Saturday, July 18, 2015

Book Review ~ Deadly Bouquet (Deadly Ridgeview Series Book 1) by Ina Britton


Deadly Bouquet
(Deadly Ridgeview Series Book 1)
by Ina Britton

In this new and exciting boomer lit romance there is new love, mystery, and intrigue. If you believe love is possible at any age, then then new romantic mystery is for you.

In the wake of her husband’s death, Sarah Fields ventures forth, leaving her teaching career and Atlanta behind. Too many memories and ghosts of the past would have haunted her, had she stayed. Looking for a new start, she relocates to her mountain home, Ridgeview, and opens a small but quaint flower boutique. Sarah isn’t sure she believes in romance over 50, but her shop and new life are a dream. A dream she’s put on hold for far too long. It is a dream that leads her into the arms of retired FBI agent, Jake Green.

However, it seems the beautiful, out-of-the-way community has a seedy underbelly run by the mob, and Jake’s been asked to consult on an underground money laundering operation. Soon, Sarah’s blossoming relationship is embroiled in a twisted tale of danger and deceit from which neither may emerge unscathed. Has Jake fallen for Sarah, or does he believe she may be part of the operation?

Written for anyone who has loved and lost...and believes in love again. Deadly Bouquet is far more than a typical romantic mystery. Deadly Bouquet is all about romance over 50. If you enjoy boomer lit and romantic fiction, delve into the heart of the matter and download this book today.

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Romance, mystery and mayhem is what awaits you as you begin this brand new novel written by Ina Britton.  Deadly Bouquet is a good old fashion romance and “who-done-it” novel that has all the ingredients needed for a great reading escape.

Deadly Bouquet falls within a genre that is new to me – boomer lit romance.  Geared more for the boomer generation (those born between 1946 and 1964), this genre is centered on boomers finding love for the second time.  The main characters in Deadly Bouquet, Sarah and Jake, are older and more mature.  They have already figured out life for the most part and are now dealing with widowhood, divorce and just plain starting over from other life-changing events. Along with the adorable romance building between the characters, there is a mystery to be solved.  With these elements combined, the author has created a story that is perfect reading for a lazy day.

For a first novel, I commend Ms. Britton for writing a delightful and entertaining story.  I really enjoyed the fact that the two main characters were older, more mature individuals.  They provided a different and unique prospective that was a welcome change from a typical romance/mystery novel.  In regards to the romance, I thought it was sweet and very endearing.  There is nothing like a second chance at love story that always pulls at my heart strings.  Sarah and Jake are ‘real’ people and I think most readers will be drawn to them instantly.  Since they are older, there is none of the drama that is typical with the younger generation that we generally find in the New Adult genre.  The characters in this story deal with real problems and deal with conflict in a more reasonable and mature way and I really enjoyed the change. This is a ‘clean’ story with sexual situations implied, which really leaves it up to the reader to use their imagination.

The beginning of the book is somewhat of an introduction to the characters and the town in which the story is located.  With the author’s very vivid and detailed descriptions, I was really able to connect to the story and visualize what was going on and thought it set the stage quite nicely.  In addition to the second chance romance story, there is a nice little mystery to solve.  The author gives the reader just enough clues for us to try and solve the mystery ourselves and it really keeps up the guessing factor throughout.  The story is mainly told from two POV’s, but the reader also gets a glimpse of the thoughts and actions from a couple of the other characters from time to time.

Although there were a few misspelled words, they did not take away from the story at all and for the most part was well-written.  I think my one biggest complaint about the story was the repetition of details at times, more specifically revolving the events of opening the flower shop – not a huge deal, but I felt it was not necessary.  Once the actual solving of the mystery commenced, this was not a problem anymore. Overall, Deadly Bouquet was a story that I enjoyed and one that I would recommend if you find yourself looking for a unique read that it is a definite change of pace.

4 stars





Ina Britton lives in Oldsmar, Florida (right outside Tampa) with her husband of 30 years, and three feral cats, Pepe, Midnight and Oreo. She loves to spend time with family and play golf with her husband, but her biggest passion is writing. Ina is firmly planted in the middle of the baby boomer generation and believes that life doesn’t quit after 50 but gets more interesting.



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