Cookies and Curses

The Matchmaker's Grimoire #1

by Rosie Pease

Matchmaking and ghosts... a recipe for disaster or a spell for success?

Joanie has never been wrong when it comes to cookies or love. Thanks to her perfect record with the couples in town and her baked goods that solve all problems, rumors claim she’s a witch.

But is she?

Although she refuses to believe there's magic in her bakery’s treats, Joanie does have a paranormal secret she’d rather keep hidden. But when a ghostly mystery threatens her latest match’s blossoming relationship, only Joanie can unravel the clues to save true love. As her abilities are tested, it becomes clear that solving the case might come at the cost of her secret.

Can Joanie keep her supernatural skill under her hat, or could this conjure up the end of her livelihood?

Ghosts, it’s time to meet your baker.

Cookies and Curses is the first novel in The Matchmaker's Grimoire series, set in the fictional small town of Heartwood Hollow, New York. It’s a delicious read with tasty treats, quirky characters, one sassy calico cat, and a smorgasbord of secrets to uncover.

Genres: Paranormal, Cozy, Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Fiction, Witches, Paranormal Mystery

Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2019

About the author

Rosie Pease is a native Rhode Islander but has lived in Vermont, New York, and Ohio. She uses the places she’s traveled to as inspiration for the settings of her cozy mysteries, pulling the theater from one, the cider mill from another, the river from another to create a fictitious town that feels familiar.

She collects Funko Pops of the Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Doctor Who, DC TV, and Marvel variety, with a few others thrown in for fun.

When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her daughter, hanging out with her husband, or being amused by her two crazy cats.

Reviews

[Emily Wrayburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Argh, this book made me crave baked sweets! So many mouth-watering descriptions! I have to admit, the reason I picked this up is because I can never go past books that combine witches with baking. Which is a really niche interest but there seems to be a reasonable amount of it!

I really enjoyed the idea of matchmaking being a witchy skill and seeing how the ghosts interfered with that.

I loved Ken and Ivy, and really appreciated that when Joanie was first embarking on dating Ken, that the book delved into the complexities of dating someone who already has kids.

I did sometimes feel like the mystery dragged on a little long, but that was a minor quibble.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go bake some choc-chip cookies!

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cookies and Curses is the first book in this new series set in Maine. I really enjoyed Joanie and her skills in baking and matchmaking. I also enjoyed the intro to this small town and Josie's staff, the couples set has matched and the one she is working on. Ghostly interference is causing some issues, however. I was intrigued from the beginning. I enjoyed the journey to the happy ending. I did have to take a break from reading to fix something sweet. I will be sure to have snacks on hand for reading the next book!

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic read! We set off for the town of Heartwood Hollow in Maine and meet Joanie our matchmaker party and baker and straight off the bat I absolutely loved her. The storyline hooked me from the start and is full of magic, witchcraft, ghosts and mystery and I just couldn't put it down. It’s a great read and I look forward to visiting again!

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

She's not a watch, insists Joanie Sunevell but the sweets produced in her bakery are like magic. With a talent for matching up couples romantically, Joanie has no time for a love interest until Ken moves to town. Strangely, there's a mysterious connection between him and a couple she's already matched. Joanie is determined to track down its source and discover why the couple has ghosts hovering around them.

I must admit, the familial relationships in this story had me confused, and I'm still not sure I worked out how it all shook out. This book isn't really a mystery, more of a paranormal mixed with romance and a puzzle. The supporting characters left me a little cold. I didn't like the love interest at all, nor did I like the bakery manager, who struck me as more of a bully than anything.

If the opportunity to read the next in the series comes along, I'll give it a go but I likely won't be seeking out this series.

[Sabetha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the feel good mystery you are looking for.

Joanie is such a relatable main character. She empowers those around her, helps the living where ever she can, and doesn't really give any consideration to weird stuff that has just been common place in her life since childhood. Her mom had her same skills, and the women in her family dabble in routines that make them feel safer. It's not like every family doesn't do the same, right?

News flash, she's a witch. I adore the spells being called recipes and hope it sticks throughout the series. This coming to the light moment in her life is happens because of someone in need. There are a lot of moving parts to the plot, and they weave together magically. Literally and figuratively. This take on 'I'm really a witch" is refreshing because it kind of feels like Joanie deep down knew it, but it was more of an out of sight out of mind reveal that she needed to come to terms with when she was ready.

We're introduced to the town as Joanie does her normal day to day happenings. She gives us the gossip, and matches she has made since moving in plus brings the area into descriptive view. Seeing the town through her eyes reminds me of all the reasons why I love living in small towns. Each of the characters have their quirks, and there are plenty of feisty ones that I hope will spice up future books with their antics as well.

The mystery is based in secrets, heartbreak and ignorance. Rosie does a wonderful job of framing the time period that the ghosts are from while working through uncovering the truth. It's reflective on our history but also bittersweet on the idea of what could have been if only they were young today.

The reveals in this one give the setting a deeper small town feel. While everyone knows OF everyone, they don't always know the truth. Being able to have a "six degrees of Kevin Bacon" moment was great. It all just made so much sense. But at the same time, it was heartbreaking. If only someone had been more curious, or what if someone had stood their ground. Needless to say, after all the sadness, it really does end on a happily ever after moment that gave me tears.

You'll love this story if you enjoy a bit of romance, a light paranormal flair where no one makes it a big deal, and multifaceted mysteries.

I read this book for the Cozy Mystery Tribe Book Club - September 1st read. Can't wait to discuss it on September 14th!

[Debi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cookies and Curses: A Witchy Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Mixing Up Magic Book 1) by Rosie Pease

5 +++++++ Stars

I can not wait to buy all of these books and have them sitting on my bookshelf next to all of the books I just had to have by my favorite authors. This is only my third read so far by this author and she has shot straight up into my favorites of all time. This series has literally become one of my favorites not only in 2021 but since I started reading years ago!!

This one was chock full of literally everything I love in a cozy mystery, with a little magic thrown in which literally just enhances everything in this series. I love the seamless reading and getting completely lost like I walked right into this town and I want a job at Joanie’s Bakery, I want to ride her bike and make deliveries for her and I'm dying to try the marshmallow treats. I want to be Joanie’s friend, I love the reaction she has to the magic, I love how real it seems it could be and this storyline was pure genius...I was truly thinking something different was going to come out of the whole Rich and Ashley pairing and love how that story weaved its way through! I love the addition of the sworn off dating scenario being played out right now and there is literally not one speck of negativity I can say about this book!!

If you haven't figured it out by now I recommend everyone read these books, read them in order to get the full effect of all the awesomeness! Getting ready to pick up Scones and Spells and can not wait!!

Many many Thanks to this author for giving me every single thing I love about reading!!!

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has quirky, nosy townsfolk, ghosts, a little bit of witchcraft, more sweet treats than you can shake a stick at, and a couple of family mysteries spanning generations. Oh, and a love interest for Joanie herself, and a mountain of complications with him. Can Joanie navigate all of those to discover why her most recent love match aren’t getting along, or will the truths she uncovers be too much for her to handle? This book is something of a departure from what I usually expect to find in a cozy mystery. There are no dead bodies or murderers in here. It’s even a step to the side from what I normally find in paranormal stories that involve pets. The animals are perfectly ordinary, if filled with attitude. None of them talk (so far) and they’re not exhibiting extraordinary intelligence. I liked it for these very differences. I’m charmed by these characters and look forward to reading more.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I don’t know how you do it, but there’s some sort of magic in what you do".

Knowing and actually doing it are two separate things. Joanie, owner of a bakery in a small town in Maine where she sells out almost every day. She and her cat: Saffron have lived there about 4 years and in that time she's been a bit of a matchmaker. This time, can she help 2 ghosts reunite?

I adored everything about this book. I too started out my career after Cooking School [which led me to even more schooling] and might have known a Joanie type in those days. From Saffron to small towns I read until I had to go to bed. And, I currently have the other two in my queue to step back into Heartwood Hollow. Highly recommended 5/5

[Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and voluntarily read and reviewed it]

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun!

I immediately liked the lighthearted tone. This story felt like a hug and I needed that.

Joanie denies she is a witch, but she clearly has special powers. If I were a witch, I wouldn’t be denying it, I would embrace it; haha, if only! This story is actually mostly a story of a young woman with ghost-seeing and witchy powers, learning to accept her witchiness, meeting someone and matching others, with a light mystery element concerning a ghost and a hairbrush that moves on its own - haunted? So, not a murder mystery, but a who-is-haunting mystery.

I did feel the pace was ever so slightly slow at places. But that didn’t take away from the enjoyability of this delightful book. Because I loved it. It was fun, it was entertaining. Definitely 5 stars.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanie Sunevall owns the local bakery.
She has a reputation around town for being a witch and a matchmaker.
She denies being a witch, although both her grandmother and mother are one.
Both of whom tell her she needs to embrace her 'natural' abilities.
One of the couples Joanie has matched are having major problems but neither of them knows the reason is the ghost of Rich's grandfather was behind the problems as only Joanie can see him.
Now Joanie has to up her game or her record may not stand.

Pro's:
Developed characters and a good storyline.

Con's:
This book is marketed as a mystery.
It is not. It's a women's fiction book with an emphasis on the romance portions of the book, with a minor mystery thrown it with a good bit of paranormal activity.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a light and fun read. This wasn't a typical cozy because there was no crime committed. Joanie can see ghosts and helped a couple of them find peace. Since Asley and Rich know Joanie's secret, I wonder if they will be helping her solve things in future books. I didn't really care for Ken and Ivy. There was no chemistry between Joanie and Ken. Ivy's temper tantrum(I know it served a purpose in furthering the story) was just so out of character for how she is portrayed in the rest of the book. I felt there were too many unneeded scenes. It could have been a lot shorter and been better, IMO. I did enjoy the story and am getting ready to read the second book in the series.

[Vicky Coughlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanie can see ghosts but doesn’t want anybody to know about it after losing her best friend when she was younger and she had told her. This doesn’t stop her friends and the townsfolk where she’s opened her bakery from thinking she’s a witch due to the uncanny way she can play matchmaker. Except the last pair she’s brought together seem to be on and off all the time. And what an “off”. Good thing she can see ghosts…. Not saying anymore I don’t like to give spoilers. But this is such a great story. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good love story with a bit of witchy and ghostly parts. Nothing scary just a very good story line.

[Lee Rush · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and cozy with some magic and baked goods!

I was super happy to read a book from a fellow Rhode Islander, and it was perfect weekend reading. A dash of mystery, a pinch of the supernatural and a sprinkle of romance stirred together make this a perfect recipe for a cozy mystery.

Light and airy, the story was wholesome and inviting, and surrounded by baked goods, as our main character owns the local bakery. Well crafted, interesting without being too heavy, this was a great light read.

[Michael Reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is more to a haunting than movement

Joanie can see ghosts but doesn’t want people to know so tries to keep it a secret, Ashley has a hairbrush that keeps moving from place to place, when she tells Joanie about it she asks if Joanie could take it off her hands. Sounds simple doesn’t it, but let me tell you that is just the tip of the iceberg my friends and if you want to find out the rest of the story I highly recommend you get this book and read this wonderful mystery for yourself, you will be glad you did.

[Nannette Kreitzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cookies and Curses is a cozy mystery with a little bit of everything! Mystery of course, love stories (yes - that’s meant to be plural), ghosts (those of you easily spooked have nothing to fear here), friendship, and lots of delicious sounding baked goods! It was hard to resist the urge to buzz through this book to see how it ended, but resist I did to better enjoy the wonderful story that it is.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was super cute and well-written with a little romance, some witchy goodness and a little mystery. The characters were great, and I loved the ghosts that Joanie helped. Even though I really like the premise and the very sweet (a little eye leaking) ending, I don't think it had quite the amount of mystery and excitement that I'm used to in the cozy mysteries I read, but that's just a personal preference. I might revisit the series again sometime on Kindle Unlimited.

[Stephanie Duerr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fine overall, but it never fully clicked for me. Cozy mysteries just aren’t my usual comfort zone, even though I sometimes wish I were more of a cozy-mystery girly. I can see the appeal—the light tone and familiar tropes are there—but it didn’t completely pull me in. If I ever stumble across the rest of the series, I’d be willing to give them a chance. Unfortunately, my library doesn’t carry the remaining books, so for now this is where my journey with the series pauses.

[Rhonda Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was easily one of the best books I have read. I can't wait to read more of her books in this line. I would give this book 10 stars if I could. I would love to live in this place. I can imagine being friends with all of them. They already felt like friends. Do yourself a favor and get this book. Enjoy a good clean mystery.

[Caren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a good story, and the characters were pretty believable. Josie found out she was a witch and had some issues dealing with it. Not, OMG I’m a witch and then everything is good in the next sentence. I really appreciated that. I did think everything wrapped up a little too quickly at the end though. I look forward to reading more in this series.

[Myra Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice cozy

The book was a nice sweet read. I do prefer characters that aren't so perfect and overly confident. The romances were just too perfect to the point they didn't feel authentic. This book is for those that like sweet cozies with little conflict.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really Good Book

This was a slow but good read. I loved how everything started coming together and how detailed this book was. Would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to read something new.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, so much fun, getting to know n hanging out with Joanie, Ashley, Rich, Ken, all the bakers, (can’t wait to hear more about Sam), Kate, Daniel, Matt, Nathan, even Ivy, who we wonder if Saffron will ever like. I’m on to read the next book in the series and see what happens to who next.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute story!

I enjoyed the characters and story so much! Very fun to read and I didn't have it figured out halfway through! Original even though it was a baking witch book. Looking forward to the next one!

[Stefanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when you come across a book that just feels so wholesome and sweet? Well that was this book for me. Throw in some magic and it made it 5 star worthy. I enjoyed everything about it and I could eat all of those treats Joanie bakes.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great start to a new series. Loved the hint of witchcraft that Joanie had spent much of her life denying. The plot and the mystery were a bit different which was very enjoyable. Already bought the second in the series. Recommend reading.

[Rebecca J Duckworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just cute and I loved the matchmaking. With the little problems with the couple it was a good mystery trying to figure out what was going on. I recommend it to all the romance and mystery readers.

[Beth Helm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I loved this book. She is the town's baker and matchmaker, and she sees ghosts. When all three collide because of a hairbrush, what lengths will she have to go to solve the mysteries?

[Sharon]

I grew bored reading

[Krista Walsh · Rating 1 out of 5]

couldn't get into it

I tried really hard to like this book. Unfortunately it fell short. I just couldn't get into the storyline or characters.

[elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful mystery

Wonderful mystery with developed characters, unexpected turns & twists and all the while making me hungry for cookies! Just needs a recipe to go along!