Love Felt Like This is the story of Beverly and Griffin. Beverly is a sunny puppeteer. Griffin is a gruff musician who is a single dad to a two year old daughter, Ava. They come together, unexpectedly, over work and discover they work surprisingly well together. Griffin travels to Beverly's small North Carolina mountain hometown with his daughter. They stay with Beverly's family so he can work on some children's songs for the TV show she is working to revive; Griffin also is working on original music after a long writing block. They begin to connect personally, despite many obstacles. What happens next is their story.
I wanted to read Love Felt Like This because I loved the author's If It Makes You Happy last year. The characters in this story sounded appealing and unique.
I am now putting Julie Olivia on my list of authors that I always look for. I have absolutely loved her last two novels. Love Felt Like This is such a fresh and utterly original love story. Beverly and Griffin felt so real. Their story is warm and sincere. They meet while working on their respective careers - which are both in a challenging place. A relationship is the last thing either of them is looking for.
Olivia had a long and difficult relationship with her high school sweetheart turned musician. Griffin's priorities are getting his songwriting back on track and taking care of his young daughter. I loved the friendship that sparks first between them, with sparks they both resist. These are characters I genuinely liked. Olivia's work was fascinating; I have to say I've never read a book about a puppeteer before, especially with a lot of behind the scenes work details. I also really loved her family, who are an important part of this story. (And Pudge the Basset Hound!)
I enthusiastically recommend Love Felt Like This for anyone who wants to enjoy a heartfelt back and forth love story between two quirky and likable characters. Five stars!
Thanks to Berkley Publishing Company and Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book.
Grace Caldwell writes cozy mysteries for people who’d bring a book to a murder. An award-winning screenwriter and a professor of creative writing and literature, she’s published across more genres than she can reasonably list at a dinner party, but cozy mysteries are where she feels most at home. She lives in Central Florida with two fluffy feline assistants, Elsa and Anna, who supervise every page and approve of none of her deadlines.
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Giveaway
Merry Wilkinson, who owns a Christmas shop in Rudolph, New York, is excited about a big Halloween season fundraiser at the local inn. Her best friend, Vicky, is providing baked goods for the event - all from her new cookbook, which is about to be published. Unfortunately, a guest dies - after eating one of Vicky's cake pops. As danger (and spooky happenings!) increases, Merry tries to solve the mystery.
I wanted to read 'Tis the Season to Be Scary because I love cozy mysteries and enjoy the Year-Round Christmas Mystery series.
As always, I enjoyed the holiday theme in this book -- with Halloween as well as plenty of Christmas references, thanks to Merry's shop.
I like Merry as an amateur detective. She's smart and resourceful, even in the face of danger (and there is a scary car chase in this book). I also like her boyfriend Alan, her friends, her family, and - of course - her Saint Bernard dog Matterhorn.
This is a well written, lively paced mystery. There were several strong suspects and I enjoyed sleuthing along with Merry. (I was suspicious of the killer!)
I recommend 'Tis the Season to Be Scary for fans of cozy mysteries, and especially for readers who enjoy small town settings and holiday themes.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book.
Clare Cosi is hosting a special party at her coffeehouse, Village Blend, in NYC. It's a birthday party for Ava Welsh's boyfriend Ryan. Ava grew up with Clare's daughter Joy and is like one of the family. Ryan is planning to propose to Ava at the party, so it looks like a joyous occasion ... until a mysterious woman is thrown off the balcony by someone who looks like Ryan. Ryan takes off running and Clare works to solve the mystery and clear his name.
I wanted to read Eat, Drink, and Get Buried because I enjoy cozy mysteries and love this series. The Village Blend setting feels like a visit with old friends.
This is such a strong mystery! It has so many elements I enjoy in cozies. The mystery is set up very early on when Ryan is almost the victim of a hit and run accident before the party. The chapters are short but full of drama and developments, so the book has a lively pace. With Ryan on the run (and with Ava and Joy in danger) the stakes are very high.
I have suggested this series several times to friends and enthusiastically recommend Eat, Drink and Get Buried. It is such an enjoyable, fast paced read - sure to please anyone who enjoys NYC or restaurant settings.
Book Synopsis
When the Village Blend caters a glittering rooftop party, their creative coffee concoctions are eclipsed by a shocking murder in this thrilling new Coffeehouse Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.
Years ago, when master roaster Clare Cosi was a newly divorced mom raising her daughter, Joy, Ava Welsh became Joy’s best friend. Now the painfully shy girl next door has grown into a successful New York businesswoman, and Clare is delighted to be catering Ava’s coffee-themed party, especially when her boyfriend, Ryan, confides his plan to propose that very night.
Then a scream shatters the celebration. A woman is thrown off the balcony to her death, and Ryan–who abruptly flees the party–is accused of murder. Clare vows to help Ava clear his name.
Her digging uncovers suspicious connections to a deadly event from which a teenaged Joy and Ava barely escaped with their lives. The stakes rise ever higher as a ruthless killer attempts to keep the ugly truth buried–even if it means sending Clare and her caffeinated crew six feet under.
CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries, now celebrating more than 20 years in print, and the national bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries. With more than one million books sold, their works have been translated into Spanish, Japanese, and Czech; received multiple Best of Year selection honors from reviewers; and have been recommended by Booklist as among the best culinary mysteries for core library mystery collections. Alice and Marc are also bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together, wrangle their rescue cats, drink a lot of java, and cook like crazy. Connect with Cleo at CoffeehouseMystery.com
Author Links
Webpage: https://www.coffeehousemystery.com/
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Giveaway
Thanks to Berkeley Publishing Group, Netgalley, and Great Escapes Book Tours for a copy of this book.
