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All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery #2
Murder Made to Order
To save her cozy Florida diner, Gia Morelli must choke down a heaping helping of murder.
New York native Gia Morelli is just getting used to life in Florida when she gets word that the town government wants to shut down her pride and the charming little diner known as the All-Day Breakfast Café. A forgotten zoning regulation means that the café was opened illegally, and hard-boiled council president Marcia Steers refuses to budge.
Gia is considering hanging up her apron and going back to New York, but before she gives up on her dream, she discovers something shocking in the local Marcia Steers, dead in the water.
There’s a secret buried in the books at town hall, and someone killed to keep it hidden. To save her café and bring a killer to justice, Gia and her friends will have to figure out a killer’s recipe for murder.
New York native Gia Morelli is just getting used to life in Florida when she gets word that the town government wants to shut down her pride and the charming little diner known as the All-Day Breakfast Café. A forgotten zoning regulation means that the café was opened illegally, and hard-boiled council president Marcia Steers refuses to budge.
Gia is considering hanging up her apron and going back to New York, but before she gives up on her dream, she discovers something shocking in the local Marcia Steers, dead in the water.
There’s a secret buried in the books at town hall, and someone killed to keep it hidden. To save her café and bring a killer to justice, Gia and her friends will have to figure out a killer’s recipe for murder.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 19, 2018
85 people are currently reading
933 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
June 6, 2018
Murder Made to Order by Lena Gregory is the second book in the cozy All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series. Each book in the series revolves around a new case so they could be read as a standalone but there are ongoing things with the characters from book to book so one may miss a bit of character development not starting from the beginning.
This second installment picks up with Gia Morelli who is a New Yorker at heart but has moved to Florida and opened up her own breakfast cafe after a divorce. Just when Gia thinks she’s getting settled in her new life and her cafe has become a local success she gets the news that the town council wants to shut her down due to a zoning ordinance.
Gia is up in the air on what to do as to either stay and fight for her cafe or to move back to New York away from the bugs, snakes, gators and bears that frighten her. But just as Gia is weighing her options while out hiking with her puppy, Thor, she comes across the body of a council member in the woods.
I’ve personally enjoyed the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series from the beginning and picking this one up was like returning back to Gia’s small town and my own group of friends. The characters are all likable and I just want to snag Thor off the pages of the book and keep him myself. The series has a nice mix of mystery, romance with a bit of laughs to go along and I’d definitely recommend checking it out to the cozy fans.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
This second installment picks up with Gia Morelli who is a New Yorker at heart but has moved to Florida and opened up her own breakfast cafe after a divorce. Just when Gia thinks she’s getting settled in her new life and her cafe has become a local success she gets the news that the town council wants to shut her down due to a zoning ordinance.
Gia is up in the air on what to do as to either stay and fight for her cafe or to move back to New York away from the bugs, snakes, gators and bears that frighten her. But just as Gia is weighing her options while out hiking with her puppy, Thor, she comes across the body of a council member in the woods.
I’ve personally enjoyed the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series from the beginning and picking this one up was like returning back to Gia’s small town and my own group of friends. The characters are all likable and I just want to snag Thor off the pages of the book and keep him myself. The series has a nice mix of mystery, romance with a bit of laughs to go along and I’d definitely recommend checking it out to the cozy fans.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
June 28, 2018
Gia Morelli runs the All-Day Breakfast Cafe in Boggy Creek, FL. It's a far cry from her former life in New York but the small town and its quirky residents are growing on her. Gia is having a bit of a stressful time though....the local cop she likes is being weird and distant and she received a letter from the town council informing her the cafe had to close due to a zoning problem. She's still trying to figure out those problems when she stumbles into a dead body while walking her dog. Things get very complicated because the woman is the president of the town council, Marcia Steers. And her sheriff's deputy love interest has had a long-term ongoing affair with the woman. Gia soon finds herself pulled into a murder investigation involving greed, lies and corruption.
Murder Made To Order is the second book in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe mystery series. I haven't read book one yet, but was easily able to jump in and enjoy this cozy mystery. It isn't necessary to have read the first book to enjoy this one. The mystery is pretty much stand-alone, and there are enough hints and explanations of character background to fill in development from the first book. Gia is an interesting main character. She works hard to make her business succeed and is making friends with the locals, despite missing New York. But, she has a lot of fears and insecurities. She has flaws but is a strong and intelligent woman. Her dog, Thor, is awesome! All of the other side characters are quirky and interesting. They all come together as a great amateur sleuthing team. The mystery moved along at a good pace with plenty of suspects, action and surprises.
I will definitely be reading more of this series to see how the characters develop. The mix of humor, background theme and mystery definitely keeps my attention from beginning to end!
**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
Murder Made To Order is the second book in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe mystery series. I haven't read book one yet, but was easily able to jump in and enjoy this cozy mystery. It isn't necessary to have read the first book to enjoy this one. The mystery is pretty much stand-alone, and there are enough hints and explanations of character background to fill in development from the first book. Gia is an interesting main character. She works hard to make her business succeed and is making friends with the locals, despite missing New York. But, she has a lot of fears and insecurities. She has flaws but is a strong and intelligent woman. Her dog, Thor, is awesome! All of the other side characters are quirky and interesting. They all come together as a great amateur sleuthing team. The mystery moved along at a good pace with plenty of suspects, action and surprises.
I will definitely be reading more of this series to see how the characters develop. The mix of humor, background theme and mystery definitely keeps my attention from beginning to end!
**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
June 30, 2018
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Murder, a fire, tornadoes, zoning issues, bears, snakes, ticks, and alligators. Gia didn’t have any of these problems in New York. Maybe Florida isn’t the place for her. Especially now that she found another body. The city council president Marcia Steers was right there, dead in the water. She said she wanted to meet with Gia…why? She was trying to shut down the All-Day Breakfast Café. Why would she want to help Gia now? Is that why she was killed? Gia is going to fight to keep her cafe and just may catch a murderer too.
I was so excited to visit these characters again. They are realistic and engaging, people that would be great to meet in real life. Gia is a great protagonist that makes me laugh out loud. She is a city girl that has moved to Florida, opened a restaurant, and purchased a home surrounded by a woods and all the creatures that live there. She also has a big wonderful Bernese Mountain Dog named Thor. Thor is not afraid of much, but Gia is afraid of almost everything. Her friend, Savannah, is there to guide her through all the most of the treacherous things she encounters. Detective Quinn Hunter has a few things that take him away from Gia, but he seems to be there when it really counts. She also has another friend on the force, Savannah’s boyfriend, Leo tries to keep the girls in the loop on the investigation and safe when he needs to. Gia is still looking for another cook and she finds not 1 but 2 people that may be able to help. A part near the end when the community came together really warmed my heart.
The story sets a nice pace with the murder investigation mixed flawlessly with Gia’s life in Boggy Creek. Gia never really manages to “investigate”. She learns the most by keeping her ears open and following up with the right questions. She truly feels the current murder is tied to the unsolved murder of Savannah’s mother, and that makes it personal for her and really captivated my interest too.
This was a great story. Fun characters with a fantastic whodunit made this cozy mystery top-notch. It checked all my cozy boxes!
I can hardly wait for the next book. A Cold Brew Killing comes out November 6!
Murder, a fire, tornadoes, zoning issues, bears, snakes, ticks, and alligators. Gia didn’t have any of these problems in New York. Maybe Florida isn’t the place for her. Especially now that she found another body. The city council president Marcia Steers was right there, dead in the water. She said she wanted to meet with Gia…why? She was trying to shut down the All-Day Breakfast Café. Why would she want to help Gia now? Is that why she was killed? Gia is going to fight to keep her cafe and just may catch a murderer too.
I was so excited to visit these characters again. They are realistic and engaging, people that would be great to meet in real life. Gia is a great protagonist that makes me laugh out loud. She is a city girl that has moved to Florida, opened a restaurant, and purchased a home surrounded by a woods and all the creatures that live there. She also has a big wonderful Bernese Mountain Dog named Thor. Thor is not afraid of much, but Gia is afraid of almost everything. Her friend, Savannah, is there to guide her through all the most of the treacherous things she encounters. Detective Quinn Hunter has a few things that take him away from Gia, but he seems to be there when it really counts. She also has another friend on the force, Savannah’s boyfriend, Leo tries to keep the girls in the loop on the investigation and safe when he needs to. Gia is still looking for another cook and she finds not 1 but 2 people that may be able to help. A part near the end when the community came together really warmed my heart.
The story sets a nice pace with the murder investigation mixed flawlessly with Gia’s life in Boggy Creek. Gia never really manages to “investigate”. She learns the most by keeping her ears open and following up with the right questions. She truly feels the current murder is tied to the unsolved murder of Savannah’s mother, and that makes it personal for her and really captivated my interest too.
This was a great story. Fun characters with a fantastic whodunit made this cozy mystery top-notch. It checked all my cozy boxes!
I can hardly wait for the next book. A Cold Brew Killing comes out November 6!
May 25, 2018
The second installment in the All Day Breakfast series Gia Morellia worried that her cafe has zoning problem and might have to close. Marcia Steers, the President of the City council asked to see Gia. Marcia tells her she has documents that will help Gia. Marcia is found dead in a swamp before she found the papers. The sheriff suspended her boyfriend from his office. The affair goes back 20 years. The case involved the murder of a friend's Mother. Before it ends Gia will encounter greed, revenge and police corruption. Gia romance with the Sheriff deputy continued. How does the Breakfast Cafe stay open? You feel The terror during the tornado.
I found this book hard to rate. I would give 3.5 stars, if possible. There was an improvement over the previous book. Gia character still bothered me as her terrors seem irrational to me. I got tired of reading n to cook a breakfast. I feel it was overdone. I would recommend this book and series.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Lyrical Underground for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
I found this book hard to rate. I would give 3.5 stars, if possible. There was an improvement over the previous book. Gia character still bothered me as her terrors seem irrational to me. I got tired of reading n to cook a breakfast. I feel it was overdone. I would recommend this book and series.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Lyrical Underground for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
June 25, 2018
Another wonderful story, MURDER MADE TO ORDER was a book I couldn’t put down until I was finished.
When I finished reading book one in the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series, Scone Cold Killer, I was already hungry for the next book. I was thrilled when MURDER MADE TO ORDER was announced. Author Lena Gregory sure didn’t disappoint. She cooked up tale so tasty I devoured it!
Murder past and present are brought together brilliantly in this mystery. My mind was racing trying to solve them both. I didn’t no a great job at it because I was blown away at the end! I’m impatiently awaiting the next installment needing to know even more of what’s in store for protagonist Gia, and the rest of the cast of characters. My imagination is already running wild with want to expect.
Fans of book one are in for a total treat with MURDER MADE TO ORDER. If you haven’t read Scone Cold Killer get yourself a copy now and read these books back to back.
When I finished reading book one in the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series, Scone Cold Killer, I was already hungry for the next book. I was thrilled when MURDER MADE TO ORDER was announced. Author Lena Gregory sure didn’t disappoint. She cooked up tale so tasty I devoured it!
Murder past and present are brought together brilliantly in this mystery. My mind was racing trying to solve them both. I didn’t no a great job at it because I was blown away at the end! I’m impatiently awaiting the next installment needing to know even more of what’s in store for protagonist Gia, and the rest of the cast of characters. My imagination is already running wild with want to expect.
Fans of book one are in for a total treat with MURDER MADE TO ORDER. If you haven’t read Scone Cold Killer get yourself a copy now and read these books back to back.
April 16, 2018
I am a big fan of Lena Gregory. If you haven’t read any books by Lena and you like cozy mysteries, you owe it to yourself to pick up one of her books! In this second installment of An All Day Breakfast Café Mystery series Gia has finally become comfortable with her new life in Florida, running a restaurant specializing in breakfast foods, but an uncovered zoning regulation threatens to overturn the life she has created after fleeing NY and a boatload of bad memories. When the council president shows up lifeless in a swamp, Gia discovers secrets and lies. Can she save her café and uncover the killer before it is too late? This is such a fun and engaging series. I highly recommend it.
January 3, 2019
I didn't want to put this book down! A thoroughly enjoyable cozy mystery with great characters. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series!
July 3, 2018
Lena Gregory does a fabulous job of creating characters who feel like the dearest of friends, and she has done so again with the All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series. Gia, Savannah, Hunt, Leo, EARL (my fave!), Willow, Trevor, Harley … a host of main and supporting characters you feel you’ve known forever – or at least wish you did. And once again, she weaves a tangled mystery that isn’t as easy to solve as it first appears.
One thing I love about Gia is that she feels real. What you see is what you get with her – foibles and all. And one of the subplots I’ve really enjoyed in both books is watching Gia adjust to life in Florida after a lifetime in New York. The slower pace, the chatty residents, the gossip mill, the wildlife (alligators, snakes, spiders, ticks, and bears – oh my!), and the weather (heat, humidity, tornadoes). She’s a bit like a fish out of water in many ways, but I’m enjoying how the author is using this to further define the layers to Gia’s character.
There is a mild romance thread (that picks up a bit as the story progresses) but it’s not overpowering to the story, in case you prefer more mystery and less kissing. Gregory weaves in several plot threads that at first seem completely unrelated but have a definite structure that comes together in the end. I changed my mind more than once about who I thought ‘dun it’ but mostly I just enjoyed the ride. There’s humor and a sense of warmth and friendship that shines on every page, with a bit of New York edge and southern sass thrown in for good measure. And some kisses. Can’t forget those!
Bottom Line: Be prepared to read this book from the comfort of your favorite local breakfast eatery – because you will definitely find yourself craving breakfast pies and home fries and maybe even grits, if that’s your thing (Not mine). The community is full of the usual cozy mystery suspects, but the goodhearted characters outnumber the sour ones and leave you believing in the power of coming together with a common purpose. Gregory constructs an riveting mystery that is much more layered than it first appears and keeps you fully engaged. And, while it slows down a bit for the required ‘recipe as narrative’ moments, all in all the pace remains steady and well-plotted.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
One thing I love about Gia is that she feels real. What you see is what you get with her – foibles and all. And one of the subplots I’ve really enjoyed in both books is watching Gia adjust to life in Florida after a lifetime in New York. The slower pace, the chatty residents, the gossip mill, the wildlife (alligators, snakes, spiders, ticks, and bears – oh my!), and the weather (heat, humidity, tornadoes). She’s a bit like a fish out of water in many ways, but I’m enjoying how the author is using this to further define the layers to Gia’s character.
There is a mild romance thread (that picks up a bit as the story progresses) but it’s not overpowering to the story, in case you prefer more mystery and less kissing. Gregory weaves in several plot threads that at first seem completely unrelated but have a definite structure that comes together in the end. I changed my mind more than once about who I thought ‘dun it’ but mostly I just enjoyed the ride. There’s humor and a sense of warmth and friendship that shines on every page, with a bit of New York edge and southern sass thrown in for good measure. And some kisses. Can’t forget those!
Bottom Line: Be prepared to read this book from the comfort of your favorite local breakfast eatery – because you will definitely find yourself craving breakfast pies and home fries and maybe even grits, if that’s your thing (Not mine). The community is full of the usual cozy mystery suspects, but the goodhearted characters outnumber the sour ones and leave you believing in the power of coming together with a common purpose. Gregory constructs an riveting mystery that is much more layered than it first appears and keeps you fully engaged. And, while it slows down a bit for the required ‘recipe as narrative’ moments, all in all the pace remains steady and well-plotted.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
July 13, 2018
4 stelle e mezza
Di questa serie mi piace il cast di amici che circondano la protagonista, mentre le fobie di quest'ultima per la vita naturale mi fanno in parte sorridere (in parte le condivido, però).
Se devo trovare un neo a questo libro (e questo vale mezza stella in meno) è che non mi sembra proprio che l'autrice fornisca abbastanza indizi per permettere al lettore di capire chi sia il colpevole.
Di questa serie mi piace il cast di amici che circondano la protagonista, mentre le fobie di quest'ultima per la vita naturale mi fanno in parte sorridere (in parte le condivido, però).
Se devo trovare un neo a questo libro (e questo vale mezza stella in meno) è che non mi sembra proprio che l'autrice fornisca abbastanza indizi per permettere al lettore di capire chi sia il colpevole.
June 21, 2018
Gia Morelli is torn whether or not to stay in Florida running her new All-Day Breakfast Cafe or move back to her New York hometown. Gia isn���t sure Florida is for her, but her decision becomes even more complicated when the town’s council president, Marcia Steers, pays her a visit. The council is planning to close down Gia’s cafe because of a zoning regulation.
Gia is thinking New York is looking better and better, but then she discovers Marcia’s dead body. She’s determined to find out who killed the woman and is shocked at the town’s secrets she uncovers. It doesn’t take long before Gia realizes she wants to save her cafe and find a killer.
This is the second book in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe mystery series. I love the setting - Florida and all-day breakfast, What could be better? This is a fast-paced mystery with a wide array of characters. Gia and her friends began to feel like old friends.
I think this story can be read on its own, but it’s more fun to read the first one as well. It gives you more of a background about Gia and how she came to Florida. There is info in this story, but it’s more fun to read the big picture. However, the mystery itself is contained in this book. There is no cliffhanger.
There are plenty of twists and turns for mystery fans. I was surprised at the ending and enjoyed reading the whole story unfold. I enjoyed this one even better than the first.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Gia is thinking New York is looking better and better, but then she discovers Marcia’s dead body. She’s determined to find out who killed the woman and is shocked at the town’s secrets she uncovers. It doesn’t take long before Gia realizes she wants to save her cafe and find a killer.
This is the second book in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe mystery series. I love the setting - Florida and all-day breakfast, What could be better? This is a fast-paced mystery with a wide array of characters. Gia and her friends began to feel like old friends.
I think this story can be read on its own, but it’s more fun to read the first one as well. It gives you more of a background about Gia and how she came to Florida. There is info in this story, but it’s more fun to read the big picture. However, the mystery itself is contained in this book. There is no cliffhanger.
There are plenty of twists and turns for mystery fans. I was surprised at the ending and enjoyed reading the whole story unfold. I enjoyed this one even better than the first.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
May 4, 2018
This second installment in the All-Day Breakfast Café was an enjoyable and entertaining read. I like the lead character Gia Morelli. She has spunk even in the face of her doubts about whether she has made the right decision to move to Boggy Creek. The author did a good job of showing more growth in her character in this second book. There are returning secondary characters from the first book and some new ones as well. I like the relationship between Gia and her best friend Savannah. The romances for Gia and Savannah are moving along and a natural pace and don't feel forced nor do they take away from the mystery.
I thought the mystery was well done. The modern day murder has connections to the murder of Savannah's mother and as a result we get more information on what happened to her and perhaps closer to finally getting her justice. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me turning pages and guessing as to the culprit. However, I fell for the red herrings and was not able to guess until the identity of the killer was revealed.
I enjoy this series and I am looking forward to future installments. I voluntarily read an advanced review copy provided to me by the publisher, Lyrical Underground, through Netgalley.
I thought the mystery was well done. The modern day murder has connections to the murder of Savannah's mother and as a result we get more information on what happened to her and perhaps closer to finally getting her justice. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me turning pages and guessing as to the culprit. However, I fell for the red herrings and was not able to guess until the identity of the killer was revealed.
I enjoy this series and I am looking forward to future installments. I voluntarily read an advanced review copy provided to me by the publisher, Lyrical Underground, through Netgalley.
July 2, 2018
Murder Made To Order
All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery, Book #2
Lena Gregory
5 Stars
Synopsis:
To save her cozy Florida diner, Gia Morelli must choke down a heaping helping of murder . . .
New York native Gia Morelli is just getting used to life in Florida when she gets word that the town government wants to shut down her pride and joy: the charming little diner known as the All-Day Breakfast Café. A forgotten zoning regulation means that the café was opened illegally, and hardboiled council president Marcia Steers refuses to budge. Gia is considering hanging up her apron and going back to New York, but before she gives up on her dream, she discovers something shocking in the local swamp: Marcia Steers, dead in the water. There’s a secret buried in the books at town hall, and someone killed to keep it hidden. To save her café and bring a killer to justice, Gia and her friends will have to figure out a killer’s recipe for murder . . .(Amazon)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. Gia is a smart, hardworking caring person who refuses to let others decide her fate. She is torn between staying in Florida or returning to New York, but she wants that decision to be hers to make. When she discovers a dead body she feels compelled to hunt for the killer. With the help of her best friend, Savannah. , she sets out to do just that. I really enjoyed the interactions between the two, it was heartfelt and genuine. And her relationship with Hunt, Savannah’s cousin, is moving along nicely and seems realistic.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. It allowed me to live the lives of the characters, letting me know what they were thinking and feeling. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place. She is also very talented in her humorous writing, and I laughed a lot while reading this book. I especially enjoyed Gia’s fear of snakes and bears, that made her seem more realistic to me. She always had her bear spray on her, wherever she went. I loved that.
The mystery was well plotted and not easy to solve. I liked the fact that the current murder tied into the murder of Savannah's mother, and we may be getting a little closer to finding out what happened to her mom. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well plotted cozy mystery. But do not read this book when you are hungry because there is a lot of references to great sounding food.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery, Book #2
Lena Gregory
5 Stars
Synopsis:
To save her cozy Florida diner, Gia Morelli must choke down a heaping helping of murder . . .
New York native Gia Morelli is just getting used to life in Florida when she gets word that the town government wants to shut down her pride and joy: the charming little diner known as the All-Day Breakfast Café. A forgotten zoning regulation means that the café was opened illegally, and hardboiled council president Marcia Steers refuses to budge. Gia is considering hanging up her apron and going back to New York, but before she gives up on her dream, she discovers something shocking in the local swamp: Marcia Steers, dead in the water. There’s a secret buried in the books at town hall, and someone killed to keep it hidden. To save her café and bring a killer to justice, Gia and her friends will have to figure out a killer’s recipe for murder . . .(Amazon)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. Gia is a smart, hardworking caring person who refuses to let others decide her fate. She is torn between staying in Florida or returning to New York, but she wants that decision to be hers to make. When she discovers a dead body she feels compelled to hunt for the killer. With the help of her best friend, Savannah. , she sets out to do just that. I really enjoyed the interactions between the two, it was heartfelt and genuine. And her relationship with Hunt, Savannah’s cousin, is moving along nicely and seems realistic.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. It allowed me to live the lives of the characters, letting me know what they were thinking and feeling. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place. She is also very talented in her humorous writing, and I laughed a lot while reading this book. I especially enjoyed Gia’s fear of snakes and bears, that made her seem more realistic to me. She always had her bear spray on her, wherever she went. I loved that.
The mystery was well plotted and not easy to solve. I liked the fact that the current murder tied into the murder of Savannah's mother, and we may be getting a little closer to finding out what happened to her mom. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well plotted cozy mystery. But do not read this book when you are hungry because there is a lot of references to great sounding food.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
May 29, 2018
This is the first book by Lena Gregory I have read. Will have to go and read the first book in this series. This book was an enjoyable and well written entertaining read. I really liked Gia, she has spunk and the friendship through out the story was important. Twists and turns to keep you guessing.
I received the book through Goodreads giveaway first reads.
I received the book through Goodreads giveaway first reads.
September 13, 2018
Very enjoyable. Hard to put down! Really enjoying this series so far!
June 1, 2020
Gia Morelli is weighing her options: return home to New York now her no good ex is gone or stay in Florida. In Florida there are snakes, gators, spiders, and ticks but there's also mild winter weather, monkeys, manatees, and good friends. Just as Gia is leaning towards staying, she notified that the All-Day Breakfast Café must close due to a forgotten zoning regulation stating the street is residential only. Gia is determined to keep her cafe open but the council, led by her nemesis, Maybelle, is eager to shut her down. Gia is surprised to discover that Marcia Steers, an opponent on the town council, wants to talk to her. Too busy and afraid to meet now, Gia makes an appointment with Marcia to meet on Monday. Before the meeting can take place, Gia and Thor discover Marcia's dead body along the trail by the local swamp. Chief Hays is first on the scene and Gia fears she is his chief suspect. Hunter seems extra furious with the chief for some reason and is taken off the case. Gia is just going to have to do a little sleuthing of her own. Her investigation leads to the unsolved murder of her best friend Savannah's mother 20 years ago. Is it possible the two murders are connected?
This mystery is even better than the first. There are lots of twists and turns and the cold case of Savannah's mother's murder. I had to read the ending twice to figure out what the murderer's motivation was. It seems a little weird and weak to me. I was disappointed the cold case wasn't wrapped up yet but fortunately I can read the third book right away to find out. I was very pleased to see the relationship plots advancing is a sweet way.
I really like Gia. The qualities I like about her may not endear her to everyone. I love that she's afraid of spiders, snakes, ticks and gators just like me. In fact, as I was finishing the book I saw a giant spider on my ceiling and I nearly screamed. I brushed it away with a broom and it fell INTO MY BED! I have no idea where and that scared me as much as it would scare Gia. Gia's phobias make her seem more realistic. I also like how she is open to trying new things I would never try but still her own quirky self. I really like how when push comes to shove, she jumps right in and becomes a member of the community. She has a big heart and it really shows in this novel. Thor is a cutie. He's getting big enough to be protective of his Mommy. While he acts like a normal dog without any exceptional scenes, he does play a much larger role in the story and isn't a random drive-by bit of information. Savannah is a good friend and this time it's up to Gia to support Savannah when she's faced with an emotional crisis. I understand Savannah's fears regarding her relationship and was happy she didn't give the excuse I thought she was going to give. I was also happy she didn't goad Gia into doing anything stupid and investigating Marcia's murder. They both stayed within the legal limits and backed off when they realized it was dangerous.
The guys are swoonworthy. I love Hunt. It was nice to see him lose his temper a bit and act less saintly. He's truly dedicated to law enforcement and is an honorable guy. I'm more than halfway in love with him myself. Leo is patient, kind and caring. Like Hunt, he's a good cop but sometimes his kindness gets in the way. Earl is back as the cafe morning regular. He's a fun and caring guy. I loved meeting his family and seeing how much love they have for each other. The one non-swoonworthy guy on the force is Captain Hays. He's either really stupid and lazy or corrupt. This book starts to answer the question of which one. He's also not a very kind or moral man and his attitude towards his detective is completely unprofessional and rude. He could have taken Hunt off the case because Gia is a suspect but that's not the reason Hunt is removed.
Gia's nemesis Maybelle is back. Maybelle has a long memory and holds a grudge. She's meaner than a den full of poisonous snakes and hell hath no fury like Maybelle made angry. Somehow, Maybelle has the wrong idea about Gia and is determined to make Gia's life miserable. Maybelle's husband Hank is no prize either. They deserve each other. Gia's friend Trevor is a surprise. He came across as socially awkward at first but he's surprisingly athletic and fun to be around, ice cream not withstanding. I especially appreciate how they both understand they're better as friends than lovers and are comfortable with that. Hunt seems to understand and be comfortable with that too. Some new locals are introduced here. Gia's friends and neighbors now include Cole, a retiree who once worked as a short order cook. Oh Gia! The last cook you hired didn't work out so don't hire Cole! He seems a little awkward and a bit cranky but passionate about helping the community. Scott and his family seem lovely. Scott pitches in to help a neighbor in need, no matter what.
The murder victim, Marcia, was not a nice woman. She was tough, scary, and unkind but she didn't deserve to die. I think she was a complicated woman and I wish we had more about her motives for doing the things she did. There's a mysterious, creepy, witch-like woman Gia runs into just before discovering the body. I think this woman may know more than she lets on. Who is she and if she can barely walk without a stick why is she on a hiking/walking trail? A mystery man is stalking Gia and he may be connected to the murder case or cases. I figured out who he must be but I was wrong. I wasn't surprised because I did think he must be one or the other. Floyd Masters, prominent member of town council keeps popping up in both investigations. He is not someone you want to cross. I think Floyd would have gotten along with Gia's ex-husband.
I really enjoy this series. Gia needs to expand her children's menu a lot more! She makes pancakes ONCE and that's it. She seems to prefer savory baking but her muffins sound yummy. I hope she bakes more and some additional sweet treats.
This mystery is even better than the first. There are lots of twists and turns and the cold case of Savannah's mother's murder. I had to read the ending twice to figure out what the murderer's motivation was. It seems a little weird and weak to me. I was disappointed the cold case wasn't wrapped up yet but fortunately I can read the third book right away to find out. I was very pleased to see the relationship plots advancing is a sweet way.
I really like Gia. The qualities I like about her may not endear her to everyone. I love that she's afraid of spiders, snakes, ticks and gators just like me. In fact, as I was finishing the book I saw a giant spider on my ceiling and I nearly screamed. I brushed it away with a broom and it fell INTO MY BED! I have no idea where and that scared me as much as it would scare Gia. Gia's phobias make her seem more realistic. I also like how she is open to trying new things I would never try but still her own quirky self. I really like how when push comes to shove, she jumps right in and becomes a member of the community. She has a big heart and it really shows in this novel. Thor is a cutie. He's getting big enough to be protective of his Mommy. While he acts like a normal dog without any exceptional scenes, he does play a much larger role in the story and isn't a random drive-by bit of information. Savannah is a good friend and this time it's up to Gia to support Savannah when she's faced with an emotional crisis. I understand Savannah's fears regarding her relationship and was happy she didn't give the excuse I thought she was going to give. I was also happy she didn't goad Gia into doing anything stupid and investigating Marcia's murder. They both stayed within the legal limits and backed off when they realized it was dangerous.
The guys are swoonworthy. I love Hunt. It was nice to see him lose his temper a bit and act less saintly. He's truly dedicated to law enforcement and is an honorable guy. I'm more than halfway in love with him myself. Leo is patient, kind and caring. Like Hunt, he's a good cop but sometimes his kindness gets in the way. Earl is back as the cafe morning regular. He's a fun and caring guy. I loved meeting his family and seeing how much love they have for each other. The one non-swoonworthy guy on the force is Captain Hays. He's either really stupid and lazy or corrupt. This book starts to answer the question of which one. He's also not a very kind or moral man and his attitude towards his detective is completely unprofessional and rude. He could have taken Hunt off the case because Gia is a suspect but that's not the reason Hunt is removed.
Gia's nemesis Maybelle is back. Maybelle has a long memory and holds a grudge. She's meaner than a den full of poisonous snakes and hell hath no fury like Maybelle made angry. Somehow, Maybelle has the wrong idea about Gia and is determined to make Gia's life miserable. Maybelle's husband Hank is no prize either. They deserve each other. Gia's friend Trevor is a surprise. He came across as socially awkward at first but he's surprisingly athletic and fun to be around, ice cream not withstanding. I especially appreciate how they both understand they're better as friends than lovers and are comfortable with that. Hunt seems to understand and be comfortable with that too. Some new locals are introduced here. Gia's friends and neighbors now include Cole, a retiree who once worked as a short order cook. Oh Gia! The last cook you hired didn't work out so don't hire Cole! He seems a little awkward and a bit cranky but passionate about helping the community. Scott and his family seem lovely. Scott pitches in to help a neighbor in need, no matter what.
The murder victim, Marcia, was not a nice woman. She was tough, scary, and unkind but she didn't deserve to die. I think she was a complicated woman and I wish we had more about her motives for doing the things she did. There's a mysterious, creepy, witch-like woman Gia runs into just before discovering the body. I think this woman may know more than she lets on. Who is she and if she can barely walk without a stick why is she on a hiking/walking trail? A mystery man is stalking Gia and he may be connected to the murder case or cases. I figured out who he must be but I was wrong. I wasn't surprised because I did think he must be one or the other. Floyd Masters, prominent member of town council keeps popping up in both investigations. He is not someone you want to cross. I think Floyd would have gotten along with Gia's ex-husband.
I really enjoy this series. Gia needs to expand her children's menu a lot more! She makes pancakes ONCE and that's it. She seems to prefer savory baking but her muffins sound yummy. I hope she bakes more and some additional sweet treats.
June 22, 2018
Murder Made to Order by Lena Gregory is the 2nd book in the All Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series, and another great read. Gia Morelli moved from New York to Florida and opened her all day cafe, unfortunately she gets a letter from the town stating she is opened illegally and will be closed down. When the head counsel member is found dead the sleuthing begins. I really enjoyed this fast paced fun read, and recommended this book/series for all cozy mystery lovers. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 18, 2018
Murder Made to Order by Lena Gregory is the second book in An All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series. Gia Morelli has been settling into her new life in Boggy Creek, Florida when she receives a startling letter from Marcia Steers, the president of the city council. It seems that the building for the café is zoned residential and Gia will have to close the café. Before Gia can act, a nervous Marcia stops by and schedules a meeting with Gia for Monday. Before their meeting can take place, Gia and Thor stumble over a dead Marcia half submerged in muck in the woods. Captain Hayes and Detective Quinn Hunter quickly arrive, but after a disagreement, Captain Hayes tosses Quinn off the case. Following the clues, Gia finds that the issue regarding her café started twenty years ago and can be related to the death of Savannah Mill’s mother. But someone is not happy with Gia’s snooping and attempts to shut her down permanently.
Murder Made to Order can be read alone. Everything a reader needs to know is included in this installment in the series. Murder Made to Order is easy to read and has a steady pace throughout. I thought Murder Made to Order was an improvement over Scone Cold Killer. Gia is settling into life in Boggy Creek, but she has doubts when the future of her café is in jeopardy. One of my favorite characters is Earl. He was the café’s first customer and has been a loyal customer as well as friend ever since. There are many cozy moments in Murder Made to Order. Cooking, visiting with Savannah, spending time with Quinn, taking care of Thor (her large and adorable dog), kayaking, eating, hiking and chatting. I am still having trouble warming up to Gia. Her terror of things related to nature continues in this book. Gia should have moved into the apartment over the café instead of finding a home surrounded by woods (which she walks in regularly). She is afraid of bears, spiders, ticks, snakes (I can relate to this one), and tornadoes in Murder Made to Order. Gia overreacts (panic attacks, hyperventilates) when confronted with things that scare her. The author intends it to be humorous, but it loses its humor the more times it happens. The mystery had some good aspects (multiple suspects, misdirection, good clues), but it was a cinch to pick out the guilty party. It is nice how the townspeople rally around to help each other out in troubling times. I like the small-town atmosphere of Boggy Creek. My rating for Murder Made to Order is 3.5 out of 5 stars. I am curious to see what happens to Gia next in An All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series (let’s hope she does not encounter a panther).
Murder Made to Order can be read alone. Everything a reader needs to know is included in this installment in the series. Murder Made to Order is easy to read and has a steady pace throughout. I thought Murder Made to Order was an improvement over Scone Cold Killer. Gia is settling into life in Boggy Creek, but she has doubts when the future of her café is in jeopardy. One of my favorite characters is Earl. He was the café’s first customer and has been a loyal customer as well as friend ever since. There are many cozy moments in Murder Made to Order. Cooking, visiting with Savannah, spending time with Quinn, taking care of Thor (her large and adorable dog), kayaking, eating, hiking and chatting. I am still having trouble warming up to Gia. Her terror of things related to nature continues in this book. Gia should have moved into the apartment over the café instead of finding a home surrounded by woods (which she walks in regularly). She is afraid of bears, spiders, ticks, snakes (I can relate to this one), and tornadoes in Murder Made to Order. Gia overreacts (panic attacks, hyperventilates) when confronted with things that scare her. The author intends it to be humorous, but it loses its humor the more times it happens. The mystery had some good aspects (multiple suspects, misdirection, good clues), but it was a cinch to pick out the guilty party. It is nice how the townspeople rally around to help each other out in troubling times. I like the small-town atmosphere of Boggy Creek. My rating for Murder Made to Order is 3.5 out of 5 stars. I am curious to see what happens to Gia next in An All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series (let’s hope she does not encounter a panther).
July 2, 2018
It's not every day that I can read a book practically non-stop but I sure did that with this one! This book was everything and more that I hoped the next in the series would be. An old mystery was solved, a couple of relationships got even better and Gia had a great personal epiphany.
Gia Morelli and her dog, Thor, were taking a walk in the park when she stumbled onto the body of the council member, Marcia Steers, who just the day before had urgently wanted to talk to her. Her detective friend, Hunter Quinn, aka Hunt, had been acting a little distant lately and Gia found out that before she'd come to Boggy Creek, Hunt and Marcia had been an item. Gia had trust issues but she learned to overcome them in this book and I have to say I'm proud of how she's grown since the first book. Hunt was removed from the case due to his previous relationship with the deceased but Gia kept on investigating, along with her friend Savannah who was dating Hunt's detective friend, Leo. Someone seemed to be stalking Gia and she hoped to get to the bottom of this mystery before she ended up dead like Marcia.
I just love this town and the main characters! I think if Earl was real, I'd just need to hug him, he's that much of a sweetheart. I guess the only people I truly don't like at all are Maybelle and her husband. Is it awful of me to keep wishing Maybelle is the perp so she'll be out of the picture? ;) Gia and Savannah are more than just friends, they're like sisters and they seem to be lucky enough to have two of the greatest guys available. Some really awesome things happened in the course of the book, the showdown was exciting, what followed was totally sweet and Gia finally came to a decision about where she wanted to be. You'll just have to read the book if you want to find out all these things. No worries, even though I read the first book, it had been awhile but I didn't even have to refer to it since the author is really good about explaining previous happenings without giving away any of the spoilers from the first book.
Anxiously awaiting book three now!
Gia Morelli and her dog, Thor, were taking a walk in the park when she stumbled onto the body of the council member, Marcia Steers, who just the day before had urgently wanted to talk to her. Her detective friend, Hunter Quinn, aka Hunt, had been acting a little distant lately and Gia found out that before she'd come to Boggy Creek, Hunt and Marcia had been an item. Gia had trust issues but she learned to overcome them in this book and I have to say I'm proud of how she's grown since the first book. Hunt was removed from the case due to his previous relationship with the deceased but Gia kept on investigating, along with her friend Savannah who was dating Hunt's detective friend, Leo. Someone seemed to be stalking Gia and she hoped to get to the bottom of this mystery before she ended up dead like Marcia.
I just love this town and the main characters! I think if Earl was real, I'd just need to hug him, he's that much of a sweetheart. I guess the only people I truly don't like at all are Maybelle and her husband. Is it awful of me to keep wishing Maybelle is the perp so she'll be out of the picture? ;) Gia and Savannah are more than just friends, they're like sisters and they seem to be lucky enough to have two of the greatest guys available. Some really awesome things happened in the course of the book, the showdown was exciting, what followed was totally sweet and Gia finally came to a decision about where she wanted to be. You'll just have to read the book if you want to find out all these things. No worries, even though I read the first book, it had been awhile but I didn't even have to refer to it since the author is really good about explaining previous happenings without giving away any of the spoilers from the first book.
Anxiously awaiting book three now!
July 3, 2018
MURDER MADE TO ORDER by Lena Gregory
The Second All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery
Gia Morelli left New York for Florida and a new start in life. Now she's debating that decision. While she's made some good friends, Gia is still uncomfortable, OK down right scared, of the critters that also live in her world. But worse than the critters are some of the people. The town council is demanding that Gia close her All-Day Breakfast Café saying that the property was never zoned commercial. Wondering if that's a sign she should just return to New York, Gia stumbles upon the body of the council's president. Now she's embroiled in another murder. Did the councilwoman's murder have something to do with the zoning laws? Could the Captain be involved? What's really going on between him and Hunt? Are Maybelle's threats serious, or is she just blowing smoke? Gia will have to dig deep to save her café and perhaps her own life.
Characters and setting are the most important part of a cozy mystery, as much as if not even more important than the mystery itself. Authors need to make their readers want to spend time in their world and hang out with the people that inhabit it. I do want to hang out in Boggy Creek and I do like the characters, for the most part. Savannah is a best friend in a million and Detective Hunter Quinn is a delectable romantic interest. I appreciate Gia's willingness to try new things and her loyalty, but her fearfulness, especially of critters, is overboard and annoying. I'm grateful that Savannah calls her out on it at one point. Gia is still able to remain likeable, despite this quality, although I find the secondary characters more amiable and interesting.
The mystery in this second All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery is engaging with lots of possible suspects and motives along with an interesting history. Once again, friendship and community play a big role in the story along with some life altering decisions.
MURDER MADE TO ORDER shows what friends and neighbors can achieve when they pull together despite outside, and at times internal, forces working against them. Food and friendship, along with laughter and some chills, combine to create an enjoyable mystery.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
The Second All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery
Gia Morelli left New York for Florida and a new start in life. Now she's debating that decision. While she's made some good friends, Gia is still uncomfortable, OK down right scared, of the critters that also live in her world. But worse than the critters are some of the people. The town council is demanding that Gia close her All-Day Breakfast Café saying that the property was never zoned commercial. Wondering if that's a sign she should just return to New York, Gia stumbles upon the body of the council's president. Now she's embroiled in another murder. Did the councilwoman's murder have something to do with the zoning laws? Could the Captain be involved? What's really going on between him and Hunt? Are Maybelle's threats serious, or is she just blowing smoke? Gia will have to dig deep to save her café and perhaps her own life.
Characters and setting are the most important part of a cozy mystery, as much as if not even more important than the mystery itself. Authors need to make their readers want to spend time in their world and hang out with the people that inhabit it. I do want to hang out in Boggy Creek and I do like the characters, for the most part. Savannah is a best friend in a million and Detective Hunter Quinn is a delectable romantic interest. I appreciate Gia's willingness to try new things and her loyalty, but her fearfulness, especially of critters, is overboard and annoying. I'm grateful that Savannah calls her out on it at one point. Gia is still able to remain likeable, despite this quality, although I find the secondary characters more amiable and interesting.
The mystery in this second All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery is engaging with lots of possible suspects and motives along with an interesting history. Once again, friendship and community play a big role in the story along with some life altering decisions.
MURDER MADE TO ORDER shows what friends and neighbors can achieve when they pull together despite outside, and at times internal, forces working against them. Food and friendship, along with laughter and some chills, combine to create an enjoyable mystery.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
April 18, 2018
Gia Morelli is back serving up grits and home fries in this second All Day Breakfast Café mystery. As the book opens, Gia is told her restaurant is technically zoned incorrectly, which means she might need to close the doors. Is this a sign she should return to New York? She’s not ready to throw in the griddle just yet. Things get a little sticky, however, when she finds the city council president dead in the swamp. Not only that, but it turns out the victim used to be involved with Hunt, Gia’s possible new flame. Awk-ward… On top of all that, a storm blows through town, taking its own toll. Can Gia deal with the storms (physical and metaphorical) in her life while trying to decide to go back to New York AND find a murderer?
What a wonderful book. I love this series. Probably worth 5 stars but I am a tough reviewer. 😉 The writer is excellent as dropping the reader into the café and letting us view Gia’s friends and customers through her eyes. I just want to throw my arms around Thor, her loveable dog, and have a seat at the counter with Earl, her daily breakfast customer. The writer adds humor that I find so appealing in a good cozy – just a tad bit snarky but not offensive. I highly recommend this book and the series. I received an ARC from NetGalley for early reviewal.
What a wonderful book. I love this series. Probably worth 5 stars but I am a tough reviewer. 😉 The writer is excellent as dropping the reader into the café and letting us view Gia’s friends and customers through her eyes. I just want to throw my arms around Thor, her loveable dog, and have a seat at the counter with Earl, her daily breakfast customer. The writer adds humor that I find so appealing in a good cozy – just a tad bit snarky but not offensive. I highly recommend this book and the series. I received an ARC from NetGalley for early reviewal.
December 6, 2018
Another hit! ❤️
I enjoyed this 2nd book in the all day breakfast cafe series as much as the first. I read it practically non stop on my flight home, the book was everything that I hoped the next in the series would be. Gia is a wonderful character you can't help route for but the warmth and character of the other towns people also that kept me wanting to know more Harley, Earl and now Cole. I also love the relationship between Savannah and Gia. I will be reading this series as long as there are new books. The town of Boggy Creek is somewhere I think I could live happily in despite the recent murders (but what town doesn't have the odd murder). I only just finished and have already downloaded "A Cold Brew Killing" instead of binge watching I am binge reading this series
I enjoyed this 2nd book in the all day breakfast cafe series as much as the first. I read it practically non stop on my flight home, the book was everything that I hoped the next in the series would be. Gia is a wonderful character you can't help route for but the warmth and character of the other towns people also that kept me wanting to know more Harley, Earl and now Cole. I also love the relationship between Savannah and Gia. I will be reading this series as long as there are new books. The town of Boggy Creek is somewhere I think I could live happily in despite the recent murders (but what town doesn't have the odd murder). I only just finished and have already downloaded "A Cold Brew Killing" instead of binge watching I am binge reading this series
May 15, 2018
Murder Made to Order is the second book in Lena Gregory’s All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series. This is a well-written and steadily paced cozy mystery, with well-developed and affable characters and a touch of romance, and sprinkled with humor. This book sends a strong message regarding the importance of friendship and community. There are multiple potential suspects, lots of red herrings and twists and turns to keep readers engaged and guessing. I enjoy this series and I am looking forward to future installments.
Gia Morelli, a native New Yorker recently moved to the small tourist town of Boggy Creek, Florida to be near her best friend, Savannah Mills, and opened the All-Day Breakfast Café. The café is doing well and Gia loves being near her friend. She’s made some new friends and is trying to adjust to living in Florida, with bears, snakes, and alligators, but beginning to second guess her decision, especially when she learns the city council is trying to shut her down because the café is technically operating in a building that’s zoned as residential. She especially enjoys sharing a cup of coffee and conversation before opening for business each day with Earl, her early morning customer, and her budding relationship with Detective Hunter “Hunt” Quinn, Savannah’s handsome cousin. Gia stumbles upon the body of Marcia Steers, the city council president, while hiking with Thor, her adorable and loyal Bernese Mountain Dog. Captain Howard Hayes removes Hunt from the case, but Officer Leo Dumont, Savannah’s boyfriend, is still involved in the investigation. On top of everything else, a fire breaks out near Gia’s home and a storm takes its toll as it rips through the town. Even though she has so much going on, Gia still finds time to go kayaking with her friend, Trevor, the ice cream parlor owner, and have a girl’s night dinner with her friend, Savannah. While trying to save her café and uncover the killer, Gia discovers a long list of secrets and lies, the victim used to date Hunt and rumor has it that he has taken up with her again, and that there’s a possible link to the unsolved murder of Savannah’s mother twenty years ago.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Gia Morelli, a native New Yorker recently moved to the small tourist town of Boggy Creek, Florida to be near her best friend, Savannah Mills, and opened the All-Day Breakfast Café. The café is doing well and Gia loves being near her friend. She’s made some new friends and is trying to adjust to living in Florida, with bears, snakes, and alligators, but beginning to second guess her decision, especially when she learns the city council is trying to shut her down because the café is technically operating in a building that’s zoned as residential. She especially enjoys sharing a cup of coffee and conversation before opening for business each day with Earl, her early morning customer, and her budding relationship with Detective Hunter “Hunt” Quinn, Savannah’s handsome cousin. Gia stumbles upon the body of Marcia Steers, the city council president, while hiking with Thor, her adorable and loyal Bernese Mountain Dog. Captain Howard Hayes removes Hunt from the case, but Officer Leo Dumont, Savannah’s boyfriend, is still involved in the investigation. On top of everything else, a fire breaks out near Gia’s home and a storm takes its toll as it rips through the town. Even though she has so much going on, Gia still finds time to go kayaking with her friend, Trevor, the ice cream parlor owner, and have a girl’s night dinner with her friend, Savannah. While trying to save her café and uncover the killer, Gia discovers a long list of secrets and lies, the victim used to date Hunt and rumor has it that he has taken up with her again, and that there’s a possible link to the unsolved murder of Savannah’s mother twenty years ago.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
June 4, 2018
Snakes and gators and bears, oh my, and a cache of deadly secrets, as well. The 2nd entry in Lena Gregory’s All-Day Breakfast Café series is a terrific cozy mystery, filled with misdeeds and murder, the power of nature, and quirky, but mostly friendly, locals. The characters, the town and the events are drawn so well that the tale quickly pulls you right in.
Gia Morelli is getting more comfortable with her new life in Boggy Creek, Florida. After leaving New York and personal pain behind, she has bought a little house backed up to the forest and swamp and opened a breakfast café she adores. She’s making friends, and really starting to feel part of the community, when a letter from the town council tells her a zoning issue has come to light, and she must close the café. When she finds a body face-down in the swamp, the depth of the “issue” begins to be revealed.
I loved this book. The mysteries (more than 1) are clever and complicated, weaving their way through time and relationships to unexpected solutions. Fortunately, Gia has her own developing relationship, with one of the local detectives, and they, with help from Gia’s best friend and a few other locals, work to dig out the truth. Nature’s fury and a fire seem to echo emotions and deeds, but there is also warmth and fun from many of the characters. I recommend this book highly, and look forward to the next one in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this book, which I have given an honest review.
Gia Morelli is getting more comfortable with her new life in Boggy Creek, Florida. After leaving New York and personal pain behind, she has bought a little house backed up to the forest and swamp and opened a breakfast café she adores. She’s making friends, and really starting to feel part of the community, when a letter from the town council tells her a zoning issue has come to light, and she must close the café. When she finds a body face-down in the swamp, the depth of the “issue” begins to be revealed.
I loved this book. The mysteries (more than 1) are clever and complicated, weaving their way through time and relationships to unexpected solutions. Fortunately, Gia has her own developing relationship, with one of the local detectives, and they, with help from Gia’s best friend and a few other locals, work to dig out the truth. Nature’s fury and a fire seem to echo emotions and deeds, but there is also warmth and fun from many of the characters. I recommend this book highly, and look forward to the next one in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this book, which I have given an honest review.
July 8, 2018
Murder Made to Order is the second installment in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series set in the small town of Boggy Creek, FL and featuring cafe owner, Gia Morelli. The town council has notified Gia that they have discovered a mistake in the zoning laws and they are going to close down her cafe as the building is actually located in a residential area and not zoned for commercial use.
Determined to save her business, Gia teams up with best friend Savannah Mills, and her loyal first customer in the cafe, Earl to take on the town council. To Gia's dismay, Maybelle Sanford is one of the council members, and she knows that the woman still harbors bad feelings after Gia fired her for being lazy and would like nothing more than to see the restaurant close. Marcia Steers is the president of the council and although she also appears adamant to close down the restaurant, she does ask for a mysterious meeting with Gia. Unfortunately, before Gia can find out what the woman wants she stumbles over her dead body in the middle of a marsh.
There are plenty of suspects to choose from and with the help of Savannah's boyfriend, Officer Leo Dumont and Detective Hunter Quinn, Gia soon discovers that Marcia's death is tied to decades old Boggy Creek feuds including the unsolved murder of Savannah's mother and the untimely death of a local boy. It's not long before Gia finds herself and her furry sidekick, Thor the target of a killer.
A fast paced plot with a cozy community feel. The only thing that does get old is Gia's constant anxiety attacks when faced with going home alone or having to do any outside activities and that includes walking her dog. I hope that the author lets up a little in future episodes or else she moves Gia into town and away from her remote wilderness home, because the constant references to snakes, bears, spiders and ticks takes away from the main story line and becomes very frustrating.
I received an advanced copy of Murder Made to Order from NetGalley via Lyrical Underground, a division of Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.
Determined to save her business, Gia teams up with best friend Savannah Mills, and her loyal first customer in the cafe, Earl to take on the town council. To Gia's dismay, Maybelle Sanford is one of the council members, and she knows that the woman still harbors bad feelings after Gia fired her for being lazy and would like nothing more than to see the restaurant close. Marcia Steers is the president of the council and although she also appears adamant to close down the restaurant, she does ask for a mysterious meeting with Gia. Unfortunately, before Gia can find out what the woman wants she stumbles over her dead body in the middle of a marsh.
There are plenty of suspects to choose from and with the help of Savannah's boyfriend, Officer Leo Dumont and Detective Hunter Quinn, Gia soon discovers that Marcia's death is tied to decades old Boggy Creek feuds including the unsolved murder of Savannah's mother and the untimely death of a local boy. It's not long before Gia finds herself and her furry sidekick, Thor the target of a killer.
A fast paced plot with a cozy community feel. The only thing that does get old is Gia's constant anxiety attacks when faced with going home alone or having to do any outside activities and that includes walking her dog. I hope that the author lets up a little in future episodes or else she moves Gia into town and away from her remote wilderness home, because the constant references to snakes, bears, spiders and ticks takes away from the main story line and becomes very frustrating.
I received an advanced copy of Murder Made to Order from NetGalley via Lyrical Underground, a division of Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.
July 24, 2018
Murder Made to Order by Lena Gregory is the 2nd book in the All Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series.Gia Morelli is our main character who has moved moved from New York to Florida and opened her all day breakfast cafe. When Gia receives a letter from the town stating she is opened illegally and will be shut down she is devastated.Things only get worse when council president Marcia Steers is found dead.
I enjoyed this story and recommend it to others who enjoy a fast paced cozy mystery.
I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book offered by the publisher and NetGalley
I enjoyed this story and recommend it to others who enjoy a fast paced cozy mystery.
I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book offered by the publisher and NetGalley
June 8, 2018
A solid installation, book number two, in a new series by Lena Gregory. Each book has its own mystery to solve, with this one delving deeper in character development and interaction. I really enjoyed it, although i was able to solve the mystery early on, it's very well written and entertaining. I recommend it to cozy mystery lovers.
*I would like to thank the author/publisher/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
*I would like to thank the author/publisher/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
January 24, 2019
As with most cozy mysteries, the All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series requires a great deal of disbelief-suspending. Once you get past that, it's an enjoyable series featuring likable characters in an interesting Florida setting. The books are light, mostly clean, and easy to read. The story people aren't as developed as I would like and sometimes Gia's actions/drama border on the ridiculous, but still, these books entertain me. As far as cozy mysteries go, these are lots of fun.
June 2, 2022
so good
I’m really liking this series. The characters are great and the cases complex. There was a lot of action going on and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
I’m really liking this series. The characters are great and the cases complex. There was a lot of action going on and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
May 28, 2018
I loved Murder Made to Order, the second excellent book in the All-Day Breakfast Café series, as much as I loved Stone Cold Murder. Lena Gregory is spot-on with Gia’s reactions and concerns about living on the edge of a nature area in Florida, and Savannah’s response is absolutely perfect. It is the warmth and character of the other towns people as well as Gia’s that drew me back to the second book in the All-Day Breakfast Café series. I will be following this series as long as there are new books. I see this as a reread-series since the mystery, while intriguing, is only part of what makes me want to read the book. I think I could live happily in that town in spite of the recent murders.
The site of the All-Day Breakfast Café has a secret that has come back to haunt Gia just as it haunted the previous owner and that secret may bring danger into Gia’s life. Speaking of danger, nature is throwing its best at the new Florida resident who isn’t sure that the move was such a good idea when she faces some of the not so new residents of the area. On the other hand, her friendships are growing and it sure is hard to walk away from people who care.
After having read Stone Cold Murder, I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Murder Made to Order by Lena Gregory via NetGalley. I review all the books that I enjoy and I loved Murder Made to Order from beginning to end.
The site of the All-Day Breakfast Café has a secret that has come back to haunt Gia just as it haunted the previous owner and that secret may bring danger into Gia’s life. Speaking of danger, nature is throwing its best at the new Florida resident who isn’t sure that the move was such a good idea when she faces some of the not so new residents of the area. On the other hand, her friendships are growing and it sure is hard to walk away from people who care.
After having read Stone Cold Murder, I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Murder Made to Order by Lena Gregory via NetGalley. I review all the books that I enjoy and I loved Murder Made to Order from beginning to end.
June 11, 2022
Pans, pooches and Panic! All in a days work in this series by Lena Gregory.
Gia Morelli is settling into life in Boggy Creek, Florida, but she knows she needs to make a decision, will she stay here or head back to New York (now that her ex is well and truly out of the picture!), the other thing that could swing the decision ... it appears that her cafe is illegal, her building is the only one in the whole block that was never re-zoned from residential to commercial and now it appears people want to close her down, so now Gia needs to figure out what is happening with her cafe, what is happening with Detective Hunt, oh and to stop finding dead bodies!
Gia Morelli is settling into life in Boggy Creek, Florida, but she knows she needs to make a decision, will she stay here or head back to New York (now that her ex is well and truly out of the picture!), the other thing that could swing the decision ... it appears that her cafe is illegal, her building is the only one in the whole block that was never re-zoned from residential to commercial and now it appears people want to close her down, so now Gia needs to figure out what is happening with her cafe, what is happening with Detective Hunt, oh and to stop finding dead bodies!
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