The Stolen Valentine

Darcy Sweet Mysteries #5

by K.J. Emrick

Love is in the air for the folks in Misty Hollow as they prepare for their annual Valentine's Day dance. Darcy Sweet thinks that she has nothing more to worry about than decorating the Sweet Read bookstore, and what to get her boyfriend on the most romantic day of the year.

She couldn't have been more wrong!

There is cause for worry when Aaron, her brother-in-law, fails to return home one night after receiving some exciting news. Things look even more dire when he doesn't turn up the next day either. His family begins to fear the worst.

What has happened to Aaron? Is he in danger? Will they find him before it's too late?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Fiction, Cozy, Fantasy, Ghosts

82 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 9, 2014

About the author

Pseudonym for author Kathrine Emrick.

Reviews

[Meegy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book almost made me cry. Not because it's not just sad, but because of everything that happened in it! I really did enjoy it though. :)

[The Poisoned Pen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love is in the air! And a man is missing! What could be more exciting? .... if Jon Tinker had a less ridiculous last name.

Back to the book, this was a fun plot to watch unfold. A little strange and confusing, but fun. I'm just thankful they didn't kill off the brother in law.

Thinking about all the books I've read in this series, I really wish the books had started off with more focus on Darcy and had introduced JT later on. I don't feel like we got to see much of her as a person without this man she obsessively clings to.

Less of their romance would have made the books more enjoyable.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just when I thought that there wasn't another take of no murder in a cozy mystery book, Emrick succeeded. We got to see Grace in the forefront of the book with Jon and Darcy this book which was lovely. With Aaron missing, Grace is beside herself throughout the book. As this is right before Valentine's Day there is also a heavy emphasis on love throughout the book. I really enjoyed how closely Jon and Darcy worked this case even though Darcy used her powers very little this book.

The characters grow closer in this book, and it was nice to see. We also got to explore a new town in the universe which was nice. Just seeing Jon and Darcy come closer and think about the next step that might happen in their lives.

I really enjoyed this book.

[Goldie Fishbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shocking but I actually liked this installment from the Darcy Sweet series. Perhaps it was due to less repetitive content but also the mystery didn’t hinge on finding out who killed someone. Very enjoyable.

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mist rises again and Darcy and Jon are once again embroiled in a mystery.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great writing, good characters and funny storyline!

[Trudy Gleason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't sure what was going on with this one but I did like it.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A creative mystery with a good amount of suspense.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a paranormal, cozy mystery. It's interesting but not very complex. Very entertaining and fun to read.

[Lady Galaxy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the mystery this time though the resolution seemed a bit rushed. At least even though it was a Valentine's Day theme, the romance didn't overshadow the story.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Too) Short and sweet. I know these are cozy mysteries but the first book in the box set was longer with a bit more substance, even if it read as written by a 5th grader.

There was slightly more detective work in this book. But due to short length it was solved very quickly.

Sigh ... Book 6 isn't looking to be much better, if only in length, at this point.

[Peggy Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

Good story, nice not to have s murder in this one but a kidnapping was exciting. Poor Grace, she was beside herself with worry. But in the end it all worked out.

[Keerthana · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was just as terrible as the rest of them. The characters are not well written and you couldn't care for them if you tried.

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, they’re short and have gotten better than the initial books. This time the hunt is on to find Aaron who turned up missing right after receiving good news.

[Sandra Bensley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaron turns up missing after Grace talks Jer news...she's pregnant. But what happened qAarom? Can Darcy and Jon find Aaron?

[Lorna Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this gripping read which was packed with drama and as for the ending… whew!

[Catherine Vickers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended series. Enjoyed this one as much as the other 4. Cosy mystery within Darcy’s own family so she gets quite emotional in this tale. Great characters, twisty turns, with a dash of magic.

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...

1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.

2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.

3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.

4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.

5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.

[McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprised at how Great this Cozy Read!

I was amazed at how much I enjoyed this storyline. Did not even realize that there were not any images or scenes to draw me into the story, until I finished.

Great writing thereby thrusting me forward to the end very quickly. First time I have felt this great to have read a book without any images or scenes entering my mind. This usually happens with the reading of an encyclopedia or journal. No images or scenes develop but I learn things. Funny to me how much I enjoyed this read!

I truly did enjoy this book. I feel a connection with the characters in the Darcy Sweet series.

Thank you K.J. Emrick for a great storyline, with characters I can now see.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this sweet storyline.

This book seemed slightly longer than the previous one & I've found that the longer novellas are more satisfying - the story development is more rounded.
This time the story was more personal for the characters & I found that the plot had more suspense than normal - something that made it enthralling to read from start to finish. I love that Jon and Darcy's relationship is more settled & I'm excited to see what the future holds for Grace.
Wonderful read.

[Linda Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

the story was clear and easy to follow. there were still some surprises in this book which kept me hooked till the end.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply sweet

This story was a simple read though the crime aspect was a bit more unbelievable. Still enjoyed the story by not hanging on to real-life expectations.

[Sandee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really enjoying these characters and how their relationships are developing. But I really enjoyed this mystery.

[Anita (Hearts and Whodunits) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these little mysteries. Even though they are short, I feel that the characters and plot are developed enough to make me want to read the next one.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another adventure with Darcy and friends - cute cozy.

[✨ Maris’ ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

✰ 4
✰ December 2024

[Anne Beattie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fifth book in the Darcy sweets mysteries and it was way to predictably.

[Yalonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, simple, entertaining...another excellent read :-)

[Beth Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was probably my favorite so far.

Darcy's brother-in-law is missing.
Darcy's sister is pregnant.
And its Valentine's Day.

Less paranormal then the others but the content was better in my opinion.