Billionaire Blend (Coffeehouse Mystery Series #13)

Great mystery

I had to read this book for school. It was slow at the beginning but after certain events, you won't be able to stop reading what happens next!

I have read every book in the coffeehouse mystery series. Every one of them is a wonderful and great mystery. Cleo Coyle has a great cast of people in her books and a wonderful and interesting main character. There is Claire who is co-owner of a coffeehouse in New York City, and other great characters who appear in many of the books. These books have great plots, interesting characters and always leave me guessing. Cleo Coyle is a wonderful writer and I highly recommend this book.

This series just keeps getting better. I like cozy mysteries: well thought out plots with a minimum of gore. Cleo Coyle manages that really well, but this time she added elements of international intrigue and a higher level of "on the edge of your seat" excitement. Then you add the luscious recipes and it's heaven (with a side of devilishness). A totally great read.

Great read.

I have always enjoyed Coffehouse Mysteries and its many colorful characters. However, Mike Quinn could use a cold shower and tone down his sexual desires when it comes to Clare. As much as we're supposed to believe he truly cares for her, his feelings are overshadowed by his constant need to jump in bed with her often making it seem like emotional blackmail. Seems as though it's the only thing on his mind and it reinforces his character as always getting what he wants.

Cleo Coyle has done it again with an intricate, page-turning mystery, romantic drama between Village Blend owner Clare Cosi and her now-living-in-DC cop boyfriend Mike Quinn as well as that between Clare's daughter Joy and her cop boyfriend, Emmanuel Franco, and techie drama galore. While billionaires seem to be a dime a dozen ever since Christian Grey rolled onto the scene (don't miss the great Fifty Shades joke embedded in Billionaire Blend), this one is different. Eric Thorner is a tech whiz billionaire who wants the best, including the best coffee. He's used to getting his way, and he wants Clare's coffee expertise--as well as her body. When he almost dies in an explosion outside her coffee shop, he tries to sweep her off her feet and makes her an offer that neither she nor her ex-husband and current business partner Matteo (Matt) Allegro can refuse. Together the three travel the globe, which is a new twist for this series; usually we only hear about Matt's coffee sourcing exploits when he's returned. While one of the things I love best about this series is its New York-centered view and tidbits of history about the city, it was fascinating to see Clare get out of her familiar settings and to learn about how coffee affects people in various locations. There's always been a nod to the old-fashioned way of doing things in this series, even though it's firmly set in modern times. From Matt's mother's elegance to the Village Blend's sense of artistic and Big Apple history, Clare's family and business have never been about doing things faster and speedier. So the fun technological prowess of Thorner and his company, from bathroom holograms to very smart phones to the seemingly omniscient Miss House, who gives Clare directions and seems to have eyes everywhere, is a treat. This is one of the most tightly plotted series I've read. I do recommend reading them in order, though technically you don't have to. There are so many little clues and red herrings and references here that make this book both a page-turning mystery and simply a fun read. Even after you're done with the whodunnit, there are recipes galore, including skillet lasagna, which also give a bit of backstory to the characters and when/why they've made each recipe. Coyle adds depth to all the ongoing relationships in the series, romantic and familial--the sideline about Joy's restaurant job in France and the unexpected opportunity to cook for fancy billionaires is a delight--and lets Clare's smarts shine through while never making anything easy to guess. Enjoy this with your favorite cup of coffee, and be prepared to keep refilling it as you stay glued to the story.

Clare Cosi knows her coffee, knows the culture of coffee, and knows the industry. She is also not afraid to use her Irish Cream Caramel Nut Fudge to its full advantage. I thought for sure I would find out who the murderer was before the end of my first pot of Ethiopian Blend. There was something different about Billionaire Blend. Maybe it was the taut sequence of events, the relevance to America today, or Clare’s maternal motivations. Get ready for a slow glide uphill, meeting people, drinking coffee, settling comfortably into the story, then – boom. Really. A very big boom shattering the walls of The Village Blend. The stakes are high in this book, the crimes are realistic, and the careful research will leave you with plenty of notes on the IT world, details of the life of a bomb, and the pursuit of perfect coffee beans. Weaving in and out of the plot is a strong thread of Clare’s maternal strength. I know I keep saying the most recent one is my favorite, but it’s true. Each release has character growth, new scenarios, new things to learn about coffee, and more devious planting of clues for this reader to figure out before the last chapter. But I didn’t see this one coming. Flipping back through the pages and re-reading where I clearly had been led astray through the author’s devious red herrings, I thought “Oh so clever Cleo Coyle you got me this time.” I like these people and I care what happens, how they extricate themselves from situations, and how they grow after each book. This is a great read, perfect for the cozy genre audience, and not only will you adore the characters, you’ll love Cleo Coyle all over again for bringing these people into your home and giving you an evening of pure reading pleasure. Enjoy the caffeinated adventure!

Another very creative story in the coffeehouse mystery series! This time we have billionaires among the possible guilty suspects that are causing havoc that may cause the coffeehouse unrepairable damage. As usual a creative plot that offers up multiple suspects to choose from although this one seems a bit more obvious the storyline still is enjoyable and intriguing.

I loved reading this series at one time but its just gotten so far fetched and out of touch with me as a fan. The Clair I used to love and feel I could relate to and admire has just gotten too fancy pants for me. She was once classy and strong in a relatable sort of way but now she seems to have outgrown me. I only made it a third of the way through before I was compleyely borred.

I think this book is mostly for people that people that love coffee :)

This, the now 13th visit to The Village Blend, entertains as only Cleo Coyle continues to do. Tech Billionaire Eric Thorne is almost killed in a bizarre car bombing that does kill his driver, who is a PI investigating strange goings on. Clare saves Eric's life and his gratitude is a bit overwhelming as he pills all sorts of strings and rebuilds the aging coffeehouse which was giving Clare, Matteo and Madame huge headaches that cost waaaaay to much to fix. And now, a grateful Eric has "fixed" that, and put others in fixes of their own. This must have been a fun manuscript. What if you had absolutely no limit on what you could do? You could save a way of life! Promote your favorite restaurant! Give a chef a day off! Make a donut without a hole...... Eric surrounds himself with saavy people, but he's still a bit of a clueless kid. Give him technology, and sure, he's in his element, but he can still be manipulated. And that's exactly what is happening. Only,Clare ain't buyin' it if it drives wedges into her personal life, or her family's life. Interspersed with Clare's wonderfill coffee "recipes", Coyle has done her characters proud as they too, become more connected to a technical world. The scene where they "tone down" Esther Best is wirth the whole book! Wonderful story that makes me crave our local coffee shoppe! Here's to many more

There are a few go-to names when it comes to Cozy Mystery writers. Cleo Coyle is one of them. Coyle releases her 13th Coffeehouse mystery and takes readers on a journey through the upper echelon's of the coffee business, and into the cutthroat competitive world looking for the perfect blend. Billionaire Blend is just that, the perfect blend of interesting coffee facts, great recipes, engaging characters and hair-raising mystery. Coyle has a great way of putting it all together and taking the reader along for the ride. A great addition to this well loved series! What I liked: Oh, where to start! Cleo Coyle has long been one of my very favorites in the cozy genre. This husband and wife team work so seamlessly together, you would never know there are two authors from reading the books. When I started to think about all the things I liked about this book and this series, I could start clicking them off on my fingers and thought I'd give you a little list to start this one out: The fantastic cover art The absorbing coffee facts The Greenwich Village setting The coffeehouse atmosphere The gripping mysteries The compelling lead characters, Clare I could go on and on! There are just so many things that endear me to this series. And Billionaire Blend is one my favorites of the series so far. This book gives the reader a behind the scenes look and the coffee business and a big business it is. I had no idea it was so competitive and I loved being an outsider looking in at what was happening. Coyle has a knack for making the reader feel like a fly on the wall, whether it is in the Village Blend coffeehouse or jet setting across the world looking for that elusive perfect mix. Clare Cosi is one of the best cozy heroines out there. She's intelligent and observant. Readers find in her someone with knowledge about more than just coffee. 13 books into the series, I still feel like a learn something new about Clare in each book and something I didn't know beforehand about coffee or sleuthing. Coyle gives Clare this sense of kindness and duty to find out the answers and solve the mysteries in each book. This time she up to eyeballs in trying to figure out why genius Eric Thorner just about bought it in an explosion that killed his driver, injured him and nearly took out the coffeehouse. She is true to form figuring out the clues and keeps readers riveted to the plot. The coffee culture has changed so much over the years and I love the feel I get when I go into a coffeehouse and feel that atmosphere. Clare's coffeehouse, The Village Blend is definitely a place I would love to hang out. The setting just comes alive and I find myself wishing I could grab a cup of joe and walk around Greenwich Village every time I read one of these books. It's obvious that Coyle knows the city, the village and the culture and it gives the series and this book an authenticity that is often missing in cozies. What I didn't like: Absolutely nothing! Bottom Line: Billionaire Blend has so much going on in it. From the mystery of who is trying to kill Eric, to Clare's relationship ship with Mike, to finding the perfect blend. I think Coyle did a fantastic job with pacing and just let the pieces fall together as they may. It wasn't a furious pace, but it kept me turning the pages long into the night. This is a favorite series of mine and I can't recommend it enough!

Dollycas’s Thoughts This was a very entertaining read. Coyle has a great crew of regular characters that readers have come to love more with each new story. In this installment she adds Eric Thorner, his sister, his business associates and his rival. Clare and Matt get caught up in all the drama of Thorn Enterprises and realize that are also putting themselves in great danger. The author has brewed a very tight plot line that really captivated this reader. The dialogue is smart and full of humor. I love the way the city of New York is described especially the fancy restaurant Eric took Clare to for dinner. I felt like I was across the room taking in the whole experience. I also enjoyed a surprise destination Eric arranges for Clare too! Yes, this is the 13th book in the series and I must admit I need to catch up on a couple of the ones I have missed but the author writes these stories in such a way that they can be read as stand alone. So if this is a new series to you or you have missed a book or two don’t fret, you will be engaged in this story very quickly. But then I just know you are going to want to read them all. Oh and did I mention the recipes!!! They will grab you too!!

I have been a big fan of the Coffeehouse Mystery series by Cleo Coyle for several years now, but this was the first time for the audiobook version. I chose this book from the Audiobook Jukebox Solid Gold Reviewers Program because I have just haven't had the time to read the next book in the series but really wanted to. Clare Cosi is the manager of the Village Blend, a landmark coffee house located in historic Greenwich Village.  Her baristas have been telling her about a man who has been coming in every day about the same time and quizing them on exotic and rare coffee drinks, and yet never ordering any of them. They have taken to calling him the Quizmaster. On this particular day, the Quizmaster arrives a bit early, while Clare is going off duty.  Clare thinks that he is headhunter for one of the big name coffee houses on the West Coast, coming in to poach her baristas and decides to give him just enough rope to allow her to throw him out, once and for all.  However, it turns out that the Quizmaster is actually the Eric Thorner, aka the Baby Billionaire, a young man who has made his money in technology and apps. After he is impressed by Clare's knowledge of coffee and it's history, Eric is in the process of offering Clare a business opportunity when an explosion racks the Village Blend due to a car bomb in Eric's limo, double parked out front. Rebecca Gibel did an excellent job with narrating the book. She totally nailed Clare, Mike, Matt, Joy, and Tucker's voices from my head. Madame's and Ester's voices weren't quite what I had been expecting, but they grew on me. I think I will be switching over to audiobook for the next books in the series as well. Rebecca just made the world come alive for me. This was the first story in a the entire series that I was slightly disappointed in. Everything was so far over the top, whether is was luxuries or schemes. I missed Clare's more down to earth sensibilities, even as she has been on the fringe of high society in other books.  This book placed her smack dab in the middle of the highest and most rarefied echelons. Though I was pleased to see that Clare didn't let any of it go to her head and eventually managed to free herself from the worst of the 1% shenanigans. I gave this book 3 stars. 

Clare Cosi and all the crew at New York's legendary Village Coffeehouse are back in the latest adventures in this series.  Finally out in Audible, which is my guilty pleasure for this favorite cozy series of mine . A young billionaire Internet genius, Eric, has been making daily visits to Clare's coffeehouse, drilling all her baristas on differing coffee drinks.  Clare suspects he's planning to filch her best ones, but before she can question him about this, a car bomb explodes outside of the shop, killing his driver and injuring people in the coffeehouse. Injured Eric was aided by Clare, and now he seems bent on giving her present upon present.  Clare gets involved with the bomb squad to investigate who wants to kill Eric. As always, this coffeehouse mystery if full of coffee facts, and compellingly interesting information on the subjects of this mystery--bomb squad of New York, billionaire's lifestyles, foodie events, and internet apt development.  The best part is that all this information is integral to the mystery and adds so much to the fun of these books.  The Audible narrator is excellent, accents and all. Of corse , we also delve more into Clare's love life with her New York cop, and Clare's daughter and ex husband's adventures too .  Love love love this series.  Recommend it to all cozy lovers whether your a coffee fan or not!!