I absolutely loved this book!! All the twists and turns. All the action had me on the edge of my seat!! Also love the recipes at the end if the book!! Can’t wait to try them!!

There were some good concepts flowing through many not normally seen in cozy mysteries but well done in a cozy mystery manner - meaning not overall graphic or preachy. However, felt like there were too many people, too many concepts and the story was a bit too long. Despite the length there were still some gaps.

To say this story was female-led, is an understatement. There were a LOT of women in the story to keep track of. Personal preference would be to NOT have so many with similar names, Poppy/Piper, Gina/Tina, etc.

It is the first story that I’ve read that include more than a casual mention of the pandemic and post-pandemic. I think it was well done.

I figured out most of it a good 15 chapters from the end, but that was because so much had happened, I had a, “I wonder if” moment which turned out to be correct.

I really liked 17 year old Mia, Summer’s niece, she is a spitfire.

Summer, I am not sure if I warmed up to her. I liked her family, biological and selected. I was lukewarm on Cash, though he did start to grow on me. It was mentioned several times about Summer starting/wanting to get closer with her half-brother and half-sister but the half-brother was rarely mentioned or around even after all that happened to Summer.

Because I have not read books 1 and 2, no idea what was referred to when it came up a few times about the bookstore being connected to other murders. A quick couple of sentences could have closed this gap. Not sure I am curious enough to go back to read them.

The mystery was pretty good and the Hallmark Movie-like treatment at the end gave me chuckle. Overall, a pleasant read that could have been a bit tighter.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story.
Happy Reading!

Tara Lush delivers another caffeinated entertaining mystery.

Welcome back to the southwest Florida island town of Devil’s Beach. Lana finds herself right in the middle of a whole lot of stuff going on. Deciding to grow her own coffee, she has secured a spot in the community garden to be able to grow her plants. She has an offer to test out a cool new machine at the coffee shop, Perkatiey. Not to mention she’s about to meet Noah’s family for the very first time.
And last, but not least, there's the Local funnel cake festival going on. Just as everything’s getting started, lana finds a body among the garden plots. With the long list of rules for the community garden, a body is one thing that should definitely not be there. Laura’s mind starts brewing to try to figure out the pieces to be able to crack this case.

I absolutely love this series. Not only because the only thing that I love more or equally as much as reading is coffee. Lana, her best friend Erica, and her hippie. Father, Peter are all on the case. I love the interaction between not only these three, but all of the characters that we have grown to know through the course of the series. What makes this story interesting and a little different from the others is that someone is coming to Lana to help get this mystery solved. We see growth within all of the characters within the story. Along with the twisted mystery that kept me guessing for most of the book.

Tara Lush includes humor with her mysteries, like a well blended brew. The characters she has created are complex, but yet grow with each book, have their quirks that make us love them and provide something to each and every story. A Bean to Die For is a well crafted and entertaining read.

I didn't realize this was the 3rd book in a series, but that's on me and didn't affect my enjoyment at all! I really enjoyed the characters and the mystery they were all wrapped up in was twisty unitl the end. Summer is a delight and having sprained my own ankle the day before I started this book it felt particularly pointed. Haha. Every new reveal of motive or a small detail led us down the path to finally uncover the killer. It's an absolutely charming cozy mystery and felt like the end of the series, so now I'll have to go back!

Boring and poorly researched. The first 10% of the book is just a dull story about her being a baby over a twisted ankle. Yes, sprains can be very painful. No, I have never heard of a doctor recommending a week of bed rest and a wheelchair for a sprained ankle, and I took ballet for a decade and skated roller derby for 5 years so I know about ankle injuries.

In that 10% of the book, there was also a boring and excessive amount of backstory. I have not read the first 2 books, but most of what was shared didn't feel necessary for my understanding or enjoyment of this book. If I had read the first two I would have been even more annoyed to have so much rehash. Just get to the story already!

With how poorly the sprained ankle was researched and understood, my hopes were not high for any of the details regarding the actual murder, mystery, or laws surrounding it all.

Once again, Summer has really improved personality-wise. She was definitely more enjoyable to read from in this book. The mystery was interesting and kept me engaged throughout. I really did enjoy this book and found it to be another great addition to this cozy mystery series.

I did find it funny how Summer really was just taken out for days by a sprained ankle... She was acting really woozy and sleepy, and to my knowledge, she only sprained her ankle and didn't hit her head. She even said the pain medicine they gave her was a glorified aspirin which shouldn't make her sleepy. It felt strange. I've badly sprained my ankle several times and have never been out of commission like this.

Overall, I did really enjoy this book and the series so far. I'd recommend this if you're just looking for a beachy weekend read.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the audio arc of this book!

The Tortured Poets Society?A Killer Romance is the third book in the Beach Reads cozy mystery series. The protagonst, Summer Merriweather, runs her late mother's romance bookshop. It's almost Valentine's Day and they're hosting an event with the author of a new Romeo and Juliet retelling, but with a HEA (which Summer finds very offensive as a Shakespeare scholar 🤣). While the event is happening, Summer finds out the author is a suspect in her husband's murder. Then, the next day, the author turns up dead! When Summer's friend is arrested for the murder, she decides to figure out what's going on.

I mostly had a good time reading this one. Cozy mysteries are my new jam and I just love books. I love a book themed book. I also did not figure out the ending, which is exciting because I'm pretty good at figuring out endings.

However, the discussion of drugs really bothered me. Summer acknowledges she knows nothing about drugs but then with authority talks about pot as a gateway to harder drugs 🙄 I'm hoping the author was setting the story up for some deeper exploration of the topic in future books (since Summer starts takinh opiods for an injury) but we shall see.

As far as the narration, I thought the narrator did a good job with tone and inflection. My only complaint would be sometimes it would randomly speed up and then slow down which made some dialogue sound strange. I listen at a faster speed so it might not be a problem at the normal speed.

I would be interested in reading more by this author and seeing where the romance goes!

What's not to love in this adorable cozy mystery set at a seaside bookstore -and next door to a chocolate shop no less!
Summer has inherited her mother's bookstore and is settling into her old hometown -and her old fiancé no less- when a traveling author is killed. The main suspect is one of her mother's oldest friends!
The setting is great, the characters are fun, I love the bird. Great hijinks and a happy ending. Just like Scooby Doo for adults! I listened to this as a standalone without the previous books and had no trouble following.

I listened to this on audiobook and found the narrator excellent as well. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advance copy of this audiobook.

This was a slow start. And even slower book. It was a rough listen. I don't know if it was the author or the narrator. But the story was a whole was very dull.

A Killer Romance by Maggie Blackburn is the third installment in the Beach Reads Mystery series. I have not yet read the previous two books in this series however I didn’t feel confused or completely lost whilst reading this book. There were mentions of things that I assume happened in the previous books and I do plan to read them. I liked the main character (Summer), the side characters, the small beach town, The Valentine’s Day festival, and of course Mr. Darcy! I absolutely love that Summer’s cozy companion is a bird. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept this an exciting read until the end.
I felt a little thrown off by the epilogue, it felt rushed and like it could be the focus of an entire book that the reader gets to experience rather than a quick epilogue. Does that mean that this is the last book in the series? Regardless, I am interested in reading the previous two books, and would definitely read any future books that are released in this series.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review A Killer Romance by Maggie Blackburn. My comments are an independent, honest review.

I am a sucker for a Cozy Mystery. Especially when they are set in a bookstore with lovable side characters and interesting premises! I also really enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to listen to a copy of the audiobook for an honest review!

Wow! What a plot! This story will draw you and keep you turning pages or listening to the audio book late into the night as you try to untwist the mystery of who killed the author. I do highly recommend that you read the series in order as you will get to know the characters and the small town so much better and have a deeper connection to both. Our main character, Summer, has once again been thrust into the middle of the investigation when a dear friend is accused of the murder. The author has woven a twisted path from the murder to the capture of the guilty party and you will be thoroughly entertained and delighted to untwist the mystery as you read further into the story. It seems obvious who the guilty party is, but don't get to set on who you think it is as you just might fall into a red herring trap! This series is one of my favorites and not just because a bookstore is the central location for Summer and her friends, but because the author has graced us with truly unique characters and wonderfully, well-written plots! The audiobook is definitely highly recommended as the narrator does an eloquent job of bringing the characters to life! I definitely would recommend putting this series on you must read or listen list!

Summer’s mom died and left her Beach Read bookstore which she doesn’t plan on staying at but hasn’t quite been able to move on yet. Summer is planning a Valentine’s Day event with an author scheduled to speak, but Summer hurts her ankle and is not able to attend the event. She gets a visit from a detective stating her author is the prime suspect in her own husband’s murder and he’s checking in on her. She had left Summer’s address as where she will be staying. Soon the author is found dead also, poisoned in her hotel, and then we’re left trying to figure out whodunnit.
I found the setting super cute, a romance bookstore on the beach. Just the place I would love to work!! It was a cute quick read, overall, a nice cozy mystery.
I have not read the other books in this series and this is my first from Maggie Blackburn. I found the bird kind of annoying even though I love his name Mr. Darcy. (I listened to the audiobook, maybe I wouldn’t have minded so much with a physical book?) I also found parts of it unbelievable, like would the detective really travel to check in on the murder suspect? Is that the only case he’s working on, so he has tons of time?
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for my honest review.

This book combined some of my favourite things- a small island town, a book shop setting, and a cosy mystery. A Killer Romance follows the story of Summer, laid back with an injury who investigates the suspicious death of a visiting author.

This was a good audiobook for a long car trip. I really enjoyed the setting, and the play on the Romeo and Juliet themes. I found summer a bit frustrating- she seemed more concerned about her shops reputation than the murders. For a twisted ankle the repetition about Summer’s pain, need for medication and difficulty getting around seemed excessive, and I was surprised it wasn’t explained more. Overall though, I enjoyed the twist at the end, and didn’t see it coming. I also enjoyed reading about a reformed academic who was coming around to books other than old classics.

The narrator did well to distinguish the different character voices, and I think audiobook seems like a good way to enjoy this series.

Thank you Intrigue Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Book Title: A Killer Romance
Series: The Beach Reads Mystery #3
Author: Maggie Blackburn
Narrator: Krista Lewis
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Cozy/Thriller
Pub Date: February 6, 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 352

Story takes place on Brigid’s Island, NC.
Summer Merriweather inherited the Beach Reads Bookstore from her mother Hilde along with her little pink collage with its blue door and oh yes her mother’s parrot, Mr. Darcy.
Before becoming a bookstore owner, Ms. Merriweather had been a professor of Shakespearian Literature. Although she retired many years ago is still considered an expert in Shakespeare’s books.

Summer is hosting a Valentine’s Day “Meet of Author” event with- Lana Livingston who wrote “Romance by the Sea” a modern-day book on Romero and Juliet.
Summer actually never got to meet Ms. Livingston as she sprained her ankle. Doctor’s orders were to prop up her foot and therefore stay off her ankle. A wheelchair was ordered; in the meantime she was confined to stay home.
The next day Lana had been found dead in her bed at the B&B. It seems this Romeo & Juliet author died of poison!

Summer has also finds out that her guest author was under investigation for her husband’s murder.

Needless to say, Summer and friends are now deep in the mystery of all of this!

I did enjoy this – True it is somewhat a typical Cozy. We cozy readers know they follow a bit of a formula
 Fun entertaining - character based
 The crime-solver is usually a woman who is well liked, has a dog or a cat, (in this case a parrot) and of course, is an amateur sleuth
 Takes place in a small town
 Love Interest
 All the residence know each other and are likeable
 Mystery but no blood and gore
 Little to no profanity. -Although there are some 4-letter words- no f-bombs 😘

This cozy has another attraction making it even more enjoyable- that is narrator. Krista Lewis!
She is great at performing all the characters!
I am looking forward to "The Beach Reads Mystery #4 with more of Summer & Cash.

Want to thank NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Crooked Lane Books for this early Audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 6, 2024.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Maggie Blackburn for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC audiobook for A Killer Romance coming out February 6, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I didn’t read the first two books, but it wasn’t hard to catch up with what was going on. I thought it was a little odd the murdered author wasn’t really in the novel when she was alive. So it was hard to even know who she was. I really wanted to love this one. I’m a big fan of cozy mysteries and I love island type settings. I loved that Summer ran a bookstore. Even the Valentine’s Day theme was cool. But I just wasn’t into the story. A lot of it felt repetitive. The focus was heavily on Summer’s broken ankle and her meds schedule. People always seemed to be reminding her it was time to take her meds. I just wasn’t really a fan of some of the things Summer did. She seemed a little judgmental. I wasn’t a fan of the ending. This just wasn’t as cozy and fun as I was hoping for. Maybe I’ll check out the first two books.

I have not read the other two titles in this series. I don’t think it’s required but would have provided some world building context that was alluded to in the book but not essential to the specific mystery of this book.
The mystery of who killed Summer’s bookstore guest author, Lana, is full of twists and turns broken up with stories about Summer, her broken ankle, and very close knit group of family and friends. I did not know who the culprit was (or the identity of some undercover officers) until the reveal!
A sweet and satisfying cozy Valentines theme read without too heavy of a hand on the romance of the holiday!

I've enjoyed this series. I thought I'd figured out the who done it, but I was wrong, so I was very glad about that . I like the characters and the bookstore setting.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Killer Romance by Maggie Blackburn is the third in the Beach Reads Mysteries series. And as much as the protagonist, Summer Merriweather, claims to hate cozy mysteries, it is a great cozy mystery and beach read. Dr. Summer Merriweather is a self-professed reading-snob, who prefers her research and writing on Shakespeare to the books carried in the bookstore that she inherited from her late mother, Beach Reads bookshop. Her late mother made a good living selling traditional fiction novels, and especially romance genre “beach reads”, but also having events with authors there to sign copies of their work, and to bring the community together over books and fun times.

When the Valentine’s Day event rolls around, Summer not only injures herself, so that she cannot run things herself, but also she finds out that the headlining author of the event is the prime suspect in the murder of that same author’s husband. This is news that Summer would rather not have associated with her event or shop. Unfortunately, it just gets worse as the event/plot continues.

Will Summer be able to avoid having murder and mayhem permanently associated with her bookshop? Or are Summer and her close knit group of friends and book club doomed to have the news being about them every day?


Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audio ARC!!!

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I encourage you to check this one out. This author is new to me, but I thoroughly enjoyed her writing. I never saw what was coming. The fact that there was a bookstore involved made this even more enjoyable.

I loved the little side of second chance romance thrown in there. Mr. Darcy was absolutely my favorite.