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Cozy Mystery

Public Anchovy #1: A Deep Dish Mystery (Deep Dish Mysteries Book 3) 

316 pages St. Martin’s Paperbacks December 26, 2023 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Public Anchovy #1 is the third book in Mindy Quigley’s delectable Deep Dish Mystery series, set in a Wisconsin pizzeria.

While Geneva Bay’s upper crust gets ready to party down at a Prohibition-themed fundraiser, pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is focused on seeing her struggling restaurant through the winter slow season. The temperature outside is plummeting, but Delilah’s love life might finally be heating up, as hunky police detective Calvin Capone seems poised to (finally) make a move.

But Delilah’s hopes of perfecting a new “free-from” pizza recipe for a charity bash are dashed when a dead body crashes the party. Soon, Capone, Delilah, and her entire staff are trapped in an isolated mansion and embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

To catch an increasingly-desperate killer, Delilah will have to top all of her previous crime-solving accomplishments, and a few pizzas, too.

MY THOUGHTS

Though this is book three in the series it is my first read of the Deep-Dish mystery series. I will be going back and reading the others in the series very soon.


Geneva Bay’s pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is doing a fundraiser at a swanky mansion the upper crust is attending. All is going well until a distraction is caused by a need to change the pizza recipe to accommodate dietary restrictions.


Chef O’Leary’s cat stows away in a mixer box and so we’re treated to its presence the whole story through. With cat like accuracy, we don’t get much out of the cat as far as listening but when it’s time to eat and shenanigans are to be found you know that cat is involved.


With a heavy storm happening and the generator not kicking on the lights not working lead to the atmosphere of suspense with a body found at the mansion where all the staff are trapped because it’s unsafe to leave. A cat and mouse game as the suspense mounts and then another body is found. Kept me guessing right til the end as I wouldn’t have suspected the suspect or the reason for it either.


I’m excited to try the gluten free pizza crust recipe for my daughter who has this food restriction. There are many recipes included, and I am going to try a few others as well. The descriptions of the foods sound so yummy. Looking forward to reading more in this series soon.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

THE AUTHOR

Mindy Quigley is the author of two cozy mystery series. Her most recent, the Deep Dish Mysteries (St. Martin’s Press), has been featured in Parade, Woman’s World, and Kirkus Reviews.

Mindy’s non-writing career has been stranger than fiction, taking her from the US to the UK, where she worked as the personal assistant to the scientist who cloned Dolly the sheep, and as project manager for a neurology research clinic founded by the author J.K. Rowling.

She lives in Virginia, with her Civil War history professor husband and their children.

Enjoy your day and have a slice of pizza. 🙂

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Blog Tour for Pepper Lane Sweet Shoppe

ABOUT THE BOOK

Pepper Lane Sweet Shoppe

Welcome to Pepper Bay, where you’ll find love, drama, and a happily ever after.

Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight – Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Alison Sherlock, Rachael Lucas, and Holly Martin.

The Pepper Bay books are standalone stories, best read in order, that intertwine with recurring characters.

Pepper Lane Sweet Shoppe: Erin Mason didn’t know she had any family left, so when she inherits a sweet shop, she’s not entirely sure what to do. There isn’t much else going on in her life, so she goes to check it out in Pepper Bay. After all, a short trip to the Isle of Wight is hardly going to change her life.

MY THOUGHTS

The Pepper Bay series is quite an entertaining series. I’ve read quite a few books in the series, but not all, yet. These are a great comfort read with characters you can relate to and emphasize with.
The beautiful bay on the Isle of Wright sounds charming and I’m sure I’d feel right at home there.


This was a smile my way through it comfort read.
I’ll admit I’m a sucker for sweet shops in books, it must be a comfort thing taking me back to my childhood.


: Erin Mason is stunned to realize she has inherited a sweet shop when she didn’t even realize she had any family left. Not getting on the best with her mother she was never told she had a grandfather while he was living so that took away any chance, she had of knowing the man. After his death she inherits his sweet shop. That would be a terrible thing to have happen to you.


Traveling the short distance to Pepper Bay she investigates the shop and apartment above. Through her grandfather’s sweet shop employee, she’s able to make a decision on whether to sell the shop or reopen it. I enjoyed the fun interaction Erin had with her new friend, there are some pretty funny interactions.

It was lovely seeing her fitting right in with the town’s folks and his friends, it’s as though she was meant to be there, but does this mean a new romance is in the works too?

Books in the series aren’t overly long, so you get a full and fun read but don’t get bogged down when time is short. I keep making fun new discoveries while reading this series. Every time I read one of these books, I realize why this is one of my favorite series.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase Link – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pepper-Lane-Sweet-Shoppe-Book-ebook/dp/B0CNVD4DYB

VISIT OTHR BLOGS ON THE TOUR

AUTHOR BIO

Author Bio – Hello, I’m K.T. Dady. I’m the bestselling author of the Pepper Bay series. I’m also a chocolate lover, mum to a grown-up daughter, and a huge fan of a HEA. I was born and raised in the East End of London, and I’ve been happily writing stories since I was a little girl. When I’m not writing, I’m reading, baking cakes, or pottering around in my little garden in Essex, trying not to kill the flowers.

Social Media Links –

https://www.instagram.com/kt_dady

https://www.facebook.com/ktdady

Thank you for stopping in. I hope you’re having a wonderful day.

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Paris, Pumpkins, and Puns: A Sweet Fake Dating Romcom

325 pages Cinnamons Rolls and Pumpkin Spice series September 24, 2024 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

n a city known for its romantic clichés, can reality surpass the fantasy?

Paris in the fall.

The Eiffel tower, the blanket of colorful leaves on the ground of the Jardin du Luxembourg, the picturesque cobbled streets of Montmartre.
Sounds amazing, right? That’s exactly what I thought when my boss offered me to come here to critique restaurants.

Well, the reality is a completely different beast.

There is no accordion music playing in the street, the city smells like smoke, and I have yet to see a single guy wearing a beret! This was all a lie.

To top it all, I’m now a prisoner of this city because of a national strike keeping all planes on the ground and flooding hotels capacities. At least one cliché wasn’t false.

Enter Olivier Brun, chef of a Michelin star restaurant and as hot as a pizza oven who offers me a room and even cooks me breakfast.
So, when he asks me to pretend to be his date for his matchmaking mom’s birthday, I return the favor.

As we get to know each other through pun-filled cooking lessons, farmer’s market outings and autumn festivals, I start to fall in loaf with Paris… and Olivier.
Suddenly, the idea of relocating here isn’t as crazy.

But does Olivier feel the same? And if he does, will he be able to get past the fact that I lied about my job?

Paris, Pumpkins & Puns is a closed-door romcom with cozy autumn vibes, plenty of cooking puns and an irresistible Frenchman.

Fans of Fake Dating and Secret Identity, you’ll enjoy this standalone novel full of laughs and sizzling chemistry without the explicit scenes!

Enjoy the other full-length books in the Cinnamon Rolls and Pumpkin Spice series, which can be read in any order:

Hating the Cinnamon Roll CEO by Camilla Evergreen
Falling for Autumn (Again) by Jen Atkinson
Paris, Pumpkins & Puns by Marion De Ré
Fall With Me by Amanda P. Jones
Cinnamon & Spice Conundrum by Leah Busboom
Cinnamon Roll Set Up by Genny Carrick
Coffee Break with the Billionaire by Holly Kerr
The Friendly Fall by Kristine W. Joy

MY THOUGHTS

It’s almost Fall so what am I doing? Reading Fall themed books of course and this one hits the nail right on the head. Who doesn’t love a rom com with the cutest Fall cover?


An American food critic is sent to Paris to do food reviews for her work. Now a person dining alone in Paris maybe should set off bells but after taking over his dad’s restaurant head chef, Oliver doesn’t think anything about it he just wants to impress his customers. He can’t help thinking how pretty this American customer is but she’s less than impressed with this bland cooking.

When she can’t find a place to stay at a hotel he offers her a room at his house. She takes it on a friends only basis. But when his mother tries once again to matchmake for him he tells her he has a new girlfriend, let the fake dating begin.

What happens when your fake dating rules seem to become more of a bother as each day comes along. This foodie rom com is filled with delicious sounding food preparations on every page, the essence and elegance of Paris, and marvelous Fall vibes. What happens when you want to stop the fake dating and for it to become the real thing?

When Oliver realizes she has kept a huge secret from him will she have to leaf? Filled with fun puns and lots of French language which only added to the charm of the story. I’d love to read more by the author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Marion De Ré is an Amazon Bestelling author of closed-door romantic comedies with sass, swoonn and sizzle. She lives in the French countryside with her husband and adorable cat. You can expect all your beloved tropes in her writing as well as a good dose of humor and all the feels. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her on a plane to a far-away destination or in a Champagne cellar, indulging in a tasting of her favorite drink. 

Get a free story by susbcribing to Marion’s newsletter directly on her website!

Thank you for stopping in. Share a smile today.

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Blog Tour for The Sticky Toffee Pudding Club: (Little Duck Pond Café)

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Sticky Toffee Pudding Club

After bonding with the lovely Jensen as they save a dog in trouble, Annalise – new to Sunnybrook – is gutted when they part without swapping numbers. She’d had the weirdest feeling he could be The One but now she might never see Jensen again. When she loses her new job in a wedding boutique, her week goes from bad to worse – until Maddy and the café crew come to her rescue with an exciting solution. The Pudding Club. Can Annalise rise to the challenge and – with the help of the Little Duck Pond Café crew – start teaching others how to make her glorious puds? And could The Pudding Club be the key to finding Jensen again?

MY THOUGHTS

The Little Duck Pond Cafe series is right up there amongst my favorites of series, which of course means I have to read every one of them.
Look at it this way, can you really go wrong with a book filled with everything pudding?
I was smiling my whole way through the book, what’s not to love, a mischievously adorable rescue dog named Barley, a granny so kind that you’re rooting for, laughs, charming characters and glorious puddings. Though a novella length story this has all that’s needed for a fabulous storyline.
The romance was such a fun addition and really hope to see these characters included in another book by the author. Having a pudding shop sounds like so much fun and the pudding demonstrations were making me hungry with the mention of so many different types of pudding. I’m always happy to see authors mention the adoption of animals and hope this encourages someone to rescue their forever pet. Love the author’s books and it’s such an exciting time to read them.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own

VISIT OTHER BLOGS ON THE TOUR

Purchase Link

Author Bio – Rosie Green’s Little Duck Pond Cafe series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe and most can be read as stand-alone stories. (‘The Sunshine Sisters’ is a trilogy within the Little Duck Pond Café series and it would benefit from being read in order: Aurora, Skye and Blossom.) Look out for ‘Cosy Nights & Snowball Fights’, and ‘Maddy’s Christmas Wedding’, both out later this year in time for the festive season!

Follow Rosie on Twitter – https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green88

Thank you for stopping in. Have a lovely day.

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THE SUNDAY POST

THE SUNDAY POST

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. 

I hadn’t posted this meme last week because of my injury, sorry. I saw my doctor Friday just like ER told me to. I am still in pain and can put a little weight on my foot. My dr said walk on it so it doesn’t get stiff. I did some walking yesterday and it hurt worse for the rest of the night. If it continues like this, I’ll need to see an orthopedic dr and see what the next steps are. Am I getting more reading done, I guess so.

73+ Heirloom Apples You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Ananas Reinette

Origin: From the Netherlands in the early 1800s, around 1820-1825.

Flavor: Sweet and oftentimes compared to that of pineapple.

WHAT I READ LAST WEEK

Top 5 health benefits of apples

NETGALLEY GRABS LAST WEEK

I’ve been cutting back on netgalley requests this year. These are both for blog tours upcoming.

WHAT TO DO WITH APPLES: 25+ DELICIOUS RECIPES

Growing Apple Trees: The Complete Guide to Plant, Grow, & Harvest Apples

Apple Production by country

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend. Thanks for stopping in.

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A Tale of Two Cookies: A Cookie House Mystery

323 pages St. Martin’s Paperbacks April 27,2021 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

In A Tale of Two Cookies, a cozy mystery from Eve Calder, it’s nothing but sugar and spice at The Cookie House, but elsewhere on Coral Cay everything isn’t so nice.

Pastry chef Kate McGuire is loving life on the laid-back island of Coral Cay, Florida. As junior partner in a bakery renowned for luscious desserts—especially her cookies—life is pretty sweet. So when an old friend arrives and announces a spur-of-the-moment beach wedding, that’s just the icing on the wedding cake.

But the groom vanishes right as a television crew descends on the town to film a hot, new realty show. Is there a connection? Is her friend Desiree somehow involved? Or did groom Judson simply get cold feet? The bride and groom were paired better than warm cookies and cold milk, so Kate doesn’t buy it.

As the show’s cast runs amok on the island and the investigation into Judson’s disappearance heats up, Kate and her pal Maxi, along with town dog Oliver, will brave the rambunctious world of reality TV and a wedding weekend gone awry, in an all-out effort to find the missing groom.

Taste of Home Oatmeal raisin cookies recipe

MY THOUGHTS

A Tale of Two Cookies is the third book in the Cookie House Mystery series. I do enjoy cozy mysteries that involve bakeries. I enjoyed reading about the different types of cookies and baked goods being made and the ingredients used in the recipes.
Now this one is a bit different in the sense that the mystery has no body, just a disappearance.


Coral Cay, Florida is the beautiful setting the wedding will take place in. Sure, it was a quick romance but with the sun, sand and the scents of fresh baked goods in the air a wedding just felt right. Sticking with the old tradition of the bride not seeing the groom until the morning of the wedding when he doesn’t show up everyone is wondering, did he get cold feet?

Could the movie crew that shows up in this tropical location just as the man disappears have something to do with his disappearance? The location of Coral Cay, Florida sounds like it would be a relaxing place to visit. Is the prospective groom dead or just missing? The story had a great plot that wasn’t the same as many others I’ve read.

The small town feel of the book kept it charming and the characters were all so helpful.
This is an author I’ll be reading more of.

Pub Date 27 Apr 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Taste of Home Cranberry Lime Macaroons recipe

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Florida native Eve Calder writes the Cookie House mysteries — featuring pastry chef Kate McGuire — for St. Martin’s Press. Look for AND THEN THERE WERE CRUMBS and the new release, SUGAR AND VICE. And visit her website, CookieHouseMysteries.com, for all kinds of Cookie House extras.

Do you enjoy reading cozy mysteries too? Thank you for stopping in today. Have a wonderful day.