Review: Baked Alaska by Josi S. Kilpack

Tour Schedule

Baked Alaska Book Description:
Sadie Hoffmiller is looking forward to an entire week cruising the Alaskan wilderness with her two grown children, Shawn and Breanna, and her boyfriend, Pete.  Not only will they all have the chance to get to know one another better, but Sadie will finally be able to help Breanna plan her upcoming wedding.  They board the ship with high expectations of a well-deserved vacation.

And except for the mysterious woman on the ship that Shawn seems to know but will not discuss, and the fact that Breanna's future mother-in-law has already hijacked the wedding plans, and the unexpected death of a passenger in the middle of the buffet line, Sadie's vacation would have been perfect.

As it is, Sadie will need all her investigative skills to navigate the deep waters of the mystery that is soon swirling around her family.  Amid her growing fears for the future, Sadie must also come to terms with the fact that her role in the lives of her children is changing and that even the best laid plans can go awry when a secret gets thrown into the mix.

 

REVIEW

Josi’s website states that it’s recommended to read the books in series order, but that they can be read out of order.  The site goes on to state that once you get to Pumpkin Roll, which is book six in the series, that it gets a little trickier.  I’ve never read any of the other books in this series.  While there are references to something big that happened in the past, I had ABSOLUTELY no problem reading and enjoying this book.

Sadie Hoffmiller, along with her boyfriend Pete Cunningham, her daughter Breanna, and her son Shawn are all set to spend a wonderful fun-filled week cruising from Seattle to Alaska.  Sadie hopes that her kids will get to spend time with Pete and get to know him better and she can help Breanna with her wedding plans.  As in life, sometimes the best laid out plans are never meant to be.

Shawn is a little late getting on board the ship and Sadie, being the mother hen she is, has a feeling that something is going on with him.  She spots Shawn with a woman she has never met before having what appears to be a pretty hot and intense conversation.  In fact, when she gets close to them, they immediately stop talking and look at her.  Shawn refuses to tell Sadie who the woman is or what their conversation was all about.  Sadie’s suspicions are raised even higher when everytime she gets close to the woman, the mystery woman runs away from her.

Breanna knows what’s going on with Shawn but feels that it isn’t her place to tell Sadie.  She feels that if Shawn wanted their mother to know, he would tell her.  Sadie has no choice but to let this issue go for now.  Breanna lives and works in the United Kingdom and Sadie doesn’t get to see her very often.  Sadie is very excited to be able to use this time to help Breanna with her wedding plans.  Turns out, Breanna is stressing out over the wedding for more reasons than one.  Breanna feels that it’s her and Liam’s big day, so they should have things the way they want them.  Too bad not everyone agrees with that.  The way things are going, it’s possible that Liam and Breanna will just forget about the whole wedding.

For Baked Alaska to be the ninth book in the series, I really liked it.  Just when I thought the book was going to go in one direction, it went in several different directions.  Sadie Hoffmiller, God bless her little fictional character heart, is so nosy, it isn’t even funny.  She just can’t seem to let things go.  But what is a mother to do when the police are looking at your son as a murder suspect?  Sadie will do whatever it takes to clear Shawn.  Whether that means committing B&E, stealing, or risking her own life.  With Baked Alaska, you get little side mysteries along with a couple of bigger mysteries, with the ending all wrapped up in a pretty little bow.

I have to admit, I’m looking forward to reading more of this series.  Oh, and the recipes are another plus for the book.

Rating: 4

Release Date:  February 12, 2013
Book Length:  368 pages
Source:  Publisher
Reading Format:  Available in eBook and Paperback

Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Deseret Book

Connect with Josi S. Kilpack:

Website | Twitter

I’m ALWAYS interested in how writers come up with ideas for their books and how the series themselves come to be.  Did you always know that your book was going to be part of a series?  How many books do you think will be in your series?  You know, those sort of questions.  Click HERE to find out how Josi’s series got started.

Current books in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series

1.  Lemon Tart

2.  English Trifle

3.  Devil’s Food Cake

4.  Key Lime Pie

5.  Blackberry Crumble

6.  Pumpkin Roll

7.  Banana Split

8.  Tres Leches Cupcakes

Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 3/20/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash.  Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded.  No purchase necessary.  You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you.  The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.  This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified.  The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.  Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author.  VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway