Sugar Mountain series by Kirsten Fullmer
- Trouble on Main Street, Mar 2020, 300 pages
- Where There’s Smoke, Apr 2020, 244 pages
- Shadows in the Salon, Jul 2020, 282 pages
- Problems at the Pub, Nov 2020, 270 pages
KU, Cozy Romance Mysteries, 4-4.5 Stars
The covers are done in a charming artwork style that seems to go along with the feel of the stories and the characters in them. You get the sense of a cozy, small town with people who all know each other and work together to take care of their town.
“A cozy mountain town, a sweet romance, and a secret society of sneaky women…
The sleepy hamlet of Sugar Mountain harbors a secret society of women. Don’t misunderstand—the society itself is not secret—it’s the true nature of the group that is hush-hush.” That’s the way the synopsis starts out for the first book. And once you actually get into the books and start reading the prologues, it gets even worse. But first, a bit about each book.
Slightly Revealing*
Trouble on Main Street is Heidi’s story. Heidi is the postmaster and lives in an old historical house right on Main Street with her 14 year-old son, Tyler. She’s also the current head of the Sugar Mountain Ladies Historical Society. When she sorts the mail that morning she’s disconcerted by a long tube package with bloody handprints on it which appears to have already been delivered to the Mayor’s office and been sent back. Then, Nancy, the town gossip, comes in with news that they are going to be demolishing the old houses on Main Street (where Heidi lives) to make way for a mall. While she’s there, a new resident comes in to get his mail. Nancy does her best to get information out of good looking Adam without any real success. He succeeds in ruffling Heidi’s feathers, too, with his lack of forthcomingness. Being the postmaster, she might actually need some of that information Nancy is digging for and he is so cagily keeping to himself. Then she remembers she already has it. Later, at the meeting of the Ladies Historical Society, she’s not her usual calm and collected self with all this on her mind, but she manages to send her ladies out on missions to gather information.
Not Revealing*
Where There’s Smoke is Sarah and Hugh’s story. Sarah is the new kindergarten teacher in Sugar Mountain Elementary. She loves teaching her little children, but she’s shy with adults, unless it has something to do with her children. Sarah wants to have a firefighter come talk to the children and Hugh is the one who volunteers. Sarah’s pretty. Hugh is handsome. They start meeting for coffee. But we need a mystery, don’t we. Heidi has invited Sarah to be the newest member of the Historical Society. She’s hesitant at first, but the ladies put her at ease quickly. Well, the ladies do find a mystery, of course. Sarah has a secret, too. Heidi has her ladies go out on their missions, and Hugh does his part, too. We even get a front row seat at one of the ladies’ reenactments.
Slightly Revealing*
Shadows in the Salon is Michelle’s story. Michelle owns the hair salon and lives in a tiny apartment upstairs that she has put her personal stamp on. It’s not that she can’t afford a bigger place, she can, but she loves the cozy, personalized place she has created for herself. She’s been married three times and this place is just for her. She’s a very colorful personality and each and every piece in her apartment was chosen with care to reflect that. It’s also been positioned with care and thought so that she is as comfortable as she can be in her space. But what (or who) is haunting her space? And her salon. Could it have anything to do with this new client she had that morning when her clippers shocked her and she shaved the back of his head? Who is Matt? He’s very charming and handsome. He’s just her type. And he’s asking her to go to lunch with him at the pub across the street on her lunch break. Heidi and the rest of the ladies of the society will have to get involved before this all gets figured out and all the skeletons get revealed.
Slightly Revealing*
Problems at the Pub is where the ladies really shine. This is Monique and Tony’s story for romance. Monique owns the pub and has heard that the Mayor is planning on raising taxes on business properties. She’s been hoping to buy a house eventually. She lives in a room up over the pub and has since she took it over, but she’s always wanted a home of her own where she could have a family and a dog and get away from the business a bit. If the town raises taxes on the business, she may not be able to afford the house. Then there is the Mayor’s new assistant. Now that he’s caught up on the filing, what is he up to? Not just flirting with Monique. Heidi and the ladies of the society have the aid of Sarah’s kindergarteners in infiltrating the Town Offices to get at the truth of the matter. And what a shocker for them all!
I’m hoping the author writes more in this series since I’ve really enjoyed it and all its characters. Recommended.
a thoughtful reveal 