The book captures the spirit of the Golden Girls well. However, there were a few slight discrepancies such as Dorothy having so many thoughts about Sophia’s barbs when she probably has the most insults in the actual show. The St. Olaf stuff was overkill. It’s cute and funny as a little story within an episode but it grows tired when the plot is centered around it. The cops were caricatures and really could have been toned down. I hope the editor spends plenty of time on all of the formatting issues before releasing. It was hard to read at times with the lack of spaces and crammed paragraphs. It’s cutesy. Enough Golden Girls for the show’s fans. The mystery is decent with a little (very 80’s) twist. I think most fan of the show will enjoy this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance ebook copy!

As a lifelong fan of the Golden Girls, I was excited when my library ordered a copy of Murder By Cheesecake. The Golden Girls and cozy mysteries -- sounds like a winning combination!

The story felt like reading an extended episode or a made-for-TV movie. The vibes were wonderfully '80s (VHS dating services! AquaNet! Crimped hair!) and I was relieved the author didn't try to modernize the setting. The mystery itself was a bit flimsy, and it was overtaken at times by all the wedding planning, but the ending made up for it. The St. Olaf traditions and history got somewhat old by the end of the book; Rose's stories are best in small doses, but the St. Olafians themselves were good people. I loved all the callbacks to various episodes, especially the theft of Rose's beloved bear Fernando.

The book itself was a quick, light read. If you're a Golden Girls fan or a fan of cozy mysteries, you'll enjoy this one.

This book delivered on exactly what it promised. I felt like I was dropped into a wild episode of the Golden Girls. This story centers around Rose’s “niece’s” wedding and the outrageous St. Olaf traditions that go along with getting married. About halfway we encounter a murder that our four lovely ladies must solve.

Courage definitely knows how our Golden Girls behave. You got all the sarcastic wit of Dorothy, feminine sensuality from Blanche, a ditzy heart of gold from Rose, and sassy stories and quips from Sophia.

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

3-Star Review:

This had all the ingredients for a fun read—Golden Girls, murder, and cheesecake—but it didn’t quite come together like a perfectly baked dessert. The humor and banter were spot-on in places (I could hear the Girls’ voices in my head), but the plot felt a little overstuffed. Between the St. Olaf wedding chaos, the VHS dating misadventure, and a murder investigation, it was a lot.

Dorothy’s date getting offed in a cheesecake was certainly on-brand for this kind of cozy mystery, but the pacing dragged in spots, and some of the side characters felt more like sitcom guest stars than fully fleshed-out people. That said, the Girls’ dynamic was still the highlight, and if you’re here for some nostalgic fun, it delivers just enough. Not a bad read, just not quite as sharp or satisfying as I hoped.

This is the first book I received via NetGalley and I was so excited for this! It did not disappoint, yes it’s cheese and predictable but it felt like I was sitting at the table with the girls. It was a great escape and quick, fun, read

Wow! A book about the Golden Girls! A cozy mystery to make it even better. Once I heard about its upcoming release, I wanted to get my hands on a copy right away. I was excited to get a hold of an advanced copy!

Rose's little cousin Nettie, (but she calls Rose her aunt) is going to get married. However, the Storslagen hotel in St. Olaf has burned down! It is the only hotel in St. Olaf, and now the wedding can't be held without a venue. Nettie and her fiance Jason were going to just elope instead, but Rose has volunteered to hold the wedding down in Miami with all of the St. Olaf traditions. Jason's family has also offered to host the wedding at their hotel, if they did everything their way.

Sick of being under his parent's grip, Jason has been wanting to move to St. Olaf and live the slow, country life. He is more than happy to follow all of the traditions. There is also another catch, Nettie will have to wait until she turns thirty to receive her inheritance, unless the wedding strictly adheres to St. Olaf traditions.

As the pre-wedding ceremonies start happening, there is a murder in the hotel freezer. Dorothy becomes the prime suspect, and the Golden Girls are now on a quest to find the real murderer and clear Dorothy's name, meanwhile trying to continue on with all of the St. Olaf traditions. However, even each and every one of those becomes a catastrophe, making everyone question this wedding and how it will be handled.

I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy and fun read with humor throughout. I absolutely loved that each of the golden girls stayed in character and I could hear their voices as I read the book. It was like going back and watching more episodes. I do wish that the book focused on the murder itself more and a little less on the wedding, and there was a tad too much about St. Olaf throughout the read.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to more Golden Girls stories!

Murder by Cheesecake is 100% what it says it is: the Golden Girls solve a murder. You get all the St. Olaf mentions from Rose, the snark from Sophia, the sass from Blanche, and Dorothy deep sighing through it all. It was definitely a fun read, and I'm excited to see that it will be part of a series!

Thanks to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

I love this book!
This book was an enjoyable read and very reminiscent of the Golden Girls Tv show. Reading this book places you right into famous sitcom show. For those of us that watches reruns of the show this book is definitely a must read.

This book starts off with Rose having to plan a wedding for her niece Nettie, this wedding is a good ole fashion St. Olaf wedding. With all the traditions and herrings. This is no easy task for Rose as all things must be followed to a T. Luckily for her she has her three best friends to help her.

Dorothy decides to try video take dating and she meets a match! This guy checks all the boxes for her. Unfortunately for Dorothy he also checks another box, being dead. Sadly Dorothy becomes a prime suspect in his murder.

I enjoyed the jokes and the banter between the characters which makes reading this book all the better. I couldn’t put it down I hope this author writes more books. I’ll definitely be reading.

Thank you to Rachel Ekstrom, NetGalley, and
Hyperion Avenue publishing, Thank you to Rachel Ekstrom, NetGalley, and Hyperion Avenue publishing for providing me with an ARC! I am leaving this review voluntarily.
#MurderbyCheesecake #NetGalley

This was a very cute, cozy mystery, perfect for anyone who loves the Golden Girls. The author does a good job of bringing each of the characters known from TV to life on the page. It can be difficult to write a new story with characters so well known, but each one is exactly as viewers will remember. It was lovely to get to revisit the girls in a new story.

Cute and funny, a cozy sit down story. Exactly what I expected when I picked it up, left satisfied with my choice

I’m really disappointed to write this, but I wanted to love this book because what GenX/Xennial doesn’t love the golden girls?
This book just did not do it for me. I DNFed. I’m sorry.

Thanks so much for the early read! What a cute, Golden Girls themed book and I love the cover! Looking forward to more in the series.

Big thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Hyperion Avenue for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book felt like a wave of nostalgia for me, as I grew up watching The Golden Girls with my family. The author perfectly captured the tone of each of these beloved characters, and you felt like you were right there in Miami with our favorite ladies!

The book opens with Rose’s niece Nettie’s upcoming nuptials to Jason Bryant, the son of wealthy hotel proprietors. Of course, our Rose being a St. Olaf girl (and Nettie as well) wants to keep the wedding traditions alive.

The main plot of the book happens however after the guests of the wedding party arrive at The Bryant’s hotel, which becomes the setting of our crime. A man is found murdered in the freezer by our Girls, and the questions arise. How did he get there, and who committed the crime?

Featuring a cast of our beloved Golden Girls, as well as members from the St. Olaf & wealthy Miami communities…”Murder By Cheesecake” is the perfect cozy murder-mystery book for fans of Golden Girls like myself! I hope the author plans more books in this series, as my interest is peaked.
#NetGalley #MurderByCheesecake

The Golden Girls solve a mystery! Yes, you read that correctly - Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia are back in their house in 1980s Miami, and everything is just as it should be. When Rose's niece arrives in Miami for her wedding, bringing the rest of St. Olaf with her, the girls have to clear Dorothy's name when she's suspected of killing a man and stuffing him in a freezer. I laughed out loud so many times reading this book, and the interaction between the ladies is just like watching the classic sitcom. I adored it, and any fan of the show (or cozies) will too!!! A+++

This is such a cute and funny read!! As a long term golden girls fan I was so exited to be given an ARC of this book, and it did not disappoint. Now I will say you need to come into reading this book knowing what you are getting into, if you are reading it because you want a true thriller this may not be the book for you, but if you are wanting a cozy nostalgic funny read that has all the golden girls sass banter and shenanigans than this book is truly for you!

Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage is a cozy mystery with Golden Girls like characters. Very cute, very funny , Fans of Golden Girls will appreciate this book.

Murder by Cheesecake is a funny, cozy mystery that made me chuckle many times. As a huge Golden Girls fan I could picture it in my head exactly as though I was watching it on tv. Enjoyable, entertaining and fun read.

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC and opportunity to early read and review.

This book was amazing. I love the golden girls and this book brought me right back to the days of watching the show. It captured their personality perfectly. Dorothy has always been the one on the outside and needing a date and to see her get caught up in this mess, would be exactly how her character was. Rose always had those moments. cheesecake for those girls was a staple, anytime they had a problem they talked it over cheesecake. I did not see the ending coming though, that had me perplexed. It was a good surprise. the book had me tied in till the end.

The Golden Girls are back, and this time, they're stepping into a cozy mystery with all the sass and charm you'd expect, along with plenty of cheesecake. Imagine this: Miami, sometime in the past, a wedding to plan, a dating video to make, and—of course—a dead guy who’s ruined the cheesecake. The horror!

This lighthearted mystery had me laughing out loud with its spot-on jokes, perfectly capturing the humor and vibes of the beloved show. The author did a fantastic job making it feel like I was watching an actual episode, from the quirky personalities to the familiar banter. It was a delightful trip down memory lane, bringing back all the best moments from the show.

As for the mystery itself... well, it wasn’t exactly mind-bending. There were a few red herrings thrown in, but honestly, it was a bit tough to remember who the murderer even was, as this character didn’t get much screen time. Still, the girls' sleuthing adventures were enjoyable, and while the mystery reveal wasn’t my favorite, it was still an entertaining and fun read. If you’re looking for a cozy, nostalgic story to make you smile, grab some cheesecake and dive into this one!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t want this book to end! Such a fun read. I normally never read a book after watching a movie/tv show prior but this was my exception to the rule. I’m so happy to be able to continue to laughs with my favorite golden girls in this story.
It was a great quick mystery but so enjoyable. This story was terrific.