Book Club Book Review: The Chocolate Maker's Wife (Historical Fiction)

The Chocolate Maker's Wife

by

Karen Brooks

Publisher: Harper Collins 
Imprint: HQ Fiction
Publication Date: 18th February 2019
Pages: 608
Format Read: Paperback
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Beauty & Lace book club 

Growing up in an impoverished household with a brutal family, Rosamund Tomkins is both relieved and terrified when her parents all but sell her in a marriage of convenience to a wealthy nobleman, Sir Everard Blithman. Though Rosamund will finally be free of the torment she’d become accustomed to in her childhood home, she doesn’t know if she’s traded one evil for another. But much to her surprise, Rosamund soon discovers that her arranged marriage is more of a blessing than curse. For her new husband recognizes not only Rosamund’s unusual beauty, but also her charm and vibrancy, which seem to enchant almost everyone who crosses her path.

Sir Everard presides over a luxurious London chocolate house where wealthy and well-connected men go to be seen, exchange news, and indulge in the sweet and heady drink to which they have become addicted. It is a life of luxury and power that Rosamund had never imagined for herself, and she thrives in it, quickly becoming the most talked-about woman in society, desired and respected in equal measure. But when disaster strikes, Rosamund stands on the brink of losing all she possesses. Determined not to return to poverty, Rosamund makes a deal with the devil that could preserve her place in society—or bring her the greatest downfall.

The story follows 17 year old Rosamund Ballister in a Cinderella style tale when she is married to Sir Everard Blithman and taken away from her home where she is treated like a servant and abused by her step-father and step-brothers. However Sir Everard has plans for Rosamund and those plans are mainly as a source of revenge. 

Sir Everard is kind and courteous. He encourages Rosamund to take an interest in his new chocolate house. Drinking chocolate was new to England and was professed to cure ailments. Rosamond had a flair for chocolate making and her beauty and easy manner drew many customers.


As time went on cracks began to show and doubts set in as to Sir Everard’s benevolence.
Set in 1660’s London The Chocolate Maker’s Wife is a fascinating portrayal of that era. Brooks’ descriptions of the chocolate making and the different additives used to enhance it were enthralling. With this period in time going through some shocking upheavals such as political and religious unrest, suppression of the press, the great plague and the fires of London it makes for a compelling tale.

The Chocolate Maker’s Wife is a story filled with treason, deceit and lies all centred around a delicious chocolaty heart.

This review is part of the Beauty & Lace book club.

My rating  8/10

*this review is part of the Book Lover Book Review Aussie author challenge

and book #13 in the Australian Women Writers challenge

 

Photo credit: Goodreads

Karen Brooks is the author of twelve books, an academic of more than twenty years experience a newspaper columnist and a social commentator, and has appeared regularly on national TV and radio. Before turning to academia, she was an army officer for five yaers, and prior to that dabbled in acting.                                                         

She lives in Hobart, Tasmania, in a beautiful stone house with its own marvellous history. When she's not writing, she's helping her husband Stephen in his brewery. Captain Bligh's Ale and Cider, or cooking for family and friends, travelling, cuddling and walking her dogs, stroking her cats, or curled up with a great book and dreaming of stories.

Book Bingo - Round 9 #BookBingo2019

Book Bingo is a reading challenge hosted by Theresa Smith Writes , Mrs B’s Book Reviews and The Book Muse. Every second Saturday, book bingo participants reveal which bingo category they have read and what book they chose. 

This week I have chosen the category 'A Novel that has 500 pages or more."

 

A novel with 500 pages or more

I tend to be a little scared off by big books. Anything over 400 pages always manages to be placed at the bottom of the pile and at 624 pages The Butterfly Room looked like it might be a challenge however the pages flew by and it took me no time at all to finish it. The story was all engrossing and the secrets and mysteries kept my enthralled.

You can read my full review of The Butterfly Room here

 #BookBingo2019 

 

Book Review: Wish You Were Here (Memior)

Wish You Were Here

by 

Sheridan Jobbins

Publisher: Affirm Press
Publication date: 1st September 2017
Pages: 345
Format Read: eBook
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley

Reeling from the devastating collapse of her marriage to the man she thought was the love of her life, after a late night enjoying smashing all her china a little too much, Sheridan Jobbins decides she needs to do something drastic to save her sanity.

Her solution is to buy a hot red car and drive across America. Hopelessly unprepared and heartbroken, she sets out on the road trip of a lifetime determined to find herself – and ironically finds love instead. But not before she has a whole bunch of crazy adventures and wrong turns along the way.

Every woman with a heart and a sense of humour will want jump on board this unforgettable ride – and it’s the best antidote for anyone who’s ever had her heart broken and thought she might not survive.'

‘In this moment I am perfect. I am free to be whoever I want, and all I want to be is a woman in a red spotty dress, speeding into her future in a shiny red car.’

Wish You Were Here is a heart-felt memoir filled with pathos and wry humour.

Feeling utter despair when her husband announces he doesn’t want to be married anymore Jobbins concocts a crazy plan to drive across America Thelma & Louise style.

I’ve never been much of a memoir reader. I tend to find them slow going and I find the first person past tense narration hard to get into.

What I did love about the story is Jobbins’ candour. She opens up to her readers and pours out all her dashed hopes and her fears. The story tells like a travelogue across America with humorous and sometimes life affirming situations occurring across the country as Jobbins travels from LA to Colorado, Nebraska and Pennsylvania via numerous wrong turns dropping in on an eclectic group friends and relatives along the way.

If you’ve ever felt like life has let you down and you just need to break free and find yourself again Wish You Were Here is the read for you.

My Rating  6/10

*this review is part of the Book Lover Book Review Aussie author challenge

and book #12 in the Australian Women Writers challenge

Photo credit: Affirm Press

Born in Melbourne, Sheridan Jobbins is a third generation Australian film maker. She kickstarted her career as one of the original celebrity chefs on Cooking with Sheri, earning a Guinness World Record as the youngest host of her own show at the age of nine.

She was presenter on numerous TV programs, including Simon Townsend’s Wonder World! and Good Morning Australia. She was a director of the film company Latent Image Productions which produced the award-winning film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Since 2000 she has co-written screenplays with director Stephan Elliott for Disney, Warner Bros, Working Title, Hopscotch and Ealing Studios.
She has published numerous short stories and articles, and mentors other screenwriters on her website www.scriptwhisperer.com.

 

Book Review: Christmas with the Boss by Annie Seaton

Christmas with the Boss

by 

Annie Seaton

Well here I am with my last Christmas read that was due in 2018. I did actually read this over the Easter break (only just reviewing it now) so I will count this toward achieving my goal of finishing my outstanding Christmas reads before Easter.

Publisher: Self published
Publication date: 7th October 2015
Pages: 130
Format Read: eBook
Source: Kindle freebie.

Jilly Henderson was looking forward to a week of bliss at the beach: alone, no work and no one to bother her.
The last thing she expected was to find her hunky boss holidaying in the beach shack next door.He looked mighty different to the uptight executive she was used to. He'd shed the suit and turned into a surf god.

Dominic is horrified that Jilly is living in the old shack. Rumour has it that it's haunted. He wants her to move but she digs in.

Can she ignore his charms...and who is the secret visitor who won't leave her in peace?  

When Jilly unexpectedly runs into her boss during the Christmas holiday break, she finds he’s not the ice-man they all think he is back in the office.

Dominic has met his match with fiery Jilly. This is definitely not the same quiet woman he works with.

All the descriptions of the trip from Sydney to the mid North Coast town of Sandy Heads were so familiar and when it is set in an area you know and love it makes the story so much more connected.

Christmas with the Boss was an absorbing Christmas novella with a cheeky paranormal element. Seaton writes humour, suspense and passion with equal fervour.

My rating 10/10

*this review is part of the Book Lover Book Review Aussie author challenge

and book #11 in the Australian Women Writers challenge

Photo credit: Goodreads

 Annie Seaton lives near the beach on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. She is fulfilling her lifelong dream of writing and has been delighted to discover that readers love reading her stories as much as she loves writing them. Her career and studies spanned the education sector for most of her working life until she took up a full-time writing career. She is now published internationally in e-books across the romance genre, and in 2014 was voted Australian Author of the Year by romance readers in the AusRomToday.com Readers' Choice Awards. In 2015 she was voted Best Established Author.Her first traditionally published print book, Kakadu Sunset, was shortlisted from Romantic Book of the Year in 2016. Each winter, Annie and her husband leave the beach to roam the remote areas of Australia for story ideas and research.