Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns

I liked the cover of this book and figured I should give it a try. I wasn't really paying attention to the story until they mentioned the border of Indiana and Michigan where I grew up. Instantly, I started paying more attention - I know this town!

That wasn't what kept me reading though, instead it's getting to watch Maddy slowly figure out how to be an adult standing on her own two feet. 

As we get to know her, it seems that Maddy has always been cossetted and protected by her colonel father. After her ex dumped her basically at the altar, Maddy is ready for a change. Inheriting her aunt's bakery in New Bison makes for an opportunity to get out of town. Once there, she finds out that she's also inherited a large English mastiff named Baby. But there is also a mystery. It seems Maddy's Aunt Olivia was somewhat expecting that she may die and she's left behind the clues for Maddy to follow. 

The characters are fun. The mystery is maybe a little thin and there are some threads left hanging but I overall enjoyed the book.

Four stars
This book came out August 30, 2022

Followed by Murder is a Piece of Cake

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Time for Love by Stephanie Laurens

Looking for a steel mill to supply his other business concerns, Martin Cynster believes he can talk Miss Sophia Carmichael into selling. When he meets her, he is not shocked by her business acumen (he has too many accomplished women in his family for that, but he is drawn in by her beauty. He is also concerned because not one but two accidents happen while he is there. Why is someone trying to sabotage her business? He knows it's not him and he doesn't think it's the other person vying for her business, Oliver. Oliver and Martin don't know each other well but Martin knows him well enough to assume that he wouldn't do anything so underhanded. 

Oliver was an odd addition in this book. I'm assuming that he is sequel bait but we are also left with Toby, Dalziel's son. Also interesting was that all of the conflict for Sophy and Martin was external. They basically see each other and are ready to hop in. The mystery was a little weak and the ending, with the redemption of the criminal, felt odd. 

Three stars

This book came out August 18, 2022

Follows Foes, Friends, and Lovers

Followed by Miss Flibbertigibbet and the Barbarian

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

When the first book ended, there was an apparent hit set on Finlay Donovan's ex-husband. But who would want to kill him? Well, technically she would. And any of the other women he's cheated on her with could definitely be defined as suspects. But Finn just doesn't want to worry about it. Until it appears that someone else has picked up the contract. Now she's worried because her kids might just be in the line of fire as well.

Lots of characters from the first book, even one that was sort of a passing name. I didn't love the end or the explanation for what was going on with Finn's ex but I did like seeing the friendship between Finn and her nanny/body-burying partner grow. 

Four stars

This book came out February 1, 2022

Follows Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

Followed by Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Spy x Family, Vol. 8 by Tatsuya Endo

 The Forgers are on a cruise. Yor is supposedly on a trip for work but really is trying to protect the last of a crime family. And that is most of the story. Loid and Anya are also on the boat and Anya is trying to help her adoptive mother but mostly gets in the way.

Four stars

This book came out November 4, 2021

Follows Vol. 7

Followed by Vol. 9

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic by Betty MacDonald

Oh my goodness. I had forgotten how much I loved the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books. Every book is a collection of children with bad manners who are taught how to behave through some magical cure provided by Mrs. P-W. This particular book includes the tattle-tale cure (every time the children tattle, a big cloud with a tail forms above their heads), the interrupter cure (when someone tries to interrupt, their mouth either stays open or opens and shuts without noise), the sloppy eater cure (pig teaches child how to eat)and, one of my favorites, the cure for a heedless child (pills that make the child slow down so she has time to think before she breaks things.

Of course, none of these would work for today's kids (notwithstanding the fact that none of these things actually exist) but it's still a cute lesson for kids on how to behave.

Four stars
This book came out in 1949

Follows Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

Followed by Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Her Unexpected Roommate by Jackie Lau

Rose Pang is the last in her group of friends to be single. Would she like love? Sure. But she's got depression and her mental health is not the greatest. Should she be hooking up with a guy she just met? Maybe not. But he is really hot. Too bad he ghosts her.

Caleb Dempsey was just as into Rose as she was to him, but his phone was run over. No seriously. So he is pretty darn happy that his new roommate is the woman he hasn't stopped thinking about for the past seven months. Now he just has to make her believe that his story is true.

Three stars

This book came out August 29, 2023

Follows Her Favorite Rebound

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Take the Lead by Alexis Daria

This book is a re-release but feels incredibly fresh. 

Gina Morales is one of the experts on a television dance program. She has been on the show for awhile but has never won. She needs to come out on top so that she can stay on the show. Hopefully she gets matched up with someone famous. Well, he sort of is.

Stone Nielsen became famous when his family with eight siblings was scouted for a reality show when they lived in the wilderness. He hates it. But he needs the money to help pay for his mom's surgery so... more reality television. 

While their show handler feels different, Gina does NOT want to have a showmance. First, she wants to be taken seriously as a dancer and second, she doesn't want to perpetuate the myth of Latinas being oversexed. But she is fiercely attracted to Stone and they start a romance behind the scene.

What happens if their personal time together becomes public? How will the chips fall?

A little too much of a big misunderstanding at the end, just too much drama but overall a fantastic book.

Four stars

This book comes out February 14, 2023

ARC kindly provided by St. Martin's Press and NetGalley

Opinions are my own