Title: Cherry Shakes in the Park
Author: Wendy Kendall
Genre: Romantic Mystery
Book Blurb:
Selling ice cream on a bike cart, Bryson Tanner pedals his way into a double mystery filled with danger, divas, and frothy delights.
Bryson is training for Olympic trials in track and field, when his coach's brother disappears. The police find no cause for opening a case, but Bryson and Coach disagree. What they uncover leaves Bryson cornered, his life at risk.
Bryson is also plagued by mysteries of the heart. His ex, Marta is back and stars in the acting troupe's weekend show in the park. She'd stomped on his heart once. Could he trust her with it again? Marta's co-star, Senona charms Bryson over cherry shakes in the park. He's torn between rekindling his past, or starting a new flame. He joins Senona on the actors' mystery hunt, where the winner receives a career-boosting prize.
Who knew the actors' clue hunt would merge with the kidnapping? Danger escalates during a midsummer night's dalliance at desolate Loon point.
My Review:
A missing friend, a theatre troupe, plus a new love interest has Bryson wondering if he's starring in his own play of mystery and intrigue. Bryson is training for Olympic trials in the track and field category. He’s also nursing a broken heart after his girlfriend broke up with him and left to be an actress. Imagine his surprise when he rolls up in the park with his ice cream cart and bumps into her. She’s part of the theatre group performing in the park. She dismisses him and he’s forlorn. He meets another actress named Senora. She’s sweet and they partner up on a fun scavenger hunt. The news of his coach’s brother's disappearance bothers him. As they find each clue, Bryson tries to figure out what happened to his coach’s brother, too. The more time he spends with Senora, the less time he thinks about his ex. He really likes her but what happens when she leaves in a few days? Will their romance fizzle out before it starts? Can he unveil the culprit behind the disappearance? Who will win the scavenger hunt?
Cherry Shakes in the Park is a romantic mystery I couldn’t put down. Wendy Kendall blends two of my favorite genres, romance and mystery, and the result is an unputdownable read. I connected with Bryson right away. My heart went out to him and his feelings while he tries to get over the breakup. Poor guy. He’s such a sweet hero and his inner thoughts really drove the plot. The descriptive narration is very detailed which allowed me to dive deep into the story and relate to the characters. Speaking of characters, even though this is a novella, there is a bevy of colorful characters. There will be some you love and some you hate. The mystery subplot captured my attention right away and I had fun detecting alongside Bryson. The romance subplot, while a love triangle, had a unique twist which I thoroughly enjoyed. With a summery vibe, colorful characters, realistic dialogue, and emotional subtext, Cherry Shakes in the Park is so well-written, you’ll be finished reading before you know it. If you love romantic mystery, pick up Cherry Shakes in the Park. If you’re looking for an escape, pick up Cherry Shakes in the Park. A romantic mystery perfect for reading anytime, Cherry Shakes in the Park is a must-read. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
Buy it Now:
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B36YL4P1
Amazon CA - https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0B36YL4P1
Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B36YL4P1
Barnes and Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cherry-shakes-in-the-park-wendy-kendall/1141622049?ean=2940186707899
Google - https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Wendy_Kendall_Cherry_Shakes_in_the_Park?id=GH6BEAAAQBAJ
Indigo - https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/cherry-shakes-in-the-park/9781509244645-item.html
Author Biography:
The result of Wendy Kendall's passion for purses, mystery and romance is the intriguing In Purse-Suit Mysteries. Kat Out of the Bag introduces Katherine Watson purse designer/sleuth. As Kat moves from designer bags to body bags, she's uncovering clues to a murder. The prequel, Purse-Stachio Makes A Splash delves into a chilling cold case. The romantic suspense, Snow Kiss Cookies To Die For creates a tangle of mystery and love and raises suspicions about Desiree's romantic new sweetheart, Leo. A summer read that will keep you on the edge of your beach towel, Cherry Shakes In The Park blends danger, divas, and frothy delights. Wendy enjoys investigating the Pacific Northwest life, and she leaves a trail of her own clues as a blogger, YouTube podcaster, speaker, project manager, and syndicated columnist. Just wait until you see what Katherine Watson and her friends in Bayside face in their next adventure.
Social Media Links:
Website – WendyWritesBooks.com
Facebook – WendyKendallMysteries
Twitter - @wendywrites1
Instagram - wendyekendall
Reviewed by: Mrs. N