this was quite the interesting story! i loved how right from the beginning, we’re introduced to maddy right as she’s boarding her flight to michigan - the action only starts building up from there! however, i thought that the last few chapters zoomed by super fast and there was just a lot packed into them. i would’ve liked to either see some of the action taken out (because it felt so overwhelming) or just drawn out some more. having said that, i this debut of the baker street mystery is full of lots of promise and i’m looking forward to more to come!

i eally enjoyed learning more about maddy, her family, and her friendships. all the characters stand out, especially baby, and i admired how supportive they were of maddy as they helped her navigate her new life. one of my favorite thing maddy attempted was baking for the first time. the initial trials were definitely a bit shaky but the heart for it must be in the genes! and let me just say: aunt octavia was a smart, sneaky woman and the surprises she leaves throughout the novel is what made it hard to put down!

One of my favorite and most read genres is cozy mystery and I was so excited to stumble on this start of a series by Valerie Burns. Maddie was a excellent character to follow to appreciate the "current" way of living. A life ruled by social media that ends up taking her to a new life with a bakery in a new place, plus one GIANT dog! I just adored this book about starting over with a side of the unalive. Looking forward to continuing this series in the future.

Maddy has had a little setback., and inheriting her great aunt's house is a welcome break. However it also comes with a bakery... (and she can't bake), and a large English mastiff dog named Baby. Really loved the heroine, and how she is finally taking charge of her life. Great cozy, looking forward to more in the series.

I am so glad this series exists! I cannot wait for book 2 now!! This was a wonderful cozy mystery with an amazing dog everyone will fall in love with and quirky characters to keep you laughing!

When Maddy inherits her recently passed great aunt’s home, bakery, and dog, she’s definitely in over her head. She’s happy to just sell it all and get the money for more shoes, except that there’s a clause in this will. She can’t just sell it, she’s got to live in the house, run the bakery, and care for the dog. When a murder and a fire take place in her very newly acquired bakery, her whole life turns upside down as she finds that she wants to find the murderer and save the bakery!

Maddy is a character who you could very easily NOT like. She’s grown up privileged and extremely spoiled, and yet, she’s amazing!! She’s got a wonderful heart, and while she’s got some flaws, she’s super willing to stretch and grow and learn!

I loved her and the dog together. Their relationship growth was beautiful, and I can’t wait for more of it! In addition to those two characters, there is a slew of side characters that create so many moments of laughter. I am sure this is going to be a series that I pre-buy in the future because I cannot wait to see what happens next for these characters!

My only issue with this story was that I thought the ending and wrap-up happened super-fast. I was so invested in the story, and I would have happily read one or two more chapters to fill it out a bit more. Overall though, this was a solid story, and I highly recommend it for readers of cozy mysteries!!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

After being stood up at the alter by her fiancé on live stream, Madison Montgomery decides it’s time to prove everyone wrong. When her great Aunt Octavia passes and leaves her home, bakery (Baby Cakes) and dog (Baby) to Maddy, she’s determined it’s her time to start over. But imagine being accused of murder only days after moving in?? Fortunately, Maddy will quickly learn who she can and can’t trust!

Maddy is an awesome main character and truly gives ~main character energy~, I loved her. I really love the clues that great Aunt Octavia leaves behind for Maddy. Although they didn’t seem to be super close, it’s obvious that she was invested in how Maddy was raised and it’s so sweet.

This is the first book in a new Baker Street Mysteries series! I really enjoyed this, it was a cozy little mystery. I’ll definitely be looking out for the next one!

Prolific cozy mystery author V.M. Burns debuts a new series with a fresh cover featuring a spoiled young woman who, recently dumped by her fiance, takes over her deceased aunt's home and bakery. After an extremely rocky first chapter (very much tell, not show, and featuring the most annoying qualities of our heroine), the book picks up speed and finds itself in solid cozy territory. By the time I reached the great ending, I had pretty much forgotten the rough start. Burns is great at crafting mysteries, and this book is no exception.

Thanks to Kensington Books for my ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 8/10

If you know me, you know I LOVE cozy mysteries. They are truly the easiest books to read/listen to because they are so fun and so approachable. This one is no different. This is a culinary cozy series that has it all, a cute dog, a fun lead, a sneaky mystery, set in Michigan (might be bias there), and a bunch of quirky characters! This book also includes recipes that you read about the book! Definitely 5 stars from me.

I absolutely loved this book. And that was quite a surprise since I've been in a little bit of a reading slump lately. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about a social media influencer turned amateur detective in this small town, but I really loved the start of this new series.

We follow Maddy who was recently received an inheritance from a great-aunt Octavia in a small town in Michigan. However, when she gets there, the lawyer explains a small catch in the will which takes Maddy by surprise. But she goes with it and settles into her great-aunt's house and figures out how to run a bakery. She also meets some great people in the town who loved Octavia and just want the best for Maddy as well.

She's not used to people relying on her and looking to her for guidance, but this allows Maddy to learn and grow. Plus I oddly liked how her social media influence impacted the small town and some small businesses.

After being in town a few days, a murder takes place at her bakery after hours! That leads to a whole mystery to figure out what happened, who did it, and why.

I adored this cozy mystery with its unique addition of social media, and I will definitely be checking out more books in this series.

I loved this! Such a fun cozy mystery. I mean honestly what screams fall more than a mystery combined with baking combined with a lovable doggie? I loved the plot, loved the characters, etc. etc. My least favorite part is the cover. Ugh I wish it wasn't so cheesy because I think it is doing a disservice to the book and I think more people would pick it up if it looked a bit more polished - it looks like a kid's book :(

A sweet start to a great series!
I wish I got to meet Aunt Octavia because her friends are fabulous! The real stars of this book are Maddy's new inherited English Mastiff Baby and the recipes. They really had me craving baked goods!
I really enjoyed her social media updates...which was quite a surprise to me.
I will say this may be the ONLY cozy where I have ever figured out the killer. It was really straight forward to me.
I can't see what happens in the next installment!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Netgalley, the author Valerie Burns, and the publisher for this opportunity.

This was a fun start to a new cozy mystery series. I loved the bakery setting and Maddy is an endearing protagonist. Baby, her dog, is the star of the book. I wasn't a huge fan of Maddy's need to constantly take photos and list out all the applicable hashtags. This is definitely a "millenial" cozy, which aren't my favorites. However, I still had fun with this one and plan on continuing with the series.

Found this first in a new cozy mystery series very enjoyable!

At first I wasn't sure. I'm not a fan of 'rich people behaving badly' themes and our main character, Maddy was entitled and spoiled when we first meet her. The set up of this one is nothing original: Maddy inherits a home and business from an aunt she barely knew and must live/work for there for one year before she can sell as stipulated in the will.

The setting was New Bison, on Lake Michigan where Maddy soon realizes her aunt owns a gorgeous home and very successful business. Along with the home and business she has inherited a 250lb English Mastiff named Baby and a community who loved her aunt. One of her aunt's dear friends is convinced her death was not an accident and when arson and murder are committed at her bakery, she starts to believe it as well.

I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed, but it is set up nicely for the next installment. The biggest draw for me was the descriptions of all the baked goods, recipes included, and Baby's escapades.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Kensington for the complimentary digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have read several other books by this author and have always enjoyed them. What I loved about the other books (in particular) were the side characters, older characters and animals.

The pro's of this book are that all these elements are here. I loved Octavia's friends, the Irregulars Group and of course Baby.

The con? Honestly, thank goodness I listened and read this book. I think if I had started this book in print rather than audio on my commute, I would have DNF'd it.

Maddy. Oh Maddy. I found her irritating, annoying and childish. I only started to come around to her at the 50% mark. I know that is part of the book however. To see how Maddy matures. I think this translated much better via audio than print. It was tough though...50% is pretty far in the book to start to feel less annoyed.

On the pro side again, she did mature! Which means I will look for book #2 when it comes out. If she continues on this path, this could be a very fun series.

Maddy Montgomery’s groom was a no-show to their livestream wedding, so she’s looking for a new life. Fortunately, her great-aunt left her a house and bakery, but it's located in small town New Bison, Michigan. And Maddy must remain in the town for a year and care for a 200-pound English Mastiff named Baby. As Maddy adjusts to her new life, she realizes that her first-class, spoiled, rich lifestyle won't help her succeed here, although her money will come in handy. And one of her new friends could be a killer. Who can she trust? And is she safe?
This book moves along at a satisfying pace. But Maddy's super spoiled, and I could not relate to her. Even running into a new relationship so fast after her broken engagement seems unreal. And all the hashtags are annoying and disrupt my reading flow.
I do like the bakery setting and recipes. The author also references classic movies, books and stars. And Maddy's willingness to learn, courage to make her own decisions and desire to create a life she wants inspire me. I also like the gutsy Irregulars, including Hannah. Of course, Baby is a star of the book, too.
While I like this book okay, I probably won't read further installments of the series.

This book is the start to a new cozy mystery series. It was a quick read and definitely a good start to a new series. Maddy inherits a home and business from the great aunt she barely knew and it comes at a good time as she has just been left by her fiancé. The only catch is she has to live there and run the business for a year. Unfortunately it’s a bakery and she can’t cook (like at all). At first I wasn’t sure about her character, she’s way more into social media and stuff but as you get to know Maddy I liked her. The mystery was interesting and there was some good twists (although I did figure it out before the end). The cast of supporting characters was fun and I liked the small town setting quite a bit.

This is a laugh-out-loud mystery with a fresh take on the trials of making it on your own. This story definitely does not follow the same-old cozy mystery formula. Half the fun was seeing how Maddy adjusted to the concept of living her life in the real world. I #LovedTheKeywords thrown in throughout.
The story and complications flowed naturally from Maddy’s actions and naïveté, making it very easy to dive headfirst into the story. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series and highly recommend Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder.

Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder
By Valerie Burns
Kensington
September 2022

Review by Cynthia Chow

Being left at the altar was humiliating enough, but having it livestreamed over social media had Maddy Montgomery more than ready for an excuse to get out of town. So she jumps on the first flight to New Bison, Michigan after receiving a letter informing her that she is the main heir of her late Great-Aunt Octavia. Even though Maddy barely knew Octavia, she has left Maddy a house, bakery, and a 200-pound English Mastiff named Baby. The catch – other than the unexpected gift of a horse-sized pooch – is that Maddy must live in the home and run the bakery for at least one year. Considering that Maddy is more deft at posting hashtagged selfies than she is turning on a stove, it’s almost enough to have Maddy turning tail and running home to her father, the Admiral. Being raised by a single father as a Navy brat, Maddy grew up trained in Morse code and self-defense, but also mainly to become a suitable military wife. She’s now determined to prove herself capable of taking on a new business and establishing her independence, despite the influx of visitors all interested in buying her out. Through a videotape recording Octavia left for her grandniece (and after the attorney explains to Maddy just what a VCR tape is), Maddy is warned that something is wrong in the town of New Bison and that not everyone can be trusted. It’s an assertion backed up by the bakery’s somewhat addled baker Hannah, who further declares that Octavia had been murdered.

As Maddy settles in and meets the eclectic staff and the rest of New Bison town, she is reassured that Octavia’s paranoia was due to her love of classic mysteries and regular meetings of their bookclub the Baker Street Irregulars. After the mayor is murdered by the bakery’s expensive knife following his pushy attempt to buy out Maddy though, she is unable to ignore the shadow looming over the Lake Michigan town. So when she’s not learning to cook and hashtagging the disastrous results, Maddy attempts to discover who was willing to give Octavia a fatal push to keep secrets hidden.

In this debut series readers are introduced to the world of Instagram hashtags and social media promotions. Maddy could easily have turned into a one-dimensional cliché of an influencer, one who constantly takes selfies and is obsessed with her social media following. Instead, Maddy is a compelling, very relatable character struggling to forge her own independence and identity. As rivaling suitors appear, it will be the one who sees her as more than just a brainless, pretty face who wins out, especially when she comes accompanied by a very protective massive pooch. Foodies will wince at Maddy’s attempts to scramble an egg, but cheer when she is able to bake one of Octavia’s award-winning Chocolate Soul Cakes. Recipes (but not for that special cake, unfortunately) are included at the end, but the focus is on Maddy’s inspirations to build and expand the bakery. The author of the RJ Franklin and Dog Club mystery series again crafts a humorous mystery with characters supported by the strong bonds of the community and chosen family. The few questions that remain at the end of this very satisfying, engaging mystery will have readers eagerly awaiting the next appearance by a more confident Maddy and somewhat slobbery companion Baby.

I love this author and when I saw that she was starting a new series I couldn't wait to read it. This series starts off with a hit and kept me glued to the story to the last page. Maddy has inherited her great aunt's house and bakery in New Bison, Michigan. She doesn't remember her aunt and has no idea how to bake, but is in need of a new start. She also inherits a large, lovable, English Mastiff named Baby who I fell in love with. I loved hearing about the town, the people, and getting to know Maddy. I can't wait to see what happens next in this series after this great start.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A promising new series from Valerie Burns!

Maddy Montgomery heads to New Bison, a small town on the Lake Michigan shoreline, after having been left at the altar. Her great-aunt Octavia died and left Maddy her home and bakery, despite Maddy not having been in touch with her at all. The only condition? She has to stay in the house and run the bakery for a year. Oh, and also: take care of Octavia's 250-pound English Mastiff named Baby.

Baby is, of course, the highlight of the book. Food descriptions don't usually do much for me, even in cozies that feature it, but TWO PARTS SUGAR, ONE PART MURDER left me craving croissants and fresh-baked cookies. And I enjoyed getting to know Octavia's friends and neighbors and watching Maddy mature.

While the immediate mystery is solved within these pages, there are several unanswered questions -- I assume the next book in the series will pick up the overarching mystery plot and fill in some more pieces, as well as contain a stand-alone mystery. I was excited to check out Burns' new series, especially given the inclusion of a dog and a bakery, but I do wish I could dive into that next book now!

TWO PARTS SUGAR, ONE PART MURDER by Valerie Burns is a delightful kickoff to a brand-new culinary cozy series.

When Maddy Montgomery's groom leaves her at the altar, she lucks out with a surprise inheritance: her great-aunt Octavia, whom she's never met, left her her home and business in small=town Michigan. But Maddy isn't a baker, she's a social media-loving socialite (though it's revealed that she's actually very capable).

Sleuths will love Baby, the massive English mastiff that once belonged to Miss Octavia, and the cute Michigan setting. I also adored all of the characters, namely those who comprise her aunt's friend group, the Baker Street Irregulars. I thought that the stereotypical "clueless" rich girl heroine was actually well-written, and despite her stereotypes, is almost immediately likeable.

I subtracted one star: this has slow start - those who like bodies to turn up within the first three chapters will not find that with this one. The premise is also a little too convenient, and Maddy's near-constant social media recording of her new life is a little much. But overall this is a super fun read, and I'm excited to see where the series goes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.