Someone's targeting our historical district, starting with Rosie Wilson's beloved bakery. As the fourth-generation owner of Cobblers' Corner, I won't stand by while our community crumbles.
Enter Dominic Steele, a corporate shark of an alpha whose designer shoes cost more than my monthly rent. He claims he wants to help save our district, but his presence sets off warning bells... and other, more primal instincts I'd rather ignore.
When one of Rosie's former employees goes missing, what started as vandalism quickly unravels into something far more sinister. Every cobblestone in Millcrest holds a secret, and someone's willing to kill to keep them buried.
Perfect for readers who
Enemies-to-lovers with age gap romanceSmall-town mysteries with high stakesProtective alphas and stubborn omegasKnotty romanceA dash of steam with your sleuthingThese Shoes Weren't Made for Stalking is Book 1 of my Cozy Cobbler Mystery serial. Enjoy the sparks when a spunky omega craftsman and a ruthless corporate alpha collide in a web of desire and deceit.
Single POV (omega) • 18K words
This serial romance book ends on a cliffhanger, but the complete series promises a satisfying HEA and mpreg.
I liked this book, I just really wanted to LOVE love it.
The premise of These Shoes Weren’t Made for Sharing is simple and intriguing enough: combine the low-key forbidden romance with an incredibly cute MMC, a smalltown mystery and throw it all into an Omegaverse setting – of course I want to read it! The plot worked, overall pacing and relationship development roped me in and I enjoyed rooting for two MMCs.
So, frankly, the vibes are there and I’m sure those that read for the vibes will have the best time with this sweet little read!
Sadly, I stumbled over a couple things, many of which I was able to brush past. Except for the matters of repetition and motivation. While the side character best friend is absolutely adorable (and I very much agree with the choice of hair and scent cause Yes, that works!) I personally couldn’t help but feel irritated by the fact that his unchanging scent was described pretty much every single time he was mentioned. Same goes for the love interest btw, although that felt a bit less pronounced.
And what I mean by motivation is how the MMC and aforementioned best friend JUMP into the investigation as if they’re the town’s PIs. Which, were that the case, would have worked. But them just being concerned and caring about the wronged woman and friend causing them to basically take over as if everyone just expects them to felt a bit off to me personally.
I for one am unsure whether I want to read the sequel. Because, yes, color me intrigued! I want to know the love interest’s secrets. And I want to see what those two grow into. Of course, I am also curious how the mystery will be solved and hope for more action from the best friend. . Not to mention that there might be even more exploration of the omega aspects in the sequel. But at the same time I don’t know if I loved it enough to wait for the next book.
Either way, it’s a cute, cozy omegaverse MM romance with yummy spice and very lovable characters and, again, I am sure many will love it for those vibes alone.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A novella length opener to a cozy style romantic mystery in an omegaverse world
Omega Leo owns and runs a cobbling business in a quaint historic district. When alpha Dominic walks into his store for a shoe repair, the chemistry is fast and furious, with scents infusing the air and attraction making the encounter intense.
But someone’s been vandalizing the local shops, and when Leo learns Dom is part of a company that is interested in renovating the neighborhood, his suspicions go through the roof.
Confrontations lead to private encounters lead to…well, let’s just say these two get along REALLY WELL. *fansself* Working together to learn who might want to harm the shops while Leo has doubts about Dom’s sincerity and possible involvement is surely the path to disaster…but their attraction is off the charts…
It’s a short intro to a mystery and the start of a relationship that feels fated, and while the situation isn’t resolved yet, it was an enjoyable read. Leo's fellow shop owners and BFF Penny add some layers to the story.
The author has a simple commercial voice, rather pedestrian, and the mystery is simplistic and predictable, but the story kept my attention anyway. It feels like part one of a serial, with one baddie revealed but clearly more going on than we’ve learned so far. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Not an HEA or even HFN yet, but, the inkling of a promise of a lifelong Something. Omegaverse, strong attraction, hero-in-doubt. No cheating, no others in anyway, totally safe for me. Recommended.
My thanks to BookSirens for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
These Shoes Weren’t Made for Stalking (A Cobblers' Corner Cozy Mystery Romance Book One) is set in a town’s historic district. A district full of small shops and cafes dating back several generations that finds itself targeted by developers who do not seem to take no for an answer leading to vandalism and threats. The stories are set in the alpha/omega universe and a lot of mileage is found in describing the pheromones and scents invading the noses and spaces, maybe a little too much mileage.
Leo Sterling-Hart, an omega, owns Cobblers’ Corner, a shoe repair shop, and loves the community he lives in. He is thrown into the midst of the action by the arrival of the alpha Dominic Steele in his shop near closing time, followed by an attack on the nearby bakery owned by Rosie Wilson. Leo sets out to discover what is going on with the help of Penny, his best friend.
This is just the start of the problems which bring Leo and Dominic into close proximity and leads to them acting on their attraction much to Leo’s confusion as he’s not sure he can trust Dominic. Some answers are found along the way but the main problem is a long way from solving. For that we’ll have to keep reading.
The tone is a mixture of light heartedness and outrage at what is happening. The main characters are likeable and good company. There is a good atmosphere of suspense and possible danger lurking around corners which should only grow as the series continues.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Rather disappointed- serves me right for being pulled in by a pretty cover.
I downloaded this book back in March, but I didn’t read it till now because I saw it was a cliffhanger and I don’t have patience for those … so I waited till book 2 was out. Ironically, I thought this book was so bad, I won’t be reading the sequel.
What doesn’t make sense is the cobbler and his bff jumping into the case and more so, how they handle it. For example - bff:”oh no, there’s a rumor on our quaint shop owners chat that the rival bakery did the damage and now there’s talk of boycotting the rival bakery” Cobbler: “Imma go talk to the rival bakery lady and see if she did it. … She didn’t.” So - if the motivation was to get people NOT to act rashly and boycott the rival bakery, then they missed the step where the talk to the others thinking to boycott the shop and with point out the rashness of the behavior or that the rival shop is innocent in their eyes.
There is a series of examples where the behavior does not match the stated purpose. Mostly with the cobbler’s interactions and conversations with main love interest.
The book just doesn’t make sense. Side characters like Jake make as little decision-making sense as the rest. Sorry, but it’s a poorly constructed story.
This is a short, suspenseful tale of vandalism, missing witnesses, shiny clues, a duplicitous government official, an unethical developer, a handsome alpha businessman with a secret, and a spunky cobbler ready, willing, and able to set out to solve the mystery of who and why someone is targeting the town’s old historical district.
Dominic is the alpha businessman, Leo is the cobbler, and there is a strong physical attraction between them which muddies the waters while trying to solve the mystery. We have the beginning of a romance, Leo wants to trust Dominic but can’t because he is keeping secrets.
The story caught my interest and pulled me along, only to end on a cliffhanger, waiting for the next book to come along. The characters were engaging and the connection between them was strong, leading to more than either expected, but with an uncertain future for them. Guess I’ll just have to wait to see what happens until the next book is released.
I received an ARC from the author and this is my voluntary review.
This was a fun short afternoon romp. It’s part of a continuing story and ends in a cliffhanger. Be prepared. Each volume has its own mystery but there’s a continuing plot line from book to book. This part one sets up the main characters relationship and sets the stage for the connecting plot line. Elements include mystery, insta love, found family, small town tropes, omegaverse, and some good humor and characters. But this is only the start. While there’s some great character development, it’s not complete. And it helped to have read The Cobbler and His Elves, a prequel. Mostly for the initial world building. All in all, I really liked this start for a new series. I’m looking forward to book 2. I need to know!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A Short, Sweet, cute cozy mystery romance. Leo is in his cobbler shop when he hears a loud crash outside. A brick is thrown through a neighboring shop. The shopkeepers are there to help Rosie get her shop in order but she tells them she has been rough-housed into selling her store & this will keep happening. Leo & his best friend Penny decide to do some sleuthing of their own. They've narrowed it down to a previous worker of Rosie's, and an Alpha male named Dominic that Leo can't stop dreaming about. Dominic turns sleuth with Leo & Penny to prove he is not at fault here. & a budding romance happens. I'm going to say this has a HFN ending because I think there will be more mysteries happening in this little town & we will be seeing more of Leo & Dominic in upcoming books. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the first book in the Cobbler's Corner Series. It was really good short eead, and I read it in about 2 hours. This is a light mystery with no one being hurt, just structure damage. The attraction was immediate with both of the MMC's.
Dominic is a powerful alpha in statue and life. Leo is a cobbler following his families footsteps in the long history of the shop. Dominic meets Leo when he brought his leather shoe in to be fixed. They liked the way the other smells. Once Leo starts looking into the vandalism he puts a mark on his back.
Who is the culprit on this case? Did Dominic participate in this? Are they to be mated Alpha and Omega? Will Leo ever figure out the situation? Let's finish reading to find out!
Sidenote: Dear author... a quote requires a "set" of quotation marks. Why is my eye automatically drawn to this issue as I read? Why can't I just let it go? These are apparently questions without answers!!! 🤦♀️🤣
A little bit mystery, a little bit romance, and an amateur detective. The mystery begins when Dominic enters Leo's shop at closing time for a shoe repair. That the corporate omega would be attached to the omega small business owner brings in tension as Leo tries to resist his natural urges. Leo is determined to protect the historic district against the redevelopment plans that Dominic represents. Vandalism intensifies the situation as someone tries to force the issues. Leo turns amateur sleuth and with Dominic's help works to find the truth.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I loved it. This is a great start to the series. It's a quick easy-to-read book, with some shocking revelations. This cozy, history-rich town is facing some money hungry, fancy-pants new folks, wanting to get rich quick and not appreciate the appeal of this sweet town. There all plenty of loving characters you are introduced to. Relatable relationships and fun encounters all around. Mixed a spicy scene (or two), with a hint of mystery and a major case of whodunit. I can't wait to read the next in the series!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Leo, an omega, is a cobbler. Very proud of the work that he does but weighed down by the obligation to his past. When the Alpha Dominic walks into his shop needing a repair, Leo is intrigued. When his beloved shop and it’s environs are threatened, he fears Dominic is at the center.
The mystery was fairly simple and the bad guy pretty obvious but the story was enjoyable.
For a short story there was a lot of information given. The author managed to create a lovely community in a short period of time. The heat between Leo and Dominic was well done. I’m looking forward to the continuation of the series to find out what Dominic is really up to.
Okay so this was a great read, it was such a nice blend of cozy, mysterious and fluffy, I am beyond excited to see what comes next for this series and the ending left me buzzing for more. I loved Leo and his personality - he was likeable and relatable (who hasn't faltered in the face of a distractingly hot individual) and his driven mission to discover the truth was endearing and kinda badass. Dominic was interesting and suitably mysterious but in Leo's case I think he skipped to the nicknames a little fast. Overall I enjoyed this MM Omegaverse cozy mystery and will definitely be coming back for the next book.
A great series starter. A great introduction to some amazing charters and an area being targeted by developers. The mystery begins! We follow the Leo who owns the cobblers and Dominic, a dominant alpha that Leo is suspicious of and needs to learn to trust. Penny, Leo's best friend helps Leo try and unravel the events when a fellow business owner has an attack on her bakery! Plenty of suspense and mystery kept me intrigued and looking forward to the next book. I received a free arc copy and this is my honest review
I would like to thank BookSirens for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Easily devourable, cute with a touch of spice omegaverse, and a bouncy cast rocking storybook flair. There's a minor cliffy teasing higher stakes to come, but overall this novella was a pretty fun, lighthearted romp, with quick pacing and a bit of whimsy. Not as gripping or as sinister as the blurb said it would be, but i'll most likely stick around to see where this goes next!
Ah the angst of Leo - is Dominic good or just good at manipulation? Being at the mercy of omega hormones when faced with an attractive, interested alpha you aren’t sure you can trust is an emotional dilemma. Both Leo and Dominic seemed nice and caring but if Dom has feelings for Leo, he needs to open up Right Now or risk losing him.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
These Shoes Weren’t Made for Stalking is book 1 of my Cobbler’s Corner Cozy Mystery series. This serial romance book ends on a cliffhanger. This story is enjoyable to read and characters written wonderfully. The author did a great job of describing the characters and bringing them to life on the pages. Overall, this book was written so well and absolutely beautifully! I loved everything about it and I’m so so excited to see what happens next!
Leo owns and runs his family business of a shoe cobbler. They have been in this town for many years. His best friend Penny has also been around forever. Men were coming around who were dressed very well. Leo was just closing up when a well dressed, very sophisticated man walked in with gym shoes on and Leo almost came unglued. He needed his beautifully handcrafted shoe fixed. Leo fell in love right there. After that vandalism and people disappearing began.
Judged by a cover and lost. Not sure why this one ended up on the TBR. Cover was hot, title was catchy. Story wasn't what I was expecting. I'm curious about the family because that was an in depth tree. Small town of shops trying to be overtaken. One shady alpha and one detective-ish omega. Leo was smart-ish but the amount of times his instincts threw him at Dom. Cliffhanger ending but I'm calling it quits here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This story is a mystery with a bit of romance. The story is told from the main characters point of view.
Leo can't explain what he feels when a stranger walks into his store needing a shoe repaired but one thing is for sure, his omega is keen on the stranger.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was slightly struggling with trying to figure out why Leo and Penny were the ones investigating. I would like to learn more about Dominic. I love that the elf sign is still up. Anxiously awaiting in the next book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a beautiful story. There is definitely a cliffhanger feeling to this story. The characters are so rich and vibrant they practically spring from the page. I love the thought and consideration the author put into their world building. The plot is an intriguing one. My heart goes out to Leo. I can’t wait to find out what will happen next. This is an amazing story l. I highly recommend it.
A very quick and pleasant read. This book sets the world building for a new series. I am liking the characters I've met so far. I can't wait to see what Dominic is up to and I am liking Penny as well. Only a few months to wait until book 2.
Color me intrigued ,I want know more...I don't like particularly book that end on a cliffhanger but I liked Leo and his little shop, friend and neighborhood and naturally I'm very intrigued by Dominic . The story is very nice and I think that can be only better from now on.
This book is not what I'm typically into, but it's good. It has a lot of drama. There were funny parts too. It's a cozy Omegaverse MM mystery. I loved the tension between the MCs and I love the cover and the title.
These Shoes Weren’t Made for Stalking is a fun, cozy mystery with small-town charm, plenty of secrets, and a dash of swoony banter. A light, twisty read I really enjoyed!