GRAND OPENINGS
CAN BE MURDER
Bean to Bar Mysteries Book 1
by
AMBER ROYER
Categories: Cozy Mystery / Woman Sleuth / Romance
Publisher: Golden Tip Press
Date of Publication: February 2, 2021
Number of Pages: 266 pages
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Felicity Koerber has had a rough year. She’s moving back to Galveston Island and opening a bean to bar chocolate factory, fulfilling a dream she and her late husband, Kevin, had shared. Craft chocolate means a chance to travel the world, meeting with farmers and bringing back beans she can turn into little blocks of happiness, right close to home and family. She thinks trouble has walked into her carefully re-built world when puddle-jump pilot Logan Hanlon shows up at her grand opening to order custom chocolates. Then one of her employees drops dead at the party, and Felicity’s one-who-got-away ex-boyfriend – who’s now a cop – thinks Felicity is a suspect.
As the murder victim’s life becomes more and more of a mystery, Felicity realizes that if she’s going to clear her name in time to save her business, she might need Logan’s help. Though she’s not sure if she’s ready to let anyone into her life – even if it is to protect her from being the killer’s next victim. For Felicity, Galveston is all about history, and a love-hate relationship with the ocean, which keeps threatening to deliver another hurricane – right into the middle of her investigation. Can she figure it out before all the clues get washed away? FIRST IN A NEW SERIES!
PRAISE FOR GRAND OPENINGS CAN BE MURDER:
“With as many unpredictable twists and turns as the hurricane approaching Galveston, Grand Openings Can Be Murder is an intriguing cozy mystery set in a new chocolate shop along the island’s historic Strand. Readers will love learning about the bean-to-bar chocolate-making process while the store’s owner, Felicity, pursues truth, justice, and the perfect chocolate bar.”— Diane Kelly, Award-winning author of the Death & Taxes, Paw Enforcement, House Flipper, and Busted mystery series.
Thank you all for your patience as Texas melted! Grand Openings Can Be Murder is the first of a series and will surely have plenty more to give. Our main character, Felicity, is really just getting her bearings and starting a new journey after her husband passes. Still, she is determined to keep her head high and dive into her chocolate business. Though at times it seemed like she wanted to dive into the chocolate itself. Her love and passion to making chocolate has surely been keeping her busy enough. That is, before the insane chain of events that unfold. At times, I was surprised by Felicity’s tenacity and ability to be optimistic throughout everything she’s going through.
What stood out to me was the attention to detail and very informative way Royer wrote. From her characters, to scene awareness, and no doubt extensive research into chocolate itself. It wasn’t just the many intricacies of chocolate and how it’s made, but just what makes it so delicious and how it made Felicity feel. Side note: Yes, I did go out and buy chocolate because of this. The characters themselves are plentiful and very distinct, making it easy to remember who is who. It is also no surprise how much is packed into just the first hundred pages with all the complex characters; their history, past with each other, and what they could be hiding. Even the animals tied into the story were a nice touch!
It will be interesting to see what Royer will do with her next book of the series. Felicity is still just beginning a new journey and even a possible romance. She is a great character to root for and I’m sure has more mysteries and chocolate to make.
Amber Royer writes the CHOCOVERSE comic telenovela-style foodie-inspired space opera series, and the BEAN TO BAR MYSTERIES. She is also the author of STORY LIKE A JOURNALIST: A WORKBOOK FOR NOVELISTS, which boils down her writing knowledge into an actionable plan involving over 100 worksheets to build a comprehensive story plan for your novel. She blogs about creative writing technique and all things chocolate at www.amberroyer.com. She also teaches creative writing for both UT Arlington Continuing Education and Writing Workshops Dallas. If you are very nice to her, she might make you cupcakes.
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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
ONE WINNER
Autographed copy of GRAND OPENINGS CAN BE MURDER
and a $25 Gift Card to Dandelion Chocolate
(US only. Ends Midnight, CST, February 19, 2021)
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| 2/9/21 | Excerpt | Texas Book Lover |
| 2/9/21 | BONUS Guest Post | Hall Ways Blog |
| 2/9/21 | BONUS Promo | LSBBT Blog |
| 2/10/21 | Top Ten | That’s What She’s Reading |
| 2/11/21 | Review | Missus Gonzo |
| 2/12/21 | Playlist | All the Ups and Downs |
| 2/13/21 | Review | StoreyBook Reviews |
| 2/14/21 | Author Interview | Rebecca R. Cahill, Author |
| 2/15/21 | Review | Forgotten Winds |
| 2/16/21 | Scrapbook Page | KayBee’s Book Shelf |
| 2/17/21 | Review | The Page Unbound |
| 2/18/21 | Review | It’s Not All Gravy |
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Looking forward to your review when you warm up and thaw out.
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So glad you are thawing out and had a cozy mystery to help you get through the storm. Great review. Can’t wait to read the book == will make a note to purchase chocolate beforehand to amplify the reading experience.
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