Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This has been THE best cozy mystery I've read yet!!! The characters are SO good and the plot had me ON MY TOES. Leila the protagonist was ACTUALLY smart yet realistically human in her emotions and reactions, and I loved that so much. Characters being realistic is hard to come by! I had whole physical reactions over some of the tense scenes!! I was so thrown through the wringer! This book was SO GOOD I'm looking into the next ones ASAP!!!
BTW the other comments about Leila complaining are being UNFAIR. Her dad JUST got KILLED, show some sympathy!!! She becomes steadfast and determined very soon, it isn't a whole book of being upset!!!
BTW the other comments about Leila complaining are being UNFAIR. Her dad JUST got KILLED, show some sympathy!!! She becomes steadfast and determined very soon, it isn't a whole book of being upset!!!
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It’s always fun to start a new series and Bruns kicks this one off with a winner. Bruns has written interesting and complex characters in Leila, Noah and the folks of Sugar Ridge. I specifically appreciated the addition of the family’s Lebanese descent and all the yummy cultural food references, especially that rose water baklava which sounds SO good and Noah’s character and military experience is a refreshing addition. Of course we can’t forget the mystery which has just the right balance the clues and red herrings that will have you scratching you had to the end. This is the first book is the Maple Syrup Mysteries series and I for one can’t wait for the next.
I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.
I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.
The Khoury family is a Lebanese and own a maple farm in Vermont where they have a store, cafe and give tours. Leila comes home to bury her father and finds out she has inherited it. I enjoyed the sharing of the Lebanese, along with the bits and pieces of their culture. I liked that the characters were not perfect and had personal challenges different than typically found in cozy stories.
I did think that Leila protested a little too long and a little too often given her comments as a child about the farm. It felt like there was also one piece left dangling, not material to solving the murders though.
Leila made some mistakes under duress that I hope in the next book she is smarter about, assuming the next murder is not a family member.
Looking forward to seeing what is next in store for the Khoury family, Heather, Noah, and Emma.
Happy Reading!
I did think that Leila protested a little too long and a little too often given her comments as a child about the farm. It felt like there was also one piece left dangling, not material to solving the murders though.
Leila made some mistakes under duress that I hope in the next book she is smarter about, assuming the next murder is not a family member.
Looking forward to seeing what is next in store for the Khoury family, Heather, Noah, and Emma.
Happy Reading!
Returning home from Florida, Leila Khoury learns her father has been murdered and the maple sugar operation has been left to her to run. As Leila tries to figure out who could have killed her father, the trails gets way to close to home for comfort. Full of maple syrup recipes, the story still moves pretty quickly. Thanks to netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
I gave A Doomful of Sugar by Catherine Bruns 5 stars!
Leila Khoury has always believed that everyone loved her father as much as they loved his artisanal maple syrup. But when he's killed, and she returns to Sugar Ridge, Vermont to take over his business, she starts to realize how much of his life she's left untapped.
With her brother under suspicion, her mother just barely holding it together, and police not producing any leads, Leila will have to investigate herself if she wants answers about her father's sticky end. But the more she learns, the more she worries that there won't be a sappy ending to the story.
-------- REVIEW --------
Wow, I loved this book and read it in one day! It is a great beginning to a new series and I highly recommend it. Beautiful Vermont is the perfect place for a maple syrup farm and reading this book during October was a very good idea.
The mystery was very intriguing and even if I had my suspicions, the ending really took me by surprise. I liked all the characters in this book, both family and friends. Even if Leila has a complicated relationship with her mother, I liked seeing them trying to work towards a change. I also have to mention Leila's employee, Noah! They had such fun banter and I love an enemies to lovers trope. He is an excellent candidate for a book boyfriend!
I can't wait to read book number two in this series!
This book comes out October 25.
Thank you NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Leila Khoury has always believed that everyone loved her father as much as they loved his artisanal maple syrup. But when he's killed, and she returns to Sugar Ridge, Vermont to take over his business, she starts to realize how much of his life she's left untapped.
With her brother under suspicion, her mother just barely holding it together, and police not producing any leads, Leila will have to investigate herself if she wants answers about her father's sticky end. But the more she learns, the more she worries that there won't be a sappy ending to the story.
-------- REVIEW --------
Wow, I loved this book and read it in one day! It is a great beginning to a new series and I highly recommend it. Beautiful Vermont is the perfect place for a maple syrup farm and reading this book during October was a very good idea.
The mystery was very intriguing and even if I had my suspicions, the ending really took me by surprise. I liked all the characters in this book, both family and friends. Even if Leila has a complicated relationship with her mother, I liked seeing them trying to work towards a change. I also have to mention Leila's employee, Noah! They had such fun banter and I love an enemies to lovers trope. He is an excellent candidate for a book boyfriend!
I can't wait to read book number two in this series!
This book comes out October 25.
Thank you NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No