ALC Review: A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham
A Brewed Awakening
Author: Pepper Basham
Narrators:
Ann Marie Gideon
Christopher Ashman
To Be Published: May 5, 2026
Audiobook: 13 hours 33 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: April 13-21, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
Daphne dreams of Mr. Darcy. Finn serves up pints and rock music. Can opposites attract when a tea shop princess meets her pub-owning rival? Perfect for fans of Courtney Walsh and Emma St. Clair.
In the charming mountain town of Wisteria, North Carolina, Daphne Austen clings to tradition like cream to a scone. She’s built her life–and her late grandmother’s tearoom, Tea Thyme–around all things English: delicate china, Jane Austen novels, and the comforting predictability of routine. The only thing threatening her perfectly ordered world? The loud, aggravatingly handsome Brit opening a pub next door.
After his ex-wife broke his heart and his business partner nearly destroyed his career, Finn Dashwood packed up his six-year-old daughter and left England behind. He’s looking for a fresh start, and the last thing he needs is a fussy, tea-obsessed neighbor criticizing his every pint and playlist. It doesn’t matter that she’s ridiculously kind (to everyone else) and that his daughter is utterly fascinated by her. Finn’s heart is not open to being broken again.
But disagreements turn into prank wars and then a competition when a high-profile wedding needs a last-minute caterer. The townsfolk are thrilled–Wisteria hasn’t seen this much excitement since the county fair lost a goat.
When the wedding demands both sweet and savory fare, Daphne and Finn are forced to put down their swords and pick up their serving trays. Between burnt pastries, brewing tempers, trending hashtags (#SipsAndSpats, anyone?), and one very adorable little girl, rivalry soon gives way to reluctant friendship–and maybe something that feels suspiciously like chemistry.
Can a tea shop princess and a pub owner with a past mix their lives as seamlessly as clotted cream and jam . . . or will their differences keep them steeped in rivalry forever?
Jessica’s Review:
A Brewed Awakening was such a fun read! Taking place in the fictional Appalachian town of Wisteria, NC, we have Daphne Austen who owns the tearoom Tea Thyme and then comes new to town British Finnley Dashwood who will be opening a pub named The Green Dragon right next door. In fact, the two businesses will share a wall! (Do you see the Jane Austen references already???)
This is a sweet slow burn romance that includes enemies to lovers, a single dad to an adorable daughter with a cleft palette, lots of humor, and some chemistry that the whole town joins in on with a rivalry on social media that consists of call outs, and hashtags galore! There was so much humor at the beginning of each chapter with the hashtags. The competition between the two intensifies when an influencer couple can’t decide on which business will host their wedding reception. Hello rivalry, it’s time to heat things up even more! The banter is abundant, and as a listener I was like “Just go ahead and get together!” The journey of the inevitable is always fun to go on, especially when it is this entertaining. But then… the direction the novel goes in is unexpected and it affects everyone in the entire town. This is a romcom that goes in a serious direction. This direction also shows how close the small town is in bringing everyone together. There is such community which we don’t really see anymore.
We have both Daphne and Finn as our povs and the narrators did a great job! An extra bravo to Christopher Ashman who was superb as Finn Dashwood. Both he and Ann Marie Gideon brought the story to life and definitely portrayed the chemistry just as it was needed to be!
I really enjoyed this story and the fact that it was clean with no spice made it even better! Sometimes no spice can be what a reader/listener needs!
Many thanks to the publisher for granting me an advanced listening copy to listen to and review! This one releases tomorrow, May 5, 2026!
Pre-Order Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audiobook Review: Without a Clue by Melissa Ferguson
Without a Clue
Author: Melissa Ferguson
Narrator: Karissa Vacker
Published: February 17, 2026
Audiobook: 8 hours 43 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: February 24-28, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
When a mystery writer mysteriously dies on a cruise filled with rabid fans, his protégé (and personal assistant) teams up with a rugged cowboy and fellow writer to crack the case. One part Only Murders in the Building, one part Book Lovers, and a whole lot of laughs, Without a Clue will keep readers guessing and swooning until the very end.
If there’s one thing Penelope Mae Dupont prizes most, it’s her composure–her ability to stay calm in the face of stress. It’s a vital trait in her job as a personal assistant to renowned mystery author Hugh Griffin. But when Pip organizes a book cruise featuring The Fabulous Seven–seven celebrated authors from different genres who have supported each other through thick and thin–her famed composure is in danger of sailing away. One boat, hundreds of devoted readers, and seven Big Personalities. What could possibly go wrong?
Disaster strikes when, on the second day of the cruise, Hugh is found murdered. And, in the face of gross incompetence by the on-board security force, Pip realizes she’ll need to be the one to discover who did it. With the ship stranded in the middle of the Atlantic and no help on the horizon, it’s up to her to unravel the mystery. Along with her friend Nash–a dreamy Western author who’s just as rugged as the cowboys he writes about. As Pip’s composure starts to sink faster than a leaky dinghy, Nash becomes her anchor in a storm of clues and red herrings.
With Nash at her side, Penelope dives into the murky depths of the mystery, navigating treacherous waters filled with unexpected twists and turns. No one, not even a desperately hopeful mystery sleuth named Pip, could anticipate the wild ride ahead. Whether she likes it or not, she is on the adventure of a lifetime . . . and maybe, just maybe, she’ll find love along the way.
In this laugh-out-loud funny Clue-meets-Emily-Henry rom-com, Penelope Mae Dupont is about to find out that in the world of mystery and romance, you have to risk going overboard to find the truth.
Jessica’s Review:
This was such a fun novel to listen to! And Karissa Vacker narrated it: She is a narrator I look out for, so when I saw this one, I had to listen to it!
We have Penelope (Pip) who has organized a book cruise (that would be so much fun to go on!) featuring The Fabulous Seven and the cruise is seemingly going well until… we have a murder of one of the seven! And it was committed by another one of the seven! On board security is useless so Pip finds herself having to ‘catch’ the killer… without harm coming to anyone else. And along the journey comes a possible love connection… or is it?
Again, Without a Clue was so much fun! The listener gets a little bit of everything: mystery intrigue, murder, and maybe a love connection! Come on this cruise and follow Pip figure out just what is going on! You’ll be in for an adventure all the way unto the end! I was not expecting the novel to go the way it did!
If you need a fun read with some murder and intrigue, give Without a Clue a read or listen! Many thanks to the publisher for granting me an audio copy to listen and review. I enjoyed this one!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Novella Review: Booked for the Holidays by Liz Maverick
Booked for the Holidays
Author: Liz Maverick
Narrators:
Eva Kaminsky
Andrew Eiden
Published: November 14, 2024
Audiobook: 3 hours 49 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: December 3-4, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 3.5 stars
Novella Description:
Brighten the holidays with this funny, heartfelt rom-com about the stories—and the love—that we never forget.
When mystery author D. B. Ziegler is late delivering her book, Abi Schore steps in to help. Surely she can give her favorite author moral support over the holiday break and get the manuscript to her boss at Tea & Sympathy Publishing in time for the new year.
When Abi shows up on Ms. Ziegler’s doorstep bearing holiday treats, she’s met by the author’s handsome grandson Dov, who reveals a startling plot twist. His grandmother isn’t able to finish the book and Dov promised he’d complete it so fans won’t be disappointed—a task that’s harder than he ever imagined.
As Hanukkah unfolds, Abi and Dov cozy up in his grandmother’s brownstone apartment working their way through his writer’s block and untangling plot threads. Before long, the novel starts taking shape … and so does their simmering attraction. Will their own story end once the book is written, or is this just the first chapter?
Jessica’s Review:
This was a really cute novella! It’s a rom-com and very obvious what is going to happen, but isn’t that was a rom-com is all about?!?!? A ‘break’ from reality to enjoy a sweet story?
This book has a theme that has become recurring over recent years: For various reasons an author isn’t able to finish a book he or she was writing so it’s left to someone else (or two someone’s…) to finish the book.
A plus for me was that the characters are Jewish! I haven’t read many books with Jewish characters. Another plus was the super adorable pup that shows up: I absolutely adored Oslow!
There were two narrators: Eva Kaminsky and Andrew Eiden. They both did a good job with their narrations.
An enjoyable novella with Jewish characters and today was perfect time to review it as Hanukkah has just started. It is extremely rare that the world has Christmas and Hanukkah starting on the same day
Purchase Links: This one is only available on Audible
Amazon US
Amazon UK