This book was a fun, easy read that felt a bit like watching an episode of Murder, She Wrote—but if Jessica Fletcher was much younger and there was a lot more spice! It also had some Succession-style family drama thrown in, which kept things interesting. I appreciated that I didn’t guess whodunnit, which is always a nice surprise in a mystery. However, there were moments when I found myself frustrated by the typical "why won't they just talk to each other" dynamic between characters, which felt a bit forced at times.

What really stood out was how much the book mixed genres—it’s part mystery, part rom-com, with plenty of drama. The setting on a private island during a storm gave it that classic locked-room mystery vibe, and I thought the quirky cast of characters added to the fun. That said, there were a lot of characters to keep track of, and some of them weren’t as fleshed out as I would have liked. The pacing, especially in the beginning, felt a little uneven as it switched between the main story and excerpts from the protagonist’s novels.

Overall, if you’re in the mood for something lighthearted and a bit chaotic, this book is an enjoyable romp. Fans of spicy rom-coms with a mystery twist will probably get a kick out of it, especially if you don’t mind a bit of melodrama and characters who tend to stumble through situations. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s a solid palate cleanser for anyone looking for a cozy yet intriguing read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jenny Elder Moke for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for She Doesn't Have a Clue coming out January 21, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I was intrigued by the romcom mystery. It was so much fun! I was obsessed with Kate and Jake. The dialogue was witty and I loved the banter. I love that Kate was an author. There were so many fun characters. The setting was perfect. I loved the mystery! It felt like a Hallmark mystery, but even more fun. And I love Hallmark mysteries! I would definitely check out more books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery romcoms!

Kate is a mystery writer who receives an invitation to her ex- fiancés wedding on a private island. When she arrives to the boat to take her to the wedding, her former crush appears claiming to be her plus one for the weekend. Of course a storm comes to the island and murder and mayhem ensue. Everything was a bit over the top and silly but in a good way. I love it when a cozy, locked room mystery is done correctly and this one was. 4 ⭐️ I’d recommend to my friends for sure when thiss comes out in January. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins press for an ARC copy.

Unfortunately, She Doesn’t Have a Clue fell flat for me. While the premise had potential for a fun mystery, the plot felt predictable and lacked real excitement. The main character didn’t stand out, and the pacing was slow, making it hard to stay invested. I was hoping for more twists and depth, but the story felt underdeveloped. It’s not a terrible read, just not as engaging as I had hoped. Fans of light mysteries might enjoy it, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I was kicking my feet and giggling the entire time. Very real, flawed relatable characters. I love a mystery rom-com so I couldn’t put this book down until I finished it. I already want to reread it and avoid the rest of my TBR.

She Doesn't Have a Clue started with a captivating premise that immediately drew me in, and I had high hopes for its potential. Unfortunately, the narrative was weighed down by excessive information and pacing problems, making the reading experience feel more like a chore. I often found myself struggling to stay engaged as the story unfolded, which was disappointing given its intriguing concept.

If the plot had been streamlined and the characters introduced in a more cohesive and thoughtful manner, I truly believe the story could have been something special. There were moments of brilliance that shone through, hinting at the what the author could offer with a bit more refinement. Ultimately, it feels like a missed opportunity, leaving me wishing for a more polished version that could do justice to its original promise.

Please note, I do not publish negative reviews on any of my platforms.

This is a cute mystery with a good romance subplot. If you lean more towards romance than mystery, then this is the book for you.

Kate is a mystery writer who is attending her exes wedding on a secluded island. Jake, the one-that-got-away, is also going. When a poisoning occurs, Kate is considered the main suspect. Kate and Jake work together to find the real villain while exploring their unresolved feelings for one another.

Jake and Kate have lovely chemistry. You can’t help but root for them from the start. As for some tropes you have one-bed, second chance, and fake dating.

The author interludes passages of the Loretta mysteries that Kate writes. These were such fun additions to the story. I would totally want to read these if they existed in real life.

While I had predicted the ending, it didn’t stop my enjoyment of the book. Overall, it was a fun, cosy time.

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

She Doesn’t Have a clue is a second chance romance and mystery mashup. Kate decides to attend her ex fiancés/editor’s wedding to only stumble over the body of the bride. Not quite dead, the bride recovers but someone is setting Kate up to look guilty of murder. Jake, the hostralian, a fellow writer, and longtime crush, is the one Kate let get away when one drunken kiss seemed to ruin everything. Kate begins to investigate asking herself what would Loretta do? Jake jumps in as a trusty assistant and the time together ignites the chemistry they both try to deny. Now Kate must navigate danger, betrayal, and the love she’s always wanted to solve an attempted murder and save her ex’s nuptials. Kate is funny and insecure in a way that endures her to readers. The HEA is sweet and Jake is a heart stopper. The characters were great and the mystery twisted and unpredictable enough to make this a great read. My voluntary, unbiased, and non-mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

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!