This series is one of the first that truly made me want to travel to a setting. Character driven (human and 4 legged), fantastic setting, light romance, fudge, Christmas AND murder mysteries.... WIN WIN!!!

Fantastic series. One of the first Cozy series I started way back when. Highly recommend!

Ok, first things first – when will I ever learn to check how far into a series a festive cosy mystery is before I jump in? This is officially the 8th book in Nancy Coco’s Candy-Coated Mystery series, but maybe technically the 10th, as there 2 other Christmassy ones that are listed as books 3.5 and 5.5. It is probably to be expected then that this would be quite character heavy, and it really was, There were a lot of characters pop up throughout the book, and while I couldn’t necessarily always place everyone, if I’m honest this didn’t bother me too much. I feel like the writing in the story was good enough that I didn’t need to know exactly who everyone was, and I actually appreciated that I wasn’t swamped over and over by new info about character back story from the previous books. That said, I suspect this one would be even better if you had started earlier in the series and knew the characters.

The mystery itself was well written – I had a few different theories along the way, and I felt satisfied by the ending. The setting, Mackinac island felt super cosy as written, perhaps helped along by the fact that a Christmas-time visit there is on my festive wish list for one day.

Something I often enjoy in cosy mystery series is the way that there is often a romantic relation bubbling in the background that plays out over the series, rather than the instalove of the genre’s cousin the cosy romance. In this case I liked that there were a few romantic possibilities, but that none of that was front of mind for Allie as she had enough other stuff going on.

In terms of Christmassy-ness (definitely a word), there was enough of a festive vibe to this book for me to feel like it had earned its Christmas tree cover. The focus on the Christmas lights display, the snowy weather, and the seasonal rush for fudge sales as well as a Christmas tree shopping scene all added to the holiday feels.

I love reading Christmas stories all year long, this one did not disappoint. It was like reading a Hallmark movie (yes i have seen just about every one) If you like good stories with a Christmas feel this is for you.

Great cozy Christmas read. Nancy Coco never disappoints. Can't wait to see where the new love interests go or if she will get back with one of the other men

Dollycas’s Thoughts

There are not a lot of tourists on Mackinac Island for Christmas but the online fudge orders have Allie very busy. Because the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop is closed for repairs and renovations that means she is doing her fudge making in Frances’s old apartment and rushing the orders to be shipped every day.

There are holiday celebrations and fun to be had on the island though for those who chose to stay or visit through the winter’s snow and cold. A tree lighting, a community lighting show contests, and an awesome sledding hill.

Allie received a strange unsigned note on the apartment door and asking her to meet them near the hill so she and Mal, her bichonpoo, trek out to meet the person. When they arrive Mal drags Allie to a woman facedown in the snow. Everyone does their best to revive the woman but she passes away and utters “Frances” as her last word. Was she naming her killer? Everyone knows Frances would hurt a soul so Allie is on the case to ice the real killer.

I needed just a little more Christmas cheer so I took the opportunity to start to catch up on this series. What better way to spend the New Year’s weekend than taking a virtual escape to Mackinac Island.

Allie, Frances, Douglas, and Rex are back. Liz still hasn’t returned but a blast from Rex’s past has returned to the island ready to fudge up his life yet again. The core characters are very well developed but in this story, we see how two react when they are thrown some icy curveballs. The new characters featured in this story are well written too and have layers that get peeled away nicely.

The mystery deals with a long-held secret. Ms. Coco has written this in such a way as to grab the reader’s attention but give reverence to the feelings of the people involved.

I loved and laughed out loud several times at the group of ladies that invaded Allie’s loaner apartment to help her investigate. Oh, my stars! Rex had the patience of a saint and remained so calm. Allie surprised with their presence and ideas realized early she had absolutely no control over these women. Those dialogues were absolutely priceless.

This is such a fun series filled with wonderful characters. I blame my cancer treatments for getting behind on reading it. I plan on reading and reviewing Here Comes the Fudge soon, so I am ready for A Midsummer Night’s Fudge when it is released in May.

Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas is the eighth installment in the Candy Coated Mystery series set on Mackinac Island and featuring Allie McMurphy, owner of the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop. Picking up right where the last in the series left off, Allie is temporarily living with her pets Mal and Mella in Frances' apartment while the renovation work on the hotel continues. It's Christmas time Allie's busy creating and shipping online orders of her mouthwatering fudge.

A strange note appears on her door asking Allie to meet someone at the steps of Fort Mackinac and when she ventures out into the snow, her furry friend Mal uncovers yet another body - this one partially buried in a snowdrift. The young woman is relatively new to the island, and her last words are .... Frances. With her friend now a suspect in the woman's death Allie sets out along with a group of Senior ladies to clear Frances name before Christmas is ruined.

A fast-paced plot features the return of series regulars, mouthwatering recipes that make me wish I knew how to make fudge, furry friends and a spectacular setting. Fortunately, we seem to have gotten rid of one member in Allie's love triangle, but is the author daring to introduce a replacement in this addition? Let's hope not. This series is one of my favorites and I always look forward to my time spent on Mackinac with Allie and the gang.

I received an advanced copy of Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

There’s nothing better than a nice, cosy murder at Christmastime, and in Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas, the eighth book in Nancy Coco’s Candy-Coated Mystery series, the festival season has murderous things in store for fudge shop owner and noted investigator Allie McMurphy.

Allie has all her hopes pinned on the renovations required to the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop being completed promptly so that she can move back in before Christmas. For the moment, she is staying with her friend Frances and attempting to run her fudge business from the apartment’s small kitchen. Such issues become the least of her concerns, however, when a mysterious note summons her to a rendezvous and she discovers the body of a dying woman in a snowdrift. As the woman’s last word is “Frances”, the police quickly zero in on Allie’s friend as the killer. Allie can’t believe that Frances is a murderer and so decides to tackle the case herself, determined to identify the killer and have everything nicely wrapped up before Christmas.

Despite the high prevalence of murder, life on Mackinac Island seems idyllic, with the place being home to an eclectic cast of characters who are mostly keen to help clear Frances’ name. Allie McMurphy is a fun and daring central character, and she’s on top form as a detective in this book. The murder mystery itself is engaging, suspenseful and extremely well plotted, making Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas a seriously scrummy yuletide yarn.

The author gives us a mystery full of twists, red herrings abound, suspects, and witnesses that will have you guessing who the killer is and how they are connected to Frances's past. The characters are well developed and well written and they continue to develop with each book. so they seem like old friends that you have grown up with. The author does a wonderful of describing how Mackinac Island looks in the winter and how the snow can wreck havoc on your life and make you feel even more isolated than you usually do.

I really enjoyed learning a little about Frances's past even if it was a little painful for her. I know that Allie always seems to find herself getting involved in the murder investigations that seem to happen on the island, but does she a;ways have to seem to put herself in a life or death situation to help catch the killer. I do not like that Rex's ex-wife is back on the island to cause trouble for Allie and Rex's developing relationship. I hope that in the next book she finally leaves the island so Allie and Rex can get back to working on their relationship. I'm looking forward to reading book #9 Here Comes the Fudge to see what kind of mystery Allie will get mixed up with and to see what the other characters get up to.

I Received an ARC of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley for my honest review.

Allie, owner of the McMurphy Hotel and Fudge shop, just wants the repairs to her business complete so she can move back in. I enjoy this series, but I struggled with this one. The holiday theme was nice, but the mystery was a bit too obvious for me. The romance portion was just annoying. I love the series and will read the next one. I just did not love this one.

Another excellent and entertaining story in this series!
Had a lot of fun and loved the plot and the characters.
Solid mystery that kept me guessing.
Highly recommmended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay, but....

Book 8 in the series.

I love Mackinac Island, but I am not loving Allie lately. In this book she's whiney, and I am absolutely over her love life, or lack thereof. Being in a relationship just seems too important in this series. I thought the stupid love triangle was wrapped up and now we find out it imploded instead (although I do kind of find it ironic that the guy Allie "picked" is now involved again with his ex, Allie played him, then she got played).

There was a lot of repetition in this book too, like almost the same conversation, repeated with another character. The whole thing felt a bit wordy. Like the author was trying to draw it out and hit word count.

After the previous book I was rethinking my commitment to this series, and this time I really think I am done.

This is book 8 in the Candy Coated Mystery series and it's a good one. Allie finds a body in a snow drift near her shop on Mackinac Island. The police suspect her friend Frances of the murder and Allie must investigate the case while making her famous fudge for the Christmas season. This cozy covers many of the favorite themes with food, pets and great setting. Can be read as a stand alone but lots of catching up from friends and family of previous books. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a fun holiday cozy. I was pulled into the story from the start. With suspects and red herrings abound, the mystery keeps you guessing and re-guessing whodunit. A bonus for the foodie cozy fans, many wonderful recipes are included. The characters both human and fur and entertaining and likable. I recommend this book to cozy mystery fans.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

This is a wonderful book in a well established series. Once again we head to Mackinac Island where everyone is ready to celebrate Christmas. When a young woman is murdered, old secrets come to light. When another person is murdered everybody struggles to figure out how the 2 murders are related. A beautiful setting, well developed characters and tantalizing fudge recipes make this a must read Christmas cozy.

Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas by Nancy Coco is the 8th A Candy-Coated Mystery. I have read and enjoyed each book in this charming series. It has been a pleasure getting to know Mackinac Island as well as Allie McMurphy and her friends. This book can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series since the author does provide the needed background information. I thought Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas was well-written with steady pacing and developed characters. I love the descriptions of Mackinac Island during the holidays as well as the festivities. It sounds like a cold yet magical place. Allie is a strong, independent woman who is a whiz at creating fudge and loves her fur babies. The mystery has Allie and her dog, Mal once again finding a victim. I figured out the who right away, but the why was a bit of a conundrum. The reason for the murder is slowly revealed over the course of the story. I like that we get to learn more about Frances and her past. I enjoyed following the investigation to the conclusion. At the end of one riveting scene, I found myself laughing out loud. There was action and suspense which had the story moving along at a quick pace and kept me engaged. I liked that there was a complete wrap up. Allie cannot wait for the renovations to be completed on the hotel so she can move back in and go back to making fudge in the shop. She is also dealing with the return of Rex Manning’s ex-wife, Melonie. Just when we thought Rex and Allie’s romance was moving forward, Rex gets an unexpected visitor. Allie keeps bumping into a new man in town and there are sparks between them. I like the idea of a new love interest for Allie. Trent and Rex are not right for Allie (in my humble opinion). In Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas, there are snowstorms, power outages, Christmas tree lighting, decorating contest, fudge making, and friendly neighbors. I was happy to see an old friend return to Mackinac Island for the holidays. There is a recipe for a sweet treat (fudge, cookies) after each chapter. I enjoyed this stimulating story. Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas is a sweet cozy mystery with a precious pup, gregarious gossip, ex-wife woes, fabulous fudge, a familiar friend, DNA dilemma, and merry mayhem on Mackinac Island.

In the latest installment of this series set on famous Mackinac Island, Allie is dealing with some changes and major inconveniences. Temporarily displaced but trying to get ready for Christmas, she is floored by a new murder, and the discovery of a huge secret kept hidden by one of her loved ones.

I really liked the storyline here... family secrets always make for an interesting plot. And of course, having been to Mackinac, it makes me want to return every time I pick up one of these books. I was hoping for a little more clarification on some of the relationships, and new and returning characters... perhaps that will come in the next installment, but it felt like a couple threads there were left in limbo. All in all, another fun addition to the series.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the complimentary digital review copy of this title!

Overall I enjoyed book eight in the Candy-Coated series even though I had a small issue.

My biggest issue was we are still in the first year of Allie being on Mackinac Island but we are on our third Christmas story and this full-length Christmas story takes place before the two novellas that have been previously published. I might not have even thought about it if I did not read the two novellas right before reading this story. It does nothing to take away from the story it was a personal peeve of mine.

I did like getting to know more about Frances' past and more about her in general.

I admit I have not read this series in order. I have been able to follow along quite nicely.

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

This book is fun cozy Christmas mystery. The author always makes you feel like you have been to Mackinaw Island with her characters. The main character Allie has really made a family for herself there. Plus there are fudge recipies!!!! Great read.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* pretty cute holiday cozy murder, really like the ones with recipes, even if i have yet to bake any lmfao

HAVE YOURSELF A FUDGY LITTLE CHRISTMAS is the eighth book in Nancy Coco’s “Candy-Coated” cozy mystery series. One of the only constants for Allie McMurphy in HAVE YOURSELF A FUDGY LITTLE is her bichonpoo Mal. Because she’s renovating her business, the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop, she’s transplanted herself to her friend’s old apartment. Also, because of some shenanigans by an ex of his, her romantic prospects with buff police officer Rex Manning have taken a turn for the worse. Discovering a murder victim completes Allie’s round of life twists.

This story involves the classic “dying clue” staple of mystery novels. Unfortunately for Allie’s friend and co-worker Frances, that dying clue implicates her. Allie feels compelled to help her friend by hunting down clues to prove her innocence and find the correct guilty party. As she takes in the sights and activities of the holiday season, she also must be on guard because of a hidden sinister element in the small town. Danger seems to pop up in the most unlikely spots and at the most unlikely times. Every kind face could hide a dark heart. This story has some of my favorite mystery elements from Nancy Drew stories and classic Golden Age mysteries of the 1930s and 40s. In addition to town regulars who might be hiding secrets, Nancy Coco introduces some strangers to Mackinac Island – some friendlier than others – who are equally likely to be the murderer Allie seeks. As the book went on, I distrusted almost everybody Allie encountered. It was difficult to tell if the motive for the murder was some unknown grievance or if it was financial. By the end of the book I was able to solve part of the puzzle but there were still a few surprises for me. The sense of danger progressively increases as Allie and the reader get closer to the conclusion.

HAVE YOURSELF A FUDGY LITTLE CHRISTMAS is a mix of small-town Christmas delights with intrigue and murder thrown in. I hope there is a resolution soon to Allie’s romantic woes. The supporting characters in this novel really helped flesh out the story and add depth to the main characters. I look forward to Nancy Coco’s next “Candy-Coated” mystery.