What a fun start to a new series. When a jilted bride goes on her resort honeymoon alone, she gets mixed up in solving a murder and sorting out her feelings about her ex. Tessa is funny in a wry way, and her older friend Sylvia is both over the top and totally fun (and wise). The murder investigation dances merrily along, and my only question is, Why was she with Ethan in the first place? He's a jerk. Really a promising series, though. Looking forward to Tessa's next adventure.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A MUST read for the summer. Such a good cozy mystery vibe. It was hilarious and well written. I'm looking forward to the next installment!

I loved this cozy mystery by debut author Lydia Lane! It gives off beach reading vibes and is the perfect addition to your summer beach bag. The main character, Tessa gets jilted before her wedding and ends up taking her honeymoon trip alone. While at the resort, a murder occurs and she gets wrapped up in a some sleuthing on her trip. Lane does a great job of character building and introduces us to some fun and flirty characters! The mystery was solid with lots of suspects and motives. Can't wait to see what happens next in the series!

Super cute quick read perfect for vacation. I had my suspicions while reading on who was responsible but I never saw the ending coming. I’d definitely recommend this book & look forward to reading more books by this author.

This is a perfect beach, cozy mystery! And may be a new favorite genre of mine. I read this on a beach vacation and the vibes were amazing. I was hooked from the beginning and loved Tessa as a main character. Im so excited to see that this is a series and to pick up the other titles! Perfect summer reads!

What a fun new series! Our MC is a bit impulsive, but not too bad. The setting is fun and the mystery was zippy and filled with red herrings.

Easy to read, “who done it?” Murder mystery. This was a great book for a change of pace. Although I did find it a little slow in the middle as things were building and the FMC was putting pieces together and continuing to survey the other resort guests.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Lydia Lane for giving me access to the book for my honest review.

It took me some time to become comfortable with the unlikely premise of a jilted bride to be, going off on vacation and staying in the hotel room that was to be her honeymoon suite. However, once that passed I truly enjoyed getting to know Tessa Tidwell and the unexpected way she goes about investigating a mysterious incident at her hotel. This book is for anyone looking for a thoroughly fun beach/summer read.

Mai Tais & Murder by Lydia Lane is the first book in Beach Coctail Cozy Mysteries.

I enjoyed this book, In my opinion it was a very good combination of mystery with a bit of romance. At the very beginning it seemed like a start of a contemporary romance book.

The main character was mostly sensible and realistic, there wasn't too much of inner narrative and the mystery was overall well presented and satisfactorily wrapped up.

I really liked one of the side characters, who brought a dash of fun, wisdom and interesting stories. I sincerely hope that she will continue to be part of this menagerie.

I am looking forward to reading the next installment to see what happens next and which direction this series will take, It is not that often I get to discover new author whose books I thoroughly enjoy from the very beginning and want to binge read.

Perfect reading choice for hot summer days on the beach.

I loved this cozy mystery book. This was so cute and good! I can't wait for more in the series it so so good!!
I just reviewed Mai Tais & Murder by Lydia Lane. #NetGalley
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Ouch! To be on a honeymoon by yourself and have things go from bad to worse is what Tessa Tidwell is dealing with. It's a fun cozy suitable for a quiet evening or a day at the beach. Tessa is a likeable character. The story moves along well. You'll keep guessing but hang in there! Thanks# Netgalley #Lydialanebooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lydia Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. I loved the cover and the synopsis, so when I started reading the book I was prepared to thoroughly enjoy this beachy cozy mystery, cocktail in hand.

I didn't feel for the characters at all. The lack of backstory, of any clear motivation for their actions and the sheer repetitiveness of the dialogue was unfortunately not for me.

If you enjoy beachy cozy mysteries, and don't mind reading about people who have no real reason to suddenly become invested in a murder mystery, then you should definitely check it out, it could be a fun read for you.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of MAI TAIS AND MURDER (Book 1 of the Beach Cocktail Mysteries) by Lydia Lane in exchange for an honest review. Tessa Tidwell embarks on her island honeymoon all by herself after being jilted shortly before her wedding. Seeking a distraction from her misery, Tessa finds herself investigating the murder of a fellow guest. Tessa is joined by a new acquaintance: a wealthy divorcée who believes the world is a happier place when one has both a gin martini and a handsome man in hand. I liked this book enough to purchase and read the other two books in the series. I recommend it to fans of cozy murder mysteries featuring island resort themes.

Cute cozy mystery, jilted woman goes on her honeymoon and ends up working to solve a murder. A who done it with gin and fruity drinks. Perfect for a beach read.

Mai Tais & Murder is an excellent start to Lydia Lane’s Beach Cocktail Cozy Mystery Series. The main character and setting is a good one - Tessa Tidwell is supposed to be on her honeymoon but when her fiancé dumps her right before the wedding she decides to go on the honeymoon herself. I love the beach setting – I felt like I was right there with Tessa (although maybe drinking water instead of the endless adult beverages!). The book is filled with memorable characters especially Sibyl – who drinks like a fish and has many ex-husbands and plenty of advice on how to get married (over and over again) – and the mysterious Jack (just what does he do for a living?). The mystery is well done with just the right amount of suspects – I was truly surprised when the killer was revealed. In the end I really enjoyed this book – it’s a perfect beach read!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Mystery madness!! So good and kept me guessing! Buy it, just by it and enjoy!

All opinions expressed are my own, I was gifted this book through NetGallery.

Thank you NetGalley, Lydia Lane and Lydia Lane Books for the copy of Mai Tais and Murder. This is my personal review.
This is the first book in the Beach Cocktail Mysteries series. I am so glad I got this book to read because I am a fan of cozy mysteries by authors I have not read before.
Tessa Tidwell had visions of being on her honeymoon but instead after getting dumped by Ethan she decided to go to the Golden Hibiscus Resort by herself.
Tessa did not see herself wrapped up in a murder but that is what happens. This was a fun book to read, and I am looking forward to getting the next ones in the series.
This is a perfect beach read.

I enjoyed this first in a cozy mystery series so much that I purchased the next book. The opening premise of the jilted bride protagonist going on her solo honeymoon to a tropical beach resort sets the stage with interesting characters, lots of possible villains and an enjoyable lead. Looking forward to the next in this series.

This was such a fun read while being in vacation! I’m at atmospheric reader and this book did just that for me. Solving a murder, tropical weather, and some romance. I appreciated that Tessa was older, and her friendship with Sybil. A great duo! So glad to have found this author!

A comical cozy-mystery taking place on a sunny, tropical vacation island. It was a pleasant read, and the characters in the book were well-written. Main character Tessa Tidwell was recently jilted at the altar, but instead of breaking down, she arrives at what would have been her honeymoon at the Golden Hibiscus Resort. Upon arrival, she is asked whether she is ‘Mrs Swann’ or ‘Ms. Tidwell’, and where was Mr. Swann? I liked this theme throughout the novel, and it was undoubtedly what made this novel stand out from the other cozy-mysteries.

While downing maritinis with her relationship-wise friend, Sybil, Tessa is unwittingly roped into a murder on the island. Tessa feels like she must solve the murder and takes matter into her hands- as typical as cozy-mysteries go. One murder leads to another, and theories turn into dead-ends, but Tessa does not give up on cracking the case.

Overall, it was a nice book!

A couple of quotes from the novel:
- "People always say that you discover who you are in times of crisis, and apparently the jilting was the catalyst for me learning that I have a knack for property crimes."

- "I heard it described once that arguments in long-term relationships are like the steps of a dance. Each partner knows their steps in beautifully choreographed flow designed to make the other person miserable."