An inconvenient marriage. A pantry full of magical secrets. Will a heartbroken witch summon true love or spell disaster? Imogen’s boyfriend is about to marry a princess. The baking witch has repressed her feelings enough to run the reception’s kitchen. But while her unresolved emotions wreak havoc on the cake, a celebrity is permanently checked off the guest list… from the wedding gig and coping with a broken heart, Imogen hopes to find a clue that could put a stop to the whole affair. As motives abound with suspects ranging from a sly journalist to an unruly maid to a royal family member, Imogen receives a tempting offer from her outlaw brother. An offer that would help her escape the kingdom… forever.
As the evidence piles up higher than a five-tier pastry display, Imogen must choose between pushing her powers to the limit or risking the loss of everyone she loves.
Full Moons, Dunes & Macaroons is the fifth standalone book in the Spells & Caramels series of cozy paranormal mysteries. If you like crafty witch heroines, magical kitchen mishaps, and page-turning plot twists, then you’ll love Erin Johnson’s matrimonial mystery.
Buy Full Moons, Dunes & Macaroons to bake up a nuptial whodunit today!
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All I can say is wow. The fifth book, Full Moons, Dunes & Macaroons: A Cozy Witch Mystery, in the Cozy Witch Spells & Caramels Mystery series, by Erin Johnson, is my favorite one so far. In this fun tale, Imogen spends a lot of time with her newly found brother learning all about what happened to her as a child… including facts about her birth parents, why she and her brother grew up separately, and how she fits into the world of Monsters Rise. When the concept of the ‘mirror’ came into play, I totally found myself enamored again with the series. What intense and wicked imagination Johnson has!
But it doesn’t stop there. MAJOR changes in the relationships among all the bakers and royal family members suddenly blast through the pages of this adorable story. Imogen is at the center of everything, including the murder of someone from the Fire Kingdom followed by a re-visit from the great fire monster of the past. The plot is truly immersive and cohesive in this latest edition in the series. I feel like we’re done with the initial world-building of this gem and finally figuring out what all the rules are in terms of how Imogen became a witch. There’s still a ton of room for more background to unfold, but we’ve got the basics now and I look forward to seeing how this one will continue.
For those new to the series, you’ve got magic, fantasy, family drama, mystery, royalty, baking, and quirky humor that has a few cute double entendres. The mysteries have been on the lighter side as the full world and cast is dazzled before us, but they’re growing stronger. Books are on the shorter side, easy to devour in one afternoon for a couple of hours. You should start from the beginning to catch up, maybe even read 2 in a row to get the full picture. Happy reading!
In the Fire Kingdom, love is in the air… well. Wedding bells are anyway. Imogen and crew are in the Fire Kingdom to help their Royal Bakery crew make the goodies for Prince Hank and Princess Shaday’s wedding. Pretty sure I wouldn’t be doing that for the man I loved, so I give Imogen props! As she’s dealing with that, she thinks she sees her brother in the crowds on the streets of Calloon. Or maybe that’s just too much alcohol? As the story progresses and murder happens, she finds herself booted out of the bakery and left to her own devices. She and Iggy go about solving the murder, uncover a secret about swallows and try to decide between family and friends. If you want some serious laughs and a little sadness and a few what the heck are they going to do moments, definitely dive into this book. I really believe Iggy has a future in stand up comedy!
This review is for the audio book.
Wow I really enjoyed this book. This is book 5 and it is like catching up with old friends as I love all the characters in this series, they are so bright and colourful just what you want to lose your self with for a couple of hours. It definitely has cast a spell over me, so much so that I have to listen to it all in one go. The mystery is good but it is the interactions between the characters that makes it for me.
It has finally arrived the big day that everybody has been looking forward to. Well okay Imogen isn’t looking forward to seeing her Prince walk arm and arm down the aisle with another woman but as one of the royal bakers she has to be there and there is nothing that can stop the arranged marriage from going ahead, not even a murder the night before. Imogen is taking it bad and not even the support from her friends can get her out of her funk, so she turns to an unlikely source for comfort and uncovers a deadly plan that might just end all her worries and her friends lives.
I really like the narrator and her bubbly personally really comes over well in her story telling, bringing the characters to life before your very eyes. A spell catching book.
This is such a cute series – I’ve reviewed all the books so far (you can search for them under Erin’s name in my Google bar above). I really like the baking angle and the Four Kingdoms world-within-the-world, and the characters are a fun blend of personalities and quirks that work well together. All that said, this book felt more political drama (albeit supernaturally so) than cozy mystery, and as such, wasn’t my favorite of the series…
The drama is heating up in the Water Kingdom, and with Prince Harry’s pending nuptials throwing Imogen into a tizzy, I expected a little more romantic hijinks and a little less oppressed-population-fighting-for-freedoms…
That’s not to say that the latter was inappropriate or handled poorly – neither is true AT ALL. It just wasn’t what I’d come to expect from the series. It took things in a more serious-minded direction than the earlier books, and didn’t read quite as quickly as a result.
I did thoroughly enjoy the development of Horace as a villain/antagonist – it’s nice to see him fleshed out and more well-rounded, not just the evil genius that everyone (at least, everyone in power!) assumes him to be. I also enjoyed seeing Shaday developed into her own character, rather than just being presented as Harry’s fiancee/Imogen’s rival – she’s a very interesting personality, and I hope to see more of her (and Elke)!
It looks like we are in for more books – the book ended in a way that leaves a lot still up in the air (pun intended), and I remain curious to see how it will all play out!
My review copy was originally provided by the author; I then downloaded it through Kindle Unlimited.
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.
This is the fifth book in the Spells and Caramels series. It is not really a standalone book and at this point, you do need to read the other books in the series to truly understand all of the relationships and the world building.
This is a very enjoyable series and a cozy series which will make you smile. It is well-written with entertaining, fun and often very relatable characters. I really enjoy the humor – especially from Iggy. I especially like that the stories always have a focus on friendship and family. In every book the characters travel to different locales – this time everyone is traveling to the Fire Kingdom for Hank’s wedding. I have to be honest – the triangle between Hank, Imogene and Shaday has not been my favorite, so I was very happy that this was finally resolved and in a very good way. In addition, there were a couple of mysteries and Imogene’s relationship with her brother is fleshed out. And, as always, Imogene is still learning about her magical gifts – so it was nice to see what else she is capable of achieving.
The narrator, Hannah Sommerville, is the same for entire series and is great throughout. She really has brought the stories to life with her ability to give the characters their own voices and emotions.
In two days Prince Harry will be married to Shaday and Imogen can’t do anything about it, she isn’t even allowed to bake because her emotions interfere with the sweets. But a legend is going to come true an Imagen, Hank, Shaday and her firmed Alco will have to fight for their kingdoms and their future. The audiobook is awesome.
Another winner in my book! I still have no idea what it is about this series that draws me in and fosters a passion to read the book and forget everything else.
Imogen and the gang are in the Fire Kingdom for Hank and Shaday’s wedding. Needless to say, many people are not happy about the wedding including the bride and groom! The Fire kingdom is a bit backwards and treats women as if they are not as smart or strong or capable. I am sure many could understand and relate to what they see in their own lives. There are some intriguing twists about the personal life of Shaday and her hopes and desires for her life. I loved how that story played out in this book.
We also learned more about Imogen’s past and how she came to live in the human world vs the magical world through her brother Horace. I could see how Imogen was torn between wanting to know her brother but also doing what was right for the magical world. I am hoping that there might be some redemption for Horace in future books. Plus I’m sure there is more to learn about her past in future books.
Overall a very enjoyable book and I can’t wait to read the next book to see what happens next!
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Book five in the absolutely incredible Spells & Caramels series. So it is now time for Hank’s wedding which of course Imogen is dreading. The are in the fire kingdom for the ceremony and poor Imogen has her own form of melt down due to the stress of it all. As she is banished from the kitchen for awhile she starts looking into a recent murder and what follows is some craziness that kept me hooked until the very last page. It ended with a finale that blew my mind and had me cheesing from ear to ear. If you enjoy books that have amazing world building mixed with magic and characters you can really love then you really have to read this book/series. I loved every single page so I give it 5/5 stars.
Well, with all parties concerned heading to the Fire Kingdom for the big wedding, I shouldn’t be surprised at how hot things got in this story!
Full Moons, Dunes and Macaroons brings the romance story to a head. Do Hank and Shaday stand up to their parents? Will they follow their hearts? Will Imogen’s breaking heart completely destroy her baking abilities?
In terms of world building, we get to explore the wonderfully exotic Fire Kingdom with its Middle Eastern flair. The Air Kingdom is also given more attention as some key players, including the murder victim and his daughter are from there.
The murder mystery is very well-crafted. I was guessing until the end on that front. There are several very believable suspects and well-thought out motives. The clues and red-herrings are well-placed, making for an entertaining and intriguing read.
However, the main attractions in this story were Imogen’s conflict with Horace, the political dealings of the Fire Kingdom and the romance resolutions.
Imogen and Horace: Erin very cleverly writes in a separation of Imogen from her friends and within that vacuum, enters Horace. The conflict Imogen feels with Horace is palpable. That the author makes Horace so likeable, at times, and so sympathetic is amazing. She never erases his harsh edges and so the tension Imogen feels is very realistic. Aren’t we all partly product of our environment? Do extenuating circumstances warrant forgiveness of some sins? Does the ability to love someone earn you their love and compliance? These are some of the questions Imogen must answer.
Again, in this story Erin touches on some real-world issues. The people of the Fire Kingdom are oppressed in some ways and they are demanding change. Even Shaday, feels that as a woman she is treated as less and wants to find a way to change that. These issues are brought up, explored to some extent, yet the tone of the story remains in-keeping with that of a cozy mystery.
The love stories come to a head. I thought Erin did a really good job portraying the angst carried by the four key players involved in the wedding. The scene where Hank practically begs Imogen to make him choose her and give up everything was beautifully written. We finally get to see Shaday with her love interest, and isn’t that just a delicious side story!
Although, some major story arcs are brilliantly tied up in this fifth instalment, others are brought to the fore. Hank’s father looks like a nasty piece of work and I can’t wait to find out more about him. Also, there’s more to the story about how the swallows came into being and I’m looking forward to how that plays out and how it links Hank, Imogen and Horace.
I am just going to say that I am totally #teamhorace so haters beware! LOL This book was such a roller coaster! My emotions were all over the place along side Imogens. Be warned you will want to read this book in one sitting, there is so much going on, you won’t want to wait for answers! Erin does a beautiful job of framing all of Imogens emotions perfectly. Personally I think she can do better than Harry/Hank. I love how well the baking, romance, and Horace stories flow together throughout the book. It makes for the right about of suspense and laughs as you read. I can’t wait discover more about all of the above!