Member Reviews
Loved reading this book. Amazing story and the characters lend to the charm of this book. I would highly recommend this book. You would not be disappointed.
The mystery provides a satisfying puzzle to solve. There are plenty of potential suspects to keep readers interested. The Amish Matchmaker series is the perfect complement to Flower’s Amish Candy Shop Mystery series, but each series can definitely be read separately. HONEYMOONS CAN BE HAZARDOUS is an entertaining addition to the cozy canon. Highly recommended.
What a cozy story. What a lovely mystery. A very wholesome, fun in places, murder mystery about wedding and honeymoon.
A tick for the lovers or cozy mysteries set in the country America.
Millie’s best friend, Lois Henry, is outspoken, colorful, and so hopelessly romantic, she’s had four husbands. Millie doesn’t judge, and she also doesn’t expect to run into Lois’s most recent ex, Gerome Moorhead, in Harvest, Ohio. With him is the new Mrs. Moorhead. Lois is outraged, but Millie is completely shocked to learn the next day that Gerome's new wife was murdered. Can Millie find the truth before Lois is arrested?
This was a good installment to a series that I love. Millie and the other citizens of Harvest are fun to read about. The story was very intriguing and kept me interested until the very end. I loved the two goats; they were very comical characters. I will definitely read the next one in this series. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.
What a delightful series! I have enjoyed the books I have read so far in the Amish Matchmaker series. Millie and Lois are a fun duo with a wonderful friendship that allows them to get along even though Millie is Amish and Lois is English. I love the descriptions of Lois’s clothing choices. I can just envision her wild outfits. I like that we still get a taste of some of the characters from the Amish Candy Shop series so you have an idea what is going on with everyone else in Harvest, Ohio. This one had me guessing until the end to find out who was guilty of murder. And, to be honest, I did not figure it out! Amanda Flower does a great job allowing you a glimpse into the Amish world and I can’t wait to see what adventure Millie and Lois will find themselves in the midst of when we return to Harvest.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!
Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous
by Amanda Flower
Where you see zany, flamboyant Lois, an Englisch grandmother who helps out in her granddaughter Darcy’s café, you will probably also find Millie, her Amish best friend from childhood. Millie tries to stay within the rules of her Amish district, but it’s hard when Lois encourages her as the “Amish Marple” to pursue investigations. This time the victim almost literally falls in their laps in a particularly bizarre means of murder.
There are personal complications also as one of Lois’ many ex-husbands shows up in the little town of Harvest with his new bride of two days. What a shock for Lois to see “Rocksino-Guy” again and in her own hometown. The bride is very interested in Amish furniture specially designed with secret compartments. Millie and Lois investigate three local furniture makers to try to discover what the compartments might be used for.
Millie is an unofficial matchmaker, and she is called on by various Amish locals to determine if a match is suitable. She doesn’t go out looking for people to match, but she has a good feeling about whether a couple is compatible or not. If asked she will give her opinion, but she never offers it unsolicited or charges for her service. Even Millie’s matchmaking skills are an important thread in this mystery.
Harvest is always supporting some community event. In this story, it is a Valentine’s Day Spaghetti Supper that is a fundraiser for a drug counseling treatment program. Both the Amish and the Englisch citizens are concerned about the rising drug problem in Holmes County especially following the recent overdose death of an Amish teenager.
Millie and Lois, in their late sixties, find themselves in dangerous situations as their investigations draw them ever closer to discovering the truth. With someone slinking around the widowed Millie’s isolated farm and the discovery of a threatening note, Lois and chief deputy Brad determine to get the district bishop Yoder to allow Lois better phone access for emergencies. Even Ruth Yoder, the bishop’s strict wife, softens up to Lois and encourages the pair in their investigations.
A visit to Harvest wouldn’t be complete without Jethro, the pot-bellied pig, who puts in an appearance. Millie’s mischievous goats have prominent roles and even come to Millie’s rescue. Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous is a good cozy mystery with lots of threads and humor. The series always shows the ways the Amish and Englisch can work together with respect despite their differences.
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: #4 in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone.
Publication: December 27, 2022—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
What I saw was a man with bloodshot eyes, sunken cheeks, and a heart shattered into a thousand shards.
Even with her zany Englisch ways, my parents welcomed her onto our farm and let her stay as long as she wished. They knew she needed a safe place to go.
“I can speak to bad marriages. They are hard. In fact, I can’t think of anything about the single life that’s as awful as a bad marriage.”
Millie and Lois find themselves embroiled in yet another murder mystery when Lois’ ex-husband shows up in town with his new wife. Gerome and Paige are combining their honeymoon and business in Holmes County. A day after their arrival the new Mrs. Moorehead meets her demise when a giant Cuckoo falls on her. Millie and Lois witness the terrible event and are determined to find out how it could have happened.
This is the fourth book in the series, An Amish Matchmaker. This story is very original and engaging. I love the characters of Millie and Lois. Mature sleuths bring a different flair to cozy mysteries. I recommend this book and the entire series.
This was a delightful read. This is one in a series of books of cozy mysteries. This is very easy to recommend to readers of all ages.
I really loved this book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end
What a charming book! I was instantly taken in by the friendship between Millie and Lois. Their opposite personalities hooked me and added so much to the story. Lois’s ex husband’s new wife is murdered by a coo coo clock at a chalet, and Millie and Lou’s investigate. As with Flower’s Bailey King series, the togetherness of the Englisch and Amish communities is endearing. Can’t wait to read the other books in the Matchmaker series! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
This is the fourth book in An Amish Matchmaker Mystery series and this was another enjoyable outing with Millie Fisher and her best friend, Lois Henry. Millie and Lois have an odd friendship with Millie being Amish and Lois being an Englisher and both being grandmothers. One of Lois' ex-husbands shows up in Harvest with his new bride Paige Moorhead. He and Lois have an argument, so when Paige meets her death in a very odd and public way, Lois is a suspect. Millie and Lois know they will have to find the real killer to get suspicion off of Lois, so putting aside all other responsibilities, they begin their own investigation.
This series has a loose connection to the Amish Candy Shop series, set in the same town, so we do see some of the same characters. Pastor Brook is trying to set up a drug counseling center at his church as there has been an uptake in deaths by overdoes in Holmes County. I followed the investigation closely with Lois and Millie sometimes bumbling into things, and I knew it had to have something to do with drugs as these storylines would eventually come together. As always in Amanda Flower's books, there is some humor, light-hearted banter and a good mystery to follow. The characters are well developed and the regulars are all likable. I also enjoy getting a little bit of Amish culture with the cute, funny, and light mysteries. Of course I would be remiss not to mention Lois' goats, they are a hoot and get involved in the story more than once. Although this is the fourth book in the series, it can be read as a standalone, but having read all the books in this series, I recommend you start at the beginning as they are all entertaining mysteries.
I adored this latest installment in Amanda Flower's Amish Matchmaking series! I love that Millie Fisher is an older protagonist, and I love her over the top best friend, Lois. Harvest, Ohio is a charming setting and providing a great backdrop for this murder mystery. The pacing was fantastic, and I had a fantastic time solving the mystery with Millie and Lois. I cannot wait for the next book!
Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous
An Amish Matchmaker Mystery, Book #4
Amanda Flower
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Set in the fan favorite Amish village of Harvest, Ohio, the latest novel in USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower's Amish Matchmaker series brings back the unlikely sleuthing duo of an Amish widow and her zany, thrice divorced best friend. Will appeal to fans of cozy mysteries, small-town mysteries, wholesome romance, inspirational fiction, and readers of Jennifer Beckstrand, Charlotte Hubbard, Rachel J. Good, and other authors of Amish fiction.
Millie’s decidedly not Amish best friend, Lois Henry, is outspoken, colorful, and so hopelessly romantic, she’s had four husbands. Millie doesn’t judge, and she also doesn’t expect to run into Lois’s most recent ex, gambler Gerome Moorhead, in small-town Harvest, Ohio. With him is the very young, new Mrs. Moorhead, aka “Honeybee.” Lois is outraged, but Millie is completely shocked to learn the next day that Gerome is already a widower . . .
When a large wood carving at the cozy Munich Chalet falls on “Honeybee,” all eyes turn toward Lois. Who else would want a tourist—a complete stranger—dead? And half of Harvest witnessed Lois’s enmity toward the young woman. Suddenly Millie must put aside her sewing needle and flex her sleuthing skills. She’s no stranger to a murder investigation, after all, and if she doesn’t learn who killed Honeybee, Lois could go from Millie’s boisterous best friend to her horrified prison penpal . . . (Goodreads)
Review:
Millie and Lois have another mystery to solve:Lois’s ex-husband’s wife is killed. Lois is considered a person of interest and the sleuthing duo will have to find the guilty party so Lois can see the light of day. The characters are well rounded and well developed and I really enjoyed seeing some of the people from the authors' other series.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions allowed me to get into the story right from the start. The writing style flows smoothly and the book as an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and it was not easily solved.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book and enjoy.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
This is a quaint Amish mystery set in the heart of Harvest. Amanda Flower's loyal series fans will not be disappointed. This was homey and cute. I love that it built on relationships already established and takes place in the same community as her other books (The Amish Candy Shop).
My favorite was the cause of death...death by cuckoo. Like the author just came up with the craziest silliest way to be murdered and decided to write a story with it.
The pacing and the two main characters did me in. It was very slow going - I felt like I was pushing myself through the book. The ending was face paced and kept you going. If the developments toward the end of the book had been spaced throughout the mid portion it would have been more engaging (despite giving away some of the ending). The two main characters also felt a bit one dimensional in their interactions with each other. (But this may be because I came in mid series). It just felt like one was playing off the other in a Desi/Lucy type way versus genuine friendship.
The author tackled some difficult subjects with drug use...and that may have dampened my enjoyment of the book....as well as the pacing. I appreciate the author treating this topic with the respect and delicacy it deserves. But it made it less cozy...and a little more serious than I like in my cozies.
I will continue to enjoy the Amish Candy Shop Mysteries, and the Amish Quilt Shop Mysteries (written under pseudonym)...this series may be better started at the beginning...and I will have to go back there to really get a feel for it
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington press for this ARC through Netgalley.
Millie, along with Lois' suspect help are at it again in Amanda Flower's latest in her Amish Matchmaker Series. One of Lois' four husbands as a new wife who is murdered, and Lois becomes a person of interest. There is an overarching plot going that involved the serious problem of illegal drug distribution and death by overdose. Millie handles it with her usual calm, and when need in a crisis filled moment is there to be a lifesaver. We have a glimpse of Millie's acute loneliness as a widow and the last paragraph of the book gives me hope for something I have wished for in the series. I can't wait!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Who doesn’t love Millie? No one who has read this series could not love her and Lois! They are always getting into trouble, and Millie gets into more than a good Amish woman should, but that’s okay; she knows her limits. When Lois’ ex-husband, one of four, brings his new wife, a furniture buyer, to Harvest, there is no way anyone could expect anything other than murder to occur. Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous lives up to the title, and readers will find themselves happy and occupied for several hours.
Lois has many exes, but when one of them comes to town on his honeymoon, things go wrong quickly. His wife of two days is a furniture buyer looking to close some deals with local Amish artisans, but shortly after a run-in with Lois, she becomes the victim of a murder. Did Lois snap and kill her, or did her ex-gambler husband do it? Maybe it was someone she worked with or someone in the Amish community. No matter where Millie and Lois look, they find suspects and motives, but their investigation could lead to their demise.
Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous is a fun-filled adventure through Amish country with Millie and Lois; even uptight Ruth gets involved. The goats are their usual delightful selves; they have become very attached to Millie. All the normal characters are still around and do what they can to help Millie and Lois; even some of the furniture makers help as much as they can. The suspects are varied, with Lois being the main one. The killer, once unmasked, isn’t unexpected, and the motive is very topical. From beginning to end, this book is a fantastic read. Everyone will want to read all the other books in this series and others by this author. I highly recommend all of Amanda’s books to readers of any genre.
Amish widow Millie Fisher and her non-Amish best friend Lois Henry are an unlikely sleuthing duo. Friends since childhood, they are as different as two people can be but are fiercely loyal to one another.
Fireworks fly when they see one of Lois's ex-husbands with his new bride in Lois's diner. After calming down, Lois wants to apologize for her outburst. Millie accompanies her to the hotel where the newlyweds are staying. They arrive just in time to see the new bride killed by a falling cuckoo from the giant cuckoo clock that stands in front of the hotel.
Millie and Lois investigate this death, whether accident or murder and Millie ends up in a precarious position.
This is a nice, enjoyable read and I recommend it
This is a fun cozy in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery series. I love visiting Harvest, OH, a bucolic town in Amish country.
Millie has a knack for knowing when a couple is meant to be, and her ability is useful in solving crimes. She and her definitely-not-Amish friend Lois get into trouble when they investigate in spite of the police. In this book, one of Lois’ exes comes to town with his new bride. When she’s killed by the cuckoo of a giant clock, Millie and Lois must investigate.
I enjoyed learning about how the Amish live, and about their livelihoods, like furniture making. This book is perfect for cozy lovers, 5 stars.
A wonderful addition to the series. In this fourth installment, Millie, a member of the Amish community, finds herself investigating the murder of a newlywed. The twist: the victim is the new bride of her close friend Lois’s ex-husband. Bikinis ensue. But what makes this mystery interesting is that it takes a problem from the “English” world and shows that even communities that try to close themselves off from the modern world can have the same problems. And it is done in a way that is respectful to different faiths and cultures. Brava, Ms. Flowers.
The book is a comfort read: not too violent (there is a death in it after all), entertaining, and Justice in the end, pick up “Honeymoons can be Hazardous”. Since it is the fourth book, reading the first three will give you a better understanding of the characters, but it is not necessary to enjoy this book. Find your favorite place to read and grab this book. You won’t regret it!
Millie and Lois are back in action again! I love that the main characters are grandmotherly ages and full of life and vitality! The author does an outstanding job of making these characters believable and they show their ages as they huff and puff up stairs or doing chores a bit slower than a younger character is, but she also shows that they are intelligent in a manner that only comes with age and experience. The mystery is well written to keep you guessing, but not be completely out of line with the story. I must say that I love the "Amish Marple" and sidekick Lois as the super sleuths that they are! It is also so intriguing to get a glimpse of the Amish life through the eyes of this author. I grew up in a community that also had a significant Amish population and it is fun to remember some of my experiences with the members of the community while reading this series! I'm looking forward to more antics from Millie and Lois in the future!