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lynguy1's review against another edition
4.0
FROM BEER TO ETERNITY by Sherry Harris is the first book in the Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon cozy mystery series. I am a fan of this author’s Sara Winston Garage Sale cozy mystery series so I was excited to see she had another series starting. The story is largely set in a small town on the Florida Panhandle between Panama City and Pensacola.
Chloe Jackson had promised her late friend that she would help his grandmother if something happened to him. Therefore, she packs a few of her things, heads from Chicago to Florida and gets a job at the bar owned by Bonne’s grandmother, Vivi. What could possibly go wrong in this beautiful location?
Chloe is definitely a protagonist that you can root for and she had good depth for a first book in a series. The internal and external conflicts were well defined and believable. There was enough at stake to keep me turning the pages. The pacing allowed for the scenes to progress and flow with effective transitions. As always, this author did a great job of world-building. I got a clear sense of the town and the area around it as well as the people. While the reveal of the antagonist was not a complete surprise, there were plenty of twists and turns to get there.
Overall, this was a well-done mystery that was engaging, entertaining and a great start to a new series. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. If you enjoy well-done cozy mysteries, then this is an author that I recommend.
I won a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks go to Goodreads, Kensington Books and Sherry Harris for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
Chloe Jackson had promised her late friend that she would help his grandmother if something happened to him. Therefore, she packs a few of her things, heads from Chicago to Florida and gets a job at the bar owned by Bonne’s grandmother, Vivi. What could possibly go wrong in this beautiful location?
Chloe is definitely a protagonist that you can root for and she had good depth for a first book in a series. The internal and external conflicts were well defined and believable. There was enough at stake to keep me turning the pages. The pacing allowed for the scenes to progress and flow with effective transitions. As always, this author did a great job of world-building. I got a clear sense of the town and the area around it as well as the people. While the reveal of the antagonist was not a complete surprise, there were plenty of twists and turns to get there.
Overall, this was a well-done mystery that was engaging, entertaining and a great start to a new series. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. If you enjoy well-done cozy mysteries, then this is an author that I recommend.
I won a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks go to Goodreads, Kensington Books and Sherry Harris for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
kimdavishb's review against another edition
5.0
FROM BEER TO ETERNITY is the first in the brand new Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon Mystery series by Sherry Harris. This book could be used as a stellar example on how to hook a reader and I found myself totally immersed from the very first paragraph! Delightful, well-developed characters kept me turning pages because I couldn’t wait to get to know them and find out what happens to them. The setting of the Sea Glass Saloon in Emerald Cove, Florida is all about location, location, location and brought tantalizing vacation vibes to the story… er, except for the murder. The protagonist, children’s librarian Chloe Jackson, is entertaining and relatable. I loved the use of references to well-known books throughout the story to fit a variety of situations and settings which fit in with Chloe’s former career. The mystery itself was well-plotted with a steady pace. With plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing, Ms. Harris planted clues so a sharp reader could follow along with Chloe. I’ll admit I didn’t guess who the killer was because I was too engrossed in the engaging read and wanted to sit back and enjoy the ride. I simply cannot wait for the second book in this highly entertaining series!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for an advance copy.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for an advance copy.
littletaiko's review
3.0
Cute cozy mystery set at a bar in the panhandle of Florida. Chloe Jackson had made a promise to her best friend that if something happened to him she would help take care of his grandmother. When he dies, she moves to Florida to keep her promise. His grandmother hardly seems to need Chloe's help, but when a murder threatens the bar that the grandmother owns, Chloe will stop at nothing to help find the culprit. Fun characters and setting.
zermeena's review
4.0
This is the first book in the Sea Glass Saloon mystery series. Chloe Jackson has come to the Florida panhandle from Chicago to keep a promise to a friend. Chloe has come to "help" the owner of the Sea Glass Saloon after her grandson dies. The catch is that Chloe is doing this secretly. After the murder of a prominent and eccentric resident of Emerald Cove, Chloe decides that she needs to clear Vivi's name. Chloe not so subtly questions long time business owners. When Chloe becomes a target, she begins to look at everything in a new light.
This book had a good mystery and introduces an interesting cast of characters. Chloe is very adventurous, but not as mentally quick as I would expect a 28 year old. Her misunderstandings get old after a while. Of the supporting characters, I enjoyed Joaquim and Michael the most. I figured out a lot of the mystery ahead of Chloe and discovered the mastermind when she did.
I listened to the audio and found the narrator, Nancy Wu, lacking. Her over the top fake southern accents were annoying.
This book had a good mystery and introduces an interesting cast of characters. Chloe is very adventurous, but not as mentally quick as I would expect a 28 year old. Her misunderstandings get old after a while. Of the supporting characters, I enjoyed Joaquim and Michael the most. I figured out a lot of the mystery ahead of Chloe and discovered the mastermind when she did.
I listened to the audio and found the narrator, Nancy Wu, lacking. Her over the top fake southern accents were annoying.
katreader's review against another edition
4.0
FROM BEER TO ETERNITY by Sherry Harris
The First Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon Mystery
Taking a leave of absence from her job as a children's librarian in Chicago, Chloe Jackson arrives in Florida to fulfill a promise to her late best friend. But helping his grandmother, Vivi, is not as simple as she thought. Instead of the shy and retiring lady she expected, Vivi is a brash spitfire who seems to hate her, although she allows Chloe to help out at her Sea Glass Saloon. Chloe stumbles upon one of the regulars, dead by the bar's dumpster, and Vivi is brought in for questioning...multiple times. A promise is a promise, and if helping Vivi means looking into the man's murder, so be it. Will Chloe be able to uncover the secrets of this close knit community in order to find a murderer? Or will she die trying?
Loyalty is the hallmark of the first Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon Mystery. Chloe's loyalty to her friend, even after death, the heritage businesses loyalty to each other, and loyalty to Emerald Cove itself are integral facets to the mystery.
FROM BEER TO ETERNITY started out slow and I had a hard time getting into it, but by the end I was racing through, devouring every page. I like Chloe Jackson. Her quirks and backstory, along with her independence make her an appealing protagonist. Vivi is another story, as she is meant to be. Of course Joaquin is the perfect new friend and Rhett someone to smolder over. All of the characters come to life on the page and it's obvious they all had lives prior to the novel, bringing a ton of developed characterization with them. The references to GONE WITH THE WIND, the Wizard of Oz, and other children's books added a delightful element.
FROM BEER TO ETERNITY captures the beauty of the Florida coast, the refreshment of a well made cocktail, and the importance of friendship in a captivating mystery.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
The First Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon Mystery
Taking a leave of absence from her job as a children's librarian in Chicago, Chloe Jackson arrives in Florida to fulfill a promise to her late best friend. But helping his grandmother, Vivi, is not as simple as she thought. Instead of the shy and retiring lady she expected, Vivi is a brash spitfire who seems to hate her, although she allows Chloe to help out at her Sea Glass Saloon. Chloe stumbles upon one of the regulars, dead by the bar's dumpster, and Vivi is brought in for questioning...multiple times. A promise is a promise, and if helping Vivi means looking into the man's murder, so be it. Will Chloe be able to uncover the secrets of this close knit community in order to find a murderer? Or will she die trying?
Loyalty is the hallmark of the first Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon Mystery. Chloe's loyalty to her friend, even after death, the heritage businesses loyalty to each other, and loyalty to Emerald Cove itself are integral facets to the mystery.
FROM BEER TO ETERNITY started out slow and I had a hard time getting into it, but by the end I was racing through, devouring every page. I like Chloe Jackson. Her quirks and backstory, along with her independence make her an appealing protagonist. Vivi is another story, as she is meant to be. Of course Joaquin is the perfect new friend and Rhett someone to smolder over. All of the characters come to life on the page and it's obvious they all had lives prior to the novel, bringing a ton of developed characterization with them. The references to GONE WITH THE WIND, the Wizard of Oz, and other children's books added a delightful element.
FROM BEER TO ETERNITY captures the beauty of the Florida coast, the refreshment of a well made cocktail, and the importance of friendship in a captivating mystery.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
suzydemric's review against another edition
3.0
I needed a cozy mystery after reading a few harder novels. This was a very nice cozy, with a believable main character.
Interesting mystery with a decent resolution. A possible budding romance, and more mysteries to come in this series. I do wish Boone wasn't dead as he seems like a more developed character than the live romantic interest, Rhett.
Interesting mystery with a decent resolution. A possible budding romance, and more mysteries to come in this series. I do wish Boone wasn't dead as he seems like a more developed character than the live romantic interest, Rhett.
karen62's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. It felt a little slow but the mystery was good and the suspect turned out to be someone I never even considered. It's the first book in the series and I like the author's other Sarah Winston series so I will definitely be reading the next book.
bofrazer's review against another edition
Cozyish and not the right book for me at this time.
Maybe later. It just didn't grab me after I gave it an hour.
Maybe later. It just didn't grab me after I gave it an hour.
zermeena's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first book in the Sea Glass Saloon mystery series. Chloe Jackson has come to the Florida panhandle from Chicago to keep a promise to a friend. Chloe has come to "help" the owner of the Sea Glass Saloon after her grandson dies. The catch is that Chloe is doing this secretly. After the murder of a prominent and eccentric resident of Emerald Cove, Chloe decides that she needs to clear Vivi's name. Chloe not so subtly questions long time business owners. When Chloe becomes a target, she begins to look at everything in a new light.
This book had a good mystery and introduces an interesting cast of characters. Chloe is very adventurous, but not as mentally quick as I would expect a 28 year old. Her misunderstandings get old after a while. Of the supporting characters, I enjoyed Joaquim and Michael the most. I figured out a lot of the mystery ahead of Chloe and discovered the mastermind when she did.
I listened to the audio and found the narrator, Nancy Wu, lacking. Her over the top fake southern accents were annoying.
This book had a good mystery and introduces an interesting cast of characters. Chloe is very adventurous, but not as mentally quick as I would expect a 28 year old. Her misunderstandings get old after a while. Of the supporting characters, I enjoyed Joaquim and Michael the most. I figured out a lot of the mystery ahead of Chloe and discovered the mastermind when she did.
I listened to the audio and found the narrator, Nancy Wu, lacking. Her over the top fake southern accents were annoying.