Deadly Vows

Deadly Vows is a light hearted and romantic cozy mystery. This second installment in A Britton Bay Mystery series can be read as a standalone. I like how the information from Deadly News was incorporated into the story. Molly Owens is happy with her new home and job. She enjoys spending time with Sam and her puppy, Tigger. Molly has the perfect location (her cottage) to watch the wedding drama at the B&B unfold. The mother-of-the-bride is controlling the wedding. Patricia Lovenly grew up in Britton Bay and has come back to gloat over how rich she is by throwing a spectacular, over-the-top wedding for her daughter. It does not seem to matter that this is not what her daughter and the groom want. Skyler Friessen is the chef for the event, and she is a prickly. It is no surprise when she turns up dead. Molly just needs to figure out which individual disliked Skyler enough to kill her which is easier said then done. There are a couple of suspects, good clues and misdirection. Deadly Vows is nicely written with steady pacing. I could have done with less repetition (I get it the first time). I did not like how many times Molly was told to keep her nose out of the investigation (it was not going to happen). I also felt the romance between Molly and Sam was too much for a cozy mystery. It came across as sappy (especially the dialogue) and their relationship progressed too quickly. We are introduced to numerous characters in this book and many of them had nothing to do with the plot. An example is Clay, the newspapers supposed social media coordinator. He added nothing to this story, and I am shocked he has not been fired. Some tweaks would enhance this cute mystery series. Deadly Vows is an easy breezy cozy mystery with a dead chef, a battling wedding party, an adorable pup, a handsome beau, and one a nosy reporter.

Deadly Vows
A Britton Bay Mystery, Book #2
Jody Holford
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Former Army brat Molly Owens is happily settling into her new life in the seaside town of Britton Bay—and into new her job as editor-in-chief of the local paper. But as tourists discover the desirable spot, the tide along the Oregon Coast is turning . . .

Britton Bay is buzzing with preparations for a wedding at the bed and breakfast where Molly rents a small carriage home. Molly is even helping out and plans to interview the rising star caterer—until the woman is found dead. And then the bride-to-be goes missing. To make matters worse, the venue is owned by Molly’s new boyfriend’s mother—and Molly was among the last people to see the victim alive. All of which makes solving the crime her top priority . . .

With the nuptials indefinitely on hold, Molly will have to sift through a sticky mix of suspects, including a rival caterer with a short fuse, a groom with an illicit secret, and a wedding party riddled with personal drama. And if she doesn’t discover the truth soon, Molly might be her own front-page news . . . (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Molly is smart and hardworking and she loves investigating (which is good because she works for a newspaper). So when there is a murder in her small town it is only natural that she wants to solve it. I liked getting to spend more time with Molly and learning a little more about her and her thoughts and feeling. Sam, Molly’s boyfriend, seems like a great guy and it was fun reading about their interactions. I thought that the secondary characters added a lot to the story.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book was a quick easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and those descriptions pulled me into the story right from the beginning. The mystery was well plotted and with so many twists and turns,it was not easily solved.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy. And in this case, you can judge a book by it’s cover, which is adorable.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

A solid second book in the Britton Bay series. I’m still in love with the characters and the town. I really want to know the full story behind Corky. I just think there is one

Again plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing.

I’m very impressed that the language and romance were clean considering the author is also a romance author. I appreciate it was. An easy read and whether you’ve read the first book or not I think you can easily pick right up with the series with book two.

The exciting news is that book three is already in the works.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington/Lyrical Underground through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Second in the Britton Bay Mystery series, this is as delightful and intriguing as the first. The characters are likable. Molly and her bouncy pup, Tigger, are a fun pair to imagine on the beach of Britton Bay, along with Sam, who she has been dating for several weeks. The mystery kept me on my toes, even though I did finally figure out whodunit.

Molly moved from SoCal after finding her live-in boyfriend entertaining one of his exes. She is now editor for the Britton Bay Bulletin, which has been in the family of her boss, Alan, for a couple generations. Good things are being said about the paper since she has become its editor in the Pacific northwest. She lives in a cottage behind the B&B owned by Katherine Alderich, Sam’s mother. Molly had found Tigger behind the Bulletin building shortly after starting work there, and he is all puppy. She has a small circle of friends that is growing.

A wedding is going to take place at the B & B, and the bride’s mother is sparing no expense to give Chantel a dream wedding. Patty, Chantel’s mother, grew up in Britton Bay, married a wealthy man, and moved away. She grew up in the home the B&B had been before it was converted. Katherine’s property is being transformed with tents and even a dance floor. Patty hired a chef, Skyler Friessen, who recently won a competition and will soon open her own restaurant. Skyler is a haughty young woman who claims to be an artist whose medium is food; she is curt and even rude to her sous chefs or anyone in “her” kitchen. Skyler is preparing all the meals for the several days leading up to the wedding as well as the wedding itself; Katherine cannot bring any outside foods in.

Molly talked Skyler into giving an interview for the Bulletin as part of the wedding special editions. She and Sam heard Skyler and an unidentified man arguing when they were headed to her cottage. The next morning, Molly found Chantel crying on the beach while walking Tigger. Then, when arriving at the hotel to meet Skyler for an interview, she learns the grumpy chef was found dead early that morning by a local homeless man, Corky. Harmless, he is clearly rattled; he saw her room door ajar when going to the pool and said Skyler fell while brushing her teeth. He kept muttering about dark stars. Molly and Jill, Sam’s cousin and a reporter at the Bulletin, begin to speculate on who the killer might be. Then the bride disappears without a word.

It was fun to get to know the characters better! I did, however, miss reminders of backstories on some of the characters (such as what Sam’s shop is) unless I didn’t see them. Calliope, Molly, and Katherine are my favorites with their kind hearts and helpful ‘tudes. I appreciate the challenges Molly faces in trusting men and settling in her new town.

The plot is complex, with suspects that most of the locals don’t know. The mystery kept me guessing throughout with twists and turns that showed a few suspects and red herrings. There was almost too much romance too quickly for my personal preference. I did, at last, figure out whodunit with an idea of the motivation barely a couple steps ahead of Molly and Sam. The ending is satisfying, and I’m looking forward to the next in series. I highly recommend Deadly Vows to those who enjoy well-written cozy mysteries with pets, good friends, and romance.

From a thankful heart: I received a copy of the e-ARC from the publisher through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.

This is a fun cozy mystery, full of twists and turns. Even with some ideas on how the story might turn out, I was kept guessing until the end. Having already read the first book in the series, I enjoyed this return to Britton Bay, and getting to see how Molly’s relationship with Sam and her various new friends continue to develop and grow. A very entertaining read!

It took me a bit to get into the story, but once I did I was hooked! The characters are a wonderful asset to the plot. The murderer was ssomeone I did not have on my radar. I loved all the plot twists and turns that not only kept me guessing but on my toes. I can’t wait for the third book in the series!

This is the 2nd installment in the Britton Bay Mystery series, I found it to be as enjoyable and entertaining as the first. Britton Bay is buzzing with preparations for a wedding at the bed and breakfast where Molly rents a small carriage home. Molly is even helping out and plans to interview the rising star caterer—until the woman is found dead. And then the bride-to-be goes missing. To make matters worse, the venue is owned by Molly’s new boyfriend’s mother—and Molly was among the last people to see the victim alive. All of which makes solving the crime her top priority . . .

I was happy to be transported back to Britton Bay on the Oregon coast, (which is also on my wishlist to visit one summer). Jody is very good at describing the setting etc. so I can picture it in my mind as the story unfolds. The main set of characters were just as fabulous as in the first book Calliope, Molly, and Katherine and who can forget the bouncing dog Tigger. Plus we were introduced to local homeless man, Corky (who I cannot wait to learn more about)

I found that this installment was a bit more like an intrigue romance novel, but didnt mind (being that Jody writes romance this can be expected) It was nice to delve deeper into the relationship between Sam and Molly.

The mystery was well written and had plenty of suspects who wanted the victim dead. I did suspect the killer early on but there were a few red herrings so I wasnt 100% sure until close to the end when the final piece fell into place.

I can’t wait for the next installment “Deadly Ride” in October!

I highly recommend this cozy mystery series to all my friends who love a cozy with romance thrown in.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Underground via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.

Molly Owens is settling into her new life in Britton Bay as the editor-in-chief of the local newspaper. She has her new job, her canine companion, and a few close friends. One of those close friends is her boyfriend’s mother who is the owner of the bed and breakfast where a wedding is being prepared for. When the chef is found dead and the bride-to-be goes missing Molly can’t help but get involved.

This is the 2nd in the series but my first. I had no problems reading this book as a stand-alone. The setting and characters are interesting. The chemistry between Molly and Sam is adorable. The mystery is well-paced and full of twists and turns. If you like romantic cozy mysteries this is one for you.

I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.

I’m falling in love with A Britton Bay Mystery series. Deadly Vows is simply amazing. This may only be book two but I’m so falling for Molly and Sam. Those two will take your heart even more in this one. Get ready for a little bit of a drama filled wedding with this one. I know I didn’t see the who don’t it coming. Jody Holford does this fantastic job of weaving you in and out of Deadly Vows as try and solve the mystery behind it all. Molly is again front and center trying to uncover the story behind the wedding that has taken over the bed and breakfast. Not only do we get to see the love between Molly and Sam grow, but we also get to see Molly’s friendships grow within the town of Britton Bay. I love this series so much and this is only the second book. I really can’t wait for more. I’m hooked and you should be too. Go one click this one.

Deadly Vows by Jody Holford brings us back to Britton Bay, OR where Molly is now settling into her new job, new home and new romantic relationship.

This cozy is all about romance, relationships and the murder of a chef who is catering the wedding at the Bed & Breakfast owned by Molly’s boyfriend’s mother. Ms. Holford really delved more into Molly’s character in this book and revealed several insights into Molly’s thoughts and attitudes about herself and how she looks at the world. Readers also got to know more about Sam, Molly’s boyfriend, too. The plot was quickly paced with only a few suspects and enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the dramatic reveal. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to other cozy mystery readers.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Underground via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.