I loved this book so much! It's an amazing cozy mystery with a compelling story that had me glued to the pages! I really loved the cultural aspect, and found that it opened my eyes a bit, and I loved that! The characters were great, I wanted to be friends with them, and I loved the mystery! I highly recommend if you enjoy cozies!!

This cozy mystery follows Lila who, after a tumultuous breakup, moves back home to try to save her aunt's failing restaurant. But when her ex drops dead, she of course is the prime suspect. Filled with food, mystery and a hint of spice, this book is not to be missed!

This was a charming hybrid between a cozy mystery and a romance, and I very much enjoyed my visit with Lila and her family and friends. I look forward to continued visits to their world!

I was excited about this book, which had an interesting premise. However, I found it really unbelievable, and the main character not very likeable. I ended up abandoning it about halfway through... it really didn't hold my interest :(

I really struggle to review this book--I don't think a star rating captures my thoughts adequately. This is a cozy mystery series starter; series starters are always a challenge, and difficult to do well, since so much foundation must be laid and so many characters introduced. Some of my absolute favorite cozy mystery series have mediocre to subpar starters, and grow into themselves in later books. This book felt like a series starter. Too much tell, not enough show.

This book had a number of good points, though. I love the family aspect and how each of the Aunties had a fun personality--reminded me a bit of Dial A for Aunties, one of my favorite books of 2021. I loved the food descriptions and came very close to ordering dinner at 4:00PM. I thought the mystery was pretty good, too--I didn't guess the killer until 70% in, which I think is pretty solid. The book also gave me the traditional cozy mystery love triangle set-up, which I think was done quite well in this book--the seeds were planted, which is all we really need. Just enough to give our MC something to look forward to.

However, this book had some other issues. It was a little bit all over the place. Events kept happening where I kept saying, "Wait, what?" to myself (I don't want to list them here because, well, spoilers) and while each individual event isn't highly improbable, coupled together they made the story highly unrealistic. A number of these events are bad things, too, so after a while it got a little depressing. You just feel so bad for the central character and her family, like "What could possibly go wrong next?" Of course, it's a cozy, so it has a HEA, but it was a struggle to get to that happy ending. This was also an extremely quick read, with a lot crammed into a small space, and I think it could have been expanded a little more.

In the end, I didn't love this book. BUT, I will definitely give future books in this series a try. I think once we get out from underneath the foundational elements of a series started, this author/series has real potential to have some great books in play. I'm somewhere between three and four stars on this book, so I've decided to round up.

Thank you to Berkley for my eARC! All opinions are my own.

4 stars - 6/10

Special thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for providing me with the digital ARC of Arsenic and Adobo by Mia Manansala.

First, I adore this cover. It's so bright and fun - it's definitely going to pop off bookshelves.

I was sucked into the story immediately. The first few chapters open like a rom-com complete with a breakup, moving home, and her very family, both immediate and her extended. Suddenly, the mystery begins to unfold and the rom-com aspect disappears and it becomes a cozy mystery.

There were parts I was definitely laughing out loud. And plenty of parts I was on the edge of my seat. This was a very fun read and I enjoyed my time with it. I'm certainly looking forward to reading more from Mia!

While I don't usually read cozy mysteries, ARSENIC AND ADOBO caught my attention mostly because of the characters in the story and their backgrounds. I feel like it's not often you see a Filipino protagonist (or really many BIPOC) in cozy mystery settings (I could be wrong, admittedly, as I'm not to acquainted with the genre), and that really sold it for me. I liked the light tone to this book, and I liked Lila in her three dimensional, a bit self centered but overall caring and determined glory. I thought that Manasala has created a believable back story for her and why she would return to her home town, and the difficulties that would come along with that even without being accused of murder. I enjoyed getting to know the people in her life, really liked her family (especially Tita Rosie, of course), and thought that the mystery itself was a great starter, and fun to follow. True, I figured out the solution pretty early, but it was still fun following Lila on her quest to clear her name, as well as her inadvertent quest to reconnect with her loved ones after an absence. And on top of all that, we got some really great recipes for some traditional and also tweaked Filipino dishes! Given that this book had SO many awesome descriptions of food, that was super enjoyable.

All in all I liked ARSENIC AND ADOBO. It was simple and light, and perfectly suited for those who like their mysteries with little violence and lots of great food.

This one was okay? I didn’t really get into the story too much, it was one of those books you could read a couple chapters then move onto something new.

Really enjoyed this cozy. A real page turner. Looking forward to this new series. Makes me very hungry for Filipino food too!

This is probably a book that most will like: classic rom com with the couple hating each other at first. This just did not grab me from the beginning. I could not engage with these characters at all.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley, and Mia P. Manansala for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

After ending her engagement, Lila Macapagal moves from Chicago back to her small town of Shady Palms. An avid baker, Lila begins to help her Tita Rosie and Lola Flor at the family’s struggling bakery. Her plans are derailed when her ex-boyfriend visits the family business and proceeds to die there, causing Lila to become to prime suspect in his death. Lila embarks on a mission to clear her name and save her family’s livelihood and legacy.

This was my first-ever cozy mystery, and I really enjoyed it! I spotted a friend’s review of this book about a week ago on instagram, and once I realized that this is a Filipino cozy mystery, I knew I had to hop on to NetGalley to request it. I am half Filipino, and it was so awesome to read a book with so many recognizable and identifiable aspects of my culture (especially the food!). I loved that Manansala included a few recipes at the end for the reader to try (though I don’t know if her chicken adobo can rival my mom’s).

I enjoyed reading about Lila. Though she can be a bit stubborn and might get in her own way, I found her dedication to her family and friends to be very endearing. The dynamic between Lila and her family, as well as the one between her and her mga ninang, were hilarious, so accurate, and really reminded me of my titas. I think at times it may have seemed like there was a lot going on: the cast of characters is large, and their relationships are vastly entwined, however I felt that perhaps this foundation is necessary given that there will be at least two more installments in this series.

I am eagerly looking forward to the next installments of this series (I hope those include recipes, too!). I’d also love to see more of Longganisa.

Thank you so much to @berkleypub @penguinrandomhouse and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

I saw this title and was really excited for this book. A murder mystery with Filipino representation?! Sign me up!

This is a read-in-one-sitting kind of book because it’s fast-paced and so entertaining. Whether you like mysteries or not, you’ll be drawn into Lila’s world and will want to spend time with her titas (aunts) and her food! The author does a fantastic job of introducing & weaving bits of Filipino/Filipinx/Pilipino culture throughout the story, and develops a great cast of characters. We really get into Lila’s head –her ambitions, hopes, and penchant for sleuthing, and we root for her as she navigates her small town to follow clues. Lila is torn between her family obligations and what she really wants to do with her life. Aided by her best friend Adeena, she begins to learn more about herself and her small town, Shady Palms, has to offer.

I love learning about Lila, and I’d love to learn more about her aunts and her friends –the fact that this will be a series will hopefully give more backstory to the other characters. There’s lots of witty humor and a little bit of romance thrown in here, and I also appreciate how the author deftly tackles more serious themes throughout the book –such as racial tension, sexism, and the immigrant experience. Overall, this was a fun ride and I look forward to reading more of Tita Rosie’s mysteries!

FUN FACT 1: there are recipes you can try at the end of the book! Make some ube crinkles so you can devour them while you read.

FUN FACT 2: Adobo is the Philippine’s national dish. Traditionally made with either chicken or pork (or both), soy sauce & vinegar, there are so many variations of this dish. I’m partial to my mom’s, of course.

Probably a 3-star read for me, but culinary cozy mystery fans will definitely want to look for this one! It's not just for foodie fiction fans — it's an #OwnVoices tale of a Filipino American millennial trying to find her place in the world and reluctantly discovering that it might be back in her hometown with her nosy aunties and high school besties and, yes, frenemies. She's sure she could figure it all out IF people could just stop getting murdered for a moment so she could gather her thoughts, priorities, and creative baking ideas.

I never quite warmed up to the narrator / main protagonist, but that didn't keep me from rooting for this family and puzzling out the mystery to the very last page. It's a well-written cozy mystery with a lot going for it!
• #OwnVoices with a variety of Asian American representation (Filipino, Indian, Korean, etc.) and some LGBTQ+
• a network of strong, loving, nosy aunties, godmothers, grandmothers, and cousins
• a realistically amateurish amateur sleuth who is tenacious but also in her mid-20s and busy with modern family, friend, and work drama
• rounded out town history and characters put a little more bite and heart into this story than many cozy mysteries allow for
• Filipino dishes and Tagalong phrases scattered throughout with a glossary and pronunciation guide
• a chubby Dachshund named after a short, fat, Filipino-style sausage (Longganisa)
• a mild love triangle featuring a "will they won't they" situation with the brother of a best friend and a hot "new to town" dentist
• a solid cast of interesting, quirky characters and a great set up and for future additions to the series

Topics, tropes and themes: coming home, Asian American family culture, family restaurant, "critical food critic gets poisoned" trope, mild love triangle, first gen immigrant pressure/expectation,
Content notes: fat-shaming, poisoning, drug overdose (off screen, background), murder, assault, corrupt authorities and scams targeting minorities

My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the digital ARC.

Debut novel ARSENIC AND ADOBO, is the first in the new Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series by Mia P. Manansala. This cozy mystery has been highly anticipated and it delivers all it promised and more! Combining a fresh take on diversity surrounding a group of strong Filipino women and their community, the characters, particularly protagonist Lila Macapagal, makes the story come to life. Her humor is a bit snarky around the edges but it elevates the voice of the story and makes Lila more relatable. Despite the setbacks she’s experienced, (a failed relationship and her chef’s career going nowhere which necessitated the need to flee back home and move in with her aunt), Lila still has a desire to succeed. The supporting characters are just as well developed as the protagonist, and they each bring strengths to the story. Ms. Manansala uses her family to immerse the reader in the Filipino culture via several avenues. First off is the food – so many delectable dishes are mentioned and I’d advise to not read while hungry! Second is the language – there’s a glossary at the beginning but the author does an admirable job of making sure there is context provided within the story. And the familial interaction between Lila, her aunt, her grandmother, along with her honorary “calendar” aunties named so because of their birth names, April, May, and June.

The mystery sets up quickly and the pace is spot on. With Lila’s Tita Rosie’s restaurant close to bankruptcy and a landlord intent on closing her down, she decides to do everything in her power to rescue the family business even when it appears hopeless. On top of the money issues, Lila’s ex-boyfriend had been publishing nasty reviews about the restaurant, driving away what little business they had. No spoilers here, but the way the murder of her ex is set up and then takes place adds a creative flair. Naturally Lila is the prime suspect. I liked that she’s intelligent and quite methodical about searching for clues on who else might have wanted the nasty reviewer dead. There were enough suspects to keep me guessing and Lila has some assistance in the form of her high school best friend and her attorney brother, along with the brother of the lead detective. The author’s plotline surrounding the aspects of the murder centers on a heartbreaking social issue that our nation is experiencing. I appreciated that Ms. Manansala writes with sensitivity, instead of shock value, and treats the victims with dignity. As the reveal fell into place, the threads of the plot and subplot were wrapped up succinctly, and left the reader with a hint of what’s to come in future books. I can’t wait!!

As I mentioned above, oh my goodness, the food! There are several recipes at the back of the book and I can’t wait to try several of them.

Despite the millions of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in the US, there's still not a lot of Fil/Fil-Am stories, at least not as much as books by/about East and South Asian communities. So, when I learned about Arsenic and Adobo, I was super excited to see myself on the pages.

This book started out a bit too stereotypical Filipino, which annoyed me a little. I'm glad I pushed through because the natural Filipino charm, sense of family, and culture later emerged. I'm also new to the cozy mystery genre--and mystery in its entirety since I've only read a few books and most of them were YA. So, this was a refreshing read. I loved how the author kept me guessing at every turn and though I got some things right the first time, which I liked, I loved it more that the whole thing still surprised me. A cozy, entertaining, diverse read.

OMG. I loved this book. It was so wonderful to read this book full of Filipino culture and food. The murder mystery aspect was entertaining and kept me reading to see how things would play out.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Mystery. The main character of this book makes me laugh. She is very intent on creating some pretty amazing-sounding desserts all while searching for the killer (of her ex-boyfriend -- she is accused of killing) to make sure he/she gets their "just desserts." Befuddled until the end. Good mystery.

This cozy debut was fun and held my interest throughout. The characters were well-developed and realistic. Lila, the protagonist, was approachable and easy to relate to. There were some real funny and heartfelt moments. But the food! I loved learning about all the dishes and appreciated the recipes at the end. I wanted a little more development into the love triangle but I'm assuming it will be explored in the next book. I guessed the killer's identity pretty early on but that didn't take away my enjoyment of the book.

When Lila returns home to Shady Palms to help save her family's Filipino restaurant after her own relationship goes sour, she doesn't expect to become the prime suspect in a murder investigation. Determined to clear her name and save the family business, Lila tries to conduct an investigation of her own... but since she's terribly nosy and not terribly observant, things don't go very well. On top of the murder victim being her ex-boyfriend, Lila's struggling the relatbale frustrations of returning home at 25 under less-than-ideal circumstances -- and as a result, she manages to exacerbate her own troubles.

The first installment of Manasala's cozy culinary mystery series is over-the-top. Lila is not a very good friend to those around her (which I found very believable, as she's 25 and living at home again after a personal disaster), and the crowd of aunties and abundance of comfort food was very engaging. I loved the emphasis on family and community relationships (both appreciating and resenting them) and the multiple ethnic restaurants of Shady Palms were very enticing, and I do wish there had been more frequent appearances from Lila's overweight dachshund (I love dogs).

The story has a little too much going on at times -- there's a vague love triangle, a slighted best friend, and a drug ring on top of all the recipe development and murder -- but it sets the stage for a larger series. Content notes include a number of slights about Lial's weight from family members, petty high school relationships surging to the fore, and financial stress. I enjoyed the varied cast of characters but was glad to finish the book, since the drama felt overwhelming at times -- and not the drama about being a murder suspect, but the drama of Lila not paying attention to those around her. She's very dense and self-absorbed, bless, which seems to be a consistent character trait. The novel sets the stage for a more coherent center of activity in future installments, and I anticipate those installments being more balanced.

I love cozy mysteries and was beyond excited to get the chance to read Arsenic and Adobo.

The cover got me interested right away, the dachshund and food, and I was hooked right away. I was not disappointed. I love that this focused around Filipino food and their culture.

I loved Lila and the town of Shady Palms. The diversity in this book was wonderful and I loved that they were able to bond over the great uniter, food. Reading this book made my mouth water, the food descriptions were realistic. I found the mystery to be interesting and exciting. I also enjoyed the humor in this book. I enjoyed the coziness of this mystery as well as the food and bond with loved ones.

You should check out Arsenic and Adobo if you're looking for a warm, food-filled, and fun mystery.