4 stars = Great! Might re-read.

Another delightful mystery in this great series! I have loved this since book 1, and it's not slowing down. The pacing of this was perfect - plenty of twists and possibilities on the killer and I loved being along for the ride. Satisfying to see Frances and George tie the knot; I've loved their relationship from the start. Series fans should not miss this. Newcomers can probably start here, but I find series more enjoyable when I can read them in order.

Where to begin? I loved this delightful historical cozy. The protagonist, Lady Harleigh, is the perfect blend of insight and innocence. She’s wise to the world because of circumstances beyond her control, yet maintains a self-deprecating attitude that makes following her adventure a treat.

If I might slip into writer-geek mode for a moment, from setting to character dynamics, the ofttimes formal writing to the patterns of speech, everything just clicked. A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder felt thoughtfully planned and executed. I’m definitely a new fan of this series.

A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder is the fifth instalment in Dianne Freeman's Countess of Harleigh Mystery series, but my third. I got to meet up with Frances, The Countess of Harleigh again, as well as George Hazleton, her fiancé. It is the eve of her marriage to George but there is a real likelihood that there might be trouble between some of the guests - the Bainbridges and the Connors...

This was a perfectly paced and well-delivered murder mystery and I love the author's characterisation. There were many suspects and I was frequently led astray, resulting in me re-evaluating the clues and guessing again, but I had a great time ferreting out the truth. A fun, humorous, engaging and compelling cozy tale.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I have loved this historical mystery series by Dianne Freeman. The mystery portion is always well written and the characters are individuals with their own personalities. I especially enjoyed diving into Frances' parents relationship this time. The humor is refreshing and I always enjoy a clean read. Though the books are written to standalone, you will get the most enjoyment from the characters if you read them in order. I recommend this book series to other mystery lovers.
Thank you to NetGalley and #Kensington Publishing for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own---I review books I enjoy so that friends and followers can share in the fun.
#ABridesGuidetoMarriageandMurder #NetGalley

They finally got hitched!!

Fans of the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series will be happy to hear that before any murder took place Lady Harleigh and Mr Hazelton were married with all their friends and family in attendance!

But there was definitely a murder mystery discovered before the end of the wedding breakfast!

This was such a treat! As a series fan I was so happy to see Francis and George finally get married and now as Mr. and Mrs. Hazelton continue their detective work. These two are the ideal Victorian era couple goals. They easily work together on mutual goals and know how to play up each other’s strengths, while compensating for any weaknesses. They are definitely better together!

This book has all the trappings that we come to expect in love from the series, including quirky with relatives with plenty of drama, nosey neighbours and friends and an intriguing mystery and unfolds throughout the book.

If you enjoy a little Victorian era romance with your mystery plot, these books are definitely worth checking out! I started in the middle of the series and had to go back to the beginning because they are so enjoyable! This is the 5th book in the series- but all books are standalone.

A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder by Dianne Freeman was released June 28th, 2022.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from author Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#ABridesGuidetoMarriageandMurder #DianneFreeman #Netgalley #pinkcowlandreads

The latest Countess Harleigh mystery does not disappoint. Frances and George are finally to be wed and depart on their wedding trip. The festivities are disrupted when one of the guests is murdered, and Frances' brother is arrested. Frances and George are on the case to help clear his name.

These characters are delightful, the story intriguing and complex. It is nice to see character development across the series. The drama of British aristocracy pulls you in. This is one series I will continue to follow.

A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder is book #5 in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series. I was lucky enough to win book #1 in this series as a giveaway back in 2018 and I enjoyed it then and enjoy the series now. Dianne Freeman’s writing continues to get better and better with each story she writes. Cozy mystery lovers will fall in love with this series. It’s an easy, fun and fast read. If you enjoy Cozy’s like I do you need to read this series.

Thank you to #netgalley and #kensingtonbooks for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Another wonderful and exciting book from Dianne Freeman. The books in this series just keep getting better and better. A must read for historical fiction and cozy fans.

A Bride's Guide to Marriage Murder takes place around Frances and George's wedding. Their honeymoon is interrupted by news that their neighbor has been murdered, and the main suspect is Frances' brother. Frances and George together try to figure out who the real murderer is, but there might be more murders before they can.

I quite enjoyed this book! It was a fast-paced, fun mystery and the characters were loveable. Filled with humor and a great cast of whimsical characters, this was a wonderful historical cozy mystery.

Even though this is book #5 in a series I haven't read before, I didn't find it to be an issue at all. The book does a great job of filling the blanks without making it seem like an info dump. Definitely safe to read as a standalone.

The mystery itself was quite fun, and while I figured out the details of the murder, I still enjoyed the journey, and it was never obvious enough to make me think, "Come on, get there already!" In fact, I really enjoyed the way the mystery was woven together and then revealed, it didn't drag its feet, and everything made sense.

Even though this book is not a romance, I quite enjoyed the romance between Frances and George. I loved the respect and trust they have in each other, and the way George embraces Frances fully.

The relationships and dialogue between the many characters seemed very genuine, I'm sure it helps that this is now the 5th book and all these are well established characters, but the familiarity, love and care most of the people had for each other was heart warming. I also loved all the various family relationships they had in the book. There was real love among the family members, even if sometimes they got on each others' nerves.

Overall this was a delightful and fun mystery that had me turning the pages to see what happens to the characters as much as to figure out the murderer.

Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the eARC for this fun mystery!

Of course, instead of a wedding trip, George was dispatched to take care of Alonzo and Frances tried to find out what had happened. Alonzo was young and “in love” with the wrong young lady: Madeleine Connor, daughter of the deceased. Frances and George are an engaging couple. George, a man before his time, knew better than to try and control Frances. Frances reciprocated by guarding her behavior. Readers have watched this romance progress for several books now and we are happy the wedding day has finally arrived, even knowing there would be problems on this day. The mystery is a good one, and with a surprising conclusion. It took some serious investigating for the couple to get past the lies and ferret out the truth. That trait, stubbornness, was one of many delightful traits espoused by both George and Frances. All’s well that ends well. A good read.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder by Kensington, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #kensington #diannefreeman #abridesguidetomarriageandmurder

There's a lot going on in the book that Frances has to manage. She's getting married, she suspects her mother is having an affair, her brother thinks himself in love, and someone gets murdered on her wedding day. I enjoy the pacing and dialog in this series. The characters are fun to revisit and hope Freeman continues writing about George and Frances and their entertaining family.

A marvelous addition to this delightful series, which will keep you entertained until the end!

It is finally time for Frances and George to wed! What could possibly go wrong? What a silly question!

When a man is found murdered and Frances's brother Alonzo is found holding the gun! Unfortunately the man is head of one of two American Robber baron families that have moved to London and Alonzo is sweet on his daughter!

Of course the honeymoon is delayed and Frances and George are pulled into finding out the truth of what happened. Simply marvelous!!

I love this series by Dianne Freeman and “A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder” brings to culmination the love between our two leading characters. The cast that surrounds them is wonderful, complex and interesting! The mystery includes just enough clues for the attentive reader to work it out which makes it more fun!

The robber barons from America and their accompanying characters are a great addition, fleshing out the story and giving us a better sense of the time.

If you love a good cosy murder mystery, I highly recommend this series, it’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale.

I guess it was to be expected, theirs was never going to be a run of the mill wedding. No surprise there! And yet! The family drama and dynamics were delightful (I just loved the metaphor used) and the murder mystery both intriguing and exasperating.

I have read the others in the series and enjoy the growing ensemble of characters as each one brings a unique perspective and richness to the story. Am I the only one to find the 'gangsters' a touch endearing and the brother perhaps a little too invested?

I highly recommend this cosy, murder mystery series. Each one is able to stand alone, yet at the same time builds towards the next one. Will the next cosy mystery be set in Europe? I can't wait to find out.

With thanks to #NetGalley, Kensington Books and the author for my free advanced reader copy to review in exchange for an honest opinion

I love this series by Dianne Freeman! Frances and George are finally getting married and her remaining family members have arrived from America. Unfortunately, two other families from the States are residing in London and have a bitter feud going on. Both are invited to the wedding - her brother is enamored with the daughter of one family and her mother is friends with the other. Frances is very relieved when she sees that one of the men has decided not to attend. Until he is found murdered during the reception and her brother is arrested. She and George postpone their honeymoon and get to work trying to figure out who is the real killer.

While the murder is at the center of the story, family relationships are also a main point of this one. Is her parents' marriage in trouble? How will her daughter and George get along now that they are in the same house? And what about the murdered man's family secrets?

I enjoy these characters so much and the story is so well done! I hate having to wait another year for the next one! Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of #ABridesGuidetoLoveandMurder.

I like this series as it's witty, well written, and the characters are interesting.
This wasn't one of my favorite instalment as I found it a bit slow but I enjoyed it and was happy to read about the marriage.
The plot is well developed and there's plenty of twists and suspects. The solution surprised me but it was satisfying.
I can't wait to read the next story.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder.” All opinions and comments are my own.

We have a wedding at last, as Frances, Countess of Harleigh marries her intended, George Hazelton in “A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder,” the fifth in Diane’s Freeman’s series featuring the enterprising woman as she manages once again to find herself at the center of a murder mystery. At the time of her nuptials, no less. To set the stage: rival businessmen that really, really dislike each other are invited to the happy event. If that wasn’t trouble enough, one of the men is really quite horrible, as Frances discovers. He rudely informs her to tell her brother Alonzo to stay away from his daughter. Will Frances and George be leaving on their honeymoon? Not when the brother’s arrested for the murder of the man right after the ceremony.

What follows is a tale of a lot of unhappy people. Luckily, the brother’s out of it pretty quickly, although he’s not “out of it out of it” – still a suspect until the police actually find the real bad guy. And because of that, Frances needs to uncover the actual culprit. Which she does quite handily, using the skills we’ve come to know from previous books. The society she moves around in plays its part, of course, and Diane Freeman emphasizes that ugly presents itself in every kind of social situation, and we’re not talking just the scenery, folks. Diane Freeman knows how to use plotting to create suspicion and legitimate possible murderers all around. There’s a big finish with a gun; and poor George will have to delay his honeymoon for a while longer.

An author’s note explains the real-life inspiration behind the setting of two men that couldn’t help but try to destroy each other. Money certainly doesn’t buy intelligence and good manners, even in 1900.

Another great read with a mystery to solve. I thought I knew who done it but there was enough turns and possibilities, I thought it was a great read. Can not wait for the next book.


Thank you NetGalley, Dianne Freeman, and Kensington Books for this advance read.
#ABridesGuidetoMarriageandMurder #NetGalley.

I've read all the previous books in this series and came in to this very excited to finally witness George and Frances getting married. And this book did not disappoint! George and Frances make a great duo for investigating the various crimes that end up entwined in their lives and I loved the way they navigated this mystery. A great read as a standalone and an even better addition to the series!

Frances and George are finally getting married! But of course, things do not go smoothly.

I love this series and the latest installment is engaging as the others. But if you haven't read any of the other books, jumping in here will not be a detriment.

Frances and George are engaging and true complements to each other. That relationship makes the story and the solving of the murder a pleasure to read. The description of this book sets up the story perfectly and I won't repeat it.

There were a number of twists and turns and secrets that were revealed along the way.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley but the opinion expressed is my own.