I love a good mystery book, especially one where i am shocked by what happens. Sadly this one didn’t do that. I didn’t connect with the characters so when it was all revealed it just didn’t matter to me.

The best character in this book is the bird 100%. The scene with the bird were so cute and so funny, i love him🥺.

I really enjoyed the narrator, they did an amazing job.

A Killer Romance
by Maggie Blackburn
Narrated by Christa Lewis
(A Beach Reads Mystery #3)

This book was only okay. It’s my first Maggie Blackburn book and it was difficult to get into. I only finished it because I received an ARC of this audiobook through Netgalley.

This book had elements I tend to love in books: seaside town, small town, mystery, detective work, romance, a loveable quirky pet, a bookstore, and a close knit group of friends.

I just couldn’t drag my attention into caring about the murder victim. I didn’t care who killed her, why, or how. I was more interested in why someone disliked her than anything else. I think I need to know something beautiful and redeeming about a character before I can invest my heart.

The narration was okay and you could tell the different character’s voices, but the narrator also sounded bored.

Overall, I think I would skip this one unless you already like the author, narrator, or series. I feel bad saying that because I really wanted to be able to get behind this one. I know the jobs of authors and narrators are both difficult jobs and that a lot of time was put into this book. I am writing an honest review, though, so that means being truthful.

Well done! This series is so good. No second or third book slumps. The growth of each character is fantastic, but especially the main character. I am not the biggest fan of the MC being a book snob, but this author handled it beautifully and the growth made me tear up a few times. It might be my all time favorite of that “trope” (for lack of a better term). It’s just simply a beautiful book series with amazing characters. And oh man I was not ready for that ending. So good!

I love this narrator. One of my favorites for cozy mysteries.

This was a very fun cosy mystery to listen to on a rainy afternoon two weeks away from when the ok was set. I really enjoyed the narration, very warm and worked well with the pace of the narrative

I was taking little extra notes here and there as Maggie Blackburn is skilled at weaving a mystery that is not easy to second guess!

Another author to add to the tbr!

Thank you very much to NetGalley for this wonderful cosy mystery eArc. This review was left of my own volition

Good cozy mystery with a twist. Well described characters & great world building. All highlighted by the excellent narration.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a cute little cozy mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed. Nothing incredibly ground-breaking in it, but it was a light read that definitely kept me entertained.

I liked the main character, and her family, and found the mystery to be an interesting one. Double poisonings to the backdrop of Romeo and Juliet was fun.

I appreciated the lack of a true love triangle. This is a later book in a series, so I can't attest to whether the relationship in it is more of a slow burn over time, but in this installment it went from friends to a lot more very quickly. The relationship is depicted rather chastely, so nothing too spicy beyond hugs and kisses if that matters to you.

This was a great read, and I recommend it.

Maggie Blackburn’s “A Killer Romance” is the third book in this cozy mystery series set in a beach town with a cute bookstore at its center. I love a story that is set in a bookstore! It’s the best! While I haven’t gotten around to the earlier books, this book is acceptable as a standalone book. I haven’t read the previous two and had no issue getting into this story.
This book was an excellent distraction from a stressful week. I recommend it to anyone who likes the coziest of mysteries. I did not see the twist in the third act.
Thanks to Maggie Blackburn and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.

This is an entertaining, intriguing, fun read. The characters including the amateur sleuth Summer, are intriguing, relatable, entertaining, captivating, quirky characters. The mystery has many twists and turns which I enjoyed and kept me turning the page until the very end. I enjoyed the various subplots – family, friends, romance. I especially love that we got an epilogue wrapping up our romance plot. The story is easy to read and get into. While this is the 3rd book in the series, I have not read any of the others and I didn’t feel lost or confused. Rather I enjoyed the story and will be going back to read the others in the series.

I enjoyed the audio version of this book and the narrator.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I feel like I’ve been waiting a long time for this third Beach Reads mystery. Book 2 came out in 2021.
Summer has been running Beach Reads for five years and is preparing for a Valentine author visit.
She injures herself and is out of commission for the event. The next day the author is dead and a strange course of events ensues.
The red herring suspects were convincing, and I was a little surprised by the outcome of this story.
The ending after the murder is solved takes us into the future as the reader gets a peek at Summer’s next steps in life.
I enjoyed reading Killer Romance. I read the ebook and listened to the audiobook. I like the narrator.
I think this book could stand alone but I enjoyed it more because I’ve read the first two books.
Thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to review this book.

This one had a rocky start for me, but it came together later in the book and was enjoyable. The camaraderie I expect from these characters surfaced, and the murder mystery had enough elements to keep it interesting, even though I knew the identity of the murderer quite a while before the reveal. One takeaway that I did not notice in earlier books but found ironic here is that the bookstore in a cozy murder mystery refuses to promote or carry murder mysteries, and the owner (the MC) disdains the idea of distinguishing "sweet" and "clean" romances, obviously euphemisms for "cozy." Nonetheless, the wrap up should please readers of the series.

This is the third book in the Beach Reads Mystery series. It's my first time reading a book by Maggie Blackburn. I really enjoyed this book, it contained two of my favorite things, book stores and a cozy mystery. Summer owns the Beach Reads Bookstore on St. Brigid island off of North Carolina. When an author who was on the island is found dead, Summer and friends investigate. This story is filled with wonderful characters and a rich background. The mystery had many twists and turns, and kept me guessing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced listener copy. I enjoyed Christa Lewis's narration.

The third book in the A Beach Reads Mystery series, A Killer Romance revolves around Summer Merriweather’s first bookstore event post-Covid: a book signing with a romance writer who has a suspicious detective following her around. When the author ends up dead, Summer’s old family friend Glads is at the top of the suspect list and Summer is determined to prove that her friend couldn’t possibly be the murderer.

This story takes some twists and turns toward the soap opera, but it maintains the cozy mystery small town shenanigans vibes without going too over the top. Anyone who enjoyed the first two books in the series won’t be disappointed.

A Killer Romance by Maggie Blackburn, narrated by Christa Lewis, is a delightful cozy mystery audiobook that seamlessly weaves a mystery full of captivating characters. The storyline, centered around a Valentine's Day event gone awry, keeps listeners on the edge of their seats. Christa Lewis's narration skillfully brings the characters to life, adding depth and emotion to the thrilling narrative. (I received an advance reader copy of this audiobook and all opinions are my own.) Blackburn's clever plot twists and the engaging performance by Lewis make this audiobook a must-listen for fans of intriguing mysteries with a hint of romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery! I often find them a little too cheesy, or they lean too into their little but overly specific themes, but this one was perfect. It revolves around a bookshop, Beach Reads, and the owner Summer. An author that she was happy to host at her bookshop is found dead at the local bed and breakfast. Summer is obviously very concerned since her bookshop was the last place this author visited, so she starts sleuthing. What further complicates things is this author has had an interesting past of her own (murder, perhaps?). I didn't find the ending predictable, and I would definitely want to continue on in the series. I did not read the two previous novels in the series before listening to this one, and I didn't have any trouble getting into the story.
The narrator did a good job with the quirky banter and I think she portrayed the main character and especially the older women characters quite well.

I have reviewed the first two books in the Beach Reads Mystery series and you can check that out HERE!


I love the cozy mystery vibes of this series. It’s such a fun time. The setting of the Romance Bookstore in a beach town is just amazing. This one is set after the Pandemic and the first instore author event since restrictions have been lifted is happening on Valentine’s day. I really appreciated the brief mentions of the pandemic. It wasn’t overpowering but just hinted at the reality of returning to life after and also the affects that it had on retail stores.

The characters in this series are my absolute favourite! Everyone is so precious. From the MC, Summer to her family Mia, Agatha, Piper, Sam & Fatimah, the book club including Marilyn & Glads, Cash & his dad, Ben and of course Mr. Darcy. This book has such a strong feeling of family & community and I just love it. Of course there were some unsavoury ones, this is a murder mystery after all but even so, all the characters were very fleshed out and all had a distinct voice and personality. Maggie Blackburn just has a way of writing characters you can’t help loving.

The only reason this book didn’t get a higher star rating is because the end felt a little rushed. There was so much build up and mystery and discovers leading up to finding the killer but then when it was revealed it happened so quickly. I was left a little disappointed in the ending but I do still love the book and the reveal did make sense it just happened so suddenly.

Overall I really enjoyed this series. It was a fun cozy mystery with an amazing group of characters and such an incredible atmosphere. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever Maggie Blackburn writes next. While I don’t want these characters to have to deal with more murder I hope she decides to write another installment! Especially after that Epilogue!

I can honestly say I didn’t see any of what unfolded in this book coming. While I don’t read many cozy mysteries, I do try to read a few per year. And was I not going to choose on that takes place in a bookstore involving romance novels??

The storytelling wasn’t perfect, but it was good for a quick read. My main gripe was just when Summer was on the date with Liam and she was in the bathroom talking on the phone saying she hated him and then flipped like a switch?? It was very confusing and felt like it was bookmarked “to edit” and they just forgot to edit it. But for the most part I was invested and didn’t see the whodunnit coming!

I’m definitely interested in reading the other books in the series, as I’m assuming this is the final one? We got a few details of the previous murder-mysteries, but not enough to really spoil those books. There were even recipes at the end! I really enjoyed the audiobook narrator, and hope she’s the same throughout the series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5


Thanks so much to the publisher for an ALC via NetGalley. All opinions are honestly and my own.

This is a cute series that has gotten better each book. The cast of characters is entertaining and Darcy is the absolute best! I enjoy the narrator, she’s well suited to the character and story. And I absolutely love that each new book has the book covers from the previous books worked into the cover art! Very unique!

I just wasn’t pulled in at all. Part of me just didn’t care “who done it” and the lead up was pretty boring. Might have gotten better if I finished. But I had to DNF

This cozy was very sweet - the cast was endearing and the backdrop of a small-town bookstore made me want to slip between the pages into her world (minus the murderer on the loose, of course).

Premise - A newly injured Summer hosts a famous author (not to her tastes, though) in her bookstore... but before she has a chance to even meet the woman, she turns up dead! Who could have done it? Summer has to solve the case to dispel any notion that her bookstore is at fault.

While this is part of a series, it's strong enough to enjoy as a standalone. It makes some unusual choices for a cozy, including murdering the main victim before the reader/the detective has even met her, but the risk worked out.

📚 Series or Standalone: series, can be read as a standalone
📚 Genre: cozy mystery
📚 Target Age Group: adult
📚 Cliffhanger: no

✨ Will I Reread: maybe
✨ Recommended For: fans of the Molly the Maid series and other cozies

💕 Characters: 4/5
💕 Writing: 4/5
💕 Plot: 4/5
💕 Pacing: 4/5
💕 Unputdownability: 4/5
💕 Enjoyment: 4/5
💕 Book Cover: 4/5

Thanks, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.