This is the first book in a new series, and I loved Ms. Dyer-Seeley's previous one, so I wanted to give this one a chance. But I'm not even going to go over the plot again; it's pretty much what the blurb tells you it is.

I was so disappointed in this book that I don't think I'll even write a detailed review, but just give my thoughts from the few chapters I read before I became totally bored by it: First off, Britta just walks out on her husband when he's sleeping. Yes, I get that he was cheating, but where's the closure? She never confronted him with what she knows and states that he'll realize she's gone for good when she doesn't come back. Well, duh. The fact that her clothes are gone would be a real clue. But is she so devoid of feeling anything that she doesn't want to lash out or tell him what she knows? She spent ten years with the man and doesn't react at all -- just packs her bags and leaves. What a boring woman. No anger, no sadness, no anything.

Also, she's too contradictory. First she states how she hates her job and wants to be creative, but when her aunt offers her the chance to do so, she panics and tells her that she can't. Huh? This doesn't make any sense. She also mentions how she hated her husband Chad's watered-down coffee. Excuse me, you were married ten years and you never either a) told him it was watered-down and you hated it; b) showed him how to make proper coffee; or c) just made it yourself? To top it off, she's willing to start a new romance after just leaving a marriage that obviously left her numb.

I don't know if her husband ever contacted her, if she ever realized he was just lazy and happy that she was willing to support him, and I honestly don't care. Like Britta, this book left me numb (what I read of it). The book went downhill more after that, so I stopped reading and didn't even care who the killer was or why. Again, while I loved Ms. Dyer-Seely's other series, this new one is less than enthralling. ( )

Natural Thorn Killer by Kate Dyer-Seeley is the first installment in A Rose City Mystery series. Britta Johnston has been putting her dreams on hold (having her own floral shop) and working two jobs so her husband, Chad can work on his novel (he needs to concentrate on it fully). When Britta discovers that Chad is having an affair, she decides it is time for a change. Britta packs up her belongings and heads back home to Portland, Oregon where her Aunt Elin lives and has her floral boutique and wine bar combination, Blooma. Aunt Elin raised Britta and is happy to have her return. The timing is perfect since Elin is getting ready for the grand opening of her cottage that will feature classes/workshops on floral design (flower jewelry for example). Britta is soon immersed in running Blooma, but not everything is rosy. Someone is leaving dead roses at the shop and a seedy real estate developer is intent on buying up Riverplace Village (where BLooma and other charming shops are located). Britta is opening up Blooma one morning and notices the doors to the cottage are open. She goes inside and finds Frank Jaffe, the developer, on the floor with Elin’s floral shears sticking out of his chest and roses scattered on the floor. Detective Pete Fletcher hones in on Elin as the killer which makes Britta determined to dig up the guilty party.

In Natural Thorn Killer I was drawn right away into the story. I liked the author’s conversational writing style. The book had a nice steady pace and good flow. The two main characters of Britta and Elin are engaging and relatable. I liked their creative energy and ideas. I appreciated that the author gave the characters a Swedish background and had Swedish words/phrases sprinkled throughout the story. Two side characters that added to the story were Nora who owns Demitasse (spunky) and Officer Tomo Iwamoto (great personality). I enjoyed the descriptions of the Riverplace Village where Blooma was located. It sounds just charming and has a nice small-town feel (even though it is in Portland). The author included some interesting facts about Portland. I did feel that it was too soon for a romance for Britta since she just left her cheating husband. I really hope that there will not be a love triangle (there are hints of it). The author included wonderful descriptions of the flowers and arrangements created at Blooma along with interesting facts about the flowers. She really brought them alive with her words. The one downfall of the book was the mystery. There were a limited number of suspects and little investigation (just some questioning). There was a lack of action and the reveal was disappointing. I wish the author had found a different way to wrap up the book (it was more supposition that fact). The why part of the murder was slightly farfetched. At the end there are tips for increasing the longevity of a bouquet of flowers, recipe for Swedish pancakes, and how to pair flowers with wine (never thought of that before). I give Natural Thorn Killer 4 out of 5 stars. If the mystery had been more compelling, I would have been a very happy reader. The next book in A Rose City Mystery series is Violet Tendencies. ( )

This was a very enjoyable cozy mystery. I enjoyed meeting Britta. I don't know how she had the patience with a husband who didn't work and basically mooched off his wife. What a shock poor Britta had when she found out her husband was cheating. Oh he made me so mad with his excuses and begging Britta to come back. I say fat chance of that happening. The best decision she made was packing up and going to stay with her aunt Elin. It's a perfect arrangement for both of them. Britta has come to the picturesque place nestled in Portland, Oregon.

The description that the author gives about the area had me wanting to pack up and move there myself. She helps readers visualize the quaint shops and beautiful landscape. I was mesmerized by the details of the flowers in Elin's flower shop. I didn't realize there were so many different kinds of roses, but I sure could smell the intoxicating scent as you open the door to the shop. The intricate knowledge of flowers really highlighted the story for me.

Elin is excited about expanding her business and Britta has come at the perfect time to help her. I could sense the excitement Britta had when she knew she would be running the shop as Elin focus is on teaching classes about floral techniques, designs and other related topics that include the beauty of flowers. There is just one problem with this great plan and his name is Frank Jaffe. I didn't like his rudeness and superior attitude at all. He has this big plan that include buying Elin's shop and developing it into something profitable. Many shop owners are not in favor of being bought out and Frank seems to have made some enemies in the town.

I wonder who Britta finds dead in the shop the day after Frank tries to convince everyone to let him buy them out? My question is why and how did he get into the shop? I enjoyed the investigation and the determination Britta had to help solve the murder. The author does a great job of letting readers get to know the characters with wonderful dialogue and fascinating facts about them. It is a race to the finish as Britta starts to get too close to the true killer. Can she clear her and her aunts name before someone else gets hurt? I have become a huge fan of the author and can't wait for the next book in the series. At the end of the book the author has included floral tips as well as some delicious recipes to cook up.

I received a copy of this book from The Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. The review is my own opinion. ( )