I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed reading it the plot was interesting and the characters made me want to know more about them. I highly recommend.

This is one of my favorite series, The mystery was fun and I really like the characters. It is a fun read.



Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the digital arc.

A Time to Swill

by Sherry Harris

Chloe wants to settle current issues in her life, not find herself wrapped up in even more. These complications, however, are just waiting for her when she packs up her Chicago apartment into her little red VW beetle and returns to Emerald Cove, Florida, to begin her new life in earnest. A former children’s librarian, she is now part owner and an employee of the Sea Glass Saloon. She inherited part of the business and a house from Boone, a close friend who died in Afghanistan. He also asked her to take care of Vivi, the owner of the bar, who turns out to not be the helpless grandmother she expected.

While Vivi and Chloe’s relationship is gradually thawing, Chloe is also working on getting to know the “heritage” business owners, a tight-knit group whose families owned the original businesses dating back to the fifties or earlier. Other important characters include the handsome, but mysterious former lawyer Rhett (aka Rip), Joaquin the bartender and Michael his husband, and Ann the local “fixer” with secretive connections.

When Chloe discovers a boat adrift, she tries to save what sounds like a crying baby. In the process she faces danger herself in a terrible fog, but also uncovers some kind of illegal operation. To what lengths will the criminals go to stop Chloe’s snooping? Chloe and Vivi are also in danger of losing the bar to the smarmy Steve who suddenly appears with a will purportedly left by Boone. If it is proven valid, Chloe will also lose her home.

A Time to Swill is definitely a page turner. It ends each chapter with a hook to make you want to keep reading. Even when I had to attend to something else, I found my mind drawn back to the plot, wondering what would happen next. Author Sherry Harris is also very good with setting descriptions and atmosphere. Some humor and a tad of romantic interest are thrown in as well. There are some surprises as well as some unfinished business to be continued later in this cozy mystery series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #2 in the Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon Mystery Series. Although the first book sets up the background for the series well and is another good mystery, you could jump in with this second book as Sherry Harris does bring the reader up to date on the scenario.

Publication: July 21, 2021—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

A thin line of moonlight shone on the Gulf. The air smelled of the wood of the porch, salt, and pine from the trees around the house. The water whooshed and subsided, as if to say, Don’t worry. All is well. If only it were.

I remembered a story our minister had told about words being like nails. You can pound a nail in the fence and you can take it out, but the hole is still there.

“I’ll never get used to people down here calling all pop Coke.” “And trust me, no one will understand when you call Coke pop.”

This is an entertaining second book in the series. The character development from book one is coming along well. The main character Lana Lewis is adjusting nicely to her new career as a barista and manager of a coffee house. The relationships between Lana and the secondary characters, especially Noah, are developing beautifully. The mystery is well-plotted and moves at a steady pace with plenty of surprises along the journey to the big reveal. I recommend this book to cozy mystery fans.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I have not been influenced by anyone.

Chloe Jackson moved from Chicago to Emerald Cove, Florida after her best friend Boone died in Afghanistan and left her everything -- which includes his home, boat, and 25% in the bar his grandmother Vivi owns. After coming to a sort of truce with Vivi, Chloe is settling into her new life. But while jogging on a foggy morning she hears what she thinks is a baby crying on a boat that seems to be stuck on a sandbar. Swimming out to the boat, she finds it's not a child, but a cat, and while exploring she also finds a skeleton aboard. When the boat catches fire, she dives off with the cat, hoping to make it to shore. But a man with a boat rescues her, returns her to shore and disappears.

To make matters worse, Boone's father returns -- and claims he has a new will of Boone's that leaves him everything, including being half-owner of the bar. But everyone knows Boone would never do that, but the problem lies in trying to find out proof, which Chloe intends to do.

Chloe finds herself in another murder this time -- but discovers that it might be one from long ago. When she gives the police a ring she also discovered before bailing, she finds that it belonged to her friend Ralph's late wife -- and he might be a suspect. Now she's looking for the good Samaritan that saved her, and the person who might have killed Ralph's wife. Could they be one and the same? Or is something else afoot? And is someone trying to make sure she doesn't find anything else out?

This is the second book in the series and it is quite as good as the first. Chloe is coming to love her new life, and Vivi is changing in her feelings toward Chloe. There's also a hint of change in the air for Chloe with a new relationship, but it doesn't get in way of the mystery. We also have the enigmatic Ann Williams around again, and Joaquin, of course; all of these people make for a very interesting book.

I loved the mystery -- which was more a mystery within one; and there's a subplot that is quite intriguing as well. Watching Chloe try to navigate her new life and the things going on around her are worth the read; and the reappearance of Boone's father Steven brings angst to the group at the Sea Glass. Vivi can't figure out a way to get rid of him, but Chloe is determined to do so.

But it's the backstory that is the most interesting -- of what went on twelve years ago and how it ties into things that are occurring today. It's suspenseful and fun, and when the ending comes it's all worth the wait. I truly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next in the series. Recommended.

This is such a fun series! The setting is unique and there is such a sense of community - even though there are many hidden secrets within that community. The characters are wonderful and unique. There are a couple of storylines in this book that do an equally good job of holding your attention. Not all questions were answered for the secondary mystery, which only heightens the anticipation for the next installment. Pick this series up, grab a beverage and settle in for a visit to Emerald Cove and the Sea Glass.

as the story continues, so does it's place on my favorite series list. I love the setting and cast of characters that the author has developed. I am not usually a beach fan, but it works for me here.

The cast of characters are well developed and deep and the mystery keeps me coming back for more. I look forward to continuing with the series

This book is much more in depth than a usual cozy mystery. The main character does get legitimate help with the investigation and the mystery had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the end. One of the supporting characters gets a nickname in the middle of the book and is only known by that nickname from then on. My issues is that every, single person in the book then calls him that and never by his real name. Second y'all is never singular and for future reference "bless your heart" is never a compliment. These small issues were not enough to keep me from enjoying the book or from reading future books.

Princess Fuzzypants here: I have liked the premise of the series from the get-go. Chloe travels to the Florida panhandle to honour a request from her best friend, Boone, who was killed in Afghanistan. He wanted Chloe to take care of his grandmother if anything happened to him. When she arrives Vivi is anything but the elderly granny Chloe had envisaged. That was not the only surprise that she found. Boone had left her all his possessions, including a house and part ownership in Vivi’s bar. Some very testy moments ensued as the two most important women in Boone’s life learned to accept each other.

There are more surprises that follow in this book. After Chloe stumbles into some very shady dealings that involved cigarette boats, smuggling, piracy, and murder, she is dealt another blow when Boone’s absent n’er do well father shows up with an alternate will that supposedly leaves all of Boone’s earthly goods to him. While everyone can agree the father is a scum bag, it is not going to be easy to dispute the will.

While Chloe attempts to figure out the players in the smuggling and murder cases, she is also trying to find out if Boone was not the man she thought he was and if he truly had changed his mind. All of this is done in a believable manner where Chloe can get herself into tight situations but she is never stupid nor is she reckless. She is my kind of heroine. And she risks her life to rescue a kitty.

All the characters are wonderful and I love the various relationships that are part of the story. It is entertaining and fast and a lot of fun. More please. Five purrs and two paws up.

I liked the balance of mystery and personal complications of the lead protagonist Chloe, in the first book. That is usually the deciding factor in many of these small-town murder mysteries since the cast of characters is as, if not more important, than the central plot, which is to be unravelled.
Chloe found herself the part-owner of a saloon in Florida, and being a librarian did not really help make her decision. After the chaotic events in the first adventure, she finally decided to move to the house that was bequeathed to her. On the very day she reaches ner now home, she stumbles on a marooned boat and a mewling sound. This opens a can of unexpected worms.
The story's pacing, the sudden weight of the discoveries and the following investigations were all unexpected. Usually, when some plotlines are completed in the manner they were in this book, I do not hold out hopes for continuing with the series. In this case, I think the characters are filling out their roles/personalities, leaving me curious about their budding relationships.
Chloe finds herself in the middle of an old missing person case becoming front page again. This puts some of her near and dear in the crosshairs of the investigations. She starts to investigate but ends up stepping on a few toes. It is a diligent investigation, and the final reveal actually happens with witnessing who the culprit(s) was and what they were up to instead of just eliminating suspects.
I will pick up the next one in the series just to hear more of the banter amongst the different combinations of people or how Chloe's librarian skills translate to the real world and the ways she plans to use them in her new life. I would recommend anyone picking this up to start with the first book because this would not hold as much of an impact (even if it makes sense) as it would otherwise.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my reading of this book and the previous work in the series.

This was such a fun cozy mystery. I was hooked from the beginning. The writing is fantastic, and Harris does a fantastic job of providing vivid detail. I cannot wait for the next one!

In A Time to Swill Chloe Jackson finds herself back in Emerald Cove, having left her life in Chicago behind. During her run on the beach her first morning back Chloe comes across a ghost ship with what sounds like a crying baby on board. As Chloe climbs aboard to take a look, she discovers a cat instead of a baby but also a long dead body, now a skeleton. Chloe is rescued from the ship and once back on beach discovers that her friends Ralph and Dolores could be tied to the skeleton she found. In an attempt to provide some resolution for Ralph, Chloe begins her investigation. To complicate matters, Chloe's friend Boone's father Steve returns to Emerald Cove claiming that Boone re-wrote his will leaving his house and part ownership in the Sea Glass Saloon to him, not Chloe. This of course stuns Chloe who may lose the whole reason for her move to Emerald Cove, but also Boone's grandmother ViVi who thought she had rid her life of Steve long ago.

The murder is very puzzling as more and more is revealed about the mystery surrounding the ghost ship, the four people that disappeared so many years ago, one of whom was Ralph's wife, smuggling in the Bayou, and the fact that Chloe may have been mislead or lied to by the people she's come to trust. Of course wondering throughout the book if Chloe was going to lose her house and part ownership in the saloon kept this reader anxious for Chloe throughout the book!

Chloe, working with the mysterious Ann (whom we met in book 1 of the series), put the pieces of the puzzle together, and informs the correct people in law enforcement what they have observed. The murder is solved, as are a few other crimes, in a most surprising way. The story is so well-written that it is almost impossible to solve the crimes committed! Wonderful and engaging writing and reading!

The reader is left wondering about the outcome of Steve's attempted takeover of Boone's belongings, but not before Chloe uses a spilled glass of iced tea to gain some valuable information that may help Vivi and Chloe retain status quo -- hopefully Book 3 will be out soon and this cliffhanger will be resolved!

The characters in this book are great - Chloe, as she grows into her new life and relationships, Rhett "Rip' Barnett who may or may not become Chloe's love interest, the entertaining, caring, and helpful Joaquin and Michael, the irascible ViVi who is slowly warming to the fact that Chloe is part owner of her saloon, and all of the other quirky business owners that comprise the delightful town of Emerald Cove. One cannot wait to read of Chloe's next adventures and when finished, you must impatiently await the next installment, of which I hope there are many!

Read the Sea Glass Saloon mystery series, it will quickly become a favorite...but make sure you pick up this book when you have plenty of time to read, as you will want to read it in one setting!

A Time to Swill, the second book in Sherry Harris’s Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon mystery series, is another rollicking adventure in the Florida panhandle.

Fresh from relocating from Chicago to Emerald Cove, Florida, Chloe Jackson is on her morning jog when she hears a cry coming from an abandoned ship that has apparently run aground. As soon as she boards to investigate the sound (which turns out to be a kitten), the ship is swept out to sea. Trying desperately to find a way out of her dilemma, Chloe searches the ship and encounters the skeleton of a woman who, it turns out, has been missing for twelve years. Before the Coast Guard can arrive, she is rescued by a mysterious stranger whose identity (and reason for being there) remain unknown through most of the novel. When she discovers a connection between the (formerly) missing woman and her new friend Ralph, Chloe is caught up in a cold case murder and a very present danger.

This is one mystery that captures your attention from the beginning. From the moment Chloe boards the boat until the ultimate resolution, there is a gripping sense of suspense and foreboding. Although this is definitely a cozy, it also incorporates the hard edge of a thriller. It’s like getting the best of both worlds. And speaking of worlds, Ms. Harris does an excellent job of capturing the vibe of the beach town. Chloe and the locals are distinct and interesting characters, with Vivi and Joaquin given moments that are alternatingly poignant and humorous. And the mysterious Ann becomes a little less mysterious, but even more awesome. Add to that a subplot involving the return of Boone’s father to claim the inheritance Chloe had thought was hers, and there is always something interesting afoot.

A Time to Swill is definitely a keeper. And with a cliffhanger ending regarding Boone’s father, I will be eagerly looking for the next book in the series.

Note: I received an ARC of A Time to Swill from NetGalley and Kensington Books. The above is my honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Super enjoyable cozy mystery!

I enjoyed this one quite a bit. It stood up well as a standalone. It was well written and well paced. The plot (at times) was a little all over the place, but was still engaging. The setting was fun, and I found all the characters likable. That said, the ending was a bit of a letdown. The solving of the mystery lacked any genuine excitement and we are also left hanging with no real resolution to the secondary storyline concerning Boone's will. Perhaps the author will give us a resolution in the next book. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Overall, though, I found it enjoyable enough that I will definitely keep my eyes open for the next book in this series. 👍🏻

**ARC Via NetGalley**

I was so excited to visit with Chloe at the Sea Glass Saloon. I'm familiar with Florida Panhandle area and I felt right at home as I was reading this one. The story kept my interest from the moment that Chloe boards the sailboat to check out what she thinks is a cry. The mystery was well-written with just enough twists and turns to keep me turning the pages until very late in the night.

These characters seem very 'real' to me and I'd love to be able to visit the saloon and have a drink with these new 'friends'. I'm already looking forward to the next one in the series.

After reading the sequel to From Beer to Eternity”, I was thrilled to read the continuing adventures of Joaquin , Vivi, Chloe, etc. as they solved another murder mystery this time that involved a local ship of local residents that disappeared without a trace but then reappeared at the present time of the storyline.

Being a girl from the Midwest to now being a Floridian this book really hits home for me. I can’t wait to read the continuing ventures of this awesome series .

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for inttoducing me to this fantastic read. I hope you enjoy my honest review.

I'm a sucker for a good Florida mystery, and this makes me nostalgic for my college days (not the murder part of the story, just the daiquiries and beach part!). Chloe is feeling more at home in Emerald Cove when Boone's estranged father shows up to claim her inheritance. And she has to decide if Rip is hiding some deep dark secret. Oh yeah, there's also the skeleton she stumbles across on an abandoned boat. It's more than enough to drive a girl to drink classic daiquiris!

Thanks to Kensington Books for access to a digital ARC on Netgalley.com.

Did you know that a proper daiquiri is not made from a mixer? The things you learn from a cozy will amaze you. They aren’t just for entertainment, well for me they are a cookbook with a great way to present the recipes. Chloe, former librarian has decided to leave not return to Chicago for more than her personal belongings, and permanently settle into her new home, new business, new life, and new friendships in Florida. I would do it for the weather alone. Much like the warm and tropical weather, you instantly like Chloe because she is the kind of person who jumps onto a wayward boat in the heavy mist, to help someone in distress, even if it turns out to be a caterwauling cat, and then she is the one in distress when the boat starts to float away. Oh dear. She is also the sort of person who can’t help but to get involved when she sees someone in distress even if she didn’t promise to keep an eye on them, like she did for Boone with Vivi. We also get a little better feel for the mysterious Ann Williams, maybe. Great plot line and character development without needing to have read the first book. I definitely like where the story is going and the bartending tips plus food pairing ideas.

Title: A Time to Swill
Author: Sherry Harris

Ch: 40

Pg: 204

Series: Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon mystery book 2

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 3.5 stars

Publisher: Kensington



A Time to Swill is the second book in the Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon Mystery series by Sherry Harris about the librarian turned half bar owner Chloe. I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first book in the series. And I think that is due in part to the fact that the mystery was a a cold case one so to speak. It was also a little slower paced than the first book in the series, but I did enjoy getting to know the characters better. I am looking forward to the next book in the series to see what other mystery Chole finds herself involved in.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

The Sea Glass Saloon has become a home to Chloe Jackson, but when she finds herself swimming out to a foundering sailboat, she involves herself in a mystery from the past. On board she finds a skeleton and as the sailboat drifts in the fog, it takes her farther away from shore. She is recused by an unidentified man and suddenly is in the midst of a murder investigation that involves some of her friends. A complex case that tests Chloe and her friends. Love this series.