The second book in the Pies Before Guys series did not disappoint! The setting of a baking competition was chef’s kiss perfect. This book is an enjoyable read all around and it goes very quickly. I actually enjoyed this book more than the first one, because there was no weird love triangle. I HATE love triangles, they are cringey. The mystery itself wasn’t all that mysterious, but I don’t necessarily mind that. The writing was well done-it gave depth to the plethora of side characters and built the storyline beautifully.

I would definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for a funny, cozy murder mystery, but beware of what it will do to your appetite and, in turn, your waistline. Just like with the England baking show this is based on, this book will make you have aspirations to be the next amateur baker.

I realized that this was book #2 in the series after I received the e-ARC from NetGalley. I was able to download book #1 from my library app and knocked that one out first. After reading both, I found that it was not necessary to read the first one to understand the plot of this book. My personal preference is to read books in series order.

I enjoyed this book more than the first in the series. The premise was fun to read as it was based on a cooking show competition similar to The Great British Bake Off. I myself am an avid baker so it was a great pleasure to read about the different bakes that were required of the bakers and to get a view

The main character, Daisy, has magic that has been passed through her family for generations. We find out from the first book that Daisy imbues her pies with magic that can range from helping a person with anxiety, increases focus during finals week, giving courage to stand up to an abuser, and can even cause a person's death. Her murder-powers are used solely for her Guys Before Pies side business for when desperate women contact her for help. In this second book, Daisy is recruited by one of these women needing her murder-pie powers. During the baking competition, all plans to carry out the murder go sideways as Daisy is entangled in a murder mystery at the competition.

Things that I liked about this book: the baking competition setting, some of the new characters that were introduced, and the recipes included at the end of the book.

Things that I did not like or were disappointed with:
Daisy's magical abilities really took a backseat in this book and didn't make much of an appearance until about halfway through. I understand why the author may have done this in that Daisy was in a competition and did not want to make it through based on her magic, but by her own baking abilities. I did like that when she did start using her magic, it was to help with the murder investigation and not to pave the way for her in the competition.
I was really surprised that characters from the first book like Noel, Frank, Juan, and even Zoe the dog were barely referenced. The first book spent a lot of time with the characters and Daisy's relationship with them and I was looking forward to more growth and development. I think the plot was slowed down at times by introducing an entirely new cast of characters and having to quickly develop them and their relationships to Daisy.

I would be interested to see how Daisy's story plays out if there is a book #3. Hopefully we will get to see more of the old characters and more delicious recipes!

Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the e-ARC and the opportunity to read and review this book.

A Good Day to Pie is the second Pies Before Guys cozy mystery following Daisy and her magical murder pies. In this book, Daisy is a competitor on a reality tv baking show, where two mysterious deaths happen.
I was a little disappointed that the secondary characters from the first book weren’t really in this book at all, only at the very beginning and the very end, with just a couple quick conversations with Melly sprinkled in. Daisy’s fellow competitors took the place as secondary characters, and while they were all fine, I did miss the interactions with Frank, Noel, Melly and obviously Zoe. Some of the magic and whimsy of the first book was also missing from this one; While there was tons of baking throughout the whole book, none of it was magical until over 50% in.
I, personally, love cooking competition shows, so the fact that the bulk of this book took place while filming such a show didn’t bother me at all; I enjoyed reading about the competition along with the murder mystery.
While I didn’t love this book as much as the first one in the series, I did enjoy reading it and can’t wait for the next addition! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for and advanced copy of A Good Day to Pie in exchange for my honest opinion.

Words cannot describe how much I loved the first book in Misha Popp's Pies Before Guys series and this is a solid follow up, delving into the world of reality cooking shows. with the same charm and humor as the first book. (I did miss the dog, the boyfriend, Melly, and the pie truck/trailer and hope they return for book 3!)

While I haven't read the first book in the series, I was able to somewhat follow along with the information given and this could potentially work as a standalone. I typically read books that are a bit darker (in terms of content), but I still found this to be a delightful, fun, cozy read. I feel like this book is still missing something, but also that might be entirely my fault for not getting the background information that the first book probably provided.

A big thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

I did not read the first book of this series and was a bit confused on the "magic pies" but I still enjoyed it. There was some humor and definitely some murder mystery. I love that this went from Daisy murdering people to her solving a murder. Misha did a good job at keeping the book lengthy but not boring, the baking show competition added a nice story line as well. I would love to read the first book now in the hopes for some more clarification on some things.

Daisy has generationally gifted magic that presents differently in each woman to possess it. Daisy bakes pies, Daisy bakes special pies with happy magic, Daisy also bakes specialty murder pies for deserving men for whom there are no “stop” options. The murder pies, however, don’t really come into play in this one.

The second title in the Pies Before Guys series, I was so happy to receive an advance copy of this.

Okay, I enjoyed the baking show group aspect of this. However, I found that there were so many characters, I had a little trouble keeping track of who was who. Regardless, I still found this to be a fun and solid cozy that is laugh out loud funny in parts. It held my attention and kept me reading.

I am absolutely looking forward to upcoming Pies Before Guys stories.

* While this feasibly could be read as a standalone, after reading both, I personally wouldn’t suggest it. Recommended, but after reading Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies.

A cute and 'cozy' mystery about a baker who murders by pie lol. This was a cute book that I enjoyed reading.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Hmmm.

Daisy has found herself on an American version of GBBO and she really fancies the prize money. However, she still has her usual business to continue with in-between the filming and then she discovers that one of the judges of the competition is the intended victim.

This second book in the series didn't quite live up to my expectations although when I think about it, I think that may be down to the overtly political comments that didn't really have a "natural" place in the book.
I don't think that I'll be reading any more of the series.

I am obsessed with the Great British Bake Off so this book really caught my attention. I did not realize that there was a first book - which may have helped....but I do think this could stand alone too. A little backcourt missing but not necessarily essential info.

I love the descriptions of the contestants - made me hungry LOL and I did like their personalities and how they dealt with certain situations. The story is believable - Daisy's morals are very realistic. The murder mystery, the center of this book, is definitely interesting and I liked how it unfolded. Little easy to guess who did it but still a cute read. Didn't love Daisy's relationship but over all a good read

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for. allowing me to read and review this digital ARC

Daisy bakes pies at Frank's Roadside Diner. She also makes 'special pies' per requests for men who deserve her talent -- killing them. She is in a FoodTV special, Make My Pie and one of the judges is a guy she is supposed to 'off' per his wife's request. As they film the show, there is a couple of killings that happens. Daisy tries to find the person or persons responsible. A very entertaining story. P.S. Daisy, I could use your talent! I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Daisy bakes a little murder into every pie she creates, and she and her dog, Zoe, deliver them to the town’s worst cads. Now, Daisy’s entered a televised, elimination-style competition and has a shot at $100k in prize money—but she still has a murder pie to deliver between filming.
I enjoyed this mystery I felt like it could be read as a stand alone. Daisy is a fun character that gets more flushed as you go.
#AGoodDaytoPie #NetGalley

An excellent sequel from Misha Poop!

I read this one, rather than listened, and I have to say, daisy grows on me more and more by the chapter! I loved the GBBO inspiration and that it was more mystery focused than murder pies. The characters seemed like such a great group, I wish I could have been there!

A Good Day to Pie is the second book in the Pies Before Guys Mystery Series. First thank you #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I borrowed the first in the series, Magic, Lies and Deadly Pies to read first which I also enjoyed. This was a fun and creative story about baking, magic and murder. We follow our lead, Daisy, to a competition on a baking show where she will complete for a large sum of money. It was fun getting to know the characters and to follow the mysteries that arose.

First, can I just make a public wish that we get some “Pies Before Guys” merch?! Right?!
I think this series is just the coziest and I can’t wait for more! I’ve had trouble finding cozy mysteries that weren’t too, ahem, old feeling (for lack of better word). I’ve read some books that were so dated that I would lose focus on the important parts and be hyper aware of things like bad clothing descriptions. Nitpicking- I know, sorry not sorry. Cozy mystery just felt stuffy until recently, and I’m so here for the change!
Daisy is a snarky, magical-pie-baking, man-slaying culinary show contestant, who once again finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. I love that the mystery is peppered in between the actual baking and behind the scenes moments of her cooking contest. It’s niche, yes, but the food descriptions made me hungry and I found myself being just as interested in the baking challenges as the who-done-it.

Overall this second book in the series was a quick, delightful read and got me out of a bit of a reading slump. Can’t wait for more! 3.8 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was very fun and I loved the premise, but I really had trouble connecting with the characters to be honest and I didn’t even really remember their names. Usually theres a short period of time where I need to feel something or be invested by the plot, but neither did it for me. I kept reading but I was having trouble with just zoning out. I felt like the baking show aspect felt kind of weird with the story and I just really wasn’t clicking with this.

I enjoyed this cozy murder mystery. The behind the scenes look at a baking show was an interesting plot. I liked hearing about the different dish's and dynamics between contestants.

Another book I was drawn to because if is a cosy mystery and the theme is food! I love food and cooking!
It's a bake off, a judge is murdered and of course Daisy has to find out who did it!

I must say I didn't enjoy this one as much as I liked the first book but I did enjoy the delicious descriptions of the baking being done. The cast of characters was a bit to many so got a bit confusing but all in all it was a fun read. Some of the characters are great and really fit into the story and murder plot was well balanced and well paced.

This book did make me laugh, was very entertaining and fun. Easy to read and I now look forward to seeing what comes next in this Bake Off series.

I realized this was book #2 in the series a couple chapters in. I did have to google a synopsis of the first book - more for my own need to know everything - but I think that the highlights were summed up enough to follow the book without having to read the first. It does make me want to go back and read the first one though!

Daisy specializes in baking pies and using family magic to bake feelings of hope, nostalgia, clarity - whatever feeling she would like the recipient to have - into her pies. She also has the ability to bake a darker magic. She started a side business Pies Before Guys that kills the eater without a trace. She only uses the dark magic against men that she had deemed deserving - they are beyond changing and are abusive and dangerous men. I don’t normally enjoy books with magic, but this book did a good job of make it subtle enough that it didn’t overwhelm the plot.

Daisy finds herself on a pilot of an American baking show that is in line with the Great British Bake Off.

I enjoyed the details similar to the Great British Bake Off. I watched the show while on maternity leave and got so invested into the lovely atmosphere. It’s a great contrast to the environment that Daisy is experiencing with the show she is filming for. This is especially true when Daisy realizes that one of the judges for the show is a man she is supposed to deliver a pie to!

This was a fun read and I loved Daisy’s character. It was a great blend of murder, magic, baking and building friendships. I want to go back and read the first book now!

Thanks Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a lot of fun, but probably has a tighter, more niche readership than the first book in the series.

This is cooking show narration with a dash of mystery. The majority of the book narrates the main character's cooking show competition, the actions and dialogue of other characters during the competition and her own internal monologue. Baking show enthusiasts will love it! I've never gotten around to the Great British Baking Show, which is referenced several times, but I was definitely getting strong Nicole Byer vibes from the show's host. There are a few flubs, but it's not a Nailed It -type show.

The cast is HUGE-- too big for me to remember much about any except the ~3 who ended up being more important. With a competition pool of 12 (including the main character), 3 judges, 1 host, 1 producer, 1 production assistant, and 1 make-up artist-- who all have names, lines, and recurrent appearances! A friend, a boyfriend, and a dog from the first book all reappear for bit parts. Additional one-off characters with lines, some with names, but without reappearances, also popped up. The cast seemed to be handled pretty well, or at least I didn't notice any conflicting info. In what may be a meta-joke, one of the other contestants says early in the competition that they each are a "type" or fit into a role (villain, diva, etc.) for the show, and most of them don't move much past this during the book.

One thing that bothered me a bit is that the main character spends a fair bit of time thinking about her guilt and her status as a "murderer," thoughts brought on by the deaths both in the book and in other characters' backstories. An important distinction that is glossed over is that the character doesn't use magic to kill-- her magic forces abusers to "stop," and it's the unconscious choices of the abusers and their previous life choices that choose for them how they are going to interpret that directive.

Readers should start with [book:Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies|58896183] to properly establish the character and her powers, but broad strokes only are needed for reading this book-- ok to read much later, having forgotten a lot of the fiddly details. eARC from NetGalley.