Book Review and Giveaway - Just Desserts and Murder: A Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery (Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series) by Lucinda Race

My Review

Just Desserts and Murder is the start of a new cozy series set in the small town of Oak Hollow. Temperance Matthews is a former FBI profiler turned bakery owner.  When her bakery burns - with a body found inside - Temperance works to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read Just Desserts because I love cozy mysteries, love baking, and especially love dachshunds.  This book features Temperance's' cute miniature dachshund, Hank.  The author definitely has the dachshund personality down perfectly!

This is a wonderful start for a new series.  I like the fact that Temperance has a strong detecting background (FBI) and has chosen to work as a baker.  Those two worlds blend perfectly in this mystery.  

The book is well paced, with several mystery surprises - as well as likable characters and dialogue that moves the story along well.

I recommend Just Desserts and Murder for other fans of cozy mysteries.  I look forward to reading upcoming books in this new series!

Book Synopsis

In Oak Hollow, every recipe comes with a dash of mystery…

Temperance Matthews thought opening her dream bakery in Oak Hollow—with her mini dachshund, Hank, at her heels—would be a sweet start to her new life. Instead, her shop goes up in flames, and a body is found among the ashes.

When her quiet assistant Louise shows up bruised, with twigs in her hair, and missing a shoe, Temperance’s data-analysis skills from her FBI days suddenly feel like the only hope of untangling the mystery. But the plot thickens: Jonah, the bakery’s former owner, is stabbed while trying to reach Temperance. The frosting on the cake? Louise’s boyfriend is the victim of the fire. Surveillance footage shows him entering through a locked back door—yet only three keys exist, and Louise doesn’t have one.

With threats mounting and the police closing in on a suspect, Temperance must follow a trail of half-baked clues before the real culprit turns her cozy little town into a crime scene… and who becomes the next target.

Just Desserts and Murder is Book 1 in the exciting new Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series featuring Temperance Matthews. Each book can be read as a standalone.

Author Bio

Award-winning and best-selling author Lucinda Race is a lifelong fan of fiction who fell in love with cozy mysteries and romance novels as a young girl.

Though her writing journey began with nonfiction, her passion for storytelling never wavered. She returned to her true calling—creating the beloved McKenna Family Romance series and the Paranormal Cozy Nook Bookstore Series—writing the kinds of stories she loves to read. Whether she’s weaving a heartwarming romance or a cozy mystery, her fingers practically fly across the keyboard.

Lucinda lives in the rolling hills of western Massachusetts with her little dog— a shih tzu mix rescue—who is always by her side. When she’s not immersed in writing mystery, suspense, or romance, she’s wandering in her garden or curled up with a book, devouring everything she can get her hands on.

Author Links

Facebook Page Link – https://facebook.com/LucindaRaceAuthor/

Instagram Link – https:// www.instagram.com/lucindaraceauthor/

Twitter Link – https:// twitter.com/LucindaRace

TikTok Link – https:// www.tiktok.com/@lucindarace

Pinterest Link – https:// www.pinterest.com/lucindaraceauthor/

YouTube Link – https:// www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lucinda+race+author

Amazon Author Profile Link – https:// www.amazon.com/Lucinda-Race/e/B00Q0MMNUM

Barnes and Noble Profile Link – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Lucinda%20Race%22?Ntk

Google Play Profile Link – https:// play.google.com/store/info/name/Lucinda_Race?id=11c1npx6xq

Kobo Profile Link – https:// www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=lucinda+race

Purchase Links
Amazon     Kobo     Apple    Barnes & Noble     Google Play     Smashwords

Giveaway 

Book Review - Uncomplicate It by Hosanna Wong

My Review

Uncomplicate It is a book about breaking down barriers that keep believers from growing close to God.  I love the line in the book synopsis:  "A real relationship with God is not one-size-fits-all."  Yes!  That is a perfect tagline for this book.

I wanted to read this book because it sounded so inspiring.  I had never read Hosanna Wong before and was interested in her writing.

Uncomplicate It is divided into four parts:

1. This Is Your Permission Slip
2. Roadblocks
3. Shortcuts
4. The Great Uncomplicating

I love how down to earth Hosanna Wong's writing is, with stories and examples involving real people.  For example:

"I had no idea how important beauty could be to some people's walks with God until I heard from one specific group of friends - painters, writers, photographers - all bonded by their love for art. ... My new friend who is a watercolor artist talked about the beauty of a specific flower.  A friend who is a graphic designer talked about the beauty of certain paintings he'd seen that week.  And a jewelry maker shared some of the most poetic prose about a small pond surrounded by flowers that she's passed - how it reminded her of certain scriptures and pointed her toward God" (p. 138).

This is a great book to read, to re-read, and to share.  I intend to recommend it to several friends!

Book Synopsis

What if enjoying life with God is simpler than you’ve heard? What if your personality, the way you learn, the things you enjoy, your season of life, and your many roles aren’t roadblocks to overcome but instead shortcuts to real connection with your Creator? International speaker Hosanna Wong offers you a permission slip to uncomplicate your relationship with God and enjoy Him in your own unique way.

She will help you:

• break free from unrealistic expectations that do not come from God;
• overcome 6 roadblocks that keep you from enjoying your life and relationship with God;
• unlock 6 shortcuts to enjoying God in your current season;
• learn from interviews with over one thousand believers about their unique ways of encountering God; and
• drop the guilt, shame, and comparison that comes from the lie that your relationship with Jesus must look one certain way, or else.

A real relationship with God is not one-size-fits all. Your relationship with God does not have to look like anyone else’s. And it doesn’t have to look the same way it did years ago. You can uncomplicate it. This is your permission slip to embrace the unique way God has made you, in this specific stage of life you’re in, so that you can fully receive all the good that God has for you right now.

Author Bio

Hosanna Wong is an international speaker, bestselling author, and spoken-word artist helping everyday people experience God for real. Widely known for her spoken word piece, “I Have a New Name,” Hosanna shares in churches, conferences, prisons, and other events around the world, reaching across various denominations, backgrounds, and cultures.

Born and raised in an urban ministry on the streets of San Francisco, Hosanna later packed her life into suitcases and traveled to churches and other ministries throughout the United States to share about Jesus through spoken-word poetry. During those years without a permanent home, she began speaking and creating resources to serve the local and global church.

Hosanna currently travels and speaks year-round and serves on teaching teams at churches throughout the United States. She and her husband, Guy, serve together in various ministries equipping people to experience and share God’s love in their real lives.

Hosanna is the bestselling author of How (Not) to Save the World and You Are More Than You’ve Been Told.