The Cosy Christmas Chocolate Shop

by Caroline Roberts

*The new, deliciously festive ‘Cosy’ novel from the Kindle bestselling author of The Cosy Teashop in the Castle*

The snow is falling, the hot chocolate’s warming, and hearts are melting . . .

Emma is the proud owner of The Chocolate Shop by the Sea, nestled in the heart of the cosy seaside village that’s become her home. With Christmas right around the corner, she and her assistant Holly are busy cooking up the locals’ festive favourites.

From cinnamon hot chocolates to reindeer lollipops, Christmas wouldn’t taste the same without a little cocoa magic. And for Emma it’s the perfect distraction from her romantic pains of the past. So when the shop’s miserly landlord threatens to hike up the rent, Emma’s Christmas and New Year suddenly look a lot less cheerful.

With the whole village rallying behind her – and loyal spaniel Alfie by her side – Emma’s determined to hold onto her chocolate-box dream.

The chocolate calendar countdown is on. Can Emma rescue her business and her broken heart?

• ISBN13: 9780008236298
• Publish Date: 2 November 2017
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
• Format: eBook (EPUB)
• Pages: 432
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.co.uk

Reviews

[Emma (SCR)]

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews Thank you to Harper Impulse for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I've read both of The Cosy Teashop in the Castle  book and I loved them so I knew I had to read this one. To be honest I was sold the minute I saw chocolate! The book also has a very festive pretty cover which is always a win in my book.

Emma owns a chocolate shop and loves nothing more than creating new flavours and seeing her customers smile. Emma has suffered heart break in the past which  has closed her off to love. She doesn't see the point in going through it all again only to be left alone, again. That is until Emma meets a stranger on the beach on Boxing Day. Can this man break down Emma's walls and open her heart to love again?

I love Emma's assistant Holly. She is so bright and bubbly she is perfect for working in the shop.

This is a wonderful story that is excellently written. Caroline does an excellent job of creating these cosy locations. This story made me want to grab some chocolates and a warm drink and snuggle down.  This is the perfect book for this season.

[llamareads]

After a personal tragedy seven years ago, Emma has thrown herself running a chocolate shop in the harbor village of Warkton-by-the-Sea. She has a successful shop, a sweet dog, and the support of her friends and family - what else could she possibly need? A chance meeting (and a passionate kiss!) during a walk on the beach make Emma slowly realize that maybe the last ingredient she’s missing is…. love.

OK, ok, that was a bit cheesy, but honestly, this book is just so sweet, cozy and feel-good that I feel myself turning into one of those movie trailer narrators. The story takes place over a year at the chocolate shop, from one Christmas season to the next. The pacing starts out slowly as the inhabitants of Warkton are introduced, but then picks up steam towards the end of the book. Through it all, the descriptions of chocolates were mouth-wateringly delicious. I liked the characters, but I did find most of them, besides Emma, to be a bit flat. Emma’s hesitations about getting into a new relationship are detailed and believable, and her growth in the latter half of the book is shown well.

As for cons, it took a long time (nearly half the book) for the romance to really take off. While I enjoyed reading the non-romance bits, and I found the description of Emma’s life helpful to contrast to what she had while in a relationship, I had expected the romance to play a larger part. I was also weirded out a bit by a side relationship. Emma’s part-time helper, Holly, is 16, and she begins dating a guy who’s 20, and nobody bats an eye about the age difference. Maybe I’m just an old fogey, or maybe things are different in England, but that would’ve been a big deal when I was a teenager, and I can’t imagine my family or friends being OK with it.

Overall, an enjoyable, if unspectacular, read. Perfect for curling up on a cold day with a cuppa and a box of chocolate truffles!

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.