17 Books Is Too Long For A Love Triangle That Is Going Nowhere.

Photo Credit: Goodreads

This is it. The 17th book in this series has broken my will to read another book in this series. The love triangle that will never end has killed my book loving soul.

Cozy mysteries are some of my favs to read- they are light, fluffy, dashes of romance and small-towns with interesting characters. They are series, so you, the reader, gets plenty of time to know the characters. That’s the good thing about cozy mysteries.

Cozy mysteries deal with s-e-x & romance in variously different ways. Some (Lucy Burdette’s KEY WEST FOOD CRITIC, for example,) the main character is looking for love. Others (Kate Collins’s FLOWER SHOP mysteries- the main character has found love and is married). Different ones have different ways to acknowledge the relationship between a man and woman- some do it with a “wink and nudge”, others are a teensy bit more in your face about it (but never to the point of a 50 Shades situation). Joanne, though, chooses not to acknowledge. At all. Her earlier books had a couple of mentions of some romance- but the past few, she has stalled. The love triangle between Hannah, the main character, and her 2 suitors have cooled considerably. Now it’s like they are all good friends and Hannah occasionally wonders which one is right for her.

Lots of readers like the “clean” aspect of Joanne Fluke’s stories and I have to say that is fine with me. But, after 17 books, 17 books in which she is “dating” both the single male characters in this series- it is time. Time to make a choice. Time to pick someone. This carrot of who she will pick has been dangled 1 too many times- and it’s time for an end.

Why did I read this last book? I want to see a resolution. I want to feel that my time spent with Hannah was worth something and not fruitless.

I’ve been a Hannah fan for some time (but I’ve always given out tough love when it comes to Hannah- see: Joanne Fluke, Hannah Swensen and the “love triangle that needs to end“.

After this last book, BLACKBERRY PIE MURDER, I’m just at the end of the rope. I’m convinced that Joanne Fluke has no intentions of ending the triangle and will continue to write about Hannah, Mike and Norman “dating” for the rest of their lives.

Joanne, wherever you are, I hope sincerely that you are reading the reviews of the book, that you are reading the Amazon reviews- not to have your feelings hurt- but to see that there are people out there who really have enjoyed this series in the past and wish that there would be some changes, some fresh air breathed back in the series. Most of us like Hannah and wish to see her grow as a character.

How many books do you think is too long for a love triangle? Share your thoughts by commenting!

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

Literary Friday ya’ll…

It’s Friday. There is sunshine. I’m happy.

1. Deep South Magazine and their #literaryfriday: Literary Holidays, Wiley Cash book signing, and TurnRow Books tweeted Deep South some good news! Like King Cake? Deep South Mag is featuring where the best is and a King Cake drink recipe (yum!)

2. Traveling With T reviewed 2 books this week: BLACKBERRY PIE MURDER by Joanne Fluke and THE WIFE, THE MAID, and THE MISTRESS by Ariel Lawhon. Blackberry is not Joanne’s strongest- there is really no movement in the series. WMM is Ariel’s debut and it’s fantastic- 1930’s setting, Prohibition, and a missing judge!

3. Are you Google+? Have you heard about this new feature Google+ Ripples? Here is the info on it!

4. Ariel Lawhon, THE WIFE, THE MAID and THE MISTRESS was featured this week on Traveling With T. Here is the Author Spotlight on Ariel.

5. What are your #fridayreads? I just finished PIRATE VISHNU by Gigi Pandian, working through FOUR FRIENDS by Robyn Carr and trying to decide what to read next- suggestions?

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

Blackberry Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Photo Credit: Goodreads

Traveling With T requested this book through Netgalley.

Blackberry Pie Murder

Hannah’s mother, Delores, is outraged. The Swensen women are the butt of a joke by a news reporter about how long it has been since one of the Swensen ladies have found a body. While the daughters are taking the joke in stride, Delores is not. Hannah is not worried- it feels like ages since she found her last body- and with all the things going on (planning Delores’s wedding to Doc, running The Cookie Jar, cuddling up with Moishe and trying to decide between Mike and Norman), Hannah is ok with not finding any bodies.

One day, a dark and stormy day, Lisa, Hannah’s partner at The Cookie Jar, needs to be picked up from the car repair shop. Hannah goes and gets Lisa- worrying about the weather and decides to take the back roads back to town. The weather is terrible and Hannah is worried that if she pulls over, no one would see her and hit her. When Hannah swerves to avoid a large limb, she doesn’t see the man near the side of the road. Overcome with guilt (Hannah’s used to finding dead bodies, not causing them), but knowing that it was an accident- Hannah does not know what will happen next. Will she be arrested?

After some time, Hannah knows that she must know who this man is- why was he on the side of the road? When the Swensen women start to look into this mystery, they find out some surprising information about the victim.

With a main mystery and a smaller mystery that is related to the larger mystery, Delores and Doc’s wedding planning, and typical Moishe hijinks- Blackberry Pie Murder has something for cozy fans.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts

It’s time for tough love, Joanne Fluke. This is the 17th book in the series and the love triangle (if you can even call it that) is still going on. Let Hannah pick Norman- and let Moishe, Cuddles, Norman and Hannah live somewhat happily ever after. Why do I say “if you can even call it a love triangle”- well, at one point, both Norman and Mike seemed to really be interested in Hannah. Although, the last couple of books- Mike has been less interested in Hannah as a woman- and more for her cookies and other food.

But, to the book- Blackberry Pie Murder is not bad. It’s really not. It’s a bit predictable, though. My problem is: it’s just not going anywhere. Hannah does the same thing basically every book and while it was cute for awhile- it’s growing old.

Joanne Fluke has always been hesitant about s-e-x in this series. And while in the earlier books, it was understandable (Hannah had her heart broken by a TA at her college), it’s time for a bit more romance for Hannah (note: ROMANCE, not 50 Shades of Grey territory).

Why do I keep reading this series? Because, for the most part, it’s like a comfy old sweatshirt. Sure, it’s not pretty anymore and you don’t wear it in public- but it makes you feel cozy and warm. I do think, though, that my patience is running thin- I don’t want to quit this series, I want to know my time invested with Hannah has been well-spent. But I’m preparing myself to walk.

Do I recommend this book? Yes- but to a very select group of people- the die hard Joanne Fluke fans. If you enjoy all the previous books, are not growing weary of the triangle, and the recipes make you happy- then this book is perfect for you. If you are like me and really enjoyed earlier Joanne books, but the later ones are not as good to you, then I suggest you pass. If you are a cozy mystery lover, I strongly, strongly, STRONGLY suggest that you begin with Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder- when you get to Cream Puff Murder- take a break.

* I requested this book through Netgalley. The above thoughts and opinions are mine alone.