Book Review | Home Baked Bribery by Gina Holder

Today I am reviewing Home Baked Bribery by Gina Holder as part of the Justread publicity blog tour.

Book Description:

The annual Rockport bake sale and competition is underway. The stakes are higher than ever for the coveted Golden Whisk Award when a high-profile celebrity chef is brought in as a surprise guest judge.
The competition takes a deadly turn when the celebrity suffers an allergic reaction.

When Addie’s nemesis, Kennedy Graves is banned from the competition for using almond extract, Addie volunteers to prove Kennedy innocent. As Addie investigates the death, she learns each of the local bakers had a motive to dislike the celebrity. But did one of them kill him?

Meanwhile, hundred-year-old twins, Poppy and Marigold, keep Addie hopping, looking for their missing dogs.

Will Addie be able to uncover the truth behind the celebrity judge’s death, or will she become the next victim of the mysterious shenanigans going on in Rockport?

My Review:

Thanks to Justread Publicity tours for my review copy.

This is my first book by Gina Holder and it won’t be my last. This is the second book in the Addie Masters Mysteries, and I am sure it would be a better reading experience reading book one first. However, I had no trouble following the story and catching up on the characters.

I loved this book from page one. Addie works as a Junk removal and handy woman which is different and fun to see. Her housemate Talia works with a bakery chef and they are entered in the Golden Whisk Award baking contest. A high profiled judge is introduced just before the big contest and seems to have ruffled more than a few feathers.

With her job Addie tends to be on call at all hours which leads to her hearing and seeing things and she has an active imagination. I won’t say much about the main mystery as it’s a little further in the book than I like to review without spoilers, but I didn’t pick the culprit till near the end of the book.

I love the different characters especially the 100-year-old sisters Poppy and Marigold who have pugs that keep going missing. Addie also has 3 dogs, a pig that thinks he’s a dog and a cat.

The book flows well and had me wanting to keep reading. I didn’t find it slow like some books do. I could see this book as a Hallmark Mystery series. It has all the elements that would work well on the screen. This is my favourite mystery this year and I plan to read book 1 soon. I am also happy to hear there will be more in this series.

About the Author

Gina Holder is an indie author and stay-at-home mom. She’s had an infatuation with books for as long as she can remember. She loves introducing readers to new and new-to-them authors on her blog. Gina enjoys playing the piano, cooking, reading, watching Hallmark mysteries, and solving “escape room” puzzles. She published her debut novel in 2017. Gina lives in Wyoming with her husband and daughter.

Connect with Gina by visiting storiesbygina.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 4, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 11, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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