The past: Emmeline (Mel) O’Rourke was a Los Angeles patrol officer and scaled mountains with her brother Liam. That was before an accident during a rooftop chase. That was before the aftermath forced Mel into early retirement, leaving the only job she had ever wanted.

The present: Mel’s life is the Babbling Brook Bed and Breakfast in Pine Cove, owning it with her family, living onsite, and being responsible for day-to-day operations. Liam owns a contracting company, so he visits the B&B periodically to take care of needed maintenance.

The surprises: I put forth 2 names. Poppy Phillips and Grandma O’Rourke. Talk about surprises! I can’t wait until you meet them!

I loved this cozy! The setting of the B&B, the characters that include Mel’s friend’s dog Chewbarka or Chewie for short that takes advantage of escape possibilities, and the delightful sprinkling of humor throughout the storyline. Mel’s acrophobia and the different ways explored to cope with her phobia was well-written. It not only gave depth to her character but was meaningfully layered as an integral part of the storyline.

Thank you to Marla White for the opportunity to be a member of the ARC Team. Opinions expressed in this review are my own. ( )