Member Reviews
A holiday book from earlier this year that I missed in my Net Galley ARCs. Twinkle Twinkle takes place in the very improbably named Mermaid Bay, Virginia, a small town where absolutely every business and street is named after mermaids, a setting device that I found a bit irritating. Our amateur detective is Jade Hicks, owner of holiday-themed (all things Christmas) shoppe she inherited from her aunt. The setting was really not that evocative of coastal Virginia, a location I know a little about, and I was a little disappointed in that, but the average reader may not care. The action takes place literally next door to Jade's shop and in her friend's B&B, so there is a reason for her to get involved. But as so often happens, even though her boyfriend is the sheriff and he asks her not investigate as it's dangerous, she agrees and then ignores him and he forgives it. I've mentioned before that I would read up with someone who repeatedly lied to me, but I know, that wouldn't further the plot. I do applaud the author for having Jade actually work in her shop, fulfilling online orders and restocking inventory. The murderer and the reason were very obvious, so don't expect any surprising reveal at the end. The most annoying point for me was that her friend the B&B owner called Jade over to help her with the movie people at least 4 times, if not 5, and Jade leaves her own business to go help. While that's kindly but is also done out of curiosity, at the fourth request I would probably have said "you have to handle this yourself because it's your business." Honestly, in at least half of those encounters, there was no real need for Jane to help; it was a just an easy and lazy way to get her to learn some information, It's a pleasant enough read but I doubt I'll read another. I didn't find the main characters interesting, the setting inviting, or the mystery that mysterious.
An incredible book with wonderful characters and a beautiful setting. It will keep you guessing until the end.
Heather Weidner’s "Twinkle Twinkle Au Revoir" is a delightful and enchanting novel that beautifully blends romance and mystery. Weidner’s engaging writing style and vivid storytelling create a captivating narrative filled with charm and intrigue. The book follows a captivating journey of love and self-discovery, with well-developed characters whose personal growth drives the plot. The setting is lush and immersive, adding depth to the story. With its blend of romance, humor, and a touch of mystery, "Twinkle Twinkle Au Revoir" is a heartwarming and enjoyable read that will leave readers eagerly turning pages and cherishing the experience.
There was so much drama in this book that was not related to the murder. A film crew is in town and it adds chaos to everyone's life. One of my issues was the amount of time Jade spent helping another business owner. It felt like so much unnecessary stuff was going on. I like the setting and characters. Things just need a bit of reining in.
Love the name of the book and hence why I requested it. A quick, fun and easy to read book that made smile and kept me guessing. Very entertaining and enjoyable to read and I must say I had it read in no time and then I wanted more. Love the cover, characters and the plot/story. A great read, a bit of fun and mystery to boot. Who wouldn't love that!?
Thank you NetGalley and Level Best Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
It was supposed to be all love and roses
Everyone is a target when the Love Channel takes over Mermaid Bay to film their next holiday movie and Christmas shop owner Jade Hicks unwittingly finds herself drawn into all of the drama be it by helping out with the bad press her B&B owner pal is garnering or making a timely rescue when one of the cast is poisoned. The author has weaved an intriguing and incredibly enjoyable Hallmark worthy whodunnit. Kudos!
Princess Fuzzypants here: Mermaid Bay is all atwitter with the arrival of Hollywood in their little town. Cast and crew and all that comes with them descends upon the citizens and that includes all the drama of their personal lives. They quickly become high maintenance particularly for the B&B where the stars and the head honchos are staying. Social media becomes a two edged sword and many in town are looking forward to the day of their departure.
They bring with them a mini crime wave that includes murder and assaults. Jade becomes the go-to person in the interactions between the townies and the show folk. She wants to help her boyfriend, the sheriff, solve the crimes but she also wants to ensure that the town’s reputation is not blackened nor marred by the events that involve only people from the show. I must admit I suspected the villain quite early in the story but it was a light but entertaining read. Four purrs and two paws up.
This is the 2nd book in the series but the first I have read. I did not feel lost but there were references to the previous book and murder. In this one the Love Channel is filming a movie in Mermaid Bay and the whole town is excited to see their favorite stars. Soon however accidents and murder start to plague the production. I liked the characters and the Christmas Shop background. I had a hard time understanding why the owner of the BB kept calling Jade to run over to help her with guest problems, and Jade went neglecting her own business. The mystery was good with lots of suspects and I was able to figure it out. Overall it was a quick enjoyable read.
This was a very enjoyable story where Hollywood comes to Mermaid Bay. It had great characters and a plot that kept you trying to figure out who dunnit. I would recommend to everyone.
Loved reading this book. I missed the 1st book in the series. But I will definitely be reading it. I couldn't put this 1 down. I highly recommend this series
“My Coastal Valentine.” Crowds flock to the cozy beach town from all over and business is booming for Christmas shop owner, Jade Hicks until the body of a testy reporter is found in one of the actors rooms. And if murder isn’t bad enough, someone tries to kill the show’s star, hunky Raphael Allard. The cozy little beach town feels cursed, as the Love Channel threatens to pull out of the project. The star wasn't killed but a reporter was. Who was responsible for the death?
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.
Twinkle Twinkle Au Revoir by Heather Weidner is the second book in the charming Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery series. If you love the beach, Christmas, and cozy mysteries, this is a series for you! In this book, you can throw in a love for Hallmark-ish movies too! The cast and crew of the Love Channel are shooting their newest TV movie, “My Coastal Valentine,” in Mermaid Bay, so the town is filled with excited fans and residents. This makes the perfect backdrop for this delightful cozy mystery!
I love the little beach town, Mermaid Bay! Jade Hicks runs the adorable Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe. With its themed Christmas rooms and eclectic mix of cute ornaments, it’s a place I would love to visit. Jade’s friend Amy owns the bookshop down the street. There’s a hot dog place, a coffee shop, the pier, a B&B, and more. Of course, the main attraction is the ocean! I’d do a lot more walking if I lived here!
In addition to its lovely setting, Twinkle Twinkle Au Revoir has great characters. They’re a mix of young and old(er) folks who live and work in Mermaid Bay and, this time around, actors, directors, make-up artists…everyone who gets a TV movie made! The cast and crew all make great suspects for the murder and attempted murders! Sure, most of them are nice to your face, but you just never know! You’ll absolutely love the people who live in Mermaid Bay!
The mystery is well-plotted with well-placed clues throughout the book. This makes it a real page-turner! I read it over the course of two afternoons. It’s one that avid cozy mystery fans can read in a day because once you start, you won’t want to stop reading! If I hadn’t had to sleep, I would have read it straight through!
I highly recommend the highly entertaining cozy mystery, Twinkle Twinkle Au Revoir for its charming setting, true to life characters, and captivating mystery!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
The Love Channel comes to Mermaid Bay, but there is anything but love. Jade finds herself in the middle of trying to solve some perplexing incidents occurring around in and around the movie sets. Another enjoyable mystery by Heather Weidner.
There is very little love on the Love Channel in this story. Our heroine, Jade, has become the de facto face of the town and manages to use that responsibility to get into trouble.
This book is super easy to read. I found myself devouring pages even though at times it was light on the mystery. Instead, we experience multiple hijinks that are associated with having a film crew for a production in town. Jade and her team experience both the highs and the lows as sales increase but when Jade finds herself the face of the scandal, we get the lows too. The incident that led Jade into trouble was a classic case of no good deed goes unpunished and boy was that true. I really like the character of Jade. She seemed like the quintessential best friend always looking out to help. Nick, the MMC, did not get the same treatment in this story. We got a lot of date nights and some cop stuff, but this book was mostly about Jade and Chloe. The dog was clearly the costar of this story as she got cuddles from all including the big stars. I must give props for the date night in a most unusual model of transportation, but I am not giving spoilers on what it was.
The mystery, while light in keeping with typical cozy style, was well plotted, and made you wonder if the incidents were related to one another. In a town overrun by paparazzi, it is amazing the villain was able to sneak around unnoticed. The villain may have been unnoticed in the story, but I did have a good idea who the villain was before the end. The conclusion was satisfying but more satisfying if the chance of more books to come by this author. I would recommend this book to cozy fans.
This is a fun, entertaining, cozy read. The various characters are entertaining.
Hollywood comes to the area to film a movie. But when a murder happens in Mermaid Bay, Jade and her friends play important roles in solving the case and they will do whatever it takes to find the murderer and save their town’s reputation. The perfect who done it!
The story is easy to get into and I would recommend this book. I will be looking out for this author in the future
A nice and solid cozy mystery that kept me guessing. Well plotted and fast paced, well rounded and likeable characters
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
First I would like to thank #NetGalley and #LevelBestBooks for a chance to read this book! This is a new author and new series for me. Although this is the second book in the series it was very easy to follow along. This book was ok for me, it is a decent story and mystery, just really doesn't have anything that stands out. Jade is a good MC, her pooch Chloe was actually the best character in the book, her shop is cute and her friends ok. I will also say that I appreciate she actually works at her store, a pet peeve of mine, but that could be because 75% of the action takes place in the parking lot of her store that she has rented to the movie company that the mystery revolves around. It just seemed to me that both the police and our heroine collect facts about the different events that they are all a muddle of information that goes no where. The other thing that bothered me a little is that our heroine physically puts herself in danger a couple of times in the story that I am not sure were necessary. This is definitely a decent read, I just didn't find it special in anyway. I will say though that I intend to try another book by this author.
Highly enjoyed this read! Great plot that flowed smoothly. Filled with red herrings so the reader keeps guessing who doneit. Hollywood brings a mystery to Mermaid Bay! Thanks#Netgalley and #Levelbestbooks for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.
When a holiday movie is being filmed in town, business is good for Jade and the other businesses in town. But murder is bad for business, so when a murder happens relate to the movie, Jade and her gang are on the case. They’ll do whatever it takes to bring the perpetrator to justice and save their town’s reputation.
I love holiday themed movies and cozies,so this one was marriage made in Heaven. the characters are great and I love how they all made this even better with quirks and all. I will definitely keep this author on my reading list for further books.
Just loved this cozy mystery. Loved the plot and characters. Couldn't stop reading. Love the fact that the recipes for the cookies mentioned in the book,is given at the back of the book. Will definitely try making them.