Book Review of 'Home Baked Bribery' by Gina Holder

Happy Tuesday Bookworms!

If you're not hungry when you're reading this then get ready to be enticed! Not only is today Taco Tuesday (yum!) but the novel I am featuring today is positively delectable!

I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this delectible Cozy Mystery and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours!

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Home Baked Bribery by Gina Holder, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Home Baked Bribery
Series: Addie Masters Mysteries #2
Author: Gina Holder
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: March 4, 2025
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Christian

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?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

My Review

If you’re looking for a novel with deliciously captivating imagery, small-town vibes, and the overall excitement of a local baking competition, then Home Baked Bribery is right up your alley.

Jumping into the series midway through was a little tricky, but once I got my bearings and figured out who was who, I was off and running. There are a lot of characters that are tossed about at the beginning of the book but it didn’t take me long to feel a connection to this world.

When the baking competition first kicked off, I could feel the excitement radiating off the pages. I love a good food competition, as the atmosphere is almost electric and the excitement is amped up to one hundred. Hearing about the recipes that were being made seriously made me salivate every time I picked up the novel and it actually gave me the itch to bake, which is something I never do.

Home Baked Bribery is a decent whodunnit that keeps you guessing until the very end, though I was pretty sure I knew the culprit the majority of the time. I do wish the investigation itself would’ve felt more authentic, as there were so many moments that Addie was privy to information that only someone in law enforcement would be given and overall felt too far-fetched. That being said, I still enjoyed this cozy baking mystery!

My Rating: ★★★★

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.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!