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Pomona Afton #1
Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder: A Novel
“Enormously fun, witty, and warm, Pomona Afton is the heiress-turned-underdog that you’ll definitely be rooting for.”—Kristin Perrin, nationally bestselling author of
How to Solve Your own Murder
A spoiled heiress must investigate her grandmother’s death in order to gain back her trust fund, all while discovering how to be her own person and maybe even in falling in love in this rom-com meets murder mystery.
When Pomona Afton, Upper East Side hotel heiress, stumbles out of a gala and upon the scene of her grandmother’s murder, her first thought is that the society queen won’t be missed for her kind, cookie-baking ways. In fact, she was mean, greedy, and paranoid—so paranoid that she secretly slipped a clause into her will mandating that, should she die an unnatural death, all the family assets get frozen. And if the “unnatural death” isn’t explained? Those accounts stay frozen.
Practically overnight, Pomona is locked out of her penthouse with no other option than to move in with a Gabe, the irritable (yet handsome) son of her former nanny. Not only is his apartment cramped, but it doesn’t even have a doorman. Or a chef! Pom needs someone to solve this murder, like, yesterday, so she can get her trust fund back.
And Gabe? He needs this murder solved because that’s the only way his mother, who toiled for the Afton family for years, will ever get the retirement money she deserves. As Pom’s family clams up, blocking the police at every turn, Pom quickly realizes that if she wants her glamorous life back, she’s going to have to put on her big-girl Manolos and do it herself…with the help of Gabe, who she’s falling for more and more by the day.
Can Pomona Afton (who previously couldn’t solve a crossword in the bath on a hungover Sunday) actually solve this murder? And if she does return to her former life of luxury, will it be worth the possibility of losing Gabe?
A spoiled heiress must investigate her grandmother’s death in order to gain back her trust fund, all while discovering how to be her own person and maybe even in falling in love in this rom-com meets murder mystery.
When Pomona Afton, Upper East Side hotel heiress, stumbles out of a gala and upon the scene of her grandmother’s murder, her first thought is that the society queen won’t be missed for her kind, cookie-baking ways. In fact, she was mean, greedy, and paranoid—so paranoid that she secretly slipped a clause into her will mandating that, should she die an unnatural death, all the family assets get frozen. And if the “unnatural death” isn’t explained? Those accounts stay frozen.
Practically overnight, Pomona is locked out of her penthouse with no other option than to move in with a Gabe, the irritable (yet handsome) son of her former nanny. Not only is his apartment cramped, but it doesn’t even have a doorman. Or a chef! Pom needs someone to solve this murder, like, yesterday, so she can get her trust fund back.
And Gabe? He needs this murder solved because that’s the only way his mother, who toiled for the Afton family for years, will ever get the retirement money she deserves. As Pom’s family clams up, blocking the police at every turn, Pom quickly realizes that if she wants her glamorous life back, she’s going to have to put on her big-girl Manolos and do it herself…with the help of Gabe, who she’s falling for more and more by the day.
Can Pomona Afton (who previously couldn’t solve a crossword in the bath on a hungover Sunday) actually solve this murder? And if she does return to her former life of luxury, will it be worth the possibility of losing Gabe?
256 pages, Paperback
First published March 18, 2025
210 people are currently reading
15801 people want to read
About the author
Bellamy Rose
2 books171 followersBellamy Rose has never solved an actual murder. When she’s not writing about them, she spends her time trying to taste every cuisine in the world, befriending all the animals she meets, and publishing non-murdery rom-coms as Amanda Elliot. She lives with her husband and daughter in New York City. Follow her on Instagram @bellamyrosebooks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,153 reviews
January 4, 2026
"Marion Elizabeth Hunter Afton.... Any cookies she'd bake would probably have arsenic in them."Pomona Afton, granddaughter of Marion, has spent her life with a silver spoon (silver jewels? Anyway, you get the point) .
Now that Pomona's graduated college, there's parties and fundraisers and influencer events to keep her busy...oh and solving a murder.
Someone killed grandma. And it sucks.
"Grandma?" I called down the hallway that led to the bedrooms. Silence echoed in response.
Not that the old lady is dead (well, even if she was rather mean and aloof, it does kind of suck that she's dead) but what really sucks is that everything Pomona's ever owned is gone. (well, minus one suitcase but can Pomona really be expected to live off of ONE suitcase???)
There was an ironclad clause in the will saying that if Grandma was murdered, then the entire Afton family is cut off until the murderer is brought to justice.
No fancy clothes, no private chef, no home. Poof. Gone.
So, with nothing better to do (seriously, all of her old sponsors won't touch her and Pomona never did diversify her holdings in the family business), she decides to solve the murder.
"Family wasn’t only flesh and blood, though. Family was about who loved you and who built you up, not tore you down."I've read quite a few Riches-to-Rags stories but I think this one might be my favorite.
Pomona was a fun and fresh main character. Yes, she was/is extremely affluent but she managed to avoid much of the craziness of her family.
I liked how sharp her mind was and how quickly she adjusted to the 'real' world - she was logical and ready to do what she needed to. The character growth felt realistic and admirable.
The main love interest was cute and I really liked how they fell for each other in this one.
And I definitely had fun figuring out the murder alongside Pomona. She did a fantastic job - and I had no idea until the very end who did it.
All in all, this was a really fun one and I can't wait for the second!
April 18, 2025
˖ ⁺ ౿ 👠┆3.5 stars
⤿ picture paris hilton solving a murder mystery
➛ my thoughts
this was an entertaining and fun read! i loved the combined aspects of mystery and romance. it felt cozy because the stakes weren’t that high and there weren’t any absolutely crazy plot twists or anything. despite this, it was still amusing to read and see pomona and gabe figure out whodunnit 👀 and we did get some action at the end. plus, you know it’s a good book when the murder weapon is a stiletto lol 😽
➛ characters
pomona + gabe
pomona actually grew to be likeable after initially meeting her. i loved her character development from a spoiled brat to someone more down to earth. now she’s just a girlie who loves to bake (and solve crimes) and i love that for her 🫶🏻
as for gabe, he was a great partner in crime. i loved how supportive and patient he was. and they were cute tgt!
⤿ thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
⤿ picture paris hilton solving a murder mystery
➛ my thoughts
this was an entertaining and fun read! i loved the combined aspects of mystery and romance. it felt cozy because the stakes weren’t that high and there weren’t any absolutely crazy plot twists or anything. despite this, it was still amusing to read and see pomona and gabe figure out whodunnit 👀 and we did get some action at the end. plus, you know it’s a good book when the murder weapon is a stiletto lol 😽
➛ characters
pomona + gabe
pomona actually grew to be likeable after initially meeting her. i loved her character development from a spoiled brat to someone more down to earth. now she’s just a girlie who loves to bake (and solve crimes) and i love that for her 🫶🏻
as for gabe, he was a great partner in crime. i loved how supportive and patient he was. and they were cute tgt!
⤿ thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
July 22, 2025
Did you know that Bellamy Rose is really a pseudonym? Her real name is Amanda Elliot a best-selling author of the rom-coms, “Love you a Latke,” “Sadie on a Plate” and, “Best Served Hot.” She is also known as Amanda Panitch. I didn’t know either, until I read an interview with her. She shared…
“I went by Bayla for years back in Hebrew school, so it felt like a natural fit. That’s how I got Bellamy. And Rose? I wanted some kind of tribute to my family and history in there, which led me to my grandma Roslyn, who was an early supporter of my writing as a kid.”
So, now that we got that out of the way, on to the review.
What happens when a spoiled heiress is suddenly left penniless and homeless because of her grandmother’s unfortunate murder and a clause in her will? In the case of Pomona, she becomes Gabe’s roommate, who was the son of her former nanny, and now, the investigator into her grandmother’s murder.
Now, this may not be an easy task. Her grandmother wasn’t exactly likable. So, there are a lot of suspects as to who could be her murderer. And, in many ways, Pomona wasn’t very likable either, during her rich, spoiled stage. But what personal evolution occurs when Pomona suddenly has to find a way to make ends meet? Will this change be transforming for her – and maybe readers attitude about her, too?
With a romantic sub-plot, and, flawed but memorable characters, this who-dunit will undoubtedly keep some readers engaged. The story is also a somewhat entertaining, sweet, cute, clever and cozy mystery. Especially with a cat named Squeaky, whose purr should charm any reader.
“I went by Bayla for years back in Hebrew school, so it felt like a natural fit. That’s how I got Bellamy. And Rose? I wanted some kind of tribute to my family and history in there, which led me to my grandma Roslyn, who was an early supporter of my writing as a kid.”
So, now that we got that out of the way, on to the review.
What happens when a spoiled heiress is suddenly left penniless and homeless because of her grandmother’s unfortunate murder and a clause in her will? In the case of Pomona, she becomes Gabe’s roommate, who was the son of her former nanny, and now, the investigator into her grandmother’s murder.
Now, this may not be an easy task. Her grandmother wasn’t exactly likable. So, there are a lot of suspects as to who could be her murderer. And, in many ways, Pomona wasn’t very likable either, during her rich, spoiled stage. But what personal evolution occurs when Pomona suddenly has to find a way to make ends meet? Will this change be transforming for her – and maybe readers attitude about her, too?
With a romantic sub-plot, and, flawed but memorable characters, this who-dunit will undoubtedly keep some readers engaged. The story is also a somewhat entertaining, sweet, cute, clever and cozy mystery. Especially with a cat named Squeaky, whose purr should charm any reader.
January 7, 2025
From the very first page, I was utterly enchanted by this delightful gem of a book. A perfect blend of romance, humor, and just the right touch of mystery, it offers a wonderfully light escape that lingers long after you turn the last page. The story centers around Pomona Afton, a privileged young woman who, despite her initial spoiled and clueless demeanor, quickly becomes a character impossible not to love. Her hilarious misadventures and genuine evolution into a more self-aware, grounded individual make her journey of self-discovery both satisfying and heartwarming.
Pomona’s transformation is at the heart of this novel, and it’s beautifully captured. What begins as a tale of a rich girl stumbling through life turns into something much more meaningful—a story about finding one’s purpose beyond the comfort of privilege. Watching Pomona navigate her personal growth, particularly as she begins to form real, heartfelt relationships, is a rewarding experience that left me cheering for her every step of the way.
And then there’s Gabe. He is the perfect foil to Pomona’s whirlwind of chaos—gentle, kind, and quietly encouraging in a way that makes him impossible not to adore. His quiet strength and support are a beautiful contrast to Pomona’s initial naivety, and I absolutely loved how he introduced her to the joys of baking. What begins as a simple shared activity between them transforms into a passion that helps reshape Pomona’s world and her sense of self. Their romance felt like a classic romcom dream—sweet, tender, and crackling with chemistry. Each scene between them made me smile, and their connection felt both inevitable and incredibly special.
The relationships in this book are truly enchanting. Not just the romance, but also the way Pomona forges meaningful bonds with those around her. Watching her evolve from a self-centered young woman into someone who embraces her own flaws and strengths is beautifully rendered. It’s a journey of self-discovery that feels genuine, and one I was privileged to follow.
While the murder mystery at the core of the plot may not be the most intricate, it provides an entertaining backdrop to the characters’ development. The unconventional detective work adds a charming layer of humor to the narrative, and while the focus is less on the whodunit, the journey itself is thoroughly engaging. The killer's reveal wasn't much of a shock—it was pretty easy to guess halfway through—but I still had a fantastic time watching it all unfold.
☆꧁𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮; 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬, 𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮.💌꧂☆
This author has now secured a permanent place on my must-read list. I find myself eagerly anticipating her next work, already consumed with excitement to explore the other gems she has crafted!
𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢/𝘌𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!
Pomona’s transformation is at the heart of this novel, and it’s beautifully captured. What begins as a tale of a rich girl stumbling through life turns into something much more meaningful—a story about finding one’s purpose beyond the comfort of privilege. Watching Pomona navigate her personal growth, particularly as she begins to form real, heartfelt relationships, is a rewarding experience that left me cheering for her every step of the way.
And then there’s Gabe. He is the perfect foil to Pomona’s whirlwind of chaos—gentle, kind, and quietly encouraging in a way that makes him impossible not to adore. His quiet strength and support are a beautiful contrast to Pomona’s initial naivety, and I absolutely loved how he introduced her to the joys of baking. What begins as a simple shared activity between them transforms into a passion that helps reshape Pomona’s world and her sense of self. Their romance felt like a classic romcom dream—sweet, tender, and crackling with chemistry. Each scene between them made me smile, and their connection felt both inevitable and incredibly special.
The relationships in this book are truly enchanting. Not just the romance, but also the way Pomona forges meaningful bonds with those around her. Watching her evolve from a self-centered young woman into someone who embraces her own flaws and strengths is beautifully rendered. It’s a journey of self-discovery that feels genuine, and one I was privileged to follow.
While the murder mystery at the core of the plot may not be the most intricate, it provides an entertaining backdrop to the characters’ development. The unconventional detective work adds a charming layer of humor to the narrative, and while the focus is less on the whodunit, the journey itself is thoroughly engaging. The killer's reveal wasn't much of a shock—it was pretty easy to guess halfway through—but I still had a fantastic time watching it all unfold.
☆꧁𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮; 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬, 𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮.💌꧂☆
This author has now secured a permanent place on my must-read list. I find myself eagerly anticipating her next work, already consumed with excitement to explore the other gems she has crafted!
𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢/𝘌𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!
![Profile Image for ari [gin’s vrsn 🩵] [semi ia].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1757265812i%2F180071670._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
January 15, 2025
4.5⭐
thank you Netgalley for providing a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
13+
spoiler free
romance: 4/10 (a few sweet kisses, mentions of the fmc having hookups in the past, mentions of an affair)
cursing: 5/10 (infrequent damn, hell, shit, ass, bitch. F-ck a few times. Semi frequent Lord’s name in vain)
violence: 6/10 (Pom’s grandmother is stabbed to death. Pom is attacked and threatened with murder)
other: Characters have a reported past of drinking and partying. Mentions of vaping. One side character is non binary. Pom supports art galleries exclusively for artists of color and queer artists.
first person, past tense
publish date: 3-18-2025
“Never move to Florida, Pom. It’s all alligators and old people.”
– OVERVIEW –
FIRSTLYYY when this book comes out I need to get myself a copy. Bc this was so freaking good. I was hooked from the first page.
Also, this book is 100% clean! Not even any fade to black scenes which I appreciated after so many books I’ve read this year having spice in it. I needed a break ahaha
The plot twists were so good, I had no idea who dunnit (tho I might just be high-key stupid…). It shaped up to be a great book that kept me super entertained.
The romance was super cute and I am in love with Gabe… Like seriously 🥲
It’s amazing. Genuinely. Please go read it.
The relationships in this book were so strong, and the forgiveness and apologies in this book was so heartfelt and I loved how the characters worked past disagreements.
the writing
While it wasn’t phenomenal it’s definitely better than books I’ve read in the past (COUGH Powerless. COUGH If He Had Been With Me. HACK). I hope this book gets all the hype it deserves and more.
I laughed out loud a couple times hehehehe
His smile was like the rising sun, “You want to go to Jackson Heights with me?”
I linked my elbow with his. “I’d go anywhere with you.”
– PLOT –
Pomona Afton as grown up with a silver spoon in her mouth. She had everything she ever wanted, clothes, money, boys. But it all comes crashing down after a clause in her Grandmother’s will put the whole company on pause after her untimely murder. The only way to reinstate the Afton’s Family Fortune is to catch the perp before a year passes. But to do so Pomona will have to have her wits about her… and possibly a little help from the son of her childhood nanny, Gabe.
Swimming in a sea of suspects and motive, will Pom and Gabe be able to catch the killer before it’s too late?
10/10 fast paced plot that had me on my toes.
“Your grandma sounds like a bitch. I kind of want to kill her. Oh, wait….”
– CHARACTERS –
POM so, first off, her name is SO obnoxious. Like wtcrap is that? Pomona? Pom? POM POM? Was that on purpose? Bc it made me want to pull out all of my hair. And I get that she’s snotty, that makes sense, she’s supposed to be that way. But that didn’t stop me from finding her so annoying in the first quarter of the book. Tho, she got infinitely better as time went on and I found myself liking her more and more. There’s something charming about a character with a high society past being brought down so low she can’t even afford a taxi. It’s almost a good thing that her grandmother got murdered….
I loved that she had a baking addiction, and if I’m being completely honest there were several times as I was reading that I had to put the book down and bake myself something. I don’t have her skill though hahaha.
GABE excuse me, hottie alert. Guys, he works at a coffee shop and takes night classes so he can become a TEACHER. If that’s not the cutest thing ever, I don’t know what is. I am now parital towards the idea of naming a future son Gabriel. Don’t tell my future husband.
He’s so humble and he has a shy side which I found so freaking adorable.
He would not appreciate being called “cute” or “adorable” but he’s not around to give me the stink eye so I think it’s okay.
SQUEAKY MEATBALL I don’t rlly have much to say abt this little ball of fluff, besides the fact that Squeaky and or Meatball are both hilarious names. And I love cats. So bonus points for him. He made me want to snuggle with my grandma’s cats, but unfortunately for me, my grandma lives five hours away 🤡
Family wasn’t only flesh and blood, though. Family was about who loved you and who built you up, not tore you down.
– CONCLUSION –
Add this to your tbr and I will be a happy girl.
It’s a super light read, and has the murder mystery aspects while also still being lighthearted and fluffy.
“I think everybody is capable of terrible things, that’s what makes us human beings.”
– PLAYLIST –
I’ll just put ones in that I thought of as I was reading
no body, no crime - Taylor Swift
Anti Hero - Taylor Swift
You’re On Your Own Kid - Taylor Swift
Bones - imagine Dragons
Close to You - Gracie Abrams
Rise Up - Imagine Dragons
Whatever it Takes - Imagine Dragons
Sad Songs in a Hotel Room - Joshua Bassett
Perfect - One Direction
thank you Netgalley for providing a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
13+
spoiler free
romance: 4/10 (a few sweet kisses, mentions of the fmc having hookups in the past, mentions of an affair)
cursing: 5/10 (infrequent damn, hell, shit, ass, bitch. F-ck a few times. Semi frequent Lord’s name in vain)
violence: 6/10 (Pom’s grandmother is stabbed to death. Pom is attacked and threatened with murder)
other: Characters have a reported past of drinking and partying. Mentions of vaping. One side character is non binary. Pom supports art galleries exclusively for artists of color and queer artists.
first person, past tense
publish date: 3-18-2025
“Never move to Florida, Pom. It’s all alligators and old people.”
– OVERVIEW –
FIRSTLYYY when this book comes out I need to get myself a copy. Bc this was so freaking good. I was hooked from the first page.
Also, this book is 100% clean! Not even any fade to black scenes which I appreciated after so many books I’ve read this year having spice in it. I needed a break ahaha
The plot twists were so good, I had no idea who dunnit (tho I might just be high-key stupid…). It shaped up to be a great book that kept me super entertained.
The romance was super cute and I am in love with Gabe… Like seriously 🥲
It’s amazing. Genuinely. Please go read it.
The relationships in this book were so strong, and the forgiveness and apologies in this book was so heartfelt and I loved how the characters worked past disagreements.
the writing
While it wasn’t phenomenal it’s definitely better than books I’ve read in the past (COUGH Powerless. COUGH If He Had Been With Me. HACK). I hope this book gets all the hype it deserves and more.
I laughed out loud a couple times hehehehe
His smile was like the rising sun, “You want to go to Jackson Heights with me?”
I linked my elbow with his. “I’d go anywhere with you.”
– PLOT –
Pomona Afton as grown up with a silver spoon in her mouth. She had everything she ever wanted, clothes, money, boys. But it all comes crashing down after a clause in her Grandmother’s will put the whole company on pause after her untimely murder. The only way to reinstate the Afton’s Family Fortune is to catch the perp before a year passes. But to do so Pomona will have to have her wits about her… and possibly a little help from the son of her childhood nanny, Gabe.
Swimming in a sea of suspects and motive, will Pom and Gabe be able to catch the killer before it’s too late?
10/10 fast paced plot that had me on my toes.
“Your grandma sounds like a bitch. I kind of want to kill her. Oh, wait….”
– CHARACTERS –
POM so, first off, her name is SO obnoxious. Like wtcrap is that? Pomona? Pom? POM POM? Was that on purpose? Bc it made me want to pull out all of my hair. And I get that she’s snotty, that makes sense, she’s supposed to be that way. But that didn’t stop me from finding her so annoying in the first quarter of the book. Tho, she got infinitely better as time went on and I found myself liking her more and more. There’s something charming about a character with a high society past being brought down so low she can’t even afford a taxi. It’s almost a good thing that her grandmother got murdered….
I loved that she had a baking addiction, and if I’m being completely honest there were several times as I was reading that I had to put the book down and bake myself something. I don’t have her skill though hahaha.
GABE excuse me, hottie alert. Guys, he works at a coffee shop and takes night classes so he can become a TEACHER. If that’s not the cutest thing ever, I don’t know what is. I am now parital towards the idea of naming a future son Gabriel. Don’t tell my future husband.
He’s so humble and he has a shy side which I found so freaking adorable.
He would not appreciate being called “cute” or “adorable” but he’s not around to give me the stink eye so I think it’s okay.
SQUEAKY MEATBALL I don’t rlly have much to say abt this little ball of fluff, besides the fact that Squeaky and or Meatball are both hilarious names. And I love cats. So bonus points for him. He made me want to snuggle with my grandma’s cats, but unfortunately for me, my grandma lives five hours away 🤡
Family wasn’t only flesh and blood, though. Family was about who loved you and who built you up, not tore you down.
– CONCLUSION –
Add this to your tbr and I will be a happy girl.
It’s a super light read, and has the murder mystery aspects while also still being lighthearted and fluffy.
“I think everybody is capable of terrible things, that’s what makes us human beings.”
– PLAYLIST –
I’ll just put ones in that I thought of as I was reading
no body, no crime - Taylor Swift
Anti Hero - Taylor Swift
You’re On Your Own Kid - Taylor Swift
Bones - imagine Dragons
Close to You - Gracie Abrams
Rise Up - Imagine Dragons
Whatever it Takes - Imagine Dragons
Sad Songs in a Hotel Room - Joshua Bassett
Perfect - One Direction
March 18, 2025
» Behind - Myles Smith «
0:53 ─〇─────3:35
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
✧˚ · Family wasn’t only flesh and blood, though. Family was about who loved you and who built you up, not tore you down. · ˚✧
⭐⭐⭐⭐.25 - 4.25 Stars
Single First Person Pov
Spice Level 🌶️ - 1/5 (completely clean, though there was talk about past hookups, talk about affairs, one or two sexual jokes, and a few kisses.)
Age rating - 14+ (some infrequent cussing, alcoholism, talk about parties)
⁺˚⋆｡°👠 My Thoughts 👠°｡⋆˚⁺
I was honestly so surprised by this book. This was my first ARC and I wanted to be surprised sooo I didn’t read the summary. And boy was I in for a ride! This book is perfect for people who love murder mysteries but don’t like the gore and thriller aspect. It’s a pretty fast read and pretty laid back, literally perfect if you’re looking for something to get you out of a slump. Also this author’s writing is amazing, her writing style is so up my alley and to the point, but also descriptive. I wasn’t a fan of some of the woke ideologies in this book, so I probably won’t be visiting her other works (under a different pen name) but I did overall enjoy it.
⁺˚⋆｡° 🏨 Plot 🏨 °｡⋆˚⁺
I was not expecting the murderer…
At ALL…
The plot twists in this book kept me guessing and I was seriously at a loss trying to figure out who it was by the end.
The author developed the entire plot so well and every aspect was clearly thought through. To avoid plot holes, she made Pom address some doubts that the readers could be having and explain it in a super natural way that I loved. I also loved the casual one liners that lightened it up and added humor to it. It was just so engaging and fast paced, and overall such a fun read
Also…the romance?!?! It was ADORABLE. I loved getting to see Pom and Gabe together, and the subtle romantic hints were too much for me to handle. I was giggling like a schoolgirl at one point where he simply called her cute.
⁺˚⋆｡°🐈 Characters 🐈 °｡⋆˚⁺
➥ Pomona: Pom was super annoying at first and I absolutely could not stand her, but it was kind of the point as the story drew out and her character developed. She did have her moments where she would be a jerk to Gabe for no reason and I thought I was going to have to dive into the book to strangle her. Other than that my only problem was that regardless of having a spoiled upbringing…she was still an adult. She acted a little childish to me, and seeing her get humbled was fun but made me cringe a little. Overall, she actually wasn’t too horrible like most fmcs tend to be, and her character was actually built pretty well.
╰┈> Sit Still, Look Pretty - Daya ♫₊˚.
➥ Gabe: Omg he was just such a little sweetheart!! He worked at a coffee shop while studying to become a teacher and it was so frickin sweet. Something I loved about his character is he isn’t one of those fictional boyfriends that you think is sexy, he was just downright adorable. He is 100% my type of book boyfriend, and he’s definitely in my top 10. Like how was everything he said that freaking cute 🤭
╰┈> Coffee Cake - Benson Boone ♫₊˚.
⁺˚⋆｡°☕️ Conclusion ☕️°｡⋆˚⁺
Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I enjoyed this book so much, and I can’t wait to own my own copy when it is officially published!
0:53 ─〇─────3:35
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
✧˚ · Family wasn’t only flesh and blood, though. Family was about who loved you and who built you up, not tore you down. · ˚✧
⭐⭐⭐⭐.25 - 4.25 Stars
Single First Person Pov
Spice Level 🌶️ - 1/5 (completely clean, though there was talk about past hookups, talk about affairs, one or two sexual jokes, and a few kisses.)
Age rating - 14+ (some infrequent cussing, alcoholism, talk about parties)
⁺˚⋆｡°👠 My Thoughts 👠°｡⋆˚⁺
I was honestly so surprised by this book. This was my first ARC and I wanted to be surprised sooo I didn’t read the summary. And boy was I in for a ride! This book is perfect for people who love murder mysteries but don’t like the gore and thriller aspect. It’s a pretty fast read and pretty laid back, literally perfect if you’re looking for something to get you out of a slump. Also this author’s writing is amazing, her writing style is so up my alley and to the point, but also descriptive. I wasn’t a fan of some of the woke ideologies in this book, so I probably won’t be visiting her other works (under a different pen name) but I did overall enjoy it.
⁺˚⋆｡° 🏨 Plot 🏨 °｡⋆˚⁺
I was not expecting the murderer…
At ALL…
The plot twists in this book kept me guessing and I was seriously at a loss trying to figure out who it was by the end.
The author developed the entire plot so well and every aspect was clearly thought through. To avoid plot holes, she made Pom address some doubts that the readers could be having and explain it in a super natural way that I loved. I also loved the casual one liners that lightened it up and added humor to it. It was just so engaging and fast paced, and overall such a fun read
Also…the romance?!?! It was ADORABLE. I loved getting to see Pom and Gabe together, and the subtle romantic hints were too much for me to handle. I was giggling like a schoolgirl at one point where he simply called her cute.
⁺˚⋆｡°🐈 Characters 🐈 °｡⋆˚⁺
➥ Pomona: Pom was super annoying at first and I absolutely could not stand her, but it was kind of the point as the story drew out and her character developed. She did have her moments where she would be a jerk to Gabe for no reason and I thought I was going to have to dive into the book to strangle her. Other than that my only problem was that regardless of having a spoiled upbringing…she was still an adult. She acted a little childish to me, and seeing her get humbled was fun but made me cringe a little. Overall, she actually wasn’t too horrible like most fmcs tend to be, and her character was actually built pretty well.
╰┈> Sit Still, Look Pretty - Daya ♫₊˚.
➥ Gabe: Omg he was just such a little sweetheart!! He worked at a coffee shop while studying to become a teacher and it was so frickin sweet. Something I loved about his character is he isn’t one of those fictional boyfriends that you think is sexy, he was just downright adorable. He is 100% my type of book boyfriend, and he’s definitely in my top 10. Like how was everything he said that freaking cute 🤭
╰┈> Coffee Cake - Benson Boone ♫₊˚.
⁺˚⋆｡°☕️ Conclusion ☕️°｡⋆˚⁺
Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I enjoyed this book so much, and I can’t wait to own my own copy when it is officially published!
September 6, 2024
4.5⭐
Cute cover, cute title, and very cute story! There is very little to complain about so I won't waste my time. I'm actually shocked that this is a debut novel, everything from the plot, to the dialogue, the characters etc flowed so well. Loved the romance, the mystery, the sweet cat, the length (on the short side!) and the characters (especially Pom and Gabe).
A fun read, can't wait for the next one in the series!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Cute cover, cute title, and very cute story! There is very little to complain about so I won't waste my time. I'm actually shocked that this is a debut novel, everything from the plot, to the dialogue, the characters etc flowed so well. Loved the romance, the mystery, the sweet cat, the length (on the short side!) and the characters (especially Pom and Gabe).
A fun read, can't wait for the next one in the series!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
May 28, 2025
Book two, when?? This was funny in all the right places and a delight to listen to.
I loved the mystery (didn't even guess who did it), and the dash of romance we got as well. Gabe was so kind and helpful, he's probably the best character in the book.
Pomona (love her name, by the way) evolved the story progressed, and went from somewhat unlikable, to a character I'd want to follow in future adventures. Fingers crossed we get them.
And, extra bonus points for the Novak Đoković mention.
I loved the mystery (didn't even guess who did it), and the dash of romance we got as well. Gabe was so kind and helpful, he's probably the best character in the book.
Pomona (love her name, by the way) evolved the story progressed, and went from somewhat unlikable, to a character I'd want to follow in future adventures. Fingers crossed we get them.
And, extra bonus points for the Novak Đoković mention.
November 20, 2025
I am on a mystery novel kick, it seems
This was really fun and I see that it's now a series 👏
Also I usually try to sympathize with victims but the grandmother here... she was absolutely horrible.
I read the author's romcoms under a different name and was curious about the mash up here!
Content warning: toxic parent, classism, murder
This was really fun and I see that it's now a series 👏
Also I usually try to sympathize with victims but the grandmother here... she was absolutely horrible.
I read the author's romcoms under a different name and was curious about the mash up here!
Content warning: toxic parent, classism, murder
April 13, 2025
A fun and cute story. The narrator did a good job! I enjoyed the narrator's voice for this book. Pomona is a great character. Once a spoiled rich person who enjoyed her life without worry about money, job, costs, or anything. She started to pay attention when reality hits and changed for the better.
This story followed Pomona. Her family came from wealth. Her grandma owned the family name hotels. The whole family lives in the hotel too, separate rooms and floors of course. Pomona spent her time just having fun, going to parties, getting drunk, sleeping late, etc. All of a sudden, her grandma died and the money freezes. Everyone who worked for the company suddenly jobless and that included Pomona's brother. Everyone who resided at the hotel has to leave and find somewhere else to stay. Pomona's brother has a girlfriend so he crashed there. Pomona's parents stayed with their friends at their friends' home. Pomona stayed with her brother and his girlfriend at first but it didn't work out. Later her old nanny told her she could rent the extra room where her son Gabe lives.
At Gabe's apartment, things didn't go well at first. Later they got over their differences and then they started investigating into Pomona's grandma's death. Pomona interviewed people she knew who also knew her grandma. This story also had Pomona being talked down upon by her parents and brother because she didn't have a career or job experiences. So being out in the real world, she had the opportunity to know how it feels to work hard but earn little money. She also did her own groceries and cook, something she didn't have to do growing up wealthy.
Thank you Atria Books and Simon Audio for the opportunity to read, listen, and review.
This story followed Pomona. Her family came from wealth. Her grandma owned the family name hotels. The whole family lives in the hotel too, separate rooms and floors of course. Pomona spent her time just having fun, going to parties, getting drunk, sleeping late, etc. All of a sudden, her grandma died and the money freezes. Everyone who worked for the company suddenly jobless and that included Pomona's brother. Everyone who resided at the hotel has to leave and find somewhere else to stay. Pomona's brother has a girlfriend so he crashed there. Pomona's parents stayed with their friends at their friends' home. Pomona stayed with her brother and his girlfriend at first but it didn't work out. Later her old nanny told her she could rent the extra room where her son Gabe lives.
At Gabe's apartment, things didn't go well at first. Later they got over their differences and then they started investigating into Pomona's grandma's death. Pomona interviewed people she knew who also knew her grandma. This story also had Pomona being talked down upon by her parents and brother because she didn't have a career or job experiences. So being out in the real world, she had the opportunity to know how it feels to work hard but earn little money. She also did her own groceries and cook, something she didn't have to do growing up wealthy.
Thank you Atria Books and Simon Audio for the opportunity to read, listen, and review.
February 21, 2025
Well that was cute!! Review to come
March 6, 2025
Cute, cozy murder mystery
Think London Tipton solving a murder to gain access to her inheritance again
Read this one in one sitting
4.25 ⭐️
Think London Tipton solving a murder to gain access to her inheritance again
Read this one in one sitting
4.25 ⭐️
September 13, 2024
I really loved this murder mystery by @bellamyrosebooks - with a bit of romance and riches-to-rags thrown in. Pomona Aston is a hotel heiress who hasn’t made much of herself beyond being famous for being famous- with a huge trust fund and living in luxury Manhattan hotels. Suddenly her grandmother, the matriarch, is violently murdered. And her assets are frozen until the murderer is discovered. What can Pom do? She only has a little money and nowhere to stay. Her former nanny’s son becomes her partner in trying to solve this crime- although it appears the only suspects are members of her immediate family.
Pom is a lot of fun, this isn’t a touching book, but it did make me laugh. I love books about socialites in Manhattan, especially when they learn lessons and become hard working. I love every reference to high end designers and mean and snobby people getting murdered. I didn’t guess the killer at all, there are plenty of red herrings and twists and I was definitely rooting for the friends to lovers romance.
I hope we haven’t seen the last of Pom- I bet she can solve more murders.
Thanks to @NetGalley and @simonandschuster for the ARC. Book to be released March 18, 2025
#netgalley #bookreviews #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #booktok #pomonaaftoncansosolveamurder
Pom is a lot of fun, this isn’t a touching book, but it did make me laugh. I love books about socialites in Manhattan, especially when they learn lessons and become hard working. I love every reference to high end designers and mean and snobby people getting murdered. I didn’t guess the killer at all, there are plenty of red herrings and twists and I was definitely rooting for the friends to lovers romance.
I hope we haven’t seen the last of Pom- I bet she can solve more murders.
Thanks to @NetGalley and @simonandschuster for the ARC. Book to be released March 18, 2025
#netgalley #bookreviews #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #booktok #pomonaaftoncansosolveamurder
October 13, 2025
When her grandmother is murdered and turns out to have made a rather unusual will, spoiled rich girl Pomona is thrown out of her life of luxury with a suitcase and not much else. Luckily, she's able to rent a room from her old nanny's son, who also gives her a job at the coffee shop he manages. The regular-people world is a lot of hard work. But if Pom wants her old life back, she needs to figure out who killed her grandmother, and why.I picked this up because it's not too long and sounded like total fluff, which is what I was in the mood for. And it is a little fluffy. Pomona's grandmother seems to be based on Leona Helmsley (anyone remember her?) and Pom could be Paris Hilton. But the story won me over quickly.
What made this book for me was Pom's voice; it's distinctive, and while she's definitely entitled and snobby, she's also wry and ridiculous, which kept me giggling with rather than at her. And the tone changes as her circumstances change were spot on and believable. The story is fast paced and never dull, and the murder motives were plenty enough to keep me guessing. This was really enjoyable for me. The budding romance between Pom and her new roommate, Gabe, was sweet and I was definitely rooting for them. There's also a friend-love subplot, and some family-issue repair with Pom's brother that both added some depth to the story.
I have one minor quibble:
And a more major quibble:
One more minor quibble: Pom keeps thinking she should call Lori, her former personal assistant, but never does. I would have liked to know just a sentence about what happened to her.
Overall, though, this book was a satisfying, warmhearted romp. I hope the next book in this series is equally as fun.
April 21, 2025
Thank you to Atria Books and Simon Audio for the #gifted copies to review.
Oh my, I did not expect to love this as much as I did! The audio was fantastic, I love a good rich people behaving badly, and this was full of that along with our oblivious Pomona! I love a NY setting also and this was so fun, I figured most of it out but it did not matter I enjoyed this one so much. I loved the chemistry between Gabe and Pomona, and Pomona’s growth was fun to watch. I’m not sure if this is the first in a series (I tend to think it is), but I would not mind another one at all given how much fun I had reading this!
Oh my, I did not expect to love this as much as I did! The audio was fantastic, I love a good rich people behaving badly, and this was full of that along with our oblivious Pomona! I love a NY setting also and this was so fun, I figured most of it out but it did not matter I enjoyed this one so much. I loved the chemistry between Gabe and Pomona, and Pomona’s growth was fun to watch. I’m not sure if this is the first in a series (I tend to think it is), but I would not mind another one at all given how much fun I had reading this!
April 12, 2025
Predictable. Rich girl with little care for others loses money and has an epiphany. Also solves a murder.
May 27, 2025
Published on Peeking Between the Pages (https://peekingbetweenthepages.com/20...)
This was such a fun and cute story. At first I wasn’t sure about it- a spoiled rich girl solving a murder? Well it didn’t take long before I found myself really liking the main character Pomona.
When Pomona’s grandmother is found murdered she learns that all her grandmother’s assets have been frozen which means Pomona has nothing. She has never had nothing in her whole life. The will stated that if her grandmother died in an unnatural way nobody was getting anything until her murder was solved. Pomona gets a fast lesson in what it’s like to be on her own and be one of the people she used to look down on. Pomona is desperate to get her life back so she takes matters into her own hands and sets out to find out what happened. With her penthouse gone she ends up rooming with her old nanny’s son Gabe and oh my Gabe has turned out well but never mind that – she has a murder to solve. After a rocky start though the two team up and investigate everyone and everything, as well as begin to learn more about each other (maybe some romantic notions going on).
I loved watching Pomona grow into a different person. She gets a job which later turns into more and she met people she never would have given a nod to in her previous life. She also realized how unreasonable she had always been and that there were more important things in life and began to mend broken relationships. Of course she was still Miss Fashion and all but a much better version.
Jennifer Jill Araya narrates the audiobook and she was the perfect choice for Pomona. She brought all the little traits of Pomona to life as well as portrayed the changes she undertook in discovering more about herself. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for your summer reading list!
This was such a fun and cute story. At first I wasn’t sure about it- a spoiled rich girl solving a murder? Well it didn’t take long before I found myself really liking the main character Pomona.
When Pomona’s grandmother is found murdered she learns that all her grandmother’s assets have been frozen which means Pomona has nothing. She has never had nothing in her whole life. The will stated that if her grandmother died in an unnatural way nobody was getting anything until her murder was solved. Pomona gets a fast lesson in what it’s like to be on her own and be one of the people she used to look down on. Pomona is desperate to get her life back so she takes matters into her own hands and sets out to find out what happened. With her penthouse gone she ends up rooming with her old nanny’s son Gabe and oh my Gabe has turned out well but never mind that – she has a murder to solve. After a rocky start though the two team up and investigate everyone and everything, as well as begin to learn more about each other (maybe some romantic notions going on).
I loved watching Pomona grow into a different person. She gets a job which later turns into more and she met people she never would have given a nod to in her previous life. She also realized how unreasonable she had always been and that there were more important things in life and began to mend broken relationships. Of course she was still Miss Fashion and all but a much better version.
Jennifer Jill Araya narrates the audiobook and she was the perfect choice for Pomona. She brought all the little traits of Pomona to life as well as portrayed the changes she undertook in discovering more about herself. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for your summer reading list!
March 9, 2025
4 stars - okay one!
April 14, 2025
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Atria Books.
When Pomona Afton (Pom), Upper East Side hotel heiress, stumbles out of a gala and upon the scene of her grandmother’s murder, her first thought is that the society queen would not be missed for her kind, cookie-baking ways. In fact, she was mean, greedy, and paranoid—so paranoid that she secretly slipped a clause into her will mandating that, should she die an unnatural death, all the family assets get frozen. And if the “unnatural death” is not explained? Those accounts stay frozen.
Practically overnight, Pomona is locked out of her penthouse with no other option than to move in with a Gabe, the irritable (yet handsome) son of her former nanny. Not only is his apartment cramped, but it does not even have a doorman. Or a chef! Pom needs someone to solve this murder, like, yesterday, so she can get her trust fund back.
And Gabe? He needs this murder solved because that is the only way his mother, who toiled for the Afton family for years, will ever get the retirement money she deserves. As Pom’s family clams up, blocking the police at every turn, Pom quickly realizes that if she wants her glamorous life back, she is going to have to put on her big-girl Manolos and do it herself. With the help of Gabe, who she is falling for more and more by the day.
Can Pomona Afton (who previously could not solve a crossword in the bath on a hungover Sunday) actually solve this murder? And if she does return to her former life of luxury, will it be worth the possibility of losing Gabe?
This book was enjoyable, but many places fell flat for me. I personally have never read a book of an heiress solving a murder so this was interesting. I did however, enjoy Pom's journey throughout and her friendship with Gabe. But I did not think there was enough chemistry between Pom and Gabe. It just felt lacking because it was kind of rushed. I think they were probably just better off as friends. I would say this book is more of a cozy mystery than a serious mystery. And I do enjoy a good cozy mystery from time to time, but I wished there had been more development and variety in regards to suspects. Pom and Gabe’s investigation just was not as in-depth as they have no experience with being detectives at all and they did let a lot of things slide. All though, I did not fully enjoy it, I felt like it was the perfect time for me to read the book since I was still in a bit of a reading slump and needed a palette cleanser.
When Pomona Afton (Pom), Upper East Side hotel heiress, stumbles out of a gala and upon the scene of her grandmother’s murder, her first thought is that the society queen would not be missed for her kind, cookie-baking ways. In fact, she was mean, greedy, and paranoid—so paranoid that she secretly slipped a clause into her will mandating that, should she die an unnatural death, all the family assets get frozen. And if the “unnatural death” is not explained? Those accounts stay frozen.
Practically overnight, Pomona is locked out of her penthouse with no other option than to move in with a Gabe, the irritable (yet handsome) son of her former nanny. Not only is his apartment cramped, but it does not even have a doorman. Or a chef! Pom needs someone to solve this murder, like, yesterday, so she can get her trust fund back.
And Gabe? He needs this murder solved because that is the only way his mother, who toiled for the Afton family for years, will ever get the retirement money she deserves. As Pom’s family clams up, blocking the police at every turn, Pom quickly realizes that if she wants her glamorous life back, she is going to have to put on her big-girl Manolos and do it herself. With the help of Gabe, who she is falling for more and more by the day.
Can Pomona Afton (who previously could not solve a crossword in the bath on a hungover Sunday) actually solve this murder? And if she does return to her former life of luxury, will it be worth the possibility of losing Gabe?
This book was enjoyable, but many places fell flat for me. I personally have never read a book of an heiress solving a murder so this was interesting. I did however, enjoy Pom's journey throughout and her friendship with Gabe. But I did not think there was enough chemistry between Pom and Gabe. It just felt lacking because it was kind of rushed. I think they were probably just better off as friends. I would say this book is more of a cozy mystery than a serious mystery. And I do enjoy a good cozy mystery from time to time, but I wished there had been more development and variety in regards to suspects. Pom and Gabe’s investigation just was not as in-depth as they have no experience with being detectives at all and they did let a lot of things slide. All though, I did not fully enjoy it, I felt like it was the perfect time for me to read the book since I was still in a bit of a reading slump and needed a palette cleanser.
March 9, 2025
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc!
i really REALLY liked the premise of this. pomona has to figure out who killed her grandmother in order to receive her inheritance - okay YES. i'm here for it.
i lied. i was indeed, not here for any of it.
pomona as a character felt like an over exaggerated version of piper from it happened one summer. she was spoiled, self-centered, had zero self-awareness, some how watches one youtube video and becomes a baking prodigy? sure. did i care? surely not. she was - and i cannot emphasize this enough - insufferable. i thought she'd have a redemption arc, but if anything, she got worse. her holier than thou act got tiring realllll quick.
she worked half a shift at a coffee shop and discovered she was better suited to solve a murder than deal with customers.
honestly though…..fair.
the rest of the story felt entirely cliche. the characters were surface level boring, the mystery plot was predictable and unenticing, the dialogue felt juvenile (these characters spoke like YA characters but were pushing 30???), and everything worked out so perfectly that i didn't even end up caring about literally anything. it all felt so shallow. this had so much potential!!
i really REALLY liked the premise of this. pomona has to figure out who killed her grandmother in order to receive her inheritance - okay YES. i'm here for it.
i lied. i was indeed, not here for any of it.
pomona as a character felt like an over exaggerated version of piper from it happened one summer. she was spoiled, self-centered, had zero self-awareness, some how watches one youtube video and becomes a baking prodigy? sure. did i care? surely not. she was - and i cannot emphasize this enough - insufferable. i thought she'd have a redemption arc, but if anything, she got worse. her holier than thou act got tiring realllll quick.
she worked half a shift at a coffee shop and discovered she was better suited to solve a murder than deal with customers.
honestly though…..fair.
the rest of the story felt entirely cliche. the characters were surface level boring, the mystery plot was predictable and unenticing, the dialogue felt juvenile (these characters spoke like YA characters but were pushing 30???), and everything worked out so perfectly that i didn't even end up caring about literally anything. it all felt so shallow. this had so much potential!!
April 12, 2025
*Hardback and audiobook
Thanks to Emily Bestler Books / Simon & Schuster for my #gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fun audiobook that I’d liken to a more mature Nancy Drew with The Simple Life (with Paris & Nicole) vibes. If I were writing a news article I’d call it “Heiress solves murder along with her cutie sidekick, catches a dose of reality.”
Pom is a total airhead BUT to her credit she CAN DO things…stuff like bake…screw up a coffee order and well, SOLVE A MURDER.
Up until her grandmother’s murder Pom led a life of privilege and snobbery, totally out of touch with the real world. After her grandmother’s murder she and her family are frozen out of their inheritance because of a specific clause regarding a suspicious death. They’ll never get the money unless the murderer is found within a year.
Fav moment is prob the first REAL kiss. I just loved how the MCs grew closer over the course of the story.
I loved how Pom finally set boundaries for her life. I’ve come to similar conclusions in my own life and am better for it. It was fun rooting for Pomona throughout the story.
Thanks to Emily Bestler Books / Simon & Schuster for my #gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fun audiobook that I’d liken to a more mature Nancy Drew with The Simple Life (with Paris & Nicole) vibes. If I were writing a news article I’d call it “Heiress solves murder along with her cutie sidekick, catches a dose of reality.”
Pom is a total airhead BUT to her credit she CAN DO things…stuff like bake…screw up a coffee order and well, SOLVE A MURDER.
Up until her grandmother’s murder Pom led a life of privilege and snobbery, totally out of touch with the real world. After her grandmother’s murder she and her family are frozen out of their inheritance because of a specific clause regarding a suspicious death. They’ll never get the money unless the murderer is found within a year.
Fav moment is prob the first REAL kiss. I just loved how the MCs grew closer over the course of the story.
I loved how Pom finally set boundaries for her life. I’ve come to similar conclusions in my own life and am better for it. It was fun rooting for Pomona throughout the story.
October 8, 2024
Believe it or not, a hotel heiress and unlikely sleuth can crack the case. POMONA AFTON CAN SO SOLVE A MURDER is a cozy mystery/rom-com mash-up featuring a Paris Hilton-esque protagonist.
After the suspicious death of her no-so-beloved grandmother, Pomona’s personal finances come to an unexpected halt. Pomona can kiss her lavish lifestyle and inheritance goodbye unless she can somehow solve the mystery of the murdered matriarch.
This was the first mystery/romance genre mash-up I have read and I enjoyed the depth and camaraderie these storylines brought together. Pomona’s character was initially unrelatable but her growth throughout the story was satisfying.
READ THIS IF YOU:
-have ever been underestimated
-want to get in on the ground level of a new series
-have an affinity for baking
PUB DATE: March 18, 2025
RATING: 4/5
Many thanks to Netgalley and Atria for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.
After the suspicious death of her no-so-beloved grandmother, Pomona’s personal finances come to an unexpected halt. Pomona can kiss her lavish lifestyle and inheritance goodbye unless she can somehow solve the mystery of the murdered matriarch.
This was the first mystery/romance genre mash-up I have read and I enjoyed the depth and camaraderie these storylines brought together. Pomona’s character was initially unrelatable but her growth throughout the story was satisfying.
READ THIS IF YOU:
-have ever been underestimated
-want to get in on the ground level of a new series
-have an affinity for baking
PUB DATE: March 18, 2025
RATING: 4/5
Many thanks to Netgalley and Atria for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2025
This book is absolutely adorable. Endearing and heartwarming and funny and a bit zany- Pomona reminds me of Alexis Rose. I truly think everything about this was charming, but I really love the way that Pomona grew and learned to ask for forgiveness and work through her problems with her friends. Fingers crossed this is a series!
Thank you to Attia and Emily Bestler for a complementary copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Attia and Emily Bestler for a complementary copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
May 29, 2025
Baby’s first DNF 🥰
I gave it the 100 page test but ultimately determined I was losing brain cells by reading.
A friend said it perfectly, Pom (insufferable nickname) is Alexis Rose if she never had a shred of character development. An overwhelming majority of conversations and inner dialog were vapid and unnecessary.
I gave it the 100 page test but ultimately determined I was losing brain cells by reading.
A friend said it perfectly, Pom (insufferable nickname) is Alexis Rose if she never had a shred of character development. An overwhelming majority of conversations and inner dialog were vapid and unnecessary.
March 31, 2025
4.5 stars
Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder by Bellamy Rose is wickedly fun! Pomona is a somewhat spoiled heiress with everything handed to her until she finds her grandmother murdered after a night of partying. Pomona gets kicked out of her apartment and cut off because her grandma put it in her will that if she dies under mysterious circumstances that everyone is cut off. Pomona has to call her old nanny (Andrea) who sets her up with her new roommate who happens to be her Andrea's son, Gabe. Gabe is less than pleased when Pomona lands on her door but she has no other options and he decides to let her stay. Together they realize that if the murder is not solved that Pomona will never get back to her life and Andrea will never get the inheritance she was promised. They partner up to solve this murder in honestly a chaotic but hilarious little duo.
I enjoyed this book immensely. Bellamy Rose managed to get the perfect mixed of spoiled yet redeemable on Pomona. Gabe is such a wonderful force of good in Pomona's life that she changes through the book for the better. The book was comfortable yet refreshing in a way that is hard for me to explain. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to just have a fun time and likes a little romance mixed with a little mystery.
Tropes: rivals to lovers, forced proximity
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and Bellamy Rose for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder by Bellamy Rose is wickedly fun! Pomona is a somewhat spoiled heiress with everything handed to her until she finds her grandmother murdered after a night of partying. Pomona gets kicked out of her apartment and cut off because her grandma put it in her will that if she dies under mysterious circumstances that everyone is cut off. Pomona has to call her old nanny (Andrea) who sets her up with her new roommate who happens to be her Andrea's son, Gabe. Gabe is less than pleased when Pomona lands on her door but she has no other options and he decides to let her stay. Together they realize that if the murder is not solved that Pomona will never get back to her life and Andrea will never get the inheritance she was promised. They partner up to solve this murder in honestly a chaotic but hilarious little duo.
I enjoyed this book immensely. Bellamy Rose managed to get the perfect mixed of spoiled yet redeemable on Pomona. Gabe is such a wonderful force of good in Pomona's life that she changes through the book for the better. The book was comfortable yet refreshing in a way that is hard for me to explain. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to just have a fun time and likes a little romance mixed with a little mystery.
Tropes: rivals to lovers, forced proximity
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and Bellamy Rose for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 12, 2025
“living well is the best revenge.”
4 ★ | 16+
pomona afton can so solve a murder | bellamy rose
⇨ 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ⋆. 𐙚˚💬 ₊˚‧
I enjoyed this! While it was certainly different than your average murder mystery, and our main girl was quite the character, it still entertained me and I was hooked for the second half of the book.
the audiobook narration was decent!
I’d recommend this if the description really piques your interest, but if it doesn’t, its probably not for you lol
⇨ 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 ⋆. 𐙚˚👠 ₊˚‧
solid plot. the twist came out of nowhere lol
⇨ 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 ⋆. 𐙚˚☕️₊˚‧
it was okay. not really memorable if I’m being honest. I remember liking Gabe but I wasn’t screaming at the characters to get together or anything
⇨ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⋆. 𐙚˚🔍 ₊˚‧
pomona ’pom’ afton
she was obviously stuck up at the beginning, rich girl and all, but by the end I liked how she was humbled and saw the value in a slower, more normal life. she was funny, too
content considerations:
romance: 2.5/5 (descriptive kissing, adult/sexual jokes, mentions of pomona’s past hookups)
language: 4/5 (*ss, d*mn, h*ll, sh*t, b*stard, b*tch and like 1 f*ck that came outta nowhere)
other:
LGBTQ
(at the coffee shop there is an employee who is referred to as they/them, and there is like two mentions of same sex couples in passing ((i.e. two men were on a date in the corner)) its not too prevalent at all.)
Alcohol
(Pomona likes to party and has a past of getting drunk most nights, and one night in the beginning of the book she gets so hammered that when she wakes the next morning she doesn’t remember anything from the previous night. She slowly learns that getting drunk frivolously isn’t a smart way to live your life throughout the book.
Other side characters are described as drunk throughout the book sometimes.)
Violence
(Blood is mentioned, as well as talk of the murder and such. At the end there’s an intense scene where Pomona is being attacked by the killer and held at knife point.)
4 ★ | 16+
pomona afton can so solve a murder | bellamy rose
⇨ 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ⋆. 𐙚˚💬 ₊˚‧
I enjoyed this! While it was certainly different than your average murder mystery, and our main girl was quite the character, it still entertained me and I was hooked for the second half of the book.
the audiobook narration was decent!
I’d recommend this if the description really piques your interest, but if it doesn’t, its probably not for you lol
⇨ 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 ⋆. 𐙚˚👠 ₊˚‧
solid plot. the twist came out of nowhere lol
⇨ 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 ⋆. 𐙚˚☕️₊˚‧
it was okay. not really memorable if I’m being honest. I remember liking Gabe but I wasn’t screaming at the characters to get together or anything
⇨ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⋆. 𐙚˚🔍 ₊˚‧
pomona ’pom’ afton
she was obviously stuck up at the beginning, rich girl and all, but by the end I liked how she was humbled and saw the value in a slower, more normal life. she was funny, too
content considerations:
romance: 2.5/5 (descriptive kissing, adult/sexual jokes, mentions of pomona’s past hookups)
language: 4/5 (*ss, d*mn, h*ll, sh*t, b*stard, b*tch and like 1 f*ck that came outta nowhere)
other:
LGBTQ
(at the coffee shop there is an employee who is referred to as they/them, and there is like two mentions of same sex couples in passing ((i.e. two men were on a date in the corner)) its not too prevalent at all.)
Alcohol
(Pomona likes to party and has a past of getting drunk most nights, and one night in the beginning of the book she gets so hammered that when she wakes the next morning she doesn’t remember anything from the previous night. She slowly learns that getting drunk frivolously isn’t a smart way to live your life throughout the book.
Other side characters are described as drunk throughout the book sometimes.)
Violence
(Blood is mentioned, as well as talk of the murder and such. At the end there’s an intense scene where Pomona is being attacked by the killer and held at knife point.)
March 28, 2025
I was so excited about the premise of this book!
I expected a cozy mystery with lots of ridiculous hijinks, but what I got was a very unlikable & entitled heiress who suddenly becomes a baking prodigy after watching a single YouTube video. No part of me was rooting for her & I didn’t care about a single one of these vapid characters.
Pomona Afton Can SO Just Go Away
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I expected a cozy mystery with lots of ridiculous hijinks, but what I got was a very unlikable & entitled heiress who suddenly becomes a baking prodigy after watching a single YouTube video. No part of me was rooting for her & I didn’t care about a single one of these vapid characters.
Pomona Afton Can SO Just Go Away
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 16, 2025
જ⁀➴ 4.5/5 ⭐️
i actually LOVED this!! just what i needed after reading romcoms back to back in febuary 🙏 the mystery and romance was so perfect. i loved the writing style and the character arcs were amazing.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc!!
🪩 ┆ʚ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ♡
got an arc and after reading ari's review i need to read this asappp
i actually LOVED this!! just what i needed after reading romcoms back to back in febuary 🙏 the mystery and romance was so perfect. i loved the writing style and the character arcs were amazing.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc!!
🪩 ┆ʚ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ♡
got an arc and after reading ari's review i need to read this asappp
February 26, 2025
Pomona Afton can so solve a murder...and will so win over your heart!
When tragedy strikes the Afton family, Pomona loses everything about her charmed life and decides in order to save the family name and fortune, she will solve the murder of her grandmother. With the help of her childhood nanny's (when did he get so hot?!) son Gabe, she embarks on solving the case, finding herself along the way and learning who she really is without the glitz and glamor of high society life. Along the way, enemies are revealed, new friendships are formed, family bonds are strengthened, and lost cats are found!
This book was everything you could want in a cozy, romantic, and witty read. Pomona's inner dialogue is pretty entertaining, and it's really lovely to see her grow and mature as she navigates a new normal. I loved that she discovered new skills and really became an independent human. Gabe was just so sweet and the perfect match for her.
Sometimes the inner thoughts were a bit repetitive and long-winded, but it definitely didn't distract too much from the joy of reading this book!
4 stars for a heartwarming murder mystery (can truthfully say I've never used all of those words in one description for a book before)!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the ARC! This title will be published on March 18, 2025.
When tragedy strikes the Afton family, Pomona loses everything about her charmed life and decides in order to save the family name and fortune, she will solve the murder of her grandmother. With the help of her childhood nanny's (when did he get so hot?!) son Gabe, she embarks on solving the case, finding herself along the way and learning who she really is without the glitz and glamor of high society life. Along the way, enemies are revealed, new friendships are formed, family bonds are strengthened, and lost cats are found!
This book was everything you could want in a cozy, romantic, and witty read. Pomona's inner dialogue is pretty entertaining, and it's really lovely to see her grow and mature as she navigates a new normal. I loved that she discovered new skills and really became an independent human. Gabe was just so sweet and the perfect match for her.
Sometimes the inner thoughts were a bit repetitive and long-winded, but it definitely didn't distract too much from the joy of reading this book!
4 stars for a heartwarming murder mystery (can truthfully say I've never used all of those words in one description for a book before)!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the ARC! This title will be published on March 18, 2025.
February 18, 2025
3.5 stars
Thank you Atria and Bellamy Rose for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I want to stress that Netgalley is no longer offering ARCs supported by my e-reader of choice (Kobo) so this book was read under duress on my phone which was a crappy experience. This might have impacted my views of the book as a result (even though I really tried to remain impartial).
This book mixes romcom with murder mystery in a very fun and compelling way. Whilst it is a lighthearted read, there is not much to point out regarding the pacing, character arcs or even the romance that made this any less interesting for me.
Starting with Pomona, I think it was very smart of the author to introduce us to a character that has it all, which comes with a very specific set of unrelatable concerns, and then immediately loses her fortune, house, and friends, forcing her to re-evaluate her priorities and herself. As Pomona stops having distractions, she starts to stand up for herself and find out things in life that bring her joy (e.g. baking) that she wouldn't have otherwise. In many ways, her journey is a late coming-of-age story which I think can be relatable to many people regardless of age, as we all change over time to a point where we also start wanting different things.
Whilst Pomona's journey is very compelling, the romance and murder mystery aspects were what made the book entertaining and a very fast read. I think the twists were good and the final reveal was unexpected until the very last section of the book. The romance also felt well paced and there was enough tension to make it feel as though the characters had chemistry but also good reasons not to act upon their desires.
Overall, I would recommend this to readers looking for an easy read that makes them laugh but that is also reminiscent of Gossip Girl in many ways (think Serena being destitute and forced to move out of the UES while investigating Cece's murder so she can get her fortune back)!
Thank you Atria and Bellamy Rose for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I want to stress that Netgalley is no longer offering ARCs supported by my e-reader of choice (Kobo) so this book was read under duress on my phone which was a crappy experience. This might have impacted my views of the book as a result (even though I really tried to remain impartial).
This book mixes romcom with murder mystery in a very fun and compelling way. Whilst it is a lighthearted read, there is not much to point out regarding the pacing, character arcs or even the romance that made this any less interesting for me.
Starting with Pomona, I think it was very smart of the author to introduce us to a character that has it all, which comes with a very specific set of unrelatable concerns, and then immediately loses her fortune, house, and friends, forcing her to re-evaluate her priorities and herself. As Pomona stops having distractions, she starts to stand up for herself and find out things in life that bring her joy (e.g. baking) that she wouldn't have otherwise. In many ways, her journey is a late coming-of-age story which I think can be relatable to many people regardless of age, as we all change over time to a point where we also start wanting different things.
Whilst Pomona's journey is very compelling, the romance and murder mystery aspects were what made the book entertaining and a very fast read. I think the twists were good and the final reveal was unexpected until the very last section of the book. The romance also felt well paced and there was enough tension to make it feel as though the characters had chemistry but also good reasons not to act upon their desires.
Overall, I would recommend this to readers looking for an easy read that makes them laugh but that is also reminiscent of Gossip Girl in many ways (think Serena being destitute and forced to move out of the UES while investigating Cece's murder so she can get her fortune back)!
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