Book ~ "Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue" (2018) Stephanie Blackmoore

From Goodreads ~ A celebrity couple getting hitched on Valentine's Day would be a big boost for Mallory Shepard's wedding planning business but someone's got cold feet: a corpse.

Actress Dakota Craig is set to tie the knot with her famous musician boyfriend at Mallory's Pennsylvania B&B on the most romantic day of the year. Best of all, the whole thing will air on the reality TV show "I Do". But the maid of honor has dropped out of the wedding party - by dropping dead. 

A lot of people insist the show must go on so Mallory's investigation keeps getting sidetracked by everything from a meddling mother to a foot of snow to a side project making arrangements for a high school Winter Ball. But if she doesn't catch the noxious culprit, the bride might wind up with a funeral wreath instead of a bouquet.

Mallory and her sister, Rachel, run Thistle Inn, a B&B, and are also wedding planners.  Actress Dakota and country singer Beau are getting married at the inn on Valentine's Day.  In addition, the wedding is getting filmed for the reality TV show, I Do.  Though the hostess of the show is causing issues, this is going to be great exposure for Mallory and Rachel's wedding planning business and the inn.  When the maid of honour is found murdered, the wedding still goes on but any number of people could have killed her. 

In addition, Mallory and Rachel got roped into hosting the local high school's Winter Ball.  It should be an easy project except Helene, Mallory's almost-mother-in-law, is on the planning committee and the rest of the committee had overruled everything she had wanted while she was out of town.  Though inwardly Mallory is happy about it, she has to experience the wrath of Helene when it's discovered.

This is the third in the Wedding Planner Mystery series and I liked it (I recently read the first two).  You don't need to have read the first ones as this one works well as a stand alone (there is enough background information provided).

I liked the writing style ... it is written in first person perspective from Mallory's point of view.  I thought the story was interesting and there were lots of people who could have "dunnit".  It kept me guessing until the end.  I found there was a lot going on, though ... so many sub-plots.  There are recipes at the end which sound delicious.

Mallory is dating her neighbour, Garrett.  They started dating in book two and I'm not finding a lot of attraction or heat between them ... they hold hands and he kisses her forehead.  Maybe because it's considered a "cozy mystery"?

I look forward to reading others in this series and by this author.

Book ~ "Murder Wears White" (2017) Stephanie Blackmoore

From Goodreads ~ Mallory hopes to unveil her new B&B just in time for her first ceremony as a wedding planner. The renovations to Thistle Park, the mansion she inherited in small-town Port Quincy, Pennsylvania, are almost complete. But what Mallory didn't plan on is the bride's aunt being poisoned at the wedding tasting and her perfect venue becoming a crime scene. 

Adding to the mystery is the discovery that this is not the first murder in the bridal family and, as Mallory becomes engaged in her own investigation, she learns the man convicted of the crime may not be guilty. 

Now she has two crimes to solve before the bride walks down the aisle but a killer has other plans to ensure that Mallory forever holds her peace.

Mallory is a former lawyer.  She had recently inherited a mansion from Sylvia, her almost grandmother-in-law.  Mallory had been engaged to Sylvia's grandson, Keith, but broke it off when she discovered he was cheating.  Around this time, Sylvia passed away and left Mallory her rundown mansion and land.  Needless to say, Keith and his mother, Helene, were not pleased but Mallory and her sister, Rachel, saw the potential of turning it into a B 'n B and a place to hold weddings and has been working to make that happen.

Mallory's first wedding is scheduled in the fall.  When the bride's aunt is murdered during a tasting and it's discovered the man who was convicted of killing her mother 20 years ago may be innocent, the bride is determined to carry on.  And it appears that Mallory's house is haunted by Sylvia's mother.  And if Mallory doesn't get the necessary approvals from the city, the wedding and Mallory's business aren't going to happen.

This is the second in the Wedding Planner Mystery series and I liked it (I read the first one last week).  You don't need to have read the first one as this one works well as a stand alone (there is enough background information provided).

I liked the writing style ... it is written in first person perspective from Mallory's point of view.  I thought the story was interesting and there were lots of people who could have "dunnit" ... there were actually a few "whodunnits".  It kept me guessing until the end.  There are recipes at the end which sound delicious.

I look forward to reading others in this series and by this author.

Book ~ "Engaged in Death" (2016) Stephanie Blackmoore

From Goodreads ~ All appears peaceful in sleepy Port Quincy, Pennsylvania - but in this small town, old grudges die hard.

After dumping her cheating fiancé and cancelling the wedding, Mallory Shepard can't bear another disaster. So when the former bride-to-be unexpectedly inherits Thistle Park, a ramshackle mansion in her ex's hometown of Port Quincy, it's a problem she can't afford - literally. Abound with stray cats, peeling wallpaper and nosy neighbors, Mallory is dying to sell it off - once she finally fixes up both the place and her messy life.

Turns out, Thistle Park has its charms. But the honeymoon phase is abruptly cut short when an unwanted visitor is found dead on the front lawn. Enlisting the help of her sister Rachel, Mallory vows to unveil the killer before she herself becomes married to the suspect list.

Mallory, a lawyer, is engaged to Keith, a lawyer.  Three weeks away from their wedding she discovers he has been cheating on her and she breaks up with him.  Sylvia, Keith's grandmother, passes away unexpectedly and leaves Mallory her rundown mansion and land.  Needless to say, Keith and his mother, Helene, are not pleased and do what they can to get this reversed.

Mallory and her free spirit sister, Rachel, move into the house (they have nowhere else to go).  They have dreams of turning it into a B 'n B and a place to hold weddings but they can't afford to make the repairs so Mallory considers selling.  A fracking company offers to buy it from her but this goes against Sylvia's wishes.  Then the rep is found murdered in Mallory's front yard and there are a number of people who had wanted him dead.

There are rumours there are valuable paintings hidden in the house.  If Mallory can find them, she can afford to fix up the house and fulfill her dreams.  But she's not the only one looking for them.  If it's just a rumour, she has no choice but to sell to whoever will buy.

This is the first in the Wedding Planner Mystery series and I liked it (plus I like finding series).  I liked the writing style ... it is written in first person perspective from Mallory's point of view.  I thought the story was interesting and there were lots of people who could have "dunnit".  It kept me guessing until the end.  The editing could have been better, though, as there were typos.  There are recipes at the end which sound delicious.

I look forward to reading others in this series and by this author.