Saturday, January 7, 2023

Review: Charming Bookshop Mysteries: Book 1 by Amy Rafferty

 


About the Book


Genre
Romance

Format
E-ARC

Release Date:
January 7, 2023

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Have you ever received a phone call that changed your life? You know, the kind that alters your plans and puts you on a whole new path?

Harmony Cove is a small Rhode Island town close enough to big cities, but small enough that everyone knows everyone. This is the feeling Lacey Charming wants to experience again when she rushes home to help her brother, Byron, run the family bookstore.

The Charming Bookshop has been in Lacey’s family for generations. When Bryon’s neighbor, Sally Styles, alerts her to his mysterious accident, Lacey moves her schedule around in order to come home.

Work at the top publishing house in New York has been rocky for Lacey in recent months and after a troubling situation arises, a break is what she needs to clear her thoughts and her good name. With her job on the line and her brother needing help at the bookstore, Harmony Cove is the perfect getaway location.

Or so Lacey thought.

Not everything is as Lacey remembers it. New regulations, new security cameras, new businesses, and a new tenant above the bookstore are enough to keep everyone, including Lacey, on their toes.

Travis Styles works as a detective in Harmony Cove and is friends with Byron Charming. With the town changes and crime on the rise, Travis is working overtime to bring in those responsible.

When Lacey arrives, Travis is intrigued by the literary editor but doesn’t have time for amateur detectives. When a friend of Lacey’s is accused of murder, Travis must decide if it is worth listening to Lacey’s theories or if he should work on the case alone.

Is there room for love between the big-shot editor and the hometown detective? Dive into the lives of Lacey, Travis, and the townspeople of Harmony Cove. Read this exciting, funny, and charming cozy mystery series.

My Review

Lacey Charming loves her job at a publishing house in New York City.  Things hit a snag when trouble occurs on the job and her boss is not 100% behind her.  When she receives a troubling phone call about her brother, Byron, she takes the opportunity to leave the big city and head home to Harmony Cove, Rhode Island.  She’s hoping getting away from her job and helping out at the family bookstore will help relieve some of her stress.  Unfortunately, things don’t quite work out that way.

The town is no longer the sweet, quiet town she remembers.  Big business has stepped in and taken over with new laws and businesses.  It, also, seems like crime is on the rise and affects those closest to Lacey.

Lacey jumps right into investigating the crimes, much to the dismay of the local police detective, Travis Styles.  He wants her to stay far away from his investigations, but that’s not how Lacey operates. The sparks fly between Travis and Lacey as they try to keep their minds on the problems at hand.

This is an excellent start to a new series.  I’m a sucker for small towns, bookshops, mystery and romance.  This book gave me everything I’m looking for in a story.  The characters are real and I already feel as if they are old friends.  

The author’s writing style is smooth and fast-paced.  It’s the perfect combination of romance, mystery, intrigue and emotions.  This is a continuing story and I’m anxious to see what happens next as Lacey digs herself deeper and deeper into the goings on in Harmony Cove.

Bring on book 2!



FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

4 comments:

  1. Nice you still accept author books for review. I've stopped doing book tours and author requested reviews. No more hassles and deadlines, though I do miss them sometimes. Happy reading week!

    ReplyDelete
  2. That does sound fun! A small-town bookshop is such a cozy setting for a novel.

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  3. I love the bookstore setting and I love that it's not just a perfect little small town. This looks like a great read!

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