Degrees of Affection

I never read a cozy mystery this soon after publication and I think I'll refrain from doing so from now on. Seriously, I can NOT wait for the next one to come.

There were many things l liked about this intro volume. One was that we actually got to meet and really become acquainted with the characters (and that contains multiple definitions!) of this small Maine town. I absolutely love Sarah; she's...believable. Strong at times and yet also flawed and very real, she's finding her way again in a town surrounded by friends and people who are like family to her. She's been...hired/adopted by an intelligent cat named Elvis while she's creating a new business - an antique shop with a repurposed flair to many of its offerings. A gaggle of older women, friends of her grandmother, have adopted her and they are the ones to lead her into attempting to solve the mystery. A friend from her teen years has also moved back, Nick Elliot, who clearly has his eye on her and she has a good friend Jess who drags her out to be around people (and vice versa). The town, the business, and the people come alive in this book and I loved it.

There didn't seem to be a love triangle...but I'll admit, I'm not a fan of Nick. At all. He's okay and I can't put my finger on why I don't care for him but I don't. I love Mac. Oh my word, he's my favorite character. He kinda stands in the back but when he's front and center, he cheers Sarah up or simply makes something work. I can't wait to learn more about him. (PLEASE may there be more about him!)

And for the most part, I found the mystery interesting. You could pick out the probably victim from basically the sixth page, as Sarah expresses unease about him and the item he sold her and now wants back. I was like...yeah, he's going to die. Considering many of her friends, what Arthur Fenety was involved in is not surprising either. In the end, though, I felt like the mystery was a cheat.

I'm definitely going to be following this series closely and hope to buy this soon. While it was less then perfect, it was one of the better I've read and I absolutely love the people in this town. I can't wait to return to North Harbor, Maine!