Christmas Cows Bells by Mollie Cox Bryan is the debut of A Buttermilk Creek Mystery series. I like the author’s conversational writing style (like chatting with a friend) which makes for a pleasing reading experience. Brynn MacAlister got her love of Red Devon cows from her grandmother and fell into cheesemaking after taking a course in college. Her degree in chemistry came in handy when she attended cheese school. I like that the author took the time to establish our main character. We get to learn what brought her to Shenandoah Springs, her background, and learn about her family. There are beautiful descriptions of Shenandoah Springs, Brynn’s farm and the surrounding area. We are introduced to a variety of locals who belong to the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. It was interesting to learn about a micro-dairy and what goes into making cheese. Brynn has a unique concept. Brynn’s three cows (Marigold, Buttercup, and Petunia) each have their own personality and I felt bad for poor Petunia. Freckles, the dog, was a delightful addition to the story. I look forward to seeing more of Wes Scors, Nancy’s grandson, in the next book. He is a friendly young man who is a talented cook and wishes to learn cheesemaking. The fire at Old Glebe Church and then Nancy’s death has Brynn scared and she wants answers. When she becomes frustrated with the slow progress on the case, Brynn decides to do a little digging on her own (not a gouda idea). Unfortunately, Brynn has angered the guilty party. A series of escalating incidents begin happening at Buttermilk Creek Farm. Brynn uncovers a handful of suspects in her search for the guilty party. Brynn is a newbie sleuth, so her skills need honing, but she does search for suspects, ask questions, and does some online sleuthing. I would like to see the mysteries become more complex as the series progresses. I like how we get to see cows as more than milk producers. They are sweet creatures who have feelings and like to be petted. Their playful antics were adorable, and I found Petunia’s reaction to Freckles to be delightful. Christmas Cow Bells is an appealing new cozy mystery with clanking cow bells, heavenly hard cheese, a crotchety curmudgeon, a freaky fire, and a charming cheesemaker.

Christmas Cow Bells by Mollie Cox Bryan is the 1st book in A Buttermilk Creek Mystery series, and I loved it. Brynn MacAlister is starting over, after she caught her boyfriend cheating on her. Brynn owns three cows, and she is making organic cheese. When Brynn's friend and neighbor Nancy dies in a fire, she is determined to know the truth. I can not say enough good things about this book. The book has a great mystery and plot, but I also enjoyed learning about making cheese, and all her yummy cooking. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. I strongly recommend this book for all cozy mystery book lovers.

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

Christmas Cow Bells by Mollie Cox Bryan is an amusing (except for the crime) story of Brynn, a cheese maker in rural Virginia. Her fiancé, Dan, and she had bought the old manse before their breakup (he cheated) and now she is having tea with her friend, Nancy, another outside to the close-knit community. Nancy lived next door in the old church, which she was planning on rehabbing into a marketplace for handmade good and organic and artisanal foods. For some reason, many in the community were against the rehab but Nancy wasn't detoured. All was well until Brynn woke up at 3 a.m. to the sound of sirens, sirens headed toward the old church-Nancy's home. From there things went downhill fast.

Brynn is a great character, she and her three cows, and her friends, Willow and Schuyler, the animal acupuncturist. One of Brynn's cows, Petunia is suffering from extreme grief over the loss of her newborn calf and was making anyone close suffer with her mournful mooing...just one of the many quirky characters in this delightful missive. It is typical small town with all kinds of characters, from her Mennonite neighbors, to Schuyler and her brother, Mike the fire marshal, who apparently don't speak to one another. There's Wes, one of Nancy's grandson who has taken a liking to cheesemaking and Buttermilk Creek. All humorously written, interesting characters who are destined to make this new series a hit with the cozy mystery market. I recommend it.

I received a free ARC of Christmas Cow Bells. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #christmascowbells

This is the first in a brand new cozy series. This is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains and Brynn MacAlister is starting over (after she found out her fiancé was cheating on her) as an organic dairy farmer and cheese maker (which she learned from her Grandmother). She is leading a very solitary life and has made friends with her neighbor Nancy. Nancy wants to convert a church into a community market and many in the local area are not too happy about that. Nancy is later killed in a fire and Brynn begins to wonder if it was an accident or something else when things begin to happen on her own farm. This is a charming cozy with an interesting main character. Brynn is worried about her cow Petunia who is mourning a stillborn calf and she is worried about what happened to her neighbor. She is really beginning to wonder if she has made the right choice but she sticks it out and pushes to find out Nancy’s killer even if it puts her and her farm on the killer’s radar. This is a solid start to an exciting new series. This is a winner. Looking forward to the next in this series.

This is the first book in the author's new "Buttermilk Creek Mystery Series". I have read the author's prior works and always enjoy her writing. This book did not disappoint and is a great start to a fun new cozy mystery series that readers will embrace.
Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. .My review opinion is my own..

I loved this first in series ! The setting is charming Shenandoah Springs, in the Blue Ridge Mountains which the author beautifully describes for the reader. I felt transported to the lovely area through her eyes. Our protagonist is Brynn MacAlister who has just survived a terrible breakup. She has a new life as an organic micro-dairy farmer and cheese-maker. She has three Devon cows and is hoping to make a living at her new endeavor.

When pranks on her farm occur and a new friend is found murdered in a nearby fire, Brynn has reason to be concerned. The usually peaceful community is shocked by the murder and she wants to investigate to try to assist the police in finding the right suspect so her quiet community can go back to normal. She feels the pranks and the fire and death were connected and she is determined to solve the mystery and return to her peaceful life of making cheese and caring for her farm.

There are wonderful supporting charcters and Brynn is a charming addition to the cozy world. I liked the well crafted multi layered plot and the sleuth was pleasing to conclusion . I look forward to many more in this fun series by this talented author.

What an interesting occupation Brynn has. You would think her life would be calm and peaceful. Just her and her girls. I love the way she treats her animals. But things aren’t always what we think they would be are they? There are some interesting characters in this story. Two of my other favorites are Schuyler and Willow. What great friends they have become for Brynn. This is a great story with folks having to make their own decisions but to also realize that it’s not a bad thing to have some help along the way. It will be fun to see what happens with Tillie and Wes. I wonder what role Mike might play in future books. Hopefully, we’ll find out. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Okay, so maybe a cozy series about a small cheese making operation wasn't the best idea for a lactose intolerant person who really really misses cheese. But the story is well worth the untreatable cravings! Brynn is getting over heartache, as is one of her adorable cows Petunia. A small little town seemingly focused on small organic farms is the perfect place for her to mend her heart and build her business But, life isn't all butter and cream and she is quickly drawn into the not so nice parts of small town life. The author does a great job of balancing a first book's need to introduce characters so that the readers like them (and come back for more) while still providing an interesting and engaging story. (and some recipes) I like how Brynn created a small circle of close friends in her new home without a love interest right away. Not that I am against love, but it is good to see a woman stand on her own for awhile! While the temps were in the mid-90s while I read this book, I finished it really craving some egg nog! I can't wait for the next book!

First time I have read this author and I really loved the sleuth Brynn . She was determined that she was able to run her small farm with her cows Petunia. Buttercup and Marigold and make a successful business making and selling her cheese in Shenandoah Springs, Va. She met her neighbor Nancy as she was new to the area too so they became friend. Nancy was burned in a fire and then passed away and now the sleuthing begins. See what turns up as Brynn starts asking questions and letting the Sheriff now things as she finds them out. It seems as Nancy was done away with that Brynn becomes the next target. Now you must read this to see how things turn out.

Christmas Cow Bells is the first in a new series called Buttermilk Creek Mystery Series.

Bryan is the author of several Cozy Mystery Series that I grab as soon as I see them!

Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the lovely town of Shenandoah Springs. Brynn MacAlister has heart troubles. Heartbreak troubles that is. A change of scene is just what she needs. Along with her three cows, she settles in and begins the next chapter of her life as an organic small dairy farmer and cheesemaker.

With the town upset over Petunia's loud mooing and mourning over her stillborn calf, Brynn is trying to find out how her neighbor died in a fire that is very suspicious.

Is this town not ready for any type of change? Because it's beginning to look a lot like NO. And when things begin to happen on her own farm, the small town is quickly losing its charm.

Will Brynn even be alive at Christmas?

I would say that this is a solid first book in the series. I'm hoping some questions will be answered in the next book. The setting is just what you would expect in a Virginia farm town. And while some of the characters are a bit harsh, that really is life in a small town. Not everyone is nice and polite. But they were interesting and that's what counted with me. Also the cheese. Probably a lot of the cheese.

Well Done!

NetGalley/September 24th, 2019 by Kensington

Cozy Mystery in the Shenandoah Valley
This is a very good mystery and well done. The plot is tight and well-executed. I do have some real issues with the stereotypes about homeschooling and fundamentalist Christians. Almost as bad was the over-the-top ignorance about organic and renewable agriculture. Having been a self-sufficient farmer and cheese-maker, the inaccuracies were very annoying. However, if you can overlook that or don't know and don't care, this should be a great book for you. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Brynn is in a new community, tending her cows and making cheese. But, someone doesn’t want her there. As expected of this author, the writing is fresh and skillful. The plot is tight and multi-layered and filled with believable characters. It was a delightful read and I’m looking forward to future installments. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.

I fell in love with the cover and then I fell in love with the cows.
I think it's a lovely and cozy novel but unfortunately the mystery took too often the backseat.
It was an enjoyable and entertaining read, I liked the quirky and fleshed out characters and I think that the funniest are the cows.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in this series.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Brynn MacAlister moved to Shenandoah Springs, VA to start her dream business....a micro dairy farm. The old rectory building and its surrounding land is perfect for her and her 3 Red Devon cows, Petunia, Buttercup and Marigold. The locals are a bit standoffish. Most of then don't like change. Brynn is seen as a newcomer, along with her next door neighbor, Nancy. Nancy wants to remodel the Old Glebe Church into a farmers market. Local pushback turns to murder when the old church burns to the ground one night and Nancy dies from her injuries. When strange things start happening at Brynn's Buttermilk Creek Farm, she suspects someone is trying to scare her away. Is the fear of change enough to move a local to murder? And is she next? Brynn is determined to find out what happened to her neighbor and friend.

The front cover for this first book in the Buttermilk Creek Farm series is just too cute! The three cows are the stars of the show...with a santa hat and holiday garland even! :) Moo! I wish Brynn's LDG (livestock guardian dog) had been on the cover though! Maybe Freckles will make the next cover!

Great start to a new cozy mystery series by Mollie Cox Bryan! Having read her Cora Crafts series previously, I knew I liked her writing style already. But Christmas Cow Bells mystery caught me by surprise. Even the cows have personality! The characters are quirky rural villagers.....a whole spectrum of different types. Brynn is an interesting, intelligent and determined main character. She loves her farm, her cows and her new friends, and faces down local opposition with strength and wit. And, I love the background theme of cheesemaking and micro farming. The mystery progressed at a nice pace with plenty of suspects and twists. The cheesemaking theme did not overpower the mystery elements but added a nice rural farm feeling to the story. I will definitely be eagerly awaiting the next book in the Buttermilk Creek Farm series!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. Moo!**

I enjoyed Brynn as a character and Shenandoah Springs as a setting, and the writing of any given scene was fine. I only made it through 50% of this book, however, because it felt nothing like a mystery. I knew more about Petunia, the mourning cow, than I did about Nancy, the murder victim. More importantly, the book made me CARE more about Petunia than about Nancy. There was no tension whatsoever, and there seemed to be no real sense that Brynn was doing anything to look into the murder at all. It felt like a novel about Brynn settling into a new town more than a mystery. Since I signed on for a mystery, I was very disappointed.

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This author has done it again, and i couldn't be happier. Such a unique take on a cozy mystery, but one that is enchanting, engaging, and almost edgy all wrapped up and ready to go. The characters are well rounded, as are the relationships between them, the plot well thought out and executed. I cannot wait to see what else the author has in store.

Brynn is a newcomer to Shenadoah Springs and the new owner of Buttermilk Creek Farm. Nursing a broken heart from her fiances infidelity, she is setting off trying to make her dream of becoming a mirco-dairy farmer a reality. Brynn is fascinated with controlling all aspects of the cheese making process, right down to the dairy cows that she will milk to make her cheese. We meet Buttercup, Marigold, and Petunia, her lovely little herd of adorable dairy cows. Brynn is working hard to make her dream come true, but she is really struggling to know if she has taken on too much. As a newcomer to Shenadoah Springs, you see a lot of strife between the established farmers and community members and the newcomers. Newcomer Nancy is a good friend of Brynn's who met opposition when she attempted to convert an old 19th century church, now derelict, into a lovely farm store. When a horrible fire breaks out, and Nancy loses her life, Brynn takes it upon herself to investigate her friends unfortunate death.

I loved this cozy and it was a great first book. I am also a massive holiday cozy fan, and this was the perfect amount of seasonal perfection.. I definitely recommend this for any cozy fan.

Lovely festive read. It was a heart warming romance. It was a wonderful book to read. It was well written and flowed well.

This is the first book in the Buttermilk Creek series. Brynn McAllister is a cheesemaker on a farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is busy with taking care of her farm and running her business. When she friend and neighbors' church burns down killing her in the process Brynn is understandable upset. Brynn and Nancy were the newcomers to town and had bonded and become fast friends. Shortly after mysterious events start to happen to Brynn. A fire is set on her lawn, her dog is taken and a business deal mysteriously fell through. Did someone set the fire to Nancy's place to kill her? I s the same person trying to scare Brynn into leaving? Brynn decides to start asking questions to hopefully get to the bottom of things.

This was a great first book in a series. It had likeable and relatable characters. The setting of the Buttermilk Creek is wonderful. I loved the aspect of cheese making. It's different than anything I've read in cozies and I found it interesting. I liked all the side characters and hope that Wes sticks around to help Brynn at the farm. I think they will make a good team. The mystery was well done. I didn't figure out who it was until the end. I will definitely read more.

Who knew cows could be depressed? In Christmas Cow Bells by Mollie Cox Bryan, new farmer Brynn MacAlister learns some valuable information about cows as she tries to make a success of her farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the first in the new Buttermilk Creek Mystery series by Bryan, Brynn has had to take the reins of her farm by herself after splitting with her boyfriend. A terrific start to a new series.

This is going to be such a fun new series! Even though Brynn hadn't lived in her house for too long, she'd already made some friends in Willow and Schuyler. I liked how those three worked together, sort of a Nancy-Bess-George type of friendship. I enjoyed her neighbor's family especially the college guys and thought it was a great idea to have them stay in her guest cottage, especially with some weird things that had been happening on Brynn's little farm. Someone wanted to drive her away, and someone had set a fire that ended up killing her neighbor. Brynn wasn't going to back down, and for the most part, she was fairly sensible about calling the police or keeping the fire marshal in the loop if she found things. I didn't like the sheriff very well, as he came off as condescending, but Mike the fire marshal was nice. I don't think I caught if he was near Brynn's age or not but it seemed as if he liked her or could like her. It seemed best and more real to keep any romance out of this first story though. Brynn had enough on her plate!

I loved how Brynn adopted a sweet dog that had been making rounds with the local vet. Brynn had this attitude of Christmas just being another day since she'd had a relationship end badly, but I could tell that she was really lonely and loved Christmas. I had to hand it to her for decorating and making her place as cozy and Christmasy as she could. Having her neighbor's grandsons around helped with that. A side mystery with another neighbor's teen tied in with the main one, so I won't say anything about that, but for the most part, I was satisfied with the wrap-up and very Hallmark-like Christmas ending. Brynn ended up having a good family Christmas after all in her new home.

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