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Cupcake Crimes #1
Vanilla Vengeance: A Small Town Cupcake Cozy Mystery
Charlotte McKay doesn't know what to expect when she moves in to take care of her elderly aunt.
When Charlotte discovers a dead body her first day in the cozy town of Sweetwater Falls, she worries she may have made the wrong choice, moving from the big city to a small town. She was hoping for a family feel and a fresh start, not a shakedown from local law enforcement and an aunt who keeps disappearing right when danger nears.
Sweetwater Falls is filled with loveable characters harboring dark secrets. Even though Charlotte is certain none of her new neighbors could possibly be the killer, she is beginning to learn that no one is above suspicion.
Join Charlotte as she moves to Sweetwater Falls, only to discover that not even the sweetest of small towns are without their shadows.
"Vanilla Vengeance" is filled with layered clues and cozy moments, written by Molly Maple, which is a pen name for a USA Today bestselling author.
When Charlotte discovers a dead body her first day in the cozy town of Sweetwater Falls, she worries she may have made the wrong choice, moving from the big city to a small town. She was hoping for a family feel and a fresh start, not a shakedown from local law enforcement and an aunt who keeps disappearing right when danger nears.
Sweetwater Falls is filled with loveable characters harboring dark secrets. Even though Charlotte is certain none of her new neighbors could possibly be the killer, she is beginning to learn that no one is above suspicion.
Join Charlotte as she moves to Sweetwater Falls, only to discover that not even the sweetest of small towns are without their shadows.
"Vanilla Vengeance" is filled with layered clues and cozy moments, written by Molly Maple, which is a pen name for a USA Today bestselling author.
350 pages, Paperback
First published January 2, 2021
1090 people are currently reading
1102 people want to read
About the author
Molly Maple
19 books84 followersMolly Maple believes in the magic of hot tea and the romance of rainy days.
She is a fan of all desserts, but cupcakes have a special place in her heart. She spends her days searching for fresh air, and her evenings reading in front of a fireplace.
Molly Maple is a pen name for USA Today bestselling fantasy author, Mary E. Twomey. Visit her online at www.MollyMapleMysteries.com.
She is a fan of all desserts, but cupcakes have a special place in her heart. She spends her days searching for fresh air, and her evenings reading in front of a fireplace.
Molly Maple is a pen name for USA Today bestselling fantasy author, Mary E. Twomey. Visit her online at www.MollyMapleMysteries.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
June 4, 2022
Vanilla Vengeance is the first book within the Cupcake Crimes series. Even though it was easy to spot the murderer, this was a lot of fun to read. I loved how awkward Charlotte was around Logan. I also really enjoyed her aunt and aunt's friends. They were hilarious and I secretly can't wait to jump into the sequel.
February 7, 2021
The premise of the story is good, but it is based on erroneous information.
1. I am of Italian descent and have been cooking for about 60 or so years and I have NEVER seen or heard of anyone putting orange tomatoes and/or carrots in their spaghetti sauce.
2. There is NO way, even if you put orange tomatoes and carrots in the sauce, that it would stain your fingers, hands, etc. to such an extent that they would remain that way for days. Any restaurant that served anything that would do that to you would go out of business quite quickly. Could you possibly imagine getting it around your mouth and have it remain for days? Plus, I am not aware of any vegetable that would stain the skin in the manner set forth in the book and do not think that one exists.
3. As a point of interest, sausage and peppers is made with Italian sausage not Polish. Polish sausage is called kielbasi and is served with sauerkraut.
4. Apple coleslaw is alien to Italian food and I doubt would ever be served in an Italian restaurant, nor would pasta and sauce be served with frizzled onions on top.
Unfortunately all of the above pretty much ruins the story.
And, add to that the ridiculous idea that any woman would become addlepated and unable to function at the sight and presence of a man. In addition, a man would most likely be insulted to be called pretty, as that is an adjective used for the female of the species, and might make him feel as though you think he looks effeminate.
Although the writing was good and I feel this author shows promise, she should do a lot more fact checking before putting information in a book that might be erroneous or misleading.
1. I am of Italian descent and have been cooking for about 60 or so years and I have NEVER seen or heard of anyone putting orange tomatoes and/or carrots in their spaghetti sauce.
2. There is NO way, even if you put orange tomatoes and carrots in the sauce, that it would stain your fingers, hands, etc. to such an extent that they would remain that way for days. Any restaurant that served anything that would do that to you would go out of business quite quickly. Could you possibly imagine getting it around your mouth and have it remain for days? Plus, I am not aware of any vegetable that would stain the skin in the manner set forth in the book and do not think that one exists.
3. As a point of interest, sausage and peppers is made with Italian sausage not Polish. Polish sausage is called kielbasi and is served with sauerkraut.
4. Apple coleslaw is alien to Italian food and I doubt would ever be served in an Italian restaurant, nor would pasta and sauce be served with frizzled onions on top.
Unfortunately all of the above pretty much ruins the story.
And, add to that the ridiculous idea that any woman would become addlepated and unable to function at the sight and presence of a man. In addition, a man would most likely be insulted to be called pretty, as that is an adjective used for the female of the species, and might make him feel as though you think he looks effeminate.
Although the writing was good and I feel this author shows promise, she should do a lot more fact checking before putting information in a book that might be erroneous or misleading.
February 23, 2021
Kindle Freebie at the time of download. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own and not affected by the giveaway.
Charlotte McKay is eager to flee the big, bad city of Chicago for the idyllic small town of Sweetwater Springs where she will look after her elderly great-aunt. When she arrives, Aunt Winnie is not what Charlotte was expecting. Aunt Winnie whisks Charlotte off to protest one of Winnie's "Live Forever" club members being arrested for shoplifting. Charlotte worries about Winnie's crazy behavior but when Charlotte discovers a dead body and the sheriff suspects Winnie is a murderer, Charlotte leaves behind her fears to take charge and save Winnie.
I really thought I would like this book. What's not to love about cupcakes? Unfortunately, this series is not for me. I don't buy the premise at all. Who on earth would want to leave Chicago for a small town, presumably in the south, stuck in a 1950s time warp? OK so Charlotte wants to open her own bakery and that might be easier in a small town but this town is soooo unappealing. The mystery wasn't enough to appeal to me. I figured out whodunit quickly and was bored by the rest. The cupcakes sound yummy- even the vanilla bean cardamom! She should have added the other spices she bought to make a chai cupcake. In what world is vanilla bean a weird flavor? Cardamom is a warm spice that tastes like Christmas and vanilla bean is just blah. The citrus one sounded way more weird to me. There are several word choice/spelling errors that bothered me, especially confusing CPR and the Heimlich maneuver and fichu instead of ficus. (OK that one made me laugh).
None of the characters appealed to me any more than the small town did. The only one I liked is Marianne, who seems to be a Janeite! I liked the homage to Emma scene. I thought it was a coincidence at first- even 200 years later, women still have to purge themselves of a broken heart after a man dumps them- but it soon becomes clear the similarities were deliberate. I'd be surprised if the scene was a mere coincidence. Marianne is the town librarian and she loves the classics, like Pride and Prejudice. Even her name is Austenesque which she doesn't point out because Charlotte is a philistine! Charlotte, Charlotte, Charlotte. How do I dislike thee? Let me count the ways... She's never read Pride and Prejudice! *GASP*! I CAN relate to being forced to leave the big city because it's too expensive but I'd never willingly trade it for this town. Charlotte is timid and insecure. She doesn't stand up for herself or what she wants at first. Being a city person, I would be suspicious of anyone who hugged me on first meeting. Note to strangers: Don't touch me! Note to everyone else: Don't hug me. Charlotte apparently craves hugs so much she's Ok with strangers hugging her. She declares Marianne her best friend right away. Even after finding the body, she's convinced none of her new friends would commit murder. She doesn't even know any of them! She doesn't even know her aunt! I also don't like the way Charlotte acts around a hot guy. It's awkward and embarrassing to read. I guess that's the point but I did not find it enjoyable.
Aunt Winnie is crazy. It's no wonder her license got taken away. I'm surprised she's not ignoring that and driving without a license. She breaks 10001 other rules. She's one wild Grannie. Charlotte begins to have her doubts about Aunt Winnie being innocent of murder but I don't think she'd go that far, not intentionally anyway. Her friends Karen and Agnes are nearly as bad. I did like the female friendship aspect and how Karen and Agnes know instinctively what Winnie needs and what to do for her. They even learn to understand Charlotte's veiled comments that Winnie needs looking after. That was actually sweet.
Sheriff Flowers must be as lazy as a daisy. He doesn't bother to figure out what the murder weapon was or search for it. There's no police service after 7 PM! WHAT THE HECK????? All they have is an answering machine! OMG! What if someone gets in a traffic accident? I hope they have first responders at least. Sheriff Flowers has a really bad plan for protecting his witness and is a little slow to catch his killer.
Gerald Forbine, the victim, was courting Aunt Winnie. He seems like a nice enough man but set in his ways and stuck in his grief for his wife. His son Robert is rude and whiny but he does have a point that the menu needs updating once in awhile and the restaurant could stand to be spiffed up. He has weird taste buds though. His wife, Roberta, seems nice enough. The chef at the restaurant, Helen, is a little too nice for a chef. Who allows a stranger into their kitchen to help prep the food? Um I'm sure the health department and the customers would have something to say about that. Gerald's bff Amos Vandermuth sounds like a prime suspect for murderer. He's a cheapskate and refuses to spend a single penny. He was angry with Gerald for owing him 35 quarters. For real? I don't think they were truly best friends. Who is Logan? Why is such a good looking guy stuck in a small town? Is he the murderer or the love interest?
The cupcake recipe sounds good but it's not enough to save this series for me. Neither is the Jane Austen reference.
Charlotte McKay is eager to flee the big, bad city of Chicago for the idyllic small town of Sweetwater Springs where she will look after her elderly great-aunt. When she arrives, Aunt Winnie is not what Charlotte was expecting. Aunt Winnie whisks Charlotte off to protest one of Winnie's "Live Forever" club members being arrested for shoplifting. Charlotte worries about Winnie's crazy behavior but when Charlotte discovers a dead body and the sheriff suspects Winnie is a murderer, Charlotte leaves behind her fears to take charge and save Winnie.
I really thought I would like this book. What's not to love about cupcakes? Unfortunately, this series is not for me. I don't buy the premise at all. Who on earth would want to leave Chicago for a small town, presumably in the south, stuck in a 1950s time warp? OK so Charlotte wants to open her own bakery and that might be easier in a small town but this town is soooo unappealing. The mystery wasn't enough to appeal to me. I figured out whodunit quickly and was bored by the rest. The cupcakes sound yummy- even the vanilla bean cardamom! She should have added the other spices she bought to make a chai cupcake. In what world is vanilla bean a weird flavor? Cardamom is a warm spice that tastes like Christmas and vanilla bean is just blah. The citrus one sounded way more weird to me. There are several word choice/spelling errors that bothered me, especially confusing CPR and the Heimlich maneuver and fichu instead of ficus. (OK that one made me laugh).
None of the characters appealed to me any more than the small town did. The only one I liked is Marianne, who seems to be a Janeite! I liked the homage to Emma scene. I thought it was a coincidence at first- even 200 years later, women still have to purge themselves of a broken heart after a man dumps them- but it soon becomes clear the similarities were deliberate. I'd be surprised if the scene was a mere coincidence. Marianne is the town librarian and she loves the classics, like Pride and Prejudice. Even her name is Austenesque which she doesn't point out because Charlotte is a philistine! Charlotte, Charlotte, Charlotte. How do I dislike thee? Let me count the ways... She's never read Pride and Prejudice! *GASP*! I CAN relate to being forced to leave the big city because it's too expensive but I'd never willingly trade it for this town. Charlotte is timid and insecure. She doesn't stand up for herself or what she wants at first. Being a city person, I would be suspicious of anyone who hugged me on first meeting. Note to strangers: Don't touch me! Note to everyone else: Don't hug me. Charlotte apparently craves hugs so much she's Ok with strangers hugging her. She declares Marianne her best friend right away. Even after finding the body, she's convinced none of her new friends would commit murder. She doesn't even know any of them! She doesn't even know her aunt! I also don't like the way Charlotte acts around a hot guy. It's awkward and embarrassing to read. I guess that's the point but I did not find it enjoyable.
Aunt Winnie is crazy. It's no wonder her license got taken away. I'm surprised she's not ignoring that and driving without a license. She breaks 10001 other rules. She's one wild Grannie. Charlotte begins to have her doubts about Aunt Winnie being innocent of murder but I don't think she'd go that far, not intentionally anyway. Her friends Karen and Agnes are nearly as bad. I did like the female friendship aspect and how Karen and Agnes know instinctively what Winnie needs and what to do for her. They even learn to understand Charlotte's veiled comments that Winnie needs looking after. That was actually sweet.
Sheriff Flowers must be as lazy as a daisy. He doesn't bother to figure out what the murder weapon was or search for it. There's no police service after 7 PM! WHAT THE HECK????? All they have is an answering machine! OMG! What if someone gets in a traffic accident? I hope they have first responders at least. Sheriff Flowers has a really bad plan for protecting his witness and is a little slow to catch his killer.
Gerald Forbine, the victim, was courting Aunt Winnie. He seems like a nice enough man but set in his ways and stuck in his grief for his wife. His son Robert is rude and whiny but he does have a point that the menu needs updating once in awhile and the restaurant could stand to be spiffed up. He has weird taste buds though. His wife, Roberta, seems nice enough. The chef at the restaurant, Helen, is a little too nice for a chef. Who allows a stranger into their kitchen to help prep the food? Um I'm sure the health department and the customers would have something to say about that. Gerald's bff Amos Vandermuth sounds like a prime suspect for murderer. He's a cheapskate and refuses to spend a single penny. He was angry with Gerald for owing him 35 quarters. For real? I don't think they were truly best friends. Who is Logan? Why is such a good looking guy stuck in a small town? Is he the murderer or the love interest?
The cupcake recipe sounds good but it's not enough to save this series for me. Neither is the Jane Austen reference.
April 22, 2021
I just can't with this book.
In loo of a review I'm going to leave you with this quote from the book. No spoilers, but this quote pretty much sums up the tone of the entire story.
(Set up: this is a guy she has met twice, and this woman is supposed to be full blown adult.)
In loo of a review I'm going to leave you with this quote from the book. No spoilers, but this quote pretty much sums up the tone of the entire story.
(Set up: this is a guy she has met twice, and this woman is supposed to be full blown adult.)
I can’t make my feet work. My brain is foggy the nearer Logan is. I came here to have an intelligent discussion, but I am not sure I can work out simple arithmetic at this point.
His physique combined with the uniform is a sight my brain cannot comprehend. I am either going to faint or throw up if he doesn’t go away.
Winifred fans me. “Goodness, Charlotte! You’re all flushed.”
Karen looks Logan up and down as he opens an interrogation room and escorts us inside. “You really think he’s that good looking?”
I keel over. “I’m going to be sick.”
Logan touches my elbow, and I swear, my vision tunnels. “Are you alright?” Heat ricochets through my body. My heart hammers so hard and fast; I am certain he can hear the affect he has on my most vital organ.
I shoot away from him. “Oh! You can’t touch me like that. It’s too much!”
“I’m sorry?” Logan looks truly at a loss.
I put up my hand to block out the sight of his beautiful face, my chin turned to the side.
“You’re too pretty. We’ve been over this. If you don’t want me to throw up all over this table, send your dad in while you wait outside or something. I’m telling you, I can’t, and this is important.”
Karen’s laughter rings in my ears while Winifred chortles slowly.
Logan’s voice is gentle with a heavy tease to it. “You’re not serious. I’m not… No one has ever…” He takes a step toward me.
I dash to the corner like a criminal trying to escape the law. “I’m telling you, if you come near me, I will barf on your table!”
September 11, 2022
Normally the cozy mysteries I read are holiday themed or paranormal so this was actually my first "normal" one. I thought it was really cute and a delight to read! Maybe even one of the better ones I've read.
It's long for a cozy but I didn't even mind. The characters were all well written and are likable (except for the murderer of course...and grumpy old Amos).
If you like small town crime cozy mysteries, I would definitely recommend this. :)
It's long for a cozy but I didn't even mind. The characters were all well written and are likable (except for the murderer of course...and grumpy old Amos).
If you like small town crime cozy mysteries, I would definitely recommend this. :)
October 14, 2023
It’s ok. Will read the 2nd book
January 8, 2022
Vanilla Vengeance by Molly Maple
Format : ebook || Kindle via Kindle unlimited
Rating : 3
Light Spoilers :-
Vanilla vengeance is my introduction into the cosy mystery genre. I think the best way to describe the genre is that it’s a sort of Nancy drew experience - amateur sleuth in a small community.
Overall I thought the story to be cute and a nice quick read. Definitely something you pick if you need a fun light read when you have some spare time.
Our cute heroine is a little quirky and is does well to hold the story on her own. Her love her new friends and town is definitely heart warming and something the scratch’s the need to move to a small town and own a little bakery.
Stuff that I liked :-
> The new relationships Charlotte has cultivated. I found this to be done well. It all felt authentic.
> The star hollows feel of the town !
> The love that Winnie and her friends have for Charlotte and Marianne .
> The included recipe for the muffins at the end, that was adorable!
> Well paced throughout
> The full arc of Charlotte the brave!
Stuff that I didn’t like :-
> The interactions with Logan. I do understand it’s meant to have a hallmark feel but it just felt really childish that she kept freezing up every time she spoke to him.
> The first interaction between Charlotte and Helen felt a bit weird. That by Charlotte complimenting Helen , it allowed her to break down and gush about things. Just felt a bit forced for me.
> The way Charlotte and Marianne figured who the murderer was. Definitely didn’t feel like something that could hold up in the real world but alas I do understand this is a cosy mystery.
> I didn’t like how Charlotte was fine with her Aunt being the murderer if it was her . It was odd because she didn’t know her well but felt fine to live with a supposed killer but unsafe when it was someone else.
Format : ebook || Kindle via Kindle unlimited
Rating : 3
Light Spoilers :-
Vanilla vengeance is my introduction into the cosy mystery genre. I think the best way to describe the genre is that it’s a sort of Nancy drew experience - amateur sleuth in a small community.
Overall I thought the story to be cute and a nice quick read. Definitely something you pick if you need a fun light read when you have some spare time.
Our cute heroine is a little quirky and is does well to hold the story on her own. Her love her new friends and town is definitely heart warming and something the scratch’s the need to move to a small town and own a little bakery.
Stuff that I liked :-
> The new relationships Charlotte has cultivated. I found this to be done well. It all felt authentic.
> The star hollows feel of the town !
> The love that Winnie and her friends have for Charlotte and Marianne .
> The included recipe for the muffins at the end, that was adorable!
> Well paced throughout
> The full arc of Charlotte the brave!
Stuff that I didn’t like :-
> The interactions with Logan. I do understand it’s meant to have a hallmark feel but it just felt really childish that she kept freezing up every time she spoke to him.
> The first interaction between Charlotte and Helen felt a bit weird. That by Charlotte complimenting Helen , it allowed her to break down and gush about things. Just felt a bit forced for me.
> The way Charlotte and Marianne figured who the murderer was. Definitely didn’t feel like something that could hold up in the real world but alas I do understand this is a cosy mystery.
> I didn’t like how Charlotte was fine with her Aunt being the murderer if it was her . It was odd because she didn’t know her well but felt fine to live with a supposed killer but unsafe when it was someone else.
June 30, 2023
After reading a later book in the Cupcake Crimes series (#5, "Peppermint Peril"), I decided to download the first book in the series on Kindle Unlimited, which is "Vanilla Vengeance."
Charlotte gives up on the big city and moves in w/ her Aunt Winnie in Sweetwater Falls, b/c Charlotte's mom says Winnie "needs help." It turns out that 90-something-year-old Aunt Winnie and her friends are not above shoplifting or skirmishing w/ local law enforcement. In fact, Charlotte has just pulled into the driveway when Aunt Winnie makes her drive to a protest ... where Charlotte literally uncovers a dead body. The sheriff's main suspect is... Aunt Winnie, b/c she and the recently-deceased had just been "dating." And thus the cozy mystery starts.
This novel started as the cute set-up to the series, except it really fell apart in the middle. If I read one more time how much Charlotte loved Aunt Winnie and her friends and knew she'd made a new best friend in the local librarian, Marianne -- after having known all of them for less than a week -- I was gonna throw my Kindle. And the way this supposedly grown woman acted every time she saw the gorgeous Logan was not even worthy of a twelve-year-old. So Book #1 did not work for me nearly as well as Book #5 did. I will not read any more books in the series. 3 stars b/c I like the characters and reading about the cupcake recipes Charlotte invented made me drool a bit.
Charlotte gives up on the big city and moves in w/ her Aunt Winnie in Sweetwater Falls, b/c Charlotte's mom says Winnie "needs help." It turns out that 90-something-year-old Aunt Winnie and her friends are not above shoplifting or skirmishing w/ local law enforcement. In fact, Charlotte has just pulled into the driveway when Aunt Winnie makes her drive to a protest ... where Charlotte literally uncovers a dead body. The sheriff's main suspect is... Aunt Winnie, b/c she and the recently-deceased had just been "dating." And thus the cozy mystery starts.
This novel started as the cute set-up to the series, except it really fell apart in the middle. If I read one more time how much Charlotte loved Aunt Winnie and her friends and knew she'd made a new best friend in the local librarian, Marianne -- after having known all of them for less than a week -- I was gonna throw my Kindle. And the way this supposedly grown woman acted every time she saw the gorgeous Logan was not even worthy of a twelve-year-old. So Book #1 did not work for me nearly as well as Book #5 did. I will not read any more books in the series. 3 stars b/c I like the characters and reading about the cupcake recipes Charlotte invented made me drool a bit.
February 26, 2023
I really wanted to like this book if just for the cupcake recipe at the end. I unfortunately LISTENED to this book instead of READING it. The narration was like “fingernails on a chalkboard” horrible. The lilty sing song voice of the aunt drove me NUTS! I had to stop listening to it. Thankfully I didn’t waste money on the audio. Why I continued reading the book? Glutton for punishment? I like to count how many eye-roll moments occur in cozy mysteries?
The premise of the book is just… bad. Who would leave Chicago to move to a small town stuck in a leave it to beaver time warp? To take care of an elderly aunt who doesn’t seem to need taking care of? To open a bakery to sell cupcakes? And… the MC gets violently nervous or ill around “pretty” men? Even the cupcake recipe seemed weird. Just not my cup of tea.
I’ll stick to Diane Mott Davidson’s Goldy Bear series.
The premise of the book is just… bad. Who would leave Chicago to move to a small town stuck in a leave it to beaver time warp? To take care of an elderly aunt who doesn’t seem to need taking care of? To open a bakery to sell cupcakes? And… the MC gets violently nervous or ill around “pretty” men? Even the cupcake recipe seemed weird. Just not my cup of tea.
I’ll stick to Diane Mott Davidson’s Goldy Bear series.
January 7, 2021
Upon arriving at Sweetwater Falls, Charlotte finds herself in over her literally and figuratively as she finds herself chasing her elderly great aunt and her Live Forever Club and finding a dead body that is literally over their heads, all before she has even unpacked. Along the way, she learns a thing or two about living life, what a warm hug can do, and protecting those she loves. Wonderful first book in a new series but not surprised with this written by a USA Bestselling Author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 26, 2021
Sigh…
I cannot stand stories in which grown adults become mute/clumsy/idiotic or cannot otherwise function when in the presence of an attractive person. It’s annoying.
I cannot stand stories in which grown adults become mute/clumsy/idiotic or cannot otherwise function when in the presence of an attractive person. It’s annoying.
July 12, 2022
Cute cozy
Loved the town and the characters. Charlottes friendship with Marianne was sweet with both women desperately needing a change. The murderer was a little too easy to spot, but the how was brilliant.
Loved the town and the characters. Charlottes friendship with Marianne was sweet with both women desperately needing a change. The murderer was a little too easy to spot, but the how was brilliant.
August 15, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. I could not stop laughing. It had a great balance of mystery and humor. It wasn't too predictable.
Aunt Winnie is literally my favorite person. And it had a sprinkle of romance to top it off
Aunt Winnie is literally my favorite person. And it had a sprinkle of romance to top it off
September 2, 2024
This was quite cute although I was a little iffy on the mc for various reasons. The murder was interesting and I liked the resolution. Could have used a better editor - I noticed a number of spelling errors - but overall it was decent and I enjoyed it.
September 26, 2022
Such a cute little book! Loved the cute recipe at the end🧁 I plan on reading the rest of the series soon
June 11, 2023
Super cute mystery series. Awkward baker with a mind for solving mysteries! Love the small-town vibe
July 23, 2023
This book is so cute. I love quirky towns people mixed with mystery and a bit of rom-com. The perfect recipe!!
October 12, 2023
Super cute read
February 11, 2024
Mystery and murder in a small town mixed with a woman trying to find herself and place to call home. Very cute book ❤️
August 11, 2022
Vanilla Vengeance is a light read complete with quirky characters. The writing style is direct and easy to connect with. The mystery itself was predictable, but that didn’t detract from the story. I enjoyed reading female characters who were uplifting to one another instead of tearing each other down as is often the case.
April 6, 2021
cupcakes!
I loved this easy read mystery, the relationships of little old ladies too. Not stereotypical at all! Uploading next book now!
I loved this easy read mystery, the relationships of little old ladies too. Not stereotypical at all! Uploading next book now!
March 23, 2021
Charlotte makes cupckes
Charlotte moves from Chicago to a small town, to help take care of her great aunt. Winifred is a spry older lady with two friends her age who call themselves the Live Forever Club and get into trouble together. A fun read with interesting characters and a good story.
Charlotte moves from Chicago to a small town, to help take care of her great aunt. Winifred is a spry older lady with two friends her age who call themselves the Live Forever Club and get into trouble together. A fun read with interesting characters and a good story.
March 2, 2021
Cupcakes and Mysteries
What a winning combination. Loved the book and the characters were fun. Really liked the sense of friendship and belonging that this book brought to me.
What a winning combination. Loved the book and the characters were fun. Really liked the sense of friendship and belonging that this book brought to me.
February 22, 2023
Defeated by looks
The book started out well enough, I was enjoying it but everything went south when Charlotte encountered the Sheriff's son. Unbelievable, unexplainable reactions, so over the top, I could not read them I had to skip the pages.
I loved the sassy old ladies and would have enjoyed reading about them, they were much more creative and resourceful than the main character. They brought a sense of excitement to the story.
The book started out well enough, I was enjoying it but everything went south when Charlotte encountered the Sheriff's son. Unbelievable, unexplainable reactions, so over the top, I could not read them I had to skip the pages.
I loved the sassy old ladies and would have enjoyed reading about them, they were much more creative and resourceful than the main character. They brought a sense of excitement to the story.
November 6, 2023
A cute, quick read but…
This is a nice, quick read and the characters are cute but it’s incredibly frustrating that the main character is a trained chef and has worked in professional kitchens yet only seems to wear pencil skirts and blouses? Even when she starts waitressing she wears 2 inch heels? Not believable! Also the trope of the wholesome hot girl who doesn’t know how pretty she is and is charmingly clumsy at every turn has been beaten to death.
This is a nice, quick read and the characters are cute but it’s incredibly frustrating that the main character is a trained chef and has worked in professional kitchens yet only seems to wear pencil skirts and blouses? Even when she starts waitressing she wears 2 inch heels? Not believable! Also the trope of the wholesome hot girl who doesn’t know how pretty she is and is charmingly clumsy at every turn has been beaten to death.
February 28, 2022
I found the characters unrelatable and unlikeable. I made it to page 13 and had to end my journey there. Maybe the "she's a rule follower" makes sense later in the book, but it feels like it's trying too hard to be quirky and fun. Snarky older ladies can make a fun read, but I didn't find them in this book.
August 3, 2023
The story was…fine. The thing that got on my nerves was “you’re 28 years old why are you acting like you’re 5 in front of this man.” I understand people get shy or nervous in front of people they found attractive but they also don’t say “everytime you’re around me I want to vomit”….gives off mixed signals you see.
April 14, 2022
It's a very wholesome and tidy little cozy mystery.
I hate the trope where a person becomes a total tongue-tied idiot when around attractive people, so Charlotte and Logan did not work out for me.
I hate the trope where a person becomes a total tongue-tied idiot when around attractive people, so Charlotte and Logan did not work out for me.
August 3, 2022
The murder mystery aspect was really good, but when the potential of romance was introduced I was sorely disappointed when our main girl started to react as if she had never seen a man before. Besides that it was a short silly read I enjoyed.
February 15, 2022
I don't understand the appeal of a bunch of shoplifting lawbreaking old women. It's ridiculous and not funny.
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