Book 2 of 7 in this Palette Cleanser Series!

You know that age old saying "Books are little worlds" or something like that - yeah, I love exploring psychedelic scifi-fantasy-nonfiction-sciency-gothic-mystery-thriller worlds. But once in a while, I want to visit a pretty world that is whimsical, light-hearted, ghibli-ish and oh so very cottagecore. This one ticks soo many boxes:

⦁Seaside cottagecore vibes (ccv): Everly lives and works out of a gorgeous place right on the beach. It's pretty common for the cottagecore aesthetic to be rooted in the countryside, gorgeous farmland, but don't knock seaside ccv. It feels like a vacation just reading about the views.

⦁Mid-Century/Victorian Architecture: Sun Sand And Tea as well as Everly's home is a moody house complete with elegant finishes and a carriage house.

⦁Intuitive, thoughtful almost anthropomorphized animals: The resident seagull who visits the cafe daily and stares into Everly's eyes feels like he could be an old wise wizard. And the cat, the cat that just chose her one day and is fiercely protective of her it's almost ... familiar (okay okay, she's not a familiar but still, almost).

⦁Southern Charm: I've only traveled to bigger southern cities on my few visits stateside, and I loved it. the small island town in this book is literally called Charm. It is a tourist destination during the spring and summer months but for the most part, it's one of those smaller quaint places with about 10 000 or so in local population.

⦁Comfort Food: Every time I pick up one of these cozy mysteries, I find myself taking a 5 minute break to make something that is in the book. We're not talkin' MasterChef or Great British Bake Off recipes, these are just everyday dishes that you probably make anyway. This installment has showcased a wedding cake that no one got to taste, some delicious tacos, ice-creams, sweet teas and sandwiches.

⦁Quirky kooky Aunts who remind me of Sabrina's; a sweet childhood-into-adulthood friendship and a friendship slowly moving into the love story territory.
⦁Some light conflict and a murder mystery that is not meant to be a deep whodunnit. I figured out the killer by chapter 8 but the entire journey to get to the reveal was delightful.

The only real negative would be that this is the second book where the main character - a teashop and café owner - is literally embroiled in multiple murder cases and becomes the target of the killer. This can't possibly be the case for the next 5 books - the jig is up right? But once again, that's too much thinking for a book that requires no contemplation.

So yeah, if I say books are my worlds, I love to visit a world like this. Cozy, Easy, and Gentle.
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Nothing makes a wedding more memorable than finding the new groom floating face down in the water. Hmm, the heart-broken bride goes from single to widowed in a matter of hours. Everly is determined to prove that the now rich widow is innocent of her groom’s blood. But tracking down the clues to find out who really hated him is no easy task. And, despite the detective’s warning to leave the investigation to him, Everly throws herself into the midst of the danger. And even when others are attacked and hurt by this crazed killer, Everly doesn’t back down. She might save her friend from prison, but Detective Hays will have to save Everly from an early death. It’s a well done and engrossing mystery. ( )

Number 2 in the series. I was very happy to see my favorite detective re-appear in this installment of the Seaside Cafe series. I tried to read it slowly because I didn't want it to end as quickly as I eat up a cozy. I even re-read several chapters to savor the dialogue between Everyly and Grady. Can't wait to start the next one. ( )