This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

I enjoyed getting to know Bird and her new friends as well as following along as they tried to unravel the truth behind the murder of Chase Perkins. All of the characters were likeable and fun and I loved how no matter what they were doing, the author managed to bring the story back to cheese, including many interesting tips and making my mouth water as they were described, particularly the grilled cheeses. There is a twist in the end which most people should see coming as it’s somewhat mentioned a few times but it does surprise you in the way it plays out. Looking forward to more from this author and hopefully Bird also.

Audio was well done, no issues

"Cheddar Luck Next Time" by Beth Cato has the makings to be a great first book in a series if it gets more in the same story world. Bird Eakles is moving into her grandmother's home after her grandmother goes missing and is presumed dead. It's been a rough year for Bird from not only that loss but she also the loss of both her parents to a car accident. She also is finally getting established in her cheese board business. All with navigating the world as an autistic.

Being autistic myself, I found Bird quite relatable. The need to know why behind things especially. Maybe that's why cozy mysteries are a special interest of mine. They do a lot of solving the why of things. This one is all about the odd death of the town's local problem person and one of Bird's close family friends is a suspect. Bird might be as well. So, with the strong sense of justice that comes with being autistic (also very relatable to me), Bird does what she can to clear herself and her friend.

I do want to point out that though this book does fall in cozy mystery territory for the most part, there is one chapter that does get a tad on the overly detailed side for how the victim died. It's more from a medical sense. Totally worth it from my point of view but may make some truly hardcore cozy mystery readers squirm a bit. So, if detailed medical explanations of a how a death happened aren't your thing, skip chapter 16.

Tempted by the title, stayed for the story...

First, I loved that the leading lady is autistic. And that no one treated her poorly. Bird Nichols is still mourning the loss of her grandmother so soon after the death of her parents in car accident. She has reluctantly moved into her grandmother's home. Second, cheese boards. There are cheese based mysteries but this is my first one based around a cheese board cottage business. I like learning more about that. Third, diverse cast of characters. There are different nationalities and ethnic groups represented. 
Grandma's mystic floats throughout the story. She was seen in distress and presumed drowned. But her impact on her town persists. This both helps and hinders Bird as she tries to the solve the murder the local troublemaker she found dead on the side of the road.
Dale was charming and of course a good match, being the owner of a Grilled Cheese restaurant and all.
I was surprised about the killer but not the reason. There was a clue early on that I thought was strange so it stuck with me. While the murder was solved I was left wondering, who was Grandma Lucille? This story was a reminder that no one is all good nor all bad, we’re made up of layers. I hope there is another book in the works so Bird gets to learn more about the person her parents kept her away from.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #DaturaBooks and #BrillianceAudio for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story.

Happy Reading!

First and foremost, thank you to Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing and Audio for the aARC of Cheddar Luck Next Time.

Format: Audiobook

Review:
Cheese, cats, and murder? Yes, please!

What an absolutely awesome palette cleanser! Cheddar Luck Next Time is a fun and cozy murder mystery centered on Bird, an autistic small business owner who, after the death of her parents a year ago, and the death of her grandmother less than a year later, is moving into her grandmother's home in the tiny town of Foghorn California with a permanent population of less than 100.

Within her first 24 hours of moving, Bird kicks the town nuisance, Chase, off her property, immediately making herself an enemy. Not long after the heated meeting, she finds his car crashed in a ravine and Chase dead. But it wasn't the car crash that killed him. Now, cheese loving and autistic Bird is thrown into a murder investigation where everyone has a motive and no one seems to have an alibi, including herself.

There wasn't a single character in this book that I didn't adore.
I found myself reflected very heavily in Bird.
Dale was adorably sweet with his cheese sandwiches and kittens.
Grizz was comforting.
Rita gave off the perfect 'HOA Karen' vibes (which while I hate, made her character perfect for what it was there for).
There were of course, more characters, but the true star of the show was Bowser, the cat Bird unexpectedly found herself caring for in the midst of the murder investigation.

There's a couple reasons I couldn't quite give it five ⭐'s
Despite it being a cozy mystery, I still would have liked a little less predictability. It felt like everything was kind of given away a bit too early on.
Why did this audiobook censor the word 'sexy'? I rewound three times to verify that when Bird thought Dale asking if he wanted him to help her or let her handle an injury on her leg was 'sexy', that word was definitely cut out. I have never experienced this in an Audiobook before, but this is my first NetGalley audio. I listened to this via the NetGalley app and wonder if this had something to do with it. Will absolutely update my review if this turns out to be the case.

All in all, it was fun, it was cozy, it was cheesy, it was everything you'd expect from a book titled 'Cheddar Luck Next Time'.

My monthly reading breakdown for March will be posted on Tiktok and IG during the first week of April.

A lot of telling not showing. Bird is annoying and I couldn't take most of it seriously
I know it's a cozy mystery... maybe it would've been better if I read it instead of listening

Thank you.NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

This was an interesting story. It kept my attention throughout but still fell a little short for me. There were some areas that were left unanswered or unexplained, and i think it would have benefited the story to include them.

Also i understand the cheese focus and her hyper fixation from her autism but it became alot.

'Cheddar Luck Next Time' is a quirky mystery set in California. The likable lead, Bird, unexpectedly becomes an amateur investigator to clear the name of a grandfather-like figure in town. I noticed similarities to 'The Maid': Bird is on the spectrum, adores her one-of-a-kind grandmother, is passionate about her profession, and falls for a kind-hearted chef. As a cheese lover, I particularly enjoyed the facts and tasty bites sprinkled throughout the book.

I recommend this audiobook to any fan of cozy mysteries! Dominique Salvacion is an engaging narrator.

Special thanks to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Cheese puns? Um yes please. This book made me ravenously crave cheese. Not mad about it. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery! Could the next one be donuts?

Uuuummmm hello! Cheddar Luck Next Time was so stinking cute! I already loved cheese, but not nearly to the extent of Bird Nichols. I actually learned a lot about cheese from this book, which in and of itself was awesome. There are so many things I loved about this book… The twist at the end, the amount of cheese knowledge, the Autism representation… The list goes on. If this were to become a series, I would absolutely read the next one too, and probably the one after that, and the one after that.

Bird Nichols goes through a lot of different trials after moving into the home she inherited from her deceased grandmother. From boxes being mysteriously unpacked to finding a dead body, everything is nonstop. Being autistic, it’s clear she has that justice sensitivity, and can’t help but to look for answers in this murder mystery. Along the way, she makes new friends and even a love interest. (Who just so happened to also be a complete cheese nerd. Lucky her!) Follow along as the plot thickens! I absolutely recommend this book, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Cheddar Luck Next Time is a super fun cozy mystery. I am not huge on them, but I am so glad I gave this one a shot. The way the plot unfolded, giving little hints here and there while managing to keep the intrigue was great. While some things were predictable, others did surprise me. I loved how the author did her research regarding all the cheeses and it just makes you think about your own local cheese makers !

The characters of this small town were an absolute delight. They were well crafted, well developed and ultimately felt real. Bird is just such a lovable FMC you can't help but get attached to her immensely. The autism representation was done beautifully. It made Bird even more lovable for me with her quirks, ways of reacting, thinking, it just brought so much to the story. I loved how the author constructed the plot, how she wove in the cheese business there, which was super original and different. The added slow burn romance was adorable, they were so darn sweet together.

Overall, this was a super fun, cozy and cute mystery and I am really looking forward to the next installments if this becomes a series. Very happy I gave this a shot! I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed it!

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @brilliancepublishing & @bethcato for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and I am not a cheese lover. The story moves at a fast pace and is full of surprises, some of which you will see coming and others not to much but that just makes it all the more fun. The mystery was good and while there was a fair amount of talk about cheese, it wasn't over the top and the story stayed on point. The story was well crafted to keep the mystery running and also give you background or home life drama involving Bird. Who is a great mean character, authors don't tend to acknowledge autism in cozy mystery stories, so to feature one who has found ways to cope and even thrive is great, especially as it makes for interesting characters. Actually I liked all the characters and there little quirks, the killer came as a big surprise. Of course there is usual love interest, who is a nice and the cute kitty. A series I will be keeping an eye on.
After the car crash that killed her parents and then the apparent accidental drowning of her grandmother, the year hasn't been good for Bird Nichols. Moving into her grandmother's house to start a new business is supposed to be the new start and quiet she needs. Instead she finds a teen boy causing havoc on her property grounds, who is later found dead after she and an old family friend Grizz confronts him. With the police looking closely at the two of them, Bird has no choice but to ask questions herself. Especially when a beating lands another resident in the hospital and Grizz still can't provide an alibi for his whereabouts. Can Bird keep her friend and herself out of jail by find the motive for the murder?
I liked the narrator. She gave the characters some good voices and even a couple of accents made an appearance, all of which kept it entertaining and the story come alive. I would listen to her again.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.