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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This cozy missed the mark for me. Trinidad has moved to a small Oregon town to open a Ice Cream Shake Shop. She is recently divorced, her ex is in jail and his other two ex wives live in the same town. When the owner of the popcorn store across the street is found dead she sets out to solve the crime. I did not like the main character. I found the writing to be clunky. The over cute names of the businesses really slowed down the story. There was a lot of repetition. The mystery was OK. I was able to figure out the killer. I love cozies and ice cream but I did not love this book.
4.5 stars
What a fun start to a new cozy mystery series! Dana Mentink is one of my fave romantic suspense / contemporary romance authors, so I have been eagerly waiting for time to read Pint of No Return! I love cozies. I love Dana Mentink’s books. I love ice cream. This seems like a match made in heaven to me. And it is!
Trinidad is a character we can instantly relate to, even if we haven’t been in her specific situation. We’ve all had people break our trust. And we’ve all been on that precipice between taking a risk for something new or staying in our comfort zones. Plus, she’s warm and insightful, witty and strong – despite all the craziness Upper Sprocket throws at her. Swoony, big hearted, nut farmer Quinn and his brother Doug serve as anchors of goodness in the sea of suspects, and the Martin twins (Trinidad’s teenage employees) had me chuckling every time they’re on the scene. Papa Luis is the mango topping on this delightful character sundae, and I just wanted to hug him all the time.
But the cherry on top, the scene-stealer-extraordinaire, is Noodles, the service dog flunk-out. If you’ve read any of Mentink’s books, you know that she can write an endearingly quirky dog like none other, and this senior pooch is no exception. His earnest desire to help leads to some interesting choices of aid; in fact, Trinidad says it best when she observes that he would bring her “every last condiment in the fridge if he thought it would soothe her.” Oh how I adore rescue dogs… and Mentink dogs… and this one in particular. If you read Pint of No Return for no other reason except to meet Noodles on the page, then you will certainly get your money’s worth.
Bottom Line: Pint of No Return by Dana Mentink is zany and fun and curiously heartwarming, too. The town of Upper Sprocket is cozy mystery gold, and Trinidad’s Shimmy and Shake shop will make you smile (and maybe even drool a little). The ‘good’ characters are insanely lovable, and I can’t wait to see where this series takes them next. I loved putting on my amateur sleuth hat & following the well-crafted plot, and I admit that I was completely off base as to whodunit, so skillful were Mentink’s red herrings. An adorable older dog, hilarious characters, quirky predicaments, a hint of romance, a clever mystery, sweet family ties, yummy ice cream, and a dash of Cuban heritage. What more could you ask for?
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
first reviewed on Reading Is My SuperPower
What a fun start to a new cozy mystery series! Dana Mentink is one of my fave romantic suspense / contemporary romance authors, so I have been eagerly waiting for time to read Pint of No Return! I love cozies. I love Dana Mentink’s books. I love ice cream. This seems like a match made in heaven to me. And it is!
Trinidad is a character we can instantly relate to, even if we haven’t been in her specific situation. We’ve all had people break our trust. And we’ve all been on that precipice between taking a risk for something new or staying in our comfort zones. Plus, she’s warm and insightful, witty and strong – despite all the craziness Upper Sprocket throws at her. Swoony, big hearted, nut farmer Quinn and his brother Doug serve as anchors of goodness in the sea of suspects, and the Martin twins (Trinidad’s teenage employees) had me chuckling every time they’re on the scene. Papa Luis is the mango topping on this delightful character sundae, and I just wanted to hug him all the time.
But the cherry on top, the scene-stealer-extraordinaire, is Noodles, the service dog flunk-out. If you’ve read any of Mentink’s books, you know that she can write an endearingly quirky dog like none other, and this senior pooch is no exception. His earnest desire to help leads to some interesting choices of aid; in fact, Trinidad says it best when she observes that he would bring her “every last condiment in the fridge if he thought it would soothe her.” Oh how I adore rescue dogs… and Mentink dogs… and this one in particular. If you read Pint of No Return for no other reason except to meet Noodles on the page, then you will certainly get your money’s worth.
Bottom Line: Pint of No Return by Dana Mentink is zany and fun and curiously heartwarming, too. The town of Upper Sprocket is cozy mystery gold, and Trinidad’s Shimmy and Shake shop will make you smile (and maybe even drool a little). The ‘good’ characters are insanely lovable, and I can’t wait to see where this series takes them next. I loved putting on my amateur sleuth hat & following the well-crafted plot, and I admit that I was completely off base as to whodunit, so skillful were Mentink’s red herrings. An adorable older dog, hilarious characters, quirky predicaments, a hint of romance, a clever mystery, sweet family ties, yummy ice cream, and a dash of Cuban heritage. What more could you ask for?
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
first reviewed on Reading Is My SuperPower
4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5)
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Trinidad Jones is ready for a fresh start. After a divorce from her cheating, embezzling husband, Trinidad moves to the small town of Upper Sprocket with a dream of opening her own ice cream shop. However, the town is home to her ex-husband’s other two ex-wives which is a little awkward. But nothing could have prepared Trinidad for what happens next: she discovers the body of one of the other residents. When one of the other ex-wives is arrested for the murder, Trinidad begins to search for the real killer to save her friend. With monster milkshakes to make, a shop to open, and a murderer to catch, Trinidad’s fresh start has gotten rather chaotic.
Cozy mystery is not a genre I tend to read, but I was really curious about this book! And it did not disappoint. Trinidad is such a likeable main character! She isn’t some crazy-smart protagonist with a plan; she’s just trying to save a friend. Noodles, her dog, is one of the best characters! He flunked out of being a service dog but his former training is still evident in his behavior. Quinn and Doug are also amazing characters—they really added to the story and were very well-written! There’s another character who I loved as well, but I won’t mention them because it might be considered a spoiler. The mystery itself was also good! Following Trinidad’s search for the motive and the murderer had me on the edge of my seat! Last but not least, the descriptions of the ice cream had me drooling! I would love to try one of those Freakshakes!
Ultimately, this book was very enjoyable! It was clean and the murder wasn’t graphic or gory. I would highly recommend reading this, and I would also suggest treating yourself to some ice cream to eat as you read (because those descriptions will definitely leave you wanting some!)
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Trinidad Jones is ready for a fresh start. After a divorce from her cheating, embezzling husband, Trinidad moves to the small town of Upper Sprocket with a dream of opening her own ice cream shop. However, the town is home to her ex-husband’s other two ex-wives which is a little awkward. But nothing could have prepared Trinidad for what happens next: she discovers the body of one of the other residents. When one of the other ex-wives is arrested for the murder, Trinidad begins to search for the real killer to save her friend. With monster milkshakes to make, a shop to open, and a murderer to catch, Trinidad’s fresh start has gotten rather chaotic.
Cozy mystery is not a genre I tend to read, but I was really curious about this book! And it did not disappoint. Trinidad is such a likeable main character! She isn’t some crazy-smart protagonist with a plan; she’s just trying to save a friend. Noodles, her dog, is one of the best characters! He flunked out of being a service dog but his former training is still evident in his behavior. Quinn and Doug are also amazing characters—they really added to the story and were very well-written! There’s another character who I loved as well, but I won’t mention them because it might be considered a spoiler. The mystery itself was also good! Following Trinidad’s search for the motive and the murderer had me on the edge of my seat! Last but not least, the descriptions of the ice cream had me drooling! I would love to try one of those Freakshakes!
Ultimately, this book was very enjoyable! It was clean and the murder wasn’t graphic or gory. I would highly recommend reading this, and I would also suggest treating yourself to some ice cream to eat as you read (because those descriptions will definitely leave you wanting some!)
4 stars. This was a good start to a cozy series with very likeable characters. I'm looking forward to reading more about Trinidad and crew.
Rounded up to 4.5 stars.
CONTENT WARNING: infidelity, murder
So I’m clearly a sucker for a good cozy mystery. I love the gory, gritty thrillers, but sometimes I just want to settle down with a book that is a little lighter and fluffier, with a punny title and some kind of adorable pet involved in the story. And I found exactly what I was looking for with this book. It checked off all the boxes for things that I like in a cozy mystery, and completely missed the pitfalls.
Starting with the title, I knew I wanted to read this. It centers around a Cuban American woman who finds herself in the Pacific Northwest, picking up the pieces of her life after a divorce. The other ex-wives also live in this small town, making for some tension right off the bat, especially since everyone seems to know everyone’s business. That’s how things work in small towns, right? And speaking of small towns, we have a delightful cast of quirky characters. There’s even a tiny hint of potential romance in Trinidad’s future, which I’m seriously hoping for!
Trinidad also has an awesome dog. Noodles is a service dog drop-out, but he’s still retained some of his training. I couldn’t help but fall in love with him, especially when he tries to help Trinidad in the most random ways, like hiding the mail because it stresses her out. As a dog lover, I can’t resist a good story that portrays a dog realistically, as this one did.
The story itself was a great one. Trinidad was a court reporter before her life got upended and she wound up in Upper Sprocket, Oregon. Naturally, when she stumbles into a crime scene, she manages to get inserted into the investigation and does a fair bit of footwork herself. There’s a minimum of blood and gore in the story, which I appreciated. It allowed me to focus more on the story and connections between the characters, although it was surprisingly hard to figure out who was behind the crime. There’s a lot of people who seemed shady, and although I spent a good portion of the story trying to guess the villain, I was surprised at the end. I definitely didn’t see it coming, but enjoyed the ride. I’m looking forward to starting the next book in this series, which will be coming out on May 24, 2022.
CONTENT WARNING: infidelity, murder
So I’m clearly a sucker for a good cozy mystery. I love the gory, gritty thrillers, but sometimes I just want to settle down with a book that is a little lighter and fluffier, with a punny title and some kind of adorable pet involved in the story. And I found exactly what I was looking for with this book. It checked off all the boxes for things that I like in a cozy mystery, and completely missed the pitfalls.
Starting with the title, I knew I wanted to read this. It centers around a Cuban American woman who finds herself in the Pacific Northwest, picking up the pieces of her life after a divorce. The other ex-wives also live in this small town, making for some tension right off the bat, especially since everyone seems to know everyone’s business. That’s how things work in small towns, right? And speaking of small towns, we have a delightful cast of quirky characters. There’s even a tiny hint of potential romance in Trinidad’s future, which I’m seriously hoping for!
Trinidad also has an awesome dog. Noodles is a service dog drop-out, but he’s still retained some of his training. I couldn’t help but fall in love with him, especially when he tries to help Trinidad in the most random ways, like hiding the mail because it stresses her out. As a dog lover, I can’t resist a good story that portrays a dog realistically, as this one did.
The story itself was a great one. Trinidad was a court reporter before her life got upended and she wound up in Upper Sprocket, Oregon. Naturally, when she stumbles into a crime scene, she manages to get inserted into the investigation and does a fair bit of footwork herself. There’s a minimum of blood and gore in the story, which I appreciated. It allowed me to focus more on the story and connections between the characters, although it was surprisingly hard to figure out who was behind the crime. There’s a lot of people who seemed shady, and although I spent a good portion of the story trying to guess the villain, I was surprised at the end. I definitely didn’t see it coming, but enjoyed the ride. I’m looking forward to starting the next book in this series, which will be coming out on May 24, 2022.
Pint of No Return is the first of the Ice Cream Shop Mystery series. I didn’t know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. The first in a cozy mystery series has its challenges to establish the characters, the setting and the initial murder the amateur sleuth is involved with.
The amateur sleuth in this series is Trinidad who is starting over in Upper Sprocket, Oregon by opening up an ice cream shop. I always enjoy food based mysteries as it adds a bit of lightness in what would otherwise be a dark situation dealing with a murder in such a small town.
This book also included a bit of anticipated possible romance, which makes a cozy mystery that much better and a lot of unique characters that come from all walks of life. My favourite is Papa Luis, Trinidad’s Cuban grandfather who provided a necessary steadfastness to the situation. I think he’s going to be a hoot throughout the series.
However, I couldn’t relate to how Trinidad instantly became friends with Juliette, her ex-husband’s ex-wife (yes, you read it right) that she felt so compelled to prove Juliette’s innocence when she literally just met her. I felt that friendship really needed to be developed more to make it more believable.
Overall, this is a quick and entertaining read and I look forward to reading more of the series.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for this gifted copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The amateur sleuth in this series is Trinidad who is starting over in Upper Sprocket, Oregon by opening up an ice cream shop. I always enjoy food based mysteries as it adds a bit of lightness in what would otherwise be a dark situation dealing with a murder in such a small town.
This book also included a bit of anticipated possible romance, which makes a cozy mystery that much better and a lot of unique characters that come from all walks of life. My favourite is Papa Luis, Trinidad’s Cuban grandfather who provided a necessary steadfastness to the situation. I think he’s going to be a hoot throughout the series.
However, I couldn’t relate to how Trinidad instantly became friends with Juliette, her ex-husband’s ex-wife (yes, you read it right) that she felt so compelled to prove Juliette’s innocence when she literally just met her. I felt that friendship really needed to be developed more to make it more believable.
Overall, this is a quick and entertaining read and I look forward to reading more of the series.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for this gifted copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
What a fun read! I enjoyed this one immensely. The story pulled me in early on and I really liked the characters that make up Sprocket. The vibe of the town and its people reminded me of one of my favorite cozy series, The Tourist Trap by Lynn Cahoon. Suffice to say, I will be looking for the next one in this series! Fantastic book!
I enjoyed this book: the writing style, the characters, and the way the plot unfolded. I don't get to say that often enough about cozies. I was especially happy with the developing relationship between the protagonist (Trinidad), her new friend falsely (we hope) accused of murder, and the victim's girlfriend. The last will probably never be friends with the other two, but it was nice to see a resolution to the understandable strain between them. I like the protagonist's grandfather, Papa Luis, and I can see him as an asset to Trinidad, but I can also see his strong personality overshadowing her. I hope the author is careful using him in future books.