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The San Francisco Mystery #6
#SandyBottom: A Legal Crime Thriller with a Slow-Burn Romance
A romantic drama from Amazon bestselling author Alexi Venice. Enjoy as a standalone or as a continuation of The San Francisco Mystery Series.
District Attorney Amanda Hawthorne has no one to blame but herself when a hookup selfie with an old flame is published, jeopardizing Amanda’s engagement to Dr. Jen Dawson.
Humiliated and furious, Jen leaves on a vacation with her daughter, Kristin, and Kristin’s father, Detective Tommy Vietti. Surrounded by her family and recuperating in the sun on Sandy Lake, Jen feels liberated. When Victoria Marshall, an old high school acquaintance, tempts Jen with a dinner invitation, Jen visits the intriguing businesswoman’s house.
Amanda, heartbroken and fighting her addictions, turns to dark music, loyal friends, and the California beach. Will she be able to resist her go-to mix of vices and lovers? Torn between her wild nature and love of Jen, Amanda must act quickly if she wants to salvage their relationship.
Tommy, steadfast and true to Jen and Kristin, nurses his bullet wound while vacationing with Jen’s family in Wisconsin. Will he influence Jen’s romantic and career decisions?
Contains some lighthearted and fun pink kink.
District Attorney Amanda Hawthorne has no one to blame but herself when a hookup selfie with an old flame is published, jeopardizing Amanda’s engagement to Dr. Jen Dawson.
Humiliated and furious, Jen leaves on a vacation with her daughter, Kristin, and Kristin’s father, Detective Tommy Vietti. Surrounded by her family and recuperating in the sun on Sandy Lake, Jen feels liberated. When Victoria Marshall, an old high school acquaintance, tempts Jen with a dinner invitation, Jen visits the intriguing businesswoman’s house.
Amanda, heartbroken and fighting her addictions, turns to dark music, loyal friends, and the California beach. Will she be able to resist her go-to mix of vices and lovers? Torn between her wild nature and love of Jen, Amanda must act quickly if she wants to salvage their relationship.
Tommy, steadfast and true to Jen and Kristin, nurses his bullet wound while vacationing with Jen’s family in Wisconsin. Will he influence Jen’s romantic and career decisions?
Contains some lighthearted and fun pink kink.
470 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2019
66 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Alexi Venice
29 books401 followersAlexi Venice writes award-winning medical, legal, and crime thrillers with smart and gritty female leads. Her stories blend high-stakes investigations, courtroom shenanigans, emotional depth, and character-driven romance in the relentless pursuit of justice.
Both The San Francisco Mystery Series and The Monica Spade Trilogy are Lesfic Bard Award winners. Standby Counsel was named Best Legal Thriller of 2021 by BestThrillers.com, and Baking Ice Cubes was a BestThrillers.com Legal Thriller finalist in 2025.
With thirty-four years of legal practice informing her storylines, Venice brings authenticity to the page. Her heart and imagination fuel the slow-burn, and sometimes forbidden, romance.
When Venice isn’t writing, she’s wrangling grandsons and playing on the lake.
Both The San Francisco Mystery Series and The Monica Spade Trilogy are Lesfic Bard Award winners. Standby Counsel was named Best Legal Thriller of 2021 by BestThrillers.com, and Baking Ice Cubes was a BestThrillers.com Legal Thriller finalist in 2025.
With thirty-four years of legal practice informing her storylines, Venice brings authenticity to the page. Her heart and imagination fuel the slow-burn, and sometimes forbidden, romance.
When Venice isn’t writing, she’s wrangling grandsons and playing on the lake.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 12, 2021
I don’t fancy reading a book that ends in a cliffhanger and that’s how Book 6 ended. Now I’ve got to wait for Book 7 to read what happens next and I don’t like waiting…
Back to Book 6, no mystery or crime to solve this time around. In fact Book 6 is focusing more on Amanda and Jen and the live that they are building together in the aftermath of Amanda’s indiscretions. Probably easier to forgive but can one forget? Might be more difficult to forget if there are things hovering just to remind you and take you back to where it all started… That was the case when intimate picture of Amanda and Roxy started to circulate online and Jen went all ballistic, took off and left Amanda (again). And so our two MCs were on their own with 2 distractions in a form of Margot and Victoria; to perhaps sway either Amanda or Jen do something which they may or may not regret or feel guilty in the aftermath. Revenge sex anyone?
4 ⭐️
Back to Book 6, no mystery or crime to solve this time around. In fact Book 6 is focusing more on Amanda and Jen and the live that they are building together in the aftermath of Amanda’s indiscretions. Probably easier to forgive but can one forget? Might be more difficult to forget if there are things hovering just to remind you and take you back to where it all started… That was the case when intimate picture of Amanda and Roxy started to circulate online and Jen went all ballistic, took off and left Amanda (again). And so our two MCs were on their own with 2 distractions in a form of Margot and Victoria; to perhaps sway either Amanda or Jen do something which they may or may not regret or feel guilty in the aftermath. Revenge sex anyone?
4 ⭐️
February 4, 2021
Where’s book 7?!
Fantastic series. Fell instantly in love with Amanda & Jen. I was definitely not ready for this series to end.
Fantastic series. Fell instantly in love with Amanda & Jen. I was definitely not ready for this series to end.
December 28, 2019
It's been awhile since I've read a book with such (I assume unintentionally?) awful, unlikable characters. Toxic relationships abound, dialogue is rife with clunky double entendres, and while I initially didn't want these two mains to get back together about halfway through the book I decided that no one else should have to deal with these two money-obsessed terrible people but each other. It boggles my mind that there are five other books in this well-liked series with more on the way! As a stand alone title, this seems more like unnecessary filler between books with no plot aside from a dramatic breakup between the two mains. Plot points from the previous titles are brought up throughout this book and the ending sets up the next adventure-based book in the series but on its own, this seems like a dull breather. Needless to say these characters and the writing style did not click with me, so I do not see myself reading previous or further books in this series.
January 22, 2020
Wow! I was blown away! This was my first book by Alexi Venice, and let me tell you, it won’t be my last! I was ask by the author if I would read #SandyBottom and give an honest review, and I’m sure glad I agreed. Since I had not read any of her previous books, I was unsure what to expect, especially since this was the sixth book in The San Francisco Mystery Series. I didn’t know if I could just jump right in and understand all the story arcs and backstory involved in a 6 book series. However, after just a few pages, my concerns were quickly pushed aside.
The first scene sets the tone and hooked me. Here you find Amanda, a complicated, self sabotaging, but oh so charming and beautiful character that seems to have gotten herself in quite a pickle, leaving her fiancée Jen furious. Indiscretion, recklessness, and poor judgement seem to find themselves pinned to Amanda’s scarlet letter as photos of a one night stand are leaked to the public. This results in a heated argument with Jen, causing Jen to throw Amanda’s phone over the backyard fence, announce “we’re done,” and leave for a vacation at her family’s Wisconsin lake cabin with her daughter and her daughter’s father Tommy, who also happens to be Amanda’s work partner. Complicated relationships, intriguing characters and compelling drama- all in the first scene! Oh yeah, I was all in and not stopping!
There is so much to appreciate about Venice‘s writing. She is an intelligent and gifted writer. She loves to use cleaver words and well constructed descriptions. Her words flow off the page and surround you. It’s as if you are a bystander, absorbed in every scene. The dialog is crisp and well crafted. The plot is nicely paced, keeping you engaged and captivated till the end. This is a well written dramatic romantic thriller, overflowing with mystery and intrigue. It is a roller coaster ride of reading fun!
The only drawback to starting this series with its last installment is this: I now have 5 more books in my “read pile.” Wait! What am I saying?!? More wonderfully written books-that’s not a drawback! That’s like having a shaved ice on a hot sunny day. Yes, very good indeed.
If you like fast paced, well written, romantic drama, then you should grab a copy of #SandyBottom and indulge yourself. The adventure is worth it.
The first scene sets the tone and hooked me. Here you find Amanda, a complicated, self sabotaging, but oh so charming and beautiful character that seems to have gotten herself in quite a pickle, leaving her fiancée Jen furious. Indiscretion, recklessness, and poor judgement seem to find themselves pinned to Amanda’s scarlet letter as photos of a one night stand are leaked to the public. This results in a heated argument with Jen, causing Jen to throw Amanda’s phone over the backyard fence, announce “we’re done,” and leave for a vacation at her family’s Wisconsin lake cabin with her daughter and her daughter’s father Tommy, who also happens to be Amanda’s work partner. Complicated relationships, intriguing characters and compelling drama- all in the first scene! Oh yeah, I was all in and not stopping!
There is so much to appreciate about Venice‘s writing. She is an intelligent and gifted writer. She loves to use cleaver words and well constructed descriptions. Her words flow off the page and surround you. It’s as if you are a bystander, absorbed in every scene. The dialog is crisp and well crafted. The plot is nicely paced, keeping you engaged and captivated till the end. This is a well written dramatic romantic thriller, overflowing with mystery and intrigue. It is a roller coaster ride of reading fun!
The only drawback to starting this series with its last installment is this: I now have 5 more books in my “read pile.” Wait! What am I saying?!? More wonderfully written books-that’s not a drawback! That’s like having a shaved ice on a hot sunny day. Yes, very good indeed.
If you like fast paced, well written, romantic drama, then you should grab a copy of #SandyBottom and indulge yourself. The adventure is worth it.
August 7, 2020
This is the 6th book of the series but it was the first one I read. All the books in this series can be read as “stand alone” but references are made to the other storylines. I enjoyed this story and the characters so much I knew I had to read books 1 thru 5 !! The main characters DA Amanda Hawthorne and Dr Jen Dawson are two people you can’t help but like and cheer for. Because I didn’t know the lead up to this book I didn’t know what prompted Jen and her actions but that didn’t really matter - I enjoyed this episode and Jen’s dynamics. The book(s) are very well written. The specific medical and legal knowledge in the book is a plus. Was not happy with the very end but I understand the characters, so I accepted it ... but I am still not happy with their decisions !!! Read “#Sandy Bootoms” ... you won’t be sorry.
February 3, 2020
Quite an engaging story.
This is my first read of an Alexi Venice story so I don't have the advantage of knowing the rest of the series. For me this was a great "stand alone" story. While the rest of the series would no doubt add a lot, nothing was taken from the story as is. It's a great story.
I will say there's a build up that definitely plays into a "next installment" but it didn't leave me hanging. I hate cliff hangers and this isn't guilty of that, it just leads into future possibilities.
I would recommend this if you like the genre while enjoying a great story. I will read more by Venice for sure.
This is my first read of an Alexi Venice story so I don't have the advantage of knowing the rest of the series. For me this was a great "stand alone" story. While the rest of the series would no doubt add a lot, nothing was taken from the story as is. It's a great story.
I will say there's a build up that definitely plays into a "next installment" but it didn't leave me hanging. I hate cliff hangers and this isn't guilty of that, it just leads into future possibilities.
I would recommend this if you like the genre while enjoying a great story. I will read more by Venice for sure.
July 17, 2020
Brilliant and read
This was an awesome read,with Jen finishing with Amanda and going home to Wisconsin talking Kirstin and Tommy. Amanda is decivistated. Not eating or sleeping well.She goes to Chance and Kip party .Joann meets Victoria and agrees to ...m meet again.
This story gripped me from start to finish. THe extra that. was added after should have been included in the story. Hey Hoy you didn't for reasons you only know.
Alexis Venice did a brilliant job writing this and cannot wait for her book in this series .
This was an awesome read,with Jen finishing with Amanda and going home to Wisconsin talking Kirstin and Tommy. Amanda is decivistated. Not eating or sleeping well.She goes to Chance and Kip party .Joann meets Victoria and agrees to ...m meet again.
This story gripped me from start to finish. THe extra that. was added after should have been included in the story. Hey Hoy you didn't for reasons you only know.
Alexis Venice did a brilliant job writing this and cannot wait for her book in this series .
August 31, 2021
drama first but romance following
This is part of a series that should be read in chronological order. I love how Ms Venice develops the characters using introspection. This is set against high drama and an unusually high body count and violence. I love the authors use of rich language which lifts the narrative. I love all the characters, not only the main characters but also those who populate the stories . A rich and interesting novel. Romance, sex and law enforcement my favourite story elements.
This is part of a series that should be read in chronological order. I love how Ms Venice develops the characters using introspection. This is set against high drama and an unusually high body count and violence. I love the authors use of rich language which lifts the narrative. I love all the characters, not only the main characters but also those who populate the stories . A rich and interesting novel. Romance, sex and law enforcement my favourite story elements.
August 10, 2020
Wow, this is a great series!!! Loved it!! I feel that I know the main characters: Jen, Amanda and Tommy. The book brings up some thought provoking questions: what is a family? what is fidelity?. This book and the series are very well written and each book in the series is a standalone, but I would recommend reading each book. I hope this series continues!
I was given a copy of this book by the author.
I was given a copy of this book by the author.
March 15, 2020
Too short!
Gosh, I love the books so far. Jen and Amanda are meant to be no matter what happens. I hope Amanda does not do something to mess up her future with Jen. I hope Roxy will train Amanda how to fight. She should have been able to on Victoria.
All I know is keep Jan and Amanda, and find Tommy a person.
I do the books have the right balance of romance and action.
Gosh, I love the books so far. Jen and Amanda are meant to be no matter what happens. I hope Amanda does not do something to mess up her future with Jen. I hope Roxy will train Amanda how to fight. She should have been able to on Victoria.
All I know is keep Jan and Amanda, and find Tommy a person.
I do the books have the right balance of romance and action.
November 19, 2020
Loved it
I couldn’t put it down! It is well written with authentic characters. I loved how the author accurately described the resort in Wisconsin. You feel like you are there with the family. Highly recommend.
I couldn’t put it down! It is well written with authentic characters. I loved how the author accurately described the resort in Wisconsin. You feel like you are there with the family. Highly recommend.
March 10, 2023
Love Series
In #SandyBottom the story is focused on Amanda and Jen. The previous stories had a whodunnit to solve. It was nice to see each of their reactions as they coped with infidelity. I 100% disagreed with Jen’s indiscretion. I cannot wait to read book 7.
In #SandyBottom the story is focused on Amanda and Jen. The previous stories had a whodunnit to solve. It was nice to see each of their reactions as they coped with infidelity. I 100% disagreed with Jen’s indiscretion. I cannot wait to read book 7.
Read
February 27, 2024Another Blockbuster
This series just keeps getting better and better. I read the next book in this series before I read this one, but I think I’ll re-read Lady Hawthorne, my memory isn’t that great. Waaay too much enjoyment to pass up.
This series just keeps getting better and better. I read the next book in this series before I read this one, but I think I’ll re-read Lady Hawthorne, my memory isn’t that great. Waaay too much enjoyment to pass up.
August 2, 2025
Excellent
Love the author, Alexi Venice. Plots are always tight and draw you in, writing is excellent, characters sizzle. Another excellent book in this series. Looking forward to the next.
Love the author, Alexi Venice. Plots are always tight and draw you in, writing is excellent, characters sizzle. Another excellent book in this series. Looking forward to the next.
March 9, 2023
I'm hooked on this series. Venice is masterful at helping the characters work through the very human situations they find themselves in. Sometimes love doesn't run as smoothly as we'd like it to.
September 20, 2023
Great adventure
I enjoyed this fun heart breaking adventure of Dr Jen as she goes on vacation and make a mistake and her fiance get fired back home.
I enjoyed this fun heart breaking adventure of Dr Jen as she goes on vacation and make a mistake and her fiance get fired back home.
January 1, 2020
#Fabulous
I was excited to see this new book in the series and was unable to put it down. The drama around Amanda’s job and relationship kept me hooked. A fabulous book and I can’t wait for the next!
I was excited to see this new book in the series and was unable to put it down. The drama around Amanda’s job and relationship kept me hooked. A fabulous book and I can’t wait for the next!
November 4, 2019
Dr. Jen Dawson and DA Amanda Hawthorne and the usual cast of characters are back again, in this seamless overlap from "Sativa Strain", Book #5 in the San Francisco Mystery Series. This book can be a stand-alone or a continuation of the series (my advice: read all of them!).
As is becoming the trend, Amanda is in hot water with Jen for some sexy pictures, are about to go viral - pictures taken when she was with MI-6 agent, Roxy MacNeil in Cape Cod, hiding from assassins.
San Francisco DA Amanda Hawthorne can't seem to get out of her own way. If a thing can be fouled up, Amanda is your girl!
Jen decides to go on vacation to her folk's cabin in Wisconsin with their daughter Kristen, and Tommy Vietta, Jen's ex-fiance and Kristen's father, to figure out whether she can exist without Amanda, or if she really wants to.
The distance from San Francisco to Wisconsin is about 2100 miles. All those miles apart from each other, Amanda and Jen are trying to figure out the tracks of their lives. That seems simple enough, but where Amanda is involved, things are never simple
There are women named Victoria Marshall and Margot No Last Name who are thrown into the mix to complicate the serious matter of whether Amanda and Jen will find their way back to each other. Victoria is a real piece of work - for more than a couple of reasons.
This book kept me on edge for the entire time I was reading it. I dare say this installment is my absolute favorite. So far.
The ending is left up in the air for good reason.
As is becoming the trend, Amanda is in hot water with Jen for some sexy pictures, are about to go viral - pictures taken when she was with MI-6 agent, Roxy MacNeil in Cape Cod, hiding from assassins.
San Francisco DA Amanda Hawthorne can't seem to get out of her own way. If a thing can be fouled up, Amanda is your girl!
Jen decides to go on vacation to her folk's cabin in Wisconsin with their daughter Kristen, and Tommy Vietta, Jen's ex-fiance and Kristen's father, to figure out whether she can exist without Amanda, or if she really wants to.
The distance from San Francisco to Wisconsin is about 2100 miles. All those miles apart from each other, Amanda and Jen are trying to figure out the tracks of their lives. That seems simple enough, but where Amanda is involved, things are never simple
There are women named Victoria Marshall and Margot No Last Name who are thrown into the mix to complicate the serious matter of whether Amanda and Jen will find their way back to each other. Victoria is a real piece of work - for more than a couple of reasons.
This book kept me on edge for the entire time I was reading it. I dare say this installment is my absolute favorite. So far.
The ending is left up in the air for good reason.
January 24, 2023
I'm not too well-versed in Venice's works and this was actually the first I've read in the series since it said it could be a standalone story. I have to say it was a real enjoyment. It was funny, it was romance, it was also not knowing if Jen and Amanda could put aside their past transgressions and start again. It ends in a bit of a cliff-hanger, but I hope the series is expanded, I hope Amanda keeps it in her pants while away from Jen.
*Note: Re-reading this a year later and I realize it was intended for Amanda to not be liked in this one. Jen wasn't liked very much, by me and several others, in the last two for what she was going through, and rightfully so she should've sought counseling. Or, that's what I was thinking, until I re-read this one and realize Amanda is really the problem. She's DA and she's getting up to this kind of stuff? Not necessarily realistic there.
Difference is Amanda is kinda a piece of crap to Jen in this one. She goes on these excursions away from Jen, sleeps with someone behind her back, and then expects Jen to be accepting of her mistakes.
No, Amanda, you don't get that after the third strike.
*Note: Re-reading this a year later and I realize it was intended for Amanda to not be liked in this one. Jen wasn't liked very much, by me and several others, in the last two for what she was going through, and rightfully so she should've sought counseling. Or, that's what I was thinking, until I re-read this one and realize Amanda is really the problem. She's DA and she's getting up to this kind of stuff? Not necessarily realistic there.
Difference is Amanda is kinda a piece of crap to Jen in this one. She goes on these excursions away from Jen, sleeps with someone behind her back, and then expects Jen to be accepting of her mistakes.
No, Amanda, you don't get that after the third strike.
November 10, 2019
Fantastic follow-up but frustrating ending
“For the first time in her life, she had turned her heart over to someone, only to have it ripped to shreds by her own actions. She had no one to blame but herself.”
• ~ • ~ • ~ •
Just speechless…
…Another awesome, entertaining story
with captivating characters. Very very very enjoyable to read. Anticipating what the next episode in this series wilk bring.
This intriguing series continues to captivate & compel with another engaging & entertaining story with magnificent characters, passionate sex scenes, surprising narratives, intense experiences & thrilling mysteries…
BUT…that ending though—ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! 💯 real talk, How you gonna just leave us stuck on stupid, straight hanging like— What the hell happens next?!?!
“For the first time in her life, she had turned her heart over to someone, only to have it ripped to shreds by her own actions. She had no one to blame but herself.”
• ~ • ~ • ~ •
Just speechless…
…Another awesome, entertaining story
with captivating characters. Very very very enjoyable to read. Anticipating what the next episode in this series wilk bring.
This intriguing series continues to captivate & compel with another engaging & entertaining story with magnificent characters, passionate sex scenes, surprising narratives, intense experiences & thrilling mysteries…
BUT…that ending though—ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! 💯 real talk, How you gonna just leave us stuck on stupid, straight hanging like— What the hell happens next?!?!
December 15, 2019
A great book by a writer from my hometown. The author does a great job of developing characters and their relationships. While this book is a standalone, having read the previous ones in this series probably would have helped, so I'd really give this book 4.5 stars...but it was strong enough, that I now want to read those titles!
December 2, 2019
Another great installment of the SF Mystery series. This one was more about the mystery of where Jen and Amanda’s personal lives are going to leave them. Getting a deeper glimpse of Jen and her family. Really enjoyed the descriptions of Jen’s cabin and skiing - felt like I was joining a Midwestern summer day. Can’t wait for the next book and a traditional Alexi Venice story of mystery, murder and mayhem!
December 4, 2019
Can’t stay mad at Amanda
Those two were meant for each other......weren’t they? Jen’s not sure, and walks away. Amanda becomes sure and vows to stay on track. Jen runs into a high school acquaintance who really wants to catch up! What about the troublesome Scot, Roxy? You’ll have to read it for yourself to find out! 😉 Believe me, it’s well worth your time - Venice has another hit! Loved it!
Those two were meant for each other......weren’t they? Jen’s not sure, and walks away. Amanda becomes sure and vows to stay on track. Jen runs into a high school acquaintance who really wants to catch up! What about the troublesome Scot, Roxy? You’ll have to read it for yourself to find out! 😉 Believe me, it’s well worth your time - Venice has another hit! Loved it!
November 28, 2019
Good
I love this series of books. And would love a Jen and Amanda wedding. Tommy and Roxie all working together always leads to more trouble but love the action hope for more books to come. I am sure there is always away to keep these 4 working together/ maybe a Amanda/ Tommy baby???
I love this series of books. And would love a Jen and Amanda wedding. Tommy and Roxie all working together always leads to more trouble but love the action hope for more books to come. I am sure there is always away to keep these 4 working together/ maybe a Amanda/ Tommy baby???
November 2, 2019
As good as the others from this series. Looking forward to reading the next one. Amanda and Jen should stay together and Tommy should find someone else to love. Please don't take sorry long to write the next book .
February 7, 2023
Looking for book #7 am really disappointed in the way things are progressing at this point. Am so angry at Jen.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews