I think this book is SO MUCH FUN! Everyone in this book has a “I hate you but I also love you” point in my brain. It really catches me and keeps me going and I constantly have genuinely no clue where it’s gonna go, which I love!! I don’t typically read these types of books, but I’m so glad I was able to read this one. Thank you for making a great book and for letting me read it early!

Fun and interesting read, I absolutely enjoyed it. Can’t wait to have a copy for my bookshelf! I liked the plot and characters.

Pomona's wealthy and cruel grandmother is murdered, having left behind a will that explains no undeserving family members will be awarded their inheritance until the riddle of her death is solved. Under such circumstances, we encounter a Schitt's Creek style fiasco where the Afton hotels are no longer "home" and very old money spoiled kids must experience jobs, budgets, and real friendships that consist of more more than mani/ pedi and what is trending on social media.
Pomona moves in with one of two of her beloved nanny's sons. Gabe is driven, kind, down to earth- genuinely, I love him. I love a feel- good murder mystery- and this is light, easily palatable, fun in a way that just might age well, and full of multi- tiered characters who bring so much to the plot. The killer isn't too entirely obvious from the light hearted simpleness of the book, and it's fun and so dramatic to follow along with Pom and Gabe as they give their all to achieve solving Grandma's murder. The romantic aspect is also so sweet and tender- but expect no spice in this one (good for me).
Thanks so much to the author and publisher for the eARC.

This was a cute read. It's very true to the description. I didn't respond strongly to the romance, but really enjoyed the characters and mystery plot. I would recommend as a plane or a beach read.

Mein Leseerlebnis

Ich habe mir von der contemporary romance einen charmanten Roman mit viel Humor, interessanten Charakteren und etwas Spannung erhofft. Doch leider hielt sich mein Interesse an den Charakteren von Anfang an in Grenzen. Das änderte sich im Verlauf der ersten 15 Kapitel auch nicht.

Zudem war der Humor nur bedingt mein Fall und ich konnte mir die Charaktere nicht als echte Personen vorstellen. Auch habe ich mir von den Spannungselementen mehr erhofft.

Nach dem Lesen der Leseprobe dachte ich noch, dass ich mich mit dem Schreibstil anfreunden können würde, doch dazu kam es leider nicht. Für die richtige Person kann der Roman sicherlich eine nette, unterhaltsame und kurzweilige Unterhaltung bieten, mein Fall war das Buch aber nicht.

Keine Bewertung, da abgebrochen.

Für wen?

Wer kurzweilige Liebesromane mit etwas Spannung mag, die im Dunstkreis von superreichen Menschen spielt, sollte sich das Buch mal näher anschauen.

Honestly I like a good quirky mystery. I did like this book. I thought it was enjoyable even despite the main character being a little annoying.

I don’t think I’m dying to read it again or anything but I definitely got through it

What an amazing and fun read. Rose does such a great job of sucking the reader in with her story. Pomona is a very likeable and flawed FMC who not only grows out of her own childishness but learns to brush off the negative perspectives of others. She and Gabe have a fun banter and the mystery adds in a fun touch to the storyline.

At twenty-eight, Pomona Afton is a spoiled young woman, part of hotel-owning family. She spends her evenings at galas, and her nights drinking and dancing on table tops. She even ignores phone calls from the family matriarch. When she finds her grandmother stabbed to death in her bed, Pomona's life changes overnight. It seems her grandmother thought she might be murdered by someone close to her, so her will stipulates in case of an unnatural death, all the family assets are frozen, and will remain so until the murder is solved. Pomona, her parents and brother are locked out of the hotels. The only person Pomona ever trusted was her childhood nanny who sends her to live with her son, Gabe, in a cramped apartment. Gabe manages a coffee shop, and he reluctantly gets Pomona a job in the coffee shop. After one day on her feet, answering to customers, Pomona decides she must solve the murder to get her old life back. She and Gabe team up, but if the case is solved, will her attraction to her new sleuthing partner remain?

Fans of "Only Murders in the Building" may enjoy this fun mystery rom-com with a protagonist who is superficial and dislikable, but grows into a caring adult who learns to value herself and others.

Very cute and funny!
Cozy mystery.
Pomona was a cute character.
More mystery than thriller

Would recommend for a cute, fun, fast read.
Thank you for the chance to review.

This book was such a fun read with lots of sarcastic quips and jokes. The book follows an heiress who gets cut off following the murder of her grandmother and has to experience the “real world” while trying to solve the murder. In the middle of that she goes through a self-discovery journey and growth. The premise is lighthearted (even though it’s about a murder) and cozy and had me rooting for Pomona the whole time!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced version in exchange for an honest review.

This was an absolute blast!! This reminded me of a cross between Only Murders in the Building and the Material Girls Movie. Pomona was so funny and I really loved being able to see how her situation changed her as a person and caused her growth. Gabe was the perfect partnership for her and the two of them frequently made me laugh. I enjoyed the plot as well as the reveal of the killer, and was truly misled many times.

This book made me want to finally watch Gossip Girl.

Thank you to Bellamy Rose, Atria Books, and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Pomona Afton Can So Solve A Murder follows Pomona Afton, an heiress suffering an economic downfall after her Grandmother’s untimely death. At rock bottom for seemingly the first time in her life, she moves in with her old Nanny’s son, Gabe. Determined to regain her old life, Pomona and Gabe work together to solve the mystery of Grandma Afton’s murder.

I love Pomona’s character Arc. I thought it was a bit rushed at first, because of the timeline of the story, but I realized that it made sense for Pom to change the way she did after what she faced.

I was so invested in this story, debating whether or not the most obscure character could be the culprit.

Gabe and Pom were so cute, I loved how they pushed each other and made up after disagreements. I especially loved her new hobby and what she did with it!

This book is perfect for the Gossip Girl Fanatics, rom-com lovers, and the classic “Heiress loses everything but finds something more” storyline.

Pomona Afton Can So Solve A Murder releases on March 18, 2025!!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Publishing for this e-ARC!

I did take a chance on Pomona Afton because I liked the blurb comparison between her and Blair from Gossip Girl, but I would like to preface by saying I am not a usual cozy mystery reader. This book fell a little flat for me. Things seemed to fall perfectly into place every step of the way and maybe that's how it works in cozy mysteries but it just wasn't suspenseful enough. I will say that the person that committed the murder was sort of a shock-ish, I mean once they debunked other suspects I felt like this was the only option and I could piece together why that person would have done it. I do think that I would recommend this book to people that do enjoy cozy mysteries with a little bit of romance. Overall it was giving Hallmark.

This was the first book that I have read by this author. I will be looking for more! This was such a good book and I loved all the characters and really followed them. I loved the mystery aspect of the book also. I would definitely recommend this book.

✨ARC Review✨ Y’all. I enjoyed the heck out of this mystery.

Pomona Afton is in her late 20’s and is living the life that being an heiress provides her. That is to say she’s taking private jets and hopping her way across Europe, attending galas, living in her family’s fancy hotel, being a snotty brat, and literally never thinking about anyone else.

And then her highly unliked, but feared grandmother is murdered. She’s put a clause in her will that if she dies by unnatural causes, no one inherits anything until the murderer is caught.

Pom and her family are kicked out of the hotel with only a bag each. Pom calls her former nanny who is basically the only person to ever be warm and kind to her. Luckily for Pom, Andrea has a son who needs a roommate. I think you know this son is handsome and smart and calls Pom on her shit.

He also encourages her to investigate her grandmother’s murder, so she can get her life back and also so his mom can get the retirement money she was promised. So away they go with their amateur but effective investigation!

I read this described as Goosip Girl meets Veronica Mars. I mean, kinda. Pom isn’t nearly as cynical as VM. I loved her growth throughout the book and yes, there are definitely a couple of things you just have to suspend your disbelief for. It’s all good. The story is worth it.

I received this eARC from #netgalley and @atriabooks. All thoughts are mine alone.

#mystery #mysterybooks #romance #romancebooks #contemporarymystery #contemporaryromance #pomonaaftoncansosolveamurder #gabeandpomona #bellamyrose #bookreview #bookrecs #bookstagram

This was really cute, charming and cozy. If you are in the mood for a cozy mystery - you will love this. If you're looking for a thriller, this isn't for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I was a little surprised at this being a debut novel, as I found the story and characters to be really well-developed in a way that only most seasoned writers can do. I found this to be fairly light-hearted and, at points, I even laughed out loud. I found our main character to be very dynamic, going from a stereotypical "princess" who does not know much about the world, to quiet the inquisitive, thoughtful individual. Overall, Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder was a pretty quick read with all of the good themes you're hoping to looks for, especially overcoming preconceived ideas and titles.

It's interestingly cute and, at times, funny. It was fairly easy to find out Whodunit, and unfortunately, I couldn't connect with the main characters. It felt uncohesively rushed and yet slow to get to the point.

Thank you, Netgalley, and Simon and Schuster for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this story! Pomona was an easy to like character, and I enjoyed watching her grow. She changed in such positive ways.

There was only one POV, Pomona's, and I do not think it caused any problems with the story whatsoever. This who-done-it was well written and not easily figured out.

I was smitten by the love story angle. Gabe was a great guy! I hope these characters come back with another mystery to solve!

**Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Atria Books, and the author for an advanced DRC**

In "Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder," Lila Kensington crafts a delightful romp through high society and mystery, with a dash of romance that keeps readers hooked from the first page. Pomona, the quintessential spoiled heiress, is thrust into a whirlwind of intrigue after her grandmother’s murder forces her to confront the dark side of her privileged life. Kensington’s sharp wit and humor shine as Pomona evolves from a self-absorbed socialite into a determined sleuth, all while navigating a budding relationship with the endearingly grumpy Gabe. The chemistry between them is electric, making every interaction a joy to read. With clever twists and a compelling exploration of self-discovery, this book is a refreshing blend of rom-com and murder mystery that will leave you laughing, gasping, and rooting for Pomona every step of the way!