"Fresh Meat" by Laura K. Curtis for Criminal Element.

One of the great things about amateur sleuth mysteries—at least for me—is the level of wish-fulfillment. I’ve owned my own business, been a contractor, a sales clerk, a computer consultant, a bartender...you name it. Every dogsbody job you can think of, I’ve had it. But I’ve never solved a murder and come to the attention of a sexy cop in the process.

No such problem for Piper Donovan, heroine of Mary Jane Clark’s The Look of Love. The aspiring actress and current cake decorator lives in New Jersey with her parents while auditioning for roles in New York and helping out at her mother’s bakery. But then, out of the blue, she’s invited to stay— all-expenses-paid—at Elysium, one of L.A.’s most exclusive spas, in exchange for making the wedding cake for the owner’s daughter.

(Read the rest at http://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2012/01/fresh-meat-the-look-of-love-by-mary... )

Piper Donovan goes to Hollywood to make a wedding cake for the director of a health spa. When she arrives at the spa she and the director find that the director's house maid, who was recently splashed in the face with acid, has been smothered in one of the bungalows at the spa. Piper is soon thrown into learning more about the people that own the spa as she accidentally comes upon clues. If you like the who-dunit type of murder mysteries, this one will keep you turning pages until the end. ( )

After the depressingly dark The Odds, I needed a bit of light fluff. The Look of Love (the 2nd Piper Donovan Mystery) by Mary Jane Clark filled the bill nicely. Piper travels to the ultra-luxurious Elysium in California to make the spa director's wedding cake. Devious characters, a murder, a cover-up murder, and twisted relationships ensue--all neatly and conviently tied up in the end. What will Piper be up to next? The answer is worthy of a request check at the library, ( )

It's About: When Piper is offered an all-expense paid trip to Los Angeles to bake a wedding cake for Jillian Abernathy, she's a bit hesitant. After spending New Year's Eve with Jack, the man she's seeing, she thinks it's best to leave Jersey for awhile to think about where their relationship is going.

Her father is not sold on the idea of her going. Jillian's housekeeper was recently attacked⎯an attack meant for Jillian. He warns Piper to be careful and not to get involved with the investigation. Upon Piper's arrival to the elite spa where Jillian is the head director, a murder has just taken place. Soon Piper finds herself in the middle of trying to solve the crime.

My Thoughts: Last year I was introduced to Piper in book one, To Have and To Kill. Having enjoyed it, I immediately accepted the pitch to review The Look of Love. The Look of Love picks up where To Have and To Kill left off. We find Piper still living at home and helping her mother in her bakery. Piper continues to pursue her acting career and is casually dating Jack. Jack, however, wants a committed relationship. Piper isn't sure about her feelings for him nor is she ready for anything serious. Jillian's offer to travel to LA comes at the right time. She'll go to auditions, she'll create and bake Jillian's wedding cake and she'll take time to think about what she wants with Jack. Little does Piper know, once she lands, she'll find herself deep in a murder investigation.

Piper is a likeable character and ideal for an amateur sleuth. She doesn't rush into anything impulsively, but instead is cautious and tries to see the big picture. Each step she takes leads her in the right direction to finding the killer's identity. She's compassionate and genuinely wants to help Jillian move on from the tragic events.

I figured out the killer's identity early on. It didn't prevent me from enjoying the mystery. I wanted to see how the characters would react when they learned the killer's identity and motive behind the attack. The Look of Love is a quick weekend read. Grab your favorite throw, curl up on your couch or reading chair and settle in for a light, cozy mystery. ( )

Received from Publisher
Overall Rating 2.75
Story Rating 2.50
Character Rating 3.00

First thought when finished: The story just coasted then bam it was done!

What I Loved: I did find the characters of The Look of Love to be interesting. I did not read the first book in the series so I did not know what to expect. However, I really loved the Abernathy family. I also really loved Piper's family.

What I Liked: I thought the giving of a few different suspects for the murders was very well done. Mary Jane Clark managed to set it out where you could pick apart the clues and see who fit.

What made me go "huh"?: The book was just a little to choppy for me. I never felt quite connected to the mystery or Jack/Piper's relationship. I thought the end was a bit abrupt and there wasn't enough action for a mystery novel. Though it wasn't light enough to be a cozy mystery. The book just kind of fell in the middle.

Final Thoughts: This is my first book to read by Mary Jane Clark so I might not have been prepared for her writing style. I do believe fans of hers will be pleased with the story and very strong characters. ( )