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froggycake's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Vomit and Suicide
things100's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Another great book from the tita Rosie’s kitchen mysteries series where finally our fmc chooses a love interest and we find out what’s going on with the shady palms winery
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Minor: Death of parent
kiala's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Alcohol
knunderb's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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
4.0
A really fun mystery story. 5 stars for the story, 3 for the narration. The narrator takes really long pause between some periods and commas. It sounds very choppy at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol
agnesjlopez's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Alcohol, and Murder
Moderate: Classism, Grief, Infidelity, Addiction, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent and Kidnapping
caseythereader's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Abandonment, Alcohol, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Kidnapping, and Murder
pinesandpages's review against another edition
3.0
This was perfectly fine which I was quite taken aback by since the second book in this series was one of my top 15 books of 2022. And to have this be just ok was a huge let down.
The writing felt much more “tell” not very “show.” It was a lot of exposition. At one point Lila finds a hidden note and literally thinks to herself: “A hidden note usually means someone has something to hide.” (This is not a direct quote, but a fairly accurate paraphrasing imo.)
Bc everyone involved in the murder plot was new (cousin Ronnie, the winery partners, the investors), I didn’t really care about them. I was not invested in either clearing their names or implicating them bc I simply didn’t know about them - they were introduced so briefly and sparingly.
Also, why would these new people confide so heavily in Lila, a complete (yet friendly) stranger? I was baffled by how much they disclosed to her at almost every turn.
It seems like Lila was fully over her PTSD, as if it had never existed, and had forgotten all of her previous emotional breakthroughs too. This novel felt much more surface level, just a basic mystery without the heart of the previous two.
And what was going on with Jay? The first two were fun in this department bc there was a brief love triangle possibility, there was flirting, there were some emotions. This one has none of that. Jay was just…..there. He was nice, he occasionally helped Lila out but they never flirted nor did their relationship progress in the slightest.
And, my final note: idk how Lila or Tita Rosie are staying in business with the amount of free food/drinks they give away. It was constant and always thoroughly described.
The writing felt much more “tell” not very “show.” It was a lot of exposition. At one point Lila finds a hidden note and literally thinks to herself: “A hidden note usually means someone has something to hide.” (This is not a direct quote, but a fairly accurate paraphrasing imo.)
Bc everyone involved in the murder plot was new (cousin Ronnie, the winery partners, the investors), I didn’t really care about them. I was not invested in either clearing their names or implicating them bc I simply didn’t know about them - they were introduced so briefly and sparingly.
Also, why would these new people confide so heavily in Lila, a complete (yet friendly) stranger? I was baffled by how much they disclosed to her at almost every turn.
It seems like Lila was fully over her PTSD, as if it had never existed, and had forgotten all of her previous emotional breakthroughs too. This novel felt much more surface level, just a basic mystery without the heart of the previous two.
And what was going on with Jay? The first two were fun in this department bc there was a brief love triangle possibility, there was flirting, there were some emotions. This one has none of that. Jay was just…..there. He was nice, he occasionally helped Lila out but they never flirted nor did their relationship progress in the slightest.
And, my final note: idk how Lila or Tita Rosie are staying in business with the amount of free food/drinks they give away. It was constant and always thoroughly described.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Alcohol
juffnstuff's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Toxic relationship
melissalynn117's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Alcohol
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Death
Minor: Suicide and Infidelity
kekepania's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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? No
5.0
This is my favorite of the original 3 books in the series. The characters are likable, the mysteries are serious but we don't dwell on anything too scary or gross, and the Filipino cultural references are so interesting! The main character Lila is written as intelligent and friendly, a competent business woman, but not without flaws. Plus there's plenty of mention of the main doggo!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Suicide attempt