Gluten for Punishment by Nancy J. Parra

Gluten for Punishment (Baker's Treat Mystery, #1)

by Nancy J. Parra

Gluten-free baker Toni Holmes may not cook with wheat, but when there’s a criminal on the loose, she’ll do what it takes to figure out who has their finger in the pie…

 

Even though Toni is used to going against the grain by preparing allergy-safe, gluten-free products for her online bakery, Baker’s Treat, opening a storefront in the middle of wheat country Kansas might be biting off more than she can chew. The town is already skeptical of her flour-free ways, but when a local wheat farmer is murdered outside her patisserie, skepticism turns into outright suspicion.

With the help of her eccentric grandmother, her handsome lawyer, and the sexy new widower in town, Toni is determined to find the real criminal before bad publicity and increasingly personal acts of vandalism shut her down. But when another suspect winds up dead, Toni realizes that this half-baked killer isn’t just trying to get her to close shop—he’s trying to make sure that she’s made her last gluten-free cookie…forever.

INCLUDES GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES

Reviewed by MurderByDeath on

4 of 5 stars

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3.5 stars because:

1. WHY WHY WHY do cozy author's suddenly think love triangles are the way to go?!?!?!?! They are an annoying, irritating turn-off. Ugh!

2. Honestly, if I had to read the otherwise-likeable protagonist, Toni, go on one more time about "I'll never trust a man again..." blah blah blah, I was going to toss the book down and walk away.

OTHERWISE...
A very good first in a new series with an excellent plot - I had a major part figured out pretty early on, but it didn't matter at all because the ending was excellent. Seriously, this is not your normal cozy climax.

The characters were well written - likeable, quirky. I'd like the author not to make grandma's smoking habit so front and centre like it's a badge of coolness or something, because it diminishes what would otherwise be a delightfully eccentric, quirky character. Best friend Tasha seems likeable enough as well. And BOTH romantic interests sound hot and lovely, but Ms. Parra - don't do it!!! Give one to Tasha or something, but NO LOVE TRIANGLES!!!

Look forward to the next one.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 23 May, 2013: Finished reading
  • 23 May, 2013: Reviewed