Overall, I give this box set 3.55 stars. There were several things I didn't like about the series. The situations that Lottie and Everett(and sometimes Noah) got into were mostly ridiculous. He is a judge and would have had more sense than to go along with Lottie's hare-brained schemes. Every person in the book was described as being beautiful. Not ordinary or cute but drop-dead gorgeous. If everybody was that good looking none of them when have been a head-turner. I don't like love triangles and there was not one but three of them in the series. Lottie, Everett, and Noah. Keelie, Meg, and Hook. Miranda, Rich, and Harry. Plus, Rich was abusive and Miranda giggled about it. It got old the way women threw themselves at Everett and Noah. Especially Cormack. There were grammatical errors(wrong word used, misspelled words, etc.) throughout the books. Not bad but definitely noticeable.
Cutie Pies and Deadly Lies--3 Stars
Lottie finds her landlord murdered and sets out to find the killer. I didn't have the murderer figured out so that was nice. Mora Ann and Merilee were supposed to be young but they were portrayed as bitter old ladies. I can't understand how Lottie has any man interested in her--much less several--because she treats them all like crap. She's rude and snarky even though the men in question didn't do anything to warrant such behavior. Since I bought the box set, I'll give the second book a chance and see if the series improves.
Bobbing For Bodies--4 Stars
This was better than Book 1. Lottie finds Hunter dead behind the bakery and is determined to find the killer. I didn't have the murderer figured out until near the end. I hate Everett calling Lottie by her last name. I thought it was silly that Noah acted like Lottie was cheating on him with Everett. The book would be better without Collette. I wish Everett would pick a decent woman to see.
Pumpkin Spice Sacrifice--3.5 Stars
Well, I got my wish. No more Collette. There was no reason for Lottie to be a suspect in the murder. If she had poisoned the food, everyone would be dead. The culprit was who I suspected all along. I wish Ivy would find a job somewhere else. She is such an unlikable character.
Gingerbread and Deadly Dread--3.5 Stars
Well, another unlikable character is dead. There were plenty of suspects this time around. I didn't have the murderers figured out. The scene in Kelly's office was absurd. I wonder what is going to happen since Dutch stayed and Nell admitted she can see the ghosts. So sick of them talking about "frosting her cookies." Hopefully, that won't continue since Lottie and Noah finally had sex. I wish Cormack would go away.
Seven-Layer Slayer--3 Stars
Eve was a nice person in the first 4 books but turns out a lot of people didn't like her. I had the murderer figured out before the reveal because no one else seemed like a likely suspect to me. It was ridiculous that Lottie let Lily teach her sorority sisters how to use the bakery equipment and give them recipes so they could start a rival bakery. When the murderer held a gun on Lottie, why didn't she just run and scream? He didn't want to kill her with witnesses around. I knew Nell was going to die as soon as she admitted she could see the ghosts.
Red Velvet Vengeance--4 Stars
Greer is dead and good riddance. A totally unlikable character. I knew who the murderer was fairly early but not the motive. Once again, Lottie and Everett get into some ridiculous situations. It was nice to Everett finally admit his feelings for Lottie. I still wish he would hook up with a decent woman and get a backbone. Dutch went home so I'm looking forward to seeing if Lottie's luck will change. I'm also looking forward to seeing how her relationship evolves with Carlotta.
Bloodbaths and Banana Cake--3 Stars
Well, that was interesting. Noah's wife showed up and Lottie dumped him. What I didn't like was that she jumped right into seeing Everett--knowing how he feels about her. If she loved Noah, she shouldn't have gotten over him so quickly. Then the story ends with it leading to a triangle. Don't like that. Anyway, a judge is murdered and there are several suspects and motives. I didn't figure out the culprits. Looks like the B&B is going to actually be haunted from here on out.
New York Cheesecake Chaos--3.5 Stars
Another murder occurs after Lottie sees Macon, a deceased macaw. It was interesting in that Macon could talk and tell Lottie things he had seen and heard. Rhonda was a nice person in the first books but she led a double life and wasn't a nice person, after all. Several suspects and I didn't figure it out until the reveal. I don't like the mess Lottie, Everett, and Noah are embroiled in. It kills Lottie every time she sees Noah and she says(to herself) that she still loves him. He keeps telling her he's sorry and that he loves her. So what does she do, goes and has sex with Everett. I don't like this aspect of the books.
Lethal Lemon Bars--4 Stars
When a socialite is murdered at the B&B, the are plenty of suspects and motives. I didn't figure out the murderer before the reveal. At least this time, Lottie wasn't alone with the killer at the end. I still don't like the relationship situation between Lottie, Everett, and Noah. It makes her seem callous and shallow. I wonder who Lottie cares about will die since Nell is back.
Macaron Massacre--4 Stars
Well, no one Lottie cared about died after all. Rich was murdered in this book and good riddance. There were several suspects but the murderer turned out to be someone who wasn't suspected until the reveal. I thought Lottie wearing Everett's grandmother's ring because his mother put it on Lottie's finger was silly. It was downright ridiculous that Cormack snooped through Noah's things and found an engagement ring and started wearing it without his knowledge. She is such an unlikable character with no redeeming qualities. She adds nothing of value to the stories.