Thank you to NetGalley and Josh Lanyon for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It was fine. I really want to like Lanyon's writing, but having read two of her books I don't think that's going to happen. I still really appreciate her influence/visibility in the genre. There really aren't many queer mystery books to pick from.

Maybe it was just because the book was so short, a novella really, but the mystery was way too simple. There wasn't even really a red herring so it was very obvious who did it from the very beginning. So it wasn't really a mystery as much as it was a sad angsty romance. Which is fine, I just thought I was getting more of a mystery.

Another problem I had was that the book had many errors. Much more than I'd expect from a published novel. Someone needs to get their money back for that copy edit pass. It wasn't a few small errors either, it was constant across every chapter.

This story is told in first person by Casper, who has returned to his small town after being exonerated for murder just in time for the holidays. He quickly has a run in with his ex, Raleigh, who arrested him for the murder.

After the first couple of chapters, I gotta say that I was not remotely rooting for this couple to get back together, but this author spun me like a top and by the halfway point, I was all in. Her ability to write such great characters with a side of cozy mystery in such a small package just amazes me every time! This makes 41 for me and I can’t wait to read the next one.

I genuinely felt for Casper and his experiences in county lockup and the anxiety he feels at the thought of being confined again. Just the idea that the one person he trusted to support him didn’t, had me hating Raleigh before he even opened his mouth. Alas, his contrite manner, sweetness, and willingness to jump in and be there regardless of whether Casper granted him forgiveness had me quickly reconsidering given the situation.

This is one of the authors that I preorder books for, and I jumped on the chance to read an early copy even though I had already preordered it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for a copy provided for an honest review.

A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Boy was this interesting! I was confused in the beginning because I didn't realize it was the prologue, before the bad stuff went down. Then when the after came, it took me a second to catch up and then I was hooked!

I read JL's note at the end about what inspired this writing and that was kind of cool. That it was sparked by a discussion about what could someone do that could be almost unforgiveable. In this case, Casper was (essentially) sent to jail by the man he loved, a man who thought he had killed another, and then when the truth comes out, that Casper is innocent, the question is: can Casper forgive him? I don't know, that's a tough one. Raleigh thought Casper had killed someone, he believed it, thought Casper capable of murder. Yes, there was extenuating circumstances that helped Raleigh come to that conclusion.

One the one hand, Raleigh didn't let his feelings get in the way of a homicide investigation, which is good. Murder is not okay, and if Casper had been guilty, then he wasn't the man Raleigh thought he was. On the other hand, they had known each other for years, years! And Raleigh thought him guilty? My reading of the story says that they didn't talk, that Raleigh didn't even ask Casper if he was guilty. He just "followed the evidence."

The story picks up the day of (or was it 1 day after?) he is released from jail/prison (no idea which), and he is mad, he is traumatized, he is feeling all the emotions. Most especially hatred and bitterness towards Raleigh. Who can blame him?! I was on a roller coaster of emotions because for once I really didn't know what was going to happen with these two. It really could have ended on a sort of cliffhanger where they parted as repaired friends and that was all. Which frankly is what I think really could have been the best option.

But Casper found it within himself to forgive. He deeply loves Raleigh and wasn't going to let a little thing like being sent to jail/prison get his way of a HEA, haha.

I did enjoy this. It's amazing how many times I am surprised by the uniqueness of JLs writings. I do indeed recommend this. There is a murder plot afoot, so it's definitely not boring.

4 stars. Only because there wasn't a super satisfactory answer to why the people were killed.


SPOILER!
[It involves embezzlement of company funds, $20 million! But why? What happened to the money? How could so much go missing? It's a small company. How was the killer going to put it back as they claimed they were trying to do? There are several unanswered questions.]

This story did not go the way I expected and I mean that in a good way! This is the story of second-chance love with a crime thriller twist. It is perfect for people who like a little mystery mixed in with their romance. Double points for the gay love interest. I fully expected for this to take a few days to read but l finished it in 24 hours. Deff worth the read!

Such a great book!
It was different to what I normally read and I really enjoyed the mystery element.

Thank you for the opportunity

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review of it.

After a tumultuous timeline of events; finally getting the guy of his dreams, being accused of murdering his boss, almost spending a year in jail, having his sister implicating herself in the murder and later committing. Casper, or Caz for short, would love nothing more than crawling into a hole and picking up the pieces of himself. However, with a town that still does not believe his innocence and his cop ex, who helped to implicate him for the murder, sniffing around and trying to reconnect Casper has more than he's bargaining for especially when that cop ex let's him know things are still not safe for him. Can he put the pieces back together or will he fall through the cracks?

I read through this story pretty fast mostly due to how short it was and some parts to do with how it's not a bad read. I didn't love it as much as I thought I would the story at times felt rushed and I think the beats felt like they had to move through in order to get to the ending. I think the start felt too much like we were plopped into the middle of something especially after that opening scene, but I started to get into the swing of things once it moved forward. If there is something I would have loved from the author its time, more time to get involved into the story more time to fall in love with the characters and more time to engage with the universe. It felt like there was so little time spent here that I was pushed into the universe then later kicked out so fast. I think the slow return should have for the Caz and his cop turned detective ex could have been a lot more rewarding if it didn't feel slightly fast paced, I enjoyed that a small community of people that worked under his family believed him but it didn't make sense with the fact that most of/all off the town had such an issue with him being released. I think the HEA moment felt okay seeing Caz almost beg the guy to decide on him felt kind of unfair considering what Caz went through and his experience with the law.

All in all, I thought it was a cute read very fast paced unfortunately especially with such an interesting premise and concept. I thought the ending was not okay but I wasn't upset with them getting together considering this felt like an enclosed story that focused mostly on such a short amount of characters. Also I figured who the killer was very quickly but that didn't take away from my feelings about the story. Thanks Netgalley for allowing me a chance and reading this book and to John Lanyon, I would like to give another of your stories a chance.

Nothing makes my day brighter like a new book from Josh Lanyon. The Lemon Drop Kid hits all the right notes with emotional depth, friction, layered characters, and mystery. Caz's story is equal parts heartbreaking and endearing as he struggles with regaining a normal life after wrongfully being in jail. There is a genuine honesty in how his character is written that is driven by trauma, betrayal, and loss. A rawness in the relationship between him and Raleigh is an easy way to be invested in seeing what happens and is written in a way that you can understand both of the characters' positions. The mystery is fast-paced and keeps you on your toes. The ending is uplifting and will have you relieved for one specific find. Mystery lovers need to immediately add The Lemon Drop Kid to their shelves.

I loved this book! Ahh!! I wish it was longer! I would love a prequel or something. Maybe Caz in high school! Ugh. Also i need all the little desserts mentioned in this book immediately.

I need more Caz and Raleigh.

A queer cozy Christmas mystery?! Literally, what more could we ask for? I loved the characters and the storyline was fun and engaging.

This was a great departure from the usually stoic detectives who fall in love with hapless amateur sleuths or the cops who love other cops. I liked the display of vulnerability and the show of forgiveness. How a lack of self-forgiveness can also hurt the ones around us. The mystery was weaker than I'd have liked, for a veteran of the genre, it was easy to determine who the villain was. But I would still have liked more because I'll always want more Josh Lanyon.

What a gem. WHAT A GEM.
I think I say this every time I write a review for any of Lanyon's titles, but she's truly one of a kind in the mystery genre. I've loved every single one of her mysteries since I first discovered her "Adrien English" series, and I can honestly say I'll probably love her writing till the day my eyes stop working (and even then, there's still audiobooks right?). She's brilliant, her mysteries are brilliant, her characters are messy AND brilliant, and her romances are just *chef's kiss* brilliantly done.

"The Lemon Drop Kid" is a short, gripping mystery with a dash of second-chance romance (a really complicated, really messy one at that) and a whole lot of betrayal/forgiveness vibes going on that really made me want to simultaneously jump out of the nearest window and jump INTO the book to strangle a certain cop and wrap up Caz in blankets for the horrific hand he's been dealt, and yeah, I was obsessed. I would have totally loved it if the romance has been developed a smidge more, but Josh isn't that kind of writer: the mystery and the MC (usually horrifically unlucky, amateur sleuth-ish, snarky messes a light breeze away from a nervous breakdown; MY kind of protagonist *heart eyes*) are at the front and centre of her books, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Anyway, I loved the mystery to bits. It's gripping and unfair and dark and brillant; and I loved Casper to absolute bits. He's been through a whole lot of pain and trauma, but he still manages to find it in himself to be forgiving and good and, just, absolutely wonderful.
Raleigh on the other hand, is the quintessential Lanyon detective love interest, who has a lot to make up for, with a lot of groveling and a lot of sweet, sweet declarations (will I ever tire of this kind of pairing and love interest? I think not; it scratches my romance brain juuuust right), and again, I even managed to love him by the end. Plus, it's set in a small-town, it's Christmas, and there are dogs: what more could I wish for?

I loved the writing so damn much, and I loved that this novel, despite its Christmas setting and the cute cover and title, was really quite angsty and tough. It gave the story, despite it being quite short, a hefty, complex atmosphere, it gave the characters and their relationship more substance, and it made it seem longer that it actually was. I was completely absorbed.
Again, I loved it.

I can't wait to read what comes next from this author, but in the meantime, I think I might, MIGHT need to do a re-read of a few of her books.

TWS/CWs: suicide/suicidal ideation (mentioned), death, incarceration.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

If you're looking for an easy, quick, Christmas-themed read, this short novel might fit the bill.

At only 158 pages long, you don't necessarily expect in-depth plotting and complex, multi-layered characters. Some authors can make this page length seem much longer, cover more width and depth, but Josh Lanyon is content to let the story he wants to tell occupy the space it needs. Both the mystery and romance elements are straightforward. They make sense. They combine to make a pleasant, lightly-engaging read but they lack any complexity or grit to bring you back for another go.

This is my first Josh Lanyon story. Will I be back for more? Probably not,

I enjoyed this book, overall, but had a few problems with it. First of all, I should say that I've been reading Josh Lanyon for years.

I've noticed that people complained about the abrupt ending, but I had more of a problem with the beginning, where we are presented with a character whom we don't know or understand very much about, in a setting that's quite unlike most of the settings Josh has used. So it was a little bit jarring right away. Northwest Wisconsin... why? I finally figured out that this was supposed to be a holiday book, but it was published in late February, which unfortunately just doesn't quite work. "Rushed," though, is one of the problems with the book in the sense that we don't get the sense of a deep love built up between the two main characters, Casper and Detective Raleigh Jackson, before Casper is sent to jail.

Casper's full of anger and bitterness, but gradually begins to sense that his life is in danger. I enjoyed the scene where he drove off the road at night—that evoked a real sense of menace—as well as the scene where he takes control at the office dinner party, which allowed for a bit of social comedy. I never felt like Raleigh had enough time. Another character, Dax, is barely sketched in. The villain is pretty obvious early on, though Casper's denial makes for an interesting atmosphere.

One other thing bugged me. There's English slang thrown in at times, and I don't know why. It's said that a character "topped himself" (or was it herself?). I highly doubt that this is terminology coming out of Wisconsin. Such things are jarring, and should really have been changed before publication.

I hesitate to say this, but I worry that writing for a Patreon audience can lead a writer to feel more insulated and more careless, perhaps, about deadlines. The writing is strong in this one, but releasing a holiday book in February is just odd, and so it doesn't quite come off. I felt like there was less energy invested in the relationship between the two men—I didn't believe it, really. I don't need a saccharine happy ending, but wasn't really satisfied with this relationship. I've noticed that this is becoming a pattern in the mysteries... the relationship feels half-hearted and can never get off the ground because the characters are too busy/stressed. At least they did talk to each other in this one.

And the emphasis on cocktails doesn't do it for me. It seems gimmicky.

I'd rate this somewhere between a 3 and a 4. It held my interest but I noticed that I put it down for a bit and forgot to take it up again for a few days....

I love the way Lanyon is able to combine mystery and romance in her novels, and this one is no exception. The key is in the author's notes at the end-- the premise is "how can I forgive the man I love for what he did to me."

Casper Bredahl is the heir to a cookie company and in love with the local cop. But when his boss is killed, his boyfriend doesn't believe in his innocence, and contributes to Casper spending nearly a year in jail. When Casper is vindicated, can he love the cop again? And how can he live in his small town again when everyone believes the worst of him?

It's a tough story to pull off, but Lanyon does it well, showing Casper's ache of longing -- to be free, to love, to find a way forward in life.

I'm a big fan of second-chance romance as a trope, and this was a really meaty entry! Raleigh's past actions, which put Casper behind bars, get a lot of re-examination both in Casper's rumination and in the court of public opinion. The conflict of interest inherent in Raleigh being part of the original murder investigation adds believably heavy tension, as does the fact that his loyalty at the time absolutely fell to his job over his boyfriend. I'm not sure that everyone will buy the case for Casper's forgiveness, but I ended up liking the way things worked out more than I thought I would.

Lanyon is the master of the romantic suspense novella, and it shows in her perfect pacing. She was also smart to make the MC an exonerated man, because we get that lovely detective/criminal feel while going heavy on the "wrongfully accused" angst. On the other hand, the lemon drop martini motif felt ham-handed and overused--maybe I would have felt differently if I was reading this Christmas-themed novella at Christmas time?--and there were remnants of whimsy that felt like they came from a more humorous earlier draft. I would have liked for Lanyon to either go grimmer or lean harder on the cake and cookie factory setup for contrast with both the emotional and murder-related stakes.

Ultimately, this was a fast, enjoyable read, but probably not a Lanyon book that I will go back to often. Fortunately for readers, though, the worst of Lanyon's work is head and shoulders above others' best, so this was still a solid 4-star read.

Thanks to NetGalley and JustJoshin Publishing for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book peaked my interest from the start, the MC was wrongfully convicted of murder and locked up for 11 months, until his sister commited suicide and confessed the murder. Not only that, the one he loved played a role in getting him in prison, where he was nothing more than an uniform and number.

Like the author said in the notes, it's a story about love and forgiveness, to what extent can you forgive someone? And have a possibility of being together again?

The mystery in itself was interesting but as you can expect from a short book there isn't much room for plot twists or big conspiracies about who the culprit is.

I liked this book and would recommend it

I enjoyed this. It's a pretty typical Lanyon novel, and it had many of the aspects that I've come to want and expect from her. I liked Caz, and I thought his progression from bitter/resentful to more accepting was pretty realistic. As always, Lanyon did a great job with the emotions, and I especially liked how she handled Raleigh's feelings, as well (it's not from his POV, but Caz slowly realizes how Raleigh is feeling).

Yes, I figured out what was really going one very early one (before Raleigh even brought up the questions he had). It was pretty obvious to me who was behind it all -- but that didn't stop my enjoyment as I read through the revelations. My only real complaint was the abrupt ending. I would've liked to see another couple of chapters showing how things went from here.

Casper is the heir to his families company and he is dating Raleigh Jackson, a small town cop. When Casper is framed for murder even Raleigh doesn’t believe he is innocent. After 11 months in prison waiting for a trial, Casper is exonerated and released.

How can he forgive Raleigh? We follow Casper as he fights feeling betrayed and loving Raleigh. It’s a great, short thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC**

Casper Bredhal is the heir to the family company, and when he finally begins dating his childhood crush, Raleigh Jackson, Casper thinks his world is finally perfect. But it all comes crashing down when he’s accused of a murder he didn’t commit, and Raleigh believes Casper is guilty. Raleigh is a cop in the small town, and he not only believes the circumstantial evidence, but helps the investigation.

Now, Casper is free, exonerated in the worst of ways because of his sister’s death by suicide. Casper is angry and hurt and doesn’t know how to live in the world anymore after eleven months incarcerated waiting for trial. And he wants Raleigh to suffer as well, hurt beyond belief that the man he loved thought him guilty.

But there is a much darker secret at work, and Raleigh is determined to find out the truth. While putting together the pieces of the puzzle, Raleigh is also trying to make amends. Casper is still in love with Raleigh, but what he did is unforgiveable. Or is it? When the truth comes out, forgiveness might be their only way forward.

I was intrigued by the premise of this story right from the start, because how could two men come back together when one of them was utterly convinced the other was guilty of murder? In the end, however, this book was a bit of a mixed bag for me.

The story is told solely from Casper’s POV and, as a reader, my heart broke for him from the start. We know he didn’t commit the crime he’s accused of, and being as famous as he is in the small town, he faces quite a lot of judgement, even when he’s exonerated. It was also clear what Raleigh’s been through, and I think the author did a good job of making him a sympathetic character who has a very strong moral compass. Raleigh is a cop, and his job is to uphold the law. But even still, it was hard to forgive Raleigh for not at least somewhat having Casper’s back. And while the romance wasn’t as big a plot point as I would have liked to see, I was rooting for Casper and Raleigh to work out, to work through what had happened and to forgive. But I would have liked to see this explored a bit more, especially Raleigh’s apologies.

As for the mystery side of things, it became clear to me early on exactly who had committed the crimes, and the why wasn’t much of a surprise either. For me, this was a bit of a letdown. On the one hand, I was glad Lanyon didn’t try for anything crazy, and that the clues added up and made sense. After all, as with most crimes, the most logical conclusion is the right one. On the other hand, it was obvious who and how, even if the why had another layer. I would have liked to see another twist, just to give it something extra.

Overall, this was a good, quick read, with good characters. There were aspects I wished had been explored and fleshed out more, but the bones of the story are good and made for an engaging read. If you’re a fan of this author, and/or like crime romances, then think about picking this one up.

JL is a class act - this had beautiful turns of phrase, decent whodunit/s and the right ending.


I'm not a fan of abbreviated endings, but sometimes you need them for a touch of realism, like here. I mean, about 2 pages before the ending, I'd already gotten what for me as a lover of all things furred and four-legged, was the icing on my (reading) cake, so no complaints.

This wasn't a complicated tale nor one that needs to be read in series like most JL tales and it was quick and easy to get into, without a huge infodump about the leads' pasts. There were enough characters, enough bits that weren't as cut and dried as they seemed, to make this a decent, enjoyable but not taxing tale. Is it one of JL's best? If you like deep and complicated, huge misunderstandings and angst, maybe not, but as a standalone, and a lighter-feeling one, despite the death and prison and break-up/s, this was an entertaining read. Let's hope this is JL back on track for more releases in her Secrets and Scrabble and her Bedknobs and Broomsticks series this year - cos I'm greedy and those are some of her most entertaining tales.

Arc courtesy of NetGalley and JustJoshin Publishing Inc for my reading pleasure.