This ebook contains a bonus vignette!Someone’s sweet on revenge . . . Christmas is Bailey King’s favorite time of year. For her first Yuletide in Harvest, Ohio, the former big-city chocolatier is recreating a cherished holiday treat: peppermint combined with molten white chocolate. But her sugar high plummets when her former boyfriend walks into the candy shop she now runs with her Amish … candy shop she now runs with her Amish grandmother. New York celebrity chef Eric Sharp and his TV crew have arrived to film an authentic Amish Christmas. Bailey’s not about to let her beloved town—and Swissmen Sweets—be turned into a sound bite. Unfortunately, she gets more publicity than she bargained for when Eric’s executive producer is found strangled to death—and Eric’s the prime suspect.
With Bailey’s sheriff deputy boyfriend out to prove Eric’s guilt, her bad-boy ex tries to sweet-talk her into helping him clear his name . . . and rekindle their romance to boost ratings for his show. Now, between a surplus of suspects and a victim who wasn’t who she seemed, Bailey’s edging dangerously close to a killer who isn’t looking to bring joy to the world—or to Bailey—this deadly Noel . . .
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 Candy Shop Mystery has become one of my absolute favorite cozy mystery series I love the characters and settings.
Amanda Flower is a very talented author. You don’t find many authors that can create different worlds and different characters in different series. Most of the time when you read different series by the same author you’ll read either the same likeness of characters or somehow the storyline will feel like you’ve read it before. This is one reason I love reading books by Amanda Flower because you don’t feel like you read the same book or characters before.
So far, this story is my favorite book in the series, the twist and turns in this mystery had me coming back for more until I was done and shocked as to who done it. Bailey relationship picks up more as she and Aiden get close, but with Bailey’s new job offer we are left with a lot of questions as what is going to happen next, which leaves me with I can’t wait for the next installment.
Love this series and I cannot wait for the next one. I agree with Bailey, love Christmas time the best. The wonderful smells of holiday baking, decorating, just everything about it. But it’s not so much fun when there is murder thrown into the mix. Do not like her ex boyfriend. Definitely a jerk.
I kind of had it figured out the secret that the murdered woman was hiding from everyone else. But Bailey manages to get herself into a lot of trouble and yet solving the case as well. Well worth the read.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Everything is not Merry this Christmas season in Harvest, Ohio. Eric Sharp, Bailey King’s ex has shown up with a camera crew to catch on film an authentic Amish Christmas for his new television show just in time for annual Harvest Christmas Market. Seems his producers need the celebrity chef to be more human/friendly and they think this episode will do the trick. The problem is that he wants to showcase Swissmen Sweets and just expects Bailey to go along with his plan, never thinking about her grandmother, an Amish woman that has no desire to been seen on camera. The Amish community itself shuns any type of photographic participation.
Early the next morning as Bailey is on her way to tell the producer that it is unlikely that her grandmother will approve any filming in the sweet shop, she notices something that draws her to the gazebo in the park. As she arrives she finds the producer dead and Eric Sharp standing over the body. Of course, he is the prime suspect but Bailey can’t wrap her head around Eric as a killer. She quickly finds herself involved in several Christmas Market events and she plans to use that as a way to try to clear Eric from the suspect list. She is no longer sweet on him, but she hopes to keep him out of jail for the holidays.
Peppermint, peppermint, and more peppermint. I was craving it throughout this whole book and it is darn hard to find peppermint bark or fudge or canes this time of year. I had to settle for the hard candy and that didn’t really curb my cravings. Can’t wait for Christmas candy to hit the stores, probably any day now.
The characters in this series are so much fun. Amish and Englishers do their best to coexist in Harvest. Bailey and her grandmother have hired Charlotte to work with them at Swissmen Sweets. This way Bailey has time to get caught up in her investigations. Her relationship with Deputy Aiden Brody gets just a little bit closer. His mother already has them engaged and headed down the aisle. She and her pet pig, Jethro are involved again in the whole story and that leads to some very humorous moments. She thinks Jethro needs to make his television debut and someday have a show of his own.
The mystery was pretty complex. Who would want Rocky Rivers dead? Are they Amish or Englisch? and what was she hiding? I loved that Bailey’s BFF hopped on a plane and flew to Harvest to be at Bailey’s side when she heard Eric had come to town. Cass thinks on her feet and not only helped with the investigation but played a big part in getting Bailey an offer that may be just too hard to refuse. They work well together and find some huge clues the police had missed.
Well written and plotted, Amanda Flower has given her readers one sweet treat to devour this holiday season. Christmas in Harvest sounds delightful, sans the murder, of course. A perfect escape for when the temps get lower and the snow starts to fly.
I love this series. I missed book 2 but there was no spoilers or feeling like I missed something. I do want to go back and read the second book just because the books are so great. The characters are well developed with plenty of growth in each book. The writing keeps your interest. There was more than one thing to figure out and both kept me guessing. One I had guessed right fairly early but the other I was completely off base with. The world building is fantastic and the glimpse we get in the next book shows that we will become more familiar with the “other life” that Bailey left for her new one.
There’s a big difference to me between moving on and actually getting closure. I’m glad that we got to see Bailey get the closure that was needed. Yeah, she had moved on from her previous romance but now, even the reader feels ready for that next step. I am also glad we saw some character development in Eric too. I’m not sure what his future is or if we will see more of him in the future, but I enjoyed how things played out there.
Overall, this continues to be a fantastic series and I recommend them in any order.
Recipe Included: Bailey’s Peppermint Bark
Thank you to Amanda Flower, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this wonderful story and share my thoughts and opinions with others.
Bailey is looking forward to her first Christmas in Harvest, Ohio. Things have been going well with the shop and other than a few minor issues all is well. When Bailey’s ex-boyfriend shows up in town with a film crew in tow she is shocked! What is he doing in town and why does he think she would want anything to do with him? Eric wants to film an authentic Amish Christmas for his show and hopes that he can convince Bailey to not only be a part of it but also film it in her grandmother’s shop. Bailey realizes the publicity would be good for the shop but can she stand being around Eric for more than a few minutes? Things start out okay but when Bailey finds the executive producer strangled to death on the town square things take a turn for the worse. Eric becomes the main suspect in the death and looks forward Bailey for help in proving his innocence. Bailey wants to help so she can get her life back to normal. The producer wasn’t well liked among the crew so there are more than enough suspects to take a look at. When Bailey comes across some strange information she starts to dig even deeper. Can she find the killer before something else goes wrong? This is such a wonderful series filled with a fantastic cast of characters, who wouldn’t love Jethro. The setting is one that I would love to visit, and the Amish culture is well written. I look forward to seeing what Bailey gets into next.
Premeditated Peppermint
Amish Candy Shop, Book #3
Amanda Flower
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Christmas is Bailey King’s favorite time of year. For her first Yuletide in Harvest, Ohio, the former big-city chocolatier is recreating a cherished holiday treat: peppermint combined with molten white chocolate. But her sugar high plummets when her former boyfriend walks into the candy shop she now runs with her Amish grandmother. New York celebrity chef Eric Sharp and his TV crew have arrived to film an authentic Amish Christmas. Bailey’s not about to let her beloved town—and Swissmen Sweets—be turned into a sound bite. Unfortunately, she gets more publicity than she bargained for when Eric’s executive producer is found strangled to death—and Eric’s the prime suspect.
With Bailey’s sheriff deputy boyfriend out to prove Eric’s guilt, her bad-boy ex tries to sweet-talk her into helping him clear his name . . . and rekindle their romance to boost ratings for his show. Now, between a surplus of suspects and a victim who wasn’t who she seemed, Bailey’s edging dangerously close to a killer who isn’t looking to bring joy to the world—or to Bailey—this deadly Noel . . . (Goodreads)
Review:
Bailey has her hands full preparing the candy shop for the Yuletide celebration in Harvest, Ohio. She hardly has time to spend with her boyfriend, Aiden, who is a sheriff deputy. So when her ex, Eric, shows up from New York to film a Christmas special, she is not very happy. And when the producer of the special is murdered, and her ex is the prime suspect, she is furious. But she knows that Eric would never kill anyone, so she agrees to figure out the killer.
The characters are well rounded and well developed. I enjoy spending time with Bailey, her grandmother and her friends. I was very happy that Bailey’s friend, Cass, was once again able to help with some sleuthing. I enjoy getting to read about their antics and conversations, they always make me laugh. And who does not love Jethro, Aiden’s mom’s pig, who goes everywhere with his mom.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and I felt like I was right there in Harvest, smelling the aromas in the candy shop and seeing all of the decorations around the square. The writing style flows smoothly and allowed me to have a very good understanding of the characters through their actions and words. The mystery was carried on well throughout the entire book and had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written cozy mystery. The author brings the Amish culture to life and that is a plus in my book. In my opinion, this is a must read book and series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Read 9.30.2018
This series has just become one of my top five [ongoing] cozy mystery series. I really like Bailey; she is who she is, but she is also so very respectful of the Amish and her Grandmother and does what she can to honor their traditions while also trying to have her own as well. Sometimes she fails [as in this book] and that is another reason I like her. She is so very human. She makes mistakes, recognizes that and apologizes and moves on. She truly tries her best.
We had to deal with her douchecanoe ex-boyfriend Eric in this one [no I am not biased against the name, whydoyouask? 😉 ] and his extremely arrogant ways. I get that you are not supposed to like him, but I think the author went a touch overboard! LOL Maybe she has an ex in her past that he is based on! I am glad that Bailey was able to deal with him and her issues with him in this one.
The only character I am not a huge fan of is Aiden’s Mom, Juliet. And that PIG! What is it this week with characters who feel like they can take their pets anywhere they want? [See my review of Claws of Concern by Miranda James for a full rant on this very subject]. Ergh. And how she just assumes that Bailey and Aiden are engaged simply because SHE wants them to be – how annoying.
There are some seriously laugh-out-loud moments in this book along with the usual murder and mayhem and they add to the story well.
This is a very good book and an excellent series and I cannot wait until the next one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review – all opinions are my own.
What a fun holiday read! Flower’s characters are quirky, and I love all the plot twists. And Jethro the pig is the cherry on top!
Overall I enjoy this series. In this third book Christmas has arrived in Harvest and the town is getting ready for the Christmas Festival with lots of Peppermint and a Live Nativity. Bailey’s ex NY boyfriend also arrives with a camera crew to film a Christmas segment for his reality cooking show. When the producer is found dead and he is the prime suspect Bailey sets out to clear his name. I enjoy the Candy Shop and Amish background. The characters in town are fun and Jethro the pig is going to be a star. The mystery was good with lots of suspects and red herrings. The book is easy to read and perfect for the Holidays. Enjoy
Premeditated Peppermint takes readers back to Harvest Ohio for the third book in Amanda Flower’s Amish Candy Shop Mystery series. It’s a Christmas story but even so a murder takes place once again. Now you’d think a quiet Amish community would be full of peace and goodwill during the days leading up to Christmas but there’s always that one person who feels the necessity to murder someone and bring calamity and fear to the rest of the community.
Bailey King’s ex boyfriend, the famous tv chef from New York comes to town in hopes that Bailey can help him restore his tv show image and ratings. Seems the show’s viewers are tired of hearing the chef yell at his kitchen help on the showPremeditated Peppermint takes readers back to Harvest Ohio for the third book in Amanda Flower’s Amish Candy Shop Mystery series. It’s a Christmas story but even so a murder takes place once again. Now you’d think a quiet Amish community would be full of peace and goodwill during the days leading up to Christmas but there’s always that one person who feels the necessity to murder someone and bring calamity and fear to the rest of the community.
Bailey Kong’s ex boyfriend, the famous tv chef from New York comes to town in hopes that Bailey can help him restore his tv show ratings. Seems the show’s viewers are tired of hearing the chef yell at his kitchen help each week. His Executive Producer wants to soften his image by doing a Christmas show in Harvest and she hopes to center it around the Swissmens Sweets Candy Shop and the Harvest Christmas Market festival. But then a murder takes place right there in the town square. One of the tv shows Casting crew falls victim to a murderer so now handsome Deputy Sheriff Aiden Brody gets to lay his Joseph costume aside and put on his investigation cap. Why and who is what he wants to know and wants Bailey to stay at her Peppermint booth and not to get involved in his business. Will she be able to stand back and let Aiden do his job?
Bailey takes on the job as babysitter to Jethro, a potbelly Pig , about the size of a toaster. Every time the festival organizer, Margot Rawlings looks at Bailey she gives her another job to do. Bailey wrestles with feelings of being left out and not needed at the candy shop as Charlotte takes on more responsibility and Clara grows closer to her young cousin. Could it be that Bailey is really no longer needed to help her grandma and could it be time to head back to New York? Then Cass makes a surprise visit from The Big Apple to visit Bailey just when she needs her good friend to confide in.
I found myself chewing what nails I barely have when the author once again gets the characters involved in some dangerous situations. The hair on the back of my neck rose many times as I turned pages afraid to put down the book. Let’s just say I didn’t lose interest!
This is cozy mystery you won’t want to miss. If you like Amish Fiction you get that in this book too. And it’s a Christmas story also .
I borrowed a ebook copy of this book from the Hoopla Library. A review wasn’t requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Very good read
This was a cute read, if a bit wordy. There was an interesting cast of characters mixed up in a cozy mystery murder that was a unique blend of high jinks, mild suspense, and a smidge of romance. It didn’t quite pull me in the way I’d wanted it to, but it was still enjoyable. A little less repetition and some contractions (please!) would have made it easier to read, but overall a cute story.
Another amazing book! This is a must read series!
this book too!
Premeditated Peppermint is an exciting holiday adventure in Flower’s Amish Candy Shop mystery series. Bailey King is excited for her first Christmas helping her grandmother run their Candy Shop as well as her first participating in the town’s Christmas Market. Just as the holidays were getting closer, Bailey’s ex Eric showed up with a television crew needing her help for his show. Things go from bad to worse when a member of Eric’s television crew is murdered leaving it up to Bailey to clear Eric’s name.
Flower does a great job at setting up a great holiday read full of holiday spirit, romance, humor, and murder. Bailey is really tested this holiday as she tries to decide what she really wants, needs to put her past relationship with Eric to bed, tries to work on starting a relationship with Aiden, and solves a murder. I like how Flower set up a story that shows how much things have changed for Bailey as she takes stock of what she wants and where she wants to go from here. I also loved the secondary characters because they helped make the story even more enjoyable and special. The book’s mystery was well done keeping the reader guessing until the end. Overall Premeditated Peppermint is a great holiday read that you can enjoy all year long. I look forward to reading Bailey’s next adventure.
Received a copy of Premeditated Peppermint through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
This is such a great, fun series! This latest book is set at Christmas and I love all the peppermint candy being made. I love reading about the Amish!! Bailey’s ex-boyfriend comes to Harvest to shoot a film special for his show and hopes to also rekindle their romance. When the show’s producer is found murdered, her ex is the prime suspect. She agrees to help him and investigates. A fun mix of murder investigation, Jethro the pig, and the world of the Amish. Bailey also gets offered her own show, which would require her to be in New York to film for a few months. I look forward to seeing what’s next for Bailey and seeing a relationship develop between her and Aiden. I also would love to see more of Jethro the pig and see Juliet and the Reverand get married. Great recipes included!
Strong female character whose willing to take a chance. I liked how the book gave insight into the Amish community without any judgements. I found the book a good read.
Another excellent read, She shows the humanity of the Amish. They really are no different from us. The tension between people both English and Amish is so believable you feel like they are real people. And of course there is the pig.
Couldn’t put this down, just like Amanda Flowers other stories!
Premeditated Peppermint by Amanda Flower is the third tale in An Amish Candy Shop Mystery series. Bailey King is looking forward to a peaceful Christmas in Harvest, Ohio with her grandmother, Clara and cousin, Charlotte. They have been busy preparing a variety of peppermint candies for their Swissmen Sweets table at the Harvest Christmas Market. Then a grinch arrives in the form of Bailey’s ex-boyfriend and baker, Eric Sharp along with a camera crew. He wants to film the Christmas special of his show in Harvest with Bailey. Bailey agrees to meet the producer, Rocky Rivers the next morning to discuss the proposal. On her way to the meeting, Bailey notices a set of lights out on the gazebo. When she enters the gazebo, Bailey finds Rocky dead with the lights wrapped around her neck and Eric standing over her body. Deputy Aiden Brody quickly arrives on the scene and targets Eric as his prime suspect. Eric asks Bailey to prove his innocence before he ends up as head baker at the local prison. Linc Baggins (not a hobbit) arrives to take over production of the show and he has a surprising business proposition for Bailey. Then Juliet Brody approaches Bailey with a special request for her almost daughter-in-law (Aiden and Bailey have yet to have a first date). Juliet feels that Jethro has the face for television, and she wants Bailey’s help jumpstarting the pig’s career. Then Margot needs Bailey’s help with the live nativity. Bailey’s Christmas is quickly spiraling out of control.
Premeditated Peppermint is an entertaining cozy mystery as you can tell from my summary. You will be hooked from the very first page. While Premeditated Peppermint can be read alone, I suggest reading the series in order. It will provide you a better understanding of Bailey and how she came to live in Harvest. I thought Premeditated Peppermint was well-written with a good pace. It is just the right length at 306 pages. I had been reading a different book that was dragging along (I fell asleep), so I switched to Premeditated Peppermint and quickly devoured it. Harvest is a quaint small town that has a mixture of Amish and English citizens. There are charming shops and events that attract tourists such as the Harvest Christmas Market. Bailey is a smart and talented main character. I was happy to see Bailey’s best friend, Cass pop up in Harvest to help Bailey. Juliet Brody is quite a character. She goes around town with her pig, Jethro on a leash. I can see Jethro acting as the ring bearer if Aiden and Bailey ever marry (picture Jethro wearing a cute little tux). There are many laugh out loud moments in Premeditated Peppermint courtesy of Juliet, Jethro, Eric, Margot Rawlings, and the camel, Melchior. I enjoyed the descriptions of the delectable candies being prepared at Swissmen Sweets. The mystery was interesting with a handful of suspects and misdirection. The method of murder fit in with the book and the author provided good clues to aid the reader in solving the crime. There are recipes at the end of book and a preview of Toxic Toffee. My rating for Premeditated Peppermint is 4 out of 5 stars.