Pub Day Review✨

Happy pub day @jennyeldermoke ! 🎉

A destination wedding on a private island off Seattle sounds like bliss, doesn’t it? But it turns out to be nightmare for author, Kate Valentine. Going into the wedding, Kate knew things would be ‘interesting’ as the groom is her ex-fiancé who is also her editor. There is nothing like mixing business with pleasure. Making things even more ‘interesting’ is Jake Hawkins, the one who got away and is her biggest regret. Making things worse is that she and Jake must share a room. Then Kate finds a dead body........

Part mystery, part romance, and part trapped room, She Doesn’t Have a Clue was a cozy book/whodunit.
Kate writes mystery novels and uses her skills to attempt to solve the mystery in this book.

This one was fun! I loved the quirky bunch of characters and the mix of mystery and romcom. If you like the Finlay Donovan series this book would be a hit for you too!

Thank you @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for my advanced copies!

She Doesn’t Have A Clue is out today!

Mystery writer, Kate, is invited to her ex-finance/boss's wedding. Along the way she discovers the one that got away, Jake, was a last-minute invite and the bride put them in the same bedroom. This is all on a remote rich people's island, of course. Kate channels her inner Loretta, the character in her novels that solves murders, to discover who is trying to frame her into sabotaging her ex's wedding and making it look like scenes from her books.
This story is fun, mostly wholesome, with a bit of spice (two mildly spicy scenes). I can almost describe this as a cozy mystery with some fake dating; everyone's a suspect, and what the heck is happening here at the moment? Kate has minimal self-confidence and she has to channel her character to break herself out of her shell. So much miscommunication and finger-pointing and squabbles. It is like I'm watching reality TV with a Hallmark movie twist. Overall, it was fun, the "Bad Guy" seemed to come out of left field, but I should have guessed it, and I loved the romance for the short amount of time our couple was romancing the chemistry was written well and the scenes were also great. It was perfectly awkward and fun.
The narration in this book was on point. The narrator did fantastic with the different accents and bringing each character's personality to the forefront.

Calling all Jessica Fletcher fans this one is for you!

A mystery writer struggling with her next book decides to attend her ex-fiance's wedding on a private island in the PNW and finds on the boat to the island that her ex-business partner/collaborator/friend/something is her plus-one. Then they find a dead body, or maybe not? All the while being suspects and causing general shenanigans? Oh, and there might be feelings, like love feelings?

Why yes, this does sound exactly like Murder, She Wrote. You're welcome.

Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Audio length: 10 hours 24 minutes
Narrator: Sarah Mollo-Christensen

Love this narrator! She never misses and always brings the words on the page to life.

Pacing ✅
Intonation ✅
Male voices ✅
Australian Accent ✅

Definitely recommend the audio version.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.75 (Mystery, Romance)



✨The Highlights✨

. Author FMC🖋️
. Murder Mystery 🔎
. Friends to Lovers
. Second Chances
. Destination Wedding 💍
. Forced Proximity
. Slow Burn 🔥
. Fake Dating
. Single POV
. Love Triangle 🔺

Get ready for a wild ride! This locked-room mystery fused with a hilarious romcom delivers the perfect blend of fun, adventure, and sizzling chemistry. Our heroine is a bestselling crime thriller author with a knack for solving puzzles,

Throw in a handsome Aussie with serious “Hotstralian” vibes (think Hemsworth), a gripping murder mystery unfolding on a secluded, historic island estate, and a family rife with manipulation, betrayal, and power struggles—and you’ve got a tale you won’t be able to stop reading. I went down a star because at times I found the story so chaotic it was hard to follow.

"Embrace the chaos."

That's the theme of the adorable zany She Doesn't Have A Clue by highly entertaining author Jenny Elder Moke. There's so much chaos in the middle of a wedding on a private island with an attempted poisoning of the bride, a dead guest, a clueless mystery writer attending her ex fiance's wedding and one hunky Australian willing to help solve the case.

Kate regrets her decision to accept her ex fiance's invitation to his wedding the minute she's on the secluded island. But since he's also the editor for her successful Loretta Starling mystery series she felt obligated to show her face. Then she literally bumps into the one man that has never left her steamy dreams, her writing colleague with the sexy Australian accent, Jake.

It gets more chaotic when there's only one room left for them to share. That's the RomCom set up. Kate soon realizes there's more going on than her confused heart when the bride is almost poisoned, she discovers a dead body, and becomes a suspect. Accessing Loretta, her mystery solving alter ego, and with Jake her willing side kick, Kate's off to clear her name and solve the case.

I am in awe of voice actress Sarah Mollo-Christensen defining so many diverse characters; and then there's her perfect Australian accent as swoony Jake. Just chef's kiss performances.

Mixed within the sexy banter, wise cracking relatives, and a murderer in their midst, are real moments like this awakening revelation for Kate:

"Just because I fell in love with her didn't mean I fell out of love with you. The only difference was she loved me back."

It's obvious with all the romance, comedy, and cozy mystery vibes this writer has all the clues to a winning audiobook.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from #Macmillan Audio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I did a combo on this one. I read the ebook and listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Sarah Mollo-Christensen. The narration was very good. She did many voices and did them very well. Also the volume was fairly uniform throughout the book, which I really like.

This book was the result of marrying a murder mystery with a romcom. I really liked the result. The main character, Kate, is a murder mystery author and she calls on her heroine often for help (what would Lorreta do?). Guests for a wedding are stranded in a spooky mansion with secret passages during a raging storm. Perfect! Well, except for the fact that someone is trying to murder someone among the guests and the fact that the groom is Kate's ex-fiance. Kate gets a little romance (and more) of her own. I thought the combination of everything made for a very entertaining read.

I would definitely look for more books of this type from this author.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the copies. All thoughts are my own.

I love a cozy mystery that keeps me guessing until the end and this one delivered. The cast of suspects was strong as many characters had strong motives. There was a good mixture of romance and suspense although I will say being trapped in a darkened room or having a spider crawl down my dress would not have me getting frisky the way it did in this book.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue is a debut novel that is a second chance mystery romance with a side of rich, chaotic, family drama. The FMC, Kate, is a best selling murder mystery author who finds herself in a real life mystery, very similar to her latest book. She gets to put the investigative skills she gave her MC in her books to the test when a murder occurs while at her ex-fiance/current editor’s lavish destination wedding. Set at a historic manor on a private island where, unbeknownst to her, her biggest love regret also happens to be attending the wedding.

The plot started out promising but it was heavy on the characters, which is pretty typical for mystery. However, between the characters of the story and then referencing the character in her book it turns out I was the one that 'didn’t have a clue'. I was confused at times and couldn’t keep all the characters straight. I only had an audio copy, which is typically my go-to, but I think if I had had a physical copy of the book to follow along with I would have been able to distinguish between characters in “real world” vs the character in her book. From my understanding there are excerpts of her book included in the story. I think I would have enjoyed and understood it better if I could have read in tandem. I am seeing great reviews for this book and I plan on giving it another chance after getting a physical book and will update this review.

My confusion is in no way a reflection of the narrator. Sarah Mollo-Christensen did a great job, especially with so many characters. She had good pacing and impeccable tone from start to finish. This was my first book narrated by her but I see that she has narrated several other books, a few that are on my backlist. I look forward to hearing more of her work in the future.

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the #gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

Wow, this author did a great job with mixing mystery and romance. I loved that we got to see tropes like second chances, great banter, friends to lovers, forced proximity and a destination wedding. Oh, and did I mention that the main female character is an author of murder mysteries… and with her way of writing, she takes advice from her main character in her books, Loretta.

I really liked this plot; I thought the fast pace of the book made it easy to read and fun because you didn’t know what was going to happen next. I found myself laughing, swooning over the MMC and his actions, I loved that the readers will get to see a protest of the newest PR policies at Simon Says Publishing and of course murder. I loved the spooky vibes that come from the mansion that the whole wedding party is staying at, and to add to the spooky vibes you will find family drama done at its best. I found the characters to be fun and easy to connect with and relate to too.

I found MFC Kate to have someone that I would love to be best friends with. I love that she was always thinking outside of the box and wouldn’t give up on solving this mystery. I liked that she would pretend to be one of her main characters from her murder mystery books to help her find the clues to who did it. I found her to be witty and confident, but you will see that she has flaws which for me made her more real. I found the MMC, Jake, to be the best partner for her when she was trying to find the clues. I liked the fact that he was supportive but at the same time more grounded. I loved all the banter between these characters and seriously Kate…. I get it! A sexy Australian man, that’s all I have to say lol. I found their slow burn romance as they’re finding out who is murdering everyone. I found the mystery mixed with the romance to have been done well and I can’t wait to see what else this author will bring us.

I also received the audio of this book, and I thought she did a wonderful job. I loved that all the characters’ voices came through clearly, and that she was able to bring the characters to life for me. I would listen to another book narrated by Sarah Mollo-Christensen.

I want to thank NetGalley, Macmillan and St. Martin Press for the opportunity to review this book.

Jenny Elder Moke’s She Doesn’t Have A Clue offers a fun mix of cozy mystery and romantic comedy, set against the atmospheric backdrop of an isolated private island. While the story has its moments of charm and intrigue, it ultimately didn’t fully land for me.

Kate Valentine, a bestselling mystery author, reluctantly attends her ex-fiancé’s wedding, hoping to get through the awkward weekend with the help of champagne and a polished draft of her latest Loretta Starling novel. But when the bride is poisoned and a dead body is discovered, Kate finds herself entangled in a real-life mystery that mirrors her fiction. Add to that the presence of her old flame, Jake Hawkins, and the tension—both romantic and murderous—runs high.

The audiobook narration stands out as one of the strongest elements. The narrator does an excellent job capturing Kate’s wit and sarcasm, as well as the chemistry between her and Jake. The supporting cast is given distinct voices that enhance the story’s humor and suspense, making the audiobook an engaging listen.

However, while the premise is intriguing, the execution felt uneven. The plot is packed with red herrings and twists, but some felt forced or predictable, leaving the mystery less compelling than I’d hoped. Kate’s internal struggles and romantic tension with Jake added depth but sometimes detracted from the pacing of the main storyline. The stormy, isolated island setting creates a great atmosphere, but the story didn’t quite maximize its potential for building suspense and urgency.

I’m grateful to Macmillan Audio for granting me access to the audiobook, as the format added a layer of entertainment that elevated my experience. While She Doesn’t Have A Clue wasn’t a standout for me, it’s still a fun, lighthearted mystery that might appeal to fans of cozy mysteries and quirky characters. It’s worth a try for readers who enjoy a touch of romance with their whodunits.

This story follows Kate Valentine a bestselling mystery writer who for whatever reason agrees to attend her ex-fiances wedding. Kate decides that her gift to her ex-fiance who is also her editor is the finish the first draft of her latest Loretta Starling novel. But the night before the wedding the bride is poisoned and Kate stumbles across a dead body, she finds herself in a real-life mystery that follows the plot of her latest novel. The only person willing to help her solve the murder is Jake Hawkins, Kate's biggest romantic regret.

There were a lot of characters to keep up with which was at times hard on audio. The first half of the book was a little slow for me, but by the end I was enjoying myself. The mystery was good and the added bonus of romance helped. The humor and banter between the characters was great as well.

The narrator Sarah Mollo-Christensen did a great job with the multiple characters and is probably the reason I was able to keep them all straight.

Overall this book was good. It wasn't the best book I have read/listened to, but it wasn't the worst.

Read if you like:
-Friends to lovers
-Cozy mystery
-Funny banter
-Plot twists

Thank you Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to read, She Doesn’t Have a Clue.


Kate Valentine is a well known author of a murder mystery series. She received an invite to her ex-fiancé’s wedding on a private island. While attempting to board the boat, she runs into the man she’s held a torch for years, Jake. Ironically, he’s attending this wedding also. As the story unfolds, we embark on our own murder mystery in a classic case of, “Who Did It?”


I felt the narrators did a fabulous job of bringing the story to life. I felt the emotions expressed and could relate. The male narrator’s accent is swoon worthy.


This was a fun read. At times you wish you can shake some sense into Kate and other times you’re speaking out loud, telling her what could be around the corner. The twists and turns are a good recipe to enjoy this cozy, murder mystery.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for a honest review.

3.5
Overall I think this book had a very fun premise! I really enjoyed Jake and Kate as characters but I found the romance to be tepid. I wish we got more of interactions with Kennedy and Spencer because they were both interesting but I needed more! The murder investigation was really interesting!
I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book!

The setting of a semi-abandonded island was really fun!

Kate is a murder mystery writer who ends up in a murder mystery in real life--but it's one that's very similar to a book she has written. She must take on the persona of her main character to determine whodunit, with twists and turns all around. I liked what this book was doing, rotating between the fictional characters and the real characters, but something about the pace overall didn't feel right for me. The narration was great on this audiobook.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but what I got was more than I imagined! I loved this book. Kate is a successful mystery writer. She attends her ex-fiancé’s wedding and runs into Jake. He’s the one that got away. Kate is a little clueless and has always felt less than in many areas of life. This girl has so much character growth that she jumps off the page by the end. Once at the wedding, the craziness begins.
I had so much fun reading this book! The writing and humor were fantastic. Was it a bit silly at times? Yes, but I loved every second. This book is a lot of mystery and a little bit of romance and usually that’s not my jam but not in this case. This was non-stop fun from start to finish. Sarah Mollo-Christensen aka Emma Wilder is an amazing narrator. She did a fantastic job! Huge thanks to Macmillan audio and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and review this book!

3.5⭐ rounded up

I love a good murder mystery! And with some spice mixed in... Love it even more! This was a good read. I enjoyed Kate. She was a great main character. The mystery portion was very good. It was a little hard to keep track of all the characters, but in the end you pretty much got it. I kinda wish the romance portion was executed differently.

The audiobook was produced very nicely. I enjoyed the narrator very much. She gave the perfect voice for Kate and her "Loretta".

*Thank you partners @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted e-galley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

When mystery writer Kate Valentine attends the high-end wedding of her ex-fiancé and editor on a private island, she doesn’t expect to be involved in a situation that bears an eerie similarity to one of her novels. She also doesn’t expect to be reunited with the adventurous Jake Hawkins, former subject of her biographical writing and the source of massive romantic regret.

She Doesn’t Have A Clue is a combination of murder-mystery and rom-com, with a decent amount of unpleasant potential suspects, amiable female and male main characters, a dash of witty banter and silliness and attempts at a wedding where everything seems to go wrong.

Due in part to murder.

Kate and Jake bounce off one another fairly well as romantic interests, with the customary flirting, forced proximity due to him being incorrectly labeled as her plus-one guest and even the typical miscommunications that lead to a bit of heartache.

The mystery aspect of the novel maintained my interest and while the wealthy guests/suspects were given ample motivations, I felt as though I was waiting for Kate to catch up to what was truly happening, despite her career as a mystery writer and her habit of imagining what her literary alter-ego Loretta Starling would do. The overall pacing of the story was also slightly slower than I personally preferred.

Narrator Sarah Mollo-Christensen does an excellent job of portraying the characters. Her switches from the lighter and goofier moments to the more emotional ones are also well-done.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for providing access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the idea of this book. A romance with thriller vibes? Sounds amazing. However I listened to this and had the eArc and I just couldn't get into either. I felt like the pace was too slow and I just couldn't get myself to be present while reading. Unfortunately I did DNF.

One of the cutest, best romances I’ve read (or listened to) in a long time!

Kate is such a sweet heroine to follow and I was entertained the entire time. I loved all the references to sleuths in random spots (looking at the V Mars reference for sure).

There were moments where I definitely felt reminiscent of Jennifer Crusie novels and that made my heart so happy. I felt some Elle Cosimano vibes too.

I just wish there would have been a little more moments between Jake and Kate. This was a second chance romance and I didn’t feel like the chemistry and relationship build up was always there. But I wanted more in this universe. I’d follow Kate bumbling her way through another mess.

3.5/ 5 stars
Isolated private island, an ex's wedding, a murderer on the loose, a hot Australian surfer, and only one bed... What more could you ask for?!?!?

If you liked "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" by Aly Carter, this would be a great book for you! It was a very cozy and fun mystery romance that had me laughing, swooning, and playing my own "who done it" guessing game. 

I won't lie, I did get a little lost in keeping track of all of the characters, but that did make for a big surprise at the end. And the chemistry between the FMC and MMC was TO DIE FOR.

Excited to stock this on the shelves of my romance bookstore!

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!