof that the house should have been left to him. Nina begrudgingly invites Harry in to cool off. After allowing Harry the opportunity to recover, Nina politely sends him on his way and vows to learn more about him.

Harry wouldn’t be Nina’s last unexpected guest that day. The town’s mayor showed up later and told Nina that she had found a way to make the B&B happen. The only catch was that she had to open immediately to house six nuns who have been displaced by their closing convent. It seems that the convent’s landowner, Mr. Bainbridge, had refused to renew their lease and they had no where else to go until they have been reassigned. After their arrival, the nuns informed Nina that they planned to picket Mr. Bainbridge’s office to protest his decision. Although not planning on protesting herself, Nina headed into town with the nuns. After a long, hot morning, the nuns agreed to take a lunch break. It was during this break that Nina saw a woman running and screaming for help. She tracked the woman down who then told her that somebody had stabbed a penguin and that its body was behind the antique store. Nina rushed behind the store and found Harry with a stab wound to his chest. She immediately went for help. The help wasn’t enough, however, and the victim died on the way to the hospital. Nina was strangely relieved though to learn that the victim was not Harry as she had believed, but was in fact Mr. Bainbridge. Nina was left wondering why Mr. Bainbridge was killed, and what he was doing in the penguin costume.

I think that Peach Clobbered is a charming introduction to the new Georgia B&B mystery series. It’s a fun and quick cozy mystery read. The author has cooked up quite a unique, diverse, and likable cast of characters for this story. I think it can be hard with a first in a series book to do a knockout job with the characters. I think it is easy to get lost in the plot in the first book with the thought that your readers can learn more about the characters as they read further on in the series. And while a good series will develop the characters over time, you need to have a solid base to build on. This book does a great job at the start of developing both primary and secondary characters.

Although I really enjoyed this cozy, I found it a little light in the amateur sleuth department. Nina is really pretty busy throughout the story taking care of guests that she doesn’t have a lot of time for sleuthing. I felt like the solution almost just fell into her lap, rather than her uncovering the truth. Having said that though, I really did enjoy the story, and I foresee the second in this series being even better than the first.

Thanks to Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for an an ARC of this book. #NetGalley #PeachClobbered

Nina Fleet’s life ought to be as sweet as a Georgia peach. Awarded a tidy sum in her divorce, Nina retired at 41 to a historic Queen Anne house in quaint Cymbeline, GA. But Nina’s barely settled into her new B&B-to-be when a penguin shows up on her porch. Or, at least, a man wearing a penguin suit.

Harry Westcott is making ends meet as an ice cream shop’s mascot and has a letter from his great-aunt, pledging to leave him the house. Too bad that’s not what her will says. Meanwhile, the Sisters of Perpetual Poverty have lost their lease. Real estate developer Gregory Bainbridge intends to turn the convent into a golfing community, so Cymbeline’s mayor persuades Nina to take in the elderly nuns. And then Nina finds the “penguin” again, this time lying in an alley with a kitchen knife in his chest.

A peek under the beak tells Nina it’s not Harry inside the costume, but Bainbridge. What was he doing in Harry’s penguin suit? Was the developer really the intended victim, or did the culprit mean to kill Harry? Whoever is out to stop Harry from contesting the sale of his great-aunt’s house may also be after Nina, so she teams up with him to cage the killer before someone clips her wings in Peach Clobbered, Anna Gerard’s charming first Georgia B&B mystery.

This was a quick, fun mystery. I really enjoyed following along as Nina and Harry search for the murderer.

Peach Clobbered is a somewhat humorous cozy mystery. Loved the plot, setting and the quirky characters. Mystery fans will love this book. Thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

A quaint setting, unusual circumstances, and fun characters made this a very enjoyable cozy read for me. There’s just enough humor, and I felt like I got to know Nina throughout the course of the story. This is book #1 in what I think is a very promising new series.

I enjoyed this brand new series first so much! It was funny in places and really kept my interest as far as wanting to see what happened next. I mean a group of nuns in a town where the murder was being referred to as the Penguin Suit murder just made me chuckle. Just like Nina, I grew pretty fond of all those sisters when they moved into the B&B. Despite their similar names (each was Sister Mary something), they did each have their own quirks or personalities and I hoped that they wouldn't have to leave anytime soon. Even though I didn't want to like Harry at first (he showed up claiming that Nina's house-now-B&B was promised to him by his great aunt, but she never lived to revise her will), I couldn't help but find him likable eventually. Nina found herself softening toward him as well, possibly the influence of living with the good sisters, or maybe she just thought he was hot. ;)

I hadn't guessed the killer and after the happy ending that everyone got, I'm anxious to see what the author has in store next for Nina, Mattie-pup and their friends.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

I enjoyed reading Peach Clobbered. Fun story with lots going on. Looking forward to future books in this series!

I literally read this book in one sitting. That's how much I enjoyed it! I found the storyline was well plotted and the characters were witty and engaging. I'm certainly hoping to read more from this author.

PEACH CLOBBERED by Anna Gerard
The First Georgia B&B Mystery

Nina Fleet lives in Georgia, not the Antarctic, yet penguins start to play a major part of her life. First a penguin appears at her front door trying to sue her. OK, it's actually a man dressed in a penguin suit, but he's the one trying to take the gorgeous old house she bought away from her, claiming his aunt actually left it to him. Then she's surrounded by a group of penguins. OK, they're actually nuns in traditional habits, but they're moving in with her. The town bad guy has kicked the sisters out of their home so the mayor sped through Nina's bed and breakfast paperwork and made her an offer she couldn't refuse. As Nina accompanies the nuns on their protest of the developer she's led by a screaming woman to a penguin who has been stabbed. OK, not a real penguin, it's the same costume as Harry wore, but it's not Harry inside...it's the dastardly developer. Almost everyone in the small town of Cymbeline wanted to kill him, but who actually did? Or was Harry the real target?

I really like this new series! Nina (pronounced like the number, not Nee-nah) is a smart capable woman thrust into a most unusual situation. In fact, the book is filled with smart capable women, from the sheriff to the mayor to the Sisters of Perpetual Poverty. I'm impressed with the manner in which the nuns are represented along with the hard truths they are forced to face from their own archbishop. I'm especially fond of Sr. Mary Thomas as her love of animals shines through the pages. Mattie is a sweet dog and the town of Cymbeline is utterly charming with its nod to all things Shakespeare. The relationship between Nina and Harry is quite unique. Harry vacillates from being a villain out to take away Nina's dream, a victim of pathos, and a possible romantic interest. Lots of interesting character inhabit the pages making for a compelling read.

PEACH CLOBBERED is a charming, witty, and engaging mystery that pulled me in from the start. I'll miss some of the characters I met here, but am looking forward to meeting Nina's next guests!

This was a charming cozy mystery with witty dialogues and a Southern setting. The characters were quirky and well developed, so it was interesting watching them interact with eachother. The plot (and subplots) were well written as well.

I loved this book - from the witty dialogue, quirky characters, and southern setting.  It is a winning combination.

This is a new series you will want to read and should you read this book (and you should!) you might be surprised at the turn of events and who the killer turns out to be in the end.  I love a good mystery that keeps me guessing and surprises me in the end.  

Nina (Nine-ah) has left the big city of Atlanta and has found her new home in Cymbeline after a disastrous marriage.  As with all small towns, there are politics and it is all in who you know to get things done.  The historic home that she has purchased is now a B&B at the behest of the Mayor (hence the fast tracking of certain things) to house a motley group of nuns.  While this may not be her plans for her home, she falls into the groove pretty quickly and it helps that the nuns aren't your typical guests.  She does have a thorn in her side, Harry.  He is a nephew of the previous owner and is contesting her purchasing the house.  This causes for some sticky situations peppered throughout the book, but it adds another twist in the tale.

I thought that the cast of characters was just right - not too many and not too few.  I felt like the characters were well developed for a first book and expect that to continue with future books.  I do think there could have been a little bit more about how Nina came to Cymbeline and why she left Atlanta.  There are a few mentions but not enough for my liking but hopefully, there will be a further exploration into her past life.

I am curious to see how this situation with Harry will play itself out.  He is an actor and has done various roles, so will he want to continue contesting the sale of the house or will he move on if his career takes off?  Only future books will tell.

This peach of a book is entertaining and we give it 5 paws up.

Peach Clobbered is a great start to Nina’s life after divorce and to the reader’s (hopefully) long journey through the Georgia B&B cozy mystery series. I’m already looking forward to the next one!

Nina decides to start over after her divorce. She impulse buys a Queen Anne house in small but touristy Cymbeline, Georgia in the hopes of opening a Bed & Breakfast. Unfortunately, to get a license to operate a business in her home, she has to “volunteer” to take in six homeless nuns and a Mother Superior until they get relocated by their diocese. In the meantime, the nuns are picketing the land owner, who is intent on developing their convent into golf club estates. When the developer ends up dead while dressed in a penguin costume, Nina decides to investigate.

The characters are the best part of Peach Clobbered. Nina is new to town so we get to meet all the local people as a stranger initially, which is great fun. Who will be Nina’s love interest? Who will be her best friend? The mystery was good too. However, I will read the next in the Georgia B&B mystery series because of the agreeable and funny characters especially her Australian Shepherd, Mattie. This entry is recommended for cozy mystery readers looking for a new series that contains humor, mystery, and a bunch of nuns fighting to save their home. 4 stars!

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is an outstanding cozy series debut featuring Nina (pronounced Nine-a) Fleet, the new owner of a Georgia bed and breakfast. Nina tries to solve the murder of a man in a penguin suit while taking care of contingent of cheesemaking nuns from the Sisters of Perpetual Poverty who lost the lease on their convent. (Loved those nuns!!)

For a series debut, this one was well-plotted with fun, interesting characters. It didn't feel like a series debut and grabbed me right from the start.

I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series.

Welcome to Georgia and all its charm in this brand new cozy mystery series. Nina loved in a big old historic house that she bought perfectly legally. A relative of the deceased owner feels otherwise showing up causing problems. On to of that a local man is evicting a group of mind that now need a place to say. The major feels that Nina's house would be a perfect B&B so she rushes the permits and voila a new business with instant guests. Then the local mans turned up stabbed dying later which just makes things interesting to say the least. What follows is a great mystery that is full of charm, personality, an adorable dog, and a surprising ending. Overall a fantastic start to a new series that is perfect for cozy fans. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.

Getting straight to the point, I ENJOYED THIS BOOK.

I always go on and on about how the first title of any new series has this danger of exposing a lot about the heroine's past, and Peach Clobbered is not one of those. The action started immediately with the first few pages of the book. Our heroine Nina Fleet, who moved to Cymbeline after a disastrous relationship ended and bought the house of her dreams, has a super hot struggling actor who's wearing a penguin costume threatening her with a lawsuit over the ownership of her new house. Not only that, she suddenly finds herself in the B&B business and her first guests are a group of nuns, who are in a property dispute themselves with a horrible real estate developer...who turns out stabbed while wearing Harry's (the actor) penguin costume. The exposition about Nina's past are shown in between chapters, which work out because the details are weaved with the present events. Also, although the book had a main plot and several subplots connected to it, you don't get confused because everything comes back to the murder. You also don't get bogged down by the details and the characters.

And Nina Fleet's character is written in such a way that I can relate to her. Like almost 90% of all cozy mystery heroines, she has a terrible past she's trying to move on from, and is currently settling in a new life. But she has a sense of humor, and she has empathy. She's not this "perfect person" who's super talented, though she's into cooking because of her new life and her dream of starting a B&B in her quiet but very tourist-y small town. She's fueled by her empathy with the convent sisters (who have motives because of their enmity with the murder victim) and with Harry (who's one of the suspects because of the costume) to investigate the murder on her own. She loves her new town and tries to connect with the locals without sounding high-handed or unrelatable.

Bonus points for the new series being a B&B-based cozy mystery, tons of food, and great humor (and a possible romance?)

I can't wait for the second book to be published. This series is right there with my favorite book series, Sherry Winston's Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries and Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mysteries.

*** I got a copy of this book from NetGalley. These are all my own opinions. #NGEW2019

Nina Fleet thought moving into her dream home in the tiny town of Cymbeline, Georgia would make for a quiet life. And then the guy in the penguin costume showed up on her front porch. Soon, she’s caught up in a tug-of-war with the penguin, otherwise known as Harry Westcott, who insists his great-aunt intended to leave the home to him— no matter what the will says. However, Nina forges ahead with her plans of turning the gorgeous house into a B&B. But just as she’s getting her new business off the ground with a group of recently evicted nuns as her first guests, she finds the guy in the penguin costume with a knife in his chest … only it isn’t Harry.

Rarely has a quirky cozy mystery felt so effortless. Author Anna Gerard skews almost into the absurd in the first few pages, with Harry dressed as a penguin accosting Nina. It’s hard to have a serious legal discussion under such circumstances, but Gerard lets her characters do their best, expertly setting the rest of the mystery up for one laugh after another.

Of course, it helps that each of her characters, even in the most extreme of circumstances, feel real. Nina, recently divorced and looking for a fresh start and a new life, glides around, totally enchanted by the town of Cymbeline— and her love of the quirky town is so palpable it’s hard not to become infatuated with it as well. Yet, when cast into a murder plot, she has to navigate the darker, political side of small town life, and in these moments she totally holds her own. Smart, savvy, and with a ton of heart, she holds the book together.

As Nina further acclimates to Cymbeline, several subplots unfold, but Gerard cohesively weaves them together. Most of them revolve around either her dealings with Harry or a group of nuns who have been displaced from their local convent and require the services of Nina’s B&B. They’re a fun, heartwarming distraction to the constant high-alert-suspicion Gerard peppers throughout.

And the mystery itself is well constructed. While most cozies usually toss out several suspects, Gerard, at the peak, genuinely makes it feel as though everyone is a suspect. Motives abound, small town suspicions run rampant, and there are even a couple of tricky, though natural, red herrings. For all the jokes and zany antics, the mystery itself always shines and the final reveal is both surprising and real.

Laden with humor and an expert build-up to the final reveal, Peach Clobbered makes for an excellent start to a new series.

So I almost DNF'd this due to my own personal pet peeve with cozies, the murder didn't happen until almost 25% through and I want my murders right up front within the first couple pages if possible. Cozies are generally so short in length that I want that quick jolt to keep interested. But I kept going with this one because I was instantly enamored with the characters and the setting. In fact, I was really delighted to read their stories. This is a really great start to the series and I am interested in reading more - please, just give me my dead body right up front!