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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
Deadly Vows is a light hearted and romantic cozy mystery. This second installment in A Britton Bay Mystery series can be read as a standalone. I like how the information from Deadly News was incorporated into the story. Molly Owens is happy with her new home and job. She enjoys spending time with Sam and her puppy, Tigger. Molly has the perfect location (her cottage) to watch the wedding drama at the B&B unfold. The mother-of-the-bride is controlling the wedding. Patricia Lovenly grew up in Britton Bay and has come back to gloat over how rich she is by throwing a spectacular, over-the-top wedding for her daughter. It does not seem to matter that this is not what her daughter and the groom want. Skyler Friessen is the chef for the event, and she is a prickly. It is no surprise when she turns up dead. Molly just needs to figure out which individual disliked Skyler enough to kill her which is easier said then done. There are a couple of suspects, good clues and misdirection. Deadly Vows is nicely written with steady pacing. I could have done with less repetition (I get it the first time). I did not like how many times Molly was told to keep her nose out of the investigation (it was not going to happen). I also felt the romance between Molly and Sam was too much for a cozy mystery. It came across as sappy (especially the dialogue) and their relationship progressed too quickly. We are introduced to numerous characters in this book and many of them had nothing to do with the plot. An example is Clay, the newspapers supposed social media coordinator. He added nothing to this story, and I am shocked he has not been fired. Some tweaks would enhance this cute mystery series. Deadly Vows is an easy breezy cozy mystery with a dead chef, a battling wedding party, an adorable pup, a handsome beau, and one a nosy reporter.
spowers2627's review
4.0
In Deadly Vows Molly has a front row seat to Britton Bays' biggest wedding of the year as it's taking place in her front yard. A relative newcomer to Britton Bay, Molly is starting to become more familiar with the community and grow her friendships and her romantic relationship with her sidekick Tigger. Unwittingly she stumbles upon another murder and her curious nature leads her on a path of unveiling clues and suspects. An enjoyable mystery set in a community the reader can imagine herself living in.
thisandthatwithkaren's review
5.0
This is the 2nd installment in the Britton Bay Mystery series, I found it to be as enjoyable and entertaining as the first. Britton Bay is buzzing with preparations for a wedding at the bed and breakfast where Molly rents a small carriage home. Molly is even helping out and plans to interview the rising star caterer—until the woman is found dead. And then the bride-to-be goes missing. To make matters worse, the venue is owned by Molly’s new boyfriend’s mother—and Molly was among the last people to see the victim alive. All of which makes solving the crime her top priority . . .
I was happy to be transported back to Britton Bay on the Oregon coast, (which is also on my wishlist to visit one summer). Jody is very good at describing the setting etc. so I can picture it in my mind as the story unfolds. The main set of characters were just as fabulous as in the first book Calliope, Molly, and Katherine and who can forget the bouncing dog Tigger. Plus we were introduced to local homeless man, Corky (who I cannot wait to learn more about)
I found that this installment was a bit more like an intrigue romance novel, but didnt mind (being that Jody writes romance this can be expected) It was nice to delve deeper into the relationship between Sam and Molly.
The mystery was well written and had plenty of suspects who wanted the victim dead. I did suspect the killer early on but there were a few red herrings so I wasnt 100% sure until close to the end when the final piece fell into place.
I can't wait for the next installment "Deadly Ride" in October!
I highly recommend this cozy mystery series to all my friends who love a cozy with romance thrown in.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Underground via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
I was happy to be transported back to Britton Bay on the Oregon coast, (which is also on my wishlist to visit one summer). Jody is very good at describing the setting etc. so I can picture it in my mind as the story unfolds. The main set of characters were just as fabulous as in the first book Calliope, Molly, and Katherine and who can forget the bouncing dog Tigger. Plus we were introduced to local homeless man, Corky (who I cannot wait to learn more about)
I found that this installment was a bit more like an intrigue romance novel, but didnt mind (being that Jody writes romance this can be expected) It was nice to delve deeper into the relationship between Sam and Molly.
The mystery was well written and had plenty of suspects who wanted the victim dead. I did suspect the killer early on but there were a few red herrings so I wasnt 100% sure until close to the end when the final piece fell into place.
I can't wait for the next installment "Deadly Ride" in October!
I highly recommend this cozy mystery series to all my friends who love a cozy with romance thrown in.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Underground via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
peggyemi's review
4.0
I enjoyed the first book in this series so I was really looking forward to the second one. I was not disappointed. This series is written by an author who also writes romance stories so the romance in this story is just as strong as the mystery - maybe more prominent. For me, I didn't mind that. I found these characters to be so inviting that I just wanted to see what happened next in their lives. Molly is settling into her new life in Britton Bay but unfortunately is in the wrong place at the wrong time when a chef she was set to interview is found dead. Molly's curious nature gets her into trouble as she begins investigating the death of this chef. There are enough suspects with motives to keep you guessing with a few twists to keep the reader waffling between suspects.
I am enjoying this series and the characters. It has a stronger romance element than other cozy mysteries but that isn't something that bothers me. I will definitely be continuing with this series and looking forward to book three.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.
I am enjoying this series and the characters. It has a stronger romance element than other cozy mysteries but that isn't something that bothers me. I will definitely be continuing with this series and looking forward to book three.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.
melmo2610's review
5.0
This new cozy series has truly become one of my favorite cozy series! I love the town and the characters and their family feel. This 2nd book in the series was charming and I could not put it down. With the wedding of the century coming up Britton Bay (according to the bride’s mother!) what happens when the caterer who nobody liked winds up dead? Molly’s on the case to figure it out! The mystery was excellent and kept me guessing and the romance between Molly and Sam is adorable. I am looking forward to many more trips to Britton Bay with Molly and the gang.
I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
debrajoreads's review against another edition
4.0
I am already looking forward to book 3!!
Britton Bay has that small shore town vibe that we all fall in love with in our cozy books and television shows. It actually has a strong Hallmark town feel to it. The protagonist, Molly Owens, had a rough start in book 1. Not only is she new in the small town, she helped solve a murder.
Settling in to her new life, slower paced reporting, small town, and budding romance; everything is just like it should be for Molly.... but for how long?
Things become a bit chaotic when a large party shows up to host a wedding at the B&B. Things get even worse when a member of the hired staff is found dead in her room at the B&B. Just doing her job for the newspaper, Molly uncovers a few things that lead her to believe the police have the wrong suspect in custody. Will she be able to find the real killer before its too late?
I will also add, I am totally in love with Sam too!!
#netgalley
Britton Bay has that small shore town vibe that we all fall in love with in our cozy books and television shows. It actually has a strong Hallmark town feel to it. The protagonist, Molly Owens, had a rough start in book 1. Not only is she new in the small town, she helped solve a murder.
Settling in to her new life, slower paced reporting, small town, and budding romance; everything is just like it should be for Molly.... but for how long?
Things become a bit chaotic when a large party shows up to host a wedding at the B&B. Things get even worse when a member of the hired staff is found dead in her room at the B&B. Just doing her job for the newspaper, Molly uncovers a few things that lead her to believe the police have the wrong suspect in custody. Will she be able to find the real killer before its too late?
I will also add, I am totally in love with Sam too!!
#netgalley
shannonreadss's review against another edition
3.0
I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review
This book was an enjoyable read but for me it felt as just another mystery. The plot was fun and I loved the setting. I think I would have liked to see a bit more character development. Molly was annoying at some points and it felt like she didn't learn from her mistakes. Though, Molly wasn't annoying the whole time. She also did a lot of nice things for a lot of different people, that definitely was a character trait I liked about her.
This book was an enjoyable read but for me it felt as just another mystery. The plot was fun and I loved the setting. I think I would have liked to see a bit more character development. Molly was annoying at some points and it felt like she didn't learn from her mistakes. Though, Molly wasn't annoying the whole time. She also did a lot of nice things for a lot of different people, that definitely was a character trait I liked about her.
novelstorian's review against another edition
3.0
A full review will be posted on my blog by April 8 2019
‘Deadly Vows’ is the second book in the ‘A Britton Bay Mystery’ series by Joy Holford.
Everyone in town knows about the upcoming wedding that is about to take place. Molly, a journalist editor of the local paper, is just as excited as everyone in town seems to be for ‘the wedding of the century. In order for this ‘wedding of the century' to be a success, the bride’s mom becomes extra picky about who participates in the preparation of her daughter's wedding meaning she only hires the best of the best. But when the infamous chef who was supposed to cater the wedding is found dead in mysterious circumstances, Molly can’t help but follow the clues and uncover secrets to find out what in the world is happening in sweet, little ole’ Britton Bay .
This cozy mystery was a well-written, quick read that is perfect for fans of the genre. The mystery plot was quite slow in the beginning and the actual murder happened a little later into the story, but it did pick up pace from there. I did find myself being invested into the story and trying to figure out who the killer was and how he/she committed the crime.
This series does seem to have quite a few characters, and I did find myself getting confused as to who was who and there were some characters that I feel like weren’t really needed in the book, as in the did not add anything to the plot, and could have been left out. Regardless of that, I did like Molly as a character so she, along with little Tigger, were one of my favourite characters. I did wish that we got to see more of Molly being a journalist and seeing her use her journalist skills while she was sleuthing around.
3.5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of ‘Deadly Vows’ by Jody Holford.
A full review will be posted on my blog by April 8 2019
‘Deadly Vows’ is the second book in the ‘A Britton Bay Mystery’ series by Joy Holford.
Everyone in town knows about the upcoming wedding that is about to take place. Molly, a journalist editor of the local paper, is just as excited as everyone in town seems to be for ‘the wedding of the century. In order for this ‘wedding of the century' to be a success, the bride’s mom becomes extra picky about who participates in the preparation of her daughter's wedding meaning she only hires the best of the best. But when the infamous chef who was supposed to cater the wedding is found dead in mysterious circumstances, Molly can’t help but follow the clues and uncover secrets to find out what in the world is happening in sweet, little ole’ Britton Bay .
This cozy mystery was a well-written, quick read that is perfect for fans of the genre. The mystery plot was quite slow in the beginning and the actual murder happened a little later into the story, but it did pick up pace from there. I did find myself being invested into the story and trying to figure out who the killer was and how he/she committed the crime.
This series does seem to have quite a few characters, and I did find myself getting confused as to who was who and there were some characters that I feel like weren’t really needed in the book, as in the did not add anything to the plot, and could have been left out. Regardless of that, I did like Molly as a character so she, along with little Tigger, were one of my favourite characters. I did wish that we got to see more of Molly being a journalist and seeing her use her journalist skills while she was sleuthing around.
3.5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of ‘Deadly Vows’ by Jody Holford.
A full review will be posted on my blog by April 8 2019
mrskatiefitz's review against another edition
3.0
Deadly Vows is another solid entry into the Britton Bay cozy mystery series. The emphasis on romance continues as Molly and Sam sort out their feelings for each other, and because the backdrop is a wedding being held at Sam's mother's bed and breakfast, there are lots of reasonable excuses for him to be around. I don't always love secondary romantic plots in cozies, but this one works well.
The wedding-related plot also reminded me of the first Meg Lanslow book, Murder with Peacocks (which I loved) and the fact that an award-winning chef was involved in the story put me in mind of some of the food-themed cozies I've read lately, especially Restaurant Weeks Are Murder, The Diva Runs out of Thyme, and Murder Lo Mein.
Combining the popular themes of wedding and food is a great way to engage lots of cozy fans, and this will be a great summer beach read. I'm excited to visit Britton Bay again in Deadly Ride, coming in October!
The wedding-related plot also reminded me of the first Meg Lanslow book, Murder with Peacocks (which I loved) and the fact that an award-winning chef was involved in the story put me in mind of some of the food-themed cozies I've read lately, especially Restaurant Weeks Are Murder, The Diva Runs out of Thyme, and Murder Lo Mein.
Combining the popular themes of wedding and food is a great way to engage lots of cozy fans, and this will be a great summer beach read. I'm excited to visit Britton Bay again in Deadly Ride, coming in October!