First thank you to atria and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: Pomona afton leads a very luxurious life living in her grandparents hotel. However that all comes to an end when her grandmother is murdered and she is kicked out until the killer is found. She has to live with her nanny’s son and they pair up to solve the crime.

What I liked: this reminded me of shitts creek in that it was smart, funny, clever and lovable. Pomona come be the spoiled brat but she has a lot of depth and notices people around her. She is treated like a spoiled brat and totally underestimated by many. I loved how she confronts people and gets so many details out of them. Gabe is the love interest but he provides a safe place for her and lets her grow up.
The case itself was super fun and I read this so fast. I want more books with Pomona.

This is a joy to read! It's a cozy mystery with a side of romance. Everyone in the family is a suspect and Pomona is the only one trying to solve her grandmother's murder. I found Pomona so lovable. Having lived her whole life spoiled and privileged she actually cares to learn new things, grow, and be kind. It was an enjoyable and refreshing departure from my usual romance only line up.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for this eARC!

Pomona Afton Can So Solve A Murder 🛍️🔪

All her life Pomona (Pom) has been a spoiled little rich girl. Growing up with moneys flowing through her account, she has never had to face the real world. That is until her grandmother is murder in her pent house. Pom thinking she can cash in on the assets is wrongly mistaken when all the funds are frozen. In the event of a wrongful death, her grandmother put a clause in her will to freeze all assets. Pom must figure out who the grandma killer is and why they did it. Can she figure it out or will she have to couch surf until she gets back on her feet?

This book was great! It was funny, witty, and kept me interested from start to finish. Pom is the top of the top until she isn’t and it is portrayed very well. I loved how the author made her figure out how to survive in the real world. And made her become the ultimate sleuth to figure out who killed her grandma. It is mystery with a dash of romance. My favorite!

Read if you like:
Amateur sleuths 🕵🏼‍♀️
Cozy mystery 🔎
Riches to rags 💰
Character growth 📈

Ratings:
⭐️: 3.5/5
🌶️: 0/5
📖: 255
📚: mystery
🍾: 3/18/25

Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder by Bellamy Rose is a quirky, clever, and charming mystery with a dash of humor and heart. Pomona’s determination and wit make her an engaging sleuth, and the twists kept me guessing until the end. The small-town vibes and lovable side characters add an extra layer of fun. Perfect for cozy mystery fans who enjoy a spunky heroine and a bit of chaos along the way!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bellamy Rose, and Atria Books for the eARC! This laugh-out-loud murder mystery was such an enjoyable read. The perfect blend of comedy and intrigue kept me hooked, making it a fast-paced page-turner—I just had to find out whodunit! Absolutely loved it!

I absolutely loved Pomona and her antics. I want more of Gabe. I really enjoy amanda elliots writing and this was no different. Can’t wait to see what mysteries Bellamy continues on with!

Mystery Rom-Coms are a new favorite genre, and we need more of them! This is a funny, engaging book with a strong mystery element. Pomona has nice growth that is believable throughout the book, and the relationship between her and Gabe is sweet! (No explicit spice). I love the New York City setting as well. Overall a very fun read, and I highly recommend it!

It was the perfect mixture of mystery and romance. It was funny, real, mystery driven, cheesy, and romantic! And I did not see that plot twist coming! It was such a fun read and I hope to read more from this author!

This was such a fun book! If you love a Paris Hilton/ London Tipton/ Alexis Rose type of character as much as I do, this is a must read!

When her grandmother is murdered, Pomona Afton, hotel heiress and party girl extraordinaire, finds herself cut off from her trust fund and kicked out of her hotel apartment after it's found that her grandmother's will states that all assets will be frozen if she is to die from "unnatural causes" until the murderer is caught. This forces Pomona to reassess her life choices as she has no where to go and no career to fall back on. Spurred on by the encouragement of her new roommate (and the son of her old nanny), Gabe, Pomona decides that they way to taking back control of her life is to solve her grandmother's murder.

Though this is a murder mystery, I would say that the real story here is the personal journey that Pomona goes on as she realizes how much more there is to life than just which party she's going to next. I equally loved watching her become so passionate about baking and deciding that she has tolerated other people's dismissal of her ambitions for far too long. I'm not sure how the author managed to make a spoiled, rich girl so endearing, but there were several points where I wanted to reach into the book and give Pomona a hug. That being said, I did still enjoy the murder mystery plot line. I did start to suspect who the murderer was pretty early on, but I thought the author did a great job of making other characters look suspicious. The romance in this book was the icing on the cake. I absolutely adored Gabe and felt like he went on a personal journey of his own as he helped Pomona get back on her feet. And dare I say that I thought the author left the ending open for another book? I honestly hope so, because I would love to see Pomona tackle another murder investigation. With Gabe, of course. We can't forget about him.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.

I really thought I was going to love this one -- when I got it emailed to me, it was marketed as a Dan and Blair inspired romance and I think that hyped it up way too much and it ended up falling a little short. I definitely got more of an Alexis Rose vibe from her, which I loved! I love me some Alexis. But other than me liking to FMC, I couldn't really get myself to care about the other characters. I felt like the friendship/partnership between the two main characters was too immediate when it came to wanting to solve the murder/becoming partners. I know it was for personal gain, but it just seemed a little unrealistic.

It was an okay read, but it was definitely not what I expected it to be.

This was a fun, easy read! If you are a fan of reality TV level drama, Kardashian-esque dynamics, and unexpected romance, this is the book for you. Pomona Afton, of the Afton hotel family, has made it through her life thus far on her good looks and trust fund, but questions everything when a death in the family causes her to lose everything in the span of an evening. We spend a large portion of this book on her journey of rediscovery and self-worth, with the sleuthing skills coming in the back half. I enjoyed the twists and turns that it took, and laughed at how outlandish normal, everyday tasks seemed for her. I found the ending to be wrapped up rather quickly, but despite this, found the solution to the mystery to be rather satisfying and unexpected.

This was SO fun. Think Alexis Rose solving a murder and you’ve got the gist of Poloma Afton Can So Solve a Murder. It took me a minute to warm up to Pomona, but once I got to know her and understand her I found her very endearing and funny. I laughed out loud several times. Her internal monologue was hilarious.

The murder mystery aspect was really fun as well and kept me guessing! I really expected that the romance would be center stage with the mystery just kind of happening in the background but it was kind of the other way around! The romance is there in little bits but it’s definitely not the main course (which I ended up really enjoying). Would I have been upset with more Gabe? Absolutely not. But I still had a blast reading this! I will definitely be picking up more of this author’s books for sure!

Pomona Afton Can So Solve A Murder
By: Bellamy Rose

“I’m ready to do whatever it takes so that I’ll never have to do that again.”
“Meaning”
“Let’s solve a murder.”

Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the free book! All opinions are my own. #Atria

This is such a smart and fun whodunit -- a perfect mix of intrigue and deception combined with humor and personal growth. I recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining murder mystery!

Pomona’s grandmother is murdered and the family soon learns that she had a provision written into her will that freezes all of the family’s assets upon her death. This condition can only be lifted if the murderer is caught. Locked out of her penthouse and practically penniless, Pomona finds herself living with Gabe, her former nanny’s son. After a disaster-filled morning preparing coffee for ungrateful customers, Pomona soon realizes that the only path forward is for her to find the murderer herself.

This was such a cute and cozy mystery. I read it in less than a day and enjoyed each and every twist and turn. The romance is light but sweet and the side characters are mostly awful which made solving the case even more fun. This one is an enjoyable ride from start to finish!

Read if you like:

Whodunits
Cozy Mysteries
Character Growth
Riches to Rags
Spice Free
Books with series potential

I really liked this! It felt like a Gossip Girl character was trying to solve a murder and I loved every second of it. Pomona started out as an unlikeable person in the beginning but grew a lot throughout the story. Great character development and a solid mystery plot line. Great read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria, and Bellamy Rose for the opportunity to read and review Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder.

Pomona Afton has it all. A free room in one of her family’s hotels, money, good looks, tons of friends…and she’s going to lose it all. Well, that is if her grandmother’s murder isn’t solved. All assets have been frozen until the killer can be found and after the police doesn’t make much progress, she decides to solve it herself.

This was a cute and easy read. Cozy mysteries can be hit or miss, but this one was a hit! Gabe (her new roommate and former nanny’s son) and Pomona work so well together. They both have a lot to learn about “the other side,” but they balance each other perfectly. Gabe encourages her to step out of her box and believe in herself. Pomona encourages Gabe to take what he deserves. It was heartwarming to watch them grow and solve the mystery.

I fully thought I solved it about 20% of the way in, but then I second guessed myself. However, my first guess was right in the end. It took me a bit to get into the beginning — partially because things were extremely busy — but then I flew through it.

I recommend Pomona Afton for anyone who loves Gossip Girl, Clueless, and Only Murders in the Building!

I dnf'd at 13%.

Unfortunately, this wasn't for me, because the main character's whole personality in the begining is being a rich socialite out of touch with real life, and I'm not interested in reading about this type of people right now.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book it was such an easy read. I feel like this book was more about Pom changing her ways after she loses her money with a touch of romance and a bigger touch of a mystery. I loved seeing Pom on her journey to learn how to live on her own (with Gabe of course) and find her love for baking.

I'm usually not big on cozy mysteries, I find them boring (I stick with mystery thrillers) but this one was not boring in the slightest. With all the other aspects it kept my attention and I found it so charming. It looked like at the very end there might be some little breadcrumbs about a possible sequel and I would definitely read another one of these books.

When the going gets tough...

...she has no idea what she's going to do.

Pomona Afton lives a pretty charmed life. She lives in one of her family's hotels, her trust fund allows her to do whatever she wants whenever she wants, and life is a nonstop carousel of galas, club nights, and fabulous clothes...all of which she documents for the world on her social media accounts. OK, so she was raised more by her former nanny Andrea than by her actual parents (whose chief advice in life has been to keep her feelings bottled up rather than display them to the world - father - along with not causing wrinkles by frowning and avoid eating carbs - mother), who regularly make it clear that they don't think Pomona is good at doing anything and regard her older brother Nicholas as the heir apparent to the family business. And sure her grandmother makes her parents look warm and loving by comparison and regularly wields access to the family money to ensure compliant behavior (just ask her uncle and his family, whom Grandma recently cut off without a cent)...but no one's life is perfect, right? When Pomona ducks Grandma's latest barrage of texts and phone calls and pushes off the "urgent meeting" she is demanding until the following day, how was she to know that Grandma was going to get murdered that night? And that Pomona (hungover and queasy) would be the one to find her? With a clause in the will freezing every family members' access to trust funds, apartments, and more, all of a sudden Pomona has nowhere to live and only a hastily packed suitcase of clothes to her name. She has no job, no marketable skills, and moving in with either her parents (staying at the Hamptons house of friends) or her brother (living with his girlfriend) would just prove them right in having no faith in her. So she moves in with Andrea's (cute but grumpy) son Gabe, takes a job at the coffee shop where he is an assistant manager, and is determined to solve her grandmother's murder ASAP so that she can go back to her old life...even though it looks like the killer is someone in her family.
This is a quick paced, fun mashup between a clueless amateur sleuth whodunnit and a grumpy guy rom-com, set in New York's Upper East Side, featuring a lead character who at first glance is pretty shallow, unaware of how entitled her existence is, and living an alcohol-soaked and aimless life. She is pretty funny, though, and over the course of the novel she gradually grows up and finds out that she actually has more to contribute to the world than she, or anyone in her family, every believed. Gabe has every reason to resent the new roommate his mother sent his way...she has had every advantage and done little with it, and enjoyed far more of his mother's time and attention when he was growing up than he did. Most of Pomona's family and more than a few of her friends are happy to leave her to the wolves, but with Gabe's encouragement she proves them all wrong....and finds that her life will benefit from the shaking up it's getting. The mystery isn't super mysterious, but it's fun to amble along with Pomona and Gabe as they rule out one suspect after another and realize that they may just be perfect for one another. If you are the sort that would enjoy a combination Only Murders In The Building/Gossip Girl kind of story, or are readers of authors like Elle Cosimano, Olivia Blacke or Michelle Chouinart. then this is the book for you. Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books/Emily Bestler Books for allowing me access to a copy of this entertaining romp.

Pomona Afton Can So Solve A Murder by Bellamy Rose

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

My girl, Pomona 😌 What a gal. This book is like if Cher Horowitz (Clueless) and London Tipton had a baby 😂. Remember that episode of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody when London loses all of her money and has to go live with Maddie? That’s what this book is, except Maddie is actually her old nanny’s hot son. Truly immaculate vibes 🤌🏼

A little recap: This book stars hotel heiress Ms. Pomona Afton, who stumbles home one night after a gala to discover her rich grandmother’s dead body, murdered 🔪🩸. Pomona wasn’t particularly fond of her grandmother, but unbeknownst to the Afton’s, ol’ Mamaw snuck a clause into her will stating that should she die an untimely death, everyone is cut off until the murderer is found, leaving Pomona on the streets and buh-roke. No money, no prospects. With all of her friends mysteriously having no space for her to stay, Pomona turns to the only person in which she has ever found comfort, her childhood nanny — who just so happens to have a son whose roommate recently moved out. Convenient. After a swift dose of reality, Pomona decides this murder has to be solved ASAP, and who better to enlist for help than her surly new roommate whose mother also won’t get her retirement money if the murder isn’t solved … 🧐

Let me just start by saying, this book was adorable. I actually didn’t hate Pomona like I thought I would in the beginning. She wasn’t giving off spoiled, little rich girl so much as naive and clueless. You can tell right away that she has a good heart and truly cares about people. I mean we can’t choose the life we’re born into, right? It’s surprisingly very easy to sympathize with Pomona. She has a toxic relationship with her family, who always tell her that she isn’t smart enough to do anything, has no skills, and just needs to stay out of everyone else’s way. Basically, sit still and look pretty. No wonder she never had any higher aspirations. No one ever encouraged or challenged her. As soon as she has the chance, Pom proves them all wrong. I love that she found her passion in baking and in helping others. She had so much character growth from beginning to end.

Pomona and Gabe have such an organic relationship. She was his childhood crush, but he blames Pom for how much time his mom had to spend with her family instead of him. Once he finally gets past that and gets to know her a little better, they become reluctant allies and eventually friends. I love how Gabe supported her passion for baking and sold her baked goods in his coffee shop. Literally so sweet. And how Pom encouraged Gabe to stand up to his boss and demand the raise he rightfully deserved. They made each better in all the best ways.

One thing I really enjoyed is that this book was not trope-y at all. I really can’t think of one mainstream trope that was in this book other than he just didn’t like her at first, and I wouldn’t even classify that as enemies or rivals to lovers. It was a refreshing read and not like anything I’ve read recently. There’s no spice in this book, except a few mentions of other characters “hooking up,” so this one is for the girlies who like a nice, clean romance!

I actually did not guess who the murderer was, and I was so sure I had it right. The murder mystery subplot was a lot of fun and kept the story moving right along. I read it in two sittings and never got bored.

I really had a lot of fun with this book! I would recommend it for fans of lighthearted murder mysteries or anyone who enjoys a cute, fluffy romance. If Clueless is one of your comfort movies, then this is the book for you. Cher Horowitz stamp of approval! 💛

Thank you to NetGalley, Bellamy Rose, and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

⭐️ 4.25/5

Thank you @atriabooks for the advanced physical copy & @simon.audio for the advanced listener audiobook!

This was such a great change of pace! A murder mystery mixed in with a dash of romance, this was right up my alley! The concept had me hooked from the start with the comparison to Schitt’s Creek. Just picturing Alexis Rose trying to solve a murder was the spinoff I never saw coming!

Pomona experiences the culture shock of a lifetime, not only losing her grandmother but also her fortune at the same time. On top of it all, Pomona is kicked out of the hotel she calls home and discovers that her inheritance, as well as that of each member of her family, is frozen until the murderer is revealed!

Digging through the mess of lies and family secrets, Pomona finds herself rooming and partnering up with the (hot) son of her former nanny. Gabe seems just as eager to help Pomona uncover the murderer, which feels kinda sus…

I really enjoyed all of the twists and turns that popped up throughout this story. The audio kept me on my toes and I couldn’t wait to find out whodunnit! (I was actually surprised!) I can’t wait to read more from this author!