I loved this book and found it very well written. I enjoyed reading it and also loved the characters. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Welcome to Blossom Creek where Winnie Mae Montgomery saved her Granny's orchard by opening up a cider stand and event venue opened year round. And also solved a murder. She's enjoying hosting a June wedding that could really get her business the right kind of word of mouth. That is until the groom is found dead during the reception and her ex is in the crosshairs as the perpetrator. That gets Winnie's juices flowing, especially the crime solving ones. Thoroughly enjoyable book with a well plotted mystery and engaging character. Totally fun read! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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<blockquote>Thanks to Winnie's new cider shop, Smythe Orchards is out of the red and folks can get their fix of the produce and other delectable products they love all year round. The locals are even booking the shop for events, including a June wedding! Winnie couldn’t be happier to see the barn filled to the rafters for the big bash—until her doting ex, Hank, is caught in a heated argument with the groom. Winnie plans to scold Hank after the party, but spots him running off instead. And when the groom turns up dead, apparently hit by the honeymoon getaway car, Hank is the main suspect. Now Hank is on the lam, and it’s up to Winnie to get to the core of the truth—before the real killer puts the squeeze on her . . .</blockquote>

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51064907-pulp-friction"><em>Pulp Friction</em></a> is the sequel to Julie Anne Lindsey's <em>Apple Cider Slaying</em>, and I'm honestly so stoked. After the murders and struggles at Christmas, Winnie has finally got her cider shop up and running! So successfully in fact that she even opens it up as a wedding venue – which turns out not to be as good for business as she hoped, because the groom gets murdered in her orchard.

I really enjoyed it! I like Winnie's relationships with her family and friends, and I'm so glad to see Dot and her menagerie being a large part of the story again. (I am a little disappointed that I guessed wrong on Chekhov's Alpaca, but I was <em>close</em>.) The fact that Winnie is constantly supporting and being supported by her friends and family really makes me happy, and the way that she's still learning from and about the people she's known for decades felt really realistic to me! As did her non-traditional path through higher education, because quite frankly Winnie running her own busines <em>and</em> trying to survive Finals week is heroic on its own. I was also quite amused by the introduction of Hank's sister as the more traditional style of "No, we're going to investigate this ourselves!" cozy investigator when Winnie was quite prepared to leave her sleuthing days behind her. The feeling of a small town where you'll know someone who knows everyone still works, although apparently I now twitch whenever a character treats NRA stickers or posters as a neutral background detail! No, I don't understand it either, I will count it as my completely unrelated gripe for this review instead of the inexplicable heteronormativity.

On that note, the potential reunion with Winnie's ex, Hank, that was set up at the end of the last book, is immediately quashed at the start of <em>Pulp Friction</em>, in favour of more <em>very</em> slow burn with the Sheriff. I found Hank <em>exceptionally</em> frustrating as a character, which I think I was supposed to, but also <em>ugh</em>. The Sheriff however has grown on me, and I'm genuinely fond of his deadpan humour and worry about Winnie. The c-plot about a reporter sniffing around with a crush on Winnie's grandmother made more sense when it became plot relevant, but otherwise I was just kinda put off by people teasing a grandmother about Some Dude who couldn't take a hint. (Again, this is probably going to end in heteronormativity, and I don't know how considering all of Granny Smythe's weaponised needlework friends are <em>right there</em>.)

As for the main plot: I liked the set-up a lot, and the investigation itself was interesting, but the ending and its villain monologues didn't quite hang together for me, I think because so much of it hinges on guesswork for so long, and because the motives for the <em>initial</em> set of crimes felt baffling to me. Plus, the way that so much of the plot depended on characters going into hiding despite it only making things <em>worse</em> for them swung between believable and artificially slowing down the plot, so I can't say for certain how well the pacing is going to work for anyone else. However I can say that the tension and the actual <em>investigation</em> were really well done; I accidentally mainlined the middle third of <em>Pulp Friction</em> in a couple of hours because I didn't want to put it down. Plus the narration manages to be funny and heartwarming; I'm dearly fond of Winnie and her approach to life.

One thing that I will note is that I believe that Julie Anne Lindsey's other series are suspense titles, and it <em>really</em> shows here. The ending (and the Sheriff's backstory) is very much set up to a sequel, and tonally it feels much more like a thriller than it does a cozy mystery. This isn't bad! I found it very effective, especially for the way tension builds, I just hadn't expected "cozy" and "suspense" to go together quite this well.

The long and the short of it is that I really enjoyed <em>Pulp Friction</em>, it was a fun sequel to a book that I really liked, and now I'm desperately shaking Goodreads to try to make the third book come out faster.

[This review is based on an ARC from Netgalley.]

Winona Mae Montgomery (Winnie to family and friends) thinks she has put trouble behind her. She managed to solve a murder, get her Granny off of the police suspect list for it and now the family orchard is financially in the black. On top of that the orchard, Smythe Orchards, is becoming known far and wide for its yummy offerings and now as a venue for local events. Winnie is looking forward to a wedding being held on their property. Great for business, right? Wrong. Winnie's ex-boyfriend, Hank, shows up and, at the wedding, has a harsh exchange with the groom. When Hank storms off, that should have been the end of it. Instead it turns out to be the end of the groom and the police (the sheriff is Winnie's current boyfriend) are laser focused on arresting Hank for murder. Winnie may not love Hank the way she used to but that isn't any reason to sit back and let him take the rap so she sets out to track down the real killer.
The mystery kept me engaged from beginning to end and I was happy with the various twists and turns plus the red herrings that kept me from guessing the killers identity. Winnie, her granny, Delilah, Colton, all are well developed characters. I'm already looking forward to another visit to Blossom Valley and the Smythe Orchards.

Loved it. This is a delightful series. An interesting variety of characters. A clever murder mystery. A hint of a possible romance. I look forward to reading the next one. Entertaining and engaging cozy.

This second installment in the cider shop series is another sweet success. Winnie hosts a wedding for a local bride from a prominent family and her groom who are both now living in Louisville, Kentucky. The joy quickly ends when he is found dead on the side of the barn and Winnie's ex-boyfriend Hank has suspiciously fled the scene after being awfully close to one of the bridesmaids. Although Sheriff Wise warns her not to get involved with the investigation, this mystery hits really close to her home and possibly her heart.

This series has quickly become one of my favorites. Winnie is a strong female main character, not one to shy away from hard work, plus I really admire her devotion and loyalty to her grandmother who not only raised her from childhood, but also remains her highest priority. Her best friend Dot, a park ranger and lover of all animals, is fun, spunky, but also has the ability to reign Winnie in when she sees her starting to cross the line of interfering with police business; that is, if she sees her. Winnie and Sheriff Wise, now known more by his first name Colton to her, continue to build trust and friendship moving forward. Interesting plot twists and a motive for murder I never saw coming. Read in two sittings. Eagerly awaiting the next installment!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for an ARC of this book. My review is voluntary.

Pulp Friction is the second book in the Cider Shop Mystery series written by Julie Anne Lindsey. Although I haven't read any other books by this author, I decided to dive straight in anyway as I adore a good cosy mystery such as this was.

In Pulp Friction, twenty-something heroine Winona Mae Montgomery (otherwise known as Winnie), runs an apple orchard and cider shop with her Granny Smythe (love the name!) in rural West Virginia. They've managed to turn the family business into a going concern and the cider shop has been booked for various upcoming events, including a wedding. But Winnie is far from happy when the groom is found dead under the wheels of the old farm truck that was going to escort the newly married couple from the reception, especially as her ex-boyfriend Hank had a heated argument with him and is considered to be the prime suspect. Can Winnie get to the core of the truth and find the murderer?

Although this was my first book in the series, I adored this novel and I had no trouble keeping up with the events and the characters! The author's writing style was comedic, easy and fun. Her characters are memorable, especially Granny Smythe, Winnie, and Sheriff Colton, and many of the supporting characters played good parts. The reader got to know the bride, the best man, an assortment of friends, and some associated odd bods and the complete combination made this a compelling and bewitching tale. The subtexts kept me desperate for more while the blossoming romance was a nice touch. The mystery itself had an abundance of mis-directions and red herrings and it was a blast to try to figure things out as I puzzled over the clues.

I highly recommend Pulp Friction to those who appreciate well-written cozy mysteries. This is a novel I really enjoyed, and I very much look forward to my next outing with Winnie and Granny Smythe!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

This book takes you ob a thrilling ride in Blossom Valley, West Virginia. The plot, with all its twists and turns, kept me entertained and wanting to put the book down. When I did put ir down, it kept calling to me to pixkit backup. My suspect list was long and couldn't decide who did it. I was still guessing until the killer revealed themselves. With the cliffhanger ending we were left with, I can't wait to go back to Blossom Valley and visit.

Winnie's new cider shop is doing well, so well that she has her first big event planned and can't wait to.see how.It turns out. She has a wedding being held on the farm and the reception will be in the cider shop. The big day comes and everything is going off without a hitch until the reception. At the reception Winnie sees her ex boyfriend Hank there and he gets into a fight with the groom, why is Hank there and now does he know the groom? When the argument is taken outside she hopes that it will be handled quickly and that it won't ruin the evening. Later Winnie goes outside and sees Hank rushing off, a few minutes later the body of the groom is found dead. It looks like he was runover, but who would have wanted to kill him and why? The police immediately look at Hank as their main suspect and even though she isn't in love with him anymore Winnie doesn't believe for a minute that he killed anyone. She knows that she must figure what happened that evening and who was responsible for killing the unlucky groom. Hank is on the run making him look even more guilty but Winnie can't let that stop her from finding the truth. Follow along as she digs deep for clues, there are so many questions that need to be answered but not everything is not adding up. Will Winnie be able to find a killer before she herself becomes a victim or will the killer win in the end.

What a great setting for a wedding! Too bad someone had to ruin the night. Have you ever had that boyfriend that wouldn’t go away? Come along with Winnie, Dot, Granny Smythe, Delilah, and Colton as they try to figure out all the happenings going on in Blossom Valley. It’s enough to keep them busy, let me tell you. I enjoyed the story line and love these characters. I can’t wait to see how they handle the next adventure. Y’all also get some yummy recipes in this book. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Pulp Friction
A Cider Shop Mystery, Book #2
Julie Anne Lindsey
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Nothing’s sweeter than a fruitful family business, and for Winona Mae Montgomery and her Granny Smythe, that means Smythe Orchards in Blossom Valley, Virginia. But this year’s apple crop is especially juicy—with scandal . . .

SEEDS OF DANGER

Thanks to Winnie's new cider shop, Smythe Orchards is out of the red and folks can get their fix of the produce and other delectable products they love all year round. The locals are even booking the shop for events, including a June wedding! Winnie couldn’t be happier to see the barn filled to the rafters for the big bash—until her doting ex, Hank, is caught in a heated argument with the groom. Winnie plans to scold Hank after the party, but spots him running off instead. And when the groom turns up dead, apparently hit by the honeymoon getaway car, Hank is the main suspect. Now Hank is on the lam, and it’s up to Winnie to get to the core of the truth—before the real killer puts the squeeze on her . . . (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well rounded, well developed and three dimensional. I love the relationship between Winnie and Granny Smythe , you can tell how much they love each other. Even though Hank is her ex- winnie wants to help him clear his name, because she knows he could not be guilty. Colton, the sheriff, and Winnie are getting closer and I am looking forward to seeing what happens between them.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. I thought the descriptions were very good in this book and they brought vivid images into my mind while I was reading. The mystery was well plotted and I did not know who the killer was until it was revealed at the end. I had an idea who the culprit was but I was not certain.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

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

I loved this book. I needed this book. Thank you. Well written, engaging characters. I want more from this author

I absolutely enjoyed the first book in this series and couldn’t wait to read the sequel. The setting is great, the main cast of characters are perfectly eclectic and likable and the mystery was captivating from start to finish.

Smythe Orchards is such a great backdrop for a series. We don’t have apple orchards in my neck of the woods so it’s fun to visit a fictional one. I would love to taste all of Winnie’s gourmet ciders. Her flavor combos sound so refreshing. Granny continued to crack me up this round. I love that her hobby is sewing humorous quotes. Just wait until you see who she “hires” to take care of their overgrown yard too. Let’s just say one worker randomly faints when startled. I really like Dot as well. She’s a park ranger, an animal rescuer and one amazing friend.

The mystery was action packed right from the start. Smythe Orchards is hosting a wedding and everything is going great until the groom is murdered during the reception. We learn that Winnie’s ex, Hank, is wanted for questioning and can cook one heck of a mushroom burger. If the doesn’t catch your attention, then there’s a great storyline involving forbidden ginseng harvesting in the nearby National Park. I wasn’t familiar with this and found it incredibly intriguing. We also learn quite a bit more about Colton and why he’s so secretive about his past. This sets up the premise for book three perfectly and is woven throughout the entire story which was a wonderful red herring.

I appreciate that the romance is light and still super slow. I feel like it’s giving us a chance to really know the characters and definitely leaves us eager for more. No denying they have great chemistry together.

Needless to say I will be eagerly waiting for the series to continue.

Pulp Friction is the second book in Julie Anne Lindsey Cider Shop Mystery series. The storyline is well-plotted and flows at a steady pace, with well-developed characters and a solid mystery. There are lots of red herrings and twists to keep the reader turning the pages.

Winona Mae “Winnie” Montgomery and her granny, Penny Smythe, who live in Blossom Valley, West Virginia, have worked hard for the past six months, and have turned things around for Smythe Orchard. Winnie renovated the barn and opened a cider shop. Tourists who tour Smythe Orchards are also able to enjoy Winnie’s unique cider and Penny’s tasty sweet treats. Elsie Grace Sawyer and Jack Robert Warren booked their wedding at Smythe Orchard, and it was a lovely event until Winnie noticed the groom drinking from a flask, arguing with her ex-boyfriend, Hank Donovan, and upsetting his new bride. When Jack’s body was found under the old farm truck that had been decorated as the bride and groom’s getaway vehicle. When Hank becomes Sheriff Colton Wise’s prime suspect, his younger sister, Gina, begs Winnie to find the killer and clear her brother’s name. Winnie doesn’t believe Hank murdered Jack and teams up with her best friend, Dot, to figure out who did, and finds herself in harm’s way.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I had so much fun reading this book!

Winona Mae Montgomery is enjoying the running of her cider shop. She is more than thrilled to have a wedding and reception being held there. The only problem is, the groom turns up dead in the middle of the reception. With the help of Sheriff Colton Wise, can Winnie solve the murder before something else happens?

I loved this second book in a series. When I read the first book, I wasn't so sure about how much I would enjoy the series. It just didn't seem to be right for me. But this second book totally changed my mind. I flew through this book because it just kept me so entranced. Winnie is such a fun character and I love her fun attitude. She also seems so real. She doesn't just let scary situations go, she feels them and they affect her. I loved Colton as well. He is a great character and I enjoyed his protectiveness. But he also let Winnie be herself without restricting her. I read this book all in one sitting and I cannot get my mind off that cliffhanger! When is the next book coming?!

*eARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

Winnie is busy keeping her family's apple orchard and cider bar running and the last thing she needs is another murder on the grounds. Unfortunately, that's exactly what she got, so she sets to investigating for the sake of her home and business, and for the sake of her ex, who is a person of interest and on the run from the police. This is such a well-written mystery, I kept guessing and suspecting characters through the whole story. I also enjoyed the interactions between Winnie and Sheriff Colton Wise, though the tension caused by Winnie's investigating and Colton's disapproval made it hard to imagine a relationship growing between them. I love the West Virginia setting of this story and the tasty ciders Winnie comes up with. The characters are great, too, especially Winnie's Granny and Winnie's best friend Dot.

Though this is only the second book in the series, I'm really liking it and hope it continues for many more books!

I received an advance copy of this book. This review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

I liked this book much more than I did the first one. I was not a fan, but decided to try the second one, because often the first book in a series is problematic and those things get worked out in the second book. And for the most part, they did here. I knew who the killer was, but not the why and the whole backstory and there were enough red herrings to keep me from trusting my gut on who the killer was and so overall, it was a decent book. Good enough for me to read #3. Though I kinda have to, but that isn't something that can be discussed here.

All that said, there are still some problems [and some spelling and grammar errors that I hope some editor found and corrected] - maybe minor, but there are still there and it needs to be said.

1. Winnie needs to respect Colton more. I know they have the hots for each other, but her continued blatant disregard for his job and her [also] blatant disrespect of him as an officer of the law and as a person will end that real quick like. It is already borderline unbelievable and will continue to be so, to the detriment of the story because of it. I don't care if Winnie is nosy [most MC in cozies are], but she seriously needs to respect Colton and the position he holds WAY more than she does.

2. "She wet her lips", "She licked her lips", and "she gnawed the delicate flesh of her nail" ALL. NEED. TO. GO. Please stop using these [over and over and over again].

3. We need more of the cider shop and all that Winnie does there. There is too much running around, and not enough of her actually running the business that supposedly "saved the farm". The farm isn't going to be saved for long if she doesn't stay and actually, you know, RUN THE FARM.

There are a couple more things that could go on that list, but then we are veering into spoiler territory and I don't do those. I will say that the things that bugged me were way less than last time, so I take that as a very good thing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 2nd book in the wonderful " Cider Ship Mystery Series" by cozy author Julie Anne Lindsey. I highly recommend the first in series and this next in series for your reading enjoyment. Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own. Review to be cross posted.

We rejoin our protagonist Winona Mae Montgomery and her Granny Smyth in Blossom Valley, Virginia on their apple farm. I enjoy reading about their close relationship and their love for the picturesque farm. Winona has saved the farm with her popular cider shop that is a favorite of the locals as well as tourists along with her Grandmother's baked goods. She is a kind person who gets along well with her friends and neighbors and is well liked in their farming community. Winona is always thinking of others and is especially close with her Grandmother. It is this basis of this series that is so appealing to me. I love the farm community descriptions and the people within this series.

Winona is preparing to host a event for the first time at the shop , a wedding put on by a very wealthy family. She is already nervous and wants the event to go perfectly so she can book future events. When the groom is murdered and Winona's ex is the prime suspect she knows she must investigate both to save her ex but also her reputation of her business.

This is such a enjoyable series. The supporting charcters are all likable and add to the series. I like the well crafted fun sleuth with many twist and turns. The description of life on the farm is fun. I look forward to the next in series and highly recommend this fun cozy mystery series.

Second in the Cider Shop series, Winnie and Granny's apple farm ends up being the last minute venue for a wedding and reception. Of course someone dies and Winnie is set to investigate. Through the course of the investigation, a couple new characters were introduced that I think might be come recurring characters. Winnie and the sheriff seem to get closer, but I still don't feel those unrequited romance feelings between them. Shouldn't I be wondering about them? They give off the "just friends" vibe. I will unabashedly tell you that my favorite character is not Winnie but Dot, the park ranger with the passion for adopting animals and naming them all Kenny Rogers. (Ms. Lindsey didn't need to remind us of this quirk twice during the course of the book and I'm not sure why an editor didn't catch that faux pas, but at least it was something humorous.) I hope Dot gets a bigger role in future adventures. I also want to get to know other characters more. Sheriff Colton seemed to open up a bit more during this book, but I still feel like we don't realy have a grasp on most of the more central characters. That's what makes a cozy series so good.

Pulp Friction by Julie Ann Lindsey
Book #2: Cider Shop Mystery Series
Source: NetGalley and Kensington Books
Rating: 4½/5 stars

Life at Smythe Orchards has always been about family, hard work, and community. Unfortunately, in the last few months, it’s also been about trying to overcome obstacles, build a bright and successful future, and forget the tragedies of the past. To that end, Winnie has finally been able to open her cider shop and the orchard is back in the black. With life looking up, Winnie is ready to ride the tide of good feelings and see how her plans play out. As always, the last thing Winnie and her granny need is any sort of trouble or difficulty.

Trouble and difficulty are exactly what the two women get, in spades.

In the midst of Winnie’s first wedding hosting gig, the bride lets out a terrifying scream and is found crouched over the body of her new husband. Just as Winnie gets to the bride and groom, she sees her ex-boyfriend fleeing the scene and in the days that follow he is completely MIA. Though Winnie isn’t crazy about her ex, she is certain he isn’t a killer and if anyone can do anything to clear his name, it’s Winnie and her “insatiable curiosity.” Unfortunately, until she can find her ex, Winnie won’t be able to get any answers to her questions.

As luck – or not! – would have it, Winnie’s ex has a nasty habit of breaking into her house and scaring the boojeebies out of her. Every time Hank shows up, Winnie has a million and one questions for him, and Hank only seems to have one or two answers, or less. Hank isn’t certain exactly who is involved or why, but he knows there’s a conspiracy and he got caught up as a patsy. What’s more, Hank’s new squeeze is caught up as well and she’s even less knowledgeable about the whole mess than Hank.

As Winnie continues to investigate, she inadvertently uncovers a huge and vastly profitable conspiracy that gets she and her best friend shot at, her livelihood threatened (again!), and her budding relationship with the sheriff placed on shaky ground. The sheriff is not at all happy about Winnie’s involvement, especially when she winds up hurt and he comes face to face with her ex. Once all the conspiracy business comes to light, even the sheriff must admit, Hank isn’t the guy. Trouble is, no one can up with any solid evidence for who ‘the guy’ actually is.

The Bottom Line: As much as I enjoyed the first book in this series, I think this one has even more heft to it, which left me enjoying it just a bit more than book one. Both Winnie and her granny are a bit more evolved in this story – I always like to see character evolution – and the plot is a bit more complicated which makes it a bit more interesting. The cherry on top of all of this is the presence of one tiny little FAINTING GOAT!! Are you kidding me? Believe it or not, the cute little FAINTING GOAT fits right into the plot, right into orchard life, and right into the fabric of Winnie and granny’s lives. I sincerely hope this series continues to grow as I am finding it to be one of my current favorites.