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sekapes's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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? No
5.0
sbichell09's review against another edition
5.0
I love the characters in this book and I’m so glad we got to read more about Oz and Lupe.
cbsundance's review against another edition
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
3.0
bleyz16's review against another edition
3.0
IDK....I'm really rooting for Manny but I am getting tired of this whole love triangle as it seems to be dominating the story instead of the actual mystery. I'm hoping it takes a back seat to the next in the series.
readingwriter4life's review against another edition
4.0
Ugh...I hate cliffhanger endings. I love that Lupe won the pageant but I hate that Mel is obviously going to end up with Joe.
wildflowerz76's review against another edition
3.0
This was a satisfying read. I liked the mystery portion, as well as Oz and Lupe. I liked that it appears we're done with the rival baker shenanigans. But the love life of Mel! Gah. It's obnoxious. And the ending for Mel? Are you freaking kidding me? Her love life has been dragged out forever with no satisfying resolution, but the development with Angie felt rushed. I get that Mel is the main character, but surely Angie deserves a LITTLE more drama and story. Oh well.
readingwriterforlife's review against another edition
4.0
Ugh...I hate cliffhanger endings. I love that Lupe won the pageant but I hate that Mel is obviously going to end up with Joe.
klutzykat's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
baronessekat's review against another edition
3.0
Mel owns a cupcake shoppe that she operates with her two best friends. She's hired to provide cupcakes every day for a beauty pageant taking place. Lupe, the girlfriend of one of Mel's employees, is goodnaturedly strong-armed into participating in the contest by Mel's mother. Lupe agrees because the grand prize is full 4-year scholarship to any college she wants and Lupe cannot afford to attend school if she doesn't win.
At the pageant, one of the judges lowballs Lupe for scores of the interview portion and things get heated, with Lupe coming to Mel's mother's defense. It only gets worse when that judge is found dead the next day, strangled with a pageant sash.
Mel gets drawn into the investigation trying to help Lupe clear her name and continue with the pageant. It doesn't help that Mel is also being pursued romantically by three different men (number one her Mother adores, number two is one of investigating detectives, and number three is a defense attorney).
This is book 6 of a series and I cannot say that I think I missed much by not reading the previous 5 books. This would classify as a cozy romantic murder mystery. I don't think it was great, but I did not hate it and do not regret reading it. But I do not think I will be actively looking for more in this series. This series, and books like it have a distinct reader base, and I am just not generally part of that base.
If you like cozy mysteries, you would probably like this one too.
At the pageant, one of the judges lowballs Lupe for scores of the interview portion and things get heated, with Lupe coming to Mel's mother's defense. It only gets worse when that judge is found dead the next day, strangled with a pageant sash.
Mel gets drawn into the investigation trying to help Lupe clear her name and continue with the pageant. It doesn't help that Mel is also being pursued romantically by three different men (number one her Mother adores, number two is one of investigating detectives, and number three is a defense attorney).
This is book 6 of a series and I cannot say that I think I missed much by not reading the previous 5 books. This would classify as a cozy romantic murder mystery. I don't think it was great, but I did not hate it and do not regret reading it. But I do not think I will be actively looking for more in this series. This series, and books like it have a distinct reader base, and I am just not generally part of that base.
If you like cozy mysteries, you would probably like this one too.
daybreak1012's review against another edition
4.0
Like a cartoon snowball rolling down a hill, the further I got into this book, the faster I found myself reading. This series, after a somewhat awkward start and a little bit of a hiccup recently, has finally figured out what it is, and I couldn't be more delighted.
What I liked about Sugar and Iced:
The conversational tone - It reads comfortably, which means when I reach a point where the pages start to turn themselves, it's so easy to keep up because this author writes the way I think -- the vocabulary, the cadence of the words. It runs through my brain with a very natural feel. That's a rare find for me.
Joe DeLaura - Easily one of my top book-character crushes, ranking right up there with Derek Stone (from the Bibliophile Mysteries) and Jamie Fraser (of the Outlander series). Swoon.
Finally, a movie quote that someone had to think about! - It's no secret that quoting movie lines and naming them is a tradition for this quirky group. But no one ever misses a beat! Until now. Maybe it seems silly, but it made the characters feel more real to me as a result.
Mel's romantic struggles - I am typically not a fan of drawn out love triangles (in books or tv shows) but I can really appreciate *why* Mel is stuck and I like that we got right to understanding where her mind is on this. There's a valid reason for her hesitation and given her history, it feels right that it's giving her pause.
Chapter endings - I kind of like that each chapter feels like it ends in a mini cliffhanger. It gives me an excuse for why I need to read "just one more chapter."
What I didn't care for:
The actual case - Sure the Lupe story was predictable, but would I expect any less? Of course not. But the actual case involving the murder felt as though it could have been anyone so I never got a sense of whodunnit. It wasn't even that I was off track. It just seemed as though it could have been anyone and I had no guesses whatsoever. Odd, for me, with this genre. I'm not always right about who or why, but to have no suspicions or ability to narrow the wide field? Odd.
I truly enjoy this series. I might even put it in my top three cozy mystery series. (Please don't make me actually choose!) I am so disappointed by the final scene (I don't want to elaborate for fear of spoilers) but I am hopeful that maybe we'll sort it out in the next book or two? I know I'll be there to find out!
What I liked about Sugar and Iced:
The conversational tone - It reads comfortably, which means when I reach a point where the pages start to turn themselves, it's so easy to keep up because this author writes the way I think -- the vocabulary, the cadence of the words. It runs through my brain with a very natural feel. That's a rare find for me.
Joe DeLaura - Easily one of my top book-character crushes, ranking right up there with Derek Stone (from the Bibliophile Mysteries) and Jamie Fraser (of the Outlander series). Swoon.
Finally, a movie quote that someone had to think about! - It's no secret that quoting movie lines and naming them is a tradition for this quirky group. But no one ever misses a beat! Until now. Maybe it seems silly, but it made the characters feel more real to me as a result.
Mel's romantic struggles - I am typically not a fan of drawn out love triangles (in books or tv shows) but I can really appreciate *why* Mel is stuck and I like that we got right to understanding where her mind is on this. There's a valid reason for her hesitation and given her history, it feels right that it's giving her pause.
Chapter endings - I kind of like that each chapter feels like it ends in a mini cliffhanger. It gives me an excuse for why I need to read "just one more chapter."
What I didn't care for:
The actual case - Sure the Lupe story was predictable, but would I expect any less? Of course not. But the actual case involving the murder felt as though it could have been anyone so I never got a sense of whodunnit. It wasn't even that I was off track. It just seemed as though it could have been anyone and I had no guesses whatsoever. Odd, for me, with this genre. I'm not always right about who or why, but to have no suspicions or ability to narrow the wide field? Odd.
I truly enjoy this series. I might even put it in my top three cozy mystery series. (Please don't make me actually choose!) I am so disappointed by the final scene (I don't want to elaborate for fear of spoilers) but I am hopeful that maybe we'll sort it out in the next book or two? I know I'll be there to find out!