It's been a year since her first foray into hosting a booklovers week at her B&B called 'Chapters' ended up in murder and Charlotte Reed wants nothing more than to not have a repetition of those events. Hence, she is wary when she reluctantly agrees to host a book tour/book club weekend and accommodate historical romance author Amanda Nobel, her publicist Tony and three winners of a contest and big fans of Amanda-- Lisette, Harper and Molly at her B&B. Charlotte's wariness is justified when Lisette's dead body is found in the river with circumstances pointing towards murder. Charlotte once again puts on her amateur investigator cap and with the help of her elderly neighbour and friend Ellen and the local police tries to figure out who the culprit is.

Reserved for Murder is the second book in the series and I like how the overall plot is moving forward. Along with the characters that were introduced in the first book, we have some new appearances, the most vital being of Gavin who introduces himself as Ellen's cousin but Ellen hints otherwise. Gavin's presence leads Charlotte to find out a bit more about her late aunt Isabella as well who used to be a spy working alongside Ellen. Initially, Charlotte is suspicious of Gavin but slowly warms up to him and I feel this hints towards a future romance.

I am really enjoying reading cozy mysteries ever since I got introduced to them last year and the first book of this series was one of the first books  I read in the genre. Needless to say I enjoyed reading this book as well and I look forward to following this series. It is the first cozy mystery series I have read from the beginning.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Victoria Gilbert for the e-Arc of the book.

Enjoyed see how the characters have developed since the first book. Charlotte is becoming a more confident character. The mystery is well-plotted with red herrings to keep the reader engaged and entertained.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

In this book (the second in the series), best-selling time-traveling historical romance author, Amanda Nobel, is in town for a book tour stop. She stays at Chapters, and Charlotte also hosts three lucky fans who won a stay at Chapters plus the chance to meet and hang out with their favourite author (as part of the book tour events).

Along with the people introduced in the first book, there are lots of new characters, including Amanda, her publicist, Tony, and the three contest-winning fans, Lisette, Harper and Molly.

Speaking of new characters, we are also introduced to Gavin, who is staying with Ellen. He’s posing as Ellen’s ‘cousin’ but from Ellen’s demeanour, he is anything but a welcome family member. Because of Ellen’s behaviour, Charlotte is also highly suspicious of Gavin, but eventually she warms up to him (future love interest, perhaps?)

When Lisette is found murdered, there’s no lack of suspects. While Amanda is seems like a nice person, the same can’t be said for other two fans. Plus, Lisette’s ex-husband, showed up unexpectedly, and there’s also Roger Warren, a historian who offended the fans with his accusation that Amanda’s books lacked any historical research.

New characters aside, it’s the character development of the ‘regular’s that I really enjoyed in this book.

Charlotte’s staff, Alicia and Damien, are back, as is Charlotte’s neighbour, Ellen (the ex-spy). Alicia, the housekeeper at Chapters, is still a big cold and stand office to Charlotte, but I’m hoping she warms up soon (otherwise, it may get annoying).

Ellen continues to be my favourite character in the series. She’s kind, smart and skilled, plus her mysterious past as an ex-spy has only been teased out bit by bit, which makes her a very interesting character.

We also find out more about Charlotte’s aunt Isabella (who left Chapters to Charlotte) and her past as a spy as well.

I also like Charlotte and Ellen’s interactions with the local law enforcement. It turns me off so much when the local police are unnecessarily rude or obnoxious. But Detective Johnson is great and tolerates their involvement in trying to solve the crime, especially as she knows Ellen is more than capable.

The murder itself was well-crafted and there were enough clues and hints to give me an idea of who the murderer was, but there were also twists along the way that had me doubting my guesses.

Charlotte herself is growing as a character and while she’s still mourning the death of her husband, who passed away several years ago, it seems like she’s starting to take small steps towards moving on. While I’m impatient to learn more, I’m also loving the slow burn of finding out everyone’s pasts and how they’ll adapt to the future.

One of my favourite aspects of this series is the setting. Charlotte’s Chapters sounds like somewhere I’d love to stay. And all the bookish events are also a draw for me. I don’t know if I’ll get tired of reading mysteries with this B&B setting.

*** Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert is book two in the A Booklovers B&B Mystery series. It can be read as a stand alone.
This well written Cozy has it all. There are plenty of plot twists and supects. The main characters are likeable and relatable. You also have humor, friendship and a hit of romance. I also enjoyed the setting and want to visit Beaufort.
I was given an ARC by Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley for an honest review.

I enjoy the spy aspect of this book, the MC, the older secondary character and finding out more about the MC aunt. I also like the setting. I have been enjoying the entire series so far and look forward to more.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert is the 2nd book in the Booklovers B&B Mysteries series, and another great addition. Charlotte Reed has inherited a B&B in Beaufort, North Carolina from her great aunt Isabella. The B&B is called Chapters, which caters to special events celebrating books. In this adventure, a big time author of romantic fantasy, is staying at Chapters, and has agreed to a Tea and Talk meet and greet for her fans. When the president of the writer's fan club is found murder, the sleuthing begins. Once I started this book I could not stop reading it. It was a quick read that kept me guessing. I look forward to the next book in the series. I highly recommend this book for all cozy mystery book lovers, you will not be disappointed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love cozy mysteries and this one was good from the beginning. The setting of a B&B and the wonderful characters made this a hit with me. The personalities of the various characters are so well developed and you find yourself developing strong feelings … you really like some while you despise others. The various suspects Charlotte weeds through to come up with the real culprit gives you a wonderful opportunity to get to know them well.

I really have enjoyed the two books in the Booklovers B&B series. I can’t wait to read more in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

3.5 stars

Charlotte of Chapters Bed and Breakfast is offering a low-key author event for a popular romance author. What Charlotte did not prepare for was the death of an attendee. Can Charlotte solve the death while also trying to suss out who the mysterious visitor is next door?

I have determined after reading the first two books in the series that the series is just not for me. It has a secondary storyline of spy and espionage and that is not my cup of tea. It distracts me from the murder mystery and I find it makes the book drag.

Please give the series a try as you may love it. I heavily suggest reading book one first to get the background of the spy angle. I hope you find yourself enjoying the series.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

This is in the Booklover's B & B Mystery series. Charlotte has a bed and breakfast called Chapters. She currently has a famous author staying at Chapters and has events going on all week around the author. When a fan dies there is several possible people who could have done it.
This is a cozy murder which is for people who don't want a complex mystery. Just enjoy yourself.

This book was not for me I DNF’s the book after 50 pages which is always what I try to give.


I’m sorry not every book is for every one
And this one was not for me
It was more fiction than thriller
Thank you for the chance to try.

Victoria Gilbert B&B mysteries with Reserved for Murder. Charlotte Reid runs Chapters Bed and Breakfast for book reader special events. Author Amanda is on retreat with 3 heavy hitter fans allowed at the B&B; then one of those fans is found murdered Whodunit? Another fan? A stalker? Is the best selling author a target? Enjoy this cozy for readers.

Reserved for Murder is a quick, easy read without a ton of filler. It is dialogue-centric with a bit of action thrown in. Although this may not be every reader’s cup of tea, it is consistent and enjoyable. Charlotte is a nice everyday character that readers can relate with; her neighbor, Ellen, is not your average sweet old lady. Alice and Damian are interesting and help the story move along. The introduction of what may turn out to be a love interest for Charlotte has great potential. Charlotte’s B&B, Chapters, is every reader’s, and I dare say most writers’ idea of a dream come true.

When a fan of a visiting author is killed, Charlotte steps into the fray. Even though the fan didn’t die at Chapters B&B, Charlotte feels that she needs to help find the killer and protect her guests, who are also suspects. A few people had good reason to kill Lisette, the fan of author Amanda Nobel, who is murdered, including Amanda herself. The motives aren’t ironclad and might even be flimsy, such as professional jealousy, but people have killed for less. Evidence isn’t easy to find, but it’s there, lurking in the shadows.

Reserved for Murder isn’t rife with massive action scenes or detailed descriptions, and many readers find the dialogue-driven story a bit hard to take. Still, in general, this book is meant to be a more relaxed, character-driven series, not overly time-consuming, and easy to imagine. Charlotte’s B&B, Chapters is an ideal location for intrigue. The characters are likable, even if some of them are a bit prickly, and the secret agent aspect adds a bit of fantasy to an otherwise ordinary cozy. It was a pleasant read and fits well with the first book in the series.

Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert is the second book in Booklovers B&B mystery series.

I found this book slightly disappointing and dull. I liked the first book well enough and decided to give book two chance since I love discovering new series and especially as the synopsis sounded really interesting. I am sad to say I didn't enjoy it as much I as hoped I would.

I like the overly secretive neighbor and a mystery within the mystery that includes Charlotte's aunt. I am was happy to see that we had a chance to find out more about her and our main character as well.
Yet it lacked something to keep me really unable to put it down.
It was well written and steady paced, I absolutely love the setting and idea of booklovers and the perfect B&B but I simply didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped I would, for some reason it fell flat for me.

This is another enjoyable cozy mystery from Gilbert. I like the setting of a B & B as we get to see the murder suspects in a variety of situations. Much of the investigation Charlotte, our amateur sleuth, does is by listening to conversations. Charlotte is a good investigative heroine too. She's nosy so pays attention to conversations others miss. I like her sidekick, Ellen. Next door neighbor and previous government agent during the cold war, she adds some spice and expertise to the work.

This murder plot revolves around authors and publishing and is quite informative. We learn about fandom and fan fiction. We also learn about the pressure bestselling authors are under to produce the next hot novel. We find out about ghost writers and how they come to an author's rescue when burnout occurs. And then there is the elephant in the room, plagiarism. As we find out in this novel, it can be deadly.

This is a good cozy mystery for readers who like an informative murder plot with engaging characters. It is the second in The Booklover's B & B series but reads very well on its own.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Charlotte is hosting a Tea and Talk with a well renowned author at the B&B she inherited from her aunt. As the guest show up, there is tension in the air. The author doesn’t want people to know she’s there. She’s hoping for a little relaxing time with she’s there and if people find out she won’t get any. Then, one of the three fans end up murdered.

All the while there is a new guest staying at Charlotte’s friend and neighbor’s house. Charlotte is sure that the gentleman is not her cousin like they claim since she never mentioned having a cousin before. She knows that her aunt was a government op agent and Ellen was her handler. Does this guy have something to do with that?

This was a cute cozy mystery. I enjoyed it but somehow I missed the first book in the series. I will probably check out the second book. I love the B&B aspect of this but I hope the people get a bit more interesting.

Charlotte recently inherited a bed and breakfast from her great aunt Isabella. During a week hosting for a renowned author, one of her guests ends up dead. Charlotte taps into her sleuthing side to try and figure out who the killer is and why they felt the need to silence a guest.

This book had my interest early on. I absolutely adore the setting - a bed and breakfast that is book themed, I literally could not ask for more. Then the story slowly started turning into a who dunnit, very reminiscent of Clue. Though I did enjoy this book, I didn't feel overly connected with any of the characters and I couldn't invest in the outcome of the book. It didn't hold my interest enough to actually find out who the murderer was and even when I did find out, it still just kind of fell flat for me.

**Please note, it is always difficult to give a less than stellar review. As an avid reader, I have great appreciation for authors and the time, energy, and effort that goes into every story.

This is the 2nd installment in the Booklover’s B&B mystery series. Charlotte Reed runs the Chapters B&B in Beaufort North Carolina which she inherited from her Great-Aunt Isabella. Charlotte has a famed romance novelist Amanda Nobel whose series is also a hit TV show and three of her superfans who won a contest hosted by her publisher. Amanda’s presence is not known as she has been on a book tour and does not want to be hounded by her fans. All three of the contest winners cannot disclose but one is the head of fan site (Lisette)and the other two (Molly and Harper) are diehard fans and rounding out the guests is Tony Lott who is the publisher’s marketing specialist in charge of the events. There appears to be tension between Lisette and all the other guests. Charlotte’s friend Julie who runs an independent bookstore is hosting a book signing event and Tea and Talk event on the front lawn of Chapters. At the event, Roger Warren a local historian along with Julie’s boyfriend Scott question Amanda about the historical inaccuracies in her books and asked why she did not do any research. Needless to say her loyal fans are not happy and words are exchanged after the event and Lisette threatens Roger and Scott and suggests fans should log on to book review sites and rate their books lowly. That evening Lisette does not return from dinner in town that was hosted by the publisher and is later found dead. Lisette’s husband who she had a restraining order against was seen at the event earlier and he becomes the prime suspect. Detective Johnson warns Charlotte that there were the group was heard arguing during dinner so any one of her guests could be a killer. Along with finding out if one of her guests killed another guest there is another mystery as to who is the gentlemen staying with her friend and neighbor Ellen . Ellen introduces him as her cousin Gavin but everyone seems to doubt that and Alicia (Chapters housekeeper and Aunt Isabella’s friend) says that he has been to see Aunt Isabella before and the visit was mysterious. In the last book, Charlotte learned her Great Aunt was an intelligence operative for the US and her handler was Ellen. Charlotte also has to keep on him as well. This was a good mystery and I like Charlotte and how she is growing in her relationships. Her relationship with Alicia was at times a little frosty in the first book but they seem to be finding common ground and mutual respect. This is a engaging read and I look forward to the next installment.

Fun mystery here with just the right pacing and cast of characters. I really enjoyed the side story with Charlotte's neighbor. I somehow missed book 1 in the series, but I will definitely be going back to pick it up.

Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert is the second in this cosy mystery series set in Beaufort, North Carolina. I love a cosy mystery and I wanted to read this particular novel as I have a fancy for cosies about book-lovers, libraries and other book-related things.

Centred around Chapters, a book-themed Bed & Breakfast, I thought this was a fabulous story. Chapters, a perfect book-lovers retreat is run by forty-something widow and former schoolteacher Charlotte Reed, who inherited the B&B from her great-aunt Isabella. Charlotte is hosting a visit by one of the biggest names in romantic fantasy, author Amanda Nobel. Charlotte meets Amanda's publisher and marketing manager, Tony Lott who is nothing like she had imagined him to be. The event is to include a meet-and-greet session with hors d'oeuvres, wine, beer and liquor as refreshments. Unfortunately, one of Amanda's fans, Lisette who is also president of her fan club ends up dead, found near the docks.

The descriptions of small-town life with all its complications and relationships were very enjoyable and believable. I also enjoyed the flow and style of writing and character development. The characters were distinct and entertaining and I continued to really warm to Charlotte in particular - she oozes confidence and style and I adore her matter-of-fact approach. Ellen Montgomery, an ex film location scout, friend and neighbour of Charlotte, also deserves a special mention. She assisted with the sleuthing as well as helping Charlotte with other matters. She is straightforward and convincing and slotted into the storyline perfectly as a secondary character. Victoria Gilbert provided exactly the right amount of description of the Beaufort, North Carolina setting and I found myself wishing that I could take a trip to Chapters myself.

Reserved for Murder is a brilliantly executed cosy that kept me guessing and I would love to see what Victoria Gilbert has in store for Charlotte in book #3.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert is the 2nd book in A Book Lover’s B & Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone if you have not had the time to delve into Booked for Death. However, you would understand more about Isabella, Charlotte’s aunt who left her the house, if you read Booked for Death. I thought Reserved for Murder was well-written with good characters. I like that we get to know a little more Charlotte Reed and her aunt. Charlotte is a retired schoolteacher who now runs a literary themed bed and breakfast called Chapter’s. Each room features a different genre of books (romance and mystery for example). I love the descriptions of Chapter’s. I would love to own this home filled with books. In Reserved for Murder a bestselling author is coming to stay along with three fans who won a contest. There will be a special event as well. Unfortunately, one of the fans who is also president of the author’s fan club ends up dead. Charlotte, of course, is going to investigate. There are several suspects in this whodunit along with misdirection to keep readers off the trail of the real killer. I did find it a cinch to identify the guilty party. I can also guess the why based on the details provided. I like putting together the various pieces and arriving at the conclusion (like putting together a puzzle). The more I read, the more my suspicions were confirmed. There is a subplot involving Charlotte’s neighbor and her guest, Gavin. Personally, I do not feel the spy element adds anything to the story. It did not go with the rest of the book. There is, though, sparks between Gavin and Charlotte. There is a significant amount of dialogue in this story as they discuss the mystery and other events. I could have done with less talking and more action. I enjoyed Booked for Death more than I did Reserved for Murder. I thought this story moved along at a slower pace which is courtesy of the dialogue. I like that we get a glimpse into the world of publishing and fanfiction. Charlotte has a great circle of friends. They are a friendly bunch who are there for each other. Reserved for Murder is a literary cozy mystery with a weary writer, a frustrating fan, a circumspect spy, a mystifying murder, suspicious suspects, and an inquisitive inn owner.