I must be a masochist because there’s no other explanation as to why I chose to simultaneously read two bakery shop cozies—both revolving around wedding catastrophes! Seriously, why do I do this to myself? I had a heck of a time teasing the two mysteries apart while I listened to them on audio (one in my swimming headphones, the other in my phone for commuting, chores, etc.). My reading/listening system is getting a little chaotic these days. Either way, I made it through both books and must now jot my thoughts down before they get mixed up in my mind like a bowl of cinnamon swirl muffin batter!

Donut Disturb by Ellie Alexander

The gist: Bakery shop owner Jules is putting on her gumshoes yet again as another murder afflicts her adorable Shakespearean town of Ashville, Oregon. The mysterious death of a wedding band member has cast a dark cloud over the wedding, and everyone is looking at the bride’s ex-con father! It’s up to Jules and her Torte bakery crew to save the day before the killer strikes again!

What I liked: This series has two big selling points: The gorgeous, whimsical Ashland setting and the colorful characters who run the bakery. I enjoy Jules’ dynamic with her beloved stepfather, The Professor. I also really get a kick out of Lance, her loyal employee who has a flare for drama. They make a great little crime-solving team.

What irked me: Now don’t get me wrong; I love me some delicious confectionary delights! However, the many, many long descriptions of baked goods seemed more like sausage stuffing to me. Did the author need to just plop two pages of recipe descriptions here and there to meet the standard page count? These interludes were as welcome and commercial interruptions during my favorite, most scandalous Lifetime movies. So annoying!

Thoughts on the subplot:  To break up the mystery, the author threw in a little side-drama about a formerly cantankerous employee, Steph, and her budding romance with some character whose name already escapes me. See! This is why I keep a running book blog. It’s the only way to reflect upon all my literary escapades! Either way, I thought this was a sweet little side-story with a funny twist with Steph’s parents. This is a great way to build character development as the series progresses. Well done, Miss Alexander!

Will I continue this series? Yes! I look forward to visiting this quaint little hamlet once again! Like many of my other favorite cozy series (the Bones Mysteries especially!), I always feel like I’m reuniting with old friends. Ah, the joys of reading!

Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake by Sarah Graves

The gist: Bakery shop owners Ellie and Jake find themselves in a bind as their business dwindles. The only thing that can keep them afloat is the successful completion of a wedding cake for the town’s power couple, Sharon Sweetwater and Andy Devine. Much to their dismay, the groom becomes suspect No. 1 when Sharon’s blackmailing ex dies inexplicably by an arsenic-laden milkshake—from the bakery shop, no less!

What I liked: The biggest selling point here is the setting. I enjoyed transporting myself to the waterfront bakery full of sweet confections! The descriptions drove me wild, which is probably not a good thing since I’m trying to boycott sugar while battling the bulge. Needless to say, I will not be trying out any of the book’s delectable recipes…sniff, sniff.

What irked me: As with most cozy mysteries, the main character’s TSTL (Too Stupid to Live) complex was a little much. I agree with many reviewers that her decision to kayak out to a suspect’s house without alerting the authorities was beyond ridiculous. Plus, it’s a little confusing why she needed to kayak or canoe (I can’t remember!) out there when she probably could’ve just taken a car. Considering her inability to handle a watercraft of any kind, and her phobia of leeches, this misadventure made zero sense.

Thoughts on the subplots: Again, I agree with many of my fellow reviewers that the subplot involving her elderly father’s rebellious ways really didn’t do anything for the story. However, I do feel her pain! My dad can barely function, but he just bought himself a brand-new truck. It’s terrifying thinking about him driving around in that thing. But I digress…where was I? Oh yes, and then there was the stolen baby. This event seemed rather random and unnecessary, but it did humble the main character a little bit, making her second guess her involvement in murder mysteries. Yet even after a brief moment of introspection, she went on and did TSTL things anyway…sigh.

Things that confused me: I’m really not understanding why their popular bakery shop is in dire straits. If it’s as good as they say, why are they losing business? And how the heck does one wedding cake sale put them back in the black?  I know wedding cakes are crazy expensive, but do they cost enough to singlehandedly save a tanking business? I just don’t get it!

Will I continue this series? Meh…I don’t know. I stopped reading Sarah Graves’ Home Repair mysteries because the main character is just a little too crusty. I wasn’t too fond of the characters in this one, so I’ll probably give this series a pass. There’s plenty of other bakery shop mysteries out there to satisfy my literary sweet tooth!