This book made me want to finally watch Gossip Girl.

Thank you to Bellamy Rose, Atria Books, and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Pomona Afton Can So Solve A Murder follows Pomona Afton, an heiress suffering an economic downfall after her Grandmother’s untimely death. At rock bottom for seemingly the first time in her life, she moves in with her old Nanny’s son, Gabe. Determined to regain her old life, Pomona and Gabe work together to solve the mystery of Grandma Afton’s murder.

I love Pomona’s character Arc. I thought it was a bit rushed at first, because of the timeline of the story, but I realized that it made sense for Pom to change the way she did after what she faced.

I was so invested in this story, debating whether or not the most obscure character could be the culprit.

Gabe and Pom were so cute, I loved how they pushed each other and made up after disagreements. I especially loved her new hobby and what she did with it!

This book is perfect for the Gossip Girl Fanatics, rom-com lovers, and the classic “Heiress loses everything but finds something more” storyline.

Pomona Afton Can So Solve A Murder releases on March 18, 2025!!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Publishing for this e-ARC!

I did take a chance on Pomona Afton because I liked the blurb comparison between her and Blair from Gossip Girl, but I would like to preface by saying I am not a usual cozy mystery reader. This book fell a little flat for me. Things seemed to fall perfectly into place every step of the way and maybe that's how it works in cozy mysteries but it just wasn't suspenseful enough. I will say that the person that committed the murder was sort of a shock-ish, I mean once they debunked other suspects I felt like this was the only option and I could piece together why that person would have done it. I do think that I would recommend this book to people that do enjoy cozy mysteries with a little bit of romance. Overall it was giving Hallmark.

This was the first book that I have read by this author. I will be looking for more! This was such a good book and I loved all the characters and really followed them. I loved the mystery aspect of the book also. I would definitely recommend this book.

✨ARC Review✨ Y’all. I enjoyed the heck out of this mystery.

Pomona Afton is in her late 20’s and is living the life that being an heiress provides her. That is to say she’s taking private jets and hopping her way across Europe, attending galas, living in her family’s fancy hotel, being a snotty brat, and literally never thinking about anyone else.

And then her highly unliked, but feared grandmother is murdered. She’s put a clause in her will that if she dies by unnatural causes, no one inherits anything until the murderer is caught.

Pom and her family are kicked out of the hotel with only a bag each. Pom calls her former nanny who is basically the only person to ever be warm and kind to her. Luckily for Pom, Andrea has a son who needs a roommate. I think you know this son is handsome and smart and calls Pom on her shit.

He also encourages her to investigate her grandmother’s murder, so she can get her life back and also so his mom can get the retirement money she was promised. So away they go with their amateur but effective investigation!

I read this described as Goosip Girl meets Veronica Mars. I mean, kinda. Pom isn’t nearly as cynical as VM. I loved her growth throughout the book and yes, there are definitely a couple of things you just have to suspend your disbelief for. It’s all good. The story is worth it.

I received this eARC from #netgalley and @atriabooks. All thoughts are mine alone.

#mystery #mysterybooks #romance #romancebooks #contemporarymystery #contemporaryromance #pomonaaftoncansosolveamurder #gabeandpomona #bellamyrose #bookreview #bookrecs #bookstagram

This was really cute, charming and cozy. If you are in the mood for a cozy mystery - you will love this. If you're looking for a thriller, this isn't for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I was a little surprised at this being a debut novel, as I found the story and characters to be really well-developed in a way that only most seasoned writers can do. I found this to be fairly light-hearted and, at points, I even laughed out loud. I found our main character to be very dynamic, going from a stereotypical "princess" who does not know much about the world, to quiet the inquisitive, thoughtful individual. Overall, Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder was a pretty quick read with all of the good themes you're hoping to looks for, especially overcoming preconceived ideas and titles.

It's interestingly cute and, at times, funny. It was fairly easy to find out Whodunit, and unfortunately, I couldn't connect with the main characters. It felt uncohesively rushed and yet slow to get to the point.

Thank you, Netgalley, and Simon and Schuster for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this story! Pomona was an easy to like character, and I enjoyed watching her grow. She changed in such positive ways.

There was only one POV, Pomona's, and I do not think it caused any problems with the story whatsoever. This who-done-it was well written and not easily figured out.

I was smitten by the love story angle. Gabe was a great guy! I hope these characters come back with another mystery to solve!

**Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Atria Books, and the author for an advanced DRC**

In "Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder," Lila Kensington crafts a delightful romp through high society and mystery, with a dash of romance that keeps readers hooked from the first page. Pomona, the quintessential spoiled heiress, is thrust into a whirlwind of intrigue after her grandmother’s murder forces her to confront the dark side of her privileged life. Kensington’s sharp wit and humor shine as Pomona evolves from a self-absorbed socialite into a determined sleuth, all while navigating a budding relationship with the endearingly grumpy Gabe. The chemistry between them is electric, making every interaction a joy to read. With clever twists and a compelling exploration of self-discovery, this book is a refreshing blend of rom-com and murder mystery that will leave you laughing, gasping, and rooting for Pomona every step of the way!

I was kingly provided with the ARC of this book by NetGalley and the editors team in enganche of an honest review, thank you ✨

4⭐️

This was just soooo perfect and cozy (yes I said cozy) and on point for the spooky season; I LOVED that it was the perfect mix between Gossip Girl and Criminal Minds because it happens that those are my favorites series in the world and that’s the reason I ATE this book🙂‍↔️

Pomona my girl, I loved how resilient and strong and kind you are, you deserved all the good things you got and that also means Gabe ✨ he is just the perfect match for her, they needed each other to balance their personalities and he is soooo giving and supporting and protecting with her ❤️

Also, the responsible person was in my list of suspects and it felt a little predictable BUT!!! I blame myself for watch all 16 seasons of criminal minds that lead me to think like a behavior analysts and not the plot 🙂‍↔️

You all need to read this please!! You won’t regret it 🛐✨

Big thanks to NetGalley for this ARC! Big fan of thrillers and I really enjoyed this book. I was slow in the beginning for me but once it peaked my interest I didn’t want to put it down. I enjoyed all the characters also.

In "Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder," Bellamy Rose has written an amusing murder mystery/rom com about a socialite hotel heiress seeking to solve her grandmother's murder in order to regain access to her inheritance. Pomona and her love interest Gabe are likable enough characters, though their romance falls a bit flat and seems a bit underdeveloped. The solution to the mystery is fairly obvious early on, and I would have liked to see more depth to where Pomona and Gabe find themselves at the end of the story. Still, not a bad way to pass a few, unserious, hours.

3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

unfortunately i wasn’t super interested in this book. the cover is beautiful and i was initially drawn in, but i was looking for something else. i’m am, however, forward to other releases from bellamy!

Addictive read featuring a hotel heiress trying to solve a murder that hits close to home, literally. Pomona Afton is basically Paris Hilton in this book- a socialite that is treated as a spoiled bimbo. Little do people know, she’s kind hearted, talented and ambitious.

This follows her journey to solve a murder with a previous employee’s son, Gabe. Pomona’s in it to gain back her inheritance, Gabe is in it for his mother. Can they keep their opinions separate in order to solve a crime?

You’ll have to read it to find out what happens, so excited to have read this- truly amazing! All kinds of vibes!

Spice: closed door romance

Thank you NetGalley, Publisher and Author for sending over an arc in exchange for honest review!

This is a cute, cozy mystery. I love Blair in Gossip Girl, so when I read the pitch that described it as Blair solving a murder, I was sold! Think Hallmark mysteries meets Gossip Girl, and if that's appealing, this is the book for you.

SO FUN!! Pomona Afton is one of the heirs to the Afton Hotel fortune, and has been enjoying spending lots of cash on grand Gala outfits, drinking, and generally just having too much fun with all her girlfriends. But when her grandmother is suddenly murdered, she is forced to experience real life, and learn how to care for herself financially and emotionally, AND how to solve a murder!! This is such a fun romp, filled with tongue in cheek humor, a little romance and a satisfying ending. Highly recommend to those who love a great "chick book"!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder.

Unfortunately I DNF’d this book about 30% of the way in. I can very much see the potential for this to be a hit but the intro to the plot took a bit too long for my taste and I just couldn’t get into the book as much as I wanted. I also struggled to feel in touch with the characters and feel like while this book has an audience I am not it.

Pomona Afton Can So Solve A Murder by Bellamy Rose was a very cute story. While technically a mystery, it was much lighter than the typical books I read.

When Pomona discovers her Grandmother has been murdered, she makes it her mission to find out who did it. Why? Because Pomona is a hotel heiress (think Paris Hilton in her twenties), and her trust fund has been locked until the case is solved.

I really enjoyed this book. It's a super cute story, and I loved all the baking references. I would have liked a little more romance, but other than that, I can’t complain.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC!

💰 Amauter Sleuths
👠 Murder Mystery with a Dash of Romance
💰 Opposite Attracts
👠 Partners in Crime Solving
💰 Former Party Girl
👠 FMC became a Baker
💰 MMC is Former Nanny's Son
👠 Rich people vibes
💰 Rich to Poor

Pomona is a party girl until her grandmother is murdered. The list of suspects is pretty long when Pomona's grandmother is a mean-spirited woman. Pomona realized the murderer had to be a close member of the family. With the help of Pomona's former nanny's son, Gabe, to solve the mystery when the inheritance was frozen. It was amazing that Pomona found something she was good at, which is baking. Her family didn't see any potential in Pomona until she had to figure out her life without the family money she was used to. Pomona and Gabe make a great team for crime solving and as a couple as well. I was surprised at who the murderer was. It was an awesome book with mystery, crime solving amauters, and a dash of romance.

This book is a very cute and easy read for those looking for a fun cozy mystery with romcom subplot.

Starting out, Pomona is a very unlikeable character, a spoiled heiress that is very naive to the real world and spends her time partying and spending money. However there is a lot of humor in this with her internal dialogue.

Pomona discovers her grandmother is murdered and that’s really where our story begins as Pomona must solve the murder in order to continue her way of life with her trust fund. Enter our love interest, Gabe.

Gabe becomes Pomona’s side kick, love interest and roommate and he and Pomona very much give grumpy/sunshine dynamics.

The mystery was fun to follow with hints sprinkled throughout. I definitely guessed the murderer very early on but it was still fun to follow Pomona’s investigation, especially as she developed as a character throughout and grew into a more complete and fleshed out character.

It was a cute mystery romance that was closed door and fast paced. I would continue to read this series and I think it was a great debut novel. Really good character growth and development. But also very predictable. 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for providing an ARC to this book!