Cappuccinos, Cupcakes, and a Corpse

I liked it, too. Nice cozy.
I like that they are more and more telling the MCs to leave the sleuthing to the professionals and how nosy knowitalls are more a nuisance, and in some instances trouble to police to investigate crime. Seriously, well-meaning idiots have actually destroyed evidence.
I also like the main couple :-)
And the reader is amazing.

3.5 Rounded to a 3. I picked up the audio for this through my library to fulfill a book bingo prompt. For the most part it was enjoyable, quick and fun to listen to. There were times the narrator irked me but that happens to me a lot with audio anyway so that didn't play into my rating.

I know Cozies are supposed to be an amateur sleuth who takes on the mystery in hopes of solving it. However, the MC in this one doesn't really do any sleuthing .. she talks to people and makes wild guesses and accusations .. which are all wrong.

I am not giving up on this series just yet. It could be that the author is just opening it up and will develop the character in future books so I'm willing to give the 2nd one a try and see where it goes.

A very typical, light, cozy mystery. Nothing ground breaking, nothing shocking and no big twists. The mystery itself was on the weaker side, the red herrings were obvious and the ending didn't connect very well. The characters were for the most part likeable and fun - except when Fran was acting like she as the owner of coffee shop knew how to do an investigation better than the police. Seriously, she needed to binge watch a few episodes of Law and Order or Perry Mason or Columbo (or any other detective show out there) before going out and buying her cute little notebook. But other than that, the writing was good and it was nice to read a cozy mystery that isn't set in the some where in the south.

Sweet, charming, quick read, with a dead guy included.
This book was actually what I was looking to read when I opened it.

Francesca has moved back home from New York to the quiet cozy town she grew up in with her mother and grandparents. Unfortunately, the move was partially made because of her mother's death. She takes over the family cafe and works the counter making cappuccinos and lattes– working over 14 hours a day in an attempt to forget the pain of loss. Then one night she suddenly walks upon her neighbor, who just happens to be dead.

This story really brings you in with how charming it is and the background on the location really bring that home. Reading is also really smooth so, it is definitely a quick read.

Unfavorable parts would be how the relationship wasn't given signs of evolving... maybe one? But besides talking about his dead father all the time I'm not sure what Francesca did that made Matteo ask her out. So, I would have preferred more time with their dialogue that we didn't see so the relationship could bloom.
Another point is that, there was no one to really guess who the bad guy is because we aren't given all the names. So, this isn't always a bad thing just something I felt I couldn't contribute with to my personal experience with the book. I DID enjoy the mystery and it's ending.

I really might just buy the next one.