I really loved this second book for this newer series, maybe even more than the first book. Readers got to know Sarah and Emily's mom, Maybelle, a lot better, especially since she was the prime suspect in the murder of the bank president she'd just argued with. There was a little more about George Rogers' life in this book too, and how he'd been taken in by a sweet little white fuzzy dog. Despite everyone's warnings, Sarah wouldn't back down for a minute when it came to defending her mom and sister. She was worried that Emily had gotten into a bad deal with a hotel owner who promised her the moon, but Sarah smelled a rat, and it wasn't the rat she'd been married to either.

Even though I had my eye on someone from the get-go as the killer, it actually turned out to be someone else. The original person wasn't without guilt though, so at least that person was taken care of in the end. Sarah found herself with a fuzzy white boarder named Fluffy eventually while her neighbor recovered from an accident. The killer showdown and the last chapter summed everything up very neatly, and now I'm excited to see how Marcus and Emily's new place will succeed. I was proud of Maybelle for seeming more like a normal person in this book and actually being sympathetic to Sarah's neighbor.

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

Loved these characters. Maybelle is a hoot. Sarah and Emily being twins are certainly not the same either in personality or talents, but they go well together. There are some yummy recipes included at the end of the book. I felt like I was right there with these folks as the story was playing out. I love that. A story with animals is always a plus. We’ll have to see how Fluffy and RahRah cope with each other. I think it could get interesting for some of these characters and I can’t wait to see just what happens. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

This is the second book in the delightful "Sarah Blair Mystery Series". I have read the first in series and highly recommend the series. Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own. I love the witty repartee and the well crafted sleuths of this series. This book can be read as a stand alone as the author does introduce the charcters to the reader.

In this second in series we pick up with our protagonist Sarah who is finally settled down after her divorce. She enjoys her job with a law firm, is working with the local animal shelter and loves living in her carriage house with her feisty cat Rah Rah. Her twin sister Emily a chef is not as lucky having lost her business plan to a disgruntled city council member who turns her down for spite of old animosities. When the same council member is murdered it is their Mother who was found at the scene. Now both Sarah and her sister must work together to save their Mother and find the real suspect.

This was a well crafted surprising sleuth that kept me guessing to conclusion. I love the likable charcters and how Sarah is starting over and building her life . I enjoyed the recipes within each book . This is a hit cozy series with all the right elements of a long term cozy mystery series. Well done to the author.

I liked this book better than the first one.
There's a lot of character development, the plot flows without any problems and the mystery kept me guessing.
It's an entertaining and engrossing read.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Far from a domestic goddess, Sarah Blair would rather catch bad guys than slave over a hot stove. But when a dangerous murder boils over in Wheaton, Alabama, catching the killer means leaving her comfort zone …

Things are finally looking up for Sarah Blair following her unsavory divorce. Settled into a cozy carriage house with her sassy Siamese cat, RahRah, she has somehow managed to hang on to her modest law firm receptionist job and—if befriending flea-bitten strays at the local animal shelter counts—lead a thriving social life. For once, Sarah almost has it together more than her enterprising twin, Emily, a professional chef whose efforts to open a gourmet restaurant have hit a real dead end …

When the president of the town bank and city council is murdered after icing Emily’s business plans, all eyes are on the one person who left the scene with blood on her hands—the Blair girls’ sharp-tongued mother, Maybelle. Determined to get her mom off the hook ASAP, Sarah must collect the ingredients of a deadly crime to bring the true culprit to justice. But as neighbors turn against her family, can she pare down the suspects before another victim lands on the chopping block?
Amazon.com

In Two Bites Too Many, Debra H. Goldstein’s character development exceeded all my expectations. Her main character, Sarah Blair, steps up as a leader to get her mother off the suspect list, help her chef sister, Emily, back into her own restaurant, and solve a murder, which her boss insists she leave to the professionals. More fool he, as he discovers in the last chapters, which I quite liked.

But that is all about Sarah. Debra gives readers a more detailed portrait of Maybelle, Sarah and Emily’s mother. Emily seems more human, a closer in personality to Sarah, and less of a paragon. It was a pleasure to get to know these characters in greater detail as they are recurring secondary characters who at times support Sarah, and at other times, seem to combat her.

Here’s the link for my interview with Debra about the first in her series, One Taste Too Many. Please ask Debra questions about her series I may have missed in our comments link at the end of this interview. E. B. Davis

RahRah, now Sarah’s cat, inherited the carriage house, in which Sarah and RahRah live. Did RahRah also inherit the big house on the property? Was it the home Sarah lived in with her ex, or was it her ex-mother-in-law’s house?

When Sarah’s ex-husband brought his mother to Wheaton, he didn’t have the financial ability to buy the kind of Main Street property he wanted – but his mother did. Although she was the majority owner of both houses, Bill, because he was allergic to cats and a rat, installed his mother and RahRah in the carriage house while he and Sarah moved into the big house. When their marriage broke up, Sarah moved out of the house, but continued visiting Mother Blair and RahRah.

Sadly, Mother Blair died before the divorce was finalized. Bill, who was executor of her will, never probated it. Instead, he simply took over the property in its entirety. Consequently, Sarah didn’t know that the will gave her some property ownership and contained trust provisions for RahRah with her as trustee. After Bill’s death, despite the divorce, when the legal provisions of the wills were sorted out, RahRah ended up with the carriage house and Sarah with the big house.

I was a bit surprised Sarah agreed to let Emily and her chef and beau Marcus open a restaurant in the big house. Because the carriage house Sarah lives in with RahRah is located behind the property wouldn’t it be noisy? Wouldn’t they have to subdivide the lot to rezone the big house as a commercial property and leave the carriage house as a residential property?

Southern homesteads with pillared main houses, often boast smaller carriage homes or garage type buildings with second floor living quarters on the property. In Two Bites Too Many, it is made clear that the big house faces Main Street, which, through a vote of the council, has a multi-use designation that is resulting in many of the grand homes being converted to restaurants, apartments, and other business establishments. Based upon this, the lot didn’t need to be subdivided. As for any noise, the driveway winding back to the carriage house is quite long. The distance creates a natural sound buffer. For Sarah, compared to the efficiency apartment she previously lived in, being in the cozy carriage house with RahRah is like dying and going to heaven.

Why does Maybelle want her daughters to call her by her first name, rather than just “Mom?”

Maybelle went to a spa where without telephones, news, or interference from the outside world, she embraced the concept of positive energy flow. As Maybelle explains, “[m]y name means lovable. ….my guru told me the only way to obtain the best possible positive energy in my personal zone is to simplify everything. That includes the name I go by … Because the intensity of my flow translates into a force I use to help other people, I need you to call me by my given name, too.”

I’m trying to understand Sarah and Emily’s mother, Maybelle. On one hand, she’s forceful, leaning on the car horn to pick up Sarah. Then, Maybelle uses her guarantee with the banker to help persuade him to approve Emily and Marcus’s loan for the restaurant. But on the other hand, Sarah and Emily had to persuade Maybelle that she’d have to live to 150 to outlive her money, as if she were an insecure person. Clearly, she knows her place in the world. Why would a brass-tack sort of person like Maybelle not understand her own finances?

Maybelle understands her finances and business, but that doesn’t alleviate her emotional reactions. Although I didn’t quote statistics in Two Bites Too Many, I found several studies, including one performed by Allianz in 2016, that demonstrated individuals nearing retirement are more afraid of outliving resources than they are of death. I’ve known many widows who despite being financially solvent have this fear, so just as I decided there were readers who could identify with how Sarah is frightened of cooking from scratch, there would be others who would see a part of themselves in Maybelle.

Do small towns have a problem keeping members impartial? Usually, the most prominent people, who have means and ownership in town properties, serve on town councils.

In small towns, everyone knows everyone else. As you note, the people with means, ownership, and power often rise to the top of committees and council positions. Although some may accept these positions for personal benefit, many want to give back to the town they love. Those who epitomize the latter motives try to be fair and impartial because that is the only way to serve the public good.

When Jacob explains who Cliff is, Sarah is uncomfortable meeting him. But Jacob only said good things about Cliff. Why is Sarah uncomfortable?

Sarah is uncomfortable because her first interaction or observation of Cliff at the bank was of an angry and impulsive person. Not having reconciled what Jacob is saying with the menacing side of Cliff she saw; she prefers to avoid another encounter.

When Emily and Marcus’s loan doesn’t get approved, Emily takes a job with the competition against Marcus’s and Sarah’s opinion. Why is she so headstrong? Why does Sarah buyoff on Emily’s argument that Sarah doesn’t know the restaurant business, when Marcus knows the business and doesn’t agree with Emily?

Unlike Sarah, Emily has always been goal driven. Whether it is knowing she wanted to be a chef or problem-solving the financial problems caused by the loan not being approved, she isn’t going to let anything get in her way. She’s headstrong and opinionated, but part of that is driven by a good heart – she wants to ease their financial burden so their business can survive.

Even though Sarah may have qualms about Emily working for the competition, she knows Emily has her own restaurant knowledge gleaned from attending Culinary Institute of America and working in various restaurants. Plus, afraid Marcus’ thoughts might be colored by his jealousy of Thomas Howell coupled with her trust of her sister’s judgment, Sarah goes with the decision that supports blood being thicker than water.

Maybelle uses the Southern condescension of “Bless your heart.” Is she a true southern gal?

From her head to her toes!

Eloise, the victim’s long-time secretary, knows a lot more than she’s saying. Why doesn’t she speak her mind?

Eloise comes from the private secretary or assistant era where confidentiality and loyalty were prized. Even though she knows a lot more than she’s saying, the moral code she operates under lets her drop hints or guide situations without being overt (Think Mad Men).

Sarah’s boss, lawyer Harlan Endicott, talks to her about her future. Does he have a specific path he wants her to follow? Does he have an agenda?

Harlan cares for Sarah. While he may have a romantic interest in her, his main goal is to encourage her to grow from the woman he hired who was always afraid of being fired to one who is comfortable in her own shoes. Whether she continues working for him, goes back to school, or explores other opportunities, he wants the best for her. The only specific path or agenda he has, which he repeatedly shares with her, is his wish that she’d leave solving murders to the professionals.

What attracts Sarah to Thomas Howell, owner of the Howellian Hotel?

His hands – he has beautiful hands with long tapered fingers.

Why is it unnatural for Sarah to be demonstrative and caring?

At heart, Sarah is an introvert. She cares about people, but has difficulty being warm and fuzzy. It could be argued that what happened with Bill and in other instances in her adult life made her afraid of reaching out and being hurt, even when she does things because of her caring nature, but I think not being a hugger is just part of her personality. Emily, her twin, was exposed to the same things growing up, but from childhood, she always has been the popular outgoing cheerleader type. They are polar opposites, so there really isn’t a reason either sister is as she is.

How does Sarah determine the acting Police Chief Gerard isn’t a professional?

Sarah has a bias against acting Police Chief Gerard from when, as a desk officer in One Taste Too Many, he kept her from seeing her sister for over an hour. In Two Bites Too Many, she observes him walking around a crime scene in a way that she believes would fail to preserve it. More importantly, she feels, as he has had her sister and mother in his sights, that he jumps to easy conclusions --- conclusions which are to the significant detriment of her family members.

In a town with few experienced police, is it strange that Wheaton has a professional crime tech, forensic investigator and coroner in Dr. David Smith?

In small towns, the coroner often is a physician appointed or elected to the job. Wheaton is a little unusual. Fifteen minutes from Birmingham, where there is one of the biggest teaching hospitals in the Southeast (UAB) and an undergraduate school which offers a criminal justice degree, it isn’t surprising that a well-trained doctor, who likes small towns (perhaps to pay off his student loans), decided to find a place to live where he could combine his rural and urban interests.

Why doesn’t Sarah believe in White Knights?

Because Sarah has been burnt in love and life, she believes it is difficult for a White Knight to stay atop his steed. Married at eighteen, she never imagined she’d be divorced by twenty-eight because the love of her life found someone else. She also has seen that not everyone is what they seem.

Emily acts out of character, Sarah notices. What does that indicate to Sarah?

When Emily acts out of character, Sarah becomes unsure of her sister and herself. Emily always has been driven, goal-oriented, and had a good head on her shoulders. When she jumps to work at the Howellian without weighing the consequences of her actions or negotiating for a good contract, Sarah can’t put her finger exactly on it, but she knows something is amiss.

Sarah proposes YipYeow Day to benefit the local animal shelter. Is she finding her priorities?

Sarah unconditionally loves animals. Beginning in One Taste Too Many, she willingly gave up her Saturdays to be an animal shelter dog walker. This becomes a more pronounced activity, which helps define her to readers, in Two Bites Too Many. She may not be touchy feely with other humans, but rather than being a priority, her interaction with animals is purely instinctive.

It’s all about the characters, baby, in Two Bites Too Many (and yes I did just reference an old Puff Daddy/Diddy hip-hop song from 1997.)

Maybelle is the protective Southern mama of twins, Sarah and Emily. Emily is denied a business loan at the small town local bank. Maybelle brings recently rich Sarah with her to complain to the bank’s manager, Lance, about the loan denial. When Lance is found dead on his desk a few moments later by Maybelle, she is suspect number one. What can Sarah do but find the real murderer to save her mother from a long prison term?

The small town of Wheaton Alabama, near Birmingham, is so well described that you feel like you travelled there. It’s an even more southern version of Mayberry.

But truly the characters are the stars here. Sarah is finally recovering from her divorce with the help of her Siamese cat RahRah’s inheritance and her job running an animal parade. Sarah quickly learns why there is a joke about the difficulties of herding cats. Emily is trying to rebuild her restaurant after a catastrophic fire. However, Maybelle is my favorite. She uses her southern charm to cover an unladylike amount of spunk and determination. Slap her or her children and draw back a stump—figuratively of course.

The mystery itself was rather easy to solve. However, Two Bites Too Many allows its readers to fall into a completely different, tightly-bound family for a few hours. And who doesn’t want to do that? Highly recommended for cozy fans. There are cats, dogs, an animal parade, and small town southern charm in abundance here plus recipes at the end. 4 stars!

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

Golly what a family! Sarah's finally getting it together after her divorce and all the problems inherent (including her sister Emily being charged with the murder of her ex!). She's volunteering at the animal shelter, she's got her cat RahRah, she's got a job, she's got a love interest. Emily's wants to expand her business but Lance, the bank president turned her down for a loan. Their mom Maybelle goes to argue for her daughter and thus becomes the prime suspect in his murder! Well, cozy readers know that Sarah's going to investigate, that there's more to Lance than it appears, and there will be some chuckle worthy moment involving animals. Know that there is a fairly large cast of characters and while this would be fine as a standalone, it might take a minute or two to sort out who's who. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. I'm a fan of Sarah and hope to see more with her in the future.

Who doesn't love a parade? A cat in a parade is a frightening thought. Not the problem. Bankers, chefs, relatives, and neighbors all add issues and strife in our protagonist's life. Charming tale with a few surprises.

I really enjoyed the first book in the Sarah Blair Mystery series, One Taste Too Many, by Debra H. Goldstein because I did not figure out the killer early, and that is very rare for me when it comes to cozy mysteries. So when I saw Goldstein had book two in the series, Two Bites Too Many, coming out I knew I would be giving it a read.

Goldstein picks up right where the end of One Taste Too Many leaves off, but if you hadn’t read that one, you won’t be lost since Goldstein does a great job with back story. Goldstein continues to deliver wonderful characters that you want to get to know even more or you could see yourself being friends with them. And there appears to be a love interest in the works for Sarah, so we shall see how that develops.

Goldstein’s description of the town and the architect of the buildings is very well done. The depth that she gives to the atmosphere of the bank is fantastic. I felt as if I was actually standing inside waiting to deposit some money or get a loan.

While I did figure out the killer before the end in this book, it was still an excellent read. I’m already looking forward to book three in the Sarah Blair Mystery series and seeing what adventures Sarah and the rest of the cast of characters are involved in.

Sarah Blair and her mother, Maybelle go to the bank president, Lance to ask him to reconsider Sarah's twin sister, Emily's loan application for her restaurant after it's been denied. When they step out of his office to give him some time to review the application, Maybelle returns only to find him dead. With her mother as the prime suspect, Sarah is determined to catch the real culprit. I enjoyed this second installment in the Sarah Blair mysteries. I liked the setting and the cast of characters. The writing flows smoothly and the mystery is gripping with lots of red herrings to keep readers engaged throughout the book. This is an enjoyable, easy to read cozy and I look forward to the next book. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - the first in the series that I have read but I hope that there will be much more coming. Sarah and her mother go to confront their local banker, Lance, who has just turned down the loan application for Sarah's twin sister, Emily's new restaurant. When her mother goes back to talk to him again she finds him dead and the local police chief seems focused on blaming her for the crime. Sarah feels she must do everything she can to clear her mother while, at the same time, putting on a benefit for the local animal shelter and figuring out how to help Emily get her restaurant started. But she manages to pull it all together and figure out who the real murderer is. A great story!

I didn’t enjoy this one at al and I had to force myself to read it l. Couldn’t stand any of the characters either.

I am sure some people would enjoy the book but it just wasn’t for me .

A cozy mystery with a family you can't help but love. A mother's love knows no bounds, so when one of her twin daughters is denied a loan, the most entertaining character in this series, Maybelle, heads to the bank to "fix" things. Unfortunately...or fortunately for us...the bank manager is dead and it looks as if Maybelle's "fix" might have gone too far. The cast of characters in this series are really entertaining. Debra H Goldstein has written them as if she knows them personally. The back story sets the characters up for events to come. A really enjoyable read that still managed to surprise me in the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

Argh, just look at that cute cover! I just love cozies with animals on the cover, especially when they are a focus poin on the actual book too. Rahrah was a delight in the first book, and we get Fluffy added to the mix in this one. I had my suspicions on the murderer all the way through, but the unlocked back door to the bank had me questioning things, as well as a certain likeable character. I wondered if I was meant to like them only to find out later that they were dodgy!

Although I liked both twins, the real stand out is Maybelle. She's the mother all of us deserve, fearlessly going in to bat for kids and yet able to stand up to them too and hold her own. I really liked Harlan too, as far as characters go, and I wonder what motivates him sometimes.

This is only the second book but still a great series with hopefully many more stories to come. I'm loving what I'm seeing here and I can't wait for more! Five stars.

Sarah and her mother Maybelle are up to their necks in murder as Maybelle is the leading suspect in the death of bank president Lance Knowlton.

Sarah finds herself juggling her own investigation into who had motive and opportunity to kill Lance along with chairing the upcoming fund-raising event, YipYeow Day, for the Wheaton Animal Shelter and helping sister Emily with her catering dates. Then there are the red herrings that prove to be appropriately distracting.

Debra Goldstein fabricates a captivating mystery, creates relatable and interesting characters and keeps the action moving. This is the second Sarah Blair Mystery and it is a solid sequel.

Fans of One Taste Too Many will love the second book in the series, Two Bites Too Many. It would probably be best to read that book first because events in the first book are referred to frequently. You should be able to enjoy this one by itself but why would you want to. Strong characters, intriguing plot, great supporting characters combine to make Debra H. Goldstein’s newest addition to the Sarah Brown mystery series a delightful read that will leave you waiting for the next one to release.
I love an amateur sleuth who acts intelligently and Sarah fits the bill. I enjoyed watching Sarah work through the puzzle with only one of those of the standard tropes that often irritates me to no end, and this one played out reasonably. Two Bites Too Many presents a well plotted mystery with great characters. It impressed me how well Debra Goldstein manipulated her characters so that I reacted to them just the way she wanted. While there were several characters that I did not trust, I couldn’t be sure of the villain until the end. As for the rest of the characters, I loved them all, and especially enjoyed the relationship between the sisters.
I request and was excited to receive an ARC of Two Bites Too Many via NetGalley. Friends already know who much I enjoyed One Bite Too Many so they will not be surprised to hear how much I loved Two Bites Too Many.
I look forward to seeing where Sarah’s life takes her.
#NetGalley #TwoBitesTooMany

This is the second book in this series and I enjoyed it.
The characters are fun and I like the sisters, as their personalities work well together.
Preparing to open new restaurants has them all in edge, and when a loan is not approved, it up to their mom to sets things right.
Unfortunately, mom ends up in hot water and relies on the girls to solve her problems.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for approving me to read this book.

First book I've read by this author. This is also the second book in the series, so I was a little lost. This author has a lot going on, with numerous characters, which might have contributed to me being lost. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will try to find her first book, or try the next book in the series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is 2nd book in a new series. Sarah and her mom maybelle go to the bank to try and convince lance to rebook at her sisters loan. But before they get to his office there is an argument between lance and cliff. Lance tells Sarah and maybelle he will review it. Sarah owns the carriage house she inherited from her dad and rah rah the cat. Emily takes a job with a hotel in the restaurant to make extra money. But in the meantime there is a murder in the bank. Sarah decides to do her own investigating since her moms the first suspect. if you want to know more read the book.

I had a difficult time getting into this book. There were a lot of characters early on but they're not really introduced so it's hard to know what they're role is. It felt like the story just tried too hard in places and is a bit stilted. I did like the plot especially the animal parade and blessing part. #TwoBitesTooMany #NetGalley