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Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Playing With Bonbon Fire: A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery
by Dorothy St. James

A good plot, with just enough twists and turns to keep me guessing, PLAYING WITH BONBON FIRE, was a quick, enjoyable read.
~Lisa Ks Book Reviews
Swirls of complications at every step as Penn tries to build a life and business for herself and understand her beginnings.
~Laura’s Interests 
I was loving the emotional depths that this book took and the mystery itself was more involved than most as well. I think that all chocolate lovers should read this book/series and the cozy mystery fans in general.
~Books a Plenty Book Reviews
This book has really made an impression on me. It’s getting harder and harder to find books as well done as this one.
~Writing Pearls
This story had plenty of unique characters that readers will enjoy. It was as though you were truly visiting a festival, allowing yourself to people watch.
~Bibliophile Reviews
A story to be savored and enjoyed like a fine piece of chocolate. Playing with Bonbon Fire is sure to leave you craving more from this hit series by Dorothy St. James.
~A Cozy Experience
Even when all the chocolate has been eaten (oh, woe is me!), this delicious story will tickle and tempt your tastebuds! There is enough sugar to make this a sweet story, but not so much that it becomes cloying. Bonbon Fire is just right.
~Back Porchervations
Dorothy St. James is an amazingly talented author who paints a picture of a town and characters so well that you get lost in the story, only fully emerging upon turning the last page.
~The Montana Bookaholic
The town is filled with fun and quirky characters that care of each other and help solve the mystery in their own unique way.
~My Reading Journeys

About the Book


Playing With Bonbon Fire: A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Crooked Lane Books (March 13, 2018)
Hardcover: 352 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1683314684
Digital ASIN: B074MBXLWX
Chocoholic Charity Penn must smoke out the killer to stop her newly inherited beachside chocolate shop from going up in flames in Dorothy St. James’ decadent follow-up to Asking for Truffle.
Chocolate shop owner Charity Penn is finally settling into life in the quirky South Carolina seaside town of Camellia Beach cooking up chocolate treats. She’s even helped organize the town’s lively beach music festival which has brought rollicking crowds eager to dance the Carolina shag. That is, until one of the band’s lead singers is found dead beside a beach bonfire.
While also trying to balance the amorous attention of music star Bixby Lewis, in town for the festival, and her quest to perfect a new hot flavored bonbon, Charity dives into the investigation. Though it’s more spice than sugar when she discovers a threatening note, comes across decades of age-old secrets, and Bixby comes into the line of fire when a gas grill explodes on the deck of a beachfront house.
Now Charity must turn up the heat and catch the killer before her chance melts away in Playing With Bonbon Fire, the delightful second Southern Chocolate Shop mystery served up just right for fans of JoAnna Carl and Joanne Fluke.

About the Author

Mystery author Dorothy St. James was born in New York but raised in South Carolina. She makes her home on an artsy island community in South Carolina with her husband, a neurotic dog, and fluffy cat. Though writing has always been a passion for her, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and a graduate degree in Public Administration and Urban Planning. She put her educational experience to use, having worked in all branches and all levels of government including local, regional, state, and federal. She even spent time during college working for a non-profit environmental watchdog organization.
Switching from government service and community planning to fiction writing wasn’t as big of a change as some might think. Her government work was all about the stories of the people and the places where they live. As an urban planner, Dorothy loved telling the stories of the people she met. And from that, her desire to tell the tales that were so alive in her heart grew until she could not ignore it any longer. In 2001, she took a leap of faith and pursued her dream of writing fiction full-time.
Known for the White House Gardener Mystery series, Dorothy is going back to her roots and setting a mystery series in a Southern beach town much like the one she’s called home for the past 20 years. The Southern Chocolate Shop Mysteries combine her love of fine chocolates, quirky Southern charm, with a dash of danger.
* Dorothy St. James is the alter-ego of the award-winning multi-published author, Dorothy McFalls. She enjoys writing in several different genres. Her works have been nominated for many awards including Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, Reviewers International Organization Award, National Reader’s Choice Award, CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award, and The Romance Reviews Today Perfect 10! Award. Reviewers have called her work: “amazing”, “perfect”, “filled with emotion”, and “lined with danger.”
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What a delicious treat it was to read this book. I love chocolate and enjoyed reading about how different chocolate treats are made. I don't think I have tried a bonbon before, but I certainly will be looking for them. I would love to go to Penn's shop and sample all the delectable concoctions displayed in the glass cases. Wouldn't it be exciting to inherit a chocolate shop? Penn has her hands full trying to keep the shop running when relatives get in the way. Learning about Penn's upbringing was fascinating. The author draws readers in with two mysteries surrounding Penn. 

The town is all abuzz about the  musical festival  set along the beach that brings in a well known singer. Bixby Lewis blows into town with an air of "Hey I'm famous and women swoon over me." I didn't like him at first, but he kinda grew on me. The festival sounded so fun and I could feel the excitement as Bixby took the stage for the opening night. Everything seems to go well until a body is found burning on the beach. I gasped when Charity thought the victim was someone she was growing fond of. With the expert writing from the author, she leads us on a trail that shook me when the victim was identified. The town goes into a tizzy trying to figure out who the killer is.

The other mystery going on in the story is about Penn and the identity of her mother. The author grasps the full emotions of a woman wanting to know her roots and explores how much it can affect someone. Will Penn ever find out who her mother is? Why has it been a secret all these years? I liked the little romance in the book but I'm not saying much about it. It is one that the author will keep readers guessing about to the end. I loved the story and I didn't want to see it end. Are you wondering who the killer is? My advice is to get a copy and get comfy. The story is a page turner and one you will not forget. The story reminds me of the days when concerts were popular. It would be an all day event with bands on stage, food vendors everywhere and people having a great time. This is one story that will satisfy cozy mystery readers with intrigue, secrets and danger, There is a treat waiting at the end of the book. Don't miss out on the enticing recipes that will have you rushing to the store for ingredients.

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




TOUR PARTICIPANTS
March 11 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST
March 11 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
March 11 – La libreria di Beppe – SPOTLIGHT
March 12 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
March 12 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
March 13 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
March 13 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW
March 13 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – SPOTLIGHT
March 14 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
March 14 – Writing Pearls – REVIEW
March 14 – Sapphyria’s Books – SPOTLIGHT
March 15 – Queen of All She Reads – SPOTLIGHT
March 15 – A Cozy Experience – REVIEW
March 16 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 16 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
March 17 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW
March 17 – The Self-Rescue Princess – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 18 – A Holland Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 18 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
March 18 – T’s Stuff – SPOTLIGHT
March 19 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT
March 19 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 20 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST
March 20 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
March 21 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW
March 22 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
March 22 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
March 23 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
March 23 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
March 24 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
March 24 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 24 – Ms. Cat’s Honest World – SPOTLIGHT
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1 comment:

  1. Kay GarrettMarch 20, 2018 at 9:18 AM

    Thank you for your review (which makes me want to read the book all the more) and information on "Playing With Bonbon Fire" as well as being part of the book tour. Can't wait for the opportunity to read the book!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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