This story had a lot of potential - I found the mystery behind the murder and the list of suspects interesting. Having said that, this story wasn't written well. There were a lot of things that could have been better - the main character's childish and stubborn behavior was very annoying. 

Also, what's with Marci wanting to dislike Malone though it's been years since some teenage drama (it was a misunderstanding but Marci refuses to believe anything but her own version of events.)

The mystery was good, and the killer's identity was unexpected and shocking. But the main character's bad attitude is what ruined the read for me.

While there is some promise with a quirky main character and charming setting, this doesn't do much to distinguish itself from the glut of foodie cozies out there. It is a fairly charming story with a solid plot.

Marci Beaucoup loves everything about France.  She even lives in a town named Paris, although it’s in Kentucky and not the country of France.  She has a cat named Pepe le Pew.  Now, she’s opened her own French style bakery called La Belle Patisserie.  Life is good, but then she finds out her landlord is selling the building that houses her bakery.  There are two potential buyers - one wants to tear the building down and the other, Antoine Dubois, wants to keep everything the same including the bakery.  

However, things take a nasty turn when Antoine has an argument with his ex-girlfriend and she ends up dead in front of the bakery.  Antoine becomes the prime suspect in her murder.  If he’s found guilty and sent to prison, he can’t buy the building and it will go to the other buyer.  Marci is afraid of losing her business and sets out to investigate.  She’s sure Antoine didn’t do it.  After all, he’s handsome and he asked her out.  The local detective on the case, Maverick Malone, is sure the man is guilty.  Marci is convinced he’s looking no further than Antoine. It should be noted that Marci has personal problems with Maverick from years ago.  She's convinced he's a womanizer.  This just makes her more determined than ever to find the real killer.

This book is the first in a brand-new cozy mystery series.  It had so much potential.  I admit, the cover drew me right in. I wanted to like this one so much.  Unfortunately, it took me a long time to get into the story.  It just didn’t click for me.  

Marci is an interesting character, but she also seems too naive to me.  She jumps to too many conclusions without any real proof.  Plus, there are pages and pages of her internal thoughts.  It’s as if she’s brainstorming with herself.  She really needs a confidant.  Marci’s insistence of doing things on her own is too reckless to me.  Although, that’s standard with cozy mysteries - the amateur sleuth takes too many risks.  For me, it didn’t work in this one.

Although this book didn’t work for me, I still think the idea of a French bakery in Paris, Kentucky could be a great setting for a cozy mystery. I, also, feel if Marci had a close friend helping her with the sleuthing, it would make the world of difference.  It gets to be too much just reading her thoughts to herself through most of the book.  Sometimes it felt like she was arguing both sides of a situation with herself.

I’d still be willing to give a second book a chance.  There are so many possibilities with this storyline, I'd want to give it another try.  Perhaps my next visit to Paris, Kentucky will be better.






FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I would say this book is a 3.5 for me... but I am rounded it up because, in general, it fits the genre well. 

The characters were likeable and the setting was nice. I just think this book wasn't really for me. It is VERY, VERY French/Paris centered and that doesn't really interest me. It might have been a little much but, maybe someone who is interested in Paris/France might feel differently. 

Pros
-Quirky, fun characters 
-a main character who actually considers safety 
-fun romance angle(s)
-setting 
-Very unique 


Cons
-the writing was a little too "stream of conscious" for my liking
-a few too many French sayings & such.

Overall, this is a nice addition to the cozy genre. 

Thank you for the arc copy.

Macarons Can Be Murder is book #1 in the Paris Kentucky Bakery Mystery series by Rose Betancourt.

Marci Beaucoup has a bakery in Paris, Kentucky.  She has a dog, Fifi, and a cat, Pepe Le Pew.  When there is a murder, she jumps in to investigate.

I really struggled with this book. Marci needs a sidekick to talk to instead of the internal dialogue.  She was so back and forth and questioning herself on everything - when the phone rang, should she answer it or not, what did the person want, etc.  Her aunt was very pushy and clearly had a boyfriend in mind for Marci while Marci was infatuated by a man that came into her shop.  It felt to me that it was trying hard to have the characters be quirky and for me, a little goes a long way.  The premise and the location were interesting and if you like quirky characters with a lot of inner monologue, this may be the book for you.
 
Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Marci Beaucoup lives her best life, running a French bakery in the small town of Paris, Kentucky. Well, she was until two things happened. The first thing was that her landlord was selling her building to a handsome and charming Antoine Dubois, and the second thing was Marci stumbling across the dead body of Antoine’s ex-girlfriend outside her bakery. With Antoine under suspicion for murder and a developer who has plans to demolish the buildings and build a strip mall waiting for that deal to fall through, Marci decides to solve the case. But, when the killer targets her, Marci needs to find out who the murderer is and why this person killed Kellie before she becomes the next victim.

Macarons Can Be Murder is the last book in the series of mysteries that I downloaded from Crooked Lane Books on NetGalley. And I will admit, I only downloaded it because a cat was on the cover. I didn’t read the blurb or check out any early reviews. I wish I did because I didn’t enjoy reading this book.

Macarons Can Be Murder is the first book in A Paris Kentucky Bakery Mystery. Since it is the first book in the series, you do not need to read any previous books to understand the characters’ backstories/storylines.

Macarons Can Be Murder is a fast-paced book set in Paris, Kentucky. I wish the plotline had been slowed down (the book takes place within a week of Marci finding Kellie’s body). I had to reread chapters to understand what was going on.

The main storyline in Macarons Can Be Murder centers around Marci and her investigation into Kellie’s murder. There is also some focus on Marci’s love life, which I didn’t like. I did like the bare bones of this storyline (small-town baker turns detective to solve a murder), but I didn’t particularly appreciate how the author executed it. The storyline was all over the place, and several secondary storylines were introduced and never went anywhere. That alone drove me up the wall.

I liked Marci but found it very hard to connect with her. She came across as immature, and the way she went around investigating Kellie’s murder made me wince. She also was very hung up on what happened in high school. It was brought up several times with Maverick (she couldn’t trust him because his car broke down and another girl gave him a ride to prom, or as Marci thinks, he ghosted her and took another girl instead). It was also mentioned during different interactions with different people around town.

The storyline with Kellie’s murder and Marci’s investigation was interesting but was all over the place. I figured out who killed Kellie reasonably early in the book (there is a scene where Marci is talking to the B&B owner, and the person is mentioned). When the murderer was revealed, I almost missed it. I read that chapter several times to understand that person was caught. Marci’s investigation was well done, but she did take unnecessary risks while getting information.

There was a romance angle that ran throughout the book. It was a love triangle between Marci, Maverick, and Antoine. I wasn’t a huge fan of that at all. Why? Marci used Antoine to get evidence from him (she invaded his privacy and stole things from him). She also went back and forth about Maverick (see what I wrote above). I would have liked this angle better if I had connected better with Marci.

The end of Macarons Can Be Murder seemed rushed. Again, repeating myself, I had zero clue that the killer had been caught. The plotline was all over the place, and I had an issue keeping things straight. It was also creepy how the author dealt with the romance angle. With all this said, I will read book 2. Once I have started a series, I need to finish it.

I really wanted and tried to like this book, but I struggled to make it through. It just wasn’t a smooth ‘n easy read, mainly because Marci kept either second-guessing herself or tossing in backstory items where they didn’t seem to belong. Literally, pages were spent on Marci speculating on what would happen if…(fill in the blank.) Aunt Barb wasn’t much better of a character than Marci and was slightly funny when she spouted little colloquialisms or Marci teased her about a guy who liked her.  

It wasn’t hard to guess whodunit and the showdown was kinda annoying because all Marci did was egg the perp on instead of simply keeping them talking and buying time that way. Unless it was intentional, this book was everything I really don’t like in a cozy: an annoying main character, her bestie who doesn’t even join the sleuthing with her, an aunt who could be cool and fun but was kinda meh for the strong personality she was, cute pets that don’t really do anything except exist and a predictable perp. Not to mention the super annoying idea of a love triangle. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Crooked Lane via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

This was such a cute read! Arriving in Paris, Kentucky, I absolutely fell in love with the cast of characters, the mouthwatering pastries, and Pepe, I felt like I was there myself. Marci was a fantastic FMC and I felt a connection to her right off the bat. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series!

3.5 stars rounded up

I think the premise of the book was a good idea. But sometimes with these cozy mysteries and the amateur sleuther butting their noses into a murder investigation seems far fetched. I noticed myself rolling my eyes a few times during this book. I didn't really connect with the characters. Overall an okay cozy mystery.

I read a lot of cozies and I was excited to see one with macarons. Unfortunately, the French trope was a bit too over the top for me. I found the main character scatter brained and without much substance that would keep me attracted to the series. I also really hate love triangles in cozies and starting a new series with one is not the way to my heart. Bummer

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane for this ARC.

Unfortunately Macarons Can Be Murder couldn't even get off the ground for me, although I did read to the end. The main character, Marci Beaucoup, loved everything French, and her cafe in Paris, Kentucky, was named La Belle Patisserie. She also had a poodle named Fifi and Pepe Le Pew was her cat. Some way in, a new character was introduced - Angelina Foley! That was an eye-roll moment! But what killed it for me was the ongoing, continual internal dialogue! And the love triangle - this novel should have been labeled romance, not cozy! I'm disappointed I'm not a fan, as the cover drew me in, and it sounded like it'd be good. The author, Rose Betancourt, just couldn't pull it off.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

‘My mama said I had an aptitude for pandemonium.’ 3%

I’m always a huge fan of anything Rose writers but this time I was just satisfied with the story and not overly thrilled with it. The concept is intriguing, the cast of characters has potential but it was lacking, dare I say it, her usual je ne sais quoi.

"Macarons Can Be Murder” by Rose Betancourt the first in her new "A Paris Kentucky Mystery" series. It has been awhile since I read a book by Rose Betancourt and I usually love them, but this was a bit hard to get through. But since I loved her other series I will give book two a chance.

Living in Paris, Kentucky, and having a sidekick cat named Pepe le Pew gives Marci Beaucoup’s life a certain je ne sais quoi. Combining her love of baking and France, Marci opened La Belle Patisserie to bring her small Southern hometown a bit of French flair and lots of croissants. Everything is sunshine and macarons at the bakery until her landlord calls to tell her she’s selling the property. Marci’s relieved to hear that if the top bidder, an enchanting Frenchman named Antoine Dubois, gets the property, he’ll renew her bakery’s lease. Charmed by Antoine, Marci figures this development isn’t half bad and sees a handsome new landlord in her future—but then Antoine’s estranged ex-girlfriend Kelly turns up dead in front of her bakery. Sacrebleu!

I requested and received an Advanced Reader Copy from Crooked Land and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Marci Beaucoup owns the French patisserie in Paris,Kentucky and is happy in her daily life until the day she finds a body in front of her bakery.  The police suspect the Frenchman who argued with the victim in the bakery the day before, and Marci is compelled to investigate because her bakery is involved.

I was excited about this series when I started it.  Now, not so much.  The entire book is Marci's internal monologue, which is rambling, anxiety ridden, and illogical.  This makes for some difficult reading.  I love a good cozy and accept the heroine making some questionable decisions, but Marci makes one illogical, unsafe decision after another.  The lovable relative character, Aunt Barbara, behaves inconsistently, and none of the other characters are remotely fleshed out.  The killer is obvious,  and efforts to  establish other suspects are weak.

This was almost a DNF for me, which is rare for me, due to the writing style.  I won't be reading any additional entries in this series.  Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Macrons Can Be Murder by Rose Betancourt is a great start to a new cozy mystery series. 
 
Marci Beaucoup is the owner of a bakery in Paris, Kentucky.  The owner of the building wants to sell.  She meets the new possible buyer.  After his ex is found dead outside of the bakery, Marci joins with her friends to solve the mystery. 

This is a cute cozy with a great setting and wonderful characters. Love Pepe. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

The description of Macarons Can Be Murder was so promising that I think my expectations were too high. This book probably comes in at about 2.7. 
Marci, the main character, has a cheesy name. She is indecisive and acts rather dumb. She falls firmly into the too stupid to live category of main character. Time after time she put herself into dangerous situations simply because she had issues with the town detective, Maverick, and didn’t want to talk to the police.
The narrator for the audiobook was good, if a little dramatic.
I read and listen to a great many cozy mysteries. I am often on the look out for a new series to get enthusiastic about; this won’t be one I recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for the review copies.

This debut could have worked better and is hard to recommend to serious cozy readers. The writing is cliched and needs a stronger editor.

A really cute mystery and it keeps you turning pages.  I recommend this book.  I was provided a copy by Netgalley but the opinions are mine.

"Macarons Can Be Murder" by Rose Betancourt presents a mixed bag of delights and frustrations in this series debut. Set in Paris, Kentucky, the story follows Marci Beaucoup, a pastry baker with a passion for all things French. When her bakery's future hangs in the balance due to a murder investigation involving her enchanting new landlord, Antoine, Marci takes it upon herself to solve the case and save her beloved bakery.

While the premise and the charming setting hold promise, the book falls short in some areas. I felt the characters, although quirky, failed to establish a strong connection with me as a reader and the love triangle subplot feels forced and indecisive. Additionally, the excessive use of French terms may alienate those unfamiliar with the language, diminishing the overall reading experience.

On the positive side, the book offers humor and mouthwatering descriptions of pastries, adding to its appeal. However, the mystery itself is somewhat predictable, with the killer's identity becoming apparent early on. Despite its flaws, "Macarons Can Be Murder" holds potential for a cute and enjoyable series, especially with its unique Paris, Kentucky backdrop. With improved editing and a stronger plot, the subsequent books in the series might fulfill the promise hinted at in this debut installment.

I love a good cozy and being from Kentucky, I was really looking forward to this one. I felt like it was a rough start, the characters (especially Marci) need to be a little stronger and lose the too dumb to live personality flaw. It has the potential to be a great series and I know it will improve with each book because the author has an entertaining writing style and throws in humor throughout. I will definitely read more in this series! The narrator was a perfect choice, her accent is nice and I love the different voices for each character.