“It’s no secret that I love reading cozies, but did you know that my favorite sub-genre is paranormal? I absolutely enjoyed this first book in An Enchanted Bay Mystery. The main magical characters are descendants of mermaids giving this story a fun and unique twist!

First off, the setting of Bellamy Bay is fantastic. The descriptions of this coastal town were so charming. Being a fan of essential oils and aromatherapy, I definitely enjoyed the main apothecary shop. A place full of homemade candles, soaps, bath bombs, perfumes, lip balm, etc. The chatter about the scents was right up my alley and I of course loved how they infused them with a hint of magic.

Alex was a wonderful lead. I’m glad she was unaware about her past and we were able to gently learn about her connection to this intriguing folklore and the special talents her family can perform. I also really enjoyed all of the nods towards their Polish heritage too.

The mystery was well paced and captivating. The paranormal twist definitely added an extra challenge on picking out the culprit and deciding who in fact you could trust. I was stumped and surprised when my number one suspect was proven innocent. The big reveal had a shocking twist to it as well that I didn’t see coming.

I’m looking forward to reading the sequel and learning more about these characters. I can’t wait to see Alex embrace her new talents. I’m also intrigued about finding out about who was behind her mother’s death. There’s a love triangle brewing as well and for the first time I’m actually undecided on which guy I’m leaning towards!!.”

“Alex is back again in Bellamy Bay with another mystery to solve. This time, the victim is an artist brought in to do a mural for the upcoming Mermaid Festival. She is found dead after finishing the mural. Jack is not at all happy about Alex trying to solve the mystery. However Alex is not about to stop when her friend Celeste is the presumed killer. Enlisting the help of her friends and family, Alex puts herself in danger to try to free Celeste from accusation.
Opinion
This is yet another winner from Esme Addison. Addison has crafted an awesome mystery. Ms. Addison has such a flair for creating new and fun characters. The story was epic. It is the perfect summer read, intriguing and stimulating without being gory.
Perhaps my favorite part was the addition of local (to NC) foods. Being a NC resident, I enjoyed the mention of some of my favorites you can’t get anywhere else. I will have to say that the Carolina hot dog style is also good on a hamburger and if you are at the right Wendy’s, you can get it off the menu.
I listened to the audiobook. The different voices for each character were top notch. Tone and inflection used helped to enhance the story. Great job to Emily Durante1
I find myself fortunate that I read the first book as it came out and was able to get an ARC of this second book. I know that I have a favorite series with Alex and Esme Addison.”