From Beer to Eternity see’s Chloe Jackson move from her home in Chicago to small town Emerald Cove in Florida following a promise she made to her best friend Boone – he made her promise to look after his grandmother should anything happen to him whilst in Afghanistan.

Following the memorial for Boone Chloe comes up with some flimsy excuse to stay around and ends up getting a job at the Sea Glass Saloon to be close to Vivi. I had a bit of a problem with the excuse she gave to people for sticking around, whilst it may be believable for a few days it certainly wouldn’t have been one to stick to for much longer, and Vivi seemed to have a instant dislike towards Chloe from the get go for some reason, which I also couldn’t figure out – surely having someone who was so close to you dead grandson would be an blessing to have around?

Anyway apart from those two little irks (which got smoothed out as the book went on) I really enjoyed this story, filled with realistic characters, a wonderful setting with a side of shady dealings and murder!

I loved this cozy mystery and I am so excited to read more books in this series! I really enjoyed getting to know Chloe. She's a great mix of fierce and awkward and it fit really well. I also really loved the side characters! It's also fun to read about a setting so far removed from where I am and to read about a character who has to adjust to that new setting. I loved that Chloe was from Chicago trying to adjust to life in Florida, it made for a very interesting read. The mystery was well done, with plenty of twists and turns and overall it was just a great read. There was one scene that could have been left out and seemed improbable but I loved the rest enough to give it 5 stars despite that.

From Beer to Eternity by Sherry Harris has Chloe Jackson, a children’s librarian, visiting Emerald Cove, Florida for the funeral of her friend, Boone Slidell. Chloe promised Boone that if something happened to him, she would help his grandmother. The caveat is that she cannot tell Vivi, Boone’s grandmother, of his request. Vivi is not what Chloe expected. She is a stubborn, feisty, well-dressed woman in her seventies who has taken a dislike to Chloe. In order to stay, Chloe told Vivi that her car broke down and she needs to earn money for the repairs. Vivi reluctantly gave Chloe a job at her beach bar, the Sea Glass Saloon. One morning, Chloe discovers Elwell Pugh, a bar regular, dead behind the bar’s dumpster. Evidence points to Vivi as the killer. Chloe begins asking questions to learn who else could have wanted Elwell dead. The killer is not happy with Chloe’s nosy nature and sets out to eliminate her. From Beer to Eternity is the debut of A Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon Mystery series. I found From Beer to Eternity easy to read with steady pacing. Chloe Jackson lives in Chicago, Illinois where she is a children’s librarian. She has taken a leave of absence so she can keep her promise to Boone. I like that the author took the time to establish Chloe’s character as well as Vivi, Joaquin Diaz, and Rhett Barnett. I can tell Sherry Harris is familiar with the Florida panhandle from her descriptions of the town, bars, restaurants, and tourist attractions. I liked the number and variety of attractions that Chloe visited. I enjoyed the book references especially the Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind. The mystery was thought out with multiple suspects. Chloe begins asking questions around town and eavesdropping so she can clear Vivi off the suspect list. Of course, the killer is not happy with Chloe’s sleuthing. I liked the unique murder weapon and the various nefarious activities. I was disappointed that the resolution was not concrete. I like the resolution to be based on fast instead of supposition. I would have preferred fewer references to Rhett’s looks and Chloe’s hormonal reactions. I enjoyed the humor scattered throughout the story. This cozy mystery will have you longing for the beach where you can relax with a good book and a cool drink. From Beer to Eternity is an engaging cozy mystery that will delight fans of Sherry Harris’ A Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery series. From Beer to Eternity is a fun cozy mystery with stentorian snoring, the redneck riviera, flaming fires, deficient drinks, a horrid hat, and a bookish barmaid.

FROM BEER TO ETERNITY by Sherry Harris
The First Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon Mystery

Taking a leave of absence from her job as a children's librarian in Chicago, Chloe Jackson arrives in Florida to fulfill a promise to her late best friend. But helping his grandmother, Vivi, is not as simple as she thought. Instead of the shy and retiring lady she expected, Vivi is a brash spitfire who seems to hate her, although she allows Chloe to help out at her Sea Glass Saloon. Chloe stumbles upon one of the regulars, dead by the bar's dumpster, and Vivi is brought in for questioning...multiple times. A promise is a promise, and if helping Vivi means looking into the man's murder, so be it. Will Chloe be able to uncover the secrets of this close knit community in order to find a murderer? Or will she die trying?

Loyalty is the hallmark of the first Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon Mystery. Chloe's loyalty to her friend, even after death, the heritage businesses loyalty to each other, and loyalty to Emerald Cove itself are integral facets to the mystery.

FROM BEER TO ETERNITY started out slow and I had a hard time getting into it, but by the end I was racing through, devouring every page. I like Chloe Jackson. Her quirks and backstory, along with her independence make her an appealing protagonist. Vivi is another story, as she is meant to be. Of course Joaquin is the perfect new friend and Rhett someone to smolder over. All of the characters come to life on the page and it's obvious they all had lives prior to the novel, bringing a ton of developed characterization with them. The references to GONE WITH THE WIND, the Wizard of Oz, and other children's books added a delightful element.

FROM BEER TO ETERNITY captures the beauty of the Florida coast, the refreshment of a well made cocktail, and the importance of friendship in a captivating mystery.

From Beer to Eternity is the first book in a new series by Sherry Harris. As a lover of all things Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries, there was no way I was missing out on the first book in the Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon Mystery series. I was not disappointed at all. Chloe Jackson is everything I need in a cozy mystery heroine. She is likable (always important), realistic, imperfect - but the perfect person for this series, a little clueless, fiercely protective, and someone I would love to be my best friend. The story is not, however, all grins and giggles as Chloe tries to find out who murdered a long-time resident of Emerald Cove.

From Beer to Eternity is probably the most heart-wrenching cozy mystery I've ever read. The reason Chloe finds herself in Florida helping Vivi run the Sea Glass Saloon cause an emotional reaction in my that I never have happen with cozy mysteries - I cried. The author is such a wonderful writer and I love her ability to instill true emotional reactions in her readers, and not just shock, awe, and humor. This book has a theme threaded through it a lot of people have, are, or will work through at some point in their lives. Realism - that's where it's at for me in any book.

Chloe is actually in Florida under false pretenses. No one knows why she's staying in Florida while having an enjoyable career as a librarian in Illinois. When she finds the local resident dead behind the Sea Glass Saloon, Chloe knows she really can't go back home now until she tries to clear the police's number 1 suspect - Vivi Slidell. As a newbie to the town, Chloe stands out so sleuthing doesn't work as well for her as she would like.

Book 1 is a great start to a new series. I love the introduction of an assortment of secondary characters. Chloe considers several of the characters to be suspects, giving the reader several viable murderers. Her process of elimination leads to a twist I didn't see coming. The story is original and I was able to visualize the entire story as each scene played out. A fantastic story, a potential love interest, some tears, and a capable and competent main character make this 5 stars for me. The author has another hit on her hands!

From Beer to Eternity kicks off what is absolutely going to be a great series! It introduces us to main character, Chloe Jackson, with whom I quickly bonded. This is definitely not the case in all new cozy mystery series I start, so I’m always happy when it is! Chloe isn’t over the top like some characters can be nor is she boring. She’s “normal” like I am (okay, normal is a relative term). I just love her personality and moments of dry humor. She wants to be liked, loves books (her “real” job is as a librarian), loves running (yeah, no, not like me there), and she needs a pet! I made that last one up, but she does (hint, hint).

Vivi is one of the people Chloe wants to like her. After all, Chloe is there because of a promise she made to her best friend, Boone. He made Chloe promise that if anything happened to him, she would help his grandmother take care of her bar. So, what would you think if your best friend asked you to “help” their grandmother…you’d think she NEEDED help, right? Right. Well, Vivi doesn’t want or need Chloe’s help, and frankly, my dear, she seems to resent Chloe’s being in Emerald Cove. Vivi thinks Chloe should have gone back to Chicago by this time; however, Vivi doesn’t know about the promise. Plus Vivi has Joaquin, another hilarious and amazing character, to help her.

Speaking of frankly my dear (yes, we were speaking of it), another character I love is Rhett who may or may not become a love interest for Chloe. There are lots of fun, quirky characters in From Beer to Eternity. They’re so lifelike that you’ll just want to head down to the Florida panhandle and get to know them. Even if they were jerks, I’d want to head to Emerald Cove anyway…I’d just make different friends! The author’s descriptive writing will make you want to head there too. If I lived in Emerald Cove, I might be tempted to go on early morning runs like Chloe does. But I’d probably just walk and let my dog run.

Oh yeah! I almost forgot to mention the mystery! Well, you can see from the synopsis that someone ends up dead, and it’s a good thing for Vivi that she couldn’t chase Chloe back to Chicago! I loved solving this puzzling mystery with all sorts of suspects right along with Chloe and her friends.

Needless to say, From Beer to Eternity gets 5 stars from me, and I can’t wait to head back to Emerald Cove to spend more time with my new friends!

The first book in a new series is always a unique adventure for me. Will I like the characters? Does the premise work well? Will I want to read more adventures? I can honestly say that with Harris' From Beer to Eternity, ALL of those answers are a resounding yes!

The first tug at the heartstrings comes because Chloe is living up to a promise to a friend who has died and is pulling up stakes to go help his grandmother Vivi. Not the most grandmotherly grandmother, Vivi has a way about her that simply makes you like her regardless. She's fiercely independent and a force to be reckoned with - kinda like the 70yo I'd want to be. And you know that deep down she loves Chloe too.

This was my first book by Harris, but I am definitely looking forward to more of Chloe and Vivi's adventures.

[I received an Advanced Reader Copy of the book from NetGalley and the author but was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed above are entirely my own.]

From Beer to Eternity is a great first book in the new series Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon Mystery by Sherry Harris
Chloe Jackson is a children’s librarian in Chicago . She is in Emerald Cove to go to the funeral of her best friend Boone.
Chloe made a promise to him to help his Grandmother if anything ever happened to him.
Boone’s Grandmother Vivi is not at all what Chloe expected. She told Viv that she was having car trouble and asked if she could help her at the bar she owns the Sea Glass Saloon. She made a promise to Boone that she would not let her know he had asked her to look after his Grandmother.
Chloe finds a bar regular dead out behind the Saloon one day and this begins a tale you have to read. It is one of the best cozy mysteries I have read. It is fun and will make you look forward to the next book in the series
Thank you very much NetGalley, Sherry Harris and Kensington Books for the ARC. This is my personal review.

I loved this book!

Chloe Jackson promised her best friend that she would help his grandmother, Vivi run The Sea Glass Saloon if he didn't make it home from Afghanistan. When the time came, she was determined to keep that promise even when it seemed her help wasn't wanted.

Chloe finds a body near the bar's back door. As the police investigate, it becomes very clear that someone is trying to frame Vivi for the murder.

There are several side stories and an unexpected end which make this book a joy to read.

From Beer to Eternity was an enjoyable cozy mystery, perfect for the beach or any other time of year. The story centers around Chloe who goes to help a deceased friend's grandmother cope with his death and help at her bar. One she makes it to Emerald Cove, Florida to assist she finds out grandma Vivi does not need or want her help, but once a local is murdered near the bar, with Vivi being the prime suspect, Chloe puts her amateur sleuthing skills and her librarian research skills into action. From Beer to Eternity had everything one could want in a cozy mystery, likable yet eclectic characters, a quaint town, a budding romance, and a protagonist who cannot stay out of trouble, but I what I liked most was the unique reason Chloe came to Emerald Cove to keep a promise to her best friend Boone, that storyline drew me in as much as the mystery. This is a series I definitely will continue and library readers will gravitate to.

When Chloe Jackson promised her friend Boone she would help his grandmother, Vivi, if something happened to him, she never expected she’s have to follow through. But after his untimely death, she heads to Emerald Cove, Florida, to help her with her beach side bar. Things get complicated when Chloe finds one of the regulars dead behind the bar one morning. With the police looking at Vivi as a suspect, Chloe has to figure out what really happened. Can she do it?

Picking up this book, I was immediately transported to the beach, a place I love. The setting was fantastic, and I would love to visit in person. The mystery was a little slow to get going as we were introduced to the characters and setting, but once it did, I was fully engaged. There were plenty of twists along the way. The climax was a bit rushed, but it still answered all of my questions. There are several times where Chloe seemed to have more time in her day than normal, and one chapter with a wonky timeline, but none of this impacted the plot in a meaningful way. Chloe had been working as a children’s librarian before this story started, so I loved the occasional references to children’s books. She leads a group of fantastic characters, some of whom already feel like friends. I will definitely be back for the next round.

I have enjoyed the Sarah Winston Garage Sale mystery series written by Sherry Harris so, when I saw that she had started a new series, I was eager to get my hands on a copy. I was hooked in the first chapter. Sherry Harris has given Chloe a way with words and the turn of a phrase. From her odd patron with his own version of a tin foil hat to her comparing children in a library and the patrons of the Sea Glass Saloon, well I knew I was in for a fun read. Once the story started to unfold and various other characters were introduced, I was going to read it in one gulp.
Chloe is a fish out of water. She made a promise to keep an eye on a friend's grandmother, Vivi, down in Emerald Cove on the Florida Panhandle. True to her promise, she packs and leaves Chicago and her job as a children's librarian to take a job at the Sea Glass saloon. Boy, howdy, is she in for a surprise. Granny is no little old lady, that's for sure. She is outspoken, independent, grumpy and will tangle with anyone who crosses her. Chloe not only has to adjust to life in the Panhandle but she has to adjust to being a waitress in a bar. Talk about a learning curve.
Soon enough Vivi finds herself in a mess when a bar patron is found murdered on the premises and, with her past history with the victim, the police home in on Vivi as their prime suspect. Chloe had made a promise to Boone to help his grandmother but she never envisioned trying to keep her out of jail. She also had no idea that she'd be investigating a murder and trying to keep from becoming the killers next victim. But, hey, she's a librarian and she is on the case.
With humor, a bit of romance, some wonderfully drawn characters and a great setting, this well crafted mystery is a winner from beginning to end.
My thanks to the publisher, Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Cozy Mystery On Florida's Emerald Coast
This book is the first in a new series. From reading this book, the rest of the series should be fantastic. It takes place on Florida's Emerald Coast which is the white sand beach that runs from Panama City to Pensacola. The area is full of military and tourists. There is a history of smuggling and bootlegging in that region. The story revolves around an old beachside saloon, its original owner, and a twenty-something from Chicago. This book sets the scene for the series. There is a very good murder mystery that I couldn't have figured in a million years, although all of the clues were there. I can't wait for the next book. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

This is the first in a new cozy series by Sherry Harris. I like that it’s set in a beach town. I’m not crazy about that town being set in Florida. I liked this story. The panhandle has plenty of small towns such as Destin, which I am familiar with.

Chloe Jackson has come from Chicago to help out a deceased friend’s (Boone) grandmother. The grandmother doesn’t feel she needs help but hires her temporarily as she believes Chloe needs the money for car repairs in order to leave the town. A bar patron is found dead behind the bar, Vivi, Boone’s grandmother is the prime suspect.

Chloe takes it upon herself to try to figure out who killed the patron. With plenty of twists, turns and surprises we board the rollercoaster.

I look forward to the next installment.

I was given an advanced reader’s copy. I am not required to leave a positive review.

What do you do when your best friend makes you promise to take care of their grandmother if something ever happens to them? If you’re Chloe Jackson, you pack up your classic VW Beetle and head to Florida’s Emerald Coast and do your best to keep that promise, even if grandma doesn’t seem to care for you.

Taking a job at the bar Boone’s grandmother owns allows Chloe to help Vivi as she promised. When a bar patron is found dead behind the bar the police build a case against Vivi and it looks like an arrest is imminent. But Chloe doesn’t believe the woman is a murderer and looks to clear her name, but soon finds herself a target on the murderer’s radar.

I’ve long enjoyed Sherry Harris’ Sarah Winston Garage Sale mysteries and was thrilled to see a new series from her. I’m loving the Florida location and found this first entry to be a real page turner. Looking forward To more in this series.

This is the first debut book in the exciting new cozy series "Sea Glass Saloon" by beloved cozy author Sherry Harris. I have read Ms. Harris other series "Garage Sale Mysteries" and loved them all.. I looked forward to reading this new series . Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity.

We are introduced to our protagonist Chloe Jackson a former children's librarian. She is moving to the Florida Panhandle from Chicago to help her late friend’s grandmother Vive run the" Sea Glass Saloon" . Her friend was killed in the war and she had made him a promise to look after his Grandmother. Once she arrives she finds her friends Grandmother is feisty and quite capable on her own. Vive does not want Chloe's help and is cantankerous. Chloe finds a town embroiled in a fight with developers and strong opinions on both sides amid the white sand beaches and sunshine. She senses that trouble is under the surface and soon a murder occurs of a local Vive was last seen arguing with. Chloe wants to clear her name and find out the truth behind the murder as she suspects it may have to do with pending developments.

This is a winning debut cozy series ! I loved the rich descriptions of the Florida coast, the vibrant charcters and the sleuth that kept me guessing. Ms. Harris included many red herrings in the sleuth that was so well crafted I did not guess the ending. I look forward to the next in series and hope Chloe will stay at the bar in the panhandle and have many more adventures with Vive.

From Beer to Eternity by Sherry Harris is the 1st book in the Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon mystery series, and a great beginning. I love Ms. Harris's books and am a big fan of Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery series, so was excited to read this one too. Chloe Jackson leaves Chicago to go to the Florida Panhandle to care for her late friends grandmother. When Chloe arrives, his grandma, Vivi, needs no looking after, until Vivi becomes the prime suspect in a murder. I can't say enough good things about this book, if you love cozy mysteries, you will love this book. I can't wait for the next book in the series, strongly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Chloe Jackson takes a leave of absence from her librarian job in Chicago to fulfill a promise she made to her best friend Boone who died during a Choe military posting in Afghanistan. Chloe drives her vintage red Volkswagon Beetle to the tiny town of Emerald Cove on the Florida Panhandle. After attending Boone's funeral, she wiles her way to getting a job as a waitress at the Sea Glass Saloon owned by Boone's feisty grandmother Vivi Slidell.

Chloe is soon endeared by the quirky cast of characters that frequent the Sea Glass. The weirdest one is Elwell, who wears an armadillo hat on his head to prevent "the guvment" from spying on him. One day, Chloe is shocked to find Elwell's murdered body outside the Sea Glass. The police seemed to be focused on Vivi as the prime suspect. Vivi and Elwell had a complicated history and the murder weapon came from the Sea Glass property.

Chloe is determined to help Vivi and acts as a tourist by visiting the heritage businesses nearby and asking questions. Chloe's snooping starts to hit a nerve and she is almost run off the highway by a huge truck after talking with Elwell's disgruntled daughter Ivy. Then someone deliberately sets a fire outside Boone's cottage where Chloe has been staying.

But despite these threats, Chloe continues her quest to find the motives behind Elwell's murder and to clear Vivi from suspicion. Chloe is shocked when Boone's will reveals that she has inherited Boone's cottage, boat and his 1/4 ownership of the Sea Glass Saloon.

Chloe is preparing to head back to Chicago when she gets a phone call from her Chicago employer that changes her future.

This was a fun debut mystery from the author of the long-running Sarah Winston Garage Sale mysteries.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and Kensington with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

This was a really fun read for me, especially since I live on the Emerald Coast of the Panhandle of Florida where this story takes place and. "Emerald Cove," a tourist town, is home to a small community of shops and businesses right next door to Destin and is fifty miles from Pensacola to the west and fifty miles from Panama City to the east. Chloe Jackson lives and works in Chicago but is on leave in Emerald Cove because her best friend from college, Boone, asked her to go help his grandmother Vivi run her bar if anything happened to him in Afghanistan. She stayed after Boone's memorial service to work at the Sea Glass Saloon for a few weeks. Vivi really doesn't want Chloe around but that's too bad because she promised Boone. Things get more stressful when another business owner is found dead behind the Sea Glass and the Sheriff's office thinks that Vivi is responsible. Chloe decides to do some sleuthing on her own and puts herself in the thick of things and brings danger to her doorstep.
The setting is great where the beaches are sugar white sands and emerald colored waters. The author did a great job describing the area, not just the actual physical description but the sense of patriotism where we have three Air Force bases with Eglin and Hurlburt Field between Fort Walton and Pensacola and Tyndall in Panama City where we like to hear the "sound of freedom" as the military planes fly over, not to mention a couple of Navy bases in the area. The Red Bar is a great place to eat with a unique atmosphere and just reopened after a fire. There is a cast of realistic, likable characters with small town closeness as well as some shady characters, small town politics, and secretive activities. The mystery kept me guessing because so many different people were suspect and I was surprised with how it turned out. I am looking forward to reading the next book and hoping to see another great mystery and maybe a little romance.
I received a complimentary copy from Kensington Books through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

A smart children’s librarian solves this cozy mystery set in paradise!

Before Chloe Jackson’s best friend, Boone, deployed to Afghanistan, he had her promise him that should anything happen to him; she would take care of his grandmother, Vivi. He added the stipulation that she couldn’t tell his grandmother that this was his final wish. So when a sniper’s bullet took his life, Chloe took a leave of absence from her job as a children’s librarian in Chicago, loaded up a few things in her hand-me-down VW beetle, and headed to Emerald Cove, Florida, to keep her promise.

Chloe’s expectation of caring for a sweet, little, gray-haired lady quickly evaporated when she met the actual Vivi to turned out to be the vibrant, independent, feisty, 70-something-year-old, hell-on-heels owner of the Sea Glass Saloon right there on the beach of the Gulf of Mexico. Grandma Vivi certainly didn’t seem to need, and definitely didn’t want any help from Chloe, and in fact, appeared to dislike her on sight! But Chloe persevered and starts waitressing at the bar to help Vivi and her one employee, Joaquin, out, all the while sleeping in her car or aboard Boone’s tiny boat moored at the nearby marina and hunting for a needle in a haystack: an affordable rental at the height of tourist season.

Just as Chloe is getting this waitressing thing down, she discovers the body of one of their regular patrons out back by the dumpster with one of the bar knives stuck in his throat. And when suspicion falls immediately on Vivi and, seemingly, no one else, Chloe begins to question all the suspects that the police are overlooking. She knows she’s on to something when she’s almost run off a bridge one night, and then someone tries to set fire to Boone’s cottage where she ends up staying. But, even though she wants to pack up and return to Chicago, she believes a promise is a promise and becomes more determined than ever to clear Vivi’s name and find the real killer

From Beer to Eternity is the first book in the new series, Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon, by author Sherry Harris. While dealing with issues of grief and loss, it is still a fun and exciting start to the series. Chloe is so likable! She’s smart and kind and is quite a sympathetic character as she goes through quite a lot making good on her promise to her best friend (and that’s before she finds the dead body!) I enjoyed the ways she used her skills as a children’s librarian to gain her footing in the unfamiliar bar setting and her comparison of toddlers at the library and the bar patrons. I was ready to sign up for either a course in library science or bartending!

Because she was a total stranger to the community (like a reader is), her investigations really begin at ground zero, and I liked that. We were both discovering clues at the same pace. She had to ferret out all the hidden history in Emerald Cove herself. And speaking of Emerald Cove, I wanted to make a reservation for a vacation there; it sounds ideal.

All in all, the mystery was logical and plausible with bad guys we immediately knew were up to no good and secret villain lurking behind the scenes and a façade of gracious kindness and a smile for Chloe to uncover in the nick of time. I highly recommend this book to cozy mystery readers and those that like the beachy-bar setting in a paradise of a vacation spot, and those that enjoy a smart librarian as the protagonist.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.