Romcozy Books

Arsenic and Adobo

Author: Mia P. Manansala

Year: 2021

Genre: Cozy Mystery

More info: Book 1 of 5: Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mysteries

Age Range: Anthony Award Winner 2022, RUSA Award-winning novel

Plot

From the very first page of this book, I was completely hooked. I loved this book and could not put it down. This book is the perfect mix of cozy mystery and scrumptious food. I felt like Lousie Penny met Jenny Colgan to write this book.

When Lila moves home to help her family with their restaurant, she never dreamed that she would be put in the middle of a murder investigation. A food critic who is known for nasty reviews dies after a confrontation with Lila. The fact that he is also her ex makes her the prime suspect. Now, she has to prove her innocence with the help of her best friend and nosy aunties.

Why Jackie loves it

This is such a light-hearted and fun cozy mystery novel. I was invested from the first page. I also laughed out loud at the antics. #gifted

Find this book in: Books About Food / Best Cozy Mystery Books / Books with Food in the Title

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies

Author: Catherine Mack

Year: 2024

Genre: Cozy Mystery

More info: USA Today Bestseller, An Indie New List Pick (May 2024)

Age Range: 15+

Plot

What a fun new mystery series! When a group of authors accompanies mystery writer, Eleanor Dash, on her book tour in Italy, people keep turning up dead around them. While she is trying to figure out a way to kill off her main character, Connor, and end her long-running series, someone is trying to kill the real-life Connor on the tour!

Now Eleanor and her writer frenemies must put their differences aside to try to solve the murders and stay alive. The hysterical scenarios they find themselves in keep the vacation murder plot delightfully lighthearted. Add in the descriptions of Italian food, gorgeous sites, and wild personal hijinks and you’ve got a lovely summer read.

Why Kirsten loves it

It’s not often a mystery series that is both mysterious and fun, but this one delivers! It’s exactly the kind of mystery book I gravitate towards in the middle of summer. I can’t wait to see this series continue! #gifted by Macmillan Audio

Find this book in: Italy Novels / Best Beach Reads / Cozy Mystery Books / Mystery and Thriller Novels About Writers

Dial A for Aunties

Author: Jessie Q Sutano

Year: 2021

Genre: mystery romance

More info: Aunties Book 1 of 3
NPR’s Best Books of 2021

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Meddelin Chen has an amazing, meddling Chinese-Indonesian family. Meddelin and her four Aunts run a wedding business together. When Meddelin accidentally kills her date and he ends up in a cooler at a wedding with two thousand people, what can go wrong? Did I mention that the wedding also happens to be at a hotel where her ex-boyfriend and love works?

Netflix is adapting this comedy of errors and if it is anything like the book, it will be amazing too.

Trigger Warnings

Murder, Car accident, Assault

Why Jackie loves it

I heard great things about this romantic comedy/ murder mystery mashup. It sounds like the weirdest combo, right? This book had me laughing out loud. The characters are flawed which makes them even more loveable, and the absolute chaos is hilarious.

Find this book in: Family Drama Books / Best Beach Reads / Best Books of 2021 

The Maid

Author: Nita Prose

Year: 2022

Genre: Mystery

More info: January 2022 Good Morning America Pick
#1 New York Times Bestseller, EDGAR AWARD Finalist, Anthony Award Winner

Age Range: 14+

Plot

Molly Gray works as a maid in a grand hotel and gets joy from leaving things orderly and pristine. Molly struggles with reading social cues and has had even more trouble since her gran can no longer help.

When Molly finds the body of Mr. Black in a room at the hotel, she becomes a prime suspect and will need all her friends to help her. She calls her friend Mr. Preston, the doorman at the hotel, for help. His daughter is a lawyer. Soon it becomes clear that Molly, in her naivete, is involved in a drug scandal as well.

Why Jackie loves it

I loved the description of this book and I hoped it would live up to my expectations. It did that and more. I adored every minute of this story and closed the last page smiling. Molly is such a wonderful character who has more depth than is apparent initially.

Find this book in: The Maid Book Club Questions / Books like Lessons in Chemistry / Best Mystery Books / Feel-Good Books / Books for Book Clubs / Best Cozy Mystery Books / Books With Neurodivergent Characters

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

Author: Ally Carter

Year: 2024

Genre: Mystery Romance

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

After losing her assets to her cheating ex-husband, mystery author Maggie Chase agrees to head to the home of her biggest fan for the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately for her, Ethan Wyatt, another author from her publishing house, is also along for the trip.

It turns out, they have traveled to the home of Eleanor Ashley, a prolific mystery writer (clearly inspired by Agatha Christie) who has a sprawling mansion in the middle of the countryside. During a snowstorm, she mysteriously disappears. Now Maggie and Ethan must work together to try to find her. With murder attempts around every corner and a growing attraction between our leads, this is one fun genre-bending story.

Why Kirsten loves it

Once I started this story, I couldn’t put it down! I was completely swept into the mystery, I was enchanted by the crackling chemistry between our two main characters, and the setting and snowstorm just left me craving a snowy night in. I was utterly charmed by this one and you will be too!

Find this book in: Best Christmas Books of All Time / Christmas Mystery Books / New Christmas Books 2024 / Best Cozy Mystery Books / Giftable Books / The Best Books of 2024 / Romance Books About Books

Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder

Author: Bellamy Rose

Year: 2025

Genre: Mystery Rom-Com

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 14+

Plot

Pomona Afton has never worked a day in her life and has depended on her trust fund to support her. When her grandmother is murdered, a stipulation in the will is that if she dies an unnatural death, all assets will be frozen.

Suddenly Pomona is out of her huge apartment and moving in with her former nanny’s son, Gabe. He needs to help her solve the murder or his mom won’t get her retirement! Pomona needs to get an education on the real world pretty quickly.

Why Jackie loves it

Pomona starts as a spoiled, selfish brat. As the story progresses, you see the sweet, kind side that has been waiting to come out. Some of the story requires you to suspend belief because nobody learns to be a baker on their first try, however, I enjoyed every minute of this adorable rom-cozy. #gifted

Find this book in: Beach Reads 2025

She Doesn’t Have a Clue

Author: Jenny Elder Moke

Year: 2025

Genre: Romantic Mystery

Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

She Doesn’t Have a Clue is a cozy mystery set on a remote island during a wedding weekend for an editor and marketing director at a small publishing house. One of their star writers, Kate is a mystery author who is stuck with her ex-friend (and sort of crush) Jake as a plus one at the wedding.

Over the course of the weekend, the bride is routinely targeted with murder plots and Kate and Jake stumble upon another body. Now they are trying to figure out what is going on while warding off their attraction to one another.

Why Kirsten loves it

The mystery was a delight and I couldn’t figure it out before it unfolded… but the romance was the heavy hitter. It’s a steamy story but filled with real chemistry and character depth.

This is one literary trend I hope continues to grow in popularity! These stories just hit differently!

Find this book in: Mystery Novels About Writers / Romance Books About Books

The Homewreckers

Author: Mary Kay Andrews

Year: 2022

Genre: Rom Cozy

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

I adored this story about a fixer-upper reality TV series and its female lead contractor. From the dead body and subsequent murder mystery to the detailed home renovation discussions, this book has it all.

Throw in a beach setting and some renovation romance, and it’s basically beach-read heaven. All hail Mary Kay Andrews and her amazing summer reads.

Why Kirsten loves it

The Homewreckers is basically HGTV with a dash of murder, and I AM HERE FOR IT!!!

Find this book in: Ultimate Beach Reads 2022 / Books like Fix Her Up / Reality TV Novels

Etiquette for Lovers and Killers 

Author: Anna Fitzgerald Healy

Year: 2025

Genre: Historical Mystery

More info: A Beyond the Bookends Most Anticipated July 2025 Book Release

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range:16+

Plot

This novel is a historical fiction set in the 60s, a cozy mystery, and a romance all tied up into one book! And it’s set in Maine as well. Billie McCadie lives with her grandparents and lives vicariously through the characters in the books she gets from the library. She loves epic love stories and mysteries. She is confused when she receives a letter addressed to Gertrude asking for her hand in marriage with a diamond ring. She is even more surprised when Gertrude is found dead and Billie is one of the last to see her alive.

Now her boring life becomes much more interesting, especially when she must take it upon herself to find the murderer. Everyone is hiding secrets, bodies are piling, and Billie is receiving concerning phone calls. Is she safe? Is she a suspect?

Why Jackie loves it

These characters are so much fun. They are unique and surprising, which makes this an easy read. I loved the glimpse into the 60s with the yachts and parties and the mystery was well-plotted. I had no idea who murdered Gertrude. #gifted from Putnam

Find this book in: Best Beach Reads 2025 / Books Set in Maine / Cozy Mystery Books / Books Set in the 1960s / RomCozy Books

Pride and Premeditation

Author: Tirzah Price

Year: 2021

Genre: YA Historical Mystery

More info: Jane Austen Murder Mystery #1

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 14+

Plot

This Pride and Prejudice retelling is a murder mystery! In this version of the story, Mr. Bennett is a barrister and Lizzie is desperate to prove herself and be the first female barrister.

But while she offers to help Mr. Bingley find the real culprit of the murder he’s been accused of, she ends up butting heads with her rival, Mr. Darcy of Pemberley and Associates.

Why Kirsten loves it

This delightful take on the classic story was a refreshing and fun book. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.

Find this book in: Best Historical Mystery Books / YA Historical Fiction / Pride and Prejudice Retellings

The Geographer’s Map to Romance

Author: India Holton

Year: 2025

Genre: Romance

More info: Love’s Academia #2

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Professor Elodie Tarrant and Professor Gabriel Tarrant are experts in magical disasters who have been estranged since shortly after their marriage of convenience. There is one hick up, they both secretly love each other.

When they are both accidentally assigned to a case of magic erupting in a Welsh village unexpectedly, they must come together as a team. Can they solve the mystery of why the magic has gone wonky?

Why Jackie loves it

This is a sweet romance with one spicy moment that makes it perfect for an 18+ audience looking for a romance with a twist of mystery. Even though this is technically the second book in the series, you do not need to have read the first to enjoy it.

Find this book in: Romcozy Books

An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire

Author: Manda Collins

Year:2021

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range:18+

Plot

Viscount Valentine Wrackham and Caroline Hartcastle were once secretly betrothed, and now can’t stand each other. But when Caro’s friend is kidnapped and Val’s cousin is implicated in the crime, they must work together to find the real culprit and try not to catch feelings.

Kirsten’s Thoughts

It was a well-done mystery, the social commentary on women’s rights was excellent, but the romance was duller than dishwater. Others loved the romance, so maybe it just wasn’t for me.

Find this book in: Romcozy Books