Botched Butterscotch by Amanda Flower is a delightful cozy mystery. This book is one of a series and is best read in the order of publication.

“Botched Butterscotch” By Amanda Flower It's a delightful cozy mystery that combines delectable desserts, small-town charm, and a puzzling whodunit. With its engaging writing style and well-crafted plot, the story effortlessly draws readers into the butterscotch festival and the intriguing circumstances surrounding Fiona, a talented Baker. Flower’s Attention to detail brings the town and its inhabitants to life, while the witty dialogue and endearing characters add depth and humor. The mystery itself is cleverly constructed, keeping readers guessing until the satisfying conclusion. If you're in the mood for a cozy mystery that will leave you craving sweets, “Botched Butterscotch” it's an enjoyable choice.

This "in between" book is focused on Mother's Day in Harvest, OH. Bailey's parents come to visit and a mystery surfaces, who stole money from a local charity. There's plenty of humor in this book and silly scenes involving Jethro. I found myself smiling and laughing as I quickly read this book. Definitely recommend this book.

I love this series! The cast of characters are delightful and fun to get to know.
A short, fun, entertaining cozy mystery.

I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. Opinions are my own.

I wasn't a huge fan of this one but I also didn't realize that this was a novella in the middle of a series that I have never read so that threw me for a loop. I'm intrigued by the setting and the characters so I think this will be a series that I'll try in the future but maybe not a great idea to start in the middle of a series.

A great little novella to read while you wait on more Jethro and Bailey fun. This novella highlights Jethro and his parents. If you have read the series I highly recommend this novella.

ahh still too cute lmfao i love this series so much and its great that the short stories are as great as the full books! not something i see every time with cozy mysteries! its a great little bacon bundle lol

This as a fun between books novella. I loved that it highlighted Jethro. If you have read the series I highly recommend this novella. If you haven't read the series I would recommend it if you are ready to get hooked in a new series

Amanda Flower knows how to write a fun and fast read. These cozies and the theming of a master chocolatier living in an Amish community and working with her Amish family is a fun and insightful theme. This offering in the series was a delight. I love how much I learn about making candy and the Amish. This time around, with the Mothers Day theme we finally get to meet Baileys parents which was a nice change. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Need to feed your cozy craving. A brief visit to Harvest is the perfect way to do just that. Especially when there is Butterscotch Fudge involved.

A rare visit from Bailey’s parents happens just in time for Mother’s Day and a Mother’s Day tea fundraiser at a local church. Aiden’s mother Juliet has her own plan for the weekend . . . Aiden and Bailey’s wedding. Remember they are not even engaged yet, but Juliet is like a steamroller when she sets her mind on something and she is sure Bailey’s mom will agree it is time the couple takes the big step.

When the money raised at the Mother’s Day tea goes missing, the leader of the local women’s support group, Polly Anne Lind is frantic, without that money she may have to close. Bailey offers to help the young police officer with the case even though her parents beg her to leave the crime to the proper authorities. Not going to happen, she already has suspects she wants to talk to.

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This is a clever and entertaining story that allows readers a short visit with our favorite Amish Candy Shop characters. Having Bailey’s parents visit was an extra treat. Silas King has rarely visited since he left the Amish life behind. It is also the first time they are meeting Deputy Aiden Brody, his mother, and her pet pig, Jethro. The meeting is PRICELESS!

Amanda Flower is such a talented writer, long story, or short, she absolutely excels. Well developed characters, intriguing mysteries, and delicious treats to tempt our taste buds. Botched Butterscotch is charming little cozy that will hold readers over until Marshmallow Malice hits store shelves May 26, 2020.

A Perfect Mini-Escape!

Botched Butterscotch

by Amanda Flower

If you’re looking for a novella that also…
is a cozy mystery
doesn’t involve murder
combines Amish and Englisch
focuses on women who need a stepping stone in addiction recovery
throws in some red herrings despite its brevity
affords an excellent distraction from current problems
and is all-round good fun,
then read Botched Butterscotch where you find some of your favorite characters from Amanda Flower’s Amish Candy Shop Mystery Series. There’s Bailey King, a chocolatier known locally as a crime solver, Juliet, Bailey’s probable future mother-in-law, Juliet’s potbellied pig Jethro, and Margot, the local super community organizer. You will meet Bailey’s parents visiting from New England and attend a fund-raising Mother’s Day tea. Mostly, you will have fun solving the mystery and enjoying the humor in this great little novella.

I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: Almost too short to be a standalone because so much of the pleasure is derived from character interaction

Publication: April 28, 2020—Kensington Books

Memorable Lines:

“Busy hands keep worries at bay—that’s something I tell the women at my farm. I believe that’s why the farm’s rehabilitation model works so well. When you are busy caring for something else, you are able to hold back self-defeating thoughts. It’s not foolproof, but it helps.”

Sundays had become my days to rest and recharge, and I was surprised to find that I was getting the same amount of work done every week regardless. Maybe there was something to this whole resting thing. I wished that I had known about it sooner—I might have been happier in New York if I had.

Of course, as a chocolatier, I couldn’t understand anyone not liking chocolate. Chocolate was one of the five major food groups—or at least it would have been if I had been in charge of making the chart.

This is a series that I've come to know and love. The characters are engaging and just a bit infuriating, just like real friends and family. The mystery is well-written and I look forward to new ones in the series.

A fun, quick novella to introduce us to Bailey's parents.

Always a good time to visit Harvest!

It was nice to have some inbetween story time with Bailey and the Amish Gang.

“Botched Butterscotch” takes us back to the quaint Amish town of Harvest, Ohio. This time, Amanda Flower has delivered a wonderful candy shop mystery with Baily King as the star. I was delighted that she didn’t use murder as a backdrop in this story about Mother’s Day.
Instead, Abigail’s Farm, for women overcoming addictions, has a fundraiser at a local church. When thousands of dollars of donations disappear, Bailey starts sniffing around to find out who is responsible. The reason for the theft is quite surprising when Amanda unveils the unlikely culprit.
This was a fast read. I didn’t want to put the book down! 5 stars!

Reviewed by Patricia Wilson for Suspense Magazine

I found this book short and sweet.The story was easy to follow and the mystery was interesting and the pigs adorable

It’s Mother’s Day, a busy time at Swissmen Sweets Amish candy shop. Margot, the town’s self-appointed PR woman, has yet another event planned: a Mother’s Day tea at the local church as a fund raiser for Abigail’s Farm. The farm is a transitional place for former drug users as they leave rehab but are not quite ready to go home. The tea is a sold out success.

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Image Source Kensington
The main worry for Bailey King, chocolatier, is that her mother and father are coming for a visit. Except for a funeral, they’ve not visited the small town in thirty years. Her father was raised Amish but was never baptized and lives the life of an Englisher (non-Amish). Bailey’s mother is sure Bailey made a horrible mistake when she quit her job in New York. Now that Bailey has her own cable television show, maybe her mother will see it was a good decision.

Aiden is a police detective and Bailey’s boyfriend. His mother, Juliet, is sure the pair will get married. Juliet’s emotional support animal, Jethro, is a polka-dotted pot bellied pig. Introducing Aiden, Juliet, and Jethro to her parents isn’t something Bailey is looking forward to.

When the money from the fundraiser goes missing, Bailey lends a hand in finding the culprit. The Amish don’t like dealing with the police but are more willing to talk to Bailey because of her Amish roots.

This is a novella length tale, nine chapters only but rest assured, as a favorite character, Jethro gets plenty of time on the page. There’s an excerpt from Marshmallow Malice, reviewed here, the next full length book. As a bonus, look for Bailey’s recipe for butterscotch peanut bars, too.

Amanda Flower also writes the Amish Matchmaking mysteries, Magical Bookshop series, the Piper and Porter books, and the Magical Garden mysteries, most reviewed here.

Cute, fluff of a short story. No murder involved, and the ending is as sweet as the candy described within the tale.

Special thanks to Kensington for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

What a great addition to this fantastic series. I love this setting, love the characters & love the recipes. Also, love getting to know more of Bailey's family. I hope this series continues for a long time.

Thank you for the opportunity to be an early reader.

I love this cozy mystery series by Amanda Flower. It’s a sweet and clean series that’s perfect for those times when you want something light and entertaining to read.

I enjoyed this newest story about Bailey and all her friends and family in Harvest. The ladies in Harvest are having a tea that’s a major fundraiser. There’s no murder this time, but Bailey does come away from the tea with a mystery to solve. Also, Bailey has to deal with both her mother and Aiden’s mother scheme of trying to get Bailey and Aiden to announce their engagement. Jethro the pet pig makes another “star” appearance in this book and that always guarantees a smile or two.

This particular book is shorter than some of the others (77 pages), but it’s full of fun and mystery. As always, the description of the treats from Bailey’s candy store can make the reader desperately crave chocolate. You can easily read this book without having read the rest in the series, but once you’ve read this one, you’ll want to read them all.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

A sweet read for a lazy afternoon.

I enjoyed this novella in the Amish Candy Shop series as a way to get to know more about Bailey's parents. We get little tidbits in the other books but not much more. They are likable but I am glad they are not full-time regulars.

Jethro is the star of the show as always.

You can read this without having read the other books. Just know that if you do you will learn the endings of previous books when they are mentioned. It is a great way to test out the series if you are unsure of reading it or not.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher Kensington, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.