THE CARROT MARMALADE MURDER
by Meg Benjamin
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
Blurb:
Roxy and Nate are finally getting married, but murder wasn’t on the program. In the midst of her wedding prep, Roxy has to deal with Nate’s trouble-making ex who thinks she can rekindle their romance. But things get serious when the ex ends up dead in a Shavano back alley. Now Roxy needs to clear Nate’s name, sell her customers on her carrot marmalade, and find herself a wedding dress. All before it’s time to take a deep breath and confront her own wedding jitters.
Excerpt:
“I want to get married, absolutely,” he said. “But you seem so unhappy every time you talk about it. I don’t want to force you into anything. I love you. You can tell me the truth. It’s okay.” Only he didn’t look like it was okay. He looked like he was steeling himself for the inevitable bad news.
I started to reply automatically that I wanted to get married, to have the wedding, to be together. But that wasn’t exactly right. And he deserved to hear the truth, like he’d asked. “I want to be married,” I said slowly. “I want that more than anything. It’s the getting married part that’s throwing me.”
“What do you mean?”
Once I’d said it out loud, I found I could keep talking without too much trouble. “The whole ceremony thing, the dress, the colors, the cakes, all of it. The freakin’ wedding. Everything just seems to ratchet up the pressure. Even if it’s just a small wedding, it’s still a wedding. I want to be your wife, but the hoops we have to jump through to get there are driving me batty.”
Nate narrowed his eyes. “Which hoops?”
“All the trappings,” I said slowly. “And the dress. Really, the dress. I hate the idea of walking in wearing this special dress and having everybody stare at me. I know that’s dumb, but there it is.” It was dumb, but it was also true.
“So it’s not the marriage that’s making you unhappy, it’s the wedding?” He seemed to be watching me carefully.
I nodded. “Yeah, pretty much.
My Review:
Roxy Constantine is busy preparing her new carrot marmalade for sale while simultaneously getting ready for her wedding to Nate Robicheaux. With the wedding day approaching rapidly, Roxy has yet to find her dress or arrange the wedding cake, leading to mounting stress.
Suddenly, Nate's ex-girlfriend appears unexpectedly, wanting to discuss their past. However, Nate has no interest in rekindling anything with her. Five years ago, he and Dallas were a couple until he discovered her infidelity, which led to their breakup and her subsequent marriage.
Despite Nate's repeated rejections, Dallas persists in trying to engage him. She even manages to convince Roxy to share a cup of coffee, perhaps hoping that by befriending Roxy, she could persuade her to facilitate a meeting with Nate.
Tragically, Dallas is later found dead in a back alley. Now, Roxy must add the task of clearing Nate's name to her already overwhelming list of wedding preparations and the production of her carrot marmalade.
The Carrot Marmalade Murder unfolds gradually, introducing the characters and their circumstances before plunging into the heart of the mystery. I found myself eagerly anticipating the revelations about what was so crucial for Dallas to discuss with Nate, as well as the circumstances surrounding her death and her presence in that alley. Who was she meeting?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Carrot Marmalade Murder and highly recommend it to fans of small-town mysteries! Be sure to grab your copy of The Carrot Marmalade Murder today!
About the Author:
Meg Benjamin is an award-winning author of romance and cozy mysteries. Meg’s cozy mystery series, Luscious Delights from Wild Rose Press, concerns a jam-making sleuth based in the mythical small town of Shavano, Colorado. Her contemporary romance Konigsburg series is set in the Texas Hill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are set in the Colorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing and from Meg’s indie line). Along with romance and cozies, Meg is also the author of the paranormal Ramos Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix and the Folk trilogy from Meg’s indie line. Meg’s books have won numerous awards, including an EPIC Award, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from Virginia Romance Writers, the Beanpot Award from the New England Romance Writers, the Carly Crown Jewel of Books from the Mid-America Romance Authors, and the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers.
Connect with Meg Benjamin
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2 comments:
Thank you for featuring and reviewing THE CARROT MARMALADE MURDER today.
Thanks for reading! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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