We aren’t quite at peak PSL season yet, but that won’t stop me from reading anything pumpkin-spice themed! A big thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the free ARC of The Pumpkin Spice Café, the 23rd installment in Ellie Alexander’s prolific Bakeshop Mystery series—wowza!

Here are my thoughts:

Summed Up: A very pregnant Jules must juggle her busy coffeeshop and bakery while solving yet another mystery. This time, it’s the death of a snooty wedding planner. Now who’s going to take on the challenge of Lance and Arlo’s over-the-top wedding?

What I liked: The pumpkin spice goodies, of course! Beyond that, I mostly enjoyed the cozy bakery vibes set against a snow-dusted Pacific Northwest tourist town. Such bliss.

Thoughts on the mystery: This was a solid whodunnit with plenty of suspects who had motives for killing off a loathsome wedding planner. I do enjoy mysteries surrounding weddings—so much drama and gossip.

What annoyed me: This is going to sound terrible, but oh, what the heck! I’m not a big fan of pregnant main characters. It’s not fun having to endure the many scenes of Jules getting decaf coffee (bleck!) and talking about cravings, morning sickness, aches and pains, ad nauseam. And the annoyances are only going to get worse when the babies enter the scene. SO NOT MY THING.

Thoughts on the main character: Jules is fine—maybe a little too perfect—but I still root for her. She’s clearly the town sweetheart and a bit of a Mary Sue, so I can’t really relate to her. Honestly, the only thing we have in common is our voracious appetite.

Overall: If you’re in the mood for a cozy fall mystery, this is it! This was a very relaxing read that made me yearn for baked goodies nonstop. Hmm… I wonder if Haley’s Cakes and Cookies is still open. I shall jump on my bike and grab a snack for my next cozy mystery adventure!