Another Pomona Afton that I enjoyed and found super quirky.

It seemed like a carbon copy of the first one though, just a different murder. Her detective skills all followed the same sort of path and the conclusion was meh. But Gabe is cute and I enjoy their love story

This book spends a lot of page time focusing on the struggles and differences between socioeconomic classes in NYC, so much so that it overpowers the murder mystery and the relationship between the FMC Pomona and her boyfriend Gabe. This had all the right elements to make a great murder mystery but got caught up so much in the main characters life and relationship struggles that the investigation fell flat. It was hard to follow the clues and then all of a sudden Pomona had figured it out and the trap to catch the killer happened. If you got distracted by the class differences and inner struggles Pomono is having you missed the one throw away line that connected the murderer to the clues. The reason for the murder and who the murderer was, was a little under developed so when the reveal happened, it left me confused and underwhelmed.

I’m so glad I got to spend another mystery with Pom and Gabe.

Poms delightfully messy and still learning and growing. I love that she stays true to herself and there’s great messaging about how you can learn to grow without losing all of the parts of yourself that make you wonderful. She’s still messy at times, but she’s learning and growing and making mistakes. And Gabe. What a wonderful man. He’s charming and supportive and my only complaint is that we didn’t get more of him because he’s fabulous.

But we did get a great new cast of characters. I loved getting to know Vienna better and the introduction of Persimmon and Bibi expanded her world so well. The social commentary in these books is just perfection. The out of touch and absurdity of the uber rich with Poms newfound realizations as part of her growth make for some comical moments. I really can’t wait to see what’s next for this group.


Thank you so much to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the ARC.

I got this ARC from NetGalley. I have not read the first book but honestly you don’t necessarily need to. You pretty much get told what happens in the first book over and over. I enjoyed the mystery of this story. The story itself is funny in a way. The main character is a poor little rich kid now adulting from new money not new new but new money and not old money whatever that means. Everyone looks at her as dumb because she has pretty much grown up everything being handed to her including her SAT being taken for her. She is somewhat done traveling the world, clubbing and blowing her trust fund money. Pom wants to be taken seriously, her foundation giving to the kids that are less fortunate and to mary her boyfriend who is devoted to her 100%. Or is he? It’s a quick read

Pomona Anton has a lot in common with Paris Hilton- starring in a Razzie movie, being in a reality show with her best friend in her 20’s, being a clubbing tabloid ridden heiress to a hotel empire. But in personality, Pom reminds me of Cher Horowitz from Clueless. Silly on the surface, but determined and kind hearted on the inside.

In this second installment, the biggest donor to her new non-profit ends up murdered at the gala she has been planning for weeks. She solved her grandmothers murder a few months ago, so why not this one? After all, he promised her a building to use and now that is completely up in the air.

With less of the “fish out of water” storyline from the first book, this story instead has more insecurity about her relationship and in her place in high society. She is still struggling with her place in the world.

Although the murder wasn’t as impactful, I loved the imagery and the world building that came right out of the shoot. Pom is funny and loyal to her friends as she figures out who she is. I liked the story but it didn’t grip me as much as the first. The murder itself is just. It as consequential.

That said, I’d definitely put this in the “to read” pile for those who like more campiness, gala, and cozy mystery vibes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC. Book to be published April 13, 2026

If Gossip Girl was really a cozy mystery books series! That’s the vibe this series gives out and I’m living for it every time.

In this installment Pom and Gabe have been together for a year and she’s struggling with her identify and how to reconcile the new Pom with the old Pom. But of course murder happens at her very first gala.

Let the crime solving hijinx ensue!!

I loved it and recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Although this is scheduled for release in early 2026, I couldn’t wait to dive into another Pomona Afton mystery-romcom. While Pom’s character development didn’t progress much in book two—if anything, she took a slight step back—I found the mystery plot far more compelling this time around. I’m not sure if a third book is in the works, but if it is, I’ll definitely be reading it.

I received an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review!

I loved diving back into the world of Pomona Afton. It gives Gossip girl meets murder and I devour it every time.
In the first book Pom had to solve the murder of the her grandmother and learn how everyone else lived without a trust fund.
In this book she’s trying to show everyone how serious she’s become and how she’s not the same party girl when her gala ends up scandalous after a the guest of honor is murdered.
It was so much fun seeing her and Gabe and Vienna again and I loved seeing her grow through the book. I also love that we got to still see her so involved with the bakery!

Pomona Afton is back and somehow juggling a murder mystery, a high society gala, and a boyfriend who seems more lost than a tourist on the Tube.
The plot had me giggling one minute and gasping the next mostly at Pom’s wardrobe, but also at the body casually crashing her party. The charity world has never been so cutthroat (literally), and Pom navigates it all in heels sharper than her wit.

Would I trust her to plan my next event? Probably not unless there’s a backup detective and a very good insurance policy. But would I read the next book in this series? Absolutely.

I LOVED the first Pomona Afton novel, and let me tell you, the second one is just as brilliant!

A year after the first book, Pomona is showing people that she has turned over a new leaf. She owns a bakery, is still with Gabe, and has been working to help students who are less fortunate. Now she is throwing her first big gala in support of a charity she has founded, when tragedy strikes. A major donor is murdered at her event.

Quickly, the new, more mature image that Pomona has been working toward is attacked. People are sure that she orchestrated this to get more press. She clearly still is the air-brained party socialite of before.

Desperate to clear her name, Pomona (and Gabe) work to find yet another killer.

This novel is just as endearing as the first. Pomona is witty and funny without being too overboard or a trope. I finished it in one day and am already excited for the books that will inevitably follow.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Pomona Afton, of the famous (if fictional) Afton Hotels family, has spent her life as a spoiled party girl. Never out of the headlines for long (usually for something slightly scandalous), she parties with her society friends and takes the family jet to private islands when she needs a little quiet time. Recently, she's decided to change her entire way of life. After solving the murder of her grandmother, she has decided to devote her life to more serious pursuits, including raising funds for her own charity to help young students continue their educations. She's also fallen in love with her former nanny's son, Gabe. Gabe works as a teacher, so he's bemused by Pom's high-flying lifestyle, but the two of them are trying to make it work. Pomona decides to hold her first gala fundraiser, to ask the rich and famous in her circle for donations to support her charity work. When a major donor is killed during the festivities, not only does that distract the would=be donors away from their checkbooks, but it also gives Pomona another opportunity to use her burgeoning detective skills to solve the murder -- especially since her friend Vienna emerges as someone who has a motive to kill the victim.

Pomona is nothing if not self-centered, but she's an amusing character. She certainly has no idea how the less fortunate live, despite being briefly cut off from her glamourous lifestyle in the recent past. She does some self-reflection in this newest adventure, but her fixation on what everyone thinks of her gets a bit tiresome. I enjoy her random asides about her life that are casually thrown in here and there (her stint as a Victoria's Secret runway model and her brief career as a popstar, to name just a few. Hopefully she'll be back, jostling her fellow trust fund friends for the front pages of the gossip rags in a new adventure!

I gave this book a 3.5 on Fable. I enjoyed the "whodidit" storyline in this one a bit more than the first one, I think partly because there were so many true suspects. Lots of people had a reason! I loved Pamona's self-journey through this story as well, she grew a lot and it was nice to see. Her and Gabe are truly so cute, and I am happy that we got to see them go through conflict but come out stronger!

Don't want to give away too much, but if you enjoyed the first book, you will like this one a lot!

Thank you so much to Atria Books for inviting me to read this book!

This was a pretty unique thriller with a pretty unique cover. It takes a while to actually get into the story but once you do, it's sm fun! The story is pretty entertaining and keeps you on your toes throughout!

Just finished Pamona Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer and I’m obsessed. There’s something so refreshingly real about the fmc, I loved the first book by Bellamy Rose. It was such a fun read with an honest vulnerable character who you couldn't help but find endearing. I was so excited I got to read the second book early! And it met all of my expectations I was so thrilled to be put back in pamonas world I really wish I could read another!!
If you love stories with messy, lovable heroines and a whodunit—with all the feels add this book to your tbr immediately!!! I devoured it, highly recommend.

Pom is BACK, and honestly? I’m obsessed. I loved the first book, so I was beyond excited for this one and it delivered exactly what I wanted: glam, gossip, and a good old fashioned murder mystery.

Pom is still the perfectly imperfect, over the top FMC that I came to know and love in the first book. She is equal parts fashionable socialite and surprisingly clever sleuth. This time, she’s juggling a high society charity gala, her boyfriend who doesn’t exactly fit into her world, and her ever dramatic family… all before (you guessed it) someone winds up dead at her party. It kind of had some vibes that reminded me of Only Murders in the Building, which I really enjoy, so I was all for this. I actually really love the idea and execution of writing a book that combines both a mystery thriller with romance, because it's the best of both worlds. Bellamy Rose also nails it, and it's written really well with so much wit and humor.

I had such a fun time following Pom through this mess. The mystery kept me guessing, the dialogue was sharp and funny, and the peek into the pretentious, high society world of philanthropy was deliciously entertaining. Plus, I love that Pom’s romantic life actually has stakes this time because it added a nice extra layer to the chaos.

If you enjoyed the first book, you’re going to eat this one up. You don't necessarily have to read the first book but I highly recommend it! I really hope Bellamy Rose writes another book in this world, because I truly enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bellamy Rose, and Atria Books for the eARC of this book.

If Emily in Paris and Only Murders in the Building had a baby raised on designer labels and murder podcasts, Pom would be it. It's a cozy with glam, dramatic lighting and bonkers, slaptick hijinks like the first.

But while the fashion was on point and the one-liners sparkled, the actual mystery felt a bit…meh? I was definitely 100% invested in Pom’s wardrobe and party planning disasters but could've cared less about the whodunnit.

That said, if you liked the first book, this one definitely doubles down on the glam and zany screwball situations. Pom is still fun to follow around, even if the mystery wasn't really there. It’s giving “brunch read with a mimosa in hand,” not “stay-up-all-night thriller.”

Pomona Afton is back and better than ever!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the cast of characters and it was nice to see the development from the first book. Highly recommend reading the first book prior as there are a lot of tie-ins.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Pom is back! If you have read the previous book in the series then you will be familar with the characters in this book. Readers can still follow along if they haven't read the previous book since the previous book is referenced in this book. However, it would make more sense to read the previous book before reading this one. Alot of unxepcted twists and turns. Great book for romance readers and mystery readers.

This was a juicy read fun witty cute read I’m sure other will enjoy thank you


Pomona Afton knows how to throw a memorable party. After all, for her twenty-fifth birthday, she hosted a global extravaganza that included a masquerade ball in a Scottish castle, clubbing in Ibiza, and skinny dipping on a private island. So, throwing a gala for her fledgling nonprofit should be a breeze.

Unfortunately, she has to navigate the high-stakes (and snobby) world of philanthropy, a beloved boyfriend who just can’t seem to fit in, and of course, her dysfunctional family, all while planning a party that won't only affect the future of her charity, but her own future in society.

But Pom is no quitter. She pushes forward and perseveres…until, right in the middle of her party, she discovers the body of one of her biggest donors. Suddenly all her hard work is going up in flames. If she’s going to salvage her new life path, she must put on her (incredibly stylish) detective hat again and figure out who wants to bring her down. One more measly little murder mystery shouldn’t be that hard, right?