I have been reading this series for years and cannot stop. I look forward to reading these books year after year, as they come out. They are not as good as they used to be, it feels like there’s a ghost writer, writing them at this point. But, I will keep reading them as they come out haha.

Another interesting read from Joanne Fluke, these cosy mysteries always offer a great story to unravel though this one wasn't the best plot I've read from the author I did particularly enjoy all of the yummy recipes and treats mentioned.

I will never tire of the Hannah Swenson series and I hope to see more forever! This time she needs to clear her mother from being the top murder suspect. and as always, things are never quite as simple as they appear. A thoroughly enjoyable book!

A solid addition to the series, but this one didn't hold my attention quite as well as some others. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to keep reading!

The plot, usually tight with intrigue, unraveled early with the murder occurring almost immediately. What followed was an investigation that seemed implausively stunted. With Mike stepping aside, the reliance on Hannah to spearhead the case felt unrealistic. The dynamic interplay of wits between law enforcement and our beloved sleuth, which traditionally added spice to the story, was noticeably absent, leaving a bland taste in my mouth.

Then there's the ending—abrupt and dangling off a cliff I hadn't anticipated climbing. The introduction of cliffhangers, especially this late in the series, feels like a jarring shift in narrative strategy, leaving me more perplexed than intrigued.

Even though each book has become predictable and similar, I can't seem to stop reading them. Hannah once again proves herself to be smarter than the cops when solving this case. She's really motivated this time as her mother is the prime suspect. I will continue to read the series as long as Joanne Fluke continues to write it because I'm just too invented in it now!

The Summer Solstice Celebration has come to Lake Eden and surprise, surprise, so has another murder. But this time Hannah's mother, Delores, is a prime suspect.

As usual the goodies described took center stage being that the mystery was very light.

I enjoyed this entry in a very long running series, and it is exactly what I expected it to be after years of reading these books. Reader beware, there's a really nice cliffhanger at the end that might have you anticipating the next book more than you expected!

The pacing of this book is strange. It drags on and then abruptly ends. The recipes are delicious and glad that they don't take up a lot of the book like they have in the past. Can't wait for the next book!

It was fun visiting with Hannah and friends and family again. And of course I love the recipes. This mystery was interesting but did not hold my interest as much as this series in the past. It was repetitive at times.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

It's always a treat to read the latest story in the Hannah Swensen Mystery series by Joanne Fluke. I enjoyed reading this story and others should give this book a try.


I love the book's cover and look forward to making Pink Lemonade Cake myself. My thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book for my review. Here's to Hannah's next adventure!

It is time for me to say goodbye to this beloved series. It was one that introduced me to cozy mysteries. This is the end because I feel as though the stories are being pumped out and at times not making sense. I have loved this series from the start and sad to have to stop. I hope that she releases another series.

#PinkLemonadeCakeMurder #NetGalley

I have had ups and downs with the Hannah Swensen series. I do typically enjoy the murder mystery parts of the books. However, the love triangle between Hannah and Norman and Mike has gone on too long. It needs to be resolved. And I know how I would choose to have things end. The other thing that is a little irritating is that everyone who tastes every dad blame thing that Hannah bakes always says it’s delicious or the best she’s ever made. I mean really! I think we’ve figured out now that Hannah is a wonderful baker and there doesn’t need to be the constant compliments.

Another issue I had with this book is the use of Hannah and Norman … and other characters … to help interview suspects in the murder mystery. That is not going to happen in real life. Police detectives may use consultants, but they are not just going to cut a citizen lose to help solve the crime.

The book leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat with a huge cliff hanger at the very end. So I know I’ll have to read the 30th book in the series. So along for at least one more adventure with Hannah and the rest of the gang at The Cookie Jar in Lake Eden, Minnesota.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Cozies 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!

I have loved Joanne Fluke for many years but this series is not aging well. I usually love hearing about Hannah Swenson and her family but I found many instances of that showed how out of touch the author is with the world around her. I do not recommend.

I have read all the Hannah Swenson books. I have enjoyed most of them – especially her earlier ones. However, in recent years, the quality has deteriorated. At first, the stories became shorter and less complex. Recipes seem to take up a larger portion of each book. But I still read the books because I enjoy a light mystery and the characters. However, I did not find this latest book to be enjoyable.

In my opinion, Pink Lemonade Cake Murder is Joanna Fluke’s worst Hannah Swenson book. Did Joanna Fluke get someone else to write this book? It is unrealistic, many of the characters’ traits changed, and it seemed a bit prudish.

Early on in the book, some teenage girls were riding through town in a convertible with a former major league baseball player. The girls’ outfits were a bit skimpy, but the town reacts as if they committed some horrible crime. The shame and disgrace that was directed at the girls was over the top. This book does not take place in 1950!

Hannah’s mother, Delores, has an intense and very public grudge against the former baseball player. Several years earlier, he dunked her three times at the county fair’s dunking booth. She complained that he ruined her favorite dress. Who wears a favorite dress in a dunk tank? And why was she furious that she was dunked? I thought this was a bit ridiculous. However, Dolores’ reaction was in keeping with her character. What was baffling was that most of the town agreed with her.

Readers who look forward to the mystery part of the story would be disappointed that the murder doesn’t take place until chapter 19 in the book. This seems to be the case in many of the recent Hannah Swenson books. The mystery seems to take a backseat to the descriptions of food, people, and events happening in Lake Eden.

Mike, who has been struggling with whether he wants to stay in Lake Eden as a police officer, is whisked away on a vacation. Even when he would like to come back to work on this latest murder investigation, his colleagues and friends conspire to prevent him from returning. Mike is upset and frustrated and he is portrayed as having frequent temper tantrums.

Without Mike, the entire police force is portrayed as having turned into bumbling idiots. They are depicted as incompetent and lacking confidence in their abilities to do their jobs – jobs that they have been doing for years. This includes Andrea’s husband, Bill, who has been the county sheriff and has years of experience. The police rely on Hannah to solve the murder. Suspect interviews are held in her bakery shop. They ask her to take part in the official police interviews. This was totally bizarre.

Many of the major male characters are portrayed as weak males who don’t have any brains. This is not how they have been portrayed in the other Hannah Swenson novels. I don’t understand why Fluke would characterize these characters this way. I am baffled.

When the next Hannah Swenson book is published, I will read it. I hope that it will be an improvement over this latest one.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have read all the books in the Hannah Swensen series. This was a great, fun, relaxing, cozy read. I know it can be cheesy, and some may give it bad reviews for the reason I like it, it is just fun. I enjoyed how this one really got back to who Hannah is as a character, The baseball theme was a cute idea, and I chuckled at Dolores being dunked in the dunk tank. Still makes me giggle. No, not all the recipes exactly matched the theme, and they do take up a great deal of the story, but that is what makes it fun! I feel when you read the book you cannot go in thinking it is going to be the mystery to end all mysteries. It is meant to be lighthearted.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An almost satisfying visit to our favorite baker and her ability to put herself right in front of a murder and murderer! Seeing how the whole gang, minus Mike, are involved in the investigation, it make me wonder WHY Mike is having a mid-life crisis! An interesting aside as to why Mike's NOT there woven through the story, although it seems like he is deliberately being pushed away...WHY??

Lots of redundancies about door knocks at the rear door of The Cookie Jar, looking through the peep hole, and things that just kept being repeated. I find the fact that the police department is having a civilian sit in on their interviews with suspects and not doing them at the police station but instead in the kitchen of The Cookie Jar is very unbelievable, and would most likely get any evidence gathered in those interviews thrown out when the case goes to trial. I find it hard to believe that every single person in town loves everything that Hannah gives them to try no matter what it is, it would be nice to have some characters tell her they didn't like what she had them try to make her seem like a character who isn't the perfect baker that she thinks she is.

The ending seems to begin the premise of the next book! Very nice segue to the new story, or, knowing that this book was cobbled together, perhaps a way to have fans come back to see what happened. Another addition to the Hannah Swenson franchise and it was OK, but just OK. I hope the next book will be more Joanne Fluke's signature style rather than just words filling a page.

Even though the writing style has changed, this one was definitely much more enjoyable than the last couple of books in the series. I'm glad to see Hannah returning to her normal self but I really do hate that the last couple have ended with cliffhangers. It's almost as if the author is trying to force you to read the next one.

Joanne Fluke was my ultimate go to when I was pregnant and on bed rest several years ago so when I saw this on NetGalley I jumped at it. Needless to say, my reading tastes have changed quite a bit over the years but this gave me all the nostalgia feels and brought a smile to my face.

Hannah Swenson is in the middle of trouble yet again. While trying to convince long time love interest and police investigator, Mike to stay in Lake Eden, former ball player and all around garbage human winds up dead.

All of these Hannah Swenson books while entertaining, are also very repetitive. The personal and love interest storylines have stalled as well. I tried to take into account the fact that my reading tastes have changed but I just couldn't get into the story. It dragged and was completely predictable. I'm not sorry for having read it though. Always nice to visit Lake Eden .

Mike wants to leave the police force, so Hannah and the gang decide to show Mike how important he is to everyone. However, while Mike is on vacation, an ex-pro MLB player who has returned to town is murdered, and Hannah's mother seems to have the best motive to kill him. The police force, Hannah, and Norman work to solve the murder and keep Mike at arm's length so he can heal his burnout.

The love triangle is still ongoing in this book, the 29th book in the series. This is an issue that some will say needs to be resolved, which I do agree with; however, I had another issue with this book. While police do use consultants and informants who are not trained by a police force, I don't think they would allow those individuals to run the interviews or investigations. In this book, Hannah is the one who is the lead investigator on the case. I have a hard time with this. I can see her helping with an investigation but not being the one who is running the interviews for the police. I feel that if the interviews were conducted by the police officers and Hannah was just there in the background listening this would have been realistic. On a positive note, I did not immediately know who the killer was and was able to solve it along with Hannah.

All thoughts and opinions are my own; in no way has anyone influenced my opinion.