I received a free advanced reader copy of Wine Tastings Are Murder by Libby Klein in exchange for my honest review. As a sign of honesty, I should first say that I have not read any other Poppy McAllister novels prior to this one.
If you are new to this series, like me, then I should warn yo that the reader doesn't learn Poppy's name until Chapter 3. Which caused a bit of confusion when they first said her name because I thought it was a nickname. The book starts off with Poppy contemplating her love triangle, so again there was information but it was like jumping in with two feet instead of dipping your toe. She mentions Aunt Ginny and the Butterfly House Bed and Breakfast, but it isn't quite clear until later that the reader is shown how dire the situation is, and how it came about. To assist with making everything better, Poppy is hosting a Welcome Wine and Cheese wine tour. Vince Baker and his (much) younger wife Sunny have arrived with their tiny Pomeranian Tammy Faye, and following are uninvited guests Vince's daughter Alyce and her husband Ryan, who despise Sunny.
At the winery, however, disaster strikes as Vince Baker collapses after what appears is a heart attack. However, the police determine it was foul play, and now Poppy must figure out if she has a murderer in her B & B while dealing with Aunt Ginny, a narcoleptic chambermaid, a dog, a cat, and her love triangle.
The novel was very funny, and fast paced. However, this is not a series to start at random. I really recommend people read from the very first book. While I did enjoy the fun parts, like Aunt Ginny fighting with Amazon's Alexa, there were parts that I did not like. Sometimes Poppy's friends were a bit too pushy for me, and Poppy too much of a pushover. Part of her problems were from them, and Aunt Ginny. I also felt that there were moments where Poppy needed to take a step back and breath, but she over dramatized a situation.
One of those situations was the love triangle that I just didn't agree with at all. There was something about one of the characters that just bothered me. The way this individual spoke to and about Poppy just set my teeth on edge. It wasn't rude exactly, but not something I think someone "in love" would say. Without giving away details, I was quite happy with the choice she made, but the cliff hanger might be what keeps me away from the next book.
Overall, I did like the book, but the cliff hanger was a bit too much for me. I have to rate this 3 out of 5 stars. If you like mytery, romance, baked goods, and fun times, then I recommend this novel.
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