This was such a fun and unique whimsical myster/romcom, that I highly recommend. I will definitely be reading more of this authors work

She Doesn’t Have A Clue by Jenny Elder Moke, Kate Valentine is attending her agent/ex fiancé‘s wedding to Kennedy. All she wants to do is get through these two days and with a little bit of wine, she wants to call it done and dusted. unfortunately, for Kate, the first wrench in her plans is getting on the boat that will bring her to the private island. Kennedy’s family owns where the wedding is going to be. because there is where she finds Jake Hawkins, a very fresh romantic regret. when the bride is poisoned just like a character in her amateur slueth series, hello second wrench, but when she is made to look like the murderer, she really starts to lose track of all the tools interrupting her plans. The only thing that a certain and steadfast is that Jake is the only one it seems on her side, but will her amateur detective skills help her solve the multiple crimes/murders or will she need real life intervention? will she even live long enough to tell Jake how she truly feels? I listen to the Kindle book and the audio version of this novel. what I started the audio with Sarah Molow-Christensen’s no reason there was no way I was going back to the kindle book. She said such a great tone and is such a great storyteller along with awesome characterization, and in my opinion makes her one of the most topknoch narrators. I have listened to. I don’t know if it’s just me or the narrators are getting way better but the past few audiobooks I have listened to has had some really great narration and that definitely includes this book. It was funny and I mean lol fall on the floor, laughing funny and you can definitely see how Kate was swoony over Jake. if this was a first book in a cozy mystery series, I would definitely sign up to read the rest. It really was an awesome awesome book! #NetGalley, #McMillanAudio, #JennyElderMoke, #SheDoesn’tHaveAClue,

A very fun and entertaining cozy mystery that should be on your radar coming out next month is She Doesn't Have a Clue. While I originally planned to do the audiobook, which was delightful for the 30 mins I listened to, Christmas break started and I ended up switching to my kindle since my kiddos were home. This is a fun lock room story set within a fancy manor on a private island off the coast of Seattle. Our main leading lady Kate, is a best selling mystery writer who gets invited to attend her editor's wedding, which she really doesn't want to attend since he is also her ex-fiance, who dumped her a mere 6 months ago. But alas she goes and before she knows it she literally runs into Jake, her hot Australian colleague whom she couldn't be more awkward around. Off to the manor they go and before the rehearsal dinner is even over Kate's being framed for murder! This book reminded me of an adult Nancy Drew as Kate tries to solve the murder herself and clear her name, with the help of hunky Jake by her side. We also have a Veronica Mars shoutout so I knew this book was right up my alley. If you like a mystery that isn't dark, has some romance, and lots of humor this would be a perfect pick. Thank you St. Martin's Press and Macmillan for the gifted copies in exchange for an honest review. Pub Day is Jan 21st.

Such a fun read! I loved Kate and Jake so much. Best Murder-rom-com-Franken-book I’ve read in a while.

This was an intriguing mix of mystery and romance with a unique setting—a high-end wedding turned murder investigation on a private island off the coast of Seattle. The murder mystery was well-crafted, and I really enjoyed following the hunt for the true killer. Jenny Elder Moke does a great job weaving suspense into a backdrop of complicated relationships, old grudges, and plenty of secrets.

The love triangle added an interesting layer to the story, and the slow-burn second-chance romance between Kate and Jake was a definite highlight. Their shared history and moments of vulnerability felt genuine and engaging.

That said, the pacing of the book felt uneven at times. The beginning dropped me into the middle of the action without much setup, and some moments felt rushed, jumping quickly from one event or emotion to the next. While this kept the story moving, it also made certain scenes feel a bit jumbled.

Overall, She Doesn’t Have a Clue was an enjoyable read with plenty of twists, a strong mystery, and a touch of romance. It may not have been a standout for me, but it was definitely a fun and intriguing ride. Fans of destination mysteries and second-chance romances will want to give this one a try!

This book is wacky. It gives the requirements for a mystery and then adds more. Some of those “more” were not my cup of tea. For example, the amateur was wrong more than right. She also was annoying. However, I liked her over everyone else, and their judgy ways. I actually wanted Kate to be right and everyone else including the “perfect” bride to get hurt. Like seriously hurt.

I didn’t figure out the killer because there was just too much going on. I actually forgot a key point because I was more annoyed than I was logical. I guess the kooky, wacky cozy mysteries are just not for me.

Overall, I rate this novel 3 out of 5 stars.

3.5 stars. A murder mystery meets rom-com. The story remains lighthearted even though murder is involved. The FMC really sells a lot for me. Overall the story is captivating.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“She Doesn’t Have a Clue” is a marshmallow of a book: sweet, fluffy, and fun, but lacking in substance. Kate is a total mess of a main character who cannot stop acting sketchy if her life depends on it (and in this book it does), but she still manages to be endearing and leaves you wishing her the best.

I liked the idea of the romance between the two main characters more than the actual execution. They fell into miscommunication tropes almost constantly and the spicy scenes took me out of the story each time because I just couldn’t wrap my head around wanting to get physical when there is a murderer on the loose.

The savings grace in this book is undoubtedly the villain reveal. It was very well done and a nice tone shift from the flighty, silly main character to our villain’s dark intentions.

An engaging and amusing romantic mystery. The house on the island is probably my favorite part of the story. The main characters are entertaining and enjoyable. There were several intimate scenes which I skipped over. I am sure I missed some funny banter by doing that, but didn't care to read the details. A clever mystery that kept me guessing. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

This book had the perfect blend of humor, intrigue, and spice! It took all the best mystery tropes, locked room where everyone has a motive, and combined those with some spicy second chance romance.

Kate, the mystery writer, was a great main character. She was as likable and relatable as she was chaotic. The book kind of gently poked fun at the fact that she assumed that writing mysteries gave her a leg up on solving them. And Jake was the perfect romantic hero (Australian accent!) The supporting characters were very memorable as well.

The over-the-top setting of a house full of mysterious rooms and secret passageways on an inaccessible island where a storm cuts off power and communication made for both intensity and humor. And offered plenty of places for almost hooking up!

Overall this was a fun and spicy mystery and I could see this becoming a whole series!

Thank you to @Netgalley and @minotaur_books and for the chance to review this ARC.

This is my first time reading this author and I've enjoyed it very much. I had a bit of a slow start getting into the characters and storyline. About 1/4 of through the book I felt like I connected with Kate. She is funny and insecure about life, love and relationships of all kind. A girl so much like most real life women. I enjoyed her bantering with Jake as well as their fireworks when together. Overall, I liked the story and characters and would recommend this book.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue is a cute, cozy, mystery with some awkwardness, some spice, and some fun. Kate has agreed to attend her ex fiancé/current editor’s wedding, against her better judgment, but an expected weekend of free champagne, some emotional awkwardness, and closure ends up being far more eventful than Kate anticipated when the bride is poisoned and everyone suspects Kate. Throw in a blast from her past in the form of Jake, the hot Australian she befriended years prior, had a falling out with, and is still her biggest regret.
Jake was freaking adorable, charismatic, and the only person willing to help Kate investigate the mystery before mob rule takes over. It was a bit hard to watch Kate constantly get (metaphorically) stepped on, as she’s not great at standing up for herself and you might struggle with a bit of secondhand embarrassment, but you’ll find yourself rooting for Kate and despising a lot of the other character who are quick to blame her for everything going wrong (and there’s A LOT going on). The tension between Kate and Jake was good, you’ll want to punch her ex fiancé, and you’ll have fun trying to solve the mystery with Kate & Jake 🏰🏝️⛈️🕵️‍♀️
Thanks @netgalley for the ARC!

She Doesn't Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke is a delightful mix of mystery, romance, and humor, set against the backdrop of a luxurious wedding on a private island. The premise of a bestselling mystery author stumbling upon a real-life crime at her ex-fiancé’s wedding is both engaging and clever, offering plenty of twists and turns. Moke brings a colorful cast of characters to life, each with their own secrets and motivations, and her sharp writing keeps the reader intrigued. Kate Valentine, the protagonist, is relatable and flawed, which makes her journey through this unexpected mystery both entertaining and authentic. The romantic tension between Kate and her former lover, Jake, adds a layer of complexity that fans of second-chance romance will appreciate.

However, while the story’s blend of mystery and romance is enjoyable, the pacing at times feels uneven, with moments of tension being overshadowed by lengthy descriptions or the chaotic nature of the wedding. The resolution of the mystery may also feel a little too neatly tied up, with a few character motivations left somewhat underexplored. Despite these minor drawbacks, Moke’s writing is engaging enough to keep readers hooked, and the setting, along with the quirky characters, makes for an enjoyable, if not entirely unpredictable, read. She Doesn't Have a Clue is perfect for readers seeking a light, entertaining mystery with a dash of romance.

A cute mystery. Kate is an author who is attending her ex fiancé's wedding on a remote island. Who should come along but Jake who she has an awkward past with. As the story unfolds, we find that not everything is as it seems. Once the bodies start to fall, Kate is in the race of her life to find out what happened before she is blamed. The setting was a character all it's own. Kate's sense of humor and tendency to rely on her own fictional character to help solve the mystery added to the fun. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! I was intrigued by the premise of a mystery that’s also romance and the fact that the main character is an author. I enjoyed the mystery aspect, and the fact that Kate feels like she has to channel Loretta (her literary heroine) to be able to fumble through solving this mystery. The parallels between her books and her current situation were done well with flashes to Kate’s novel as the mystery thickens. The dialogue and events were witty and funny. The romance with Jake works, and he makes a great sidekick. Weirdly, what I felt didn’t work was the spice of the romance. It honestly seemed to interrupt the story, and I sort of skimmed through those parts to get to the meat of the mystery more often than not. Overall, I can see this being a fun beach read. FYI sexual situations and profanity, definitely an adult novel

Okay friends. If you love mystery, rom-com, Agatha Christie vibes, and stormed-in in an island with some crazy, rich people - you need to add this to your TBR!!! It comes out Jan 21!!

If you loved The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one. It has similar main elements minus the Christmas vibes.

So Kate (our female lead) is the writer of the famous detective mystery series. She received an invitation to attend her ex fiance’s destination wedding that ultimately lead to her playing detective herself when she stumbles upon a dead body in the family manor. That’s pretty much the plot!!

This will have a second chance romance storyline and i’d say 1-2 spicy scenes that you can skim to make the book a pure mystery romcom. :)

I enjoyed this one. I laughed out loud a couple of times. The dialogues were great. It’s a whodunit so lots of characters but not confusing at all! Definitely add to your list if you want to do some amateur sleuthing at a destination wedding!!

💭 Did you read Nancy Drew growing up?
☕️ Yesss! It’s what made me love the genre since I was a kid and yet, I still haven’t read an Agatha Christie book 😂

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

She Doesn't Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke is a third person-POV romantic mystery. Best-selling mystery author Kate is a guest at the wedding of her editor/former fiancee, Spencer, and her small publisher’s marketer, Kennedy. As if that wasn’t awkward enough, her former almost-flame and someone she ghost wrote for, Jake, is also not only a guest but has been put on the list as her plus one. When Kennedy is poisoned and someone ends up dead, Kate is on the case to solve the murder and how it’s connected to her publisher.

The voice here will make or break the book for a lot of readers. The premise is very fun as Kate is not only a murder mystery writer, but she also thinks of moments in terms of her character, Loretta, taking over as a sort of security blanket. Loretta is the opposite of Kate in a lot of ways and the fact that their romantic situations mirror each other is not lost on most people (though Kate is in denial). The prose is humorous and at times and doesn’t take itself super seriously, especially when it’s leaning into the more romantic comedy aspects. It’s a fine line and I think it will work well for readers who really love a voice-y romantic comedy.

Jake and Kate haven’t really spoken in two years by the time the book opened. There was an incident that led to the dissolution of their relationship of Kate ghostwriting Jake’s travel stories, Wandering Australian. Kate is obviously missing their friendship and wants something more, but it takes alcohol for her to feel brave enough to tell him what she wants while Jake sets a firm line that he won’t do anything unless she’s sober. It’s a spicy second chance romance arc between them, complete with the misunderstandings some romance readers really love.

In the author’s note, Jenny Elder Moke refers to this book as a mystery-rom-com-franken book and I fully agree. The romance is too prominent to be called a subplot but it’s not the entire point of the book; the story would still exist if Jake and Kate’s romance wasn’t there. The murder mystery is the point as is Kate’s publisher, Simon Says, and stuff going on behind the scenes. I think this combination of genres, plus how character and voice-driven the narration is, is whyI enjoyed the book. I have found that I don’t tend to care for plot-driven mysteries in prose despite liking the idea of a lot of them, so something like this is more to my tastes.

I would recommend this to fans of voice-driven mysteries and readers looking for a mystery with a prominent romantic element

4.5 stars
This is a fun, entertaining read. Jake and Kate are interesting, relatable, intriguing, complex, wounded, flawed, strong, entertaining characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. The mystery was fun to read and sucked me just as much as the romance. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into.

I enjoyed the audio version of this book and the narrator.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fun mystery read. We meet Kate, a bestselling mystery author who is attending a wedding that she would rather not attend. From there, things go even more off track, and soon enough, she finds herself embroiled in trying to solve a murder. Even though she's a bestselling author, she has no idea how to go about solving this mystery. Aside from the mystery, there are a lot of interesting interactions between the characters. This is a perfect read if you love to read a sort of cozy mystery and try to see if you can figure out who did it!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and Net Galley for the arc!!

3.5 stars but rounding up for this murder mystery with some romcom vibes snuck in there!

Kate is a murder mystery writer who suddenly finds herself having to solve a murder, tapping into her alter ego/main character Loretta to try and make sense of things. This book has action, references to Mamma Mia, secret passageways, a love quadrangle and a wedding that just can’t catch a break, secrets, inheritances, and a private island owned by a woman obsessed with hunting! It sounds like it’s got a lot going on-which it does- but it handles it pretty well!! A very fun, simple and easy read!

Thank you so much to Jenny Elder Moke and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!