3* - I liked it!

This review is for the audiobook version, which is not available as a selectable edition for me on Goodreads. I have to say, the cover for the audiobook is much better than the cover for the paperback. Anyway, I was provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I requested a book with the subtitle "A Cannabis Cafe Mystery," but I was pleasantly surprised at how the subplot of Chloe Barnes, a pastry chef formally trained in Paris, opening a cannabis bakery was woven in with nicely with the murder mystery. The blurb from the publisher mentions this is the first (legal) cannabis themed cozy mystery; being the first can't be easy and I have to give the author a lot of credit here for how well she pulled this off!

Chloe herself doesn't actually partake much, but became interested in the medicinal properties of the drug for her sweet grandma Rosie as a treatment for side effects she's experiencing. But there are characters who are interested in trying her treats for the first time, characters who are recreational users, and characters who decline to try the infused goods but would love the cannabis-free option. Thank you for this relatable content and for highlighting how all of the character's choices were okay! Also, her menus sounded delicious. This is the sort of thing that really helps you get lost in the story.

Now the murder mystery bit ... Chloe's imperfect sleuthing actually made me laugh out loud and her fierce loyalty to her family gave me the warm fuzzies. But the outcome of the whole thing ... not gonna lie, it didn't make much sense when compared to the other possibilities. Truly, that's what dropped this from a 4* to a 3* for me.

With all that said, if you like cozies, especially food themed ones, I highly recommend this! I finished the audiobook in less than 24 hours and definitely lost some sleep staying up to find out what happened.

Ooo, and the narrator was quite good and I would seek out something Chelsea Stephens reads in the future.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

I want to preface this review by clarifying that I think this book just wasn’t for me, but it would be a cute cozy mystery with a fun twist on the genre (the cannabis cafe) for others.

The pacing was too slow for my taste and the mystery of the murder wasn’t intriguing. I did not feel attachment to any of the characters; not the MC, her family, or the love interest. No character really grabbed me and put my focus on the story.

The victim is discovered very early on in the novel, and I knew who they would be the moment they interacted with the main character, Chloe. I prefer there be just a bit more uncertainty around who the victim/killer will be — the story gave them away very quickly and it lacked any sense of subtlety.

Unfortunately, I was bored the entire way through, and maybe cozy mystery novels aren’t for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Amazing start to a new cozy mystery series!!! A Half-Baked Murder is innovative, unique and full of mystery! We follow Chloe Barnes as she returns home to Azalea Bay after a series of disastrous events turned her life upside down. While trying to find herself and carve out a new path for her life she teams up with her Aunt Dawn to open a Cannabis Cafe! In true cozy mystery fashion - their plans are thrown off course with a bit of murder and mayhem. Sending the amateur sleuthing into overdrive!
Hilarious, heartfelt, super cozy and fun - Emily George hit a home run with this series debut! I’m so excited to see where the series takes this amazing cast of characters!
Check out A Half-Baked Murder (A Cannabis Cafe Mystery) available February 28, 2023!

*I listened to the audiobook version Narrated by Chelsea Stephens and the performance was fantastic!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good cozy mystery, and this is unlike any I've read yet! Chloe is a formally-trained pastry chef who worked in a Michelin star restaurant in Paris, but after she finds her fiancé cheating and her grandmother gets sick, she returns to her small tourist town in California. Along with the help of her quirky aunt, Chloe begins working towards a new dream of opening a cannabis bakery. But when an old classmate and town bully turns up dead, Chloe's aunt is found to be the main suspect. Chloe is caught between getting her new business together and investigating the crime to clear her aunt's name. This was such a fun story, and I'm so excited for future books in this series.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

This is the first book in a new series and it was perfect! I love cozy mysteries and thought the cannabis bakery sounded interesting. I love the way the author writes, so descriptive and intriguing. I believe this is her first book unless this is a pseudonym for an established author. I can’t wait for the next books in the series, I hope there is a lot more dog dancing and bakery details. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was great!

I'm realizing more and more that I love cozy mysteries. This book follows Chloe, a professionally trained pastry chef who has recently returned to her home town to care for her sick grandmother. I loved Chloe! Her personality was relatable and I would honestly love to have her as a friend. The plot was engaging and the pacing was perfect. I really liked the perspective this book took on cannabis. The author did a great job showing its use both medically and recreationally. I really liked the body positivity shown in this book. It was overall a fun and satisfying mystery. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series and other books by this author.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
📖Book 21/100
💫Genre: Murder Mystery, Thriller, General Fiction
🎧ARC🎧
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
This was such a fun and unique read with a twist. Was it life changing? No, but I absolutely loved it! Emily George experimented with the perfect blend of mystery, romance, humor, & cannabis😆🙌🏻
👩🏻‍🍳Chloe returns back home from studying culinary/pastry in Paris after she learns about her grandmother’s cancer diagnosis. Dun, Dun, Dun, then there’s a murder🔪🩸 Her aunt recommends she opens a bakery with edibles to help those that need it medically since it’s legal in California, but the murder takes the small town by surprise as many suspect Auntie Dawn is the killer🔪🩸 It was such a cozy read, and I truly understand this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it even got me up from bed and baking some chicken pot pies 🥧 for the record without the cannabis😆 A great pick-me up type of read with humor that had me laughing. All the characters were such a delight! There’s even a recipe in the end👩🏻‍🍳
The narration was perfection thanks to Chelsea Stephens👌
💫Thank you @netgalley and RB Media for this amazing and enjoyable read in exchange for an honest review.
💫Pub Date 21 Feb 2023

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Thank you, NetGalley for this advance copy of A Half-Baked Murder in exchange for my honest review.

A Half-Baked Murder centers around Chloe Barnes who at the suggestion of her Grandmother, is opening a cannabis bakery. A shocking murder takes place in the quaint town of Azalea Bay, and Chloe had a run-in with the murder victim the night before.
Who is the killer? Will Chloe succeed in opening her bakery?

This was my first "cozy mystery" so I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought it was cute!
I'm used to fast paced thrillers so this was very different for me. I found myself speeding up the audio to 1.5 halfway through to speed the story along.
I really enjoyed the narrator, and loved the recipes included at the end.

I could really see this being a perfect Hallmark movie.

I love cozies that push the boundaries of the genre; I think I’ve gotten tired of the overly cutesy books where everything is all sunshine and roses (well, except for the murder). I was a little hesitant to read this one with the cannabis theme, picturing Dazed and Confused characters investigating a crime (which would also be amusing) but I was pleasantly surprised by this one – I loved it! The writing drew me in from the very beginning and flowed so well. The characters were lovable and perfectly flawed, especially Chloe who is able to laugh at herself in just the right amount of self-deprecating humor. The bakery idea was fresh and it fills a niche that I wouldn’t have even thought of. The references to cannabis are well done, educating me on a topic I knew nothing about and dispelling any stereotypes I had built up in my head. I enjoyed this one so much and I can’t wait to see what happens next!