This was an light, entertaining read. Perfect length for a cozy mystery—long enough for the story to be complete; short enough to hold your interest. The characters were quirky and fun. I loved the friendship between Gia and Savannah and felt it set the tone for the whole story. The mystery had interesting twists and turns. This was a clean story. There were no embarrassing scenes and just one or two instances of very mild language. This was my first book to read in the series, but I’ll be reading more from the author.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book. Will be reading the entire series as it is published. Small town Florida setting. Quirky characters set in a diner. All the makings of an interesting story. The plot was good and I couldnt turn the pages fast enough. I hope you live it as much as I did.
I was gifted a copy of this book.by netgalley. the opinions are mine

I hadn't read Scone Cold Killer, book #1, but had no problem picking up the story. Gia isn't the easiest character to warm up to, but as the daughter of a native New Yorker and the friend of a couple, it's not unrealistic (except maybe her wanting to connect more with the locals).

The mystery was fine and was interesting in how it developed and adds threads from other events. All of the principle characters get to play a role. There was also a nice wrap up at the end.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

MURDER MADE TO ORDER by Lena Gregory
The Second All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery

Gia Morelli left New York for Florida and a new start in life. Now she's debating that decision. While she's made some good friends, Gia is still uncomfortable, OK down right scared, of the critters that also live in her world. But worse than the critters are some of the people. The town council is demanding that Gia close her All-Day Breakfast Café saying that the property was never zoned commercial. Wondering if that's a sign she should just return to New York, Gia stumbles upon the body of the council's president. Now she's embroiled in another murder. Did the councilwoman's murder have something to do with the zoning laws? Could the Captain be involved? What's really going on between him and Hunt? Are Maybelle's threats serious, or is she just blowing smoke? Gia will have to dig deep to save her café and perhaps her own life.

Characters and setting are the most important part of a cozy mystery, as much as if not even more important than the mystery itself. Authors need to make their readers want to spend time in their world and hang out with the people that inhabit it. I do want to hang out in Boggy Creek and I do like the characters, for the most part. Savannah is a best friend in a million and Detective Hunter Quinn is a delectable romantic interest. I appreciate Gia's willingness to try new things and her loyalty, but her fearfulness, especially of critters, is overboard and annoying. I'm grateful that Savannah calls her out on it at one point. Gia is still able to remain likeable, despite this quality, although I find the secondary characters more amiable and interesting.

The mystery in this second All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery is engaging with lots of possible suspects and motives along with an interesting history. Once again, friendship and community play a big role in the story along with some life altering decisions.

MURDER MADE TO ORDER shows what friends and neighbors can achieve when they pull together despite outside, and at times internal, forces working against them. Food and friendship, along with laughter and some chills, combine to create an enjoyable mystery.

This is the second book in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe series. There were obvious details from Gia's past which I missed by not reading the first book, but they did not cause any confusion or make me dislike this book. This is a new cozy mystery series I added to my list of cozies to keep reading. Perhaps I will go back and read book one. Gia is possibly going to have to close the Cafe due to zoning issues. This gives her the opportunity to get to know members of the town council. Being new to living in Florida. especially a small town in Florida, after growing up in NYC, she is finding things a bit difficult. She has some friends, including her best friend, Savanna, but she has not met many from the town since she is the only cook at the Cafe. This second book creates a lot of changes in Gia's new small-town Florida life. Most of which are quite good. This book has all the good elements of a great cozy and I highly recommend. I am giving it a solid 4-star review.

Lena Gregory does a fabulous job of creating characters who feel like the dearest of friends, and she has done so again with the All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series. Gia, Savannah, Hunt, Leo, EARL (my fave!), Willow, Trevor, Harley … a host of main and supporting characters you feel you’ve known forever – or at least wish you did. And once again, she weaves a tangled mystery that isn’t as easy to solve as it first appears.

One thing I love about Gia is that she feels real. What you see is what you get with her – foibles and all. And one of the subplots I’ve really enjoyed in both books is watching Gia adjust to life in Florida after a lifetime in New York. The slower pace, the chatty residents, the gossip mill, the wildlife (alligators, snakes, spiders, ticks, and bears – oh my!), and the weather (heat, humidity, tornadoes). She’s a bit like a fish out of water in many ways, but I’m enjoying how the author is using this to further define the layers to Gia’s character.

There is a mild romance thread (that picks up a bit as the story progresses) but it’s not overpowering to the story, in case you prefer more mystery and less kissing. Gregory weaves in several plot threads that at first seem completely unrelated but have a definite structure that comes together in the end. I changed my mind more than once about who I thought ‘dun it’ but mostly I just enjoyed the ride. There’s humor and a sense of warmth and friendship that shines on every page, with a bit of New York edge and southern sass thrown in for good measure. And some kisses. Can’t forget those!

Bottom Line: Be prepared to read this book from the comfort of your favorite local breakfast eatery – because you will definitely find yourself craving breakfast pies and home fries and maybe even grits, if that’s your thing (Not mine). The community is full of the usual cozy mystery suspects, but the goodhearted characters outnumber the sour ones and leave you believing in the power of coming together with a common purpose. Gregory constructs an riveting mystery that is much more layered than it first appears and keeps you fully engaged. And, while it slows down a bit for the required ‘recipe as narrative’ moments, all in all the pace remains steady and well-plotted.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars, It was just okay.

Book 2 in the series.

I didn't pay attention to the fact that this was book 2 when I requested it from NetGalley. As a result, I felt a little bit lost.

And I didn't really like Gia. She's a little bit high maintenance and scared of every little thing. And when she encounters something she's afraid of, she pretty much has a full blown panic attack. Often. And the more it happens, the more you want to slap her and tell her to calm the heck down. I am sure the author means for it to be amusing, but it's not funny at all after the first time. Seriously, why is someone afraid of the outdoors living in a house on the edge of the woods? And why does she hike in those woods? Spiders, bears, snakes. The woods are just one freak out after another.

I think this goes on my list to pass by next time around.

It's not every day that I can read a book practically non-stop but I sure did that with this one! This book was everything and more that I hoped the next in the series would be. An old mystery was solved, a couple of relationships got even better and Gia had a great personal epiphany.

Gia Morelli and her dog, Thor, were taking a walk in the park when she stumbled onto the body of the council member, Marcia Steers, who just the day before had urgently wanted to talk to her. Her detective friend, Hunter Quinn, aka Hunt, had been acting a little distant lately and Gia found out that before she'd come to Boggy Creek, Hunt and Marcia had been an item. Gia had trust issues but she learned to overcome them in this book and I have to say I'm proud of how she's grown since the first book. Hunt was removed from the case due to his previous relationship with the deceased but Gia kept on investigating, along with her friend Savannah who was dating Hunt's detective friend, Leo. Someone seemed to be stalking Gia and she hoped to get to the bottom of this mystery before she ended up dead like Marcia.

I just love this town and the main characters! I think if Earl was real, I'd just need to hug him, he's that much of a sweetheart. I guess the only people I truly don't like at all are Maybelle and her husband. Is it awful of me to keep wishing Maybelle is the perp so she'll be out of the picture? ;) Gia and Savannah are more than just friends, they're like sisters and they seem to be lucky enough to have two of the greatest guys available. Some really awesome things happened in the course of the book, the showdown was exciting, what followed was totally sweet and Gia finally came to a decision about where she wanted to be. You'll just have to read the book if you want to find out all these things. No worries, even though I read the first book, it had been awhile but I didn't even have to refer to it since the author is really good about explaining previous happenings without giving away any of the spoilers from the first book.

Anxiously awaiting book three now!

I have been waiting for this book to come out since I finished Scone Cold Killer back in January. I was hoping that this book continued on the path of the first, as it was a smashing debut...and I was not disappointed, I do believe I enjoyed this book even more than I enjoyed the first! The story again is fast-paced and lively and characters that make you feel like you have known them for, forever. Gia is the opposite of most lead characters you find in cozy mysteries, as she is scared of most everything (including everything that she may be able to spray with bear spray) but has a big heart and a strong mind for solving crime. I loved the continued character development and the little bits of romance. And of course, how can we forget her not-so-little anymore, critter companion, Thor? How can you not instantly love a story with an adorable pup! Thors is such a delightful addition to the story! Overall, I found this book well thought out, well set up and a fun mystery to try and figure out. I know I was stumped right up until the very end...which I did not want to come, as I was enjoying my time at the All Day Breakfast Cafe thoroughly! I look forward to see what else lies ahead for Gia and the rest of the crew in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe series! And guess what? November 6, 2018 you can get your hands on the next book in the series, A Cold Brew Killing! Eek! I know this just made my day!

Murder Made To Order
All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery, Book #2
Lena Gregory
5 Stars

Synopsis:

To save her cozy Florida diner, Gia Morelli must choke down a heaping helping of murder . . .

New York native Gia Morelli is just getting used to life in Florida when she gets word that the town government wants to shut down her pride and joy: the charming little diner known as the All-Day Breakfast Café. A forgotten zoning regulation means that the café was opened illegally, and hardboiled council president Marcia Steers refuses to budge. Gia is considering hanging up her apron and going back to New York, but before she gives up on her dream, she discovers something shocking in the local swamp: Marcia Steers, dead in the water. There’s a secret buried in the books at town hall, and someone killed to keep it hidden. To save her café and bring a killer to justice, Gia and her friends will have to figure out a killer’s recipe for murder . . .(Amazon)


Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Gia is a smart, hardworking caring person who refuses to let others decide her fate. She is torn between staying in Florida or returning to New York, but she wants that decision to be hers to make. When she discovers a dead body she feels compelled to hunt for the killer. With the help of her best friend, Savannah. , she sets out to do just that. I really enjoyed the interactions between the two, it was heartfelt and genuine. And her relationship with Hunt, Savannah’s cousin, is moving along nicely and seems realistic.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. It allowed me to live the lives of the characters, letting me know what they were thinking and feeling. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place. She is also very talented in her humorous writing, and I laughed a lot while reading this book. I especially enjoyed Gia’s fear of snakes and bears, that made her seem more realistic to me. She always had her bear spray on her, wherever she went. I loved that.

The mystery was well plotted and not easy to solve. I liked the fact that the current murder tied into the murder of Savannah's mother, and we may be getting a little closer to finding out what happened to her mom. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well plotted cozy mystery. But do not read this book when you are hungry because there is a lot of references to great sounding food.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Gia Morelli is making real progress with her All-Day Breakfast Cafe and has a growing number of true and loyal diners. Unfortunately, her success may have spurred the city council to recall an old zoning regulation and now the local council president is spearheading the drive to shut her down.

Gia has been wrestling with the changes to her life anyway, from the bears and alligators to the bugs and snakes, and she's been freaking out over the differences the small town of Boggy Creek offers compared to her former NYC life. Her friend Savannah is there to interpret everything southern and Gia has managed to make a number of friends along with a possible romantic interest in Tall, Dark, and Compelling. She's adopted Thor, a Bernese Mountain dog who doesn't walk so much as bound through the tick-infested brush and together they stumble across Marcia Steers, half in, half-out of the swampy bog. She was supposed to have met with Marcia, the council president to discuss the matter of zoning. Oh well...

The protagonist, Gia, follows the bread crumbs from the murder and thankfully doesn't sit down with possible suspects and skewer them with questions. She does, however, give us a close-in kitchen account for whipping up breakfasts for groups of eight or more. I really enjoyed Savannah as well as Earl, the cafe's early and first loyal customer.) The author does a great job fleshing out her characters and you quickly learn to appreciate them as well as Boggy Creek.

This series entry could function as a standalone as details carried forward from the debut answer most questions. Strong character-driven book gives an affectionate look into a small southern town with all the flavors of the season. I might have done without all the short-order lessons, but enjoyed the side-trips into the hinterlands, and the sleuthing is very subtle. Red herrings aside, the conclusion is smooth and was fun to see played out. The plot is well paced and satisfying. Recommended for cozy fans, southern fried or not. 4.5/5 stars

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Murder, a fire, tornadoes, zoning issues, bears, snakes, ticks, and alligators. Gia didn’t have any of these problems in New York. Maybe Florida isn’t the place for her. Especially now that she found another body. The city council president Marcia Steers was right there, dead in the water. She said she wanted to meet with Gia…why? She was trying to shut down the All-Day Breakfast Café. Why would she want to help Gia now? Is that why she was killed? Gia is going to fight to keep her cafe and just may catch a murderer too.

I was so excited to visit these characters again. They are realistic and engaging, people that would be great to meet in real life. Gia is a great protagonist that makes me laugh out loud. She is a city girl that has moved to Florida, opened a restaurant, and purchased a home surrounded by a woods and all the creatures that live there. She also has a big wonderful Bernese Mountain Dog named Thor. Thor is not afraid of much, but Gia is afraid of almost everything. Her friend, Savannah, is there to guide her through all the most of the treacherous things she encounters. Detective Quinn Hunter has a few things that take him away from Gia, but he seems to be there when it really counts. She also has another friend on the force, Savannah’s boyfriend, Leo tries to keep the girls in the loop on the investigation and safe when he needs to. Gia is still looking for another cook and she finds not 1 but 2 people that may be able to help. A part near the end when the community came together really warmed my heart.

The story sets a nice pace with the murder investigation mixed flawlessly with Gia’s life in Boggy Creek. Gia never really manages to “investigate”. She learns the most by keeping her ears open and following up with the right questions. She truly feels the current murder is tied to the unsolved murder of Savannah’s mother, and that makes it personal for her and really captivated my interest too.

This was a great story. Fun characters with a fantastic whodunit made this cozy mystery top-notch. It checked all my cozy boxes!

I can hardly wait for the next book. A Cold Brew Killing comes out November 6!

I really enjoyed this book. Normally, I don't like to start a series with anything but book 1. However, this one was well-written and provided enough information so that I was able to keep up with the characters. I thought that the mystery was well-paced and it certainly kept my interest.

I also thought that the idea of an all-day breakfast diner was an interesting 'location' for the series to be set.

I can't wait to read the next one!

This was a fun cozy read. This is my first chance to meet
Gia and her friends and 'family' in her small town in Florida.
Although Murder Made To Order is book 2 in the series it is written as a stand alone.

Gia's cafe in this installment is being threatened. She along with her friends and patrons want to save the cafe.

But before they get before the city council the President of the Council is murdered and guess who stumbles upon the body?
None other than Gia.

In a refreshing note Gia is not considered a suspect. And actually none of her friends are either. Which tends to be a typical scenario in so many Cozy's. Thank you Lena Gregory for giving us something a little different.

I enjoyed Gia and her close friends and the diner patrons.
There is a great cast of folks that end up making Gia feel like
part of the community.

Savannah who is a friend from college and is the one that got Gia to move to Florida after her divorce. Savannah is a good southern girl. But she has some issues of her own. One being her fear of commitment. She is in a relationship with Leo one of the town police officers who is another character who plays a big part in the story.

And then there is the handsome detective Quinn that Amy is seeing. Except lately he's acting a little more aloof than usual so she begins to question if there is a relationship.

There were a lot of interesting characters including Willow the
waitress at the cafe. Harley the homeless man, Cole and Earl older gentlemen patrons that watch Gia's back and end up helping out at the cafe.

And then of course there was Thor Amy's puppy. He's a big 'ole sweet dog that saves the day a few times.

Murder Made To Order was a great cozy read. I am looking forward to more in the series.

I might have enjoyed even more if recipes were included!

If you like a good 'clean' read with a little mystery, some great characters you'll enjoy the All-Day Cafe Mystery series.

I received a complimentary copy.

Excellent character driven series mixing old crimes and new mysteries

I am enjoying getting to know the residents of Bogey Creek with Gia Morelli as she considers making her home in Florida permanent. Not having a cook for her cafe means doing all the kitchen work herself, which cuts down on her face to face time with her customers. Being alert for bears and snakes and gators when she ventures out to walk her dog, Thor, is not getting any more comfortable. Then there are weather issues!

So when a member of the town council begins threatening Gia with a zoning violation that would cause her cafe to be closed, Gia has a lot of thinking and considering to do.
Her romance with Detective Tall, Dark and Yummy seems to have stepped back a bit and cooled.
She really doesn't know why. There are rumors he has been seeing another woman, and when THAT woman turns up dead, well you can guess things get complicated and heat up in a different way, resulting in Hunt's suspension from the police force.

As if that is not enough, an actual fire at Gia's home comes into play both in her decision process and her physical safety. All of which ties back to the murder of her best friend's mother and the status of the building in which the cafe operates. Can you say entangled?

I enjoy the setting but especially the characters in this series. We see layers revealed slowly.
There is a woman in the woods I am curious to learn more about. I am sure she will be seen again.
Ice Cream shop owner Trevor makes an appearance and proves to be a good, however bumbling, friend. The questions about another person's disappearance are not answered but we are assured he is alive and well. So at the end, I was satisfied and wanting to read the next book soon.

Gia Morelli runs the All-Day Breakfast Cafe in Boggy Creek, FL. It's a far cry from her former life in New York but the small town and its quirky residents are growing on her. Gia is having a bit of a stressful time though....the local cop she likes is being weird and distant and she received a letter from the town council informing her the cafe had to close due to a zoning problem. She's still trying to figure out those problems when she stumbles into a dead body while walking her dog. Things get very complicated because the woman is the president of the town council, Marcia Steers. And her sheriff's deputy love interest has had a long-term ongoing affair with the woman. Gia soon finds herself pulled into a murder investigation involving greed, lies and corruption.

Murder Made To Order is the second book in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe mystery series. I haven't read book one yet, but was easily able to jump in and enjoy this cozy mystery. It isn't necessary to have read the first book to enjoy this one. The mystery is pretty much stand-alone, and there are enough hints and explanations of character background to fill in development from the first book. Gia is an interesting main character. She works hard to make her business succeed and is making friends with the locals, despite missing New York. But, she has a lot of fears and insecurities. She has flaws but is a strong and intelligent woman. Her dog, Thor, is awesome! All of the other side characters are quirky and interesting. They all come together as a great amateur sleuthing team. The mystery moved along at a good pace with plenty of suspects, action and surprises.

I will definitely be reading more of this series to see how the characters develop. The mix of humor, background theme and mystery definitely keeps my attention from beginning to end!

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Lena Gregory takes readers back to Boggy Creek, Florida with Murder Made to Order, the second book in her All-Day Breakfast Café series. This is a standalone read and Lena does a good job of filling in blanks for those who haven’t read the first book, Scone Cold Killer.

In Murder Made to Order Gia Morelli finds herself still longing for New York City and wondering if Florida is where she belongs. She also finds that what she thought was a possible budding relationship with Detective Hunter Quinn, her best friend Savannah’s cousin, seems to be flaming out before it truly gets lit. But things get worse when she receives a letter notifying her that she could lose her cafe due to a zoning issue dating back years.

On a walk with her dog Thor, Gia stumbles upon the submerged body of Marcia Steers, the town council president. The same woman she’s supposed to meet with later in the day. Upon returning to office, Gia discovers a letter left by Marcia informing her that she has information which could help with her zoning issue. Gia starts to wonder if Marcia’s death has anything to do with her and decides to do a little investigating with Savannah.

Murder Made to Order was a really good read. The story was successful but there were some things that I didn't like at first. I can’t say what those things were because it would spoil the story. But I will say that Lena is very good at misdirecting. She’s managed to bring the past and present together. And you as a reader have to question everything you see and read. I can say that the lives of Gia, Hunter, Savannah, and other characters in the story will be changed forever. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next for Gia and her friends.

I began reading the book thinking that it’s a stand-alone story and the whole time I was reading it I kept feeling that there was at least one more book in the series. As it turns out this is the second book in the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series and the main character is Gia. I would recommend reading the series from book one. It’s not like you will miss a lot of things, but it was bugging me the whole time I was reading the book. It wasn’t that big of an issue though as I was able to finish the book without having to look for details of what happened in book one. If there is a third book, I will read it. I liked the characters and the small town setting they have. The mystery behind the identity of the murderer is good and the book in overall was a good companion on a hot summer day.

This is a delightful second in series. I was thrilled to receive it for review as I had read the first in series and loved the book. Returning to the second in series is like returning to old friends in a favorite Florida small town. This series has all the perfect elements of a cozy mystery,, a perfect charming location,, great charcters, and a smart savvy protagonist that any reader would want as a friend. I do recommend the first in series but this book can be read as a stand alone.
In this next in series our protagonist Gia runs a all day breakfast cafe . The descriptions of the food and cafe are utterly charming. She has a big phobia of insects, snakes and bugs of which there are plenty where she is living in Florida. Gia gets a visit from the president of the city council Marcia and her world instantly turns upside down. It seems there is a problem with the zoning and the council wants her cafe gone. Gia suspects something is afoul on the city council and she soon finds out her suspicions were correct.

Gia and her new puppy dog Thor find a dead body in their path while out on a walk . Unfortunately the body is Marcia and Gia is instantly under suspicion. Gia begins to investigate and fears the murder may be tied to the closure of her cafe.

The story is well written and I loved the twists and turns throughout that keep readers entranced in the story. The author really has a hit cozy series and has set up the story perfectly for the next in series. . I like Gia as a protagonist and the cafe is delightful to read about. The all day breakfast food descriptions are scrumptious . The supporting characters all add depth to the story and the location of a small town in Florida is interesting and fun to read about. A great story throughout with the perfect sleuth ! I loved the twist and turns of the sleuth, the ending and how the mystery was solved. This is a hit cozy series and I hope the publisher will continue this wonderful series. Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my review.

Another wonderful story, MURDER MADE TO ORDER was a book I couldn’t put down until I was finished.

When I finished reading book one in the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series, Scone Cold Killer, I was already hungry for the next book. I was thrilled when MURDER MADE TO ORDER was announced. Author Lena Gregory sure didn’t disappoint. She cooked up tale so tasty I devoured it!

Murder past and present are brought together brilliantly in this mystery. My mind was racing trying to solve them both. I didn’t no a great job at it because I was blown away at the end! I’m impatiently awaiting the next installment needing to know even more of what’s in store for protagonist Gia, and the rest of the cast of characters. My imagination is already running wild with want to expect.

Fans of book one are in for a total treat with MURDER MADE TO ORDER. If you haven’t read Scone Cold Killer get yourself a copy now and read these books back to back.