It’s a delight to be a part of the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour with the brand new release, BAD TO THE BONE, by Linda O. Johnston! The protagonist, Carrie Kennersley, is not only a vet technician but also owns a charming bakery, Barkery & Biscuits…actually 2 bakeries on the same premises: one for humans and one for pets. You’ll be drooling over the delightful treats Carrie and her employees bake and it’s probably a good thing your furry friends can’t read because they’d be begging for some special treats as well! 

Word has gotten out about Carrie’s special pet treats and a large pet food manufacturer, VimPets, is interested in buying some of her recipes. When one of the obnoxious sales reps for VimPets is found murdered, (with a pooper-scooper no less!) two of Carrie’s friends are suspects. One of them begs her to clear his name only she’s not so sure of his innocence. A large number of her friends, along with her brother, beg her to not get involved in the murder investigation this time but Carrie just can’t seem to help herself.

The premise of this storyline is cute. I loved all the pets and their owners who frequent Barkery & Biscuits and Carrie has endeared herself to the townspeople. The author brings to the forefront the need for people to adopt rescue animals and the plight that can befall these unfortunate creatures.  The location is in the mountains of Southern California, close to where I live, so I could completely envision the descriptions of the town and its surrounding areas…making me feel at home. Carrie’s romance with veterinarian, Reed, is progressing and is very sweet. I like seeing growth in characters in series, and the author provides that both with the main protagonist and with the close characters surrounding her. The reader will get a good feel for what it takes to run two bakeries and still work part time at the vet’s office. Carrie doesn’t shirk her duties yet manages to find the time to ask questions and try to find out who the murderer is. The grand finale caught me by surprise and wrapped up the plot and subplots in a satisfactory manner. 

Thankfully after you’ve finished drooling on the pages, Linda has provided a recipe for your dog along with a recipe for yourself! She has graciously allowed me to share her recipe for Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies for People. I’ve tried a lot of snickerdoodles before along with pumpkin cookies, and my main complaint is that they’re too cake-like. Linda’s recipe manages to bypass the cake-y texture with this recipe. Crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, these cookies have a subtle pumpkin flavor while the cinnamon and sugar coating provides a burst of sweet spiciness in each bite! And in my own opinion, pumpkin isn’t just for autumn…it’s the perfect treat all year long! 

Amazon Synopsis

Veterinary technician Carrie Kennersly, owner of the Barkery & Biscuits bakery for dogs, is reluctant to sell her recipes to pet food manufacturer VimPets. Jack Loroco, a VimPets representative, assures Carrie that it would be a great opportunity to grow her business. His promising new relationship with Carrie’s friend Billi Matlock doesn’t hurt his cause.

But the budding romance takes a bad turn when Wanda Addler, another VimPets employee, sets her sights on Jack. After threatening to ruin Jack’s career if he doesn’t give her what she wants, Wanda is found dead. Jack and Billi are put at the top of the suspect list, and Carrie is doggone determined to rescue them from a life behind bars.

A very special thank you to Linda O. Johnston for providing 2 print copies of BAD TO THE BONE! This giveaway is administered by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and you can use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends May 21, 2017 and is limited to U.S. residents only. Winners will be announced on this page and on Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours site, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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Tour Participants

May 8 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder 
May 8 – T’s Stuff 
May 9 – My Journey Back 
May 9 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! 
May 10 – Rainy Day Reviews 
May 10 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews 
May 11 – Bookworm Mom
May 11 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers 
May 12 – Readeropolis 
May 13 – Brooke Blogs 
May 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book 
May 14 – Texas Book-aholic 
May 15 – Community Bookstop 
May 15 – Author Annette Drake’s blog 
May 16 – Celticlady’s Reviews 
May 16 – A Blue Million Books 
May 17 – Laura’s Interests 
May 17 – Books Direct 
May 18 – A Chick Who Reads 
May 18 – Island Confidential 
May 19 – Cozy Up With Kathy 
May 20 – Melina’s Book Blog 
May 21 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews 
May 21 – Bibliophile Reviews 

I was provided an advanced copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This past weekend I had the chance to meet up with author Catherine Bruns while at the Malice Domestic conference in Maryland. She is just as delightful in person as she is on-line, and her personality shines through in her brand new release, FROSTED WITH REVENGE! This fourth book in her Cookies & Chance Mystery series had me laughing out loud one moment then gripping my tablet the next, on edge, waiting to see what was going to happen to Sally Muccio. Catherine also captures the angst brides can feel trying to appease their mothers with all the planning while trying to retain their own vision of what they want for their wedding. I’ve always loved Sally’s quirky parents and the author aptly describes them as “loud, proud, and march to the beat of their own drum.” But this time we see a different side to Sally’s mother and come to know her, along with Sally, on a deeper, emotional level. It adds to the appeal of the story.

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The murder plot has so many twists and turns, making the reader feel like they’re on a wicked roller coaster ride. Catherine builds on the initial shock with tension-filled scenes until I was dying to find out if Sally does make it to the church on time. Fortunately, sandwiched in between the tension are moments of humor thanks to Sally’s best friend, Josie, and Sally’s dad, Father Death blogger extraordinaire! Both of these characters bring support to Sally and add to the overall enjoyment of the book. Even though this is the fourth book in the series, it is easily read as a stand-alone…but if you haven’t read any of the proceeding books, you’re going to want to go back and catch up with this delightful series!

Owning a cookie shop, Sally is always baking up lots of yummy cookies that will have you drooling. Fortunately, Catherine provides several recipes at the back of the book. As soon as she mentioned that the traditional Middle Eastern Maamoul Cookies (reminiscent of Italian Wedding Cookies) were from an old family recipe handed down from her aunt, I knew I had to try them. Shortbread style dough is stuffed with dates and/or walnuts (both staples in my house) then formed in beautiful molds. Catherine has provided instructions for making these without using a mold, but I found an inexpensive sturdy plastic one on Amazon, so used that. However, the traditional molds are made with beautiful and intricately carved wood and I’ll have to admit, I had a hard time passing those beauties up. If I had a place to display the carved maamoul molds along with my carved springerle molds and rolling pins, I’d be one happy woman! But back to these delectable cookies… they were a bit time consuming to form, but once I started making them, the time flew by and I enjoyed the creativity of the process along with the gorgeous, delicious results!

Amazon Synopsis

Sally Muccio’s walk down the aisle might be her last. The some-time amateur sleuth and full-time bakery owner is finally marrying the man of her dreams. But during a last minute taste testing of their wedding cake, Sally and her fiancé are witnesses—and almost victims!—of a random shooting. At least they think it’s random, until an original fortune cookie message proves otherwise. Is someone after Sally? And why does the mysterious shooter want to ice the baker? Sal tries to proceed with caution, but when someone close to her is attacked, all bets are off. She’ll do whatever it takes to bring this monster to justice, even if it means sacrificing herself in the process. Can Sal make it to the church on time…and alive?

A huge thank you to Catherine Bruns for providing winner’s choice of print or e-book copy of FROSTED WITH REVENGE for one winner. Contest ends Tuesday, May 9, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

For a short time the e-book copy of FROSTED WITH REVENGE is on sale for $2.99. The author isn’t sure how long this special release price will last so grab the book while you can!

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I was provided an advanced copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Meeting up with Catherine at Malice Domestic 2017

It’s always a pleasure revisiting the town of Cranberry Cove from Peg Cochran’s Cranberry Cove Mystery series! The newest release, DEAD AND BERRIED grabbed my attention from the very first page with its tightly written riveting plot and colorful characters. The heavily Dutch populated town of Cranberry Cove is preparing for Vlaggetjesdag Celebration…Netherland’s Flag Day. I enjoyed the tidbits of information the author provides about Dutch food and customs, along with how they celebrate their holiday. The setting of the Sassamanash Cranberry Farm is eye-opening. The author’s descriptions had me feeling like I was right there. I loved the words she used to paint the picture of seeing the cranberries in bloom, with their delicate pink blossoms. It makes me want to see them for myself! She also brings to life the hard work being a cranberry farmer. The reader learns, right along with protagonist Monica Albertson, some of the things required to produce a successful crop, such as renting bees to pollinate. Peg weaves into the story the plight of the Honeybee due to pesticides, loss of habitats, disease and climate change.

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When another murder happens on Sassamansh Farm, the cranberry farm Monica Albertson’s brother owns, Monica’s determination to find the truth is put to the test. Especially when her employee’s husband, beekeeper Rick becomes the suspect. The victim, Lori, was Rick’s assistant, and as Monica starts asking questions around town, she finds that Lori had made a lot of enemies, including her own boss. There are plenty of suspects and I didn’t see the surprising, suspenseful ending coming! There are also subplots that Monica finds herself involved in. I had to chuckle out loud when she’s horrified to find out the town has a betting pool going on when she’s going to get engaged. But that’s part of the charm of a small town setting…everyone knows everyone else’s business. The author also touches on the heartbreaking situation of elderly people, especially those with dementia, being taken advantage of. This subplot was artfully woven into the plot while bringing to light something that happens much more frequently than we think.

I love browsing through the many cranberry recipes Peg Cochran includes at the back of the book. I want to try them all! In the end I chose to make Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies… an amazing combination of flavors and textures! Semisweet chocolate enhances ruby red tart cranberries, while the crunch of walnuts rounds out the texture of the soft and chewy cookies. I sent a large container of these cookies with my husband and his friends while on a golf trip. He said they disappeared in record time, even though we both thought I had sent more than enough! I’ll be making these again, soon!

Amazon Synopsis

It’s June in Cranberry Cove and Monica Albertson’s plan to sell cranberry relish to chain stores is taking off. The cranberry bogs are in bloom, and local beekeeper Rick Taylor and his assistant Lori Wenk are bringing in bees to pollinate the blossoms.  When a fatal prick fells Lori, the buzz is that Rick is to blame. 

In trying to clear her friend’s name, Monica discovers that more than a few people in Cranberry Cove have felt the power of Lori’s venom, and it looks as if this time she may have agitated the hive a bit too much.  With the fate of the farm on the line, Monica must get to the bottom of the crime before another victim gets stung. 

A huge thank you to Peg Cochran for providing a signed copy of DEAD AND BERRIED for one winner. Contest ends Thursday, May 4, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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I was provided an advanced copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

TOWN IN A MAPLE MADNESS, the eighth book in the Candy Holliday Murder Mystery series by B.B. Haywood, starts off with a bang from the very first page! The author sets the stage, pulling you in, keeping you guessing and turning pages throughout the entire book. The protagonist, Candy Holliday, works part-time for the newspaper in Cape Willington, Maine. She also helps her father, Doc, with their blueberry farm when it’s in season, and helps other farmers in the area during their particular seasonal crop. The town is preparing for a new annual celebration, Maple Madness weekend, to be held in conjunction with the state’s Maine Maple Sunday… and yes, I researched and found out Maine really does hold a Maple Sunday celebration! Cape Willington will be holding demonstrations on how sugar maple sap becomes maple syrup along with many ways to use and eat maple syrup. I was astounded at the variety of food the author weaves into the book and I enjoyed the tidbits of information surrounding the maple syrup small farm industry sprinkled throughout the book. 

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The setting of Cape Willington is a quaint, close-knit town with a history of a long-standing feud between the two wealthiest families who settled the area. There is a mystery surrounding this feud with the thread running through the entire series, however, the books can all be read on their own without the reader getting lost. Being a Southern California gal, my mouth dropped open when I read that Candy thinks it’s almost balmy in late March as spring is arriving… and it’s only a touch above 40 degrees! I have come to the firm conclusion that it takes a hardy person to live and thrive in Maine, especially during winter and early spring. Between the low temperatures and the icy mucky mud the residents have to endure, I have a new found appreciation for people who choose to live there.

However, on the positive side, the residents do get to indulge in fresh maple syrup each season. B.B. Haywood provides plenty of recipes at the back of the book for using pure maple syrup and they all sound fabulous! Being a huge fan of cookies, I chose to make Melody’s Cafe’s Maple Drop Cookies. A generous amount of maple syrup along with maple extract provide the recognizable flavor to these cake-like cookies. I always have a stash of maple sugar in my pantry and sprinkled some on top of the cookies just before baking for added maple sweetness. This recipe makes a lot of small, bite-sized cookies, which are sure to bring a smile to all those you share with! 

Amazon Synopsis

The imminent arrival of spring has the locals gearing up for their sweetest celebration ever—the first annual Maple Madness Weekend. Along with maple sugar house tours, a community-wide marshmallow roast, and a weekend-long pancake breakfast, restaurants will be serving up special maple syrup dishes. But the weekend festivities are put in jeopardy when things start to get sticky…
 
One of Candy’s friends is accused of stealing sap from a rival’s sugar maple trees, and landscaper Mick Rilke is found dead, floating down the river wrapped up in a fisherman’s net. As Candy taps into Mick’s life, his unsavory side comes to light, as well as a possible connection to both crimes. Now it’s up to Candy to follow the flow of suspects to a cold-blooded killer…

A huge thank you to B.B. Haywood for providing a print copy of TOWN IN A MAPLE MADNESS to one winner. Limited to U.S. residents only, please. Contest ends Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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I had the pleasure of being able to read an early copy of PEKOE MOST POISON, the eighteenth book in the Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs! For some unexplained reason, that I seriously need to remedy, this is the first book of this series that I’ve read…and I found I’ve been missing out! The good news is I won’t be short of pleasurable reading for a long time while I catch up. 

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Theodosia Browning owns the Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, South Carolina. Her very good friend, sixty-plus-year-old Drayton Conneley, is her tea sommelier and sidekick. They make a great team and I enjoyed their friendly banter and the way they interacted and cared for each other. Drayton invites Theodosia to attend a ‘Rat Tea’ at the Calhoun Mansion. I found the historical tidbits the author includes on why Charleston society holds Rat Teas, complete with the waitstaff wearing rat costumes, to be intriguing and a bit creepy. She gives the reader a glimpse into a genteel tea party…until the story starts off with a bang and the host drops dead right in front of Theodosia, murdered by poison. The plot continues at a fast pace and I was kept both entertained and guessing as clues were placed throughout the story.

Drayton is ‘blackmailed’ by the widow, who threatens to withhold a large financial grant for his Heritage Society, unless he convinces Theodosia to find the real killer. Theodosia is miffed about the widow using ‘blackmail’ but realizes that she is inherently curious and would be asking questions anyway. I liked that the protagonist is a fix it type of person. When anyone has a problem, they come to her for help in finding resolutions to their sticky issues. She provides assistance from the generosity of her heart and not for financial gain. Theodosia is a very caring person yet manages to retain a sassy attitude. I chuckled out loud as she calls a disagreeable publicist the “Wicked Witch of the West on a nuclear-powered broomstick”! Laura paints vivid pictures using words to describe people and scenes, making the reader feel like they are right there.

Indigo Tea Shop serves all sorts of delectable treats and tea. Fortunately, Laura Childs includes many recipes and tea party tips at the back of the book. She has graciously allowed me to share her recipe for Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies. I’ve eaten these cookies numerous times before but I have never made them myself! They are much easier to make than I thought they would be and the combination of peanut butter and chocolate are a long time favorite. The cookie itself is slightly crispy on the outside yet soft and chewy on the inside. This recipe is definitely a keeper in my household! 

Amazon Synopsis

In the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs, Theodosia Browning attends a “Rat Tea,” where the mice will play…at murder.
 
When Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is invited by Doreen Briggs, one of Charleston’s most prominent hostesses, to a “Rat Tea,” she is understandably intrigued.  As servers dressed in rodent costumes and wearing white gloves offer elegant finger sandwiches and fine teas, Theo learns these parties date back to early twentieth-century Charleston, where the cream of society would sponsor so-called rat teas to promote city rodent control and better public health.
 
But this party goes from odd to chaotic when a fire starts at one of the tables and Doreen’s entrepreneur husband suddenly goes into convulsions and drops dead. Has his favorite orange pekoe tea been poisoned? Theo smells a rat.
 
The distraught Doreen soon engages Theo to pursue a discreet inquiry into who might have murdered her husband. As Theo and her tea sommelier review the guest list for suspects, they soon find themselves drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse…

A very special thank you to Laura Childs for providing a signed hardcover copy of PEKOE MOST POISON for one lucky winner! Contest ends Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST, and limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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I love anything to do with whales! I find them to be majestic, a bit mysterious, creatures that captivate my imagination. I had the lovely good fortune to be in Hawaii one early March during the whales migration and experience a whale breaching at least 30 times within a 20 minute period! Since I am highly susceptible to motion sickness I avoid boats but this whale came close to shore and we could watch from firm ground. It was magnificent and a truly unforgettable experience!

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I was delighted to pick up the new release, WHALE OF A CRIME, the seventh book in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery series by Karen MacInerney. I’ve been a long time fan of this series, and while I haven’t read every single one (they’re on my Kindle waiting for me!) each book is easily read as a standalone. Karen includes heart-tugging scenes regarding the plight of whales and I appreciate how she wove facts about these magnificent mammals into her story. The protagonist, Natalie Barnes, is a personable young woman and as owner of the Gray Whale Inn, finds herself surrounded by colorful characters that add to the appeal of this series. She has a sweet relationship with her niece, Gwen, and I enjoyed seeing their interaction. When Gwen’s mother (and Natalie’s sister) shows up, the fireworks start with the contentious relationship. It adds drama to the story, without detracting from the plot, and had me hoping for a reconciliation. The author deftly wove this subplot into the grand finale with satisfying results.

The mystery itself kept me guessing and I so enjoyed the multi-layered subplots. Between a murder, an old crime of a stolen tiara, someone sabotaging Natalie’s inn, an abandoned kitten, and a whale in distress, the book was never slow. I had a hard time putting it down when it was time to attend to other commitments. Be prepared to be hungry while reading this book as both Natalie and her husband, John, are great cooks! Fortunately, Karen includes numerous recipes at the back of the book, and they all sound fabulous. Karen was gracious enough to allow me to share her recipe for Oatmeal Raspberry Crumble Bars. Oh my, this is one of those treats that I really didn’t want to share with anyone else. Super easy to make, I adapted it to make it both gluten-free and dairy-free so I could share with my husband and my granddaughter’s therapist. See, I did share after all! These delectable bars are melt-in-your-mouth yummy with the sweet tang of raspberry jam and I will certainly be making this again soon!

Amazon Synopsis

When a tour company books the Gray Whale Inn for a full week, innkeeper Natalie Barnes can’t wait to get cooking — and to hitch a ride on the antique schooner Summer Winds, getting up close and personal with the local whales. But when one of the humpback whales turns up dragging a mass of fishing gear from its tail, the tour takes a dark turn. It turns darker still when the schooner’s handsome captain winds up attached to the vessel’s anchor, sixty feet underwater… and not by accident. Before long, the tour naturalist (and Natalie’s best friend’s beau) is behind bars, charged with a murder Charlene swears he didn’t commit. Stir in a surprise visit from Natalie’s quarrelsome sister, midnight kitchen sabotage, a sick orphan kitten, and a mysterious investor with plans for a massive resort on the quaint island, and Natalie’s got a recipe for potential disaster. When a second body turns up just outside the inn, the heat is on Natalie to solve the double murder… or risk ending up with her own goose cooked.

A special thank you to Karen MacInerney for providing an e-book copy of WHALE OF A CRIME for one lucky winner! Contest ends Thursday, February 2, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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