Member Reviews

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I was able to find the audio version through my local library.
This was a cute, cozy murder mystery. I love these types of books. This one was a bit easy to figure out from the beginning. But it is perfect for Christmas time! It has a Chrisrmas theme throughout and is a fast, easy read or listened to. I would read more from this author! The characters are enjoyable, and I really enjoyed the book.

Was this review helpful?

A great addition to an incredible series! Wonderful characters in an incredible setting. This book will keep you guessing until the end.

Was this review helpful?

Hanna and Alex, owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are busy preparing for the Harriston High School’s reunion weekend. Neighbors will connect with old friends and perhaps try to avoid old foes. One person no one can avoid is Kyle, the former star quarterback, who is busy using his entire playbook to try and score with Hanna, even threatening her if she doesn’t play nice. At the reunion, Alex glimpses more drama than nostalgia as insults are flung around like a football at a Friday night game. The party is put on hold when Alex finds the dead body of none other than Kyle himself, bludgeoned to death by a nutcracker that the sisters admired earlier in the night. A fun holiday cozy!

Was this review helpful?

High school reunions can be as drama filled as high school. Twins Hanna and Alex are helping out at the local reunion. Former football star Kyle is causing problems for multiple people and in particular Hanna. When Kyle is found murdered Hanna is the main suspect. The mystery was strong and kept me guessing until the end. The characters are likeable. Overall a good Christmas cozy.

Was this review helpful?

The twins are back for their second book and second Christmas season of making delicious chocolates and spreading holiday cheer. I do believe that this cozy had the most odious victim I have ever come across, but even an odious victim deserves justice. In addition to the hustle and bustle of the holiday, a high school reunion of sorts brings several people to town for the holiday season, including a variety of suspects. As with any reunion, people talk about past events including the tragic loss of young life which may or may not have a bearing on this mystery. The alumni aren’t the only one engaging in chit chat amongst themselves, it seems that there is an anonymous gossip known as Miss T, who likes to spill the tea and create a bit of drama such as making disparaging remarks about Alex. Alex has no time for drama, Hanna’s fingerprints are found on the murder weapon, spurring Alex into sleuth mode with the help of her friends and her romantic interest. This is a stand-along mystery where the secrets of the past and present collide creating clues and misdirects. This cozy is thoroughly enjoyable with a set of twins who are relatable and some delectable sounding chocolates, plus a recipe or two found at the conclusion of the story. I give this one 5 chocolates out of 5.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you netgalley for letting me review this book.

I love books that make me want to eat everything that is talked about in this book.

a former classmate is found dead so the search is on to find out who did it. Just when you think you may know what is going on a new twist is revealed. Of course one of the people who found the dead body becomes the main suspect, so she tries to prove her innocence.

As we read we find out some secrets about the person who was found dead which leads us to question everything we may know.

enjoy this tasty cozy mystery and see if you can figure out who the killer is before more people become victims of the crime.

#netgalley #anutcrakernightmare

Was this review helpful?

A Nutcracker Nightmare by Christina Romeril serves up a delectable blend of chocolate, nostalgia, and murder. Whether you're sipping hot cocoa by the fireplace or unwrapping holiday gifts, this cozy mystery will keep you guessing until the final page.

In the cozy town of Harriston, Montana, twin sisters own the establishment called Murder and Mayhem: Killer Chocolates and Bookshop. They find themselves embroiled in a holiday mystery as delightful as it is deadly.

As the local high school reunion approaches, the twins are busy preparing for the festivities when they stumble upon the lifeless body of their former classmate… bludgeoned to death by a nutcracker.

Romeril weaves a web of secrets, rivalries, and nostalgia. As the suspects turn into victims, it’s a race against time to unmask the killer before people become mere memories in a yearbook.

The novel's strength lies in its Christmas spirit that mingles with suspense, making this a terrific read. Romeril's writing kept me engaged, and the chemistry between the characters added warmth to the chilling mystery for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Hanna and Alex are catering a class runion when a former classmates is found dead by being hit over the head with a Nutcracker. Soon Hanna is accused of being the prime suspect and Alex has to find the real murder to prover her sisters innocence.

I love this series but wasn't crazy about this installment, because of the book being centered around a class reunion. I had a hard time getting into the story and keeping all the new characters strait. That said I do look forward to reading book 3 when it comes out.

Was this review helpful?

I like the idea of small Harriston holding an all-school reunion at the holidays. Twins Hanna and Alex, who own Murder and Mayhem, which is known for its' poisonously named handcrafted chocolates, are on hand to provide sustenance for the party. As people begin to reconnect, it's clear that some were better liked than others. When unpleasant Kyle winds up dead, it's not a big shocker, but the fact that Hanna is the number one suspect after a run in with the oaf is. Alex thinks it's important for them to find the culprit. I like the wide range of their friends. They cover a wide range of experience and ages.

Was this review helpful?

A Nutcracker Nightmare is the second book in Killer Chocolate, a cozy mystery series. Though I am reading the second one first I still was able to enjoy the story fully. I do need to read that first one now. Sisters Alex and Hanna live together and jointly own Murder and Mayhem: Killer Chocolates and Bookshop in fictional Harriston, Montana where this is set. When they signed up for a best chocolates competition, they didn't realize the competition would be delayed several times and finally fall right during the Christmas season when they were swamped with candy orders. Can the sisters keep up with everything including trying out recipes of new chocolate favors to create for the shop?
I did think it was pretty neat that the names of their chocolates go with the theme of their shop. Some of the names of the chocolates include True North Nicotine Caramel, recipe included and Gingerbread Gelsemine Truffle, recipe included. In real life would these names of chocolates be off putting or draw people in? I'd say both.
With high school reunion weekend coming up, some of the former students are looking forward to it and some just want to try to avoid their foes. When an arrogant former student shows up everyone tries to avoid him. They know how rotten he still is. One of the sisters is accused of murder because of an action that was said to have happened. Will this candy maker still be able to stir the chocolate pot, or will the cooking fires be growing cold? The victim was very unlikable so many had a reason to want him out of the picture.
Loved the Christmas theme, it was there but not overwhelming. I enjoyed this mystery set around the holidays and it kept me reading to see how it was solved.

Pub Date 17 Oct 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own,

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book and being back with my favorite Montana twins. I appreciate that these characters are in their mid-40s, makes them so much more relatable to me. The victim was very unlikeable which makes for many suspects, especially at a high school reunion.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely loved book one - A Christmas Candy Killing . I couldn’t wait to see what twin sisters Alex and Hanna find next .

This book does not disappoint. When the sisters attend their high school reunion and the former star quarterback is found dead, Hanna finds herself on the suspect list . Can Alex save her sister and find the real culprit.


A good read plus all the mention of Chocolate will have you reading until the end .

Was this review helpful?

First of all, I love the mystery bookstore/chocolate shop premise. Naming the chocolates after poisons is a cute idea. Now for the negatives. The first half of the book dragged but the second half was good. Alex is so annoying. She dismisses everyone’s concern for her and has no problem putting her twin sister in harm’s way, all to satisfy her curiosity. How old is she?

Was this review helpful?

I am really enjoying the mysteries in this series. They are well done and have no shortage of good suspects. I like the characters and the small town feel and the mysteries move well. This is a series I will for sure continue!

Was this review helpful?

This was book #2 of the Killer Chocolate series but it works fine as a standalone. Twin sisters Alex and Hanna own the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop and have a High School reunion coming up. The class star quarterback is killed during the reunion and the sisters are thrust into the middle of the investigation. The mystery was okay but I got a little confused trying to keep all the minor characters straight. I loved the small town setting. Overall, an entertaining cozy mystery set during Christmas so this would be a good holiday alternative if you're not in the mood for a Hallmark movie romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Was this review helpful?

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

Was this review helpful?

This is book 2 in the Killer Chocolate series. It can be read as a stand alone. It's Christmas and Hanna and Alex, twin sisters are busy with their shop and catering the high school reunion. When local pain in the rear Kyle is killed Hanna is the main suspect. When another murder occurs the whole town is now worried about being blackmailed.

Was this review helpful?

A nice change from the typical holiday feel good romance. I like the idea of a mystery set around the holidays to be able to read different genres. The book had me keep reading on to see what happened.

Was this review helpful?

My thoughts on…

THE STORY: ‘Tis the season for a high school reunion, a chocolate competition, a nosy neighbor, and murder. Oh, and the angst on whether Alex and Tom will actually date.

The mystery was nicely done. The writer will have you bouncing back and forth between suspects, because of course more than a few had a motive - and an opportunity.

Readers will find themselves guessing who the murderer is - and the motive. With several subplots to balance, it’s hard to tell what will fit into the motive itself, until all is revealed to the reader. There was a lot to juggle in 302 pages, and at times I did find myself getting lost in all of it, but I did enjoy the overall story in this cozy.


THE CHARACTERS: Twins Alex and Hannah are just adorable together, and the story’s focus sticks with them; however, we have to have a cast of characters in this cozy, and boy do we ever. We have faithful friends, a few we aren’t sure if we can trust, and then we have a nemesis for Alex. That character really got on my nerves, but she was just sprinkled in the story because the writer kept the focus on Alex and the murder.

THE ATMOSPHERE: As a reader, I wanted to spend more time at Murder and Mayhem. I loved the concept for the store, and this seemed to be where Alex and Hannah felt the most grounded - and it gave them a chance to connect with the community. But since there is a high school reunion, this is where the writer brought the community together instead.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I have not read the first book in this cozy series, but I definitely plan to because I want to see Alex and Hannah become established with their business, within the community, and I hope to experience Alex and Tom meeting for the first time. I don’t know if these things happen in the first one; I just hope they do.

WHO WILL WANT TO READ THIS: This book will appeal to cozy mystery readers in general, but most especially to those who enjoy food-themed or Christmas-themed cozies.

The book was provided by NetGalley for an honest review

Was this review helpful?

I got this as an ARC from Netgalley and I have been putting off coming back to read it after I read through 32%.

Let's just start out with I am a mood reader. I have been my whole reading life. So when I say I'm not even close to the mood to read it's a done deal. I put it down for at least a week and tried to go back. And we'll it wasn't as good as the first time and it wasn't good enough to keep me hooked to finish.

I feel as if maybe the FMC wasn't always in a thris person it would have helped. Let us into her thoughts as first person. And sweet Jesus she was all over the place about these two men. TALK TO THEM AND FIGURE IT OUT. Non-communicative is not a tropes that anyone should be using. Grow up and act like an adult. Don't go so non-communicative that it's all in your head. Have small conversations until you can have the big convos. You know what they say about ASSuming, right?

That is a rule that ALWAYS applies in ANY situation. Maybe at a later date when I'm not reading so many non-communicative characters I can come back and retry. But until then it's going to be a no for me.

Was this review helpful?