"In Smothered, readers are going to want to make sure they have a drink and a snack on hand because you are going to be spending a lot of time in the Whipped and Sipped Cafe where everything sounds delicious! You will be working alongside Alene Baron, the owner of the cafe, as she navigates being a single mom to three kids, taking care of her elderly father, runs the cafe and tries to have a relationship with homicide detective Frank Shaw. Unfortunately, besides her having a busy life, Alene seems to get in the middle of a murder. Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

I think my favorite character might be Cal, Alene's father. He is suffering from a debilitating disease but has such a great outlook on life and what he is going through. I do enjoy the Chicago setting and based on what I read, it sounds like most everything for Alene is close to where she lives and I feel like I am able to take a peek into her world. This is a fun new series. StoreyBook Reviews

Gottlieb infuses empathy and clever red herrings into the fun Smothered. I'm looking forward to the next one! Amy Alessio, Author of the bestselling Alana O'Neill vintage recipe mysteries