1.5⭐️

I finished this book out of spite. I’ve never seen so much weaponized incompetence from a FMC and her ‘I’m just a girl 👉🏼👈🏼🥺’ schtick drove me absolutely insane. She had so many times to come clean about accidentally putting her grandmother’s small business on the radar of cut throat firm that wants to buy them out. Instead she repeatedly acted like a child who’s afraid to get into trouble and just kept saying ‘I’ll do it later.’

There is a brief mention of an eating disorder that Kasey had that she “recovered from” at the beginning of the book, and then the rest of the book was spent mentioning every single piece of food that she put in her mouth.

The poisoning of bad men aspect is the main reason I wanted to read this, but the story was so slow and drawn out that it wasn’t worth it. The romance felt forced and the MMC extremely one dimensional. Also the “grudge” that Kasey held against him for years because she kissed him when she was a teenager and he was in his mid-20’s and he didn’t reciprocate was wild.

Thanks Netgalley and Avon for providing this ARC to me!

After reading "Moorewood Family Rules", I knew I wanted to read more from HelenKay Dimon and I was so happy and excited when we got another fairly lighthearted mystery from her. "The Usual Family Mayhem" had me chuckling from the humor and engaged with the quick-pace of the mystery and also with the touch of romance. It all felt as natural and balanced as a work of fiction and entertainment can be.

Completely a personal thing is that I wasn't as much a fan of the FMC Kasey BUT all other aspects of the book I enjoyed so I continued on with the book. Absolutely loved the grannies!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

This was a wonderful womens fiction/thriller novel. I really enjoyed Moorewood Family Rules by HelenKay Dimon, so I was super excited to get approved for this book. I especially enjoyed how the author blended comedy, romance, and mystery to make a very entertaining novel. I definitely will be reading more books by HelenKay Dimon in the future!

I enjoyed this cozy romantic mystery with a beautiful southern setting full of hilarious banter. HelenKay Dimon did a phenomenal job at blending romance, comedy, and mystery into a book about strength and independence through hardships. The banter between all the characters had me laughing. Their southern charm, which I adore, had me smiling the whole time. What I didn't expect was the amazing backstories and hardships of each of these amazing female characters and how strong and independent they are after all they've been through. It tugged on my heartstrings and brought tears to my eyes, and I couldn't help but think of Idgie and Ruth Threadgoode, who I'm sure would approve of these sweet scheming grannies. If you're looking for a cozy romantic mystery laced with comedy and strong independent women, I recommend giving this book a read.

I loved this authors last book. But this one was so boring and took forever to read. The character could not stay on task and solve the supposed mystery. It was like having the same conversation multiple times and it was so disappointing.

This book was absolutely hilarious—I couldn’t stop laughing! The moment Kasey entered the scene with her quirky attitude and unhinged energy, I knew I was going to LOVE this one. And I did. Kasey just landed a new job she’s wildly underqualified for, and she’s desperately hoping to keep it. In a bold move, she pitches an idea to her new boss that (low key) involves her grandmother and her best friend Celia, who run a successful baking company. But when Kasey goes back home, trying to stay neutral about everything, her loved ones immediately suspect something is up—including her longtime crush, Jackson. And Jackson? Oh. My. God. The way these two bicker? HOT. The way they respond to each other? HOT. The way they’re so painfully obvious about their feelings? HOTT HOTT!!! I was all for it! But beyond the swoon-worthy romance, the real stars of the show are Kasey’s grandmother and Celia—two funny, lovable, and delightfully mischievous women who just so happen to be hiding a HUGE secret. And Kasey, being the snoop she is, is determined to figure it out. Are they out here baking *lethal pies*?!? Well… I’ll just leave that there. This book was such a fun, feel-good read with lovable characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and a romance that had me *hooked*.

Well, I officially think the mystery-romance hybrid is not for me. This book had an awesome premise - lesbian grannies who bake death pies for bad husbands - but the execution was lacking. The pacing felt off (it's really less mystery and more "oops, I've gone and created a conflict of interest and now I have to keep it from imploding on me"). Some of the incidents from the past brought up between the FMC and the love interest didn't seem necessary, borderline creepy - this is fiction, you don't have to make their dynamic historically weird. I think the main issue with the genre-mash up is the way it never seems reasonable for people to talk in detail about murder and then feel in the mood for kissing. But if you liked, say, "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" by Ally Carter, you might like this one.

I received a free digital ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

CWs - Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, Cursing, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Grief, Lesbophobia, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Pregnancy

What’s not to love about the premise - a mystery surrounding grandma’s pies - are they murder pies or just a really odd coincidence that men die a day after receiving them? Enter in a quirky FMC Kasey and a hard to ignore MMC named Jackson, and you have The Usual Family Mayhem. Kasey is hard to not love - she might not have everything figured out, but her imagination and love of her family is unmatched. Jackson gets roped into helping Kasey and it is hard to ignore the sparks flying across the page. I read The Usual Family Mayhem in one afternoon, because I honestly couldn’t put it down and had to see how this mystery resolved itself. I also question myself, as I found myself justifying homicide, if the pies are really to blame.

A foodie mystery that works as serviceable read-alike for the Pies Before Guys series. A recommended purchase for collections where cozies are particularly popular.

The Usual Family Mayhem by HelenKay Dimon

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

An engaging and entertaining cozy mystery with a bit of romance!

On a whim, Kasey pitches buying and flipping a pie shop to her consulting firm. However, she doesn’t mention that the pie shop is run by her grandmother in Winston Salem or that her grandmother and her partner are completely uninterested in selling the shop. The consulting firm ends up sending her to North Carolina for two weeks to close the deal. Kasey’s grandmother, Mags, and her partner, Celia, run the pie shop, and often see Celia’s nephew and Kasey’s long term crush, Jackson. When Kasey gets there, she discovers something strange is going on with the business. Kasey and Celia’s nephew, Jackson, work together to discover what is really happening.

A charming mystery with a bit of romance, this was a quick, easy, interesting read. If you like a lighthearted mystery with a strong female lead, this one is a great choice! The Usual Family Mayhem is a fun, humorous, cozy mystery with a great romance and excellent twists and turns!

“Tell me not to kiss you.” When I say I swooned, I mean it. This romcom was great with minimal spice. Multiple messy situations, potential vigilante grandmas, and romance all in one. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for anyone looking for an easy lighthearted romcom.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper for the ARC!

This was a super fun read. The chemistry was amazing; not just between the love interests but the platonic chemistry between all of the other characters too! I am all for some family drama (especially when it's not my own), throw in a couple of hilarious older ladies, and some mystery and romance and you have a book I just couldn't put down.

This is easily going to be one of my favorite books of the year. Two hilarious older ladies possibly baking poisoned pies and a romcom between their adorable nephew & grand daughter? I’ll drop everything and run to that storyline. This is a book that’s a perfect standalone, but I’d be absolutely thrilled if it got turned into a series. I’ll hop back in to hang out with Mags, Celia, Kasey, and Jackson frequently.

This book had just the right amount of family drama, banter, and a little mystery to be a great page turner. I was in a complete slump before starting this, and this has cured that. I really enjoyed having a self proclaimed messy protagonist still be lovable and wonderful and not have her love interest ever use those as reasons to not be with her. Jackson’s confidence is never off putting, he’s charming and nerdy in all of the best ways. I love how he clearly grounds Kasey and she brings so much fun to his life. It’s a really beautifully written couple that hit the balance so well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC!

The Usual Family Mayhem is my first read by HelenKay Dimon but it surely won't be the last! Kasey is a 26 year old who is struggling in her career and, in a panicked attempt to not get fired, proposes turning her grandmother's local bakery into the next nationwide dessert trend. To her shock, her boss likes her idea, and she returns to her hometown supposedly to seal the deal. Before long, she's suspecting her grandmother of murder and flirting with her childhood crush. What could go wrong? The Usual Family Mayhem is a fun mystery-romance combo and I couldn't get enough. I can't wait to read more HelenKay.

I’ve been a fan of HelenKay’s rom/sus books, so there was no way I was going to miss this one.

I love love loved this cast of characters. Kasey is chaotic and loving and it was a damn delight to be in her head. Jackson is steadfast and loyal. The ladies are exactly what you would expect from southern grandmothers: feisty, proper, and a lot of fun. Throw them all together and you have a wonderful and supportive family who is always there for support.

Plot wise, it was exactly what I wanted at the time: low stakes, no angst, and enough chemistry to kill someone. I was constantly grinning while reading this story and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Of course, the small future take of a last chapter was nice, but I could have done with more because I couldn't get enough.

Overall, this was cozy and fun and I know I’ll be coming back to this story in the future.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

Put on the spot, Kasey pitches the bakery run by her Gram and Aunt Celia for a possible buyout. Her boss sends her to do the sales pitch not knowing Kasey is related to these two women. Upon arriving, Kasey chickens out and just lets her family think she is visiting. Of course that raises eyebrows since Kasey is known for not keeping jobs for long.

Once she arrives, it just seems something at the bakery is off. Kasey begins a one-woman sleuthing operation to find out what it is. Jackson, Kasey's long time crush, gets caught up in her drama. As more and more clues lead to the possibility of wrongdoing at the bakery, Kasey and Jackson become closer despite interference from Jackson's father. When the day of reckoning arrives and Kasey's boss comes to town, the craziness increases.

I love the books of HelenKay Dimon. This one was a cute, funny, and convoluted cozy mystery and romance.. I am always suspect of someone who can't just say what they need to say without prevaricating for weeks! Leaving out information only makes people wonder what's going on.

* I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. it just wasn’t for me,

This book was goofy and not in a bad way, but it was all over the place. My first book by HelenKay Dimon, and it really did feel like I was transported to Winston Salem & plopped right at the dining table with two quirky grandma figures and a childhood crush turned hotshot small town lawyer. Ultimately, the suspense / mystery plot of this felt underdeveloped, and could have been more fun if the plot was further developed.

This was a fun & easy read overall and would recommend!

The Usual Family Mayhem by HelenKay Dimon is a “cozy mystery” that hits the shelves March 11, 2025.

I received an email from Avon books saying I was pre-approved to read this ARC! Thank you Avon & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

Honestly, this one wasn’t for me. The story really seemed to drag & it felt like not much was happening… I did like the grandmothers,the yummy desserts & some of the witty banter. The pacing was really slow and had a hard time keeping my attention. The romance was left more to be desired. I would have liked more of the mysterious murders to be focused on.

However, I do think there is an audience for this book. If you like slow paced stories filled with yummy desserts you may enjoy this.

4/5 stars: This is Dimon's Steamy Romance Cozy-ish Mystery stand-alone that follows a woman who's floundering in her job as she returns to her North Carolina hometown after impulsively pitching her grandma and her live-in "best friend's" baking business as an investment and winds up falling in love with her long-time crush even as the two stumble into a deadly mystery involving their relatives. With plenty of wit and humor, Dimon's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain likable. Kasey and Jackson are both great characters and I enjoyed seeing them dealing with their individual personal issues and finally get their HEA. I especially loved Gram and Celia, they're the best! The romance is top notch with plenty of swoony banter and the OPS is quite steamy. Additionally, Dimon's crafted a fun cozy-ish mystery. While there are plenty of heartfelt and lighthearted moments, Dimon does take on some sensitive subjects; so take care and check CWs. Overall, a fun time will be had if you give this a read.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.