Fun, romantic, spooky - I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from the author. I highly recommend.

I had so much fun reading this nd can’t wait for everyone else to get the chance to experience it too!!!!!

This book is mostly romance, but with a bit of mystery and a lot of drama! It was a quick and easy read with swoony characters and a gripping plot, and I loved it!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy

I really wanted to enjoy this book. I had a lovely time reading Ally Carter's new book The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, and this seemed to be similar. I will say overall the reading experience was comforting, not unlike putting Knives Out on the television and being able to watch casually. I read this book over the course of a couple of days, and aside from mixing up Steven and Spencer's names on occasion, I had a really easy time reading the book.

My main problem with the book comes from the romance. I am all for a mystery/romance combination, but the pacing on the romance was extremely off to me. There were multiple times when a murder attempt had just happened, or in one instance, the person she suspected had escaped the room after shoving her into a secret passage and instead of chasing after her to try to keep her from murdering the bride, they are immediately making out in the secret passage.

I also felt like the wrap-up of the mystery was a bit oddly paced, in that there were a number of red herrings and false accusations throughout the book during which all of the characters were discussing and pointing fingers at one another, so for the true reveal to be solved by allowing Marla to run free with a cougar initially felt tonally off.

Overall, I did not hate my experience reading this book, and I would read things by Jenny Elder Moke in the future, but I think potentially my expectations were set too high.

I was intrigued when I read about this book so I was excited to read the ARC. It was a fun romcom mystery with a lot of characters. I loved the main character and loved the mystery and it's twists and turns. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Such a fun read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

i’m kinda stuck between 2-3 stars. i feel like this book had potential but it kinda just lost me, the plot felt too slow and the constant hesitancy in dialogue was hard to get through. i got to the point where i was skipping chapters to try and get to the conclusions of the storyline.

by the cover i was expecting it to be some sort of halloweeny warewolf or mystical story but it was murder mystery/ glass onion feels of being stuck during a storm on a remote island with hidden doors and attempted + murder mystery to be solved. it was just redundant for me

this one was fun and romantic. I liked the way he was with her everywhere. I liked the spooky vibes in time for October

I finished She Doesn’t Have a Clue this afternoon and I already want to go back to it. Jenny Elder Moke is a magician capable of making a haunted island with a murderer and an errant cougar running around seem idyllic and capturing. I absolutely loved this story and how it was told by Kate’s perspective but the reader gained insights into other storylines simultaneously. Info needed to fill in gaps was dangled perfectly in front of the reader and kept the feeling of suspense on each page. This was just super fun to read abs try to solve as the story evolved. The conclusion was a bit lackluster for me, as i thought it had so much sinister potential. That said, I will be recommending this and gifting it to friends when it releases.

So cute! I loved this book! the characters were relatable, pacing was good and I flew through the story. It was a quick read but well worth it!

In January, when you're tucked into a cozy blanket and looking for a fast-paced and lighthearted who-done-it - consider this one.

A large cast of characters, all diverse and unique enough to easily keep them all straight, a plot that keeps twisting and twisting, and a romance that you can't help but root for.

The FMC is not Miss Marple by any means, so don't expect any top-level detective work from her. There were times when I wanted to yell at her through the pages, some items seemed SO obvious. She wasn't my favorite FMC I've read, but admittedly she does have some good character growth at the end where she shows some self-awareness. She certainly falls on the silly clumsy scale more than the serious intelligence scale. And while there were times of frustration while reading it, I encourage the reader to push through, look for the humor, and know that there will be some character growth and self-awareness coming!

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a digital advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have been enjoying the emergence of rommystery books lately! Thie was a fun mix with some moving plot. Check it out!

I absolutely loved the witty banter, inner monologues, and path to killer-reveal of this book. It was such a fun read and all the character ensembles reminded me of a modern, twisty Agatha Christie (which never fails to be fun). There was so much happening in this book, it was super chaotic. Kind of in a way that reflected Kate's inner thoughts and demeanor. But it was also so relatable to me. Kate is such a funny narrator and lead character to have as the one to solve the mystery, it really helped me connect with the story.
The chaos did lead to quite a bit of confusion for me at first while I was trying to adjust to everything that was happening, but once I did give into it, the story became so fun. Even though there were lots of characters to keep track of, I love having an ensemble like that to boost the story. Kennedy, Spencer, and Jake were all so fun. Jake especially - I loved reading the dialogue in an Australian accent and going naur all the time.
As an experienced mystery reader, the suspense wasn't something that was uniquely special or exaggerated, but still it kept me curious and intrigued most of the way. I loved the fake outs and the crazy locations/situations that somehow fit in because of the private island setting.
If this book had sequels or a series, I would definitely read it just for the fun vibes of the main characters and their dynamics.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I give this 3.5 stars.

It sounded so good but I was overwhelmed by the amount of characters thrown out so early. For me, it was difficult to keep track of each person.

I also had a hard time picking up the book to read. To me, it felt a bit dragged in certain spots. The scenes with the two MCs seemed rushed and out of place. It seemed like they didn't care that a murder happened.


I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I love rom-coms and locked-room mystery books, so a book that combines both seemed like the perfect combination. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite meet my expectations.

The book follows bestselling mystery author Kate Valentine, who is invited to her ex-fiancé's wedding who also happens to be her editor at Simon Says Publishing. The wedding is set to take place on a historic private island estate off the coast of Seattle. On the boat ride to the island, another ex, Jack Hawkins, a former surfer from Australia and her co-author of their adventure series, shows up, mistakenly invited as her plus-one.

Once there, anything that can go wrong does, starting with a dinner reception gone awry and ending with a body on the steps of the basement. When life begins to imitate one of her books, Kate steps into the shoes of Loretta, her series heroine, and takes it upon herself to solve the mystery in the middle of a storm that cuts off access to the island and other odd occurrences.

On the surface, the book has all the ingredients for a great story: hidden passages, family drama, intrigue, steamy scenes, second-chance romance, and murder. However, the flavor felt a bit muddled for me due to the slow pacing, detailed backstories, and info-dumps in the early chapters.

The book also includes excerpts from Loretta’s novels as Kate imagines what Loretta would do in certain situations. Initially, it was confusing when the text shifted between Kate’s and Loretta’s perspectives without a clear break. I get why Kate put herself in Loretta’s shoes, but after a while, the Loretta sections became irritating. Additionally, the steamy scenes during the murder investigation felt slightly out of place for me and further slowed the pace, though other readers might enjoy this blend of romance and mystery.

The plot could have used some tightening, which I think would have made it a more engaging read. That being said, I did enjoy the book, particularly the final third. I didn’t guess who the murderer was and really liked the setting. The humor, character interactions, and twists kept me entertained. The parallels between the plots of Kate’s novels and the mystery were a nice touch, and the sleuthing sweater Kate wore endeared her to me. Therefore, I decided to rate it 3 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to fans of both romance and mystery genres, especially those who appreciate a quirky mix of both and don't mind a slower pace or steamy episodes thrown in amidst the action.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

I'm not a big murder mystery girlie, but I saw this title and immediately thought of Scooby-Doo. Now, it doesn't have much to do with the gang, but it was a rather enjoyable, if somewhat simple, read. The characters were one-dimensional, and the heroine seemed to simply stumble upon things as the mystery unfolded. But I liked that there was a romance and an easy read, something to just pick up in between my other reads.

It was cutesy and made me want to visit Portland Oregon. Kate growing as a main character in her confidence as she’ is unraveling the mystery in this short weekend. Finally ditching her character's persona if you know you know to thinking for herself and solving the mystery. It had a lot of characters to go through. It was still an intriguing mystery especially when set in an island where everyone is stuck due to the storm and tensions are running high. It’s a book to pick if you need something light hearted to read.

This book was just fun! It's a mystery with a great, spooky atmosphere and entertaining main characters. It felt like a classic whodunnit but the people solving the crime are, coincidentally, falling in love at the same time. This is definitely a far-fetched plot and there are a lot of side characters to keep track of throughout. I also got a bit overwhelmed by number of twists that came my way while reading. Ultimately this is a wild and exciting story that keeps you reading until the very end. I think mystery readers will have a great time with this book. Thanks to Jenny Elder Moke, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 STARS
When it comes to a traditional murder mystery, certain aspects are almost required. Let’s see how we do.

Spooky mansion – check
Stormy nights – check
Family inheritance drama – check
Ex-lovers drama – check
Dysfunctional family – check
Smoking hot wanna-be flame – check
Somewhat weird, super-focused sleuth – check
This book perfectly lays out a good traditional theme set up and bones of an old-style murder mystery. It is wacky and loaded with twists as everyone becomes a suspect.

The author managed to include so many characters that you truly have to wade through everything to figure out who is suspect and who is just there muddying the waters. As for our super sleuth, she is a writer who keeps bouncing back into books she has written for help, somewhat reminiscent of a Jessica Fletcher wanna-be.

What sets this main character apart is this one is much younger and we are treated to a lovely second-chance romance through it all too. I have to say Jake makes this book for me. Sexy and nursing a tender heart.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue is a wild story but parts of it got to be too much for me with chasing the who-dun-it scenarios. For true lovers of this trope, it is a perfect choice. Weird, wild, humorous, witty, steamy. What’s not to love?

Moke delivers the goods with this story, but unfortunately, it is not my style.
~~~
3 STARS for my personal enjoyment
4 STARS for the written story

This book was such a quick and fun read! The mix of mystery and rom-com made it the perfect pick with spooky season just around the corner. From the start, I was hooked by the dynamic between the two main characters, Kate and Jake. Their personalities played off each other so well, and the situations they found themselves in were both hilarious and sometimes unpredictable. The banter between them was a major highlight for me. What made the story even more enjoyable was the classic “whodunit” vibe woven throughout. I’m a huge fan of mysteries, and this one really kept me on my toes. I was convinced I had the ending figured out halfway through, but the twists caught me completely off guard, and I love when a book surprises me like that! It was the perfect blend of romance, humor, and suspense, making it a refreshing and engaging read.

I want to thank NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review as well as the author for this free copy.