Brittany Cavallaro’s A Study in Chocolate offers a promising premise with its blend of modern-day sleuthing and the legacy of Sherlock Holmes, but the execution leaves something to be desired. This novel introduces Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes, the teenage descendants of the legendary detectives, in a story set at a Connecticut boarding school where they must unravel a mysterious death.

The concept of reimagining Sherlock Holmes and John Watson’s descendants is intriguing and has great potential. Jamie’s fascination with the enigmatic Charlotte and the classic boarding school setting provide a solid foundation for a compelling mystery. However, despite the promising setup, the novel struggles to fully captivate.

Charlotte’s volatility and the quirky dynamics between her and Jamie are interesting, yet they sometimes come off as one-dimensional. While Cavallaro’s attempt to capture the essence of Holmes and Watson is commendable, the characters often feel more like caricatures than fully fleshed-out individuals. Their interactions and the development of their partnership lack the depth and nuance that could have made their relationship truly compelling.

The mystery itself, involving the suspicious death of a classmate, provides some suspense, but the plot unfolds in a somewhat predictable manner. The pacing feels uneven, and the resolution of the mystery does not deliver the punch one might expect from a classic detective story.

Cavallaro’s writing is engaging but occasionally falls into cliché, and the novel’s dialogue and character interactions can sometimes feel forced. While there are moments of charm and cleverness, they are not enough to consistently hold the reader’s attention.

In summary, A Study in Chocolate is an enjoyable read with an appealing premise, but it doesn’t quite live up to its potential. The novel’s engaging characters and intriguing setup are overshadowed by a somewhat predictable plot and uneven execution. It’s a decent start to a new series, but it leaves room for improvement in future installments. I recommend it to readers who are fans of modern takes on classic detective tales but with tempered expectations.

It’s very well written and definitely worth a read. Wow!!! Started this book and could not stop reading it until I'd finished!!

I really enjoyed this book which has two things I love - mysteries and chocolate. The recipes at the end are awesome. And I love the twists and turns in the story. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

The author has a great flair for describing the. There was interesting details and the story line keep the reader interested. This is a great addition to the series however it did well in its own way.looking forward to what in store next for the series

A Study in Chocolate
Bean to Bar Mysteries by Amber Royer Is A Delicious Tale Of One Chocolatier Felicity Koerber’s Whose Bean To Bar Chocolate Shop … Greetings and Felicitations …On Galveston Island’s Historic Strand Is The Setting For The Tantalizing Murder Investigation Of Newly Arrived Mitch Eberhardt …Owner Of The Island’s Historic Wobble House…Whose Get To Know Him Tea Party Was The Talk Of The Town….Until His Murder Became The Subject Of The Town’s Gossip Mill…. Can Ruffles, Mitch’s Feline And Satchmo A Retired Police Dog Assist Felicity’s Investigation?!? Can Arlo & Logan?!? Read and See. Much Enjoyed and Highly Recommended. I Voluntarily Reviewed An Advanced Copy Of This Book.

The second book I've read in this series. A fun cozy murder mystery with a chocolate theme, what could be better! There a romance as well! Author Royer pens intricate mysteries with tons of red-herrings and suspects. She'll keep you guessing until the bitter chocolate ending!

Felicity Koerber just can’t get away from murder, can she? In the fifth installment in Amber Royer’s Bean to Bar Mystery series, Felicity finds herself drawn into a mystery worthy of (and inspired by?) Sherlock Holmes himself. The book’s title is a nod to Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet, and as usual, a book is involved in the mystery.

Now people don’t just come to Felicity’s chocolate shop for the delightful confections she sells. She’s got murder groupies. Her reputation as a murder magnet is heightened when she’s drawn into a mystery surrounding the death of the historic Wobble House’s new owner, someone Logan had once arrested. The killer is playing a Holmesian game with Felicity, taunting her with clues and a dare to solve the crime like Moriarty did with Sherlock. And if she can’t solve the crime fast enough? Then someone very close to her will die.

I love the literary angle in this book. The Sherlock tie-in is a treat for any mystery lover, and the threat of another death – one that matters to Felicity – adds a lot of tension to her efforts to figure out whodunnit. It was no easy solve for me, either. Royer deftly gives us one suspect after another, only to turn around and show us why that person couldn’t possibly be the killer. She kept me guessing!

Felicity is still trying to decide between Arlo and Logan. I honestly don’t know which of them I’m rooting for anymore. And even though the deadline she set herself to decide is drawing nigh, I’m not sure Felicity is ready to choose yet, either!

Delightful characters, chocolates that sound scrumptious, a twisty mystery with literary flair – it’s another five-star Royer read for me. Give me more!

Princess Fuzzypants here: Felicity is invited to a quirky tea party hosted by an eccentric art collector and artist. He asks her for an unusual favour and while she is still considering it, he is murdered. Since she had dismissed his request for her to find out who was threatening him, she feels obliged to try to find out what happened. Then things get personal. Really personal. And it is not just the mystery of the murder that is at stake but the life of someone very dear to her. If she cannot solve the mystery, he is going to die. She is determined that it will not happen on her watch..

She joins forces with her ex who happens to be the local detective as the clock ticks and she sifts through all the possible suspects only to discover they are not involved although they all have deep connections to the deceased. What is more frustrating is the killer is teasing Felicity and has modelled the murder after a Sherlock Holmes story. Who is Em? Can Felicity solve the puzzle before it is too late.

Good story, well paced and full of quirky twists and turns. I loved the therapy cat Ruffles. Only problem with this book is it will get you craving chocolate. Four purrs and two paws up.

This book had quite a few twists and turns that kept me guessing. I enjoyed the chocolate theme and overall found the characters to be likable. This is the first book I have read in the series, but it will not be the last.

Thank you to Netgalley and Golden Tip Press for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

A Study in Chocolate follows the female protagonist, Felicity, a bean-to-bar chocolate shop owner as she finds herself constantly being thrust into mysterious murders and the ultimate solving of them. Upon meeting an artist who recently came into the ownership of a historical mansion in Galveston, he inquires about Felcity's help in making a chocolate sculpture, where she would be his muse. Just a day after this encounter, a murder occurs, and Felicity's friends, including one of her potential lovers, are accused left and right. Felicity finds herself digging into a case once more, bringing many other characters into play as they solve the mystery and restore order.

Amber Royer's cozy mystery is quaint and charming with its homey setting and intriguing characters. The story accomplishes what I believe it sets out to do by providing the long-standing readers' enjoyment for the previously established characters and building up the world Royer constructs. With this accomplishment, I feel my own reading fell short as I hopped into this world without any prior knowledge or reading of the previous books. While the book does a good job at catching a new reader up to speed, I still felt as though my enjoyment would only have been increased if I had begun from the first book.

I really enjoyed the way that as a reader I was kept in the dark and solved the mystery right alongside the characters. I also think that the Holmes style/references were wonderfully constructed. The red herrings also kept me intrigued throughout.

Where the story fell flat for me was in the abundance of the characters as well as the love triangle feeling very strung out for me. I understand the love triangle's nature quite a bit in this way due to the series being long and to be continued but was hard to hop into the relationships for the first time as well as come out of the novel still unsatisfied somewhat.

The coziness and chocolatey aspects of the story really prevailed throughout and made this an enjoyable read nonetheless.

“Maybe the best thing of all is being able to find justice for people who no longer have the power to help themselves.”


Woohoo, the fantabulous cozy mystery series continues in Amber Royer’s next Bean to Bar Mystery Series, A Study in Chocolate this time with the mystery centered around the art world.

Readers are immediately treated to a who-done-it mystery when a new artist moves to Galveston. Felicity, the main character immediately starts investigating the who and why of their murder. But this time it is a different reason for Felicity to investigate. She gets deeply involved for personal reasons close to her heart. A Study in Chocolate moves like a speeding bullet, no pun intended.

Ruffles, the cat, and Satchmo, the dog have story time in this fifth book. That’s one of the main draws for me to this series is the animals that Royer incorporates into the storylines.

Royer still showcases Fecility as a relatable strong woman, still dealing with hang-ups. Unfortunately, readers of this series are still left with the tortuous question: Logan or Arlo? Who will finally capture Felicity’s heart forever? Now I will have to read the next book in this series to find out.

I read the first Bean to Bar Mystery, Grand Openings Can Be Murder, and the third book Out of Temper, as well as the fourth book, A Shot in the 80% Dark. Readers are not going to be as lost if they miss one book in this series. Royer is a talented writer giving adequate snippets in each book so that you are not lost.

These books are the perfect weekend diversion for wanting to relax in a crazy world with lots of coffee and chocolate. You will soon get enveloped in Royer’s way with words intertwining delving you into a fantabulous, fast-paced story around murder, and of course chocolate.

If you love stories with strong women, chocolate, animals, an emerging love story, and a steadfast mystery then add this to your TBR. To be honest, I hope more of Gently emerges in the subsequent stories. He seems like a character you really want to get to know better. Once again, Royer left me thinking about something that not even I considered before – who is my favorite painter? Do you have one?

I’m off to search for some yummo chocolate. Thanks, Royer! Right now, a Seattle Chocolate Crunchy Peanut Butter Truffle bar is calling my name!

Special Note: I can hardly believe it, this is my 165 book review for Lone Star Blog Tours. Thanks, Lone Star for opening my reading world to new authors and stories.

The bean to bar chocolate shop on Galveston’s historic strand is expanding as a gathering spot for the community despite being the scene of multiple murders. When Felicity Koerber is invited to tea by eccentric art collector she’s intrigued especially when she is asked to pose for a portrait done with chocolate on chocolate. After there is a murder at the historic house and one of Felicity’s friends becomes the main suspect. When the killer threatens Felicity solve the murder one of her two love interests may become the next victim she finds herself at the center of a Sherlock Holmes obsessed murderer that wants to be the next Moriarty and cast Felicity as Sherlock. Can Felicity solve it in time to protect the people she cares about from becoming the next victims? This was a very exciting who done it I would recommend it to everyone.

This was a pleasant enough read, Felicity, the main character, had an annoying habit of suspecting everybody, but not wanting to believe they had committed the murder. The attempt to tie the murder into a Sherlock Holmes mystery was a bit convoluted, but will appeal to Holmes fans I'm sure..

This newest installment in the Bean to Bar mystery series has me knee-deep in chocolate, murder, and misdirection.

I adore this series for several reasons - all of the chocolate talk, Knightly the bunny, and mysteries that make me think and try to sort out the clue and unearth the killer before that person is revealed in the book. I don't always guess the correct person, but I have fun trying to sort through the clues and try and figure out which ones are red herrings and which ones are fact. I have to admit that I did suspect who the killer might be, but there were red herrings that threw me off and pointed me in other directions. I need to stick with my gut instinct. I appreciated how the story unwinds at the end when the killer is discovered, and everything falls into place.

There are a couple of different mysteries that happen in this book. Outside of who killed Mitch, who isn't who he claims to be, to the history of the Wobble House and the secrets it hides. I love historic homes and the secrets that they hold. There is a lot of interesting architecture, secret passages/rooms, and so much more. These are not things you usually find in today's home. I am sure there will be more secrets discovered over time.

We still have a love triangle between Felicity, Logan, and Arlo. I believe that she is getting closer to deciding, and I am on #TeamLogan. Arlo is comfortable because he is the past, but I think Logan is the future. However, Felicity might have other ideas when she finally decides. Perhaps in the next book? She has said she will make a decision by Autumn's wedding, which is in a month or so. I'll be curious to see who she chooses.

I have enjoyed each book in this series and look forward to more on the island of Galveston and many more chocolate-infused treats. We give this book 5 paws up.

Loved reading this book and author. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend her and her books. I suggest reading this book in order

A Study in Chocolate is the story of Felicity Koerber and her bespoke chocolate shop. After getting an invitation to tea with an eccentric art collector, Felicity finds herself solving his murder, and trying to prevent the murder of someone she loves. This is a Sherlock Holmes themed murder, with a clever Moriarty-style character.

This was an entertaining read which blended chocolate and literature in an amusing way. While it was the first book in this series that I've read, I didn't feel left out having not read the previous four books (which is something I really love about cozy mystery series). Unsurprisingly for a Holmes-style mystery, there were many layers, twists, and turns throughout and I enjoyed the mental gymnastics to solve the mystery right to the end.

This was a NetGalley read.

I really really loved this. Such an interesting take on the Sherlock classic: A Study in Scarlett. The pacing was nice, the plot engaging, the characters interesting. All my best wishes to the author! Thank you so much for the ARC!

I love the setting in this book! I live near Galveston and I love how you can see the island as you read! If you are looking for a cozy mystery with great atmosphere, this is a good choice for you!

I was unaware that this book was part of a series when i requested it, however i was able to dive in with no problem and will certainly be looking to read others in the series. I loved the setting of this book as it evoked a lot of detailed and romantic images, whilst coupled with a really well-written murder-mystery that kept you guessing. A great find, and i will be certainly be keeping an eye out for others int he series!

I thought I’d give this series another go - ratings for books do go up as the series progresses and hopefully because the author is getting into the swing of things.

Because it’s the fifth in the series there is some recapping of previous books. I’ve only read the first in the series, and I still don’t care about the recap. Perhaps because the recap doesn’t just cover the fact that Felicity owns a bean to bar shop and Autumn is her bestie, but also that she’s solved four murders (only four, Felicity insists, as if solving a murder isn’t already remarkable enough). The opening chapters did feel like bragging. And not just where it comes to how many murders Felicity has solved: at one point she mentions the quality of Violet’s eye make-up, while seeing the woman from across the street.

Halfway through the second chapter I get the feeling that book one might have been better. As I was reading a rather pointless conversation between Felicity and her employee Carmen I started to wonder if the author was writing for word count. This is not a pleasant feeling.

Not only is Felicity constantly recounting her four previous murder investigations, it seems that also all the people and their pets she befriended during those times are showing up in this story.

I had to take this book in small dosages.

I have a feeling there is a good story in here, but the author hasn’t managed to get that out.