A taste for trouble . . . As if being in New York City for Easter isn’t exciting enough, Charlotte Weaver has another reason to be thrilled. She’s helping her cousin, Bailey, on the set of her first cable TV show, Bailey’s Amish Sweets. Bailey will even be re-creating the delectable hand-woven chocolate Easter baskets she once crafted for the city’s world-famous JP Chocolates. But once … world-famous JP Chocolates. But once things start rolling, Charlotte starts to notice odd things
happening—things that seem intended to make Bailey look bad . . .
With Bailey feeling extra nervous about being on camera, Charlotte decides to keep her suspicion of sabotage to herself. But she knows that among Bailey’s fans at the Gourmet Television network lurks a dangerously jealous rival. Now Charlotte will have to find out who that person is—before sour grapes turns one of the sweetest times of the year fatally bitter . . .
Recipe Included!
Praise for Amanda Flower and her Amish cozies
“As it turns out, Amanda Flower may have just written the first Amish rom com.”—USA Today
“Flower has hit it out of the ballpark . . . and continues to amaze with her knowledge of the Amish way of life.”—RT Book Reviews
“At turns playful and engaging . . . a satisfyingly complex cozy.”—Library Journal
more
Amish + New York City = pure Easter fun! Now I’m craving chocolate.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This delightful novella picks up where the last book leaves off, Bailey and Charlotte travel to New York to film Bailey’s Amish Sweets. Both are thrilled to be part of the Gourmet Television Network. Anxious and nervous for everything to go smoothly Bailey tries to do her best but a bunch of freaky things happen. It seems the show may never get off the ground. Charlotte makes some keen observations proving the mishaps are not accidents and she is determined to find out who is trying to keep Bailey off the air. She just needs to keep herself safe in the process.
I loved that this story was told from Charlotte’s point of view. She has a huge decision to make soon and spending part of her rumspringa in New York may help her to make her decision. Seeing New York through her eyes was wonderful, that city is awestriking whether you are Amish or English. I am sure I would have reactions similar to hers.
I enjoyed that Juliet Brody and her comfort pig, Jethro make a surprise appearance to help Bailey out. That Jethro shakes things up wherever he goes.
For a book of this length, there was a good number of suspects and Ms. Flower twisted the clues up nicely. There were some tense moments as everything came to a head. I was partially right in my deductions, I just didn’t get the extra little skewering twist. Well-plotted Ms. Flower.
This was a nice little interlude as fans wait for Toxic Toffee to be released June 25.
Oh, and there are recipes too!
Criminally Cocoa by Amanda Flower is An Amish Candy Shop Mystery novella (No. 3.5). Charlotte Weaver is thrilled to be in New York City with her cousin, Bailey King for the filming of Bailey’s Amish Sweets. Bailey is creating a hand woven chocolate Easter basket using tempered chocolate when the double boiler explodes. Glass and chocolate are sent flying around the set., but, thankfully, no one was injured. The next day, Juliet Brody and her comfort pig, Jethro arrive to be a part of the show and publicity photos. While shooting photographs in the park, a loud horn sounds which scares poor Jethro and sends him running into the park. Charlotte is concerned that someone is trying to sabotage the show as the small incidents continue. With Bailey already nervous about the filming, Charlotte decides to investigate on her own. Can Charlotte unmask the saboteur? Join Charlotte, Bailey, Cass and Jethro on their New York City adventure in Criminally Cocoa.
Criminally Cocoa picks up where Premeditated Peppermint ended. We join Bailey, Charlotte and Cass in New York where they are filming the first season of Bailey’s Amish Sweets. Bailey asked Charlotte to come along and be her assistant on the show. Criminally Cocoa is told from Charlotte’s point-of-view. It was humorous to see New York City through Charlotte’s eyes. Charlotte grew up Amish and has yet to join the church. She views things differently from Englishers. I thought Criminally Cocoa was well-written with steady pacing. It was nice to learn more about Charlotte in this story. When Bailey blames herself for the explosion of the double boiler, Charlotte wants to help prove it was not her cousin’s fault. Charlotte has watched Bailey solve three crimes and puts that knowledge to use. The mystery was straightforward. Readers will have no problem solving it before the reveal. However, it is the right type of mystery for the length of the story. While the story focuses on the group in New York, we do get updates on their friends back home in Harvest, Ohio. I especially enjoyed the addition of Juliet Brody and her polka dotted pig, Jethro. Their antics provided me with plenty of laughs. It is always delightful to read one of Amanda Flower’s books. I am eager to read Toxic Toffee which is the next An Amish Candy Shop Mystery.
Bailey and Charlotte have gone to New York to film the television show that was teased during Premeditated Peppermint. Strange and downright dangerous “accidents” keep happening on set and they’re determined to figure out whodunnit.
I enjoyed this story but it was a departure having Charlotte as the narrating character instead of Bailey. That wasn’t bad, though, just different but I missed being inside Bailey’s head. I also might’ve preferred that this were novel-length to get more suspense and suspects and tension and drama sprinkled in rather than pretty certain almost right from the off who was behind it all. I also would have liked more Easter in the story line but that’s probably the Englischer in me that wants that, Charlotte and Clara would likely not approve.
I also wish there had been more recipes at the end, especially one for homemade caramel. Bailey mentions that her grandmother wouldn’t let her get away with premade (unless premade BY Swissmen Sweets) caramel and I wish there was a recipe to go along with that statement. I also would have enjoyed the marshmallow creme and fudge eggs recipes.
All in all, though, this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to the next one from this author.
Amanda Flower has a way with words when it comes to cozy mysteries that warm your heart and keep you on the edge of your seat. I have yet to find a series of hers that I do not like. In fact, they keep getting better. If you have never read one of her books and are not sure where to start, Criminally Cocoa would be a great place to start. Yes, it technically comes after the third book in the An Amish Candy Shop series but you can read it out of order and be perfectly fine.
I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the story from Charlotte’s side instead of Bailey’s. It gave the series a fresh view. Charlotte is a perfect spunky Amish side kick to Bailey.
A recipe for Bird’s Nest is included at the end of the novella. I find myself being tempted to try and make them this year for Easter.
Books in Series:
1. Assaulted Caramel
2. Lethal Licorice
3. Premeditated Peppermint
4. Toxic Toffee
I received a copy of this novella from Kensington through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
In this short we find ourselves in New York where Charlotte has come to help her cousin Bailey with her television show. She is also taking this time to decide if she wishes to continue living the Amish way of life or if she wants to venture out away from that lifestyle. During the filming accidents keep happening and Charlotte realizes that they are really accidents someone is purposely making bad things happen. She decides that she must keep an eye out on Bailey and figure out who is trying to cause her cousin problems. Things go from bad to worse when Jethro is brought into the picture. Can Charlotte figure out who the bad guy is before something truly bad happens or will her cousin lose her show altogether? Follow along and see what Charlotte figures out and get to know her better during the process. This was a wonderful read that gave me a look into what was going on with some favored characters while waiting for their next story.
I received an ARC of this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Criminally Cocoa
Amish Candy Shop Mystery, Book #3.5
Amanda Flower
5 Stars
Synopsis:
A taste for trouble . . .
As if being in New York City for Easter isn’t exciting enough, Charlotte Weaver has another reason to be thrilled. She’s helping her cousin, Bailey, on the set of her first cable TV show, Bailey’s Amish Sweets. Bailey will even be re-creating the delectable hand-woven chocolate Easter baskets she once crafted for the city’s world-famous JP Chocolates. But once things start rolling, Charlotte starts to notice odd things
happening—things that seem intended to make Bailey look bad . . .
With Bailey feeling extra nervous about being on camera, Charlotte decides to keep her suspicion of sabotage to herself. But she knows that among Bailey’s fans at the Gourmet Television network lurks a dangerously jealous rival. Now Charlotte will have to find out who that person is—before sour grapes turns one of the sweetest times of the year fatally bitter . . .
Recipe Included!
Praise for Amanda Flower and her Amish cozies
“As it turns out, Amanda Flower may have just written the first Amish rom com.”— USA Today
“Flower has hit it out of the ballpark . . . and continues to amaze with her knowledge of the Amish way of life.”— RT Book Reviews
“At turns playful and engaging . . . a satisfyingly complex cozy.”— Library Journal (Goodreads)
Review:
I really enjoy this series and I really liked this novella. It will hold me over until book four is released.
The characters are well rounded and well developed. Charlotte is an Amish girl who is on her Rumspringa and she is in New York, helping her cousin Bailey as she prepares for her new food show on television. After a series of incidents happen that disrupts the filming of the show, Charlotte is afraid someone is trying to derail the show. She has to keep her eyes and ears open to protect Bailey.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and I could just imagine Charlotte’s excitement and confusion as she is visiting New York. Talk about culture shock. This story is told from Charlotte’s point of view and that took a little getting used to. I really liked the fact that although there was a mystery to solve, it did not revolve around a dead body. I found that refreshing.
I would recommend this novella (and series) to anyone that enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading Toxic Toffee when it is released.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
This was totally different from any of the other books as the entire story is done from what was previously a supporting character. It was surprising how well it worked for me and how much fun it was. The mystery was well done and the characters remained charming. Still, I can’t wait to get back to Bailey’s POV and life back in Harvest.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amanda Flower, and Kensington Books for giving me the chance to read this story and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others.
Read 6.15.2019
This was a fun little side trip in the Amish Candy world – this book is told from the POV of Charlotte, the young Amish girl that works with Bailey and her grandmother in the candy shop in Ohio. She has left her old older Amish community [because of her love of the organ] and is now trying to decide if she wants to join Bailey’s grandmother’s Amish community and be baptized Amish or if she wants to turn her back on that and become an “Englisher”. The decision has been tough for her and when Bailey offers to take her to New York City with her while she tapes a new cooking show, Charlotte jumps at the chance and of course, while they are there, chaos ensues. And poor Charlotte is left trying to help her cousin, navigate the big city and try and figure out just what SHE is supposed to be doing with her life.
It was amazing to see NYC and all its idioms through the eyes of a young Amish girl that has never left rural Ohio – to be honest, in the beginning, I was frustrated with her because everything was just so much and then I realized that as a young Amish girl, she truly would not know ANYTHING about this huge modern city [I live where there are many Amish and I sometimes forget that they truly don’t know a lot about the big world, especially the old order ones] and once I wrapped my [stupid] little head around that, I was able to enjoy seeing just how chaotic the city I love the most truly can be to a complete outsider.
All-in-all, it was a fun and engaging short story that I enjoyed very much. I really am enjoying this series a lot. 🙂
I loved this cute short read . The cover got me longing for a chocolate Easter bunny. This story was written as though Charlotte Weaver was personally telling the readers about her trip with Bailey to New York City. As usual the author has added enough humor to give readers a few chuckles here and there throughout the book. No one got murdered in this story but there was tense moments and blow ups to grab and keep my attention.
Bailey is off to the The Big Apple to start filming and putting together segments for her new tv show with The Gourmet Cable Network. She has asked her Amish cousin Charlotte Weaver to go along with her as an assistant. Now Charlotte being Amish has never taken a trip by plane or been to a big city like New York. And now she is working with a filming crew and just trying to fit in. Someone isn’t happy about Bailey’s new show and it seems they are out to sabotage it before the first show makes its debut in July. it seems they well try anything to make Bailey look bad and get the show cancelled. Charlotte is determined to find out who is behind all this and why. She must not let her shyness stop her from helping Bailey make this Cable tv show, about the Swissmen Sweets candy store, successful.
I recommend this short story to readers of Cozy Mystery and Amish Fiction. It is book #3.5 of Amanda Flower’s Amish Candy Shop Mystery.
I borrowed a copy from the Ohio Digital Library. A review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Very good read
It was fun to read a book from Charlotte’s point of view. Charlotte and Bailey are in New York to film an Amish sweets show for the Gourmet food network. Accidents start to happen and Charlotte decides to try her hand on figuring out what’s going on. I absolutely love this series and loved hearing Charlotte’s point of view. I look forward to seeing what’s next!
I loved it!
this wasn’t the best story in the series, it was written from a different characters perspective. The end was a little predicable.
CRIMINALLY COCOA is a fun little novella set in author Amanda Flower’s Amish Candy Shop series’ world. It is a bit different from the full length novels as it is told from Amanda’s Amish cousin Charlotte’s point of view. Flower does a great job capturing Charlotte’s “fish out of water” culture clash with bustling New York City. The mystery is gentle and does not include murder, only mischief. Even Juliet Brody and Jethro the pig make an appearance.
CRIMINALLY COCOA fills the void while waiting for the next book in the series to be released. It is cute, fast reading.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
Criminally Cocoa by Amanda Flower is a novella taking place in New York City as Bailey and Charlotte are filming for Bailey’s TV cooking show. Charlotte is awed and confused by everything. Questioning everyone. It was so different here from her Amish community in Ohio. One thing she knew: the show would be fabulous. It was Bailey’s show. The things started going wrong. Bailey turned the heat up too high on the stove and it caused the double boiler to explode. Had she? Maybe, until other things started going wrong. Was the show doomed?
This is a delightful little tale, just long enough to expose the villains and put Charlotte in the spotlight. This is totally Charlotte’s book and shows her in all her naivete and sweetness but also makes real her struggle with her religion. She is of the age to make a permanent commitment to the way of life and Criminally Cocoa walks through her uncertainty and confusion. Either way, she is unlikely to make her life in New York. Lots of fun in this book as well as twists and turns make it a must-read. Criminally Cocoa is a fun read and one to be enjoyed as a stepping-stone in the larger series.
I received a free ARC of Criminally Cocoa in exchange for a fair and honest review. #netgalley #criminallycocoa
Criminally Cocoa by Amanda Flower is a novella for the Amish Candy Shop series.
This is a quick, easy read that I did not want to put down, told though Charlotte, Bailey’s Amish friend. Set in New York City, Bailey is filming her pilot for a TV show and it becomes obvious that someone is setting her up for failure.
There are enough suspects that you will be kept guessing until the end. When Jethro shows up, you will be laughing out loud.
This could be read as a stand alone but this is a great series.
I was given an ARC from Netgalley and Kensington Books for a honest review.
Amish Crime Solving in the Big Apple
This novella is part of the Amish Candy Shop Mystery Series. While it is built on prior episodes, it stands alone well. This book takes place in New York City while the ladies are filming the new television series and is told from Charlotte’s point of view. The plot is great with plenty of interest generating bits. The book is complete with an Easter time candy recipe. I received this ARC for free and this is my honest review.
Criminally Cocoa is the 3.5(novella) book in the An Amish Candy Shop Mystery series.
Bailey King’s Amish cousin, Charlotte Weaver, a secondary character in previous books, becomes the main character in this exciting addition to this wonderful series.
Bailey finally convinces Charlotte to go to New York City with her to help off camera, prepare the amazing Amish candies for her new series, Bailey’s Amish Sweets, on the Gourmet Television network. Charlotte is on her Rumspringa where she will determine whether she wants to be baptized into the Amish faith or live in the Englisch world.
As the taping of the first show is beginning, Bailey is describing how to weave a chocolate basket when the double boiler that Bailey is melting chocolate on the stove behind her explodes, sending shards of glass and chocolate all over the studio. Quite naturally this will put production behind schedule and the director wants to stop production as he feels the show is destined to be a disaster. The first thing Raymond Reynolds, the director, says is that it was Bailey’s fault. Charlotte has seen Bailey make enough candy that she is that it was not Bailey’s fault and that someone is trying to sabotage the show. The next they doing some filler shots outdoors with Charlotte walking through the park with Jethro, Juliet Brody’s potbellied pig when a horn honks and send him running. Charlotte is watching even closer now to see who might be behind these disruptions. Back in the studio, Bailey is opening a container of pretzels that someone has put sneezing powder in and Bailey has a sneezing attack and once again production is interrupted. Then when things get settled down Charlotte points how all these interruptions have to directed at Bailey. Charlotte also tells Bailey about a conversion she heard where someone was definitely trying to get the show canceled before the first episode even airs.
This is a wonderfully told story with believable characters.
This novella has certainly whetted my appetite for the next book in the series, Toxic Toffee, coming out in June.