Book Review: The Cakes of Wrath by: Jacklyn Brady

Rita Lucero, owner of New Orleans cake shop Zydeco Cakes, can't seem to stop saying "yes". Even though things at the bakery care busy, Rita finds herself accepting a seat on the local small buisness alliance, a group full of colorful characters like Chopper Shop owner Moose Hazen and his wife, Destiny, whose personal life is messier than a cake someone left out in the rain. 

On the street following a heated alliance meeting, Moose pulls Rita out of the path of a speeding van. Shaken and bruised, Rita notices the next day that her prescribed pain killers are missing. When she discovers Destiny's body in the couple's shop, the stolen pill bottle in her lifeless hand only adds another layer to her mysterious death. But getting the frosty NOPD detective to stop focusing on Rita and look for Destiny's real killer will be anything but a cakewalk... 

I loved it! As usual Jacklyn Brady keeps me guessing until the end of this delightful and surprising mystery! I love the bit of twist that she tied in at the end of the book, it has me wondering how everything will work out... I hope we will find out in her next installment of this fabulous series! This whole series is pretty amazing, I love all the zany characters and all their "Sweet Southern Style" and flare! In "The Cakes of Wrath" we get to read about more of the neighborhood that Zydeco Bakery resides in and a bit more of the staff's personal life. We also get to see a bit more of that sexy-smokin-hot Cajun bartender that frequently gives Rita all those sizzling vibes, while the famous detective Sullivan takes a bit of a back seat in this novel. It's definitely an interesting read and I am excited to discover where this series is headed!

Book Review: Arsenic and Old Cake by: Jacklyn Brady

With business going stale at Zydeco Cakes, Rita Lucero has plenty to worry about. but when her friend, blind trumpet player Old Dog Leg Magee, asks for a favor, she can't say no. His brother, Monroe, disappeared forty years ago, and now someone has shown up claiming to be him. Old Dog Leg needs Rita to be his eyes-and see if the man really is his brother. 

Old Dog Leg sets Rita up with sexy Cajun bartender Gabriel Broussard to pose as newlyweds checking into the same bed and breakfast Monroe is staying in, only for them to discover that Monroe's true identity isn't the only mystery they'll have to solve. When another guest at the bed and breakfast turns up dead, it seems the mysterious man might also be a murderer... 


Oh Rita, Rita, Rita!!! She is back again with her scrumptious cake baking and mystery solving skills! This time she takes the role of Mrs. Broussard... to help Old Dog Leg solve a forty year old mystery! This time her shenanigans take place at "The Love Nest" a local Bed and Breakfast where she takes on the role of playing blushing bride to one sexy Cajun bartender Gabriel Broussard. While trying to unearth the old mystery that surrounds the Love Nest she also gets to know of some of its more eccentric long time residents. This time shes got to solve the mystery, find a killer, attempt to be a blushing bride, annnnnnd keep Zydeco afloat in the beginning stages of an economical hardship. Have no fear, Rita like always, keeps all together with witty thinking and her usual persistent gumshoe tactics. This book is a little slow in the beginning but it really picks up after the first few chapters and it will really have you reeling in the end to find out what or who is actually the mastermind behind whats going on at the Love Nest! I really enjoyed the mystery the usual cast and the new cast of characters of the "Love Nest" introduced in this book. I can't wait to see what trouble... mystery Rita will stumble into next. Hopefully we will get to read more about which sexy hunk she chooses as well... will it be sweet, sexy, smooth Cajun bartender Gabriel or Mr. Tall, Dark, Handsome and Strong Detective Stone? Only time and another great mystery will tell... :)

Book Review: Cake on a Hot Tin Roof by: Jacklyn Brady

It's carnival season in New Orleans, and pastry chef Rita Lucero has a lot on her place. Filling orders for king cakes is becoming a royal pain. Her second-in-command at Zydeco Cakes- the bakery she inherited from her ex-husband- is hounding her to write a blog for the bakery's new website. And now Rita is expected to host a Mardi Gras party for hundreds of her ex-husband's closest friends. A surprise visit from her aunt Yolanda and uncle Nestor is almost more than she can handle.

But when local car salesman and minor celebrity Big Daddy Boudreaux turns up dead at Rita's Mardi Gras party after a public fight with her uncle, Rita has no choice but to find room in her busy schedule to prove the killer isn't her Uncle Nestor. And there's a whole parade of suspects- but not much time to find out which one really wanted Big Daddy in a big coffin...

Great follow up to a first in a series! I loved the story and glad to see all my favorite characters are back! I was also pleased to learn a bit more about Rita, where she comes from and who raised her (Uncle Nestor and Aunt Yolanda). I'm also happy to see Rita making a name for herself and picking up the pieces to Zydeco. Miss Frankie is charming as ever of course and I was trilled to see that this one not only takes place down in the Big Easy, but also takes place during Mardi Gras! This book is exciting, fun and keeps you guessing "who did it" the whole time! Bravo Jacklyn Brady!

Book Review: A Sheetcake Named Desire by: Jacklyn Brady

"Sweet success can be motive for murder..." There aren't many things pastry chef Rita Lucero hates more than losing. But two years after her marriage to fellow baker Philippe Renier fell apart, she's still trying to get him to sign the divorce papers. Exasperated, Rita visits Philippe's high-end New Orleans shop, Zydeco Cakes, to get his signature- and discovers that her marriage is already over when she finds Philippe dead with a chef's knife in his chest. Rita is shocked to discover the body, and overwhelmed to learn that since the divorce wasn't final, she now inherits part ownership in Zydeco Cakes. But it's a mixed blessing: the gorgeous shop is actually in financial trouble, and Rita's windfall sets her up as a prime suspect in Philippe's murder. Her former mother-in-law demands that Rita find out who killed her son, and his former employees don't know whether to trust her. The feeling is mutual espeically since the real culprit is still out there, and Rita may be the next victim served...

First in a new series and so good that I can't hardly wait to get my hands on the next book! I loved everything about the book espeically where it takes place; my favoirte city... "Nawlins"! That's New Orleans for everyone else that lives above sea level ;) Rita is an amazingly funny and witty character who takes after my own heart. Jacklyn Brady, you had me reeling till the end! I just couldn't put the book down till I found out who did it! I also love the vivid descriptions of the cakes and all the sweet goodness that goes into making them... I'd be lying if I didn't consider taking a pastry class or two after reading this book!