Up-and-comer Ashley Branson usually aims to keep both feet placed firmly on the ground—unless she's instructing a class at her trendy cat yoga studio. But she soon finds herself caught in a downward spiral when a stretch beyond her comfort zone leads to murder . . .
Ashley Branson is sure of one thing after experiencing a disastrous blind date—she would much rather enjoy the single life and hang out with playful felines at her studio, A Purrfect Pose, than ever compromise her inner peace like that again. When the mysterious guy makes a late arrival then has the nerve to dine and dash, it's embarrassing. But when he winds up dead in his apartment that same night? Ash suddenly finds herself thrust into a twisted murder investigation and questioning if she might be shaping up to be the suspect . . . or the next victim.
Ash races to claw through a web of lies, hidden identities, and love lives even more complicated than her own to uncover the truth. Adding to the chaos, she believes her shifty neighbor—covered in unexplained injuries and rumored to harbor a crush on her—could be connected to the crime. Now, with more leads than she needs, Ash must take a deep breath, pull on her big-girl leggings, and move faster than the cunning killer who wants to put her in corpse pose for good . . .
I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
I enjoyed the first book in this series, so I jumped on the chance to continue the series with book 2. The Cat Yoga Mystery series has a fun theme with the main character running a cat yoga studio were cats that are available for adoption join the yoga sessions. In this book Ash gets involved in another mystery as the guy she went on a blind date with dies later that evening.
Despite being stressed I flew through this book. I had some extra time to read and read it in a few days. I enjoyed the book and the mystery kept me engaged. I thought the mystery set up with Ash' blind date dying later that evening was an unique set up and I liked seeing the mystery play out. There was a great twist later on that was very well done. The mystery kept me guessing and I managed to figure out who was the murderer toward the end, but wasn't quite sure about the motive, so it was fun to see the mystery play out and the motive get revealed. The wrap up was a bit quick though.
I like reading about Ash, her cat, her friends and neighbors. It made sense why she got involved in the mystery and there's plenty about her daily life, her yoga studio and some family drama as well. There is a hint of romance with the blind date and a sort of/ not a date later on, but I am not sure if any of this will actually lead to a relationship, guess we'll find out in future books.
To summarize: This was a solid sequel. It kept my attention during a stressful time in my life and due some extra reading time I read it in just a few days. The mystery was a good one with a unique set-up and a well done twist later on. I managed to guess who the murderer was, even though I didn't know the motive, and I enjoyed seeing it all come to light and play out. I like reading about Ash and there's plenty about her daily life, her yoga studio, her cat and some family drama and events as well. I look forward to the next book!
This is the 2nd book in this new series. Ashley is busy with her cat yoga studio and trying to keep her head above water. She didn’t need a blind date thrown into the mix; she doesn’t have the time or the inclination to worry about a relationship. The date goes wrong from the beginning, and she’s left with the bill when her date runs out on her. But when her date turns up dead and she becomes the number one suspect, she has no choice but to make the time to clear her name and find the killer.
Danger lurks around every corner. Ash is always looking over her shoulder as she is certain she is being followed. Of course, she wouldn’t be in danger if she listened to the police and kept her nose out of their business, but that’s not who she is.
This book is fun, the suspects are delightful, and the unveiling of the killer is fantastic. The repeating characters are well written, and most readers will find at least one they can relate to. I am happy to recommend this series.
I devoured this book! This series is SO cozy with so much drama for the perfect balance; easy to read and hard to put down. I love the way this story went and how Ash handled the various sticky situations. She has way more patience for her parents than I would; she is definitely more mature than her mother and she has serious grace for her dad. I loved seeing the siblings together more and understanding their dynamic. I could spend all day at Ash's cat yoga studio and still love the idea and set up so much. This book just brought me so much joy to read! I cannot wait to visit again!
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC; my thoughts and review are my own.
Ashley Branson is quite happy with life. Her yoga studio, A Purrfect Pose, which combines two of her main loves, yoga, obviously, and cats is doing well and each day kitties from the local shelter come to the studio to interact with the students in the hope of a few cuddles or maybe even a forever home. Best friend, Sierra, isn't convinced she's ok alone, however, and sets her up on a blind date, which is every kind of awful just as Ash thought it might be!
When a dead body is discovered with close links to her date, the calm she aims for disappears as Ash's life is invaded by stress! Convinced she's also being stalked along with her sister, and still trying to ignore her less than welcoming business neighbour, Ashley has far too much on her plate and that's before her mother begins to interfere again! Can Ash find a killer, a stalker, win round her neighbour, and stay happily single, she has no idea but she's definitely going to try, even if it's the last thing she does!
Although this is only the second book in Alex Erickson's new series, it is a great read, and Ash is already a likeable and relatable main protagonist. There is great potential for future adventures relating to the yoga studio, but Ash's private life also has many possibilities and makes this another excellent cosy series for crime and cat lovers to enjoy.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Kensington Publishing, Kensington Cosies, but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this and happily recommend it.
Four paws and a tail up for this second in Alex Erickson’s new series! This is even better than the first, which I enjoyed tremendously. The concept of using kittens or cats to enhance yoga sessions sounds excellent if they help students relax. The mystery is complex, with just the right amount of humor interjected through the serious business of a murder investigation.
Ash broke away from her family’s business and split with her former fiancé to take control of her life, goals, and success. Even having her new business down the street does not deter Cecilia Branson from putting her daughter on eggshell-walking alert. Ash and Drew, her former fiancé and the only man she had dated since they met in middle school, have remained good friends, despite the screeching from his current, rabidly jealous girlfriend.
Ash is building her business with regular students and many memberships. She is content to go home after work to Luna, her cat, or go out with her friends or her sister Alexi. Dating has not been a priority for Ash, but Sierra set her up with a blind date, Grady. Sierra had met him at Snoots, the very popular local pub where she works.
Ash didn’t want to see Grady, as there is no Purrfect Date, but finally met him at the Market Inn, a nice local restaurant. And waited. And waited. One of her yoga students, George, and his cousin Edward were at a nearby table. After a couple drinks, Edward demanded to know the name of her very late date. He began to make a scene just before a young man came to her table. Edward said some unkind things to Grady, and George took Edward and left.
Ash and Grady enjoyed their dinner and conversation, until Grady excused himself to the facilities . . . and never returned. She had no choice but to pay the bill. Ash was done with dating. When she returned to her apartment, two of her neighbors who had been trying to get Ash together with her next-door neighbor, Leon, discussed it with her again. Yes, Leon was handsome. No, she was done with dating.
The next morning, Grady was found dead in his apartment. The police contacted her because her name was written in his calendar. They now consider her a person of interest. A few days later, she saw Grady leave Snoots, very much alive, ran after him, but he wouldn’t talk to her.
She then noticed a man who shows up wherever she is, even coming into her studio until she asked his name. When talking with her sister, a man with the same description seems to be following her, as well as Hunter, their brother.
The author’s writing style and the characters were engaging, rendering the book difficult to put down. The plot was excellent, with clues, twists, and turns that continued to change what I thought were established facts.
I enjoyed most of the characters, with Ash being my favorite. J Allen, owner of the doggy spa next to A Purrfect Pose, is more annoying than most neighbors. Relationships with her family vary with each person, especially her mom. I like Drew and how they get along so well as friends. Kiersten, the head of the animal shelter, is becoming a favorite, as is Sierra, Ash’s bestie. All of the cats are a delight, especially Ash’s cat, Luna, and Herman, Sierra’s giant, fluffy cat.
There are laugh out loud scenes, others angry or panicked, yet Ash continue to face each day. Sierra and Ash’s friends, Bri, Aaron and Henna help sort through clues while Ash and Sierra do the footwork.
One at a time, challenges are faced and dispensed with, but the killer is elusive. Against Chief Higgins’ order, Ash continues to seek who the killer was, but she does share the clues she finds. I was stunned when the killer was revealed, and who her date really was! The ending was satisfactory, with no loose ends remaining. I highly recommend this cozy mystery, especially in its unique setting.
The last thing Ashley Branson wants is a blind date, but thanks to her best friend, Sierra, she agrees to it. It starts off in a bad way when her date is very late. When he finally gets there, he disappears leaving her holding the check. That’s not even the worst of it. The man is found dead later that same night and suddenly she finds herself a suspect. She didn’t even know the guy.
Ash has her hands full keeping her cat yoga studio up and running. She doesn’t have time to be investigating a murder. However, she has no choice since she is a suspect, and somebody could be after her. Could she be the next victim?
This is the second book in the series and I’m loving it. Of course, being a cat lover, I’m partial to all books featuring felines. In this series, Ash runs a yoga class, and each participant gets their own cat to assist them. There’s, also, the potential for kitty adoption.
Ash is surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast which includes her entire family. I appreciate the closeness she shares with them while still being at odds with her mother. This gives us a well-developed storyline which could run throughout the series.
It’s an intriguing plot which kept me up late at night reading. The author kept me guessing to the end. I enjoyed this one even more than the first one.
There is no cliffhanger as the mystery is solved in this book. I do recommend reading the first book before this one just to get to know Ash and the rest of the cast a little better.
The author has won me over and I’ll be looking forward to the next book. I’ll also be checking out this author’s backlist. It looks like I’ll have many hours of fun reading to catch up on.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Blind dates can be torturous. Blind dates can be embarrassing. Ash does not expect blind dates to be murderous. Just when she thinks her blind date has ghosted her, he shows up long enough to eat a meal and then stiffs her with the bill. Not exactly in the running for date of the year. But when a murder is committed she gets ensnarled with an impersonating cad, a jealous and violent wife and lots of secrets just waiting to surface.
All the while this is happening, Ash also has to contend with her steamroller of a mother who never gives a thought to anyone but herself. She is going to add an additional layer of confusion to an already complicated situation. At the same time, the family awaits the arrival of her brother Hunter’s baby. Momma is the daughter of the chief of police and he does not know the identity of the daddy. The big guy and Ash have a testy but affectionate relationship and she does not want to be the one who “spills” on her brother. While Ash is self aware, there are times when she does things that might deserve an eye roll but for the most part, she does try to keep herself safe. Of course, these things never work out exactly as expected.
How cute is this cover? I enjoyed the first book in this cozy mystery series and I'm happy to say that the sequel was just as good!
The mystery centers around a blind date gone terribly bad. Ash is set up by a friend on a blind date at the opening of the book. He arrives way late, eats, then excuses himself to the restroom and never returns. The next day he is found dead and the police have a lot of questions for Ash. She quickly finds herself in a tangle of lies, deceit and jealousy that leaves her desperately searching for the culprit. This mystery was well written and paced. I was left stumped for a good majority of the story until one small action made me finally zero in on the suspect.
I really like Ash. I adore her cat yoga studio and really like her group of friends and sweet neighbors. She has a great dynamic with her siblings, but her mom drives me crazy. The way she treats her grown children is simply awful and manipulative. With her big announcement in this story it will be interesting to see how the family handles everything in future books.
I'm not sure how to take Leo, Ash's mysterious neighbor. The two obviously have a connection, but I'm not sure if it's true romance or just a good friendship that's slowly developing.
Overall, this is a great series. It has a youthful feel with loads of drama, just the right amount of humor and a captivating mystery. I will definitely keep my eye out for a third book.
Ash’s blind date was anything but perfect. It starts a chain reaction that could not have been predicted in a million years. Her friend set her up with a guy she hardly knew. He was late meeting Ash at the restaurant, and the date went downhill from there. The next day, the police wanted to see Ash about her date. It seems that after he snuck out of the restaurant without even saying goodbye and sticking her with the check, he gets murdered. And yes, it gets more complicated; things aren’t always what they seem to be. It’s quite intriguing mystery. Cat yoga adds another level of interest, as does Ash’s obnoxious business neighbor. Her cats seem to be upsetting his dog grooming business. Really. Well, Ash starts investigating on her own, much to the displeasure of the police. This entertaining tale is well written and has great characters. Even the bad guy is well developed, but readers will have to be astute to figure out who it is before the big reveal at the end. This second novel in the series is just as good as the first one. I’m looking forward to the next installment, and more cat yoga!
A Purrfect Date is the 2nd book in Alex Ericson's A Cat Yoga Mystery and works as a stand alone story. This is a really enjoyable cozy mystery with likable characters and a mystery that kept me guessing. Ash (Ashley) Branson owns a yoga studio with kittens to motivate and distract the participants. Ash's friend Sierra sets her up on a blind date which doesn't go well when the date slips out leaving Ash with the bill and then the guy is found dead. When Ash realizes she is a suspect because of the blind date, she, her sister Alexi and Sierra try to figure out who wanted the date dead. Secrets are uncovered, people are acting suspicious, someone is following her and her family is causing problems for her. There is enough going on that the story kept my attention and I really enjoyed it! I'm looking forward to the next book. I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley and Kensington Books and I voluntarily leave this review. #APurrfectDate #ACatYogaMystery #Kensington #KensingtonCozies
At times I don’t like Ash so much for her extreme interfering, but she’s really hard not to like at all lol. Sierra’s an amazing friend to her and trust me, Ash needs that with the piece of work she’s got for a mother. That lady’s uptight and way too into her kids’ business. I’m sure she wasn’t happy about Ash chasing down a killer in this book, but at least she’d come to the reality that one of her daughters wasn’t gonna be working for her.
The showdown with the killer (never saw that person coming!) was tense but Ash managed to keep her wits about her. Although it’s a really good thing Sierra showed up right when she was needed the most. I love what she did to the perp! Now there’s a baby in the family for Ash to spoil so maybe she’ll be able to just run her yoga studio and love on the little one for a while.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.
This is the second book in the Cat Yoga Mystery series featuring Ashley Branson, the owner of a Purrfect Pose Yoga Studio. Poor Ash, she is set up on a blind date with a Grandy Richardson. First, Grandy is a half hour late, then goes to the restroom and ghosts Ash and leaves her with the dinner bill. Not a great blind date. The next day, that date goes from disastrous to deadly, when the police find Grandy dead and bring in Ash for questioning. Of course, after Ash is told to not do any investigation, she doesn’t listen and has to solve the murder. This is a fun little cozy mystery. I received an ARC of this book from NetGally and Kensington Publishing for my honest review.
I love the cat yoga studio aspect of this cozy mystery but I wish there were more cat antics going on around the studio! It's a great way to bring people...possibly suspects?...into Ashley's sphere. And her solid friend group is a plus and a nice balance to her dysfunctional family!
One of those friends sets Ashley up on a blind date that doesn't go as planned and when the guy's body is discovered the next day...well, how can Ashley resist some 'innocent' amateur sleuthing.? Great balance between the cozy and the mystery and few surprising plot twists in both areas made for a frenzied page-turning kind of read.
We are back with Ash in the second book of the cat yoga series by Alex Erickson. She is continuing to run her yoga studio/cat rescue while navigating her overbearing mother, a disruptive neighbor and her brother's impending fatherhood. All that is nothing compared to the disastrous blind date she experiences that only gets worse when the man who stiffs her ends up dead. She begins to investigate with the help of her sister, bestie and her mysterious neighbour. Things end up being very different then they seem. An entertaining read. I'm enjoying this series.
Ash is busy running her cat yoga studio. Her best friend convinces her to go on a blind date, which does not turn out well. Her date ends up dead the next day and Ash finds herself asking questions that lead to trouble. Plus she and her sister are being followed. There's plenty going on in this book. The flow and plot are great in the story, just enough tension to keep you riveted! We also learn more about Ash's family in this book. Can't wait to go back for more cat yoga! I received an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.
Blind dates and murder. Unfortunately even a relaxing yoga session can’t fix the mess Ash is in. Is the killer setting her up to take the fall for the murder, or are they targeting her as their next victim? Hopefully Ash can figure it out before she’s taking one big final pose in the sky.
Who doesn’t love a good cozy mystery? Add in yoga and cats and you got yourself and enjoyable read. I read the first book in the series and really enjoyed it so when the second came out, I knew I had to read it. It was a perfect escape on a rainy afternoon.
A Purrfect Date is book #2 in the Cat Yoga Mystery series by Alex Erickson.
Ashley’s blind date shows up late, sticks her with the bill, and then is found dead in his apartment. Not what she needed, but when she becomes the number one suspect in his death, she has no choice but to investigate. I really enjoyed this book. I like Ashley and add in yoga and the cats, this is a must read series for me.
Thank you to the author, Kensington Cozies, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I love the Cat Yoga Mysteries! They are so fun. The second edition (A Perrfect Date) to this new series did not disappoint. Ash goes on a blind date only to be almost stood up, then to be left with the check and the next day she finds out her date was murdered or was he?
This mystery had more twists and turns that kept you wanting more. I love the characters and their relationships. They are so much fun even the crazy neighbor who owns the dog salon entertains. I highly recommend this series and look forward to the next installment!
Blind dates are the worst. But it can get even WORSE if your blind date dies shortly after your blind date.
This was more of a 3.5 star book but I rounded up because it kept me entertained. I thought I knew whodunnit kind of early but it was confirmed to me just before Ash figured it out. My only real negative comment is that the ending came really rushed. I'll still probably read the next book whenever it comes out.
I'm an older reader and I do think this series would appeal to 20-30 somethings. However, cats and yoga had me hooked - such a fun setting. Ash's mom and her treatment of her children make this a hard read for me but luckily that isn't featured largely in this book. This book is highly recommended to fans of the cozy genre especially if you enjoy cozies that also feature cats. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eArc.
So I just discovered that this is the second book in a series. It reads fine as a stand alone. It appeared in the library as a new book promotion and I thought it looked interesting.
A nice short fun and fast read. Not the best mystery I’ve ever read but good. The characters are a bit reckless and paranoid but it was fun and a cute storyline
this is such a fun series! this is the second book and was a delight to read. the cast of characters and main character, Ash, continued to keep me guessing, not to mention brought up some LOL moments. i couldn’t put this down! the mystery in this installment was clever and enjoyable and i look forward to more in the series!! ☺️🐈🧘♀️💞✨
Blind dates are never fun. Ashley proved that and got stuck with the bill. Meet only for coffee not dinner A few twist and turns after her date was discovered dead Then we have the surprise of Ashley’s mom running for Mayor Another good book full of interesting characters
#APurrfectDate #NetGalley is a fairly new series which I've become quite fond of. Ash just wants to teach yoga and help cats fund new furever homes, but unfortunately, she seems to find herself in the middle of murder investigations. When a blind date goes horribly wrong, Ashley needs to solve this murder, before she becomes the lead suspect, or a victim herself. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Kensington Publishing.
I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Yoga instructor goes on a blind date but it does not go well. The date deserts her at the restaurant and later s found dead in his apartment. It just isn’t concdence as there is murder in the air. This s a new cozy that has potential to become a favorite..
Look for my full review in an upcoming issue of Library Journal --- A quick overview: a fun, fast paced cozy mystery. Ash loves yoga and cats. Blind dates can be deadly.