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Sunshine, Sangria, and Scandal
Golden Girls meets Thelma and Louise
Best friends Sally and Pearl can’t take the dreary January weather a second longer, but Pearl has a plan. She convinces Sally that a last-minute Caribbean cruise is just what they need to shake off the winter blues.
Charting a course for sunny skies, they board the Moonlit Dream. Between the mixology contest, sexy man competition, and making friends with the group of real estate agents they are assigned to dine with, the cruise is a blast.
That is until one of their dinner companions takes a nasty spill and dies. It’s ruled an accident, but Sally and Pearl don’t buy it, and they set out to solve the case. There’s no shortage of suspects since almost everyone he knew had a reason to want him dead.
Brimming over with heart and humor, Sally and Pearl’s third adventure will delight fans of the series and keep them guessing.
Best friends Sally and Pearl can’t take the dreary January weather a second longer, but Pearl has a plan. She convinces Sally that a last-minute Caribbean cruise is just what they need to shake off the winter blues.
Charting a course for sunny skies, they board the Moonlit Dream. Between the mixology contest, sexy man competition, and making friends with the group of real estate agents they are assigned to dine with, the cruise is a blast.
That is until one of their dinner companions takes a nasty spill and dies. It’s ruled an accident, but Sally and Pearl don’t buy it, and they set out to solve the case. There’s no shortage of suspects since almost everyone he knew had a reason to want him dead.
Brimming over with heart and humor, Sally and Pearl’s third adventure will delight fans of the series and keep them guessing.
308 pages, Paperback
Published October 12, 2023
76 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Day
10 books62 followersWendy Day loves to write stories with snarky banter and strong female characters. She is the author of the popular Sally and Pearl Adventure series, named after her own grandmother and great-grandmother. She lives in Michigan with her husband, four kids, two dogs, and one very entitled cat. She is a mediocre painter and terrible cook. When not writing, she’s likely to be found daydreaming in a rowboat or curled up in a cozy chair with a glass of wine and a good book.
Find out more about Wendy’s unique outlook on life at the website: www.readwendyday.com
Find out more about Wendy’s unique outlook on life at the website: www.readwendyday.com
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 28, 2024
This is book 3 in the “A Sally and Pearl Adventure” series. I didn’t read the first two books, but this was fine to read on its own. The beginning has some references to the prior books, however I didn’t see them as spoilers and I would still read the first two books.
This was more fun to read than I expected! This series is described as Golden Girls meets Thelma and Louise, however I would describe it more as if Jessica Fletcher had a bff roommate and they traveled a lot.
I very much enjoyed the different personalities of Sally and Pearl and that they seemed real. This story was told only by Sally, it didn’t switch back and forth, which I was surprised by. I enjoyed their shenanigans and how they were determined to have as much fun as possible on their vaca while solving a murder. The suspects were interesting and I was still kinda guessing between two of them up until the end. I look forward to reading more of their adventures!
*Provided a DRC (digital review copy) from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.
This was more fun to read than I expected! This series is described as Golden Girls meets Thelma and Louise, however I would describe it more as if Jessica Fletcher had a bff roommate and they traveled a lot.
I very much enjoyed the different personalities of Sally and Pearl and that they seemed real. This story was told only by Sally, it didn’t switch back and forth, which I was surprised by. I enjoyed their shenanigans and how they were determined to have as much fun as possible on their vaca while solving a murder. The suspects were interesting and I was still kinda guessing between two of them up until the end. I look forward to reading more of their adventures!
*Provided a DRC (digital review copy) from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.
January 25, 2026
As with the other Sally and Pearl adventures, it was slow to start but very exciting by the end! I'm sad I'm out of books to read in this series, hopefully the ladies will be up to something new soon!
January 19, 2024
This was such a cute book and after reading it, I’m definitely going to be booking a cruise!
I didn’t realize this was a part of a series when I originally requested the ARC, but I loved the characters so much that I will be reading the first two immediately! Sally and Pearl were so likable as main characters. They had me laughing at loud several times.
I was able to guess the ending to the mystery, but it was still an enjoyable read!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for my free copy in exchange for my honest review!
I didn’t realize this was a part of a series when I originally requested the ARC, but I loved the characters so much that I will be reading the first two immediately! Sally and Pearl were so likable as main characters. They had me laughing at loud several times.
I was able to guess the ending to the mystery, but it was still an enjoyable read!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for my free copy in exchange for my honest review!
January 19, 2024
This was such a cute book and after reading it, I’m definitely going to be booking a cruise!
I didn’t realize this was a part of a series when I originally requested the ARC, but I loved the characters so much that I will be reading the first two immediately! Sally and Pearl were so likable as main characters. They had me laughing at loud several times.
I was able to guess the ending to the mystery, but it was still an enjoyable read!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for my free copy in exchange for my honest review!
I didn’t realize this was a part of a series when I originally requested the ARC, but I loved the characters so much that I will be reading the first two immediately! Sally and Pearl were so likable as main characters. They had me laughing at loud several times.
I was able to guess the ending to the mystery, but it was still an enjoyable read!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for my free copy in exchange for my honest review!
November 15, 2023
Well, this was a lighthearted, vacation centred, story with two best friends solving a mystery.
The title and fun cover captured my attention.
The description of it being like characters from Thelma and Louise also caught my attention.
Unfortunately, my attention was not captured enough once I started to read it to feel immersed in the story as I had hoped I would be.
I hadn’t realized that this was the third book in a series, and once I realized that by the many references early on in the book to previous storylines, I was disappointed that the references actually were spoilers, so, although I like a good series, I don’t know if I would go back and read the other ones now knowing how they ended… but perhaps I’m assuming that I know too much based on that.
And I actually really like the writing style of the author, So I probably will still go check the other two out just in case what was written here didn’t actually spoil it.
Anyway, definitely good intentions with this book and probably the previous two, it just didn’t fully delight me the way I had hoped it would.
Thank you to author, Wendy Day, Netgalley and Open Sky Publishing for the opportunity to read this book ahead of the release date.
Charlene @lastnownext 📚🤗🌸
The title and fun cover captured my attention.
The description of it being like characters from Thelma and Louise also caught my attention.
Unfortunately, my attention was not captured enough once I started to read it to feel immersed in the story as I had hoped I would be.
I hadn’t realized that this was the third book in a series, and once I realized that by the many references early on in the book to previous storylines, I was disappointed that the references actually were spoilers, so, although I like a good series, I don’t know if I would go back and read the other ones now knowing how they ended… but perhaps I’m assuming that I know too much based on that.
And I actually really like the writing style of the author, So I probably will still go check the other two out just in case what was written here didn’t actually spoil it.
Anyway, definitely good intentions with this book and probably the previous two, it just didn’t fully delight me the way I had hoped it would.
Thank you to author, Wendy Day, Netgalley and Open Sky Publishing for the opportunity to read this book ahead of the release date.
Charlene @lastnownext 📚🤗🌸
January 29, 2024
This book is so much fun! I have not read a cosy mystery set in the modern day so this was a real change of pace for me in that genre.
Wendy Days humour is fantastic and I enjoy her writing style. It's engaging, fun and likable
Sally and Pearl are a blast! I was utterly howling with laughter at their banter and antics, bantics? Our two heroines are adorable and I wish to live viacariously through their adventures please. Request submitted in triplicate, underlined and stamped.
I will certainly need to catch up with the previous books in the series to reconcile the references, but that will be a real treat
Thank you to Netgalley for this wonderful eARC. My review is given voluntarily
Wendy Days humour is fantastic and I enjoy her writing style. It's engaging, fun and likable
Sally and Pearl are a blast! I was utterly howling with laughter at their banter and antics, bantics? Our two heroines are adorable and I wish to live viacariously through their adventures please. Request submitted in triplicate, underlined and stamped.
I will certainly need to catch up with the previous books in the series to reconcile the references, but that will be a real treat
Thank you to Netgalley for this wonderful eARC. My review is given voluntarily
October 29, 2023
Thank you to Wendy Day for the copy to read and review! I've read the other Pearl & Sally Adventures (out of order) and liked them both as well.
I thought the cruise ship setting of this story was super fun. As usual for Sally and Pearl, there are shenanigans afoot when they go on vacation together. I liked their cruise vacation adventures. Some of the side character in this one were a bit wild but it worked with the story.
Would recommend if you love:
-cozy mystery
-cruise ship setting
-best friends adventures together
I thought the cruise ship setting of this story was super fun. As usual for Sally and Pearl, there are shenanigans afoot when they go on vacation together. I liked their cruise vacation adventures. Some of the side character in this one were a bit wild but it worked with the story.
Would recommend if you love:
-cozy mystery
-cruise ship setting
-best friends adventures together
October 23, 2023
I've really enjoyed this story with Sally and Pearl.
I liked Pearl and her outgoing ways immediately. I thought Sally with her not so outgoing ways was an excellent character, too. She's more like me.
I loved being on board the Million Dream and didn't want to leave.
I found myself snickering at the antics of the passengers and the not so good ones like Eddie, which I disliked him right off. I thought he was a, you know what! I don't like those types of people.
I liked Georgia who made me snicker a lot. Georgia and Pearl were my favorite characters.
If you really want to.know the ship was my favorite character haha. I feltike I was on board without leaving the comfort of my home although I'd really like to take one someday even if it's only for 3 days. They sound like so much fun! And I did have a lot of fun with this one! Add some mystery into it, it was even more fun! I love sleuthing!
This book y'all I highly recommend it.
You'll love Pearl and Sally! I did!
5 stars for a wonderful adventure! And on board a cruise ship at that too!.
I highly recommend! Have fun!
My thanks for a wonderful story that I very much enjoyed. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I liked Pearl and her outgoing ways immediately. I thought Sally with her not so outgoing ways was an excellent character, too. She's more like me.
I loved being on board the Million Dream and didn't want to leave.
I found myself snickering at the antics of the passengers and the not so good ones like Eddie, which I disliked him right off. I thought he was a, you know what! I don't like those types of people.
I liked Georgia who made me snicker a lot. Georgia and Pearl were my favorite characters.
If you really want to.know the ship was my favorite character haha. I feltike I was on board without leaving the comfort of my home although I'd really like to take one someday even if it's only for 3 days. They sound like so much fun! And I did have a lot of fun with this one! Add some mystery into it, it was even more fun! I love sleuthing!
This book y'all I highly recommend it.
You'll love Pearl and Sally! I did!
5 stars for a wonderful adventure! And on board a cruise ship at that too!.
I highly recommend! Have fun!
My thanks for a wonderful story that I very much enjoyed. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 24, 2023
This is the third book in the Sally and Pearl mystery series but I didn't feel like I was missing much. We get glimpses into the first two books as the two go on a true crime podcast before they decide they need to escape winter and find someplace sunny to be. A cruise seems like the perfect option.
At dinner, Sally and Pearl are seated with a group of real estate agents who are all on the trip because they excel at their jobs. We get sketches of all of them but one of the standouts is Eddie. We learn more about the man as he works his way into winning the "Sexiest Man on Board" contest and seemingly playing the field though one of the other agents, Amber, seems might interested in him. He wins an amazing amount of money in the shipboard casino which is given to him in cash. Of course, he will be the one to end up dead. But why? Pearl and Sally decide to dig into the mystery.
These two are an interesting pair with Sally's anxiety about any number of things from ordering food to having nothing to do. Pearl tends to be more of a bulldozer who clips her Gs (annoying to read, by the way) and tries to avoid the advances of Malcolm, another of the realtors.
It was an interesting story but may not be a series I continue.
At dinner, Sally and Pearl are seated with a group of real estate agents who are all on the trip because they excel at their jobs. We get sketches of all of them but one of the standouts is Eddie. We learn more about the man as he works his way into winning the "Sexiest Man on Board" contest and seemingly playing the field though one of the other agents, Amber, seems might interested in him. He wins an amazing amount of money in the shipboard casino which is given to him in cash. Of course, he will be the one to end up dead. But why? Pearl and Sally decide to dig into the mystery.
These two are an interesting pair with Sally's anxiety about any number of things from ordering food to having nothing to do. Pearl tends to be more of a bulldozer who clips her Gs (annoying to read, by the way) and tries to avoid the advances of Malcolm, another of the realtors.
It was an interesting story but may not be a series I continue.
November 29, 2023
This book is a fun little cozy mystery and definitely has a Thelma & Louise feel to it. Sally & Pearl are best friends that live together and travel around to different locations, but end up finding themselves in some situations that they have to find a way out of. Pearl wants to get out of Wisconsin and find some place warm to go to, so they end up going on their first ever cruise. Pearl lets loose and have fun, but Sally is cautious and skeptical quite a bit. While on the cruise they end up making friends with some real estate agents where one of them ends up murdered and they start investigating to find out what happens.
Quick and fun read that had you escape for a short time.
Thank you #NetGalley for the advance copy!
Quick and fun read that had you escape for a short time.
Thank you #NetGalley for the advance copy!
October 18, 2023
Best friends Pearl and Sally are amateur sleuths "of a certain age", who solve murders while on vacation. The header for this book referred to it as a "Thelma and Louise" laugh-out-loud story, and I'm not sure I agree. While I enjoyed the setting of the cruise ship, which. brought back many memories of our cruises in the past, I just was annoyed with Pearl's conversation. She is from the South, but as a Southerner, I felt her character's language and comments were just overdone. Her character was just so over-the=top that I had a hard time getting through the book. I wish I would have liked it better than I did. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.
November 23, 2023
This book didn’t quite met the description. I have really been enjoying cozy mysteries and was looking forward to one with “older” main characters. I just didn’t connect with Pearl and Sally. It could be because this is the third in a series and I wasn’t aware of that.
There are a lot of characters to get to know and not much action until about a third of the way into the book. I didn’t find the banter very funny and some of the antics of Pearl and Sally felt a little forced. This one just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Open Sky Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
There are a lot of characters to get to know and not much action until about a third of the way into the book. I didn’t find the banter very funny and some of the antics of Pearl and Sally felt a little forced. This one just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Open Sky Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 22, 2023
This book didn’t quite met the description. I have really been enjoying cozy mysteries and was looking forward to one with “older” main characters. I just didn’t connect with Pearl and Sally. It could be because this is the third in a series and I wasn’t aware of that.
There are a lot of characters to get to know and not much action until about a third of the way into the book. I didn’t find the banter very funny and some of the antics of Pearl and Sally felt a little forced. This one just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Open Sky Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
There are a lot of characters to get to know and not much action until about a third of the way into the book. I didn’t find the banter very funny and some of the antics of Pearl and Sally felt a little forced. This one just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Open Sky Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2024
This is a story about 2 friends, Sally and Pearl, that take a cruise. While on the cruise, they become acquainted with a team of realtors. During the trip one of the realtors is murdered and the ladies, who happen to be amateur crime solvers, set out to solve the crime. The cast of characters are interesting. My favorite was Pearl who was a hoot. She is loud, an excessive drinker, and very Southern.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wendy Day for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wendy Day for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.
April 28, 2024
This was a thrilling read even though I expected a little more. It was exciting and mysterious, going along with the typical happenings of a cruise, which was fun to follow since I was on my 1st one during the reading of this book. Some elements were cheesy but fun. The buildup to who actually committed the crime was suspenseful and had me guessing until the end. This was a a nice end to the series
October 22, 2023
Sally and Pearl get in the craziest adventures. This time it's in a cruise.
I really have enjoyed about Sally and Pearl's adventures, but this time it wasn't as fun as the first one. It was a crazy and fun adventure in a cruise with a bit of murder mystery.
Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc version of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really have enjoyed about Sally and Pearl's adventures, but this time it wasn't as fun as the first one. It was a crazy and fun adventure in a cruise with a bit of murder mystery.
Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc version of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 6, 2023
This is the third book in this series and I had a good time with Sally and Pearl! This series is funny and so enjoyable. They meet new friends, solve another crime and have a good time while doing it. I definitely recommend this fun series!
Thank you NetGalley and Open Sky Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.
Thank you NetGalley and Open Sky Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.
January 31, 2024
3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the author Wendy Day for this E-ARC. I love Sally and Pearl. This is the 3rd book Ive read in the series and just like the other 2 it did not disappoint. I love these ladies I want to be them when I'm older. Every where they go it turns into a adventure and I love that. Cant wait to see what Sally and Pearl get into next.
October 31, 2023
DNF @ 10%
It's not for me. The idea of two "retired-ish" ladies from the Midwest solving crimes in Mexico or on a cruise is apparently too improbable for my brain.
Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc.
It's not for me. The idea of two "retired-ish" ladies from the Midwest solving crimes in Mexico or on a cruise is apparently too improbable for my brain.
Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc.
January 7, 2024
Book Review:
It was a cute mystery aboard a cruise ship ....It had colorful character's and each day aboard was an adventure....Glad th murder was solved and the enjoyment of the cruise continued....Thanks for an enjoyable read...Looking forward to the next story....M.L.🙂
It was a cute mystery aboard a cruise ship ....It had colorful character's and each day aboard was an adventure....Glad th murder was solved and the enjoyment of the cruise continued....Thanks for an enjoyable read...Looking forward to the next story....M.L.🙂
July 1, 2024
Please, more by Wendy Day...
I chose this rating because I have thoroughly enjoyed the 3 books about Sally and Pearj. The characters have so much fun while trying to solve a murder I will patiently await another from Wendy Day
I chose this rating because I have thoroughly enjoyed the 3 books about Sally and Pearj. The characters have so much fun while trying to solve a murder I will patiently await another from Wendy Day
October 25, 2023
loved it!
Another wonderful vacation filled with new friends, adventure, action, another crime to solve and lots of laughs for two very good friends.
Another wonderful vacation filled with new friends, adventure, action, another crime to solve and lots of laughs for two very good friends.
Read
February 23, 2024DNF.
April 23, 2024
Loved it
September 24, 2024
Fun
This was another fun story for Pearl and Sally. The fun they had, except for the murder makes me want to go on a cruise.
This was another fun story for Pearl and Sally. The fun they had, except for the murder makes me want to go on a cruise.
January 11, 2025
Read on Amazon Kindle; borrowed via Kindle Unlimited.
This was fine. Short, easy, entertaining. Didn’t keep my engaged initially. But it’s the 1st one of 2025 done!
This was fine. Short, easy, entertaining. Didn’t keep my engaged initially. But it’s the 1st one of 2025 done!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews