This book was a fun romp, especially for fans of the Golden Girls. The author perfectly captured each of their personalities and the way they approached the crime/ investigation matched up perfectly! This book was funny and lighthearted, wi5 enough mystery to keep me turning the pages!

I was so excited to receive this ARC - huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. As soon as I heard this book was coming out I jumped at the chance to read it. However, this one was not a hit for me.

I do think the author did a good job of bringing these beloved characters to the page. However, Rose being “the dumb one” and her quirky St. Olaf-isms felt pretty heavy handed and got old quick for me. It was also troubling that the girls didn’t seem to be on the same team for the first 50% with poor Dorothy having to convince them to help her. This didn’t feel true to their dynamic.

I felt the set up for the actual murder mystery was great - who wouldn’t want to know how a dead man ended up in a freezer? The bummer here was that the murder investigation felt like it took a back seat to the other plot points. I would be open to trying the next book in the series to see if we can find the right balance, but I’m sad that this was a miss for me.

A lovely morphing of the Golden Girls into amateur sleuths. Took a bit of time to get into the groove, but once I did, it felt great to be back with my girls. Looking forward to book 2! Meanwhile, 3.5 out of 5 for this cozy 80's gem.

3.49

It takes guts (or maybe something else) not just to write a fanfiction about the iconic Golden Girls, but to publish it for the world to read. I don’t know that I appreciate it when authors do that, at least when it takes liberties with an age old storyline. Different audience, but I’m still not over “March” by Geraldine Brooks and I wasn’t even a “Little Women” lover. Even though it won the Pulitzer Prize, probably not a consideration with this book, unfortunately, I was never sure that she had the right to mess with an iconic story and characters.

The book goes between general narration, Rose’s point of view, and Dorothy’s point of view,, though occasionally we find ourselves briefly in Sophia’s or some other character’s point of view. Probably my biggest issue with this story is the portrayal of Rose. In all other circumstances, she’s the traditional ditzy Rose, but she makes very astute and methodical points internally when we are in her head. I can’t imagine her being so intelligent in her mind but so simple minded to the world.

Generally, this is a fun and cozy mystery, though it seems very far fetched much of the time. To that end, I had to remind myself of two things which helped me deal with that. First, this story takes place in the early 90s. Not only did none of the characters have the Internet, cell phones, or any of the technology that would make some of the work and problems much simpler. That also means that the population of Miami was likely much smaller than it is now, making some of the details more feasible, though Miami was in no way a small town. It also means that some of the standards and regulations would be less allowing for more leeway to get away with some things that are unfathomable now. The second thing that I had to remember was that the story is centered around Saint Olaf, so we knew that a book about it would have to play that up. That by no means makes everything plausible and things really do get ridiculous, but it helped some of the time.

I think that the story takes place earlier in the series timeline and I was very curious about many of the details that were provided about the characters lives. Did the author watch all the seasons in depth and document all of the small details about the character and then insert them into the story or were they simply made up? A difficult book to justify in my head, I can’t help but wonder if I would better appreciate the same mystery where the same characters are not iconic and are introduced in the story. We wouldn’t fully grasp the ridiculousness of Saint Olaf or Blanch’s obsession with men, or other quirks of the characters. Would critical if it was an iconic series but the start of a book series that could build appreciation as a series progressed.

Thank you to Rachel Ekstrom Courage, NetGalley, and Hyperion Avenue for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book for my unbiased review.

Very light palette cleanser type book. I’m not a Golden Girls fan, but I’ve seen the show. A little cheesy at times, but it’s a good light hearted read. A good book after a super heavy one.

Being an avid fan of The Golden Girls, I knew I had to read this book, and I was not disappointed.

First off, I have to applaud the perfect characterization of the four women. From Blanche's flirtatious ways, Sophia's quick wit, Dorothy's no-nonesence approach to life, and Rose's innocence, everything was spot on.

Having Dorothy use a VHS dating service truly showed that the story was set in the same timeline as the show because initially, I wasn't sure if it would follow that or not. While this is far from her normal way of seeking out dates, she's desperate and decides to give it a try.

One big highlight of this story is all of the zany St. Olaf traditions. Anyone familiar with the show knows of the many crazy things that happen in St. Olf through Rose's stories; however, the traditions for the wedding show just how random some of them are.

Also, watching Rose try to navigate her way through balancing the St. Olaf traditions with the more toned down traditions of the grooms demanding family certainly left her with a lot on her plate - and that doesn't even account for the murder mystery.

While Rose is often portrayed as a bit of a bumbling idiot, and that is something she acknowledges in this book, it's nice to see her take on several serious tasks and nail them. It shows that she isn't just the dumb blonde of the group and can pull her weight when needed.

Watching the women navigate this wedding is one thing, but seeing how they tackle their own murder investigation, much to the frustration of Detective Silva, was fantastic. The lengths they will go to in order to track down some evidence was highly amusing.

Now, we can't forget about the bride and groom, Nettie and Jason. These two added a dash of youth to the story and helped move the wedding plot along, though their role in the story was smaller than the four main women. And, of course, there was the rest of the St. Olaf visitors who certainly added a lot of variety to the story as well.

Much like with Nettie and Jason, their roles were light but had a few key contributions to the story. Not only did they help to push through some of the particular St. Olaf traditions, but their reactions to the murder investigation and Miami as a whole were entertaining.

When Sophia uttered the words, "Picture it, Sicily..." I could not help but smile because it is a key part of her character to throw out stories that start with those three words. Her contribution to the murder investigation, along with helping to entertain the St. Olafian's was fantastic. Sassy as she can be, Sophie is always ready to help.

The references to some episodes of The Golden Girls truly brings this story fully into that world and shows great dedication to detail in this book.

The clues scattered throughout were fun to try to piece together, and while I had my suspicions of who the murderer was, I'm happy to announce that I got it wrong. However, the way that the murdered was revealed was fantastic.

Sprinkle in a few unexpected moments along the way, especially at the end, and this was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Overall, this book was fantastic. It has everything you would expect from an episode of The Golden Girls but with a dash of murder mystery to add extra character. I truly hope there are more books to come in this series because I will happily add them to my TBR.

This book is perfect for fans of The Golden Girls but also for those who enjoy cozy mysteries.

When I saw this book, I knew it would be fun to read. I was ready for the interaction between the Golden Girls and was thrilled I could hear their voices as I was reading.
Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and Sophia were perfect to have solved the mystery.
The author did a great job of giving us a new series and I am looking forward to the next one in the series.
Thank you NetGalley, Rachel Ekstrom Courage and Hyperion Avenue for the copy of Murder by Cheesecake.
This is my personal review.

this book is just like watching The Golden Girls! it's funny and makes you feel like you're right there with the characters. it's a nice, easy read that feels like a warm hug.

*******Happy Publication Day!*****
This fun filled story stars everyone's favorite foursome, the Golden Girls in a laugh out-loud adventure centered around Rose's niece's upcoming wedding. When Rose is put in charge of coordinating everything for her quirky family visiting from St. Olaf, Minnesota, chaos and comedy naturally follow. Between the over-the-top relatives, a mountain of mishaps, and plenty of classic one liners, Rose does her best to keep things on track with the help, and occasional hindrance of Dorothy, Blanch, and Sophia. This is a charming, hilarious romp that captures the warmth, wit, and wonderful unpredictability we love about the Golden Girls. Recommend for those who enjoy a cozy mystery or a laugh-out-loud story.
Thank you NetGalley, and author Rachel Ekstrom Courage for the advance copy of this fun story for my honest review.

If you love the golden girls on TV and you love a good cozy mystery, this series is for you! I absolutely adored it and thought it was cute and well written. I can’t wait for more in this new series.

** “I couldn’t have done it without my friends.” **

Rachel Ekstrom Courage brings the dynamic Golden Girls foursome to the page with “Murder by Cheesecake,” a delightfully fun cozy mystery.

When the wedding of Rose’s much-younger cousin Nettie is threatened after St. Olaf’s hotel burns down, Rose offers to host the wedding in Miami with the help of Blanche, Dorothy and Dorothy’s mother Sophia. But even though Rose knows this wedding must feature the many quirky traditions involved in a St. Olaf wedding, the ladies are willing to take on the challenge.

The family of Nettie’s fiance Jason owns a hotel in Miami, so they generously offer the location and resources for the wedding. But can the two families come together and agree upon what to include in the wedding? And when a tragic event occurs at the hotel, will the wedding ever take place? And will one of the Golden Girls be accused of a horrific crime?

The author does a great job of creating the world everyone loves from the beloved TV show. Readers can experience the well-known banter and interactions between the ladies, all while enjoying a fun mystery filled with drama and exciting occurrences. The story celebrates the power of friendship, never giving up, and the importance of traditions, and even includes a recipe for “St. Olaf’s Kiss Cheesecake.”

Of course, fans of the Golden Girls tv show, as well as fans of cozy mysteries and stories featuring strong and plucky women, will love “Murder by Cheesecake.”

Four stars out of five.

Hyperion Avenue provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

I’m such a big golden girls fan that when I saw this book I knew I had to read it! The author did such a good job capturing the characters personalities that I could hear their voices in my head. It was like watching an extended episode! I highly recommend this one if you too are a fan of the Golden Girls or just want to read a fun and cozy murder mystery!

"Thank you for being a friend..." and traveling to Florida for a wedding! St. Olaf meets Miami in this Golden Girls cozy mystery based on the beloved characters from our favorite television series.

I admire Rachel Ekstrom Courage's courage in being able to write a good mystery for our Girls to solve, especially working around the technology changes in the past forty years! But she does a good job.

Positives: The characters and dialogue! She really did a great job with all of them, without pulling too much from the series. The mystery plot was also well-done.

Negatives: videotapes of dating? I didn't even know this had been a thing, and yet it was. It felt almost too overdone, and also, I'm not 100% sure Dorothy would have had the patience for this. But it works for the story. Also, all the St. Olaf traditions around weddings were really over the top.

I went back and forth on star rating on this book. I originally gave it 3 stars, but upped it to 4 for accuracy in depicting our Golden Girls on the page.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

As a major Golden Girls fan I had to read this. I used to love cozy mysteries and kind of swayed away these last couple years. Murder by Cheesecake has reignited my love for cozy mysteries. I forgot how fun they are. I loved going revisiting the Golden Girls and the 80's era. The funny banter and giggles were so nostaligic to watching the show when I was young. The mystery was cozy that kept you reading and finished up just like that. I loved it though. Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the opportunity to read such a delightful book.

What a great way to return to the 80's and 90's! I remember watching the Golden Girls every week when it first aired and many times in reruns. This book was such a great way to remember the characters. The author did a fantastic job in keeping the characters' personalities true to how they were portrayed on the TV series.

Throwing in a murder mystery in with the characters is inspired. I found the whole book to be fun. The characters are perfect for the cozy style mystery. There were plenty of suspects and hidden agendas. The pacing was good. The wedding planning sideline was full of laughs. The mystery was solved with a satisfying ending. I found the story to be a great way escape reality. The book was well written and easy to read.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This was such a cute book!
I loved the throwback of Golden Girls with the added aspect of a murder. I could picture each of the actresses in the roles on the set acting out this book in mind, and I enjoyed it so much.
My old thing is that there were times there were things that were over described and kind of took me out of the book. But other than that it was a fun, quick read.

I have been a fan of the Golden Girls for as long as I can remember and when I saw a book was coming out about them, I HAD to try and get an ARC copy cause who doesn't like the Golden Girls?

I enjoyed everything about this book! I was laughing out loud, and feeling like I was watching another episode of another adventures the Girls were going on. To have the ladies all together to solve a Cozy Mystery with one of them being the number one suspect in a murder?! What more could I ask for!

Highly recommend!

🧁 Murder by Cheesecake🧁
by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

This was such a fun and cozy read! Imagine The Golden Girls meets a murder mystery with a side of delicious desserts, and you're halfway there. The vibe...Utterly charming. The mystery...Just twisty enough to keep me guessing. The characters? Absolute gems. You can smell the cheesecake in the air and hear the gossip flying around the neighborhood café. And I mean that in the best way.

Our amateur sleuth is equal parts spunky and relatable, and the supporting cast makes this feel like a warm hug—with a knife hidden in the apron pocket. 😂

Tropes & Treats:
Small town gossip & charm
Found family / close-knit community
Amateur sleuth
Foodie vibes
Cozy mystery with sass

Would I recommend?
Absolutely. This one is for the girlies who want a murder and a little sweet treat.

Thank you to Hyperion and Net Galley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review.

I’m a huge Golden Girls fan, I’ve watched the series more times than I can count. It’s my ultimate comfort show, I finish and immediately start again. So when I saw this book, I knew I had to read it.

What I loved: the dialogue between the girls was spot-on. It really captured their personalities and the iconic banter that makes the show so special. The title, the cover, and the cute little illustrations at the start of each chapter were adorable touches that I enjoyed.

That said, the writing itself left a bit to be desired. At times, it felt more like I was watching an episode than reading a book, which made some sections feel overly detailed and slow. There was a heavy focus on St. Olaf traditions and the wedding plot, which took up a lot of space and left the actual murder mystery feeling kind of flat.

The mystery wrapped up so quickly that I actually said, “That’s it?” when I finished. It could have used more suspense or twists along the way to make the payoff feel worth it.

Still, I’m glad I read it. I’ll definitely be grabbing a paperback for my shelf (obviously), and I’ll be checking out the next one when it comes out.

🌟🌟Four Golden Girl Stars for this cozy Mystery!🌟🌟

Full disclosure: I am not a die hard fan of the show. Betty White, though, is always a delight and I was thrilled that Rose was in all of her St. Olaf glory in this new mystery.

Here are four reasons to read this one:

⌛This is like time travelling back to the 1980's and the gift of a new episode -- with a mystery bonus.

🍰There is a recipe for St. Olaf's Kiss Cheesecake included.

💑Someone other than Blanche has a romance opportunity.

📚That cover is irresistible.

Been missing those Golden Girls and the Miami senior scene? Check this one out.

Happy Publication Day! Thank you to Hyperion and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.