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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
This is one of my favorite cozy series. It's clean, it's fun, it's entertaining. The setting is unique, the main characters are likable, and the mysteries are compelling (even if they sometimes get far-fetched and/or predictable). My favorite part is that Flower infuses the series with interesting Amish/English conflicts, showing that the Amish are just as human as anyone else. Overall, the books are warm, funny, upbeat, and enjoyable.
TOXIC TOFFEE introduces an interesting element about Amish life that I hadn't considered before (I'm not going to say what for fear of spoilers). It made the book even more intriguing for me. I also enjoyed reading about Bailey's newest adventures, her continuing romance with Aidan (although I still think he needs more personality), and her relationships with her family and friends. I guessed some of the plot's twists but not all. Overall, then, I found this installment just as entertaining as the rest of the books in this series.
TOXIC TOFFEE introduces an interesting element about Amish life that I hadn't considered before (I'm not going to say what for fear of spoilers). It made the book even more intriguing for me. I also enjoyed reading about Bailey's newest adventures, her continuing romance with Aidan (although I still think he needs more personality), and her relationships with her family and friends. I guessed some of the plot's twists but not all. Overall, then, I found this installment just as entertaining as the rest of the books in this series.
This is a cute cozy mystery but it didn’t draw me in as other cozies do. It’s not that there was anything wrong with it—because there wasn’t—it just fell a little flat for me. And that’s strictly on me.
The character of Bailey King works—she’s the granddaughter of an Amish woman who owns a candy store in the square of town. She also has a popular TV show about candy-making. She’s dating the local sheriff’s deputy, Aiden Brody, and is well-known and well-liked in town. Her grandmother is also well-liked but is Amish so doesn’t approve of everything Bailey (who’s not Amish) does. Bailey used to live in a small apartment above the candy store with her grandmother, but moved out so she could have a place of her own—one with electricity.
Some of the other characters are a little over the top. For instance, Aiden’s mother Juliet carries her pet pig everywhere and, even though Bailey and Aiden just started dating, she’s already planning their wedding. It was just a little too much for me. And the town “promoter” Margot—she’s a bit too much to take too.
The author seems to know the Amish culture pretty well, but she also gets a little repetitive with some things (like the no electricity thing). Living in an Amish community myself, I was able to chuckle at the realism she did put forth. Yes, there really can be “traffic jams” with buggies and cars. It happens often. So this was something well-done.
The murder of Stephen—an Amish rabbit farmer—was definitely different, which was a plus. As was the reason and the killer. Kudos to Ms. Flower for an interesting twist. And that’s all I’m going to say. No spoilers here. J
Overall, the story wasn’t bad. It was mostly enjoyable and had an interesting end, but it just didn’t keep me interested the whole way through. Still… I am definitely going to look for more from this author. She intrigued me enough to look for others by her.
The character of Bailey King works—she’s the granddaughter of an Amish woman who owns a candy store in the square of town. She also has a popular TV show about candy-making. She’s dating the local sheriff’s deputy, Aiden Brody, and is well-known and well-liked in town. Her grandmother is also well-liked but is Amish so doesn’t approve of everything Bailey (who’s not Amish) does. Bailey used to live in a small apartment above the candy store with her grandmother, but moved out so she could have a place of her own—one with electricity.
Some of the other characters are a little over the top. For instance, Aiden’s mother Juliet carries her pet pig everywhere and, even though Bailey and Aiden just started dating, she’s already planning their wedding. It was just a little too much for me. And the town “promoter” Margot—she’s a bit too much to take too.
The author seems to know the Amish culture pretty well, but she also gets a little repetitive with some things (like the no electricity thing). Living in an Amish community myself, I was able to chuckle at the realism she did put forth. Yes, there really can be “traffic jams” with buggies and cars. It happens often. So this was something well-done.
The murder of Stephen—an Amish rabbit farmer—was definitely different, which was a plus. As was the reason and the killer. Kudos to Ms. Flower for an interesting twist. And that’s all I’m going to say. No spoilers here. J
Overall, the story wasn’t bad. It was mostly enjoyable and had an interesting end, but it just didn’t keep me interested the whole way through. Still… I am definitely going to look for more from this author. She intrigued me enough to look for others by her.
Another fun tale in the Amish Candy Shop series. Always fun and light p, especially with Jethro the pig. Love that Reverend Brook and Juliet are engaged.
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It won't come as a surprise to those of you who read my reviews that Amanda Flower is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors. She is such a wonderful storyteller that as a reader I am immediately immersed into her stories and transported to whatever fictional town she has created. I am particularly fond of her Amish mysteries, and this series is no exception. Let's start with the characters. They are well rounded, dimensional characters that come off the page as genuine. Her research into Amish life and the way she incorporates it into her books gives the stories such a authentic feel. Being a frequent visitor to the real Holmes County Ohio, I can see it jump off the page with the descriptions of the Amish and English. The mystery was well done and woven nicely throughout the story. Poor Bailey, she can't help have dead bodies drop at her feet (literally in this case). Ms. Flower does a wonderful job of providing hints and clues throughout the story for the reader to find. While the identity of the killer was not a surprise, how it was revealed did come as a surprise to this reader. As an added bonus, we are introduced to the main character in the author's next series and with just a little taste I cannot wait to read it.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
mysterious
Toxic Toffee, the latest book in [a:Amanda Flower|3412728|Amanda Flower|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1476971006p2/3412728.jpg]’s Amish Candy Shop mystery series, opens in New York City. Bailey King is wrapping up filming of her television show Bailey’s Amish Sweets and with her is her friend and co-worker Charlotte Weaver. Charlotte is Old Order Amish, but has yet to be baptized into the faith, allowing her this adventure.
New York City is unlike anything Charlotte has experienced in her life. Charlotte has grown up in the Old Order communities of Holmes County, Ohio; communities that shun electricity, online anything, and modern modes of transportation. But Charlotte will soon leave New York behind; she and Bailey are scheduled to fly back home to the village of Harvest, Ohio, where both will resume working in Swissmen Sweets, the candy shop owned by Bailey’s deceased Old Order Amish grandfather and his widow, and inherited by Bailey upon his death.
Before Bailey leaves New York, she receives a phone call from Margot Rawlings, a woman determined to put Harvest on the tourist map, and Margot wants to talk to Bailey about a rabbit. It isn’t until Bailey arrives back in Harvest, sees a colony of white rabbits on the village square and realizes Easter is approaching that she puts two and two together-Margot has big plans for Easter, and those plans include Bailey. Bailey’s grandmother confirms Bailey’s suspicions; Margot wants Bailey, a chocolatier who trained for years under Jean Pierre, New York’s premier chocolatier, to carve a chocolate rabbit for Easter. It sounds easy enough, until Stephen Raber, the Old Order Amishman who had been tending to the white bunnies on the square, collapses and dies. Heart attack is the assumption until Eli Raber, Stephen’s son, certain his father was murdered, begs Bailey for her help. Bailey King has established a reputation for solving murders, much to the chagrin of her boyfriend, Sheriff Deputy Aiden Brody. When tests determine Stephen Raber was poisoned, Bailey finds herself pulled into another murder investigation, while still having to construct a giant chocolate bunny for Harvest’s Easter celebration.
Has Bailey become involved in one too many murders in Harvest? The killer is determined to get away with his or her crime and Bailey finds herself a target of the killer.
Flower integrates humor, red herrings, and distinct characters into her books. The Amish Candy Shop series also includes [b:Assaulted Caramel|33290628|Assaulted Caramel (Amish Candy Shop Mystery, #1)|Amanda Flower|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1481210380l/33290628._SY75_.jpg|57448143] (Book #1), [b:Lethal Licorice|35266996|Lethal Licorice (Amish Candy Shop Mystery, #2)|Amanda Flower|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1496147944l/35266996._SY75_.jpg|56623104] (Book #2), [b:Premeditated Peppermint|37794311|Premeditated Peppermint (Amish Candy Shop Mystery #3)|Amanda Flower|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1514871409l/37794311._SY75_.jpg|59457678] (Book #3), and the novella, [b:Criminally Cocoa|42957259|Criminally Cocoa (Amish Candy Shop Mystery #3.5)|Amanda Flower|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1545645325l/42957259._SY75_.jpg|66768767]. Readers of the series will recognize familiar characters: Bailey’s Maami, Jethro the white polka-dotted pig and his owner, Juliet Brody, (Aiden’s mother), along with old and new Amish characters. Reading books in this series is like returning to a favorite vacation spot—familiar and comforting, but also capable of mystery and surprises.
New York City is unlike anything Charlotte has experienced in her life. Charlotte has grown up in the Old Order communities of Holmes County, Ohio; communities that shun electricity, online anything, and modern modes of transportation. But Charlotte will soon leave New York behind; she and Bailey are scheduled to fly back home to the village of Harvest, Ohio, where both will resume working in Swissmen Sweets, the candy shop owned by Bailey’s deceased Old Order Amish grandfather and his widow, and inherited by Bailey upon his death.
Before Bailey leaves New York, she receives a phone call from Margot Rawlings, a woman determined to put Harvest on the tourist map, and Margot wants to talk to Bailey about a rabbit. It isn’t until Bailey arrives back in Harvest, sees a colony of white rabbits on the village square and realizes Easter is approaching that she puts two and two together-Margot has big plans for Easter, and those plans include Bailey. Bailey’s grandmother confirms Bailey’s suspicions; Margot wants Bailey, a chocolatier who trained for years under Jean Pierre, New York’s premier chocolatier, to carve a chocolate rabbit for Easter. It sounds easy enough, until Stephen Raber, the Old Order Amishman who had been tending to the white bunnies on the square, collapses and dies. Heart attack is the assumption until Eli Raber, Stephen’s son, certain his father was murdered, begs Bailey for her help. Bailey King has established a reputation for solving murders, much to the chagrin of her boyfriend, Sheriff Deputy Aiden Brody. When tests determine Stephen Raber was poisoned, Bailey finds herself pulled into another murder investigation, while still having to construct a giant chocolate bunny for Harvest’s Easter celebration.
Has Bailey become involved in one too many murders in Harvest? The killer is determined to get away with his or her crime and Bailey finds herself a target of the killer.
Flower integrates humor, red herrings, and distinct characters into her books. The Amish Candy Shop series also includes [b:Assaulted Caramel|33290628|Assaulted Caramel (Amish Candy Shop Mystery, #1)|Amanda Flower|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1481210380l/33290628._SY75_.jpg|57448143] (Book #1), [b:Lethal Licorice|35266996|Lethal Licorice (Amish Candy Shop Mystery, #2)|Amanda Flower|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1496147944l/35266996._SY75_.jpg|56623104] (Book #2), [b:Premeditated Peppermint|37794311|Premeditated Peppermint (Amish Candy Shop Mystery #3)|Amanda Flower|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1514871409l/37794311._SY75_.jpg|59457678] (Book #3), and the novella, [b:Criminally Cocoa|42957259|Criminally Cocoa (Amish Candy Shop Mystery #3.5)|Amanda Flower|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1545645325l/42957259._SY75_.jpg|66768767]. Readers of the series will recognize familiar characters: Bailey’s Maami, Jethro the white polka-dotted pig and his owner, Juliet Brody, (Aiden’s mother), along with old and new Amish characters. Reading books in this series is like returning to a favorite vacation spot—familiar and comforting, but also capable of mystery and surprises.