Donut Disturb is the 15th book in the Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander and an absolute pleasure to read. Not only are we returning to the charming, Shakespeare-themed town of Ashland, Oregon, in springtime, nonetheless, but also we get to rejoin the delightful crew of Torte and the quirky characters of the town.

In Donut Disturb we find Torte resuming its cozy and delectable Sunday dinners, and also catering and attending Thomas and Kerry’s wedding in the park. It’s a highly creative, original, sweet affair, only tarnished by one thing…the unexpected arrival of Kerry’s estranged father. To make matters worse, one of the wedding trio’s musicians ends up dead shortly before the ceremony, but the town rallies together to carry-on with the ceremony and determines to solve the crime while the newlyweds are on their honeymoon.

The wedding and the community coming together made this story even more endearing than they usual. The mystery was intriguing, as always, and makes the plot interesting, but for me, it’s the characters and their interactions that make this series addictive.

In Book 15 of Ellie Alexander's fabulous Bakeshop Mystery series, we finally get to see Kerry and Thomas' wedding. For shippers of Jules and Thomas, this is a blow, but I, for one, and excited to finally see this special occasion! And it brings lots of drama, baked goods, and, of course, murder! Kerry's father unexpectedly shows up and immediately becomes a suspect. With Kerry and Thomas quickly whisked away on their honeymoon and away from the disaster, Jules pitches in on solving the case.

This book was a good continuation in a long-running series. I really loved that there was no new project other than the wedding (I'm a little over the new ice cream shops, wineries, and expansions). It was just the good ol' gang doing an event that naturally fit the story. There were a good number of suspects and I thought the ending was well-done. While it wasn't a wow-factor cozy, or one I'd start a cozy-novice with, it was fun and a solid installment in the series. Lovers of the Bakeshop Mysteries and Jules will not be disappointed.

Thanks to St. Martin's for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4 stars - 7/10

"Donut Disturb" continues the sleuthing adventures of Juliet Capshaw and her bakeshop team in Ashland, Oregon. As Juliet and friends prepare to cater an outdoor wedding, sinister happenings threaten to put a pause on the wedding festivities. First, the bride's dad shows up unexpectedly. Second, a musician from the trio providing wedding music turns up dead. As Juliet adds possible suspects to her list, her own life may be in danger, and as always, things are not as they seem.

Fans of the Bakeshop mysteries will be attracted to this latest offering in the series, although it can be read as a stand alone. Past readers will welcome old friends among the characters. Enough background detail is provided to bring new readers of this series up to speed on the characters and past events. Readers who like a lot of detail about baking, catering, and decorating will find this to be a yummy read, although some readers might find a bit too much detail is included. This is a clean read, without a lot of gory details, no swearing, and no overt intimacy. The author ends the story with a nice setup for the next novel about Juliet and team.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Donut Disturb by Ellie Alexander sees us back in Ashland, Oregon, at Torte, the “coffee shop” run by Juliet and her mother. It is a small town and Juliet knows everyone, and they know her. Moreover, it is the long awaited wedding of Thomas and Kerry, two of Ashland’s finest. Thomas’ mother is the local florist, and Juliet’s stepfather, The Professor, will be giving the bride away. It is truly to be a family affair. It will be in the park, which requires some extra work but will be so worth it, until one of the musicians ends up dead under the bandshell. Worse, yet, Kerry’s estranged father, newly arrived in town, is a suspect. The town briefly considered keeping it from Kerry and Thomas so their wedding day would be perfect, but quickly realized this would never work. Kerry and Thomas took it in stride and the wedding was beyond perfect. They were leaving that night for their honeymoon and the police and Juliet were going to try to get this thing solved before they returned. Hopefully, Kerry’s dad would be proven innocent.

There were lots of twists and turns in this story and more than one red herring. Juliet and Lance are partners in “crime,” Lance being the artist director of the Shakespeare festival that has made Ashland a destination, and is always part of the story. Juliet might be termed a workaholic. She is a baker so she is in the kitchen every day at 6 am. Actually, that pays off in more than baked goods; the most interesting people show up at that time of day. She has a crew that is talented and creative and their menus reflect that, making Torte a hit with both locals and tourists. This series is definitely a character driven cozy. Juliet had reconciled with her husband, Carlos, who has come to live in Ashland, and her life could not be more perfect. Twists and turns and misunderstandings make this an outstanding novel. I highly recommend it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Donut Disturb by St Martin’s Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #stmartins #elliealexander #donutdisturb

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Donut Disturb is the most recent entry in the Bakeshop Mystery series. This time, Juliet is involved in the catering of Kerry and Thomas' wedding. Kerry's criminal dad shows up uninvited and a particularly unpleasant musician hired to play at the wedding is found dead. Juliet investigates the murder, this time with Kerry's blessing. This series keeps getting better as we get to see characters evolving and developing. Ashland is, as always, a fantastic setting for the mystery to take place. Despite murders occurring, the reader can picture a calm and beautiful place with Ashland. Whether you have been reading this series for a long time or are a newcomer, Donut Disturb is a well-written, intelligent and entertaining mystery book. Note to readers: the food description will most likely make you hungry, and you will also be craving coffee while reading. Enjoy!

Love this series so much! The character development gets better and better, and the mysteries are always such fun. It’s true she never gets the killer and she’s not great at solving a murder, but all the clues leading up to the reveal are fun.

Half the fun of this series is all the mouth watering goodies that you get to read about being cooked up at Torte, and, as usual, Donut Disturb did just that. Throw is a wedding, a murder, and Lance, and you are in for a good read :)

The perfect cozy mystery! The staff at Torte bakery are preparing for a huge wedding when one of the members of the wedding band is found dead. This was a quick read full of delightful baked-goods. I jumped in at #15 in this series and fell in love with the characters and quaint Shakespearean town.

Fans of Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Series will love the latest addition: DONUT DISTURB. MC Juliet (who lives in the most adorable Shakespeare-centric town!) manages to juggle multiple thriving businesses, cook up a storm, nurture her friends & family, AND solve a murder. I love the food descriptions, but I had to put down the book every few minutes to go make the sweet & savory treats mentioned throughout :)

This series is one of my favorites. The setting of Ashland, OR is perfect, the regular cast of characters are people I would like to know in real life and the food, oh my, the food! Oh and the mystery is always a great puzzle. This, the 15th in the series, is no exception. We are invited to the wedding of Kerry and Thomas and it's a perfect day....until it isn't. An uninvited guest shows up and it all goes sideways. Kerry's estranged father should be behind bars but now he's at her wedding, bringing trouble. When a member of the local musical group Heart Strings is found murdered her father tops the list as suspect #1. Jules was catering the wedding for her friends but her involvement won't end there. Sending the newlyweds off on their honeymoon she vows to sort it out and nab the killer.
This series delivers a well plotted mystery every time but, more than that, the reader comes to care for the characters and their various relationships. Family, friends and community play a huge roll in the series. While Donut Disturb works as a stand alone, in my opinion, it works best when read in order so the recurring characters get to shine.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Welcome to the latest book in the Bakeshop Mystery series. It’s spring in Ashland Oregon and Juliet is preparing for the event of the season, Thomas and Kerry’s wedding. Everything is going along great until a surprise guest shows up that could up and the festivities. Kerry’s estranged father, who should be in jail, shows up and is later arrested for the murder of one of the band members playing at the ceremony. The newlyweds decide to continue on to their honeymoon destination leaving Juliet to help the professor with the investigation. With the help of her sidekick, Lance, they set out to find the real killer before the bride and groom return home.

This is yet another entertaining and fun installment of this very well developed series featuring the beloved characters of this Qwaint town. We are also introduced to some new people who could quite easily make more appearances and books to come, only adding to the depth of this series. Along with the murder investigation we also learn more about Stephanie and her family as she and Sterling prepare to take their relationship to the next level. Juliet and her handsome husband, Carlos, also make plans for their own future that will be very exciting for readers. This is the 15th book in the series and it shows no signs of slowing down or getting stale. These are fun, entertaining reads that I always look forward to.

Many thanks to the publisher and author for my advanced reader copy.

I have read this series from the first book until now. There are places in this book in which backstory is helpful to know. There is a lot going on in the book. Sometimes it is too much. When Juliet is cooking or baking there is extensive description, step by step, of the recipe. That gets boring after awhile, It feels as if it is a way to extend the word count. The culprit is no surprise; there are many clues as to the identity. The main disappointment is that there is nothing new in this book. It feels like all the other books before it.

The recipe for a delicious donut most definitely has something to do with rich frosting, fun sprinkles, and at soft centers. The recipe for a delicious cozy mystery? Ellie Alexander's wonderful imagery, a reliable and entertaining cast of characters, and an intriguing but easy-to-follow murder mystery. Jules and her friends in the town of Ashland are so easy to connect with; you feel like you're visiting Torte yourself enjoying a champagne latte and fresh bread. As #15 in a cozy mystery series, the story does tend to land on the formulaic side of things, but I feel like that's what you sign up for! For me, at least, the Bakeshop Mysteries serve as "ol' reliables" when I'm looking for a relaxing weekend read.

Happy Pub Day to Donut Disturb & thank you to St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for the eARC!

As someone who is very familiar with the Bakeshop Mysteries, it was exciting to once again visit Ashland and the host of wonderful characters that live there. Jules and her staff have always been comforting characters, and this time is no different. The way they work together and blend their lives so seamlessly truly make this a cozy mystery, emphasis on the cozy. It is nearly impossible to read about Torte and its atmosphere and not wish you were there nibbling goodies and watching Jules quietly interrogate suspects.

As much as I loved being transported back to Ashland, I felt that the story line lacked some of the depth that I was looking for. The characters' lives did not develop as much as I would have liked. There were so many different side stories going on that it made it hard to pinpoint the parts in which I should be focusing. That made it hard for me to invest myself in where the mystery and the lives of the characters were going.

The mystery started off strong with a case that I cared about. Given the characters involved, I had strong opinions about what was going to happen. However, despite the strong start, I felt that the mystery conclusion was unsatisfying.

This is not a book that I feel someone could jump into easily as it dealt with a lot of backstory that has been building over the course of several books. However, that back story is worth it and I highly recommend picking up the series. The characters are wonderful and it is always fun to see how they grow, especially in a series with so many books.

Thank you to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

The big day is coming, for the wedding of police officers Thomas and Kerry, and Juliet Capshaw and her baking team are getting ready. As the caterers for the wedding as well as the bakers of the 5-tier wedding cake, Jules is doing everything possible to make the day go perfectly.

The wedding will be at Lithia Park, with Jules and her team from Torte making picnic baskets filled with sandwiches, salads, cookies, and tartlets for all the guests. They have the wedding cake and a groom’s cake as well as an assortment of the bride’s and groom’s favorite donuts. Barista Andy has created a special wedding day champagne latte, and they are also providing wine from their organic winery Uva, which Jules’s husband Carlos runs.

Everything is going as scheduled in the run up to the wedding day. Except for one thing. Jules is as Torte early one morning when she sees Kerry run by, yelling at someone by the fountain. When she catches up to Kerry a few minutes later, Jules finds out what’s going on—Kerry’s father has shown up for her wedding. Kerry hadn’t seen her father in years. He had been in prison, and at first Kerry isn’t even sure how he got out. He and her mother were in and out of jail when Kerry was a kid. It was part of the reason she became a detective.

Jules calms her down, and the two of them set off through the park to find him. And when they do, Jules finds out that Jamie Crosby is legitimately a free man, and that he had come to Ashland to celebrate with his daughter, not to embarrass her. So the wedding preparations are back on, and Jules can go back to focusing on the food.

As they’re setting up the tables in the park that Jules and her team will use to serve drinks, Jules goes to grab another table, and that’s when she finds out that someone canceled the jazz trio that was supposed to perform. The bass player is laying in a pool of blood, and Jules finds herself once again having to call 911. She is heartbroken that this has happened on Kerry’s and Thomas’s wedding day, but things get even worse when Kerry’s father is arrested for the murder.

Jules doesn’t believe that Jamie had worked so hard to get paroled in time for the wedding just to commit a crime, so when Kerry asks her to help solve figure out who the murderer is, Jules agrees to help. Usually Kerry is discouraging her, wanting Jules to be safe and leave the police work to the detectives. But this time, since she and Thomas will be on their honeymoon, Kerry asks Jules to meddle. And meddle she does. But will Jules be able to figure out who the killer is before the killer tries to cancel her too?

Ellie Alexander is back with another Bakeshop Mystery set in the beautiful mountains of Oregon. Donut Disturb mixes a litany of delicious descriptions of baked goods and savory dishes with a murder mystery. She finds a balance between the love and support of Jules and her bakery family and the terrible crimes that she encounters. Add in the humor that Lance brings and the essence of Shakespeare that adds depth to the story, and Donut Disturb is the perfect recipe for a delicious cozy.

Alexander has a way with descriptions that transports me to a bakery, describing the scents and sights so intensely that I feel like I can almost taste the fresh sourdough, smell the coffee, and drool over those chocolate crinkle cookies (which have been a favorite of mine since I was a kid). I love the relationships that are at the heart of these mysteries, and the bakery is such a warm setting that reading these books feel like coming home. I loved Donut Disturb, as these characters feel like friends to me. But if you haven’t read any of the other books in the series, you’ll be fine. But you should know that one of these won’t be enough, and you will definitely get hungry.

Egalleys for Donut Disturb were provided by St. Martin’s Paperbacks through NetGalley, with many thanks.

The story is set in the small town of Ashland Oregon. It is a quirky sweet mystery. Juliet and her friends are preparing for a wedding when a murder occurs. In between putting on a play, planning the wedding and running a bakery she investigates and solves the crime.

This is the first time I've read a book by Ellie Alexander and I found 'Donut Disturb' a little disappointing. I felt as if the writing was formulaic and checked off many social and relationship boxes. Plus for me the response of Kerry to the return of her father was a bit over the top dramatic. Perhaps if I was more accustomed to the series it wouldn't have been as stark, but I can safely say this isn't a good place to start exposure to a longtime series. One positive was the setting in Oregon. It was fun getting to know more about Ashland.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I always love a trip to Ashland, Oregon and this book was no exception. Jules, Carlos and the Torte team are at their best coming up with tasty treats and catering a wedding with food so good I would happily attend and I'm not a big fan of weddings or events in general. I also really liked that the wedding is for Thomas and Kerry who are two long running side characters.

I especially enjoyed getting a deeper look at Kerry's backstory. While she has been a side character for quite some time I never felt like I really knew her so I really enjoyed the opportunity to get into her past. I love the relationship between Jules and the Professor and I always enjoy coming along for the investigation.

The mystery was entertaining, well done and kept me guessing. The relationships between all the characters is enjoyable and the treats sounded unbelievably tasty. This was a fun read from beginning to end but then I expect no less from this series.

Donut Disturb is book #15 in the Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander.

Torte is catering Thomas and Kerry’s wedding. All is going well until an unexpected and unwelcome guest shows up. And then there is a murder. Juliet wants to have the murder solved by the time the newlyweds return from their honeymoon.

I love visiting Ashland and getting to spend time with Juliet and the other wonderful characters in this series. I really enjoy how the characters have developed over time. The food in this book sounds incredible. The murder mystery was interesting because people were less than honest regarding what happened. I can’t wait to see what is up next for Juliet and her friends and family!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Juliet Capshaw, owner of Torte Bakery in Ashland, Oregon, stays very busy with the bakery and the winery she and her husband own. Ashland is readying itself for the big Shakespeare Festival and the crowds who will fill the streets. Juliet is also busy preparing food for her friends Kerry's and Thomas's wedding. While making sure everything is ready at the park, she discovers a body in the storage room. Not having enough on her plate, she decides to involve herself deeply in the investigation. Somehow, she and Kerry are convinced that Kerry's father, newly released from prison, must be somehow deeply involved in the murder.

This story is #15 in the Bakeshop Mystery series. It is not necessary to read them all in order, although it might simplify keeping track of all the characters and subplots. The dishes turned out by the bakery sound delectable.