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Coffeehouse Mystery #18
Brewed Awakening
From Cleo Coyle, the New York Times bestselling author of Shot in the Dark and Dead Cold Brew, comes a delicious new entry in the "fun and gripping" (The Huffington Post) Coffeehouse Mysteries.
When coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi awakens on a bench in Washington Square Park, she has no idea she's been missing for the past week, or that her friends and family have been frantic with worry. Now that she's back, everyone is overjoyed, including a handsome NYPD detective who claims to be her fianc�. But to Mike Quinn's crushing distress, Clare doesn't remember him, or much of anything about the last decade of her life.
Clare's missing memory is tied to a crime she witnessed. An acquaintance of Clare's elegant employer--and fellow member of an exclusive Gotham circle known as "The Ladies Who Brunch"--invited Clare to her posh hotel to sample gourmet wedding cakes. The pair took a stroll after their indulgent tasting and, according to security camera footage, a masked figure snatched the hotel heiress at gunpoint with Clare looking on. Did the kidnapper take Clare, too? The camera went dark, just like Clare's memory. Soon authorities grow suspicious. Is Clare really a victim? Or is she merely acting like one? Evidence is mounting that she set the woman up.
To clear her name, Clare must find a way to reclaim her memories and rescue the heiress before this high-stakes crime ends in tragedy. Otherwise, instead of walking down the aisle, Clare may find herself perp-walking to prison as an accomplice to kidnapping and murder.
When coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi awakens on a bench in Washington Square Park, she has no idea she's been missing for the past week, or that her friends and family have been frantic with worry. Now that she's back, everyone is overjoyed, including a handsome NYPD detective who claims to be her fianc�. But to Mike Quinn's crushing distress, Clare doesn't remember him, or much of anything about the last decade of her life.
Clare's missing memory is tied to a crime she witnessed. An acquaintance of Clare's elegant employer--and fellow member of an exclusive Gotham circle known as "The Ladies Who Brunch"--invited Clare to her posh hotel to sample gourmet wedding cakes. The pair took a stroll after their indulgent tasting and, according to security camera footage, a masked figure snatched the hotel heiress at gunpoint with Clare looking on. Did the kidnapper take Clare, too? The camera went dark, just like Clare's memory. Soon authorities grow suspicious. Is Clare really a victim? Or is she merely acting like one? Evidence is mounting that she set the woman up.
To clear her name, Clare must find a way to reclaim her memories and rescue the heiress before this high-stakes crime ends in tragedy. Otherwise, instead of walking down the aisle, Clare may find herself perp-walking to prison as an accomplice to kidnapping and murder.
1 pages, MP3 CD
First published December 19, 2019
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About the author
Cleo Coyle
55 books3,561 followersDon't miss the newest title in Cleo's long-running Coffeehouse Mystery series (with more to come),
NO ROAST FOR THE WEARY,
a National Mystery Bestseller and triple #1 Amazon Category Bestseller. Join Cleo's Coffee Club for bonus recipes and giveaways: Click Here to Subscribe to Cleo’s Free Newsletter
CLEO COYLE is the New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. With more than 1 million books sold, they have gained an enthusiastic following. Cleo's "relenlessly entertaining" (Criminal Element) novels have been translated into Spanish, Japanese, and Czech. Their books have earned starred reviews from Library Journal and Kirkus, Best of Year selection honors from multiple reviewers, and have been recommended by Booklist as among the best culinary mysteries for core library mystery collections.
When not haunting coffeehouses, hunting ghosts, or wrangling their rescued stray cats, Alice and Marc are New York Times bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. One of those projects (ghostwritten by Alice Alfonsi) was named by Entertainment Weekly as the best media tie-in book written that year.
CONNECT WITH CLEO at CleoCoyle.com and CoffeehouseMystery.com
*******
CLEO'S TWO BESTSELLING SERIES:
Cleo’s Coffeehouse Mystery series, celebrated for pioneering both the “urban cozy" and “coffee cozy” mystery genres, follows the adventures of amateur sleuth Clare Cosi, a single mom with a complicated love life who manages a Greenwich Village coffeehouse and a crew of quirky baristas who helps her solve perplexing crimes.
Cleo’s Haunted Bookshop Mystery series, hailed as a highly original and "utterly charming" (Mystery Scene) blend of cozy and hardboiled genres, features an earnest young New England widow who catches criminals with the help of a gumshoe ghost, the irrepressible spirit of a tough private detective who’d been gunned down in her bookshop decades before.
*******
LATEST BOOK NEWS:
The newest title in Cleo's long-running Coffeehouse Mystery series is NO ROAST FOR THE WEARY, on sale April 1st and already a national mystery bestseller and triple #1 Amazon category bestseller. Cleo's previous release, BULLETPROOF BARISTA, was a "wildly entertaining" (Criminal Elment) national mystery bestseller; a #1 category best seller for Amazon; and honored with 2 Best of Year list selections by reviewers. It is now availalbe in a new paperback reprint edition along with the previous bestselling book in the series, HONEY ROASTED, "A honey of a tale" (Kirkus Reviews).
Cleo's latest Haunted Bookshop Mystery releases include THE GHOST AND THE STOLEN TEARS, praised by Kirkus as "a gem of a story." And THE GHOST GOES TO THE DOGS, a #1 category best seller for Amazon, which Fresh Fiction called "amazing and unique." Cleo is now writing the next Haunted Bookshop Mystery. Subscribe to Cleo’s Free Newsletter for updates on the pub date!
CLEO COYLE is the New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. With more than 1 million books sold, they have gained an enthusiastic following. Cleo's "relenlessly entertaining" (Criminal Element) novels have been translated into Spanish, Japanese, and Czech. Their books have earned starred reviews from Library Journal and Kirkus, Best of Year selection honors from multiple reviewers, and have been recommended by Booklist as among the best culinary mysteries for core library mystery collections.
When not haunting coffeehouses, hunting ghosts, or wrangling their rescued stray cats, Alice and Marc are New York Times bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. One of those projects (ghostwritten by Alice Alfonsi) was named by Entertainment Weekly as the best media tie-in book written that year.
CONNECT WITH CLEO at CleoCoyle.com and CoffeehouseMystery.com
*******
CLEO'S TWO BESTSELLING SERIES:
Cleo’s Coffeehouse Mystery series, celebrated for pioneering both the “urban cozy" and “coffee cozy” mystery genres, follows the adventures of amateur sleuth Clare Cosi, a single mom with a complicated love life who manages a Greenwich Village coffeehouse and a crew of quirky baristas who helps her solve perplexing crimes.
Cleo’s Haunted Bookshop Mystery series, hailed as a highly original and "utterly charming" (Mystery Scene) blend of cozy and hardboiled genres, features an earnest young New England widow who catches criminals with the help of a gumshoe ghost, the irrepressible spirit of a tough private detective who’d been gunned down in her bookshop decades before.
*******
LATEST BOOK NEWS:
The newest title in Cleo's long-running Coffeehouse Mystery series is NO ROAST FOR THE WEARY, on sale April 1st and already a national mystery bestseller and triple #1 Amazon category bestseller. Cleo's previous release, BULLETPROOF BARISTA, was a "wildly entertaining" (Criminal Elment) national mystery bestseller; a #1 category best seller for Amazon; and honored with 2 Best of Year list selections by reviewers. It is now availalbe in a new paperback reprint edition along with the previous bestselling book in the series, HONEY ROASTED, "A honey of a tale" (Kirkus Reviews).
Cleo's latest Haunted Bookshop Mystery releases include THE GHOST AND THE STOLEN TEARS, praised by Kirkus as "a gem of a story." And THE GHOST GOES TO THE DOGS, a #1 category best seller for Amazon, which Fresh Fiction called "amazing and unique." Cleo is now writing the next Haunted Bookshop Mystery. Subscribe to Cleo’s Free Newsletter for updates on the pub date!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 426 reviews
December 7, 2019
The Coffeehouse Mystery series has been one of my favorites for years now. I like the main characters and the setting in and around a popular coffee shop in NYC. The plots are always good, and the coffee is always hot (or iced, or latte, or whatever new drink is all the rage at the Village Blend). I like the discussions the characters have about coffee -- preparing, roasting, buying beans, brewing, etc. Each book also includes recipes.
This newest book I devoured in one awesome bout of binge reading, only taking breaks to refill my coffee cup. This time the authors went for something a bit different. Loved it! Clare Cosi wakes up in Washington Square Park. She has no idea how she got there....and she's lost 15 years of memories. She thinks her daughter is still a child....that her ex is still a supreme rat.....and that she no longer works at Village Blend. Her disappearance and subsequent reappearance with memory loss coincide with another crime. The police start to suspect her....is her memory loss real, or a put on? And....she has no memory of her fiance. Will she regain her memories and help solve the disappearance of a wealthy heiress.....or will she be arrested and charged with the crime?
There are several yummy recipes at the back of this book, as usual. I can't wait to try the recipe for KFC-style chicken...I've always wanted to try making a homemade version!
Brewed Awakening is the 18th book in the Coffeehouse series. I highly recommend these books to coffee and cozy lovers. Even if you don't care for coffee, the mysteries are entertaining and the characters are interesting. This series always provides an enjoyable mystery!
**I voluntarily read an advanced review copy of this book from Berkley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
This newest book I devoured in one awesome bout of binge reading, only taking breaks to refill my coffee cup. This time the authors went for something a bit different. Loved it! Clare Cosi wakes up in Washington Square Park. She has no idea how she got there....and she's lost 15 years of memories. She thinks her daughter is still a child....that her ex is still a supreme rat.....and that she no longer works at Village Blend. Her disappearance and subsequent reappearance with memory loss coincide with another crime. The police start to suspect her....is her memory loss real, or a put on? And....she has no memory of her fiance. Will she regain her memories and help solve the disappearance of a wealthy heiress.....or will she be arrested and charged with the crime?
There are several yummy recipes at the back of this book, as usual. I can't wait to try the recipe for KFC-style chicken...I've always wanted to try making a homemade version!
Brewed Awakening is the 18th book in the Coffeehouse series. I highly recommend these books to coffee and cozy lovers. Even if you don't care for coffee, the mysteries are entertaining and the characters are interesting. This series always provides an enjoyable mystery!
**I voluntarily read an advanced review copy of this book from Berkley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
January 6, 2020
This was a delightful twist on the cozy mystery! Very different than any story I’d read before and so much fun!
In Cleo Coyle’s Brewed Awakening, a coffee-shop owner and expert barista awakens on a park bench with no memory of the past fifteen years. And unfortunately, she also has been missing for several days and seems to be the sole witness to a missing person’s case—if only she could remember it! A fun, sweet, and unique cozy mystery that I highly recommend!
So, I haven’t read any of this series and I was shocked to learn that Brewed Awakening is book 18 in the Coffeehouse Mysteries! It easily read as a standalone and I felt completely caught up on the character back stories, while unspoiled on the previous 17 mysteries (which I definitely am reading after loving this so much)!
Opening with a glimpse into Clare’s proposal, the book flashes forward two months to Clare waking up on a park bench with no memory of how she got there. And pretty soon we realize that her memory gap may be even larger than we thought, as she runs into a pedestrian with a smart phone and seems to have no idea what it is. Returning to the coffee shop that she thankfully worked at fifteen years ago and still does today, Clare is greeted with open arms. Everyone was worried because she has been missing for several days!
And they are even more worried when they realize that she has no memory of the last fifteen years, including her engagement, current role running the coffeehouse, and her daughter growing up. But the more pressing issue arises when she gets locked away in a memory ward and her friends need to bust her out. On the run, Clare holds the key to the missing heiress, if only she can remember!
I loved the way this mystery delved into memory and sensory memory in particular. Clare’s very clever friends quickly are able to test that her memories are locked away somewhere, as she can remember specific coffee beans that her ex-husband brought back in the years after her memory went away. As she has built her life and passion around coffee, it seems to reawaken bits of her memory. It was fun and scary watching Clare try to remember. I worried she might not remember anything!
The conclusion to this was a lot of fun, and I loved that we got a healthy explanation of how the case was solved and what happened in the aftermath. Did Clare recover her memories? Was the heiress found? What about the person or people behind the kidnapping???
A fun read that I can’t recommend enough! Thank you Berkley for my copy. Opinions are my own.
In Cleo Coyle’s Brewed Awakening, a coffee-shop owner and expert barista awakens on a park bench with no memory of the past fifteen years. And unfortunately, she also has been missing for several days and seems to be the sole witness to a missing person’s case—if only she could remember it! A fun, sweet, and unique cozy mystery that I highly recommend!
So, I haven’t read any of this series and I was shocked to learn that Brewed Awakening is book 18 in the Coffeehouse Mysteries! It easily read as a standalone and I felt completely caught up on the character back stories, while unspoiled on the previous 17 mysteries (which I definitely am reading after loving this so much)!
Opening with a glimpse into Clare’s proposal, the book flashes forward two months to Clare waking up on a park bench with no memory of how she got there. And pretty soon we realize that her memory gap may be even larger than we thought, as she runs into a pedestrian with a smart phone and seems to have no idea what it is. Returning to the coffee shop that she thankfully worked at fifteen years ago and still does today, Clare is greeted with open arms. Everyone was worried because she has been missing for several days!
And they are even more worried when they realize that she has no memory of the last fifteen years, including her engagement, current role running the coffeehouse, and her daughter growing up. But the more pressing issue arises when she gets locked away in a memory ward and her friends need to bust her out. On the run, Clare holds the key to the missing heiress, if only she can remember!
I loved the way this mystery delved into memory and sensory memory in particular. Clare’s very clever friends quickly are able to test that her memories are locked away somewhere, as she can remember specific coffee beans that her ex-husband brought back in the years after her memory went away. As she has built her life and passion around coffee, it seems to reawaken bits of her memory. It was fun and scary watching Clare try to remember. I worried she might not remember anything!
The conclusion to this was a lot of fun, and I loved that we got a healthy explanation of how the case was solved and what happened in the aftermath. Did Clare recover her memories? Was the heiress found? What about the person or people behind the kidnapping???
A fun read that I can’t recommend enough! Thank you Berkley for my copy. Opinions are my own.
December 7, 2019
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This time Cleo Coyle turns things inside out when our protagonist becomes the victim. Clare Cosi has been missing for a week when she wakes up on a bench in Washington Square Park, disoriented and scared, she wanders the area finally finding the Village Blend coffeehouse. Her friends, family, and employees are all thrilled to have her back but realize she has no memory of several years. She thinks her daughter is still a youngster waiting for her to come home. That her divorce was recent and the anger at her ex, Matt, is still vivid. But worst of all she has no memory of Mike Quinn, the man who loves her so much. A man she was ready to marry.
Everyone believes her memory loss is due to a tragic event. She had been meeting with hotel heiress/owner, Annette Brewster, to taste wedding cakes. After the tasting, both women disappeared. While now Clare has been found, Annette is still missing. Evidence shows Clare may have been in on a kidnapping. Without her memory, she has no way to clear her name. She is willing to do anything to get her memory and her life back even working with her ex, who she really hates at the moment.
___
Never deny the power of coffee!
Cleo Coyle has brewed up a truly stellar story. Over the course of this series, fans have come to love these characters. Putting the star in peril really perks up all of our antennas. We are rooting for her more than we ever have.
What I loved is that she hasn’t lost her love of coffee and her talent of discerning every bit of its flavor profile. She also hasn’t lost her sleuthing ability and the need to find the truth. Not sure who she can really trust she is tentative at first. But she knows she not only needs to recover her memory for herself but there is another woman out there that needs to be found.
The author has given readers a mystery that is impossible to put down. There is action and suspense with the requisite humor required by the genre. I was totally captivated by Clare’s memory loss and the treatment it received within these pages. There are plenty of twists and surprises as the clues started to fall into place, including an old case that is not what it seemed to be.
While the Village Blend is an excellent backdrop for a mystery I liked that this time the mystery and keeping Clare safe took us on quite a journey, New York, New Jersey, and for one character farther up the coast. We also get to visit a grand home. Oh my word, it sounded like quite a place.
I absolutely love this series and these characters. Each new book becomes my new favorite. This time Cleo Coyle has really topped herself. This story is derived from the research of true amnesia cases. It felt fresh and new and was explored in a caring way while twisting it into a fascinating mystery. All the cozy touches expected were there including all the coffee and food descriptions fans of the series have come to expect.
Well-plotted, well-written, with wonderful characters, Brewed Awakening is truly one of the best books I have read this year. I started it late on Thanksgiving Eve and was only able to read a few chapters. Thankfully 🙂 with Thanksgiving the next day and Mr. Dollycas in charge of the meal, I was able to get right back to it and finish it up before our dinner was served.
This time Cleo Coyle turns things inside out when our protagonist becomes the victim. Clare Cosi has been missing for a week when she wakes up on a bench in Washington Square Park, disoriented and scared, she wanders the area finally finding the Village Blend coffeehouse. Her friends, family, and employees are all thrilled to have her back but realize she has no memory of several years. She thinks her daughter is still a youngster waiting for her to come home. That her divorce was recent and the anger at her ex, Matt, is still vivid. But worst of all she has no memory of Mike Quinn, the man who loves her so much. A man she was ready to marry.
Everyone believes her memory loss is due to a tragic event. She had been meeting with hotel heiress/owner, Annette Brewster, to taste wedding cakes. After the tasting, both women disappeared. While now Clare has been found, Annette is still missing. Evidence shows Clare may have been in on a kidnapping. Without her memory, she has no way to clear her name. She is willing to do anything to get her memory and her life back even working with her ex, who she really hates at the moment.
___
Never deny the power of coffee!
Cleo Coyle has brewed up a truly stellar story. Over the course of this series, fans have come to love these characters. Putting the star in peril really perks up all of our antennas. We are rooting for her more than we ever have.
What I loved is that she hasn’t lost her love of coffee and her talent of discerning every bit of its flavor profile. She also hasn’t lost her sleuthing ability and the need to find the truth. Not sure who she can really trust she is tentative at first. But she knows she not only needs to recover her memory for herself but there is another woman out there that needs to be found.
The author has given readers a mystery that is impossible to put down. There is action and suspense with the requisite humor required by the genre. I was totally captivated by Clare’s memory loss and the treatment it received within these pages. There are plenty of twists and surprises as the clues started to fall into place, including an old case that is not what it seemed to be.
While the Village Blend is an excellent backdrop for a mystery I liked that this time the mystery and keeping Clare safe took us on quite a journey, New York, New Jersey, and for one character farther up the coast. We also get to visit a grand home. Oh my word, it sounded like quite a place.
I absolutely love this series and these characters. Each new book becomes my new favorite. This time Cleo Coyle has really topped herself. This story is derived from the research of true amnesia cases. It felt fresh and new and was explored in a caring way while twisting it into a fascinating mystery. All the cozy touches expected were there including all the coffee and food descriptions fans of the series have come to expect.
Well-plotted, well-written, with wonderful characters, Brewed Awakening is truly one of the best books I have read this year. I started it late on Thanksgiving Eve and was only able to read a few chapters. Thankfully 🙂 with Thanksgiving the next day and Mr. Dollycas in charge of the meal, I was able to get right back to it and finish it up before our dinner was served.
October 31, 2019
“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light”
In this, the 18th Coffeehouse Mystery, Clare Cosi wakes up in Washington Square Park with no ID, no keys, no phone and no idea how or why she was there at 4 in the morning. Trying to get herself someplace safe, she heads towards The Village Blend, the coffee place she is part owner and manager of. However, she is very disoriented and thinks it’s 15 years earlier than 2019 and she and her ex-husband Matteo Allegro have just gone through a nasty divorce....
What happened? Better yet How and Why? Clare remembers someone things, but has no clue who Mike Quinn is; that her daughter Joy now runs the franchise in DC; or that Joy is now with Manny Franco who is also a cop.
Even with her amnesia,Clare is still helping others in need. She’d been abducted along with a friend of Madame’s who has yet to have been found. Through a maze of unconnected clues, Clare begins to understand and to remember that she’s capable of doing great things even when she hasn’t got all the pieces.
I discovered this series a number of years back and have read all of them, mostly through library loans. When I was offered a chance to read this one, I jumped on it. I love cosy mysteries in part because of the Cleo Coyle books! These are still as fresh as today’s headlines and as fragrant as a well brewed mug of your favorite drink of choice. So, settle in with this one, and don’t be surprised that you haven’t moved from your reading chair until you have closed the back cover. They really are THAT good! Highly Recommended 5/5
[disclaimer: I received this book from the author and voluntarily read and reviewed it]
In this, the 18th Coffeehouse Mystery, Clare Cosi wakes up in Washington Square Park with no ID, no keys, no phone and no idea how or why she was there at 4 in the morning. Trying to get herself someplace safe, she heads towards The Village Blend, the coffee place she is part owner and manager of. However, she is very disoriented and thinks it’s 15 years earlier than 2019 and she and her ex-husband Matteo Allegro have just gone through a nasty divorce....
What happened? Better yet How and Why? Clare remembers someone things, but has no clue who Mike Quinn is; that her daughter Joy now runs the franchise in DC; or that Joy is now with Manny Franco who is also a cop.
Even with her amnesia,Clare is still helping others in need. She’d been abducted along with a friend of Madame’s who has yet to have been found. Through a maze of unconnected clues, Clare begins to understand and to remember that she’s capable of doing great things even when she hasn’t got all the pieces.
I discovered this series a number of years back and have read all of them, mostly through library loans. When I was offered a chance to read this one, I jumped on it. I love cosy mysteries in part because of the Cleo Coyle books! These are still as fresh as today’s headlines and as fragrant as a well brewed mug of your favorite drink of choice. So, settle in with this one, and don’t be surprised that you haven’t moved from your reading chair until you have closed the back cover. They really are THAT good! Highly Recommended 5/5
[disclaimer: I received this book from the author and voluntarily read and reviewed it]
December 3, 2019
BREWED AWAKENING is the eighteenth book in the Coffeehouse Mystery series by Cleo Coyle and wow, if you think the other books in the series have been good, then you’re going to be in for a surprise.
Cleo Coyle is one of those authors that writes on a whole different level than everyone else. Not only are they skilled in narrative, but their plotting and pacing is out of this world. BREWED AWAKENING isn’t just an amazing book; it’s a masterpiece.
Coyle has done something completely different with this book, taking Clare out of the main narration role and giving others a chance. Since Clare isn’t at her best in this book, readers get to experience more from other characters that we love. In a way, it’s great because we can see different points of views, but I also found myself wishing that we had Clare’s point of view back. This book definitely feels a lot different than the other books in the series because of this, so there is that to take into consideration. But since this was such a unique idea, I really can’t complain. My eyes were completely glued to the pages and I couldn’t sleep until I flipped that last page.
BREWED AWAKENING is undoubtedly going to be of my top favorite books of 2020. Trust me when I say this, but this is not a book that you want to miss!
December 9, 2019
Couldn't put it down
Another awesome story from Cleo Coyle. This one was nerve wracking and nail biting. Claire suffers from memory loss. But there is more to it. I've read every book in this series and this was one of the best. I can't wait for.the next one. Maybe.there will be a wedding.
Another awesome story from Cleo Coyle. This one was nerve wracking and nail biting. Claire suffers from memory loss. But there is more to it. I've read every book in this series and this was one of the best. I can't wait for.the next one. Maybe.there will be a wedding.
December 14, 2019
In BREWED AWAKENING, author Cleo Coyle has brought us an original storyline, not often, if ever, seen in a cozy. We’re all used to the different types of crimes in cozies. Murder, disappearance, and so forth that happen to the story’s characters. Most are “bit” characters, or even ones we never read about, dead before they tale begins. In an interesting twist, our Coffeehouse lead, protagonist, Clare Cosi is one of the victims!
BREWED AWAKENING is written in the same, talented style that has brought this series to book number eighteen. The author knows her audience, and knows how to reel readers in and hold onto them until the last page.
The above being said, I have noticed that in a few of the books in this series, (as well as many cozies from other series), some subjects and/or language are, in my humble opinion, just crossing the line of cozy. I tend to take more notice of this because I, like my sister and several of my friends, am a cozy mystery purist, where even the words h*ll and d*mn don’t exist. So again, this is IMHO.
If you are a diehard fan of this series, and of Cleo Coyle, then you are going to really enjoy, BREWED AWAKENING.
BREWED AWAKENING is written in the same, talented style that has brought this series to book number eighteen. The author knows her audience, and knows how to reel readers in and hold onto them until the last page.
The above being said, I have noticed that in a few of the books in this series, (as well as many cozies from other series), some subjects and/or language are, in my humble opinion, just crossing the line of cozy. I tend to take more notice of this because I, like my sister and several of my friends, am a cozy mystery purist, where even the words h*ll and d*mn don’t exist. So again, this is IMHO.
If you are a diehard fan of this series, and of Cleo Coyle, then you are going to really enjoy, BREWED AWAKENING.
August 13, 2020
BREWED AWAKENING is the eighteenth book in the Coffeehouse Mystery series by Cleo Coyle and wow, if you think the other books in the series have been good, then you’re going to be in for a surprise.
Cleo Coyle is one of those authors that writes on a whole different level than everyone else. Not only are they skilled in narrative, but their plotting and pacing is out of this world. BREWED AWAKENING isn’t just an amazing book; it’s a masterpiece.
Coyle has done something completely different with this book, taking Clare out of the main narration role and giving others a chance. Since Clare isn’t at her best in this book, readers get to experience more from other characters that we love. In a way, it’s great because we can see different points of views, but I also found myself wishing that we had Clare’s point of view back. This book definitely feels a lot different than the other books in the series because of this, so there is that to take into consideration. But since this was such a unique idea, I really can’t complain. My eyes were completely glued to the pages and I couldn’t sleep until I flipped that last page.
BREWED AWAKENING is undoubtedly going to be of my top favorite books of 2020. Trust me when I say this, but this is not a book that you want to miss!
April 4, 2023
Clare wakes up in the park on a bench and doesn't know how she got there or whose clothes she is wearing. She goes walking around and recognizes the coffee shop she used to work at, so she decides to go in. Everyone is all over her like they know her or something. Then her ex mother in law comes out who she does know. They tell her she has been missing for days. Clare doesn't remember anything , like since her daughter was 11 years old, she is now something like 26.
It was a great mystery to find out what happened to her and why. To get her memories back of her fiancée.
I enjoy this series and some of the recipes at the end look good too. I might try one or two.
It was a great mystery to find out what happened to her and why. To get her memories back of her fiancée.
I enjoy this series and some of the recipes at the end look good too. I might try one or two.
November 8, 2025
Our story starts with Clare waking up on a park bench, not knowing how she got there. When she tries to find familiar, she ends up discovering that she had been missing and she has lost years of life she lived. Her daughter is grown, she doesn’t remember her chunky NYPD fiancé or that she is now the owner of the coffee shop and the employees that all know her well. Clare’s soon realizes that her memory loss is linked to a crime she witnessed and now find herself a suspect in the crime.
Hospitalized to try and discover the reason for her loss in memory, puts her in the sights of a doctor that is trying to isolate her from her family and those who know her. She quickly realizes she must uncover the mystery behind her memory loss and the crime its tied to clear her name.
I found the characters witty and quirky. The plot engaging while keeping the me, the reader, completely invested in the outcome. I love a great mystery and that is exactly what we got with Cleo Coyle’s Brewed Awakening.
I received this ARC copy of Brewed Awakening from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. Brewed Awakening is set for publication Dec. 3, 2019.
Hospitalized to try and discover the reason for her loss in memory, puts her in the sights of a doctor that is trying to isolate her from her family and those who know her. She quickly realizes she must uncover the mystery behind her memory loss and the crime its tied to clear her name.
I found the characters witty and quirky. The plot engaging while keeping the me, the reader, completely invested in the outcome. I love a great mystery and that is exactly what we got with Cleo Coyle’s Brewed Awakening.
I received this ARC copy of Brewed Awakening from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. Brewed Awakening is set for publication Dec. 3, 2019.
February 4, 2020
I thought this Clare Cosi book #18 in the coffeeshop series was fun! A quirky twist on the ol' amnesia thing and always heavy on the coffe lore. The delicious recipes at the back that coordinate with the meals taking place in the story are real plus. This series set in New York City is really well done!
March 27, 2020
Love this series!!!!
December 29, 2019
https://openbooksociety.com/article/b...
Brewed Awakening
Coffeehouse Mystery #18
By Cleo Coyle
ISBN#9780451488879
https://www.coffeehousemystery.com/
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Synopsis:
When coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi awakens on a bench in Washington Square Park, she has no idea she’s been missing for days, or that her friends and family have been frantic with worry. Now that she’s back, everyone is overjoyed, including a handsome NYPD detective who claims to be her fiancé. But to Mike Quinn’s crushing distress, Clare doesn’t remember him, or much of anything about the last fifteen years of her life.
Clare’s missing memory is tied to a crime she witnessed. An acquaintance of Clare’s elegant employer–and fellow member of an exclusive Gotham circle known as “The Ladies Who Brunch“–invited Clare to her posh hotel to sample gourmet wedding cakes. After their indulgent tasting, they headed to the parking garage, where a camera captured a masked figure with a gun confronting the hotel heiress with Clare looking on. Did the kidnapper take Clare, too? The camera went dark, just like Clare’s memory. Soon authorities grow suspicious. Is Clare really a victim? Or merely acting like one? Evidence is mounting that she set the woman up.
To clear her name, Clare must find a way to reclaim her memories and rescue the heiress before this high-stakes crime ends in tragedy. Otherwise, instead of walking down the aisle, Clare may find herself perp-walking to prison as an accomplice to kidnapping and murder. (Goodreads)
Review:
How do you keep a long running, eighteen books and counting, series fresh? Make the beloved protagonist a victim and erase the past fifteen years of her life, of course. This provides the backbone to the wonderfully crafted Brewed Awakening. Add in a missing person, a questionable psychiatrist, murder, and lots of talk about excellent coffee and tasty food, and you have an immensely entertaining read.
Author Cleo Coyle can be consistently counted on to produce well written adventures, and Brewed Awakening is no exception. The series is turned sideways with Clare’s circumstance that erases years of experiences and memories…feeling anger and bitterness towards her ex-husband Matteo, thinking her twenty-something daughter Joy should still be a child, and not remembering her fiancé Mike at all. When those who care most about Clare suspect that the celebrity psychiatrist who volunteered his services to treat Clare might not have her best interests at heart, they spring her from the hospital and a race is on to find out what happened to a socialite hotelier before the authorities can find Clare and blame her for the crime.
I adore all of these characters, and it is not easy to watch Clare struggle with her memory. It feels like a friend is going through it all. What she hasn’t lost is her sense of humor and spunky, investigative spirit, and readers cannot help but root for her recovery. My favorite character continues to be Mike, and his unconditional love for Clare and patience make him all the more endearing. True to form, Matteo attempts to use Clare’s issue to his advantage – it is difficult for a tiger to change his stripes, after all.
Most of the action in Brewed Awakening takes place outside of the coffee shop, and, as much as I love the Village Blend setting, it is a nice change for the story to take readers through the city, to New Jersey, and beyond. The mystery is expertly executed with plenty of twists and turns. The pace is good and there is an ever present tension and concern for the investigation and Clare that propels the story forward that I find compelling. I did not figure out whodunit before the big reveal. This book is hard to put down.
Brewed Awakening is an outstanding, edgier than average cozy mystery. Highly recommended.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
Brewed Awakening
Coffeehouse Mystery #18
By Cleo Coyle
ISBN#9780451488879
https://www.coffeehousemystery.com/
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Synopsis:
When coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi awakens on a bench in Washington Square Park, she has no idea she’s been missing for days, or that her friends and family have been frantic with worry. Now that she’s back, everyone is overjoyed, including a handsome NYPD detective who claims to be her fiancé. But to Mike Quinn’s crushing distress, Clare doesn’t remember him, or much of anything about the last fifteen years of her life.
Clare’s missing memory is tied to a crime she witnessed. An acquaintance of Clare’s elegant employer–and fellow member of an exclusive Gotham circle known as “The Ladies Who Brunch“–invited Clare to her posh hotel to sample gourmet wedding cakes. After their indulgent tasting, they headed to the parking garage, where a camera captured a masked figure with a gun confronting the hotel heiress with Clare looking on. Did the kidnapper take Clare, too? The camera went dark, just like Clare’s memory. Soon authorities grow suspicious. Is Clare really a victim? Or merely acting like one? Evidence is mounting that she set the woman up.
To clear her name, Clare must find a way to reclaim her memories and rescue the heiress before this high-stakes crime ends in tragedy. Otherwise, instead of walking down the aisle, Clare may find herself perp-walking to prison as an accomplice to kidnapping and murder. (Goodreads)
Review:
How do you keep a long running, eighteen books and counting, series fresh? Make the beloved protagonist a victim and erase the past fifteen years of her life, of course. This provides the backbone to the wonderfully crafted Brewed Awakening. Add in a missing person, a questionable psychiatrist, murder, and lots of talk about excellent coffee and tasty food, and you have an immensely entertaining read.
Author Cleo Coyle can be consistently counted on to produce well written adventures, and Brewed Awakening is no exception. The series is turned sideways with Clare’s circumstance that erases years of experiences and memories…feeling anger and bitterness towards her ex-husband Matteo, thinking her twenty-something daughter Joy should still be a child, and not remembering her fiancé Mike at all. When those who care most about Clare suspect that the celebrity psychiatrist who volunteered his services to treat Clare might not have her best interests at heart, they spring her from the hospital and a race is on to find out what happened to a socialite hotelier before the authorities can find Clare and blame her for the crime.
I adore all of these characters, and it is not easy to watch Clare struggle with her memory. It feels like a friend is going through it all. What she hasn’t lost is her sense of humor and spunky, investigative spirit, and readers cannot help but root for her recovery. My favorite character continues to be Mike, and his unconditional love for Clare and patience make him all the more endearing. True to form, Matteo attempts to use Clare’s issue to his advantage – it is difficult for a tiger to change his stripes, after all.
Most of the action in Brewed Awakening takes place outside of the coffee shop, and, as much as I love the Village Blend setting, it is a nice change for the story to take readers through the city, to New Jersey, and beyond. The mystery is expertly executed with plenty of twists and turns. The pace is good and there is an ever present tension and concern for the investigation and Clare that propels the story forward that I find compelling. I did not figure out whodunit before the big reveal. This book is hard to put down.
Brewed Awakening is an outstanding, edgier than average cozy mystery. Highly recommended.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
December 7, 2020
Clare wakes up in a park bench, after missing for a week, with no recollection of the last 15 years. Mike is having problems dealing with his fiancee not remembering him. Ex-husband Matteo takes advantage that she remembers him, although what she remembers is the divorce and his betrayal. Meanwhile, Clare has to stay out of sight until she remembers what happened right before she disappeared, when she was with a hotel heiress right before she was kidnapped. There are a lot of twists and turns as Clare starts remembering things bit by bit. I stayed up until 3 am to finish. The mystery was excellent, and I loved seeing Clare fall in love in Mike again.
November 17, 2019
I think this might be my favorite of all the coffee shop mysteries. Good mystery, good character development with some humor sprinkled in. I liked the way they did it from everyone's perspectives while Claire was suffering from memory loss. Plus, I didn't guess who was ultimately responsible until the reveal! BEST BOOK EVER.
December 30, 2019
Amnesia, kidnapping, murder and mayhem are all on the menu in this edition of the Coffeehouse Mysteries! Excellent plotting entwined with well developed and lovable characters keeps you invested in the outcome! I can't wait to read what comes next for Clare and the coffeehouse gang!
November 26, 2019
5 Stars
This is book eighteen in the Coffeehouse Mystery series by Cleo Coyle.
This series just rings all the bells for me. Murder by Mocha was my first introduction into the cozy mystery world and I have been hooked ever since. Stepping back into this series is like coming home. So, when Clare Cosi loses her memory we are transported back to a time just after her separation with Matt and her daughter, Joy is still a kid.
It was fascinating to watch the fallout from Clare’s memory loss and how it effected everyone. This was all before Clare ever did her sleuthing thing so she was so out of her element and I couldn’t take my eyes off the page. Matt was at his most annoying and taking advantage of the situation, per usual. Why does this guy never learn? And Mike Quinn, her fiancee, and I loved the whole flashback to the proposal. How inventive!
This reminded me of other Coffeehouse books where Clare and Mike were on the run and it was a good feeling of deja vu. This book makes you appreciate how far the series has come. And it it making me want to revisit the entire series with a marathon re-read starting at book one! Just can’t get enough of this coffeehouse series. It feels like coming home.
To me this is part police procedural and part cozy mystery with all the best parts of each genre featured here. I definitely can’t wait to see what Cleo Coyle comes up with for book nineteen!
If you love cozy mysteries or police procedurals/detective fiction, definitely try out this series for size. I am sure you will not be disappointed.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
This is book eighteen in the Coffeehouse Mystery series by Cleo Coyle.
This series just rings all the bells for me. Murder by Mocha was my first introduction into the cozy mystery world and I have been hooked ever since. Stepping back into this series is like coming home. So, when Clare Cosi loses her memory we are transported back to a time just after her separation with Matt and her daughter, Joy is still a kid.
It was fascinating to watch the fallout from Clare’s memory loss and how it effected everyone. This was all before Clare ever did her sleuthing thing so she was so out of her element and I couldn’t take my eyes off the page. Matt was at his most annoying and taking advantage of the situation, per usual. Why does this guy never learn? And Mike Quinn, her fiancee, and I loved the whole flashback to the proposal. How inventive!
This reminded me of other Coffeehouse books where Clare and Mike were on the run and it was a good feeling of deja vu. This book makes you appreciate how far the series has come. And it it making me want to revisit the entire series with a marathon re-read starting at book one! Just can’t get enough of this coffeehouse series. It feels like coming home.
To me this is part police procedural and part cozy mystery with all the best parts of each genre featured here. I definitely can’t wait to see what Cleo Coyle comes up with for book nineteen!
If you love cozy mysteries or police procedurals/detective fiction, definitely try out this series for size. I am sure you will not be disappointed.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
April 9, 2022
Of all the stories I have read by Cleo Coyle, this is one of the most imaginative. Its not the usual, "someone died and the character solves it routines." I truly enjoyed this story to the very end.
December 8, 2024
Favorite one of the series so far!
July 6, 2024
What a novel idea for a plot line. I loved how the mystery had to be solved by Clare, a person with amnesia, and her loved ones. It sure kept me guessing. Thanks for the recipes at the back of the book. I’m looking forward to trying some.
January 7, 2020
The latest in the “A Coffeehouse Mystery” cozy series from Berkley Publishing written by Cleo Coyle, Brewed Awakening is now available. This book is a pleasant and gripping read filled with captivating characters in a charming setting.
This is a long-running cozy series. Readers have come to love the characters, many times finding themselves anxious for the next installment. However, a series of this nature also tend to become stale. Thankfully, that is not the case with this the 18th book in this series. Clare losing her memory is a great way to keep this series fresh and allows readers to reminisce about her past exploits.
Readers are taken on an emotional roller coaster as they travel with Clare on her adventure to recover her memory. She finds herself in peril at every turn, gets involved in a murder, and wonders if she will ever remember her fiancé. No one seems to be who they claim to be, and everyone seems to have a motive to commit a crime. Like with other books in this cozy series, Clare eventually finds the killer and her life.
This cozy series and Brewed Awakening, in particular, are easy to read, easy to follow, and keeps readers questioning and invested. I am happy to recommend the series and this book to cozy mystery lovers.
This is a long-running cozy series. Readers have come to love the characters, many times finding themselves anxious for the next installment. However, a series of this nature also tend to become stale. Thankfully, that is not the case with this the 18th book in this series. Clare losing her memory is a great way to keep this series fresh and allows readers to reminisce about her past exploits.
Readers are taken on an emotional roller coaster as they travel with Clare on her adventure to recover her memory. She finds herself in peril at every turn, gets involved in a murder, and wonders if she will ever remember her fiancé. No one seems to be who they claim to be, and everyone seems to have a motive to commit a crime. Like with other books in this cozy series, Clare eventually finds the killer and her life.
This cozy series and Brewed Awakening, in particular, are easy to read, easy to follow, and keeps readers questioning and invested. I am happy to recommend the series and this book to cozy mystery lovers.
February 17, 2022
Yes, I've read my Coffeehouse Mysteries out of order. But now I have finally put the last piece into place with Brewed Awakening. This is my just turned the last page, totally off the cuff review.
What a read!!! When I started, and Clare had lost her memory, I was aghast. (Okay, I've read Honey Roasted - I had an idea things wouldn't stay pear-shaped. But still. She couldn't remember Quinn?!) But I pressed on.
This book, y'all. I don't even have words for how much I enjoyed it. I think I devoured it in about three hours. I wanted to smack Matt for thinking this might be his second chance with Clare, and I was delighted to see that Clare was still herself and wasn't going to fall for his smooth talking. And even when she couldn't remember all that had happened in the past fifteen or so years, Clare retained her investigative sensibilities. She was determined to figure out what had happened.
I'll have more thoughts later. I just had to come write this now to tell y'all that if you haven't gotten to Brewed Awakening in the series, keep reading! And if you haven't read the series, what are you waiting for?! I think I liked this book even better than Honey Roasted, and I liked that one. I hope there's more of the series yet to come. It's one of my favorites!
What a read!!! When I started, and Clare had lost her memory, I was aghast. (Okay, I've read Honey Roasted - I had an idea things wouldn't stay pear-shaped. But still. She couldn't remember Quinn?!) But I pressed on.
This book, y'all. I don't even have words for how much I enjoyed it. I think I devoured it in about three hours. I wanted to smack Matt for thinking this might be his second chance with Clare, and I was delighted to see that Clare was still herself and wasn't going to fall for his smooth talking. And even when she couldn't remember all that had happened in the past fifteen or so years, Clare retained her investigative sensibilities. She was determined to figure out what had happened.
I'll have more thoughts later. I just had to come write this now to tell y'all that if you haven't gotten to Brewed Awakening in the series, keep reading! And if you haven't read the series, what are you waiting for?! I think I liked this book even better than Honey Roasted, and I liked that one. I hope there's more of the series yet to come. It's one of my favorites!
January 3, 2020
While I have loved each and every one of the Coffeehouse books, this one is hands down my favorite. The books are always fun and charming, but this one had an emotional intensity for me that was much deeper than the others.
The Prologue started this one out on a happy and wonderful note, which made it all the more shocking when, in the 1st Chapter, Clare woke up in a park, not knowing why she was there, and with no memory of the past fifteen years. I felt so badly for Quinn, who was a total stranger to her, and of course, for both Joy and Madame.
I really enjoyed the way this story of Clare and her memory loss played out. This book had the normal great characters of the series, included some heartrending parts, as well as some edge of your seat moments. There was plenty of action, and it kept me spellbound throughout.
The Prologue started this one out on a happy and wonderful note, which made it all the more shocking when, in the 1st Chapter, Clare woke up in a park, not knowing why she was there, and with no memory of the past fifteen years. I felt so badly for Quinn, who was a total stranger to her, and of course, for both Joy and Madame.
I really enjoyed the way this story of Clare and her memory loss played out. This book had the normal great characters of the series, included some heartrending parts, as well as some edge of your seat moments. There was plenty of action, and it kept me spellbound throughout.
April 25, 2022
I am a huge fan of this series and have been reading it from the start, but this book is written very differently than the others and in such a unique way. I loved it! I don't want to give anything away because it is so satisfying to have it open up in the story. Just let me say that Claire ends up losing 15 years of her memories. So it is so fun to see how the entire cast remembers the past and tries to help her. Rebecca Gibel is the narrator of this series and as always she is amazing.
December 29, 2019
I've read 16 of the 18 books in this series. So far this is the only one I didn't like. Clare goes missing and shows up days later. She has lost her memory. I was glad that everyone wanted to help. However, I didn't like the way they wrote Matt in this one. He made so much progress and then that happens. Thankfully in the end everything works out and the mystery is solved.
September 9, 2021
This is one of the best in the series. A kidnapping, lost memory, murder, and malpractice. Wow!!!
June 3, 2025
ARGUABLY ONE OF THE BEST IN THE SERIES.
SERIES PREMISE: In this series we follow Claire Cosy who, along with her ex0husband Matteo runs a cafe in New York called The Village Blend.
In this Book: Claire wakes up having no idea what's going on. She's in the park, but why? Also she needs to get home to her 11 year old daughter. But turns out her daughter is all grown up now, even has a boyfriend. Claire even has a fiance! So why does she think Matteo and her only just broke up recently?
THOUGHTS: I loved this book! Arguably one of the best in the series and the exact right time to pen something like this. We know the characters and Clair's life well enough that it became a fast and intriguing ride to see her get her memories back. We also get perspectives from Quinn, Matteo and even Madam! Truly the best book in the series thus far!
5 Stars!
xoxo.
SERIES PREMISE: In this series we follow Claire Cosy who, along with her ex0husband Matteo runs a cafe in New York called The Village Blend.
In this Book: Claire wakes up having no idea what's going on. She's in the park, but why? Also she needs to get home to her 11 year old daughter. But turns out her daughter is all grown up now, even has a boyfriend. Claire even has a fiance! So why does she think Matteo and her only just broke up recently?
THOUGHTS: I loved this book! Arguably one of the best in the series and the exact right time to pen something like this. We know the characters and Clair's life well enough that it became a fast and intriguing ride to see her get her memories back. We also get perspectives from Quinn, Matteo and even Madam! Truly the best book in the series thus far!
5 Stars!
xoxo.
March 11, 2020
Interesting concept having Clare being hurt and waking up thinking it is 15 years earlier. She thinks she just got divorced, her college age daughter is still 11 and she only has one coffee shop. Anything invented in the last 15 years she doesn’t remember. A quack doctor gets Clare to sign her rights away and Madame has to get her out.
January 25, 2020
2.5 stars
Brewed Awakening was definitely not one of my favorites in the Coffeehouse Mystery series. In fact, I really didn’t care for it all that much, unfortunately. This particular story was really different from all the previous mysteries. The prologue packed quite the personal punch, as opposed to previous books that described a particular crime usually told from the perpetrator’s standpoint. It was a bit abrupt and semi-shocking, but also exciting and a fun starter.
We then jump forward two months to chapter one where we find Clare waking up on a park bench, unable to recall the past fifteen years. This also coincides with an abduction of a well-known friend/business associate whom she was with at the time. Soon after this revelation, Clare is suddenly taken away by a quack doctor to his private mental institution, isolated from friends and family, who then feel it necessary to not only break her out, but of course, help her restore her memory. Interesting premise, though one that has clearly been done many times before, but the way it proceeded was rather ridiculous and too incredible to take seriously at all. The authors also make a big deal about all of the changes that have occurred in the past decade and how baffled Clare is by it all, and it felt exaggerated, overdone, and a little silly.
I also felt like the regular beloved, quirky characters who make this series what it is, were all really different and out of character from previous stories. Matt, in particular was not shown in a very good light at all. He came across as creepy, strongly self-centered, and downright deceitful. Though he has had his flaws in the past, he was still rather loveable in his own way. Not so much in this version.
I do appreciate that this type of story-telling provided a way to fill in backstory that we didn’t have prior to book one, and it was an attempt at something different in a long-standing series. But something of this nature needs to be done in a more credible and consistent manner to be successful and believable, in my opinion. I think from now on, it would be preferable to move forward in this series, carrying on the various relationships and progression of crimes, rather than looking back.
Brewed Awakening was definitely not one of my favorites in the Coffeehouse Mystery series. In fact, I really didn’t care for it all that much, unfortunately. This particular story was really different from all the previous mysteries. The prologue packed quite the personal punch, as opposed to previous books that described a particular crime usually told from the perpetrator’s standpoint. It was a bit abrupt and semi-shocking, but also exciting and a fun starter.
We then jump forward two months to chapter one where we find Clare waking up on a park bench, unable to recall the past fifteen years. This also coincides with an abduction of a well-known friend/business associate whom she was with at the time. Soon after this revelation, Clare is suddenly taken away by a quack doctor to his private mental institution, isolated from friends and family, who then feel it necessary to not only break her out, but of course, help her restore her memory. Interesting premise, though one that has clearly been done many times before, but the way it proceeded was rather ridiculous and too incredible to take seriously at all. The authors also make a big deal about all of the changes that have occurred in the past decade and how baffled Clare is by it all, and it felt exaggerated, overdone, and a little silly.
I also felt like the regular beloved, quirky characters who make this series what it is, were all really different and out of character from previous stories. Matt, in particular was not shown in a very good light at all. He came across as creepy, strongly self-centered, and downright deceitful. Though he has had his flaws in the past, he was still rather loveable in his own way. Not so much in this version.
I do appreciate that this type of story-telling provided a way to fill in backstory that we didn’t have prior to book one, and it was an attempt at something different in a long-standing series. But something of this nature needs to be done in a more credible and consistent manner to be successful and believable, in my opinion. I think from now on, it would be preferable to move forward in this series, carrying on the various relationships and progression of crimes, rather than looking back.
January 11, 2020
Tackling realistic issues and adding a dose of mystery topped off with delicious recipes is what this author does with creative writing and fascinating characters.
Just when you might think a long-running series could begin to get stale, the author takes you on an intriguing journey fraught with twists, turns and surprises. Readers get an in-depth look at the characters as they traverse through danger and mystery. The plot might also give you pause to wonder what if you were in protagonist Clare Cosi’s place.
As the story unfolds readers are drawn into the world of the protagonist who has lost her short-term memory. Told from multiple viewpoints, the story is filled with humor, intrigue, alluring characters (old and new) and a well-rounded tale of excitement. The family atmosphere of The Village Blend is felt as the group tries to help Clare each in their own unique way. The colorful and quirky characters that make up the coffeehouse add depth to the story. Whether you are a returning fan or new to the series, you can follow along as the story unfolds.
Fast-pace and entertaining, this story will hold you spellbound from beginning to end. An extra bonus to the plot’s drama is the tasty recipes and helpful tips included at the end. You don’t have to be a coffee lover to enjoy this book (and the series), just a fan of heart-pounding murder mysteries.
Just when you might think a long-running series could begin to get stale, the author takes you on an intriguing journey fraught with twists, turns and surprises. Readers get an in-depth look at the characters as they traverse through danger and mystery. The plot might also give you pause to wonder what if you were in protagonist Clare Cosi’s place.
As the story unfolds readers are drawn into the world of the protagonist who has lost her short-term memory. Told from multiple viewpoints, the story is filled with humor, intrigue, alluring characters (old and new) and a well-rounded tale of excitement. The family atmosphere of The Village Blend is felt as the group tries to help Clare each in their own unique way. The colorful and quirky characters that make up the coffeehouse add depth to the story. Whether you are a returning fan or new to the series, you can follow along as the story unfolds.
Fast-pace and entertaining, this story will hold you spellbound from beginning to end. An extra bonus to the plot’s drama is the tasty recipes and helpful tips included at the end. You don’t have to be a coffee lover to enjoy this book (and the series), just a fan of heart-pounding murder mysteries.
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