A lighthearted mystery set aboard Queen Mary 2 with The Muscateers investigating a possible case of fraud/mistaken identity.

The sub plot with the guide dog was lovely and unusual to be in a novel.

There was a lot of humour in the novel and the friendship group was heartwarming.

My favourite quote:

“More pepper and salt these days, paprika pepper in a good light.” (hair)

This is an easy read book that is great for a vacation. The characters were likable and relatable. The storyline is easy to follow. It doesn’t get into heavy details and drag you into minutiae.

A light read with more than a touch of humour. I believe this book is the third in a series, I haven't read the previous two and think this story does stand alone. Set on a cruise ship, QM2, sailing across the Atlantic to New York just before Christmas. There was quite alot about general cruising life and lost me completely as the three friends Janet, Zelda and Viv travel between decks. Cruising has never appealed to me and this book certainly hasn't changed my mind. Mainly lovely characters with a villain in the mix in the form of controlling Isabelle. Entertaining and easy read.

The widows embark on an exciting holiday adventure aboard the Queen Mary 2, arriving in New York just in time for Christmas. Janet, still grieving the loss of her second husband, is convinced by her friends Zelda and Viv to take the cruise to lift her spirits. Once on board, they encounter Primrose, whose intriguing and suspicious life story pulls the trio into detective mode.

As they unravel the mystery surrounding Primrose, the widows embrace modern technology like social media and IT tools to sleuth their way to the truth. Along the way, themes of corruption, love, and resilience emerge, proving that life—and even romance—can be vibrant at any age. A touching romance develops when one of the widows meets a charming blind man and his guide dog, Billie, adding warmth and depth to the story.

This fun, lighthearted tale centers on friendship, with just enough mystery to keep you hooked and a dash of romance for good measure. I didn’t realize this was part of a series until after I had begun it. That being said, you can read it on its own without any trouble. Although I admit to now needing to go back and find out more about these ladies' other adventures.

I didn’t realise that this book was part of a series, and wonder if I had read the previous ones, whether I would have enjoyed it more? Touching on the grief of losing a loved one and the support of dear friends. Not sure that I liked all the main characters but enjoyed their interactions.

Zelda, Viv and Janet are back, and this time they are taking a trip on Queen Mary 2 from the UK to New York. Zelda has managed to find an affordable repositioning cruise, to convince Viv to share a cabin and for Janet to join them, although she will be travelling in style in a fancy suite.

It wasn't easy to convince Janet that she needed to come on the cruise. She has recently lost her second husband and so, even with her luxury suite, she isn't always in a party mood. That isn't helped when they meet another woman, Primrose Carmichael, who seems to have a lot in common with Janet, including perhaps the same former husband!

Zelda and Viv aren't convinced that Primrose is telling the truth, and that she might be some kind of trickster and so they put on their sleuthing hats and try to find out once and for all what is going on. They are somewhat hampered by intermittent internet outages which makes finding documentary evidence of any kind difficult, a massive storm and more. Zelda is also a little distracted when she hits it off with one of the musicians on the ship, a blind cellist by the name of William and his guide dog, Billie.

This is the third book in the Widows Wine Club series, and for me, this is the best of the series so far. I enjoyed the dynamics between the characters, the setting on the cruise ship, and the quick visit to New York at the end of the book. I also really enjoyed getting to know William and Billie, and the work that they did in spreading the word about the important work of guide dog associations. My reviews for the first two books can be found here and here.

I have done a couple of cruises now. The first was with a friend and our boys, who had just turned 18. The biggest mystery for us was if we could find them on the ship and how much money they could spend on board over the course of 10 days. Those balloon glass cocktails are expensive!

My husband and I are going on our next cruise in a couple of months time. I hope it is a lot less eventful than the one in this book.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.


Rating 4/5

Three friends, Janet, Viv and Zelda who are all widows, decide to go on a cruise the week before Christmas, on the QM2. They found the cruise was only going to New York and decided they would do it. Little did they know what they would discover on the cruise. They had arranged it so they would only have a table for three, but the first night they discovered it was a table for four. Primrose Carmichael, was going to be at their table.
This is the start of an adventure, that intrigues, all the women, are they are trying to solve the mystery, that is now part of their journeys.
I have never been on a cruise, but this was my kind of cruise. Friendship, excitement, and them coming together to figure out what was going on, that I forgot I was on a ship in the middle of the ocean. The adventure continues as they pull into New York, and it was nice seeing the sites of New York.
The author did an amazing job on telling this story, it made me feel like I was right there with them. Sometimes reading is the best way to have an adventure, and this was one of those times.
I received an ARC from Boldwood Books through NetGalley.

I have not read the previous books in this series. Would it have helped me enjoy this story better? I am not sure.
A story about widows heading out on a trip on the Queen Mary. Heading from the UK to New York.
There is mystery and romance throughout the story.
A question to ponder while reading this story…….Is age just a number????
Widows Waive the Rules is a cute story about life after loss. And, the bond of friendship.
I would like to read the books in order so I know more of the backstory to the main characters.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received a free copy of, Widows Waive the Rules, by Julia Jarman, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Zelda, Janet and Viv are members of a widows wine club. They decide to go on a cruise, for a relaxing holiday. This was a nice read, I enjoyed it.

The Widows are back in another mystery and this time t's personal. These characters are easy to love, they support each other through thick and thin and rely on each other. Just as friends should do. If you love cozies, you'll love WIDOWS WAIVE THE RULES

Widows Waive the Rules is part of a series. However, I was able to read it as a stand alone and enjoy it without having read any of the other books.

Widows features 3 friends who embark on a trans atlantic crossing from the UK to New York. It was a light hearted read that featured some mystery as well as some romance.

Though the story was cute the mystery itself was not very compelling and I felt like the story couldn't sustain itself in parts.

Overall, this is a quick, cute story about friendship and life after loss. Definitely worth a read if you are a fan of contemporary women's fiction.

A very amusing mood-lifter!

Although I haven't managed to read all of this series, this isn't the first novel I've encountered with the Widows and they make for very enjoyable reading. This time round, they set off across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2, getting a luxury cruise at a bargain price.

The author creates a fun cast of characters and while there are laughs-a-plenty, there is also a bit of mystery thrown in. An excellent read and one I would recommend, especially to fans of Judy Leigh. For me, 4.5* and one I'm happy to recommend.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always my honest, original and unbiased review.

Lighthearted adventure with twists

This is the 2nd book in this series that I have read and thoroughly enjoyed. As a senior woman, I do a lot of reading and love stories that I can identify with such as these. There's an interesting setting of the Queen Mary 2 ship crossing the Atlantic, with all the entertainment and activities, a bit of romance and a bit of intrigue. All in all, though, a satisfying ending. Nice entertaining read, not 'great literature' but that's not my preference, anyway!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via netgalley with no obligation. This review is optional and my own opinion.

Having enjoyed Julia Jarman’s The Widow’s Wine Club, I couldn’t wait to dive into Widows Waive the Rules and reunite with the indomitable trio of Viv, Janet, and Zelda. This time, the women are off on an adventure aboard the luxurious Queen Mary 2, aiming to lift Janet’s spirits after her latest heartache. While this book builds on the characters introduced in the earlier book, this book could still be read as a standalone.

Jarman brings the ship to life with her vivid descriptions of its grandeur, from tai chi classes to elegant evening suppers. It was delightful to see the women immersing themselves in the ship’s activities, enjoying a blend of new experiences and mischief. The dynamic between these characters remains one of the book’s highlights, their deep friendship both heartwarming and humorous.

The plot takes an intriguing turn when fellow widow Primrose Carmichael joins the group. Her shared surname with Janet and the eerie similarities between their late husbands spark a mystery that carries the story forward. Watching Viv and Zelda turn amateur sleuths provided some genuinely funny moments, though the pacing occasionally mirrored the slow drift of sea days.

A standout element was the touching romance involving a blind musician and his guide dog. Jarman weaves in his backstory with care, offering both a poignant subplot and a gentle insight into the remarkable bond between guide dogs and their owners.

Final Thoughts:

Although the mystery unfolds at a leisurely pace, I found the resolution satisfying and fitting for the tone of the story. Overall, Widows Waive the Rules offers a charming escape, blending laughter, friendship, and a touch of intrigue. Fans of women’s fiction will enjoy this continuation of the Widows Wine Club’s adventures, and I, for one, look forward to seeing where life takes them next.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

I’d not read the previous books in the series but it read well as a standalone. In this adventure Janet, Viv and Zelda go on a transatlantic cruise in order to help Janet deal with the grief of losing her beloved second husband. However, on board she quickly meets a woman who claims to have known janet’s first husband Malcom. Is everything as simple as it appears to be?
I really liked the story and Zelda’s subplot but sometimes struggled with Janet. Her determination to be friends with Primrose didn’t feel real. Overall a great read though

I read all three books in this series and they were great, but this one fell short on a few things. The editing for one, some paragraphs were duplicated in a few chapters. While in another chapter for example, Zelda's POV was literally cut off mid-rant and I was completely confused. Then the next sentence, Viv's POV started talking about something that I had had no clue about. It was like a cut and paste gone wrong. The ending left you scratching your head wondering "that's it?". There wasn't an epilogue to give you a nice ending, it was just flat. I was a bit disappointed to be honest.

The 4 Musketeers are back and each woman has started a new chapter in their lives. Libby is dating Nicos. Viv has found a new partner, Patrick. Zelda is still single, traveling to Raleigh to visit her family and her father. And a few months ago, Janet lost her second husband unexpectedly to a massive heart attack. She hasn't left her home in months, the girls are very worried about her; she's depressed.

Zelda sees an ad for a voyage on the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship for half the price from December 16-23rd to NY from England, so she talks to Viv and Libby before they approach Janet. They all agree that a change of scenery will definitely help her. Libby won't be going because she's going to Greece with Nicos. Shockingly Janet agrees to go, after a tiny fib is told. But once the girls get aboard, they will get the surprise of their lives from a gold digging,o con-artist

A cute read.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A new author for me so I haven’t read the previous books in the series but it reads easily as a standalone novel. Three widowed friends embark on a cruise to New York the week before Christmas. They are approached by another widowed lady who forces her way into their company and the mystery begins. Light and easy read features the bonds of friendship in later life and the possibilities for sleuthing provided by social media.

the widows wine club go on a cruise to New York, they make a new friend, Zelda, who is not all she appears to be. they have a mystery to solve.

Widows Waive the Rules by Julia Jarman

Zelda, Viv and Janet - the Widows Wine Club/Muscateers - take a cruise to New York to try to cheer up Janet after losing her husband. On board a new friend, Zelda, is not all she seems, and as the cruise goes on shocking revelations are made and the widows need to solve a mystery fast.

I really enjoyed this book, particularly the positive representation of older ladies - not sugar-coating the physical and emotional challenges they face, but full of life and the great joy of friendships and new adventures. I liked the mystery element too - it kept me guessing until the end! Very highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

August 2015, Libby and Zelda, friends, neighbors and members of the muscateers or the widows’ wine club. Libby always could find something to celebrate, so when Zelda receives an email advertising a bargain price she suggests they go in a luxury cruise in December, the week before Christmas, when the weather is cold. The idea came up as Janet, recently widowed, feels her life is not worth living, so her friends want to cheer her up.
While Libby will be in Athens, the three friends, embark in the luxury accomodations.
I really enjoyed this cruise! The three women hace a bond like no other, they share laughs, loss, grief, and every step of the way.
I really enjoyed the story, I like that each character writes her own point of view.
For first time readers, check out the beginning of the series: The Widows’ Wine Club (book #1) and Widows on the Wine Path (book #2)
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