A lot of events are taking place in Till Death Do Us Tart. Surprise weddings, demo and reconstruction in Torte, the arrival of Carlos, and Lance's family feud. There's only so much a girl can take but it's about to get worse. When someone takes the opportunity to slip poison into a glass of wine meant for Jules, she goes on full alert to find a potential killer before they have a chance to strike again.

The world building continues as new events take shape, book settings change, and new characters are introduced. The familiar favorites are always a pleasure to see on the pages. I enjoy reading about Jules, Jules's mom, Stephanie, Sterling, Carlos, Lance, Andy, Thomas, and the Professor. I connect with all the favorites on some level and can't imagine these books without them.

The story is fast paced and engaging. I enjoyed trying to unravel the murder mystery. Every time I thought I had things all figured out, the author tossed in a complication that changed my mind. Ellie Alexander does a great job keeping everything under wraps and revealing things methodically and at the right time.

I love the Bakeshop Mystery series. All of the books are wonderful. I enjoy Jules, her estranged ex Carlos, Jules' mom and The Professor, Lance, and Stephanie, Sterling, and Andy. Each story is different, containing not just the murder mystery but other threads. The author does a fantastic job weaving multiple stories within each book. Each thread makes sense as you move along in the book, some intersecting with the murder and others just additional everyday life. The books are descriptive and I am able to immerse myself into the town of Ashland or wherever the author takes the characters in this series.

I really loved this book. The series is wonderful. We find Juliet hard at work in her bakery and she once again finds herself pulled into a mystery. I enjoy how the author has created such wonderful, deep characters and fun, interesting plots. I find myself looking forward to each new installment in this series.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Hard to believe that I have not read even one book by Ellie Alexander before. Definitely my loss! I was not even one third of the way through Till Death Do Us Tart (and no murder as of then) and I was totally hooked. The characters, setting, writing style all had me from the get go.

Jules Capshaw and all of the town of Ashland, Oregon is keeping a secret…. a surprise wedding for Jules’ mother and her fiancée (the Professor). And Jules is managing this wedding feat while also overseeing a major renovation at her bakery, Torte AND having her estranged husband, Carlos, visit with his teenage son, Ramiro from Spain. I am exhausted just thinking about all that she is juggling.

One of Jules’ besties is Lance, the artistic director at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The story begins with Lance MIA for approximately two weeks. This of course is worrisome for Jules. When Lance does return to Ashland, she learns that Lance has reconciled (sort of) with his dying father and Lance is worried that his brother is trying to speed the process along all in the name of greed. One thing turns into another and Lance’s father does pass away and Lance is 100% convinced that his demise was sooner than it should have been. Lance wants Jules help in figuring out who did this to his father. Could it be his brother Leo, who has no use for Lance? Now don’t forget, Jules is putting together a surprise Elizabethan wedding. Jules had:

“created an elaborate decoy party, the grand reopening of Uva, a gorgeous hillside vineyard that I was now a one-third owner in.”

To prepare for the arrival of Carlos and Ramiro, Jules cooks what seems like a feast to me and I would not have called it simple. The descriptions like the one below had me wishing my meals were so grand! And this is only one of several meals that are described in such detail:

“I had already prepared a simple dinner – a Greek pasta salad with artichoke hearts, marinated chicken, cherry tomatoes, red onions, black olives, goat cheese, and fresh basil that I tossed with a lemon vinaigrette. I would serve it with homemade parmesan-and-olive bread, salad, and Carlos’s favorite chocolate cake.”

I must say, the vows during the wedding were just spectacular. So romantic and heartfelt. A small excerpt to whet your appetite for the whole dialogue:

“By moonlight, by sunlight, in stillness, in brightness, you are my shield and I shall forever be your shadow. I’ll follow you through summer’s glare, through winter’s darkness. You, the beacon of my heart, my everything, my everywhere….”

During the wedding, another tragedy strikes as a guest drinks a sip of wine and falls ill. Was this guest the intended victim? And who was the perpetrator? Is it the same “bad guy” that has possibly murdered Lance’s father?

Let me tell you, there are no shortage of suspects. I really enjoyed the way Jules went about gathering clues, helping the police and eventually getting to the bottom of the murder(s). All while running a business, entertaining her husband and step some, planning and executing a surprise wedding AND remodeling Torte (I think I mentioned this before)!

One of the great aspects of this book is that I did not guess whodunit until the very end. To me, that is a satisfying cozy mystery! A well constructed story with interesting characters, good plot development with sufficient red herrings to keep this reader interested and intrigued. So much so that I had a hard time putting the book.

My first trip to Ashland, Oregon was delightful and I look forward to catching up with the seven books in the series as well as adding Ellie Alexander as one of my favourite authors.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Ellie Alexander writes the Bakeshop Mysteries, which are fun cozies with likeable characters and mouthwatering recipes. They are fast reads, so even those who are busy can find time to read them. Jules Capshaw, the protagonist, is estranged from her husband – not because they don’t get along, but because of their careers, and because they are still in love, Carlos, who is a chef on a cruise ship where they met, keeps returning to Torte, Jules’ bakeshop, in Ashland, Oregon, to see her and help her solve the murders that keep occurring in their small town. Jules is an amateur sleuth, and gets herself into plenty of trouble trying to figure out who murderers are, and while doing so, regales her readers with fabulous foods.

Till Death do us Tart is the eighth installment in the series. Jules is planning a surprise Elizabethan-themed wedding for her mom and her fiancé, and the entire town knows about it. Jules’ friend Lance is involved, and while they are close friends, Jules isn’t aware of the family struggles Lance is involved in. Jules must play double duty helping Lance and preparing for the wedding by baking dozens of wonderful treats. Unfortunately the wedding doesn’t go perfectly since someone crashes the party and drinks some poisoned wine that was meant for Jules. Can Jules find the killer before there is another attempt at her life?

This cute cozy is well-written. The characters are not only likeable, but well-developed and the main characters appear in all of the novels in the series. Like most cozies, there is no graphic sex, language, or violence, so the books are suitable for readers of all ages. This is a fun series, and because they are culinary mysteries, the recipes are definitely a bonus.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this novel.

Loved this book! Love this series! Juliet is hard at it in her bakery and is once again drawn into a mystery. I love how these books are plotted and feel like I know the characters well and consider them friends. I look forward to each new one in the series.

I am sorry for not reviewing fully but I don’t have the time to read this anymore. I believe that it wouldn't benefit you as a publisher or your book if I only skimmed it and wrote a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for not fully reviewing!

In Till Death Do Us Tart, Jules Capshaw and her Torte bakery crew are planning a wedding. In fact, the whole town of Ashland, Oregon is helping to plan and set up the secret Midsummer’s Eve themed wedding of Jules’s mom Helen and Police Detective Doug Curtis. Adding to Jules’s stress level is the expansion and remodeling of the bakery. In order to keep her mother from seeing all of the desserts being made, their architect Roger keeps sending Helen on wildgoose chases.

The bright side is that after being away on vacation for three weeks, Jules’s best friend and OSF Artistic Director Lance is back in town. Turns out Lance wasn’t really soaking up the sun in some tropical locale but in fact was in Medford. Yep. It seems the polished, sophisticated, flamboyant Lance Rousseau is actually a local boy. For the past few weeks, Lance has been a mere ten miles away, spending time with his dying father. If that wasn’t surprise enough for Jules, Lance telling her that he thinks his younger brother, Leo, is trying to kill their father is. Turns out Lance’s family owns The Brown Group, one the largest lumber companies in Oregon.

After Mr. Brown dies, Lance is more convinced than ever that his brother and his employees are behind his death. He even hires private investigator, Megan Antonini to prove his assertion. As Megan is conducting her investigation, she drinks a poison laced glass of wine she is sure was meant for Jules. When Megan dies, without revealing who she thinks tried to kill Jules, Jules and Lance decide to do their own investigation into both deaths.

I love Ellie Alexander’s Bakeshop Mystery series. The books are all standalone reads. All the main characters are amazing and likeable. Reading the books is truly like hanging out with friends, except for the murder part. It looks like things are moving in the right direction for Jules and Thomas. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for the citizens of Ashland.

Till Death do us Tart is the eight book in the Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander. I have not read the previous books in the series. I think those that have followed the series will have a more satisfying read, but even coming in this late to the series I was able to catch up and enjoy the read.

Jules Capshaw has too much on her plate—and she’s feeling the pinch: the whole town of Ashland, Oregon, is in on the surprise Elizabethan-themed wedding she’s planning for her mom and soon-to-be stepdad. But is her secret scheme half-baked? She’s hiding racks overflowing with sweet treats while Torte is topsy-turvy with a major remodel and the return of Jules’s estranged husband, Carlos. And until now, Jules had no clue about the bitter family feud that has her friend Lance frazzled and suspicious. But when a party crasher takes someone out with a serving of poisoned wine and Jules discovers the deadly cup was intended for her, it’s time to turn the tables on a killer.

Till Death do us Tart is as much about Jules growing as a character as it is the mystery. I liked that Juliet's sleuthing with her friends was well paced and had a good number of twists and turns along the way. There was much more going on than I expected, and was pleased with the resolution. It was cool to see the changes and growth in Jules, her relationships, and her business as the story went on. I can think of many interesting ways her future might go, and some of the people that might be involved in future mysteries. I was a little annoyed with how she just kept leaving Carlos and his son alone in her house with no note or information about where she was going. While this might be just how they have always been together and this sort of thing explained earlier in the series, it really bothered me. If I was running around trying to solve a murder or two I would make sure people knew where I was. On the other hand, I liked the inclusion of the recipies at the end, and I fully expect to try two of them on my next day off.

Till Death do us Tart is a delightful read, for the mystery and the characters. While I think fans of the series will enjoy it more than I, it still was engaging read.

The 9th book in the series just released and I knew I had to get reading - as this is a series I love to read in order. And I did not want to miss Helen and the Professor's big day! I love how much all the characters have grown throughout this series. I also loved the detective team of Lance and Jules. I hope that continues in future books!

I always enjoy my visits to Ashland, Oregon and to Torte. It is like visiting with old friends, they are so likeable and work so well together. Jules and her team at Torte have been very busy finalizing plans for the surprise wedding of Helen (Jules' mother) and Doug (aka The Professor) under the guise of a grand reopening celebration of Uvo Winery owned by Jules, Carlos, Lance and Richard Lord (Jules' nemesis). While this is going on, there are major renovations at Torte, even causing a closure for a few days. Carlos (Jules' estranged husband) and his son are visiting to help with the preparations. The mystery in this book involves Lance and his family. It was nice to finally learn more about this quirky character. Lance has hired a private investigator because he is sure his brother hastens his father's death, for money.

This book kept me turning pages quickly. There were several twists and surprises along the way. With more than one death, attempted murders and the introduction of Lance's boorish brother, the reader is kept guessing. There is a hint of further romance between Jules and Carlos, as well as a possible love interest for Thomas, Jules' childhood boyfriend. With some new characters introduced in this story, we continue to learn more about Ashland and the area. It definitely grows on you and makes me want to visit there more than ever. Another wonderful addition to the Bakeshop Mystery Series and one that left me wanting more. I can hardly wait for the next book in this series to find out where Jules, Carlos and the crew at Torte will go next. The publisher, St. Martins, generously provided me with a copy of this book after my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

This is one of those series where you feel like you're visiting old friends. I loved checking in with Jules, Sterling, Andy, and the rest of the Torte crew and regulars around the town of Ashland. In the past the mysteries have revolved around the theater scene but this is a little bit different as there's a surprise wedding in the offing and all the town is involved. That added a bit of fun and hijinks involved as plans are made and secrets are kept. I enjoyed spending time with Jules and her mother as the addition to Torte is advancing and there all kinds of decisions to be made. As well, I liked getting a bit more background on Lance. He's always been a colorful character and a very big presence in the story but I feel like I know him so much better now. Jules' husband Carlos has never been my favorite character in this series as it feels like there's mostly hand twisting and no progress in that situation but he was a welcome presence and I feel like there's finally some movement there. The murder doesn't occur for quite some time which honestly I didn't even realize until it happened as I was enjoying my time in Ashland so much. The mystery was solid and well done and I was really caught up in the whos and whys until the final reveal. If you're a regular to the series than I think you'll be delighted with the new development. While I feel like you wouldn't have any trouble jumping in here in terms of following along it is very character heavy and I think you would enjoy it a bit more if you started with an earlier book.

A fun story with great characters, but light on the mystery. I love the characters and setting for this series. The core group at Torte is just FUN. There's lots of progress on the main romantic plot lines for the characters. But I felt the mystery was only a small part of the story - maybe 1/3 mystery and 2/3 Torte and relationships and the surprise wedding. Because I love the characters so much, I truly enjoyed the book. But if I was looking for an intricate mystery to sink my teeth into - or if this was the first mystery I read in the series - I might have been disappointed in this one.

I simply loved the latest book in this series! A wedding, a hot Spanish husband back for a visit, and a mystery to solve what more could a reader ask for.

I love a good mystery and this series is never failing in giving us one. Jules is having her baking pans full, not only with mysteries but also a secret wedding. Plus, she is constantly making food that makes a reader’s mouth drool. I was kept on the edge of my seat with this one, and would suggest reading this on a weekend because you will not put it down! I am eagerly awaiting the next mystery.

This is the eighth book in The Bakeshop Mystery Series. I have not read any of the previous books, but that was not a problem. Other than the backstory of Jules' estranged husband, Carlos, you are given many details about the characters. In addition, the author gives wonderful descriptions of the town she lives in, Ashland, Oregon. I have to say, Ms. Alexnder's details of the town gave me very nice visuals in my mind. More than usual for me, so kudos to her for this!
The main character, Jules Capshaw, has way too much on her plate in this story. She is running her business, Torte, trying to plan a secret wedding for her mother and The Professor, planning the Grand Re-opening of the winery she recently purchased with her estranged husband and Richard Lord, the town grouch. As if that is that is not enough, Carlos is back in town with his son, Ramiro, whom she has never met. Her BFF, Lance's father is murdered? Oh, and that is not all, but Ms. Alexander packs so much into her story you just have to read it for yourself!
This is definitely one of my favorite cozy series and I will be going back to read books 1-7. I am giving this a solid 4-star rating.

Till Death Do Us Tart took place in Oregon. A wedding guest dies, possibly from poison. This was an interesting story and the killer was a surprise. There were many twists and turns and the story Line was weaved well together. Howeve, there are a lot of characters in this book - about 20! Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read an advanced reader’s copy.

This is book 8 in the Bakeshop Mystery series and it really gives our characters lots of opportunities to shine. Torte Bakery is secretly preparing for her mom and the professor's surprise wedding. The whole town is in on the secret and Jules is worried someone will spill the beans. The winery that Jules, her estranged husband Carlos and Richard own is hosting a grand opening, aka the wedding, and everyone in town is invited. A poisoned glass of wine puts a damper on the party and Jules must solve the crime before she's a victim. The bakery renovations are going great and the town is anxious to have the bakery ready for the next theater production. Can be read as a stand alone but the whole series is building to this book. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review

Running Torte, a premier bakery in Ashland, Oregon, is a full-time job. Add in organizing a surprise midsummer night themed wedding for her mother and step-dad-to-be that the entire town is invited to attend, major removes to Torte, and the arrival of her cruise chef husband and meeting his preteen son, and you have the recipe for a nervous breakdown. Oh, don't forget her friend, Lance, and his family troubles that may turn deadly. Yet, in Jules Capshaw's latest adventure, you see she can handle it all with aplomb. Another excellent entry into this tasty series. It's tons of fun, readable and highly recommended.

Till Death Do Us Tart is an amazing addition to the cozy Bakeshop Mystery series. From the descriptions of the delectable drinks and food to the subtle hints of whodunit, Ellie Alexander does an incredible job of moving us through the story line. In this eighth book, you continue to see great character growth as well as overall growth for Torte as a business. There is even some other business ventures in the works! Not to mention, you truly find yourself wanting to experience Ashland for yourself.

Juliet and the surrounding characters continue to mesh well together. Their unique personalities bring quite a bit to the table to give you a well-rounded crew. Each character addition also fits in well and adds quite a bit to the story! (I am loving seeing more Carlos, as well as his son!) Lastly, with the twists and turns, you are sure to be held captive and curious to find out who was behind the murder.

As an author, Ellie Alexander brings a lot to the table and I look forward to continuing this series as well as beginning her other series with Sloan.

Fun, fun cozy. Lots of twists and turns. A secret Shakespearean wedding, a winery and a murder. Love the bakery, the town, the characters. I was given a free book through Netgalley. My review is freely and honestly given