A great little novella to read while you wait on more Jethro and Bailey fun. This novella highlights Jethro and his parents. If you have read the series I highly recommend this novella.

ahh still too cute lmfao i love this series so much and its great that the short stories are as great as the full books! not something i see every time with cozy mysteries! its a great little bacon bundle lol

This as a fun between books novella. I loved that it highlighted Jethro. If you have read the series I highly recommend this novella. If you haven't read the series I would recommend it if you are ready to get hooked in a new series

Amanda Flower knows how to write a fun and fast read. These cozies and the theming of a master chocolatier living in an Amish community and working with her Amish family is a fun and insightful theme. This offering in the series was a delight. I love how much I learn about making candy and the Amish. This time around, with the Mothers Day theme we finally get to meet Baileys parents which was a nice change. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

Dollycas’s Thoughts 

Need to feed your cozy craving. A brief visit to Harvest is the perfect way to do just that. Especially when there is Butterscotch Fudge involved.

A rare visit from Bailey’s parents happens just in time for Mother’s Day and a Mother’s Day tea fundraiser at a local church. Aiden’s mother Juliet has her own plan for the weekend . . . Aiden and Bailey’s wedding. Remember they are not even engaged yet, but Juliet is like a steamroller when she sets her mind on something and she is sure Bailey’s mom will agree it is time the couple takes the big step.

When the money raised at the Mother’s Day tea goes missing, the leader of the local women’s support group, Polly Anne Lind is frantic, without that money she may have to close. Bailey offers to help the young police officer with the case even though her parents beg her to leave the crime to the proper authorities. Not going to happen, she already has suspects she wants to talk to.

____________

This is a clever and entertaining story that allows readers a short visit with our favorite Amish Candy Shop characters. Having Bailey’s parents visit was an extra treat. Silas King has rarely visited since he left the Amish life behind. It is also the first time they are meeting Deputy Aiden Brody, his mother, and her pet pig, Jethro. The meeting is PRICELESS!

Amanda Flower is such a talented writer, long story, or short, she absolutely excels. Well developed characters, intriguing mysteries, and delicious treats to tempt our taste buds. Botched Butterscotch is charming little cozy that will hold readers over until Marshmallow Malice hits store shelves May 26, 2020. 

A Perfect Mini-Escape!

Botched Butterscotch

by Amanda Flower

If you’re looking for a novella that also…
	is a cozy mystery
	doesn’t involve murder
	combines Amish and Englisch
	focuses on women who need a stepping stone in addiction recovery
	throws in some red herrings despite its brevity
	affords an excellent distraction from current problems
	and is all-round good fun,
then read Botched Butterscotch where you find some of your favorite characters from Amanda Flower’s Amish Candy Shop Mystery Series. There’s Bailey King, a chocolatier known locally as a crime solver, Juliet, Bailey’s probable future mother-in-law, Juliet’s potbellied pig Jethro, and Margot, the local super community organizer. You will meet Bailey’s parents visiting from New England and attend a fund-raising Mother’s Day tea. Mostly, you will have fun solving the mystery and enjoying the humor in this great little novella. 

I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: Almost too short to be a standalone because so much of the pleasure is derived from character interaction

Publication:   April 28, 2020—Kensington Books

Memorable Lines:

“Busy hands keep worries at bay—that’s something I tell the women at my farm. I believe that’s why the farm’s rehabilitation model works so well. When you are busy caring for something else, you are able to hold back self-defeating thoughts. It’s not foolproof, but it helps.”

Sundays had become my days to rest and recharge, and I was surprised to find that I was getting the same amount of work done every week regardless. Maybe there was something to this whole resting thing. I wished that I had known about it sooner—I might have been happier in New York if I had.

Of course, as a chocolatier, I couldn’t understand anyone not liking chocolate. Chocolate was one of the five major food groups—or at least it would have been if I had been in charge of making the chart.

I love this series so much and even though it was a very short book I really enjoyed it. No murder in this book but there is stolen money to find and Bailey is on the case. I can't recommend it enough.

This is a series that I've come to know and love.  The characters are engaging and just a bit infuriating, just like real friends and family.   The mystery is well-written and I look forward to new ones in the series.

A fun, quick novella to introduce us to Bailey's parents.

Always a good time to visit Harvest!

It was nice to have some inbetween story time with Bailey and the Amish Gang.

“Botched Butterscotch” takes us back to the quaint Amish town of Harvest, Ohio. This time, Amanda Flower has delivered a wonderful candy shop mystery with Baily King as the star. I was delighted that she didn’t use murder as a backdrop in this story about Mother’s Day.
Instead, Abigail’s Farm, for women overcoming addictions, has a fundraiser at a local church. When thousands of dollars of donations disappear, Bailey starts sniffing around to find out who is responsible. The reason for the theft is quite surprising when Amanda unveils the unlikely culprit. 
This was a fast read. I didn’t want to put the book down! 5 stars!

Reviewed by Patricia Wilson for Suspense Magazine

I found this book short and sweet.The story was easy to follow and the mystery was interesting and the pigs adorable

It’s Mother’s Day, a busy time at Swissmen Sweets Amish candy shop. Margot, the town’s self-appointed PR woman, has yet another event planned: a Mother’s Day tea at the local church as a fund raiser for Abigail’s Farm. The farm is a transitional place for former drug users as they leave rehab but are not quite ready to go home. The tea is a sold out success.

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Image Source Kensington
The main worry for Bailey King, chocolatier, is that her mother and father are coming for a visit. Except for a funeral, they’ve not visited the small town in thirty years. Her father was raised Amish but was never baptized and lives the life of an Englisher (non-Amish). Bailey’s mother is sure Bailey made a horrible mistake when she quit her job in New York. Now that Bailey has her own cable television show, maybe her mother will see it was a good decision.

Aiden is a police detective and Bailey’s boyfriend. His mother, Juliet, is sure the pair will get married. Juliet’s emotional support animal, Jethro, is a polka-dotted pot bellied pig. Introducing Aiden, Juliet, and Jethro to her parents isn’t something Bailey is looking forward to.

When the money from the fundraiser goes missing, Bailey lends a hand in finding the culprit. The Amish don’t like dealing with the police but are more willing to talk to Bailey because of her Amish roots.

This is a novella length tale, nine chapters only but rest assured, as a favorite character, Jethro gets plenty of time on the page. There’s an excerpt from Marshmallow Malice, reviewed here, the next full length book. As a bonus, look for Bailey’s recipe for butterscotch peanut bars, too.

Amanda Flower also writes the Amish Matchmaking mysteries, Magical Bookshop series, the Piper and Porter books, and the Magical Garden mysteries, most reviewed here.

Cute, fluff of a short story. No murder involved, and the ending is as sweet as the candy described within the tale.

Special thanks to Kensington for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

What a great addition to this fantastic series. I love this setting, love the characters & love the recipes. Also, love getting to know more of Bailey's family. I hope this series continues for a long time. 

Thank you for the opportunity to be an early reader.

I love this cozy mystery series by Amanda Flower.  It’s a sweet and clean series that’s perfect for those times when you want something light and entertaining to read.

I enjoyed this newest story about Bailey and all her friends and family in Harvest.  The ladies in Harvest are having a tea that’s a major fundraiser.  There’s no murder this time, but Bailey does come away from the tea with a mystery to solve.  Also, Bailey has to deal with both her mother and Aiden’s mother scheme of trying to get Bailey and Aiden to announce their engagement.  Jethro the pet pig makes another “star” appearance in this book  and that always guarantees a smile or two. 

 This particular book is shorter than some of the others (77 pages), but it’s full of fun and mystery.  As always, the description of the treats from Bailey’s candy store can make the reader desperately crave chocolate.  You can easily read this book without having read the rest in the series, but once you’ve read this one, you’ll want to read them all.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

A sweet read for a lazy afternoon.

I enjoyed this novella in the Amish Candy Shop series as a way to get to know more about Bailey's parents. We get little tidbits in the other books but not much more. They are likable but I am glad they are not full-time regulars.

Jethro is the star of the show as always.

You can read this without having read the other books. Just know that if you do you will learn the endings of previous books when they are mentioned. It is a great way to test out the series if you are unsure of reading it or not.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher Kensington, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Mother’s Day is a sweet and busy time at the candy shop Bailey King runs with her Amish grandmother. This year is extra special, because Bailey’s parents are visiting Harvest, Ohio. Bailey’s father has rarely returned since leaving the Amish faith over thirty years ago, but Bailey is confident that the right treats can help sugarcoat any awkwardness. For Mother’s Day Tea at the local church, she’s whipping up her mom’s favorite: butterscotch fudge. All’s going well, until a sticky fingered thief makes off with the money raised for a local women’s support group.
 
While Bailey tries to discover who stuck their fingers in the cookie jar, she encounters an assortment of suspects. It doesn’t help that Juliet, mother of Deputy Aiden Brody, is conspiring with Bailey’s mom to plan Aiden and Bailey’s wedding…though they’re not even engaged! Can Bailey find the culprit before events—both criminal and personal—boil over into disaster?

Even though this is a novella the author gives us a well developed mystery with plenty of clues, a smaller than usual suspect list, and a few red herrings that leads to a quick well written conclusion. The characters are well written and well developed but there is no real character growth in this story.

I liked the fact that Bailey wasn't involved in a murder but with a theft so that she didn't find her life in any serious danger like she has before. I enjoyed finally meeting Bailey's parents Susan and Silas, I only wish we could have gotten to know them better and see them spend more time with Bailey. 

I did miss the interactions between Bailey and Aiden, since he was working on another case throughout the book. I am getting tired of Juliet always trying to get Aiden and Bailey engaged, I wish she'd let their relation grow and develop at it's own pace instead of always trying to but in. 

I received an ARC of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley for my honest review.

This was a very short, quick story in the Amish Candy Shop series. It was not a murder, but a theft. We meet a new character, Polly Anne, the owner of Abigail's Farm, a drug rehab facility for women that I hope we will see more of. We also meet Bailey's parents. I am not very impressed with her mother. She seems overbearing and does not really listen to Bailey. She tries to override her decisions and is rather phoney. This story sees the money raised at the Mother's Day Tea for Abigail's Farm being stolen. It was a fun read to fill in an hour in the afternoon. I would not recommend this one to anyone who is not familiar with the series as there is not much time for character development or to get a feel for the town. Overall an enjoyable story to keep the interest of those who enjoy this series.

It's almost Mother's Day, and candy maker Bailey is looking forward to a visit from her parent, coming to Harvest , Ohio, for one of the first times since her father left the Amish when he married her mother more than thirty years ago. Bailey is happy to see her parents, but she's not thrilled with Juliet, the mother of Bailey's boyfriend Aiden, trying to talk about wedding plans, when Bailey and Aiden are not even engaged.

During a Mother's Day benefit luncheon for Abigail's Farm, a local rehab center, the donations go missing, and its up to Bailey to find out who took the money, and how to get it back.

I enjoyed this installment in the Amish Candy Shop mystery series very much. To me this story was character driven, and seeing the characters, like Deputy Little, grow made this a good read. I would have liked to see more of Aiden, though. He's one of my favorite characters and I love seeing him and Bailey together. Maybe I'm like Juliet and can't wait to see them married.

I love this series, and every time I finish one I want the next one to be ready and waiting for me. I suppose the next best thing will be going back to re-read the series while I wait for the next book.

Title:  Botched Butterscotch  

Author:   Amanda Flower
Series:  An Amish Candy Shop Mystery book 4.5

Chapters: 9 plus Epilogue

Pages: 76

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 3 stars

Publisher: Kensington Books


Botched Butterscotch by Amanda Flowers is a novella mystery in the An Amish Candy Shop mysteries that takes place over Mother’s Day weekend.

It was a sweet cozy mystery but it was also bittersweet at least for me as a reader considering Mother’s Day is bittersweet now for me. But it was fast read and enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.