Second in the series but first rate read!! A fast pacedfun fun filled read that keeps you on your toes. The food and wine descriptions will make your mouth water! I highly recommend this book!!
#netgalley #Berkley In exchange for a honest review I received a digital copy of this book.

Reid Wallace’s estranged family has come for a visit to Boulder, Colorado, and Parker Valentine is hoping to make a good impression on her boyfriend’s family. However, things aren’t going well as Reid’s family is constantly judging everything she says as not being up to their standards. Never mind their opinions of her wine. The visit is interrupted when Reid is arrested for murder. Oscar, the sous chef at Reid’s restaurant and his long-time friend, was murder behind the restaurant, and the police are certain that Reid did it. Parker doesn’t believe that Reid is capable of murder and sets out to figure out what really happened. Can she free her boyfriend from jail?

The first in this series was one of my favorite books from 2020, so I had high hopes for this one. I’m pleased to say I enjoyed it. There is plenty of conflict in this book to keep us hooked. I did think the pacing started to slow in the middle, but about the time I thought that, it picked up again and kept going until we reached the end. The characters are still rich, and I appreciated the growth in their relationships, while the new characters fit perfectly into Parker’s world. For those interested because of the wine theme, there are plenty of scenes in Parker’s winery. I’d forgotten that this series is written in the present tense, which I don’t mind once my brain adjusts. There are three delicious sounding recipes with suggested wine pairings at the end of the book. If you haven’t started this series, you need to fix that. If you’ve read the first, this book will please you.

Parker Valentine, owner of Vino Valentine, and Reid Wallace, owner and head chef of recently opened Spoons, have not only created a business collaboration pairing their food and wine, they’ve been dating for four months.

When Reid’s estranged family visits Boulder, Parker joins them for a celebratory dinner at Spoons. Not only does something go awry in the kitchen making Reid’s carefully planned dishes less than delectable, his family is openly hostile to Parker despite her efforts to make a positive impression.

Even worse, the next day, she learn that Reid’s sous chef, Oscar, was killed in the alley behind the restaurant. Reid’s distinctive chef’s knife is found at the scene, and an eyewitness identifies him as the murderer. Reid is quickly arrested, and refuses all help from his family, so Parker’s best friend, Sage, volunteers as his legal counsel. With such strong evidence against Reid, though, Parker knows finding the real killer will give him his best chance at freedom.

As Parker investigates, she is warned off the case by Detective Eli Fuller, especially when she starts receiving threats. Knowing this means she’s getting closer to the truth, she only redoubles her efforts despite the danger.

𝘈 𝘗𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘋𝘪𝘦 𝘍𝘰𝘳 by Kate Lansing is a quick, cute cozy mystery with a determined and plucky protagonist as well as a feline sidekick, Zin. Like the first book in the series, 𝘈 𝘗𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘋𝘪𝘦 𝘍𝘰𝘳 includes insight into winemaking—and a barrel full of wine metaphors. The characters and their relationships have developed, and the book touches on social issues such as the high costs of health care.

The depiction of the murder victim humanized him, and that, as well as the jeopardy facing Reid, gave the case high emotional impact and significant stakes, and I thought it played out well. I also appreciate a cozy mystery without a love triangle!

This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites! There's a polish to this author's work that is really rare for a new author. The plot is so intricately woven, the setting so idyllic, and the characters so empathetically crafted that this book pulls you in by the collar and doesn't want to let go!

The book begins with Parker suffering through a dinner with her boyfriend Reid's haughty parents and two brothers. As rough as the meal is it's a cakewalk compared to how the evening ends, with Reid's sous chef and friend Oscar stabbed to death in the alley behind Reid's new restaurant and Reid hauled off to jail for the crime. Of course we all know Reid isn't capable of killing anyone, let alone someone he cares about as much as Oscar, but the Boulder Police Department, specifically Detective Eli, don't seem to agree. It's up to Parker to find enough evidence to get Reid off the hook.

This is a series I think you don't have to read in order. Book 1 is only referred to twice that I specifically remember and it's inconsequential both times so I think it's safe to read these out of order.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

In short: Parker Valentine is back along with her boyfriend Reid. After a tense dinner with his family, Reid’s sous chef Oscar is found murdered and Reid is arrested. Things aren’t adding up and Parker investigates to clear his name.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this 2nd installment of the Colorado Wine Mystery series. Starting off with a tense family dinner was a great way to establish the strained relationships in Reid’s family and made you question their actions throughout the rest of the book. From the get go the author made me care and root for the main characters and had me angry and disappointed with Reids family. This was such great character development!

The investigation itself is a little slow going as it’s hard to get any information from anyone but she persists. There are some crazy twists and turns and just when Parker thinks she has everything solved a final piece of the puzzle falls into place.

This book achieved all the keys to a good cozy mystery:
*Lovable characters - Such a great cast
*Great Setting - I loved all the descriptions of Boulder, CO and details of winemaking
*A little romance - The bond and loyalty Parker and Reid have was nice to see.
*Danger - It wouldn’t be a cozy without the sleuther putting herself in danger with the killer before being rescued.

Like a good wine, A Pairing to Die For surprises the pallet, leaves a lingering mystery of flavorful thoughts and leaves you nicely cozy in the end.


Parker Valentine is living her dream. Her wine shop Vino Valentine,is picking up in business, people are enjoying her creations and there is a man that makes her heart happy. The opening scene of the book just goes to show you what a woman will do for a man she cares deeply for. This strong and independent woman embraces a snobby family, makes some wine, investigates a murder, cares for a lonely cat and even dangled her toes in a bit of matchmaking. Well really just a push on both sides. Not too bad for a day's work. Parker is determined and I love how when she sets her mind to a goal, she does her best to follow through.



A Pairing to Die For is a fantastic follow up to Killer Chardonnay. Kate Lansing is a fantastically descriptive writer combining the delicacies of winemaking with the delectable nature of wonderful food, the comfortability of friendship, with a mystery that will keep your mind working. Along with the beautiful descriptions of Boulder and the fantastic cast of characters she has given readers, good stories and entertainment will be had. The Colorado Wine Mystery series is off and running! I can’t wait for more time with Parker and her crew. If you are a lover of cozy mysteries with a bit of romance and wine, you should give A Pairing to die for a try!

The second in this series featuring winemaker and tasting room owner Parker Valentine was a good follow-up, though I'll admit I didn't love it QUITE as much as the first in the series. The wine metaphors and puns were a bit heavy handed, but fortunately the mystery didn't suffer. Parker's boyfriend is being accused of murdering his friend and sous chef, so the stakes are high in this one. This was an entertaining mystery, and I do certainly hope to see the series continue!

3.5 stars

This cozy series is set in Boulder, Colorado and features a young female winemaker. Parker Valentine is trying to fulfill a dream by blending her own grapes and wine brand in a shop in Boulder. As this book opens, she is stuck at the dinner from hell with her boyfriend's parents and brothers at the boyfriend's restaurant. The parents are almost cartoonishly awful.

But the evening isn't over. One of boyfriend Reid's staff is found murdered in the alley later that night with Reid's knife. Parker is way more concerned about Reid's arrest and incarceration than his family so she decides to investigate.

As is often the case with cozies, Parker seems to spend a lot more time playing detective than she does running her business. Her family is also among the cast of characters and there is a bit of family drama with both Parker and Reid's parents. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"A Pairing to Die For” by Kate Lansing the second instalment in the “Colorado Wine Mystery” series. I struggled sometimes with all the wine references, being a non drinker but over all I enjoy this series. I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it in a few days. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises.

I loved the characters which are well developed, especially Parker she makes a good protagonist. The secondary characters Sage, Liam, even her mum were likeable as well. I can’t wait to see what happens next with Parker and Reid.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Berkeley Publishing and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. What I love most about the genre is the different atmospheres and getting to know a different craft/profession from the perspective of the main character. It was especially fun spending time in Parker's shoes and learning about wineries.

The second in the series felt remarkably similar to the first. Parker is "forced" to investigate a murder, this time because her boyfriend Reid has been arrested for the crime. While this mystery was solid, and I pieced together some elements but not all--definitely less predictable than the first--it leaves me, as a reader, wondering what next? Everything seems so neatly wrapped up, both personally and professionally for the characters, and I can't fathom how Parker could find herself involved in a crime again. Then again, cozy mystery authors always seem to find a way...

This book is a fairly standard cozy mystery--nothing particularly groundbreaking, but nothing bad either. If you're really into wine or Boulder, you might prefer this to some others. I wish the author had dialed back the references to Redi's "cocky/cocksure grin"--not sure why that aggressive repetition wasn't caught in editing. One of my comments about the first book was that I hoped the author would use the location more to her advantage, and I appreciated the further integration of Boulder, CO into the story with references to the mountains, the farmer's market, and more areas of town.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!

4 stars - 6/10

A Pairing to Die For by Kate Lansing is another great book in the Colorado Wine Mystery series! Once again, Lansing does an amazing job with character development. We meet Reid’s family right away in the book and see that Lansing can write characters who are horrible people, as well as characters you want to be friends with. The dinner scene at the beginning was so excruciating, but felt true to life for me. And if you’ve never experienced a dinner like that before, then I am very happy for you!

Romance is often a part of cozy mysteries since you have to have a contact in the police/legal/newspaper field, but I really enjoy the romance in this cozy series. The way Reid stands up for Parker is wonderful to see in a relationship. I know it’s just a book, but I have seen many couples in real life who do not have this important fundamental part of a relationship, so it’s nice to be able to read about one. Even though Parker’s faith in Reid truly being innocent gets tested a bit, of course, it all turns out well.

I did have a strong and correct suspicion about who the killer was early on, but Lansing really did do well with the red herrings and twists. I just read so many mysteries, that you kind of get a feel for it.
But I will say, with the killer’s reveal, it will add an interesting dynamic to future books in the series. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all will play out, and am looking forward to book three in the Colorado Wine Mysteries.

Title: A Pairing to Die For
Author: Kate Lansing
Genre: Cozy mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5

It's fall in Boulder, Colorado, and the leaves aren't the only things changing. Parker Valentine, owner of Vino Valentine, is finally settling in to her winery and her new relationship with Reid Wallace, a local chef. But their delicate pairing is endangered when Reid's estranged family comes into town to celebrate the opening of his new restaurant.

Reid and his family are immediately at loggerheads, given their often acidic temperaments, but Parker still wants to make a good first impression. However, her efforts might be in vain when Reid's sous chef is found dead in the alley behind the restaurant, and Reid is implicated in the murder. In order to save Reid, Parker will have to find the real killer, even if the truth is difficult to swallow.

I haven’t read the first book in the Colorado Wine Mystery series, but that wasn’t a problem. This was a quick, easy read. To be honest, my main issue was with how quickly they arrested Reid—within a couple of hours—and with no physical evidence to link him to the crime. I need the books I read to make sense, and this didn’t. Apart from that, this was an entertaining read.

Kate Lansing lives in Colorado. A Pairing to Die For is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Berkley in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 1/18.)

This is my most anticipated cozy mystery read of 2021. It's scenic, cozy, and dramatic. Really enjoyed this book.

What a fun cozy--I'd give it 4-1/2 stars out of 5! I didn't read Book 1, but I will now. I love the characters--Parker and Reid, Reid's snooty family, Parker's employee, her friends--they all interest me. I even love all the bits about the process of making wine--and I don't like wine at all! But it's part of the believable world (well, as believable as cozies get) that Lansing builds here. The plot is interesting and fast-paced, though I had a good idea who the killer was before it was revealed.
The justice system works ridiculously quickly in arresting and arraigning Reid, but it gives Parker great motivation to solve the crime. Parker is strong, vulnerable, smart, and brave. I can't wait for the next book.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this follow-up to Killer Chardonnay, and being back in Parker's world! The wine and food is described so well I could smell and taste it, and the mystery element brought tension and suspense that kept me reading. Kate Lansing writes with so much warmth that I wish I knew the characters and was able to visit Vino Valentine in person. Such a fun read that kept me hooked, trying to guess who was the real killer. Just what I needed to take me out of the real pandemic world, and into Parker's life.

I loved the second installment in the Colorado Wine Mystery series as much as I did the first! I was drawn into the page-turning plot from the first chapter. The story had twists and gasp moments I didn't see coming, the mystery building to a satisfying end. I knew way back in book 1 that Parker Valentine was someone I would love to be friends with and not just because she owns a winery. She's witty, charming, loyal, ambitious, and sharp. I love the insights she offers about life, family, and relationships as she reflects on the challenges that she and the people around her are going through. Those nuances are part of what makes Parker such a compelling character and Lansing's writing so satisfying. The delectable descriptions of wine and food made me hungry and oh-so thirsty for a cold glass of wine. I cannot wait to try out the recipes at the back of the book and, of course, I'm anxiously awaiting book 3 and another gripping cozy mystery from this wildly talented writer. I give this book all the stars!

Few people know the taste of Colorado wine but it is delicious. This cozy mystery is no exception. Wine, fall, Colorado beauty, and a mystery all combine into an enjoyable witches brew for the reader. Characters are memorable and very well written, the mystery is extremely well crafted and brings the reader along with an abrupt, surprise ending. I look forward to further installments in the series.

Parker and Reid are back again in this second–and extremely fun– installment of the Colorado Wine Mystery series. Along with some sleuthing, there is food galore, delicious wines, and even some grape stomping, the latter, of which, made me think of that famed Lucille Ball episode. The book is fast-paced (I read it in two sittings), the characters are beautifully developed (even the villains), and it kept me guessing the whole time. Thoroughly enjoyable, with all the right notes, I really hope Lansing has more books planned!

Thank you to Berkley, NetGalley, and the author! I loved this book.

The stakes are even higher in the second Colorado Wine Mystery and this well-written, atmospheric mystery is a very enjoyable ride. With endearing characters, yummy food and wine pairings, and hip Boulder, Colorado ambiance, this series is becoming one of my favorites.