A good concept, likeable characters and pretty good plotting, but some incredible moments of bad writing, including most of chapter 17. Also, what is up with MC's with wild, red, frizzy hair? 3 books out of the last 5...

Recently made redundant from her event-planning job, Pepper sets the stage for a perfect marriage proposal as a favor to her soon-to-be brother-in-law and he's impressed enough to suggest she start her own business planning proposals and engagement parties. But after the happy couple fly off for a romantic weekend, Pepper finds a dead body in the bathroom and her sister's finance is the prime suspect.

Pepper comes within a hair of sledgehammer investigative tactics and I don't know if the author wants us to think Pepper has the naïveté of a 5 year old, or just dropped the ball with the dialogue but there were quite a few moments about half-way in that were just...I don't know - dumb. This is when I envy e-books, because I'd be able to highlight the passages that had me saying "are you kidding me?!?" out loud and I could paste them here. Instead I'll just point out that I don't like Pepper's mother, and Pepper herself needs to learn that police investigators do not get their badges from the bottom of a Cracker Jack box.


It's easy to rattle on about things that didn't work, but mostly the book did work for me - much more than I thought it would (I'm not a fan of engagement "productions" or, actually, weddings) and a lot of the book is very readable. The murder plot itself was really well done too - the author was steering me one way while she was taking the murder another way entirely. It's because of the 75% of the story that is good that the other 25% stand out so starkly.

I'll read the second one - hopefully the kinks are worked out by then. ( )

Engaged in Murder is the first in the Perfect Proposals series. It had an interesting premise so I was excited to read it. Pepper Pomeroy is a currently unemployed event planner. Her sister’s boyfriend, Warren, wants her to arrange a surprise proposal on his private jet. Pepper has fun planning the surprise and it comes off as a great success – except for the dead body she finds.

Pepper is likeable and seems to be a competent event planner. She has unmanageable hair and stumbles into situations – kind of like a light version of Stephanie Plum. Some of the things she says and thinks are laugh out loud funny. Her family is close and seems pretty normal, but she seems a little too anxious to please her sister, who comes off as rather spoiled. Her boyfriend Bobby is a loser who seems to be stuck in high school. At the beginning of the story I wondered what was wrong with her that she felt she needed to put up with his behavior, especially at her age and if she is to be believed as an independent businesswoman. As the story progressed, however, she dealt with Bobby in a satisfactory manner and seemed more mature. There even seems to be a little spark with Gage.

The mystery was good and kept me guessing and worrying about Pepper’s safety. I wasn’t sure about Warren until the end of the book and had several characters on my list of suspects. Pepper put herself in some dangerous situations but seems to be learning. After all, this is her first murder.

This was a fun read and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. ( )

Engaged in Murder A Perfect Proposals Mystery Book 1 by Nancy J Parra is a great fun read. What does a recently unemployed event planner do, she plans the perfect setting for her sisters fiancé Warren to propose. She wants everything perfect for her sister Felicity and Warren makes arrangements to use a plane for the proposal, Pepper is excited to decorate the plane and make it just the way her sister Felicity always dreamed her proposal would be. Everything is going great until Pepper stumbles upon a man, who she thinks is passed out, in the women's bathroom. Things are not always what they seem. Pepper needs to solve the mystery, save her sisters day, and get her business started. I really enjoyed this book and think it will be another great series from author Nancy J Parra.

Pepper is a resourceful, creative woman who has a knack for finding trouble. She is strong, inquisitive, and independent which makes her just right for being an event planner and for doing her own detective work into this mystery. I like the dynamic between Pepper and her sister as well as her and her parents. I love how they could all be one of us. You really can relate to Pepper and her family. I enjoyed her creations for the different engagement parties and Nancy J Parra describes these parties in a way that makes you be able to imagine stepping into the party yourselves. There is more to the story than just a mystery I believe. There is the hope of love, romance, but also it is Pepper learning to grow into her own person and becoming a force in her love life, her family, and her business. This is an unique book just by Pepper being an event planner but add to that murder, mystery and love and it mixes into a unique great read. I propose you engage in reading this book and be prepared to be swept away in the mystery and the creativity of Pepper. I loved this book and will look forward to the next one in the series.

Remember the book release day is tomorrow June 3, 2014 so be sure to pick up your copy and enjoy.

If you want more information on this book and the author go to her website at
nancyjparra.com

I was given this ARC by the author and publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion of this book. ( )