Revenge is Sweet by Kaye George Review

I received a digital advanced reader’s copy of Revenge is Sweet from NetGalley. This review may contain minor spoilers.

Revenge is Sweet by Kaye George is the first in a new series The Village Sweets Mysteries. Normally I give my rating of a book at the end of the review. However, for this book I need to start with the rating. I rated this book three stars on Goodreads because I did not know what to rate it. This cozy was strange. 

Revenge is Sweet follows Tally Holt, a woman who owns a candy shop. Strange enough, a few chapters were from the point of view of the best friend. Which is unusual? 

Where do I even begin without spoilers? The victim was a cad and was sleeping with half the town; it seems. Including the best friend of our protagonist, Tally, Yolanda. Speaking of Yolanda, she does not seem to be true best friend material. Yolanda is hung up on Tally’s brother Cole and had said some rude things to Tally throughout the book. If anyone talked to me the way Yolanda did, I would not be friends with them anymore. 

Then there is the way Tally runs her shop. One of her employees is stealing from her. Tally has to think about whether she should say anything, let alone confront them. Her employees are not very professional, and I do not get it. How could anyone run a successful business like that? 

The minor subplots were irritating. A few subplots were unresolved at the books end. One subplot involved the person who I think was the red herring of the book. Then another murder takes place and throws off the balance. 

Overall, the books plot was a bit of a hot mess. I would read the second book which will be released in September. However, if the issues I had with the first book still exist, I will not read the third. The subplot with the candy shop annoyed me the most. If Talley hires new employees that are professional, that will please me.

The real issue is the book is fine, then something so outlandish or stupid happens. Suspension of disbelief is crucial to fiction, and that’s not the issue. Some subplots were stupid or over the top. You cannot help but feel thrown off and irritated. Once the book flows again, another issue comes along and throws off the balance. 

Some plot points were not realistic even for fiction, and as a person with common sense I could not get into it. Without, giving too much away one character lends another person they just met a lot of money. While I did not love the book it was entertaining enough when the plot was not a hot mess. 

Revenge is Sweet will be available March 10th. I recommend you read it.