*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity.*

In AGAINST THE CURRANT, Lyndsay Murray has finally realized her dream of opening a Grenadian-style bakery with her family. Between her keen business sense, her parents' and brother's baking skills, and her grandmother's extensive network-- the bakery seems to be destined for success. However, after a very public confrontation with an aggressive rival baker, Lyndsay finds herself at the top of the suspect list for his murder. As the circumstantial evidence piles up, Lyndsay realizes the detectives aren't looking at anyone else and takes matters into her own hands.

The protagonist, Lyndsay, did get on my nerves in one aspect-- when it came to her 'shyness' and history with bullies. Lyndsay was nothing but a strong, capable young woman who confronted many situations and people competently throughout the book; but she was constantly lamenting about her apparent introversion and inability to handle said confrontation. I just wish that if her meekness was supposed to be a large part of her character, that had been shown during the course of the book and we, as the audience, would get to see her grow into the ability to stand up for herself.

However, that said, this book has all the charm of a cozy mystery. Particularly, I enjoyed Matthews' skills with describing sights and smells, baked goods or food, and style choices that made each character feel individualized. AGAINST THE CURRANT is the perfect choice to curl up with some coconut bread and read on a lazy day. The narrator was engaging, the plot well paced, and Matthews left plenty of opportunity for sequels by introducing a whole cast of colorful characters.