Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop: Book Review

Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop
My Rating: 4
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Holiday
Format: eARC*
Publication Date: August 3, 2021
Author: Jessica Redland

Similar To

Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop

Book Blurb

Sometimes you just need a little Christmas magic to make your wishes come true…

When master chocolatier, Charlee, takes the leap to move to the picturesque seaside town of Whitsborough Bay, she is determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and set up a chocolate shop.

Luckily, she finds the perfect location for Charlee’s Chocolates on beautiful Castle Street… Now she just has to refurbish it in time for Christmas!

With a useless boyfriend and countless DIY disasters, Charlee doesn’t know if she’ll make it in time. With no ‘traditional’ family to support her, she feels lost in her new surroundings and the secrets of the past are weighing her down.

But the warmth and festive spirit of the Whitsborough Bay community will surprise her, and when plumber, Matt, comes to the rescue, it might be that all of Charlee’s dreams could come true this Christmas, and she could learn what family really means…

Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop

Book Review

As a quick reminder, here is my rating structure:

• 1 star: Did not finish
• 2 Stars: Finished but I do not recommend
• 3 Stars: Liked but could use some improvements
• 4 Stars: Loved this book!
• 5 Stars: Rare. The unput-down-able, binge read obsession.

My star ratings are also based also genre based. I compare all books with books of the same genre. While I would love to believe that my love of books in general transcends all bias, there are genres I prefer over others.

I’m human.

Example: If I read a mystery novel and think it deserves a 5-star rating, then I have compared it to other mystery books, and determined it to be one of my absolute favorites. The unputdownable mystery.

This will hopefully keep me from comparing Outlander, a personal obsession of mine, with the experience of reading The Hate You Give. Both 5 star books for me, but completely and totally different. I couldn’t even try to rate them against each other, so I don’t. Makes my life easier. 🙂

My Thoughts

Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop is a cute novel about a woman who restarts her life while grieving for loss in her family. I like to call these books “start overs” or “rebuilds” because the main character attempts some sort of major change in order to pursue dreams or to heal their heart.

There is a lot of drama in this one. Ups and downs, twists and turns, it’s all there to experience. But above all of that, there is. sense of female empowerment and strong female friendships. It’s these themes that really drive Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop from a run of the mill Christmas romance novel to a deeper, more meaningful story.

I loved the chocolate shop and the festive situations as a backdrop for this saga. While not integral to the story, Christmas in a small town becomes a great supporting character, setting the scene for this romance to play out.

What didn’t work for me

I try to always say why a book falls short of 5 stars. The only reason I gave Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop 4 instead of 5 stars was the timing in the book. I honestly wanted more time spent in the end and less in the build up. Without revealing any spoilers, let’s just say there was a certain situation that needed to be resolved sooner and another that needed even more time to develop. Give me a little more romantic angst, please!

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a festive book to kick off your holiday season reading, then look no further than Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop.

~About the Author~

Jessica Redland writes uplifting stories of love, friendship, family and community set in Yorkshire where she lives. Her Whitsborough Bay books transport readers to the stunning North Yorkshire Coast and her Hedgehog Hollow series takes them into beautiful countryside of the Yorkshire Wolds.

Social Media Links –

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JessicaRedlandAuthor

Twitter https://twitter.com/JessicaRedland

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jessicaredlandauthor/

Newsletter Sign Up Link http://bit.ly/JessicaRedlandNewsletter

Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jessica-redland

​

*Special thanks to Jessica Redland and Rachel’s Random Resources providing a copy of Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop in exchange for an honest review.