A cute murder mystery with a romance subplot. Pomona is very likable character. Gabe was a bit underdeveloped but still adorable. This was a nice read and change of pace for me.

I received an arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun caper that I hope turns into a series! The wealth that Pomona has torn away from her is wild and her growth is admirable.

The breadcrumbs sprinkled throughout the story come together well in the end.

Great job Bellamy Rose!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me access to this ARC.

This was a really fun whodunnit murder mystery!
“A spoiled heiress must investigate her grandmother’s death in order to gain back her trust fund, all while discovering how to be her own person and maybe even in falling in love in this rom-com meets murder mystery.”

I enjoyed it! It gives off some celebrity reality show vibes. My guess of who did it was wrong! 😄 It was a nice twist, and I didn’t see it coming. The romance in this novel is minimal, but I thought it was done nicely and developed appropriately. I loved Pomona’s resilience, she was able to get back on her feet after losing everything, find what she loved to do, and repair her relationships with her friends and family—all while solving a murder.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

A spoiled heiress investigating her grandmother’s murder in order to gain her trust fund back - I just knew this would be great and I was right! This is such a fun, quick read. This is a rom-com meets murder mystery. Pomona and Gabe weren’t an obvious pair but they were so cute together and their investigation kept my attention the whole time. My theory changed a few times but it was so fun trying to figure it out before the end of the story. This story had Gossip Girl vibes and I am a huge fan. The Upper East side story was one of my favorite parts of the book. Pomona’s character was so entertaining and her character development throughout the story was really good! It was nice to see her start to really care for others. All in all, a very entertaining read and a great debut!!

Pomona Afton is a ditzy hotel heiress, who spends her days partying and being a part-time influencer - until her grandmother's untimely murder. Her will has a clause that freezes the family assets in the event of an unnatural death, and it's up to Pom to find the killer so she can get her old life back. I really enjoyed Pomona's growth throughout the story. We see her lose everything and do her best to live a "normal" life with a shared apartment and a job at a coffee shop. She comes off as privileged but not callous, so she was really able to turn her life around with her change in circumstances. This was a fun cozy mystery with a bit of romance sprinkled in, too! The ending left some room for a possible sequel, and I would pick that up for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the opportunity to read and review!

Publication: March 18th, 2025

Rating; ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bellamy Rose delivers a delightful and witty mystery in Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder. With a sharp and determined protagonist, this book is packed with humor, intrigue, and just the right amount of chaos. The mystery unfolds in a fun and engaging way, keeping readers entertained from start to finish

Thank You NetGalley and Atria

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Pomona Afton Can So Solve A Murder was such a fun book!

This book gave me some Alexis from Schitt's Creek meets Paris Hilton vibes in a fun mystery with a side of romance. Pomona Afton is the heiress to Afton Hotels and a little spoiled. She decides to try to investigate her grandmother’s murder to gain back her trust fund and in the process discovers how to live like a regular person and maybe thrive on her own..

This book was so fun to read. As much as you want to dislike Pomona you can't help but love her. Watching her adjust to her new normal reminded me of Alexis from Schitt's Creek and I loved Gabe!
The food descriptions had me wanting these delicious baked goods.

If you're looking for a cute murder mystery rom-com you should check out Pomona Afton Can So Solve A Murder!

Thanks to Atria for my advanced copy! It came out on Tuesday - March 18th!

4⭐️ | 1🌶️

WHAT TO EXPECT:
•Romcom meets murder mystery
•Riches to Rags
•Found Family
•Slow Burn

REVIEW:
If Clueless and Schitt’s Creek had a cozy mystery baby, it would be this book! Pomona Afton is a privileged socialite whose biggest concern used to be which designer dress to wear—until her grandmother is murdered, and suddenly, her entire inheritance is locked up until the killer is found. Now, Pomona is not just broke but also evicted from her luxury hotel home, forced to crash with Gabe, the (annoyingly attractive) son of her former nanny. With no other choice, she sets out to solve the murder herself—because how hard can it be, really?

This book is an absolute delight! Pomona starts off hilariously out of touch, but as she dives into the mystery, she grows into a sharp, determined sleuth with an unexpected knack for baking. Her banter with Gabe is full of chemistry, and their dynamic evolves in such a charming way. The mystery itself is twisty without being overwhelming, and I was genuinely surprised by the reveal!

With laugh-out-loud moments, quirky family drama, and a dash of romance, Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder is the perfect cozy mystery for anyone who loves strong character growth, witty humor, and a heroine you can’t help but root for!

This was such a cute and lighthearted mystery thriller with a side of rom-com. Pom, the FMC was quirky and made me chuckle quite a few times! It was nice to see her transformation and growth as the plot thickened. This book gave me Nancy Drew / Gossip Girl with a side of Finlay Donavan vibes!

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with this e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I felt this book had a bit of an identity crisis. Not quite a cozy mystery, not quite a comic mystery, not quite a romance. I wished it had leaned harder into one of those lanes, because I fear it may not please any of those fan groups. I did love the concept of a disinherited heiress trying to solve a murder, but Pomona herself suffered from some murkiness in characterization. She wasn't bitchy enough to be a snobby rich girl, but a little too helpless to be someone who plausibly teaches herself to bake and solve crimes. I also felt the Upper East Side details could have used more filling out.

Pomona is a spoiled wealthy woman who gets whatever she wants. When her grandmother dies under suspicious circumstances, her family money is rescinded from her and her family. Each is cut off so much that they need new places to live, jobs and more.

Pomona is a fun character who is insanely naive to the “real world” which is why it made this such a fun read. Seeing her dip her toes into finding a place to live, getting a job and using her own money was very entertaining. She then decides she will be the one to solve her grandmother's murder (having only ever listened to a few podcasts).

The great thing is, with all her new experiences, she finds things she’s good at, people who like her (and not necessarily her money) and what she wants out of life instead of having her family control her choices.

It was a fun, light read with a murder mystery to solve as well as a “new” Pomona to make.

Thank you to Atria for the copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book and for introducing me to Bellamy Rose. This book was so cute, most people would not describe a thriller as cute, I disagree. Bellamy Rose gives you part charming and part murder mystery. It is a great combination that just works! One would think that a character described as a spoiled heiress could not possible have a giving heart, but Pomona does! Enter Gabe and their sweet budding romance. So cute! Loved the ending and possibly another mystery for Pomona to come back in another book to solve. (PLEASE write another Pomona story. Do yourself a favor and add this to your TBR!

Maybe it’s because my feed has been flooded with Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez, but I’ve been in such a murder mystery mood lately! And what perfect timing, since Bellamy Rose’s debut novel, 𝐏𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐎 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐀 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫, arrived in my mailbox a couple of weeks early thanks to Atria Books.

Read if you 💖:

• 👸🏻 Heiresses Forced Into The Real World

• 🏙️ Fancy Hotel Mysteries

• 🚕 Exploring NYC 

• 🐈 Getting on Your Cat’s Good Side

Pomona’s story is an absolute hoot, and I enjoyed every second of it! I found myself reaching for the book whenever I had a spare moment, eager to see how our amateur sleuths would crack the case. There’s also a bit of romance, but it’s very light and completely PG-rated.

I’m not usually one to drop spoilers, but I have to share that Bellamy Rose is actually the mystery alias of Amanda Elliot, which means this is technically my second book of hers this year. I loved getting lost in her version of New York City, especially since she included a few playful jabs at Queens. (I’m a millennial— If I have to cross a bridge, I’m obviously choosing Brooklyn.)

If you’re a fan of a modern-day whodunnit and an heiress with a secretly golden heart, 𝐏𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐎 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐀 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 is for you! You can grab a copy at your favorite bookstore on March 18.

Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder is, in one word, fun. It's also quirky, and has just the right mix of rom-com, mystery, some personal growth, and a thoroughly entertaining look at how the other half lives. I read it between two darker thrillers/horror, and it was exactly what I needed. I can see Pomona in beach bags everywhere this summer, because it's that prefect blend of cozy and entertaining.

This book is absolutely adorable. Endearing and heartwarming and funny and a bit zany- Pomona reminds me of Alexis Rose. I truly think everything about this was charming, but I really love the way that Pomona grew and learned to ask for forgiveness and work through her problems with her friends. Fingers crossed this is a series!

3.5 stars
While I did find this to be an entertaining read (I paired print with audio), I felt the pacing was a bit off, and I found myself zoning out. I think the plot and characters could have been a bit more developed, but still this was a fun read. Just not a favorite for me.

My thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

4.5/5 stars

This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series set in NYC. This book is a mystery rom-com in which a spoiled hotel heiress must solve a murder.

This was such a charming read. I love cozy mysteries. I love when romance and humor is included. And I am a big fan of author Amanda Elliot.

Pomona/Pom (28) definitely started out as a spoiled brat. But I liked the character's growth. And I ended up liking her so much. I really enjoyed how her family lived in fancy hotel rooms. I also really liked seeing her and her new friend Gabe try to solve the murder mystery.

The baking aspect was so unexpected. But it was definitely one of my favorite things about this book. I love seeing people discover new passions. And all of the treats in the book sounded so yummy.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I am a big fan of this genre. I hope that there will be more Pomona books to come.

What a fun book! Pomona is such a great character with a great voice and I appreciated following along on her journey. There was nothing particularly surprising about this book but it was very well executed. I had absolutely no idea who killed her grandmother and appreciated all of the plausible red herrings. If you are looking for a cozy mystery with some NYC rich girl vibes then Pomona Afton may be the girl for you.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria/Emily Beatles Books for an advanced copy of this book.

Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder @bellamyrosebooks 👠💳🗽🥧🖼️

When @atriabooks sent me an email inviting me to read Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder, I was intrigued. Then I read the pitch “Dan Humphrey (aka Lonely Boy) x Blair Waldorf?? SIGN ME UPPPPPPP!! I was alwayssss rooting for Dan and Blair, they deserved better🫡

This truly was such a fabulous time. I adored seeing the whole story play out, especially seeing how Pomona had to pause and realize the life she lived and the life she’s in now. The flashbacks to how she treated people when she didn’t have to worry about money vs the way she’s living now only worrying about money. Her being roommates with Gabe (her former nanny’s son) and seeing him step up to help her right away so his family gets the money they deserve from her family’s side. Truly such an incredible book (so proud I guessed the murderer right before, first time for everything!) The character development was great and helped the flow of the story.

Thank you, Atria, for inviting me to read, out now! I can not waittttt for the sequel the author hinted at 🫶

- Murder Mystery
- Roommates to Lovers
- Dan x Blair Vibes
- Second Chance-ish with Life and Relationships?

This is a cozy mystery with plenty of cute and funny moments. I enjoyed the plot of the book, but at times, parts felt a little flat or could have been more developed. I will say I enjoyed several of the characters and the coziness of the story. I think I will circle back to this book and try a reread at some point.