Title: Grandma Ruth Doesn’t Go To Funerals
Author: Sharon Mondragon

Release date: February 11, 2025

Description:

In a small town where gossip flows like sweet tea, bedridden Mary Ruth McCready reigns supreme, doling out wisdom and meddling in everyone’s business with a fervor that would make a matchmaker blush. When her best friend, Charlotte Harrington, has her world rocked by a scandalous revelation from her dying husband P. B., Mary Ruth kicks into high gear, commandeering the help of her favorite granddaughter, Sarah Elizabeth, in tracking down the truth. Finding clues in funeral condolence cards and decades-old gossip dredged up at the Blue Moon Beauty Emporium, the two stir up trouble faster than you can say “pecan pie.”

And just when things are starting to look up, in waltzes Camilla “Millie” Holtgrew, a blast from P. B.’s past, with a grown son and an outrageous claim to Charlotte’s inheritance. But as Grandma Ruth always says when things get tough, “God is too big.” With him, nothing is impossible–even bringing long-held secrets to light. Grandma Ruth and Sarah just might have to ruffle a whole mess of feathers to do it.

MY THOUGHTS: I absolutely loved this book. I wasn’t sure how it was going to be categorized at first but as I continued it, I decided it was a cozy mystery with no murder. No matter what genre it fits in, it is a super cute, super well-written, and hilarious book that I could not put down.

I actually read this on Hoopla so I had to read it on my phone. I hate reading on my phone but didn’t mind for this book because it was so entertaining. I will be buying a paperback to add to my physical book collection because I do plan to read it again in the future.

The characters in this book are super charming, funny, and lovable.

A little background on the book: Sarah McCready is the granddaughter of Mary Ruth McGready, the family matriarch who can’t leave home anymore after falling and injuring her hip. Before her injury she was always busy and attending community functions, including funerals. Now that she can’t attend funerals or other events, she sends Sarah for her and then asks for a report when Sarah gets home.

Sarah, 24, is used to this by now but things are a little different when Preston Bentley “P.B.” Harrington, a founding member of a local, prestigious law firm, dies. His widow, Charlotte Harrington, gets a bit tipsy at the viewing and blurts out to some friends, including Sarah, that right before he died PB told her, “I loved you more than Millie.”

“Then I said, ‘What? What do you mean? Who’s Millie? You tell me this instant, Preston Bentley Harrington!’ But it was too late. He let out a long, slow sigh and was gone. The love of my life was gone, and I was so mad at him, Mary Ruth. I was so mad!”

Grandma Ruth and Sarah are on the case to find out who Millie was or is. Sarah is worried PB cheated on his wife, but Grandma Ruth is determined he didn’t.

Miss Charlotte’s grandson, Preston, chauffeurs his grandmother around and is often there when Sarah is “investigating”. This gives Grandma Ruth and Miss Harrington an idea about Sarah and Preston but Sarah can’t think of a relationship with anyone since she’s still trying to shake Jake Halloran, who dumped her for a prospect who would give him what he wanted, shall we say.

There were so many witty, funny, and sweet lines in this book.

“His figure was as trim as Rhett Butler’s mustache.”

“I hear what you are saying to yourself. “She’s a grown woman, a college graduate. Why doesn’t she just say no?” Well, I dare you to come by the house when Mary Ruth McGready really wants something done and see how you do. Right. I’ll save you a seat at the funeral she wants you to attend.”

“But she’s sadder than most widows,” I said. “She’s afraid she lost him long before he died. She’s afraid she lost the fairy tales she’s believed in all these years that she was his one and only forever love. If I can get her love story back, she won’t have as much to grieve over as she does now.”

“How like Miss Charlotte to think of me when she was so sad herself, even if she was wrong about what I was feeling. As I sat with her at Fontanelli’s on her first Valentine’s Day as a widow, I wanted to wipe away not only her tears but the sadness in her kind and thoughtful heart.”

“My grandmother shook her head. “Sometimes I almost despair of you Sarah. Have you learned nothing about how a Southern lady handles the weaker sex? All that’s wrong with him is a severely bruised ego.”

I would definitely recommend this as a light, cozy, and clean read.

I read on the author’s website that this is the first in a series and I am so excited to read more about Grandma Ruth and Sarah in future books.

Clean level: This is a very, very clean book with a touch of faith and romance. Very small amounts of both.

One content warning: This book does discuss death quite often but handles it in a very humorous, kind, and respectful way.

You can find the book anywhere books are sold.

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In addition to my blog, I write cozy mysteries. You can learn more about my books here: https://lisahoweler.com/my-books-2/

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