Never downloaded. Been having trouble with books downloading. Would still like a copy to read and review.

This was a delightful read! I loved the murder-mystery at a beach prose. The setting was described and conveyed to the reader beautifully. I honestly didn’t see the ending coming, which is something I always love. The writing was great and the characters well-developed. I can’t wait to see where this series goes!

The wedding that didn't happen turning into love on the beach takes a detour in this book.
There is a beach and drinks but also murder!
Fans of cozy mysteries will like this title - a great beach read

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

The cover of the book is what drew me in. This girls loves a Mai Tai on a Hawaiian beach.

Tessa was enjoyable and definitely had some good laughs . We love a strong female and Sibyl gave us all that energy.

I really tried to read this book, but the characterization, or lack thereof, just made this a complete slog. This was written before this series, but this reads like someone tried to combine the tv series The White Lotus with a cozy mystery. It has a very promising start, but I never felt like I really got a good picture of the main character and her motivations. It may be just me that this book didn't vibe with; your experience may be different.

This book was so much fun. I really enjoyed reading it and it felt like a great beach read book. I will read more by this author in the future.

Ha Ha Ha - Mai Tai's (One of my favorite cocktail's) & Murder - Cozy Murder Mystery at the Golden Hibiscus Resort. Main character Tessa Tidwell shows up to the resort for her honeymoon only she shows up ALONE since she was jilted by her fiancé, Ethan, who got cold feet right before the wedding. Basking in her sorrows, Tessa meets Sybil, an older sophisticated 4 times married martini drinking woman, who becomes Tessa's sidekick sleuth. The two make a very hilarious pair. Things get very interesting when Ethan shows up at the resort trying to get Tessa back, but little does he know that Jack, a fellow tourist is also vying for Tessa's attention.

one murder wasn't enough to investigate, two murders needed to happen to get the juices flowing! and when the murderer is arrested. Was the murderer right under Tessa's nose all along? Or is that what the real murderer wants you to believe? There is no fooling Tessa. She gets to the bottom of it all and reveals the truth of it all.

Hilarious read. After reading book 1 of this series, I automatically purchased book 2 & 3 and thoroughly enjoyed all 3 books.

Apologies for not reviewing sooner! Thank you #Netgalley for my ARC copy of this book

Great read. If there is ever a book 4, I will definitely read it....

This was a fun little mystery. Tessa goes on her honeymoon alone after being dumped by her fiance the day before their wedding. Sybil is clearly the star of the story to me. Tessa is a decent character, but she needs some growth for the series to survive long term. It is good as a summertime read that does not require too much thought.

Such a fun, quick murder mystery. I loved the setting and all the drinking. Made me want a fruity beverage to fit right in with the characters. I honestly wasn't sure who done it till close to the end so that was fun. I don't like when I know who it is for the majority of the book.

*I received an ARC from netgalley. This does not impact my opinions.

Tessa was supposed to be on her honeymoon, or at least she is on the trip but it is not a honeymoon any longer. Her fiance decided he did not want to go ahead with the proceedings, and Tessa is in a luxurious resort by herself.
It is a good enough start to a mystery series, one that was already four books long before I got to this first installment.
Tessa is alone and, therefore, ends up talking to a lot of people around her. Very early into her stay, one of the men she speaks with ends up dead, and Tessa starts to investigate, mostly because she seems to have time on her hands. There are some long-term visitors who stay longer or are repeat customers at the resort.
The local police are not dumb and are almost at the same conclusion that Tessa reached if they had the insider information she gathered, which was a welcome change from some of the other books of this ilk.
The investigation is thorough and follows a pattern of thought. Tessa finds a clue, follows it up with the required individual, ends up in trouble and is bailed by someone or the other. The final reveal was not surprising, given that the reader can pick up some clues during the course of the narrative. The reasoning behind the overall events is not something that one can guess, and the ending is when everyone is enlightened about everything.
I do not think I will be able to pick up the next books in the series, but given the high ratings of them and the writing in this one, I think this series will work well for someone on the lookout for a beach-based cozy mystery to read.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Book Review: Mai Tais and Murder.… A Beach Cocktail Cozy Mystery 1
Stars: 4 x 5
Author: Lydia Lane @lydialaneauthor
Publisher: Lydia Lane Books
Thank you @netgalley for this ARC.

Tessa Tidwell is on her honeymoon in Hawaii. A honeymoon for one as her wedding did not happen but she still is on it. She is staying at the Hibiscus Resort but being a jilted bride in a resort filled with happy couples is not the bet but she plans on making the most of it. Tessa ends up on her planned sailing adventure/lesson where she encounters the unexpected. Tessa and her instructor find a body in the ocean.
Back at the resort 30 year old Tess ends up meeting “60” year old Sybil. Sybil is a former model, very strong willed and independent. Sybil and Tessa start to become friend and wise Sybil give Tessa some advice. Tessa ends up becoming an amateur sleuth trying to solve the murder of the guest she found in the ocean. Through this process Tessa starts to become more like her old self and more as she starts to evolve into an empowered woman.

What lessons will Tessa learn and will she be able to solve the murder. This was such a fun book to read that I bought it along with the other two books in the series.

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I truly enjoyed this fun beach read. Tessa Tidwell is dumped by Ethan just before their rehearsal dinner. She decides to go on their two-week honeymoon to Hawaii on her own. Shortly after arriving, she and a resort employee find the body of a guest that Tessa had met, in the ocean. Tessa feels connected to the guest since she had met him. She meets Sybil, a divorced older woman who is very funny. Together, they investigate the murder. The characters were funny and believable. I like how the investigation kept me guessing.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lydia Lane books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Adorable and fun read. The characters were fun and believable, and our main character gave off a really cool vibe

Mai Tais & Murder
(Beach Cocktail 1)
Lydia Lane


Author Lydia Lane is new to me. I found she has also written two other books in this series.


This story takes place at the Golden Hibiscus Resort in Hawaii. Tessa arrives at her honeymoon destination minus the marriage. Her ex-fiance, Ethan, decided the wedding was off right before the rehearsals!

After arriving she hits up the hotel bar and meets a jovial group of men who invite her to play a game and drink with them. One of the men's wife interrupts for dinner. The next day she arrives for lessons with Ronaldo, on sailing. They find a loose boat and a dead body floating in a life vest!

From here the book moves pretty jerkily. Similarly to Tessa’s emotions. This did not make for the smoothest of reads. The basic mystery portion was solid. There is no profanity or anything worrisome about the content. I really liked Sibyl, more than Tessa. I think she would have made for a better main character. I don’t like the ending. I understand it and it ties up the loose ends but it just feels like the author slapped a band-aid on and said this’ll hold it. Disappointing after a fairly okay mystery.
2** This book’s main character just didn’t resonate with me.

I read this during the summer and I have brought it up multiple times since then. I really wished I had a physical copy because it was so easy to get lost in the mystery of wondering what would happen next in the story that the only way I would take a break was when my iPad died. Loved the FMC and her friendship with the other characters in the story that, in my opinion, were so much more than supporting characters.

I usually won't read mystery books like these but I am so happy I finished this one. The people of The Golden Hibiscus Resort had my attention from the beginning and I loved how one moment the reader is connecting to Tessa (our FMC) because she was on a honeymoon without a husband straight into a mystery. I usually rate books with five stars if I think back to certain parts of the story that I liked way after I've finished it.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read it! (I had a few things highlighted but am not authorized to check back on them so I couldn't quote them in the review but amazing read all the same.)

This was a breezy and fun read, I would say that sometimes it seemed to mention a lot of details about the characters which made the book feel slow paced but it was a good beach read!

This is a great start to a fresh new cozy mystery series. I love Tessa as a character and the way she approaches her trip to the resort. She is a great character who is learning and growing after her jilting. However, she is also hilariously bad at investigating. I laughed more than once at her antics. Sybil is an amazing side kick and mentor for Tessa. There was a love triangle, but it was dealt with quickly.
Fabulous cozy mystery!

This is a delightful cozy mystery, set on a beautiful island resort. It's filled with fun characters, and is a great quick read. I look forward to book two in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lydia Lane Books for the advanced reader copy. I highly recommend this book.

A fun, light cozy mystery. Spend some leisure time at this lovely resort. Watch out for murderers. The characters were just okay for me. I didn't care enough about Tessa and despised Ethan. Kick that man to the curb! Nice for those that do enjoy Tesssa and her antics that this is the beginning of a series. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.