A review by cher_n_books
Recipes for Love and Murder by Sally Andrew

2.0

1.5 stars - I didn't like it.

I can completely appreciate how this one will be loved by many fans of cozy mysteries, but it was not my cup of tea. Like most cozies, it was too cute, too sweet, too neat, and had a vexatious protagonist that thought she was a mastermind sleuth. Cozy novices are always so incredibly clever that they are able to magically run circles around the professionals to crack the case, yet they are so stupid as to not recognize the most obvious of dangers. I also felt the food inclusions were far too repetitive and forced feeling at times (and this is coming from a foodie). Around 85% into the novel I decided to just skim through to the end due to a persistent lack of engagement.

I will say the main character was more charming than that in most cozies and she did have a nice way with words when doling out advice. Fans of this type of book will surely love it. As for me, I will stick with the mysteries that spare you the violence and gore while retaining some grit, and also have a professional working the case. Recommendable series that fit this description that I have read thus far would be those by [a:Tana French|138825|Tana French|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1277505771p2/138825.jpg] and [a:Louise Penny|194243|Louise Penny|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1257567070p2/194243.jpg].
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Favorite Quote: Bruises and bones can heal. But the heart, the heart can be damaged for ever.

First Sentence: Isn’t life funny?