This book is one of the many reasons I love Janet Evanovich's storytelling. Her characters live large and the dialogue reveals their souls. ( )

I think this would have been a 1 star kind of book if not for the redeeming factor of the h/h not having sex during the course of the book. It's nice to see that expressing sexual desires/needs isn't always YES MORE NOW I DIE WITHOUT IT. Otherwise, this title had too many problems. ( )

I've read Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series and like them well enough. The library was selling two audiobooks from this series (which is not related to the Stephanie Plum series). Beware though. The same narrator is used for both series's audiobooks--I can't tell you how many times I'd associate a voice with a Stephanie Plum series character and have to remind myself that that character isn't part of this series (Culhane Family).

So . . . on to the title. When we say "in a nutshell" I associate it with simplifying or shortening. This book also has a cabin called "the Nutshell" in which one of the two main characters lives--and of course, the two main characters end up in love with each other.

I do agree with many of the plot holes I see other reviewers mentioning.
*There's no real reason that Matt needs to hire Kate to find the saboteur. Security cameras would have been cheaper, safer, and faster. I can't help but think if he hadn't been attracted to her, all bets would have been off.
*The mortgage is never explained. If this cabin has been in their family for years . . . why has the mortgage not been paid off?
*How does Kate plan to make a cabin into a B&B? Does she ever say how many rooms she plans to have to rent out? Is it just going to be an airBNB/VRBO type rental for one group at a time? (That's not a B&B to me.) She's got no money, knows it needs repairs (apparently before even she can stay in it), and her plan is to open it as a B&B? Probably not a good business plan.
*I understand loving a pet, but for the life of me, I can't see why Stella. She seems an ill-tempered dog who mostly growls and after a brief loving reunion, is ignored by Kate who is hiding in her bedroom or the bathroom to escape her parents.

I too grew tired of the will-they-or-won't-they push and pull of the plot. ( )

Kate Appleton ist an einem Tiefpunkt in ihrem Leben, als sie sich bei Matt Culhane um einen Job bemüht: frisch geschieden, total blank und ihr geplantes Bed und Breakfast droht zu scheitern, weil sie die Raten auf dem Haus ihrer Eltern nicht bezahlen kann. In Matt Culhanes Brauerei scheint es derweil einen Saboteur oder eine Saboteurin zu geben und er benötigt jemanden, der sich unauffällig zwischen seinen Mitarbeiter:innen umhört. Kate bekommt den Job und die Dinge nehmen ihren Lauf.
Janet Evanovich ist wortgewandt und witzig. Leider hatte ich bei diesem Roman das Gefühl: Kennst du einen, kennst du alle. ( )

A cute and fun mystery/romance--light beach or summer reading. I didn't find this book as funny as most of Evanovich's other novels, nor the mystery as complex, but it was well-narrated and enjoyable. Weighted more toward the romance end of the scale, so romance lovers will probably enjoy it. ( )