I struggled to connect with this book because I found the main character, Pomona, extremely unlikeable. Her self-centeredness permeated every action, making it difficult to root for her. The neatly tied-up ending felt undeserved, and I would have preferred a different outcome for her. Beyond the protagonist, the plot felt disjointed and riddled with holes. Gabe was the only character I found remotely appealing, despite his flaws.

I LOVR a good mystery book. Sometimes they can be so intense though it’s hard to sleep afterwards. Haha. This one was different! Enjoyed the story and was able to jump right in and try to solve it before I knew the ending. Loved a change of pace in the book!

I enjoyed this murder mystery. Very easy read to get into and enjoy. Fun, witty, and lighthearted with a bit of romance! If this is what you look for in whodunits you will absolutely devour this book.

This book could easily be spun off into a series. I can say that I’d happily read more about Pomona and Gabe!

When Pomona Afton, Upper East Side hotel heiress, stumbles out of a gala and upon the scene of her grandmother’s murder, her first thought is that the society queen won’t be missed for her kind, cookie-baking ways. In fact, she was mean, greedy, and paranoid—so paranoid that she secretly slipped a clause into her will mandating that, should she die an unnatural death, all the family assets get frozen. And if the “unnatural death” isn’t explained? Those accounts stay frozen

Sweet, short and a great palate cleanser. It was a nice change from my normal. This still had romance but with what murder mystery it was added fun! Very enjoyable book.

Pomona Afton can SO solve a murder. And she'll do it while her bread is proving. Pomona is the spare to a hotel empire, her brother in line for the responsibility of running the family business one day, when her grandmother is unexpectedly murdered. I say unexpectedly but she really wasn't a nice lady. Too bad she determined that if she met an untimely end she would freeze the family's assets until her murder is solved. So Pomona is out on her own and responsible for her own well being for the first time in her life. Her story continues through both coming to terms with her grandmother's demise, the change in her social standings and bank account, and the realization that maybe this is her opportunity to be a different person. We're also introduced to her entire family, the staff that raised her, and her friends from a former life. The murder mystery makes sense (I won't give any spoilers but it definitely keeps you on your toes for a while), nothing feels like it's given for free, and Pomona is a great main character. It definitely seems like the story is setting up for a sequel (please give me more Pomona and Gabe, and let Pomona talk to a true crime podcast!), and if we get one I'll be first in line to read it!

If you enjoy well crafted characters with a side of wit, this story is for you! I really enjoyed getting to see the development of Pomona, and seeing her grow from the beginning of the book after her grandmother is murdered and she has to live on her own means rather than the family's trust fund. I loved seeing Pom's passion for baking develop over time and seeing her start to understand more about what she wanted out of life. In terms of the mystery of deciphering who had killed Pomona's grandmother, I found it to be well crafted and I was taken by surprise even after trying to take consideration of all the details along the way!

Also, I can't finish this review without talking about the relationship between Pomona and Gabe. I believe Bellamy Rose did a great job of building the relationship between the two of them and making it feel quite organic in its development. By the time that they become close, it feels natural to both of their characters. Gabe is just such a sweetheart!

This book is a great choice if you enjoy dynamic characters, well developed wit, and a plot that will keep you on your toes.

Thank you to Atria for the ARC!

» Behind - Myles Smith «
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↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

✧˚ · 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡. 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐮𝐩, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 · ˚✧


⭐⭐⭐⭐.25 - 4.25 Stars
Single First Person Pov
Spice Level 🌶️ - 1/5 (completely clean, though there was talk about past hookups, talk about affairs, one or two sexual jokes, and a few kisses.)
Age rating - 14+ (some infrequent cussing, alcoholism, talk about parties)

⁺˚⋆｡°👠 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 👠°｡⋆˚⁺
I was honestly so surprised by this book. This was my first ARC and I wanted to be surprised sooo I didn’t read the summary. And boy was I in for a ride! This book is perfect for people who love murder mysteries but don’t like the gore and thriller aspect. It’s a pretty fast read and pretty laid back, literally perfect if you’re looking for something to get you out of a slump. Also this author’s writing is amazing, her writing style is so up my alley and to the point, but also descriptive. I wasn’t a fan of some of the woke ideologies in this book, so I probably won’t be visiting her other works (under a different pen name) but I did overall enjoy it.

⁺˚⋆｡° 🏨 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 🏨 °｡⋆˚⁺
I was not expecting the murderer…
At ALL…
The plot twists in this book kept me guessing and I was seriously at a loss trying to figure out who it was by the end.
The author developed the entire plot so well and every aspect was clearly thought through. To avoid plot holes, she made Pom address some doubts that the readers could be having and explain it in a super natural way that I loved. I also loved the casual one liners that lightened it up and added humor to it. It was just so engaging and fast paced, and overall such a fun read

Also…the romance?!?! It was ADORABLE. I loved getting to see Pom and Gabe together, and the subtle romantic hints were too much for me to handle. I was giggling like a schoolgirl at one point where he simply called her cute.

⁺˚⋆｡°🐈 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 🐈 °｡⋆˚⁺
➥ 𝐏𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐚: Pom was super annoying at first and I absolutely could not stand her, but it was kind of the point as the story drew out and her character developed. She did have her moments where she would be a jerk to Gabe for no reason and I thought I was going to have to dive into the book to strangle her. Other than that my only problem was that regardless of having a spoiled upbringing…she was still an adult. She acted a little childish to me, and seeing her get humbled was fun but made me cringe a little. Overall, she actually wasn’t too horrible like most fmcs tend to be, and her character was actually built pretty well.
╰┈> 𝘚𝘪𝘵 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭, 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 - 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘢 ♫₊˚.
➥ 𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐞: Omg he was just such a little sweetheart!! He worked at a coffee shop while studying to become a teacher and it was so frickin sweet. Something I loved about his character is he isn’t one of those fictional boyfriends that you think is sexy, he was just downright adorable. He is 100% my type of book boyfriend, and he’s definitely in my top 10. Like how was everything he said that freaking cute 🤭
╰┈> 𝘊𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘬𝘦 - 𝘉𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦 ♫₊˚.

⁺˚⋆｡°☕️ 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 ☕️°｡⋆˚⁺
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰!

I enjoyed this book so much, and I can’t wait to own my own copy when it is officially published!

This was a beautiful gem! Pomona and Gabe how can you not love these characters. How can a mystery feels so cozy when its so devastating. Bellamy did such a great job I loved every minute of this story.

4.5 stars!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was such a fun and lighthearted story with wonderful character development. I absolutely loved Pom and Gabe. The ending was a little corny. I’m assuming trying to set up for a second book, but it doesn’t need that. Just let the book stand on its own and if a second one comes great. That was the only part that took me out of the story. Like the last 3 paragraphs (or however long it was).

Such a fun read! This cleverly titled book is one part lighthearted, cozy mystery and one part romance.

When Pomona’s grandmother is murdered and the family’s assets are frozen, Pomona goes from a vapid, trust fund heiress to “practically penniless” overnight. To access her inheritance, Pomona must solve her grandmother’s murder while also figuring out how to live in the real world.

The mystery aspect is well-paced with just enough twists and turns to keep you engaged, while still holding true to the low-stakes, cozy mystery vibes. The romantic storyline is a sweet contrast to the more suspenseful story elements.

Pomona is a great protagonist. Life handed her everything, and yet she still hasn’t found her thing. Seeing her evolution from vacuous party girl to person of purpose is a delightful, often humorous journey. And the more you get to know her, the more realize that it’s a miracle she’s turned out so well-adjusted.

Gabe compliments Pomona well without being one-dimensional or, worse, becoming the magical answer to all of her problems. He’s supportive without being a doormat; pushes her out of her comfort zone without being overly harsh or stern.

The way this book is written, it could easily be spun off into a series. I can say that I’d happily read more about Pomona and Gabe.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader copy of this book, provided in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This was such a cute and cozy mystery! I loved that the author literally "baked in" Pomona's new business. I would definitely read more novels of Pomona Afton as a detective.

This was a really fun book. Pomona is a spoiled heiress who loses everything when her grandmother is murdered. With the help of her former nanny’s son, she sets out to solve the murder so she can get her life back. Pomona was very easy to root for and she was adorable with Gabe.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

Pomona Afton is a hotel heiress who finds herself in a bit of trouble (trouble for an heiress that is). Her grandmother is murdered and the Afton family finds their assets frozen - unless the murder is solved.

Pomona finds herself out on the streets after she is evicted from the hotel, and must learn to live on her own and make a living (something she has never had to do before). She moves in with her old nanny’s son and enlists his help in solving the murder as it will be a win win for everyone involved.

Along the way, Pomona grows as a person and develops into a character you want to see succeed in life.

Bellamy Rose (aka Amanda Elliot) freshman novel in the murder-mystery category will leave readers wanting more.

Thank you to the publishers and author for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

Hilarious romance and intriguing mystery for Pom and Gabe to solve while falling in love. Loved every second of it

This was such a cute book, I really enjoyed Pom's character and how she developed over the course of the book. I genuinely was left guessing until closer to the end on who the murderer was, I loved the way it all tied together. It gives Only Murders In The Building vibes in the best way possible. The romance between Pom and Gabe is super sweet - overall, an enjoyable and fun read.

It can be tough to balance romantic comedy with mystery, but the author did a great job striking the right chord. The tone immediately grabbed me, being light-hearted and funny, and made it clear what world (socially) the story was set in.

The mystery was well-done with genuinely surprising twists, overall never feeling too heavy due to how funny Pomona’s voice was. The pacing was spot on, fast without ever feeling rushed, in a way that made me unable to put it down. I also really appreciated Pomona’s character arc and found it to be believably written.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pomona Afton is a spoiled hotel heiress (think Paris Hilton or Alexis Rose vibes) whose grandmother is murdered and she finds herself with a frozen trust fund and nowhere to live. The only way she can get her life back is if they catch her murderer.

At first, Pomona seems willing to sit back and let everything play out, assuming it will all be resolved in a week or two. She soon learns that it won’t be that easy. With limited options and former friends not returning her calls, Pom turns to her former nanny for advice. Her son, Gabe, is in need of a roommate, so Pom moves into his small apartment (which is further East than she is truly comfortable with) and works at his coffee shop. After exactly one day of actual work, Pomona decides that the best course of action to get back her fortune is to solve the murder herself.

The plot is very well paced. The murder provides a good mystery, with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing. There is a small romance subplot with Gabe and Pom, but it doesn’t overpower or take away from the mystery plot.

I really enjoyed reading Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder! I will be looking for more from Bellamy Rose (which is a pen name for writer Amanda Elliot).

This novel centers around a wealthy young woman in her twenties whose grandmother’s death leads to an unusual inheritance condition: she must solve the mystery of her grandmother’s death to claim her fortune.

The story adheres to a narrative pattern I find very enjoyable, and I was particularly impressed with the character development throughout. Pom, the protagonist, is wonderfully crafted—charismatic and easy to root for. I am eagerly looking forward to more books in this series, as Pom’s journey has thoroughly captured my interest.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3

Pomona Afton, a spoiled hotel heiress in NYC, has to find her grandmother's murderer in order to gain back access to her trust fund.

This was OK but nothing special. Take one of the characters from Gossip Girl, take away all of her money suddenly, and make her solve a murder to get it back. The writing was fine but I found most of the characters to be rather unlikeable. Even when Pomona "changed" after losing her money. I feel like she didn't actually learn much in the end. It all felt a little predictable as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.