One thing I love about this series is that I am always learning something, be it about pastries, techniques in the kitchen, or, as in this one, about coffee roasting and production. The mystery was interesting but, maybe because they were away from home, felt not as well-developed as in other books. I didn’t really get a sense of the characters/suspects and felt they weren’t as fleshed out as they could have been. And the incorporation of the processes related to cooking or baking seem like filler; I skim over these but there seem to be more of them lately. Overall, this wasn’t my favorite of the series but it’s nice to visit with Jules and her crew again.

This is a long-running series that I usually enjoy. With any long-running series, you are going to have hits and misses. This was a big hit for me, again off site adventures in a favorite series can sometimes be hard, but I really loved this one. Jules and Carlos take Andy to a coffee farm in Costa Rica, owned by a former colleague of theirs from their cruising days. The idea is for Andy to learn more as they are going to surprise him with an offer to expand the coffee roasting operations at Torte. This is a wonderful and natural trip for this series! I loved all the coffee talk and the beauty of Costa Rica, and I have to admit, Andy is definitely one of my favorite characters in this series. Of course, there needs to be a mystery, and it was a good one with plenty of suspects that fit well into the setting and story. The fact that we get to visit with all our favorite Torte people for a little while at the beginning and end of our story is icing on the cake! Special thanks to #Netgally, #MinotaurBooks, and the author for the chance at a caffeine hit! #LayingDowntheLatte #BakeshopMysteries
#EllieAlexander #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

Another great addition to the Bakeshop Mystery series. Jules and her husband, Carlos as well as Andy, an employee head to Costa Rica. I enjoyed the setting and the coffee details. The book was interesting and entertaining. Also, I didn’t guess who the murder was. Looking forward to the next in the series. Highly recommend anything by Ellie Alexander.

I was blessed with an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.

Fans of this long running series know that Jules, Carlos and Andy will do more than tour a coffee farm and production facility on their trip to Costa Rica. Yep, there's a murder. Valentina, their pal who invited them, has been worried because there's a move afoot to sell the farm out from under her control. Is this the link to the ugly murder of Miguel? I liked this for the way Alexander incorporated info about the challenges farmer face and about coffee before it hits our cups. And, of course, for the characters. As always there's good back and forth between Jules and Carlos. Don't worry if you haven't read the earlier books as this will be fine as a standalone. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Now, about those twins.....

"Laying Down the Latte (Bakeshop Mystery #21)" by Ellie Alexander has Jules, Carlos and Andy traveling to Columbia to help expand their coffee knowledge. All while Jules is pregnant with twins. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised she wanted to do this trip while pregnant, especially with twins. It has to be pretty close to the events of the last book or she'd be fairly far into her pregnancy and I would think it would be a higher risk pregnancy too. There is at least a bit of realism put back into the trip when it's mentioned her doctor okayed the trip with notes to not over extended herself.

While in Columbia they get pulled into a problem their friend is having with her family's coffee farm. The friend's cousin/co-owner is trying to sell part of the farm to a soulless corporate coffee company. So, lots of people mad at the cousin. So one guess what happens next. Yup, he out of the picture completely. I do have to say I had the culprit figured out pretty quickly once a certain clue was mentioned. That in conjunction with an already known clue sealed it for me.

To be honest, I didn’t realize until I was halfway through that this was a series, and a long running one at that. I found the characters very hard to relate to or even connect with and it makes sense, since there was very little character development for the main characters. Makes it hard if you are joining a series in the middle .

I love the idea of a coffee centric story. I love coffee and that’s what made me want to read it. But the story was just so….far fetched. The secondary characters were ok but not well developed.

The cooking throughout the book also seemed a bit out of place for me (tho totally makes sense in the context of the series).

This probably would have been a way better read if I had started at book one.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

In this latest Bakeshop mystery, Jules and Carlos head to Costa Rica and take Andy the barista along. Of course a man is dead within hours of their arrival. The backdrop of a coffee farm is certainly appealing and the reasoning behind encouraging Andy to learn more about the coffee production is inspiring. The middle of the book feels a bit chaotic as people are everywhere at the same time and it is had to know who did what or where. This occurs from the time that Miguel dies while Andy is being giving a demo and goes almost the end of the book. I thought bringing out background characters and giving them more of a story is a good idea. Then we are more invested in them going forward. I am wondering how the next book will be trying to fit in the effects of Jules' being pregranant.

Jules Capshaw Baker a Torte,her husband Carlos and Andy , head barista are off to Costa Rico, the coffee capital. A friend Valentina owns it with her brother Miguel. Off they go and of course it isn't too long before Miguel is dead. You must read to see why that is. So their vacation gets interrupted so Jules can help solve the murder with the help[of Carlos and Andy. Note: Jules is pregnant with twins. Follow them as they attempt to solve this mystery. A VERY GOOD COZY MYSTERY READ,

As Jules is getting used to the changes in her body while she is carrying twins, she and Carlos decide to take a trip to Costa Rica to visit a friend’s coffee plantation. Since head barista Andy has such a passions for coffee, they decide to treat him to the trip too. They are barely settled when an accident kills one of the owners. The investigation reveals that it was not just an accident. The police immediately arrest a young worker who had been arguing with the owner, but Jules and Carlos do not think he is guilty. So, they set out to investigate. The change of venue to the island gives a fun change to this book. The new characters are interesting and we still stay in touch a bit with the old friends and family from the previous books. Writing is solid as is the plot. NetGalley provided the advance readers copy, but the opinion is my own.

In the publishing world today, there are not many long running series anymore. Laying Down the Latte is the 21st book in the long running Bakeshop Mystery series. It is one of my favorite series and I enjoy each return trip to Ashland. The characters feel like family and friends by now and yet Ms. Alexander always comes up with a way to surprise us with the storylines she writes. This is a very enjoyable read and takes fans of the series outside of Ashland and down to Costa Rica for the coffee trade. Fans of this series will be happy with this entry.

I enjoyed learning a lot about Costa Rica and the coffee production process. I hope that there is a time jump between this novel and the next because pregnant Juliet is annoying. What is up with Carlos? He actually growls at another man fior daring to talk to the fair Juliet. Are we ever going to learn the names of the new staff members?

Who knew that good coffee could be so dangerous?

As we meet up with Jules and Carlos, they're preparing to take our favourite coffee roaster Andy to a coffee farm in Costa Rica. As the coffee farm struggles with a corporation wanting to take over, Jules finds herself in the midst of a murder that has plenty of layers to complicate the situation even further.

The newest instalment in the beloved Bakeshop Mysteries isn't afraid to delve into the environmental issues facing coffee farmers, and farmers in general, today. I loved the behind the scenes look into coffee, making me want to book a trip to a coffee farm myself. It also gave me a deeper appreciation for what goes into the growth and production of a coffee, something we often just see as a way to wake ourselves up.

I loved how Andy got to take part in the spotlight too, with his love for life embracing Costa Rica's pura vida culture. As always, Ellie Alexander has built a world with characters that the reader genuinely cares for and leaves us wanting more (especially with the teaser chapter for the next book).

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press I Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

Ellie Alexander is a new favorite author for me. I have read every one of her books that has become available on net galley and they have all been great. This one takes us to Costa Rica and is centered around a coffee shop. I knew I'd love this one instantly as I myself am a barista so my whole life is coffee!! Juliet and Carlos bring their friend, Andy, to Costa Rica to visit their friend, Valentina's coffee plantation. One of Valentina's employees turns up dead and the vacation is over for Jules as she goes into sleuth mode and does everything she can to crack the case. I love the growth of Jules and Carlos throughout each book....in this one Jules is pregnant with her twins and I loved that. Each book I've read in this series has been great. Look forward to more cozy mysteries by Ellie.

Having finally caught up with the Bakeshop series, I couldn't wait to read the newest! In this entry, part of the gang travels to Costa Rica to learn more about coffee. I greatly missed the rest of the characters back in Ashland as the last few have taken place away from Torte. While it was fun to travel, I longed for the craziness of Ashland and characters like Richard Lord. The mystery was good, but I loved learning about coffee and how it is processed. The Torte team is evolving and growing and I appreciate how Ellie Alexander has done that.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Another book in the series with Jules and her husband Carlos heading to Costa Rica for a supposedly fun weekend. Instead they find their friend struggling to keep her coffee farm and murder. Enjoyed this one and d would highly recommend this book and author.

Laying Down the Latte by Ellie Alexander

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Laying Down the Latte is a great addition to the Bakeshop Mystery series! Such an intriguing book with a load of twists and turns. Also, the setting sounds incredible and was wonderfully described!

Baker Jules, her husband, Carlos, and barista, Andy, go on an immersive coffee trip to Costa Rica after Carlos’s former colleague, Valentina, invites them to spend a weekend at her family's coffee farm. The getaway offers Jules a chance to relax and unwind, that is, until one of Valentina’s employees is found dead. Now, Jules has to discover who did it to ensure that the mystery is solved before further trouble and chaos occurs.

This is such a great cozy mystery series! It’s always so entertaining and engaging! There are a multitude of potential suspects in this one and following along as Jules solves the mystery is riveting. Laying Down the Latte also has lots of information about coffee growing/production and recipes that make this a true culinary cozy mystery. Overall, an excellently written story with lots of interesting characters and a fantastic setting!

In this installment of the Bakeshop mysteries, Jules and Carlos take employee Andy to Costa Rica for a weekend at a coffee farm owned by an old friend’s family. After her cousin is murdered, Jules spends the rest of the weekend solving it. The description of the land and the coffee plant made the book very interesting. Looking forward to the next book.

Jules Capshaw, her husband Carlos, and barista Andy travel to Costa Rica to spend a long weekend with friend Valentina. They bring Andy because Valentina owns and lives on a coffee plantation. They expect a quiet weekend of reconnecting with old friends and learning more about coffee production but find themselves involved in solving a murder when Valentina's cousin and co-owner of the plantation is killed while operating some machinery.

There are all kinds of things going on. Miguel had decided to sell his half of the plantation to a huge corporation which displeased and angered everyone else on the plantation from his cousin to his workers to the man who buys most of the coffee for his coffee shops. When the farm manager is arrested, Jules, Carlos and Andy get involved in finding the real killer since none of them believe the manager is guilty.

Lots of information about coffee growing and production and lots of recipes fill this culinary cozy. It is also rife with possible suspects who, in Jules's mind are more probable, than the young farm manager. Engaging story with interesting characters and a great setting.

𝑰 𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔, 𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑨𝒔𝒉𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆.

The 21st installment in this long-running bakeshop cozy series finds Jules and Carlos traveling to Costa Rica with theirresident barista Andy. Carlos’s former colleague Valentina has invited them to the coffee capital of the world for a tasting tour and an immersive weekend at her family's organic coffee farm. Jules and Carlos also have a business proposal for young Andy.

But business plans take a backseat when plans to sell the family farm are announced and one of Valentina's employees is found dead in a piece of machinery. Is someone close to her to blame, or is the outside company who has been circling her family farm trying to close a sale responsible?Pregnant with twins and hoping for a little relaxation, Jules once again must put her own needs aside to bring a killer to light.

Overall, this was a good read, 3.5 stars. However, I must prefer the installments that take place in Ashland with Torte front and center. I really missed the character development that is usually present in Jules and Carlos, and I definitely missed the descriptions of Ashland and all of the supporting characters. Already eager for the next book, which I hope will include the birth of the twins.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books for the early copy. This title is expected to publish on August 26, 2025.

I received this book as an #ARC from the publisher. It publishes on August 26, 2025. Thanks to Minotaur Books & NetGalley for the opportunity to read it!

Another solid entry in the Bakeshop Mystery series, one of my foodie favorites. This time, the story is set in Costa Rica where Jules & Carlos go to help out a friend from their cruise ship days with her coffee estate. They also bring along Andy to learn more about growing & harvesting the coffee beans he loves so much. When their friend’s cousin is killed under suspicious circumstances, Jules is on the case. I thought it was fun to get out of Ashland but I’ll be happy to return to Torte in the next book.