Cheesy, predictable, and a fun cozy read. The book was fun and highly improbable as all good cozy mysteries are. Everly has moved back to her hometown on Charm Island after a devastating breakup with a cowboy. She buys a fixer upper on the boardwalk and decides to convert the downstairs into an iced tea shop called Sun, Sand and Tea. Things get off to a rocky start when the old town curmudgeon is found dead, with her tea glass right beside him. The new detective insinuates her tea poisoned him and suddenly she can't get any customers. It's up to her to clear her name and prove she's not an iced tea killer. Lots of small town cliches, zero business sense, and attraction to the hunky detective. Nice fluff. I may continue with the series later. ( )

Where has this series been? Actually, I wanted something easy reading after a big sitdown fantasy reading and this fit the bill. A friend suggested this series and honestly, I'm on the third book now. It's easy reading, a fun mystery....and I was wrong.

one day I'll figure out who done it ( )

Whimsical, Cottagecore and Southern Charm

Initially, the first 2 chapters did not sell this book to me and I crawled through them like a sloth. I don't often enjoy first person narrative and the description of the main murder felt so hollow, so utterly boring and for a second I hadn't realized the character was dead it was so unremarkable. The meet cute was different and kept me reading - one could already guess that he was Detective Hayes as soon as the main character found the body of the murder victim.

That being said - this book grew on me like ivy. I went from huffing and sighing heavily as I rolled my eyes into oblivion to smiling as I read about Maggie the cat, Aunt Fran and Aunt Clara, Amelia, the island-county of Charm, North Carolina, and delicious sweet tea. Honestly, having been raised on John Grisham, Michael Connelly, Robert Harris and so many of my father's favorite authors - Cozy mysteries seemed to be play acting at the whole point of murder mystery. But, this is the year I read anything and everything (within reason) and Cozy mysteries have been beckoning for a while now. This was fun and reminded me of the MeditationMelodies channel on YouTube - there is an Afternoon Tea Party melody that literally sounds like it could be the soundtrack to this book.

What a good read! Looking forward to the rest of the series.
( )

As an author of seven action/adventure/thrillers and a judge for the Adventure Writers Competition, I am decidedly not a cozy mystery fan. However, my wife is, and she suggested I try my hand at a mystery. Now, I’ve read all the classic noir-esque mysteries like Chandler, Hammett, Parker, and Sanders but never a contemporary cozy. As research for my new endeavor, she handed me Live and Let Chai. Nice pun. Beyond that, I held out little hope. Much to my surprise it was a fun, light, sunny, and undemanding read—a perfect cozy. Baker’s craft is excellent. Her first-person voice superb. Her characters are vibrant and distinct including the cat. Her scene settings, descriptions, humor, and use of backstory are expertly done. Even her occasional schmaltz is endearing. To my surprise it completely held my interest and I read it in two days—quick given my busy life. And I immediately started Book 2, No Good Tea Goes Unpunished. ( )

A great introductory novel to a new series. I loved the character development, particularly Everly and Grady and look forward to more between those two ! My go-to fiction is cozy mysteries for the mystery. DUH. But not this series. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the dance between them and know I want more. I think of all the books in this series this is my favorite because of the beginning of their relationship and I have read it so many times that I have worn the plastic off the front cover. ( )