Author's guest post at my blog:
https://bookfare.blogspot.com/2021/08/foodfic-please-welcome-sherry-harris.html

Chloe Jackson went to Florida for the funeral of her best friend Boone, who was killed in Afghanistan. He made her promise if anything happened to him that she would stay and help his grandmother Vivi run her bar, the Sea Glass Saloon. But Chloe finds out that Vivi is perfectly capable of running the bar on her own, yet her promise to Boone is important, so with her leave of absence from her job in Chicago, she makes up an excuse to get a job at the Saloon, and is now their waitress. It's also apparent that Vivi doesn't really care for Chloe and doesn't trust her; but at the urging of the bartender Joaquin she allows her to stay.

At first, Chloe's been sleeping in her car but now while spending the night on Boone's boat, she's discovered by a local named Rhett, who promises to keep her secret. The next morning, while running on the beach, Chloe discovers the body of a local man who's been murdered. With Vivi as the main suspect, she knows the woman didn't do it and wants to find the killer.

But there's more in store for Chloe, and she's in for a big surprise of her own, along with surprises from the locals that keep her on her toes...and running from a killer...

This is the first book in a new series, and I must say that in the beginning I almost put it down and walked away. It began that slowly, and I didn't get the fact that she'd been sleeping in her car for days yet went to work and no one noticed the 'human scent' that must have been there, and I began wondering where she was changing her clothes and showering. But I continued on, and then the story line began to grab me, and I kept reading to the end (as I've said often, I pay attention to details, and these are details that bothered me).

After I started to get into the story, I enjoyed it quite a bit. You have a twenty-eight year old woman from Chicago who's found herself in strange waters in Florida, trying to fulfill the wish of her deceased best friend without his grandmother knowing about it. I do like Chloe quite a bit, even if she does take risks she shouldn't, but not so many of them that I'd call her stupid.

Vivi is another story. I don't get why she's cranky at all: she has a thriving business and plenty of money, so she pretty much has the freedom to live the way she wants. What's to be cranky about? You'd think she'd have a nicer personality, but I guess we'll see in future books if she's warmed up at all as a person.

Watching Chloe try to figure out who killed the man brings her in contact with many of the locals, and they're starting to warm up to Chloe while spilling their own pasts to help her in her quest to help Vivi. It seems everyone likes the woman and no one believes she's guilty. When the stakes are raised and Chloe becomes a target of the killer, she knows she must be getting closer to the truth. When it finally dawns on her who the killer must be, she ignore the danger to herself to help the woman.

It's an interesting climax and I do like how the story played out. I enjoyed this one so much that I look forward to the next in the series. Recommended. ( )

From Beer to Eternity by Sherry Harris has Chloe Jackson, a children’s librarian, visiting Emerald Cove, Florida for the funeral of her friend, Boone Slidell. Chloe promised Boone that if something happened to him, she would help his grandmother. The caveat is that she cannot tell Vivi, Boone’s grandmother, of his request. Vivi is not what Chloe expected. She is a stubborn, feisty, well-dressed woman in her seventies who has taken a dislike to Chloe. In order to stay, Chloe told Vivi that her car broke down and she needs to earn money for the repairs. Vivi reluctantly gave Chloe a job at her beach bar, the Sea Glass Saloon. One morning, Chloe discovers Elwell Pugh, a bar regular, dead behind the bar’s dumpster. Evidence points to Vivi as the killer. Chloe begins asking questions to learn who else could have wanted Elwell dead. The killer is not happy with Chloe’s nosy nature and sets out to eliminate her. From Beer to Eternity is the debut of A Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon Mystery series. I found From Beer to Eternity easy to read with steady pacing. Chloe Jackson lives in Chicago, Illinois where she is a children’s librarian. She has taken a leave of absence so she can keep her promise to Boone. I like that the author took the time to establish Chloe’s character as well as Vivi, Joaquin Diaz, and Rhett Barnett. I can tell Sherry Harris is familiar with the Florida panhandle from her descriptions of the town, bars, restaurants, and tourist attractions. I liked the number and variety of attractions that Chloe visited. I enjoyed the book references especially the Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind. The mystery was thought out with multiple suspects. Chloe begins asking questions around town and eavesdropping so she can clear Vivi off the suspect list. Of course, the killer is not happy with Chloe’s sleuthing. I liked the unique murder weapon and the various nefarious activities. I was disappointed that the resolution was not concrete. I like the resolution to be based on fast instead of supposition. I would have preferred fewer references to Rhett’s looks and Chloe’s hormonal reactions. I enjoyed the humor scattered throughout the story. This cozy mystery will have you longing for the beach where you can relax with a good book and a cool drink. From Beer to Eternity is an engaging cozy mystery that will delight fans of Sherry Harris’ A Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery series. From Beer to Eternity is a fun cozy mystery with stentorian snoring, the redneck riviera, flaming fires, deficient drinks, a horrid hat, and a bookish barmaid. ( )

I was just a few pages into From Beer to Eternity and I thought so far, so fabulous. What an absolutely fantastic start to a new series. This is the first book by Sherry Harris I have read, but it will not be the last. I already cannot wait for the second book in this series, and I am going to read her Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery series and anything else she’s written. Yes, From Beer to Eternity was that good.

I loved Chloe from the start. She’s a librarian, so there’s that, plus she’s the best friend anyone could ever hope for. Before her long-time best buddy Boone left for military service in Afghanistan he asked her to promise that if the worst happened and he didn’t make it back, she would go to Emerald Cove, Florida and help his grandmother Vivi run the Sea Glass Saloon. Well, the worst has happened. Boone is dead. So here’s Chloe, in the Florida Panhandle, a far cry from Chicago “helping” Vivi, who doesn’t seem to need or want any help. Chloe doesn’t want to tell her of the promise she made to Boone so makes up an excuse and gets hired on as a waitress. She’s not really sure what Boone had in mind but she is bound to keep her promise, plus there are a lot of odd characters hanging out at the bar – and this guy who keeps showing up when she least expects it.

One of those odd characters get murdered right behind the bar, Vivi seems to be the main suspect, and there’s something going on that Chloe can’t quite figure out. Everybody seems to have a secret or two. Chloe is fearless. Maybe not always as cautious as she should be, be loyal and determined. It was a joy to watch her plot to discover the murderer unfold. Gets knocked down, gets right back up.

The location, plot and characters are so deep and well developed that I felt I was right there, in the Florida humidity, amidst the tourists, running in the sand. Chloe’s memories of Boone are so vivid that I had to keep reminding myself that Boone wasn’t just going to show up.

The writing is superb and just flows along, taking you with it. The references to books and movies and past events all resounded with me. Chloe made me laugh out loud with her antics and her asides to herself, and made me cry by how much she honored and missed Boone. There are good guys and bad guys and some just weird guys ( well, women too). There’s a hint of romance and a promise of friendship, and some real danger all wrapped up in a good, solid mystery.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I loved this story and recommend it without hesitation. ( )

cozy-mystery, Florida, family-dynamics, friendship, firefighters, librarian*****

When her best friend dies in Afghanistan, Chicago children's librarian Chloe gets herself down to the
Florida panhandle to fulfill the promise she made. Only his grandmother wasn't at all what she expected. Instead she was a fashionable owner of a respectable bar and she resented Chloe. Then an odd customer gets stabbed to death just outside the back door of the bar, and Chloe was the one to find the body. It gets personal real fast and Chloe needs to find out who seems to have framed Vivi. Poking around gets Chloe into some very real danger and things just seem to keep escalating. Excellent read with very memorable characters. I'm very glad that this is the start of what looks to be a very interesting series!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you! ( )