This book was such fun to read. Not only set in the usual small-town of cozy lore, the delicious ice cream flavors described (well, except maybe Sugar Rush...) will make you clamor for a pint of your very own.

Riley Rhodes has returned to the small town of Penniman, CT for her best friend Caroline's mother, Buzzy's, funeral. Buzzy was a truly larger than life character and even though she is present in the books in name only, you can feel the warmth and love her town and her family had for Buzzy and her ice cream.

Riley, a CIA librarian, is on leave from the agency due to a SNAFU on her last mission in Rome. So when Caroline wants someone to continue to run Buzzy's ice cream shop, Riley decides this is a good time for a break. Unfortunately, Caroline's brother Mike winds up murdered under mysterious circumstances and Riley's agency background kicks into high gear to figure out whodunit.

This book is sprinkled with charming characters, including a cat named Sprinkles. There are suspects abound and the plot was clearly well thought out. I do hope there will be more books in this charming ice cream shop debut. Raise your spoons to a good cozy!

This was an adorable fast-paced and well-written debut with a comfortable tone making it easy to follow along with what the author intended. The mystery was nicely executed with bits and pieces everywhere, secrets exposed, and the search for a killer that kept me engrossed in all that was happening. Meeting the eccentric cast of characters whose idiosyncrasies lent itself to the story being told catered to what I love in a cozy. The small-town atmosphere was the perfect backdrop in this multi-plot drama. A snooty feline made her presence known and it was fun to see how she ruled her humans. This was a deliciously entertaining new series and I look forward to more adventures with Riley and her friends.

This was such a fun and fast paced book. At every part of the book there was new information that kept you guessing. Even at the end of the book I was still trying to figure out what happened and who the murderer was. I think the part about Brooke felt a little random even though it made sense by the end of it. I'm also very confused as to why anyone would even try to protect Nina, since she tried to ruin the lives of all the people around her. She killed Donna's daughter and killed Kyle's best friend yet those two people still seem to be on her side at the end? That might be the only plot point that I didn't really like. I'm interested to see how this series continues because the ending didn't really make me feel like anything would continue?

Riley Rhodes is a librarian/travel blogger who returns to her hometown for a funeral. An untimely death not only puts her on the trail of a murderer, but has her questioning whether the life she had made for herself is something she even wants to return to.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. Riley is a good protagonist and has a somewhat mysterious background. I appreciated her thinking things through instead of just rushing into dangerous situations and making stupid mistakes. I found most of the periphery characters interesting and relatively well fleshed-out. The murder kept me guessing until the end because there were several possible suspects, and all of their motives actually made sense. I’m not a cat person, so I don’t tend to enjoy the pets being extensively written about, but the two cats in this story actually had me smiling over their antics. I’d be eager to read a sequel.

This is the first book in a new series and I really enjoyed it! I loved the way the author describes everything and everyone to the point that you can practically visualize the scenes as the story goes along. The storyline was good and the mystery entertaining. This is a strong start to a new series and I can’t wait for the next book!

This was a really interesting beginning to a new cozy mystery series. Riley is a CIA librarian come travel food blogger home for her friend’s mom’s funeral when there’s a murder that hits close to home. With her friend implicated, Riley jumps into action.
There was a lot going on in this book, but it definitely kept my interest. Most of the main characters were well developed and the setting was really fun. There were a few times where the pacing of the story was a bit off for me, but overall it was a fun read.

The first in a .wonderful new cozy mystery series that starts at a perfect time - ice cream season. I'll bet you won't be able to read this Ice Cream Shop Mystery without going out for an ice cream.
Riley Rhodes, past CIA Librarian and travel food blogger has come back to Penniman, Connecticut for the funeral of her best friend', Caroline's mother. As a Connecticut gal born and bred, I loved the charming, rural small town setting alive with dairy farms, sunflower fields and the Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop. I also enjoyed reading about the local " mentions" such as the Block Island Ferry. It isn't long before the country surroundings serenity is broken by a murder.
I loved many things about this book.The characters are engaging and I connected with Riley right off the bat. qLearning about all that goes into the process of making ice cream was very interesting and more than I'd thought. There also was a foodie trail running through the book, native tomato sandwiches, pastry, etc. I liked Riley's Dad who owned a local bookstore in town.And last but definitely the most important was the mystery itself which was quite a ride; faced paced with a few red herrings. I changed my thoughts several times regarding who the murderer might be. I can hardly wait for the 2nd book.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this great book which is to be published on 7/27/21

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-book ARC copy of this book in exchange for my review.

This was a cute start to a new cozy mystery story set in New England. Very much a typical cozy mystery, with lots of world building and setting the scene. Maybe a little too much of the descriptions of the fashions, people and town, but that is to be expected in a cozy mystery.

I would rate it a 3.5 stars and will probably look for the next book in the series when it comes out.

Riley Rhodes, a CIA librarian on a not her choice vacation, returns to her hometown for the funeral of her best friends, Caroline, mother, Buzzy. Also at the funeral is Caroline’s brother Mike, his tennis star girlfriend, and his best friend Kyle and his wife Nina along with other friends and neighbors.

The night of the funeral Mike causes issues with the farmer who runs the farm on the family property. Later that night, Mike is murdered and his girlfriend Angelica is missing. Riley finds his body while following a little black kitten. The local LE have a few suspects but once Caroline is one of them, Riley starts investigating to clear her friends name all while running Buzzy’s ice cream shop, Udderly Delicious. The past meets the future to help solve this mystery.

This is a wonderful first book of the series. I’m so looking forward to the next book in the series. I love the characters and can’t wait to spend more time with them.

This book is part of the Ice Cream Shop mystery series.
Riley Rhodes is a travel and food blogger as well as being a librarian at the CIA. She returns to her childhood home in Connecticut for a funeral, but manages to get in visits with old friends as well as her father. Her friend, Caroline, has, along with her brother Mike, inherited the local ice cream shop as well as the family farm.
The siblings don’t see eye-to-eye on how things should go. Mike wants to sell the farm; Caroline doesn’t. When Mike turns up dead, his sister is the first suspect that comes to mind as far as the police are concerned.
Riley knows that Caroline isn’t guilty of murder, but she must figure out what all of the strange things going on in Penniman mean and if the answer to the crime can be found there.

This new series throws so much in that you don’t think it would work, but it does; she’s a CIA librarian. Is that even a thing? But then it doesn’t go more into it except to tell you how her last mission went south and so now she’s home helping her bestie after her mom passes. Except then her brother is murdered. Cue the mystery and the red herrings! Oh, and she’s currently running the ice cream shop bestie’s mom used to run. Let me condense my review to this; fun, fun, fun! She actually solves the mystery but looking into things and following clues, not doing stupid stuff to endanger herself. Nice cast of characters surrounding her, a little bit of strife in her life with her reflect stepmother, cute animals, and ice cream. Who doesn’t love ice cream? Can’t wait for book 2!

cozy-mystery, law-enforcement, amateur-sleuth, murder, murder-investigation, neighbors, family-dynamics, friendship, inheritance, greed, Connecticut, small-business, small-town, rivalry, secrets*****

Just reading about all the flavors of ice cream had my addiction in full swing! Riley has come back to her home town to give support to her best friend, gets involved in murder, works hard in her friend's late mother's ice creamery, decides to leave her old jobs, and learns to sleuth. Oh, and adopts a very useful kitten, and saves a dachshund from a fire. The characters are very engaging, the plot is solid and moves along quickly, there are just enough twists and red herrings, and not a few laughs. I loved it and am glad that there will be more!
I requested and received a temporary digital ARC of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I love a good cozy mystery. They are the ultimate literary comfort food. And Meri Allen also seems to love cozy mysteries. Maybe too much.

There's a lot going on in this book. The main character is a librarian, works for the CIA, and is a travel blogger on the side. She comes home to her small Connecticut town to support her friend whose adopted mother has just died. Her father owns a punny bookstore, the dead woman owns a punny ice cream parlor, there are about a hundred eccentric characters, three different men who are oddly attractive, a slightly judgmental stepmother, cats, goats, midwives, and several mysteries.

That's a lot for one book and as a result there are some pacing issues and no one aspect is well-developed. It's not a bad book. I read the whole thing. But it isn't a great book.

Loved this book it’s a great new series with interesting characters. It had a lot of twists and turns and on each page. The was even areas where the story discovers a mission in Italy. At The ice cream shop had somE good and bad things happen but makes you kind Of wish you had a shop like thiS in real lifE.

What could be better than reading a cozy mystery about an ice cream shop at the beginning of summer?
This was a fun read with several quirky characters.

Riley Rhodes is a food blogger and a librarian for the CIA who returns home to attend the funereal of her best friend's mother. While home, she reconnects with family and friends and helps her best friend Caroline get her mother's business, the Udderly Delicous Ice Cream Shop, in order. Soon, things take a turn for the worse as Riley's usually peaceful hometown has murder & mystery popping up all over town.

A delicous little cozy and a great start to a new series. I can't wait for more! Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This review can also be found on my Goodreads page.

Definitely an above-average cozy mystery! The setting, the twists and turns, the characters and of course the ice cream! I immediately felt at home in this book and could not put it down until I finished it. I'm so glad to know that there will be a series with these characters because they are quirky and fun. Even the cats shine in their own personalities and the protagonist is a librarian. This series has every ingredient for success.

The Rocky Road to Ruin by Meri Allen was an advanced reader copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Riley comes back to her hometown and visits her dad and stepmom at his bookstore, The Penniless Reader. She works as a librarian and does occasional undercover work internationally. Her best friend, Carolyn's mom, just died. Then Riley finds Carolyn's brother, Mike, dead. This was a great book. How fun it would be to invent new ice cream recipes and sell it to locals and tourists.

RIley Rhodes is a librarian for the CIA (perfect job, right?) when she's called home to Penniman, CT for a funeral. The deceased was the mother of Riley's BFF Caroline and the owner of Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop, and Riley dives into the ice cream business headfirst. But it's not all cones and sprinkles - Caroline's brother Mike turns up dead soon after, and it's up to Riley to find the killer.

I usually end up reading cozy mystery series out of order, so I was really excited to start this one with book one! I loved Riley and Caroline so much - I wish I could be friends with them in real life. And this ice cream - OMG. Udderly Delicious makes a signature sunflower ice cream for the town festival, and I need it in my life! There's a recipe in the back of the book, no worries.

Cozy mysteries need a fun cast of supporting characters and this book was no exception - one of my favorites was Brandon, a shop worker whose inattention to recipes leads to new ice cream flavor Sugar High, which takes the small town by storm. And of course there are adorable and quirky cats to keep our protagonists company.

If you're looking to put a smile on your face this summer, grab some ice cream and read this book! 4.5 stars rounded to 5.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had the pleasure of reading The Rocky Road To Ruin by Meri Allen early thanks to Netgalley. I enjoyed the ice cream shop setting. However I felt like we missed some great focus in on the ice cream shop and the workers within it. I felt at times I was disconnected from the characters and the story itself. I also found the amount of characters introduced in the beginning to be very overwhelming. It was awesome reading a book based in my hometown state. I enjoyed the pacing and the mystery storyline. This sits at a 3.5 stars for me but I think definitely has potential for a good cozy series.

I enjoyed this book. I really liked the characters. It's set in a small town in Connecticut which has an ice cream shop. The flavors of ice cream sounds really good. The killer was a surprise, the reveal of the killer was suspenseful. #TheRockyRoadtoRuin #NetGalley