Bonus Flour Sax Quilt Shop Row Pattern–Home Sweet Home theme!Taylor Quinn has it all-at least by millennial standards. A good job, a home in the city, and someone she loves to share life with.But when her mom dies unexpectedly, she doesn’t hesitate to drop everything for her family. With a baby sister still in high school, an elderly grandfather at home, and the family quilt shop to run, she … knows where she needs to be.Belle, Taylor’s sister, fears their mom’s death is her fault. She thinks her birth mom may just have wanted her back badly enough to kill.To lay Belle’s fear to rest, the Quinn girls search out exactly what happened the night of the accident. But in doing so, Taylor finds herself tangled in a mess of secrets, envy, and small town gossip that threatens to unravel the family she loves.Ripping out the stitches that hold her family together may be the only way to keep their lives from falling apart.
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It’s hard to describe my feelings after reading this. It was tragic, sad, real life, heartwarming…so many emotions. It’s not the lighthearted cozy I was thinking, but it’s so much more. It was refreshing because these people felt real, like any of the people I could meet in my life. I loved it and I want more!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Taylor moves back to Comfort after her mother dies to take care of her grandfather and younger sister, Belle. Belle has been acting out and it will take some digging to find peace in the family.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Book one in The Taylor Quinn Quilt Shop Mysteries series by an Author I have not read before. Taylor Quinn moves back home to look after her sister Belle and grandfather after the death of he mother. I enjoyed this story. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Assault and Batting is the first book in The Taylor Quinn Quilt Shop Mysteries series. I really enjoyed this book and found it to be very entertaining. The characters are well developed and the storyline is well written and engaging. This story has tragedy, loss, mystery, drama, secrets, and quilting.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I am looking forward to more books in this series.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
This is a great mystery with awesome characters. I love Taylor and her. sister Belle. The family is awesome! There are tons of twists to keep it a compelling story and keep you guessing. There is a lot of action as well. I am looking forward to the second book in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Assault and Batting is the first in the new Taylor Quinn Quilt Shop mystery series by Tess Rothery. While I really liked the story and where it went, it seemed to take a long time to get there. It definitely dragged in places and that’s why I didn’t give it 5 stars. I really like the main character, Taylor Quinn, who is thrown into a very difficult situation after a tragedy involving her family. She gives up her entire life to move home to take care of her younger sister and grandfather so I loved the loyalty she had for her family and her grandfather is fantastic even while dealing with his own medical problems. I didn’t care for the younger sister but she’s dealing with a lot so hopefully I’ll grow to like her as the series continues. I really believe this series has some great potential so I totally recommend reading it. I definitely think you’ll find it worth your time!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really wanted to like this book but it just didn’t work for me. However, it had a super cute cover!
You can check out my booktube video review at https://youtu.be/_J8GQJkon5Q
or read my review on my blog at https://lisasiefert.com/book-review-assault-and-batting-by-tess-rothery-the-taylor-quinn-quilt-shop-mysteries-book/
An interesting mystery. Tess Rothery has created very realistic characters and a story that keeps you turning the pages or in my case returning to the audio book with anticipation. The twists and turns as Belle and Taylor pursue the clues that will lead to their mother’s murderer kept me in suspense to the very end. If you love a good clean mystery book, this one is for you.
I enjoyed the audio version of this book. The narration was good which for me is an important element for me to keep listening.
I requested this audio book from the author and am voluntarily leaving this review.
Assault and Batting is a solid first in Tess Rothery’s new Taylor Quinn Quilt Shop Mystery series. The characters are three-dimensional, and I found it easy to empathize with several. I enjoy the setting of the quilt shop in Oregon because I admire the historic artistry and those who can design and sew thousands of tiny stitches. This is a study in relationships between sisters separated by life choices, and with other family members and old friends. The police don’t see a mystery, so the sisters are starting from scratch.
Taylor had a career, a condo, and a long-term relationship in Portland, Oregon. When her mom died on a rare outing to a B & B, Taylor quit her job, put the condo up for sale, and the boyfriend moved in with someone else. Taylor moved back to her hometown, Comfort, to run the family quilt shop and care for her sixteen-year-old sister, Belle. Taylor’s father had died fighting a fire when she was eleven. A year after his death, her mom adopted Belle, a newborn, who was only six when Taylor left for college. After earning her degree, Taylor began her career. Laura, their mom, was actively working in the quilting store her mother started decades earlier and had a YouTube show that helped provide needs and savings. Laura and Belle also lived Grandpa Ernie’s home and cared for him.
Belle feels responsible for Laura’s death. Laura hadn’t wanted one of her old classmates to be part of the weekend getaway, but Belle talked her into it. That first night, Laura and the friend argued. The next morning, Laura was found in the river at the B & B. It looked like, after having a couple drinks, the heel of her sandal was caught on the dock, she fell into the water, struck her head and drowned. Belle thinks the friend pushed Laura off the dock, which wouldn’t have occurred if Belle hadn’t defended her inclusion.
Taylor doesn’t completely agree, but her counselor believes it will help Belle heal if they pursue investigating Laura’s cause of death. Taylor, who her mother wanted to have legal guardianship of Belle, finds a letter Laura’s friend sent to Belle. She learns who Belle’s birth mom is and that she would like Belle to move in with her family. An adoption was never formalized; Laura was only Belle’s legal guardian. Could this woman have gotten Laura out of the way so she could get Belle back sixteen years after Laura committed to love and raise her?
Taylor and Belle try to navigate a relationship fraught with frustration, complicated by grief and teenage emotions. I can understand both the adult and teen points of view, so well are they described. Finding out if one of Mom’s friends was a killer was not so easy! Belle wants to make her own rules, Taylor struggles to find the best way to run the shop with the help of Laura’s right hand person, Roxy, and still oversee Grandpa’s care and spend time with Belle. No matter what she does, it seems like Belle might move in with anyone else to get away from her, and Grandpa is mentally slipping away.
This well-paced story moves along well. None of the other friends heard enough of the women’s disagreement to shed light on what it was about. The birth mother seems so likable that it’s hard to imagine her as a killer. I was torn between two possible people and was still surprised at the final outcome. I highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates well-crafted cozy mysteries with quilt shops, family relationships, and starting over.
Taylor Quinn is back. She’s home to help her sister and grandfather after the accidental death of her mother. She’s overwhelmed which is understandable. Her sister, Belle, is shattered and rebellious. This isn’t what Taylor expected. In addition, Grandpa Ernie, has dementia and needs constant care. I knew this would be hard for Taylor. I felt sorry for her. She was unaware and how much had changed since she left. Flour Sax Quilt Shop needs her attention. The store is their livelihood. Belle tells Taylor that she believes their mother was murdered which ratchets up the stress. Could it be true? As a form of therapy the sisters start to investigate. They need answers. What happens next kept me on the edge of my seat. Assault and Batting combines family drama with an excellent mystery. Taylor and Belle are often at odds but they’re trying to come to terms with their mother’s death. They want closure. I wanted that for them, but the truth can hurt. This is an ambitious story that kept me in the dark. I knew that some people had issues with Laura Quinn, but I wasn’t sure they would commit murder. I’ll admit that I was shocked at the ending. Tess Rothery did an excellent job with this story. Her characters have depth and emotional issues that add complexity to the story. I cared about Taylor. She loved her family but was shocked by them. Assault and Batting pulled me in from the first page. There residents of Comfort have so many secrets. I can’t wait for the next book.
What a great way to start a mystery series!
There is more to this story than just a murder mystery. As well as being a good mystery story, it explores how two estranged sisters cope with and learn to handle multiple complex family issues together. This is not a book that you can read a couple of chapters and put it down to finish later. No, it draws you back until you finish reading the last page. I read it late into the night and fell asleep. When I woke up the next morning, I was so angry that I had fallen asleep before finishing the book. I rushed to pick the story back up and finish reading it. I thought I had correctly solved the mystery, but… it was not what I expected. That was fun, I am usually able to correctly solve the mystery before the big reveal. This is a well-written story. There is no crude language or graphic violence. Oh, and if you are into quilting, there is a pattern included.
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a great mystery with a little extra added in.
Secrets, envy, and small town gossip threaten the family she’s trying to piece together.
Taylor Quinn had everything she wanted, a good job, a nice home in the city, and someone she loved. But all that all changed when her mom dies unexpectedly. She drops everything and heads to Comfort, Oregon to take care of her baby sister still in high school, her elderly grandfather with dementia and the family quilt shop. Her sister Belle thinks her mother was murdered and so they set out to discover exactly what happened.
This is an excellently written, small town cozy mystery with amazing characters. The characters are full of personality complete with strengths and foibles. They were so well crafted that they seemed life like and were real people with real life problems. The emotional drama between the two sisters was very well done. I could almost hear the conversations. What amazing dialogue. The storyline flowed smoothly and was filled with drama, dead ends, plenty of clues, surprises and a great climatic ending. This book was great and is worth reading if you like cozy mysteries that centre around family with all it’s chaos.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Heirloom Quality
I highly recommend this charming book. For me it stands out from others in this genre by the depth of its characters…after a few chapters they feel like people one has known for a long time and will be meeting up with somewhere along the way any day now. The strong plot adds to the sense that these events are unfolding in my present reality. I know very little about quilting but I am all ready to pop down and purchase a few fat quarters from Flour Sax as soon as I can!
In Assault and Batting, two daughters attempt to prove their mother’s “accidental” death was actually murder. The book is rather slow paced as the reader is given an introduction to many characters – main and supporting. I like the town and its interesting characters. I am looking forward to the next in series. I did not figure this one out! The story is a pleasant introduction to the Taylor Quinn Quilt Shop mysteries!
I got into this series a little backwards by reading Book Two first. It was a good read. A great premise; truly likeable, engaging characters with a complex dynamic that added layers to the story. There were times I wanted to shake Taylor, and even Belle; but ultimately, you care about them and want to follow their stories.
In Book One, we go back to where the girls’ mother has just died and the aftermath of that upheaval is having adverse effects on both of them. Belle is having a hard time accepting her mom’s death as an accident. Her therapist – who is also Taylor’s friend, Maddie – suggests that playing detective to find out what happened is exactly the therapy she needs. Though Taylor isn’t convinced, she agrees to go along with it.
Through the investigation that they embark on together, the sisters start to find some unexpected answers, in the complex relationship between their mother and her friends.
Rothery weaves the story well – suffice to say I read it in one afternoon. There are twists, false leads, and sudden discoveries; all ultimately leading to a resolution this reader didn’t expect. An excellent read, I’m looking forward to the next installment.
[Many thanks to the author for the opportunity to read a copy of this book. This is my honest review, the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own. ]
Great start to a new series. Really like the main character, Taylor. She has a lot to deal with, her mother’s death, the care of her younger sister, her grandfather with dementia plus her mother’s shop. Lots of twists and turns make for a compelling read. Unfortunately some parts dragged a bit, but I’m sure the author will tighten them up in the next book. Cannot wait to read it