Love this series. The characters are fun and it has a great storyline that keeps you wanting more. I would and have recommended this to family and friends that love to read

I enjoyed reading this book. The mystery is well plotted with plenty of surprises. The characters are great and relatable. The only thing that I could change was the amount of times Jenna wanted to postpone the wedding. This was a very minor issue. The thing I like the most was outside the mystery was the kittens that were left at the firehouse.

The mystery can be read as a stand-alone, however, it’s best to read in order for the characters’ backstories. I recommended this book to cozy mystery fans.

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

Dollycas's Thoughts

Jenna and Rhett's big day is almost here but Sarita Strachline is back in Crystal Cove looking for revenge. Jenna helped seal her conviction for arson, a crime she tried to blame on Rhett. When Rhett and Jenna try to have a cozy dinner by themselves it is blown up literally landing Rhett in the hospital. They are convinced Sarita is responsible for the explosive act.

Worried about Rhett and trying to keep all the wedding arrangements on track Jenna agrees to leave the investigation to the police. Then her prime suspect meets her demise. Much to the dismay of Police Chief Cinnamon Pritchard Jenna jumps into the investigation and puts a target on her back. Will Jenna live long enough to say "I do" or has her luck finally run out?

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I have been excited about Jenna and Rhett's nuptials before they even got engaged and was excited that this was the book where it would finally take place. They are so in love and that radiates whenever they are together. They are surrounded by a great cast of supporting characters. Jenna's Aunt Vera is always my favorite but every character within these pages is well developed and continues to grow as the story continues. They are engaging and diverse and every reader can find someone to identify with.

The author puts forth a complicated mystery. A mystery her protagonist really tries not to get involved in but it is clear her insight is needed. There were more suspects than I anticipated at first and I really enjoyed all the twists and turns and following all of the clues. I had an inkling who the guilty party was but I was wrong and very surprised when all was revealed and a little sad too.

I did enjoy the subplots about the weddings and some kittens left at the firehouse. Kittens are always fun and Wedding Planner Extraordinaire Harmony Bold was great. She kept Jenna calm through all things wedding related including some "mini snafu"s.

Ms. Gerber does a fabulous job of setting a scene making it so easy to visualize each place, everything that is happening, what people are wearing, and the food they are eating.  Oh, the food. Do not read any of Daryl Wood Gerber's books with an empty stomach. The food descriptions will have you craving every bite of food discussed. For this book, I would recommend flipping to the back of the book to find the recipe for Banana Mocha Cupcakes and baking them up before you start reading the story. That way when the cravings start you will have some tasty treats to enjoy while trying to solve this Cookbook Nook Mystery.

Simmering with Resentment really shows the author's cozy mystery writing chops. I escaped right into this story and enjoyed every minute with these wonderful characters. I did have a little disappointment as I wanted a bigger final scene using all the author's descriptive talents but that doesn't keep this story from being a 5-Star(fish) read.

As always I recommend reading the series from the start for maximum enjoyment but this story can be read on its own as well.

All is good at The Cookbook Nook, with wedding planning for Jenna coinciding with the town of Crystal Cove playing host to a Wedding Expo. The Expo brings a bountiful amount of blushing brides-to-be and several visitors to town, including Sarita Strachline, the arsonist responsible for the demise of The Grotto. Things take a heated turn when and Rhett’s romantic meal turns into a flaming disaster; kitchen accident or sabotage? With Rhett in the hospital, Jenna goes on the offensive looking for clues and suggesting suspects to local law enforcement. Couple this with expo thefts and a murder and you have one stressed but determined cozy sleuth, who has a slew of suspects, from the ex-husband to the various investors of burned down Grotto. This was such a great title for this cozy, so many suspects had resentment simmering just under the surface. Another great thing about this book are the recipes found at the back of the book for the most delicious items featured throughout the story. I am looking forward to some Salmon and Avocado rolls!

I really enjoyed this book, very fun cozy mystery! It was entertaining and a fun read! I would highly recommend this book to everyone!!

This is book 11 in A Cookbook Nook Mystery series. I have read several but not all the titles in this series. Jenna's and Rhetts wedding is just around the corner and it's not smooth sailing. With Sarita released from prison, Jenna is afraid that she will be out for revenge. Jenna's testimony sent her to jail. When an explosion rocks their rehearsal dinner and Rhett severely hurt, Jenna is determined to convict Sarita a second time. All's well that ends well with a major hurricane heading toward Crystal Cove people are wondering if this wedding will ever take place. Lots of yummy recipes.

This is the 11th book in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series and it's a solid addition to the series. The book is well plotted and full of red herrings. There are a lot of characters but that wasn't off putting to me. Usually, I'm a fan of Jenna Hart and in this book not so much. I found her selfish and petulant this time around. As always though, Cinnamon, the chief of police is my favorite character.

This is a great addition to the series. With only a short time left before Jenna and Rhett are set to marry, Jenna is a ball of nerves. The worst seems to happen when an enemy shows up in town. When Jenna, Rhett, and his restaurant are involved in a bombing, she practically falls apart. The mystery kept me wavering back and forth. I look forward to my next visit to Crystal Cove.

Jenna is thrilled to be planning her wedding to Rhett! There is one small thing on her mind besides her upcoming wedded bliss, Sarita, whom Jenna helped to prove committed arson is being released from prison and is hell bent on revenge. When Jenna and Rhett’s rehearsal dinner is rocked by a massive explosion all signs point to Sarita. When Jenna follows the clues will they lead to Sarita or is there someone else out there with a grudge on our bride to be?

This book is the eleventh (!!) in the series. I have not read the previous 10 but didn’t feel like I was missing a lot of background. Cinnamon is a great character and I love when a women is the police detective. Crystal cove is somewhere I want to move to and enjoy! I can’t wait to read the next book in this series! My problem is finding the first 10 at the library!

#simmeringwithresentment #darylwoodgerber #cookbooknookmystery #cookbooknook #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #cozymysteryseries #beyondthepagepublishing

With Brides Dream Expo in town it’s all things wedding in Crystal Cove including at the Cookbook Nook where owner Jenna Hart is preparing for her own wedding I just a few short weeks. There is a dark loud hanging over the festive mood by the name of Sarita Strachline, a woman Jenna helped convict of arson who is now out for revenge. When Jenna and Rhett’s intimate prenuptial dinner is rocked by an explosion that nearly takes Rhett’s life Jenna can’t help but think Sarita is to blame.leaving the case to the police to investigate Jenna can’t help but try to piece together the clues and as evidence mountsJenna realizes that revenge maybe a dish served cold but she can cook up a scheme of her own to bring the culprit to justice before it comes back in her face. A fun story of revenge. Great characters I totally recommend.

This was an OK cozy novel but it really just didn’t connect with me. I guess I’m not much of a cook so all the recipes were just lost on me. This is a great author and I know she has a great audience but it’s just not my style.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Jenna and Rhett’s wedding is approaching fast. There are all sorts of last minute details and decisions to be made but first they must get through some very turbulent and dangerous times. The big Bridal Expo would have been sufficient but the return to town of the woman who torched the restaurant that Rhett had been accused of burning adds a level of stress they do not need. Moreover, she knows that the two of them were the ones who first suggested she was to blame and therefore were responsible for her incarceration. And when she confronts Jenna, she is not amused.

Between Bridezillas of all shapes and sizes, two serious crimes are committed. There are two deadly explosions resulting in one death and whether she wants to or not, Jenna is right in the middle of the investigation. Her friend Cinnamon tries to persuade her to focus on the wedding but Jenna cannot help herself and sure enough, she stumbles on the villain. Will she and Rhett ever make it to the altar. Guess you will just have to read the book to find out.

This has been an enjoyable series as the reader has gone through all the trials and tribulations with the characters and this one does not disappoint. It was the perfect book for a read in the sun. I imagine it would be equally fine at the beach or the cottage. Five purrs and two paws up.

I have enjoyed the books I’ve read in the Cookbook Nook series. The characters are well developed and I love the relationships among them. The murder mystery will keep you guessing until the end. Lots of twists and turns have you jumping from one suspect to another. I would love to visit Crystal Cove and get to know Jenna and all of her family and friends. The author has created a delightful setting with a cast of characters who have you chuckling, cheering them on or sighing with contentment as they love and support each other. Simmering with Resentment is a great addition to the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond the Page for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

The Bride Dream Expo is in full swing in Crystal Cove just as Jenna and Rhett are finalizing the details of their own wedding. But stormy weather is in the forecast when Rhett's former boss, now ex-con, Sarita Strachline, returns to Crystal Cove and starts stirring up trouble. What seems to be the worst possible event - there is an explosion in the kitchen at Rhett''s restaurant and he is seriously injured. Was Sarita the culprit? Doesn't seem likely when she herself is bombed out of the water.

The mystery was intriguing and the romance was spot on!

Jenna Hart is about to get married! But so, too, are the flocks of women who’ve descended on her small town of Crystal Cove, California, for the Bride’s Dream Expo. As proprietor of the Cookbook Nook, this is the perfect opportunity for her to feature plenty of wedding-themed wares in hopes of cashing in on the influx of matrimonially-minded visitors. Her wedding planner persuades her to take a little time off work to come visit the expo, too. Not only do they still need to book the music for her ceremony, but it’s always nice to see what last-minute additions they might want to make to further enhance her special day.

Much less than nice is the sudden appearance of Sarita Strachline, the woman whom Jenna helped to convict of arson and send to jail. After five years of model behavior, Sarita is out and back in Crystal Cove. She spots Jenna at the expo and initiates a snarling confrontation that leaves Jenna both shaken and convinced that Sarita is up to no good.

So when the intimate prenuptial dinner that Jenna and her fiance Rhett Jackson are preparing together at his restaurant is abruptly halted by a bomb that guts the building’s kitchen, Jenna’s number one suspect is Sarita. With Rhett under medical observation for concussion, a frantic Jenna pesters Crystal Cove Chief Of Police Cinnamon Pritchett to investigate and arrest the newly released felon, coming up with increasingly convoluted ways that Sarita might have done it after Cinnamon patiently explains that the other woman has an iron-clad alibi.

Determined not to let Sarita get away with it, Jenna starts investigating. But someone else is already two steps ahead of her in the quest to make Sarita pay for her crimes. Will Jenna be able to emerge unscathed after getting in the middle of an explosive game of revenge?

The Cookbook Nook mystery series is not my favorite of Daryl Wood Gerber’s – that honor goes to the absolutely delightful Fairy Garden mystery series – but this was a very solid installment of it. You don’t need to know much of what’s happened before to enjoy the goings-on in this novel, as Crystal Cove is rocked by both bridezillas and actual bombs. There’s also a very cute subplot about kittens needing homes, though by far my favorite thing about this novel was how calm and collected Rhett was in the face of so much adversity. He makes an excellent foil for the excitable Jenna, as well as a good life partner.

There were fourteen recipes included in the back of this book, many of them appropriate for a wedding or other fancy do. I had quite a time figuring out which one of them I wanted to make for this column, but finally decided on this one:

QUOTE
Salmon and Avocado Rolls
(Yield: 4)

4 tablespoons softened cream cheese
1 tablespoon chives
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 avocado, sliced
½ cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
8 ounces smoked salmon, divided into 4 slices
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, chives, and lemon juice. Set aside.

Prepare the avocado and cucumber and set aside.

Lay the 4 slices of salmon out on a cutting board. Spread 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture on each. Top with the avocado and cucumber. Roll gently. Cucumber chunks will slip out. That’s okay. Cover and refrigerate for two hours to let the cheese firm up.

Before serving, combine the olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk until emulsified.

To serve the salmon, cut the rolls into 1-inch slices. Set on plates. Drizzle with the olive oil dressing and then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
END QUOTE

This was an outstanding appetizer! My husband accidentally brought home a party wheel of salmon instead of the usual cuts, so I decided to make little trumpets, a la sushi hand rolls, instead of larger rolls that I’d cut up into 1-inch slices. I wound up with thirteen smaller rolls that I split the cream cheese mixture, cucumber chunks and avocado slices between as evenly as I could. It all worked out pretty nicely in the end.

This recipe does make quite a bit more olive oil dressing than I expected, so use your best judgment when drizzling it over the rolls. I also substituted rice wine vinegar instead of the champagne or white wine, as it has a sweet flavor profile that’s similar to the former but is mellower than the latter. And while I enjoyed the rolls on their own, I thought they really shone when placed on a toasted bagel, as my husband suggested. Though I originally served these as a dinner appetizer, they were great on toasted bagels the next day for breakfast, too.

Next week, we head cross-country to prolong our wedding fever while baking up a sweet treat and solving crimes both past and present. Do join me!

Wedding bells are finally ringing for Jenna and Rhett. They are just a few weeks from their wedding day and to add to the festivities in town, the annual Bridal Expo is in town. Even the Cookbook Nook bookstore is getting lots of Jenna's attention as she decorates it for the Expo. As if she didn't have enough on her plate somebody sets off an explosion that blows up Rhett's restaurant and nearly kills him. Jenna escapes serious injury and seeks answers. Was the woman who Jenna helped put in jail for arson the guilty party? She did just get out of prison and she is in town - could she be out for revenge? It isn't long before there is another explosion and Jenna's prime suspect is killed. The list of possible suspects grows and Jenna sets her own plan in motion to catch the killer.
I have been a fan of this delightful cozy series ad not one has even disappointed me. With well constructed mysteries to solve and a cast of recurring characters who make up Jenna's family and friends, time spent visiting Crystal Cove and the Cookbook Nook bookstore is always a wonderful reading escape.
My thanks to the publisher Beyond the Page and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Crystal Cove is hosting a Bride's Dream Expo weekend, and Jenna Hart is eagerly anticipating her upcoming nuptials to dreamy Rhett Baxter. In Simmering with Resentment, the newest Cookbook Nook Mystery from Daryl Wood Gerber, tensions run high when the woman who, years ago, let Rhett take the blame for the arson she committed, returns to town after her release from prison. Why has she returned....a vendetta, perhaps?!? After Rhett is seriously injured in an explosion at his restaurant, Jenna is determined to discover the culprit so that she can get to the church (or, in this case, vineyard!) on time! I was kept guessing until the very end! Loved it! 5 stars!

Simmering with Resentment is the 11th wonderful book in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series by Daryl Wood Gerber. Jenna Hart and her Aunt Vera and friends Bailey and Katie co-own The Cookbook Nook bookstore and Nook Cafe. In this book, the Bride's Dream Expo is in town. Jenna is excited as she and Rhett are planning their wedding. A problem exists in the form of Sarita Strachline, a woman who Jenna and Rhett helped send to jail for arson. She is out of jail and back in town and is creating a lot of problems. Jenna and Rhett are having a romantic dinner at Intime, Rhett's restaurant, when an explosion occurs and Rhett is injured. They think Sarita is to blame. Jenna and friends set out to find out what happened. Between the wedding planning, investigating and working Jenna is very busy! This is an enjoyable cozy mystery with likable characters, family, friends, and an interesting mystery that kept me guessing. #NetGalley #SimmeringWithResentment #BeyondThePage

It is always fun to return to Crystal Cove with Jenna and crew and visit the Cookbook store. Jenna is a clever and savvy protagonist. I love the reference to the cookbooks they sell, too. The bridal expo and Jenna's wedding worries were suspenseful. I loved the food descriptions and the recipes at the end of the book.
The story moved along quickly. It was fun figuring out the mystery. While I figured out whodunit, it was still an entertaining story. Cookbook Nook Mysteries is one of my favorite series and I can't wait to read the next installment.

Thank you to Netgalley and The publisher for the ARC of this book. This was an honest review.

I always end up wanting to visit the locations of stories by Daryl Wood Gerber, especially Crystal Cove (not the actual Crystal Cove in Southern California.) The seriousness of the storyline that starts with a bombing is shocking, and grabbed me into the story immediately. I was completely surprised with the ending due to all of the expert twists and turns provided by the author. I was also immensely satisfied with the ending and am hoping that it is not a real ending in the story of Jenna and Rhett. One fun thing about 'Simmering with Resentment' was the highlighting of actual cookbooks, one of which I went online and purchased! As usual there were delightful recipes at the end of the book, certainly a bonus!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.