The Chocolate Bridal Bash

Like the earlier books, this one is markedly different from its siblings. It boasts the strongest start in the writing. Sadly the motives of the villains in the end were not logical. It wasn't possible that the intrigue would play out like it did. Stranger things have happened in real life. But here I believe what Joanna Carl (only now have I realized it's a pseudonym) has concocted is stranger than truth. The murders in this book had weird and nonsensical motives. I simply cannot wrap my head round it. The Sally character is the catalyst in this story, and even her importance makes no sense. I did enjoy the sad, turbulent past of Sally and the tragedy of Bill. Joanna Carl has kept adding newer characters to the series without blinking. show more I hope she manages to pull of this trick in her next books. Given what this book was, it made for an enjoyable read. I recommend it to both fans of the genre and the uninitiated. show less

Lee McKinney isn't only up to her eyebrows with the details of her upcoming wedding, she is also having to deal with keeping the reins in on her mother-in-law to be who wants to run the show and whether her own mom will even show up!

Add to that the mystery of why her mother suddenly left her hometown on what was to be her wedding day and has never come back. And add to that the fact that the groom was found dead a few hours before the vows were to be said. It was decided to be a suicide but many facts and stories point to possible murder. Old tales are unburied and re-examined to hope to find out the truth.

Can this old mystery be solved? Will the wedding come off the way Lee wants it all? Will her mom show up and help explain her sudden show more departure.

Also fun reading are the little bits of chocolate lore sprinkled throughout the book. Also a delicious 1930 fudge cake with mocha frosting recipe!

Good and tasty! show less

The chocolate mysteries are always a fun, light, quick read (this one was just over 200 pages). I like that Lee is generally a smart, independent, heroine. Of course there have been times I shake my head at some of the decisions she makes, but in this one I understood her motivation. I like that we got to know her family a bit better in this one (in the form of her mother). And I like that the story progresses. They don’t necessarily pick up right when the last ends, but there is definitely continuity, and a smooth flow. I was hoping for a bit more of the wedding, like maybe a book to itself, with a mystery around it, but maybe that would have been too obvious. I did like the ‘surprise ending’, and am interested to see where they show more take it in the next book (luckily, I shouldn’t have to wait TOO long, as I have that one my shelf). I think I had actually figured out the “who” of the who- done- it pretty early in this one, but it was an enjoyable read anyway. Will I read the next one? Oh yeah. I’m seeing this series through to the end. =D show less

I've read one other book from this series. I didn't find the chocolate facts/trivia in this one as interesting as the ones in the other book that I read.

I wondered long before anyone in the book brought it up why Lee didn't just ask her mother what happened rather than going about it so covertly (a big plot hole for me), but otherwise, I thought the plot was well done.

I am going to give this copy to the friend who loaned me the other book from the series that I read.

I enjoyed this little mystery. The plot was interesting and held my attention. There was nothing exceptional about this story that made it stand out. However, it is a good read. The reveal was surprising. It wasn't the ending I was expecting so that was nice.

This book held my interest. I find the malaproisms a bit distracting and annoying, but the characters are ok. I love all the chocolate talk!

What a humorous tale of misadventure! Part of the draw is Lee's slip of tongue.