The Cosy Seaside Chocolate Shop

Caroline Roberts

Jun 2018 · Sold by HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

*Don’t miss the gorgeous new cosy romance from Caroline Roberts – The Seaside Cocktail Campervan – available to pre-order now!*

The heartwarming holiday read from the Kindle bestselling author of The Cosy Teashop series

When Emma opened her gorgeous little chocolate shop in the harbour village of Warkton-by-the-Sea, she realised a lifelong dream. Love is also blossoming with her hunky beau, Max, who’s slowly healing her fragile heart.

Summer is here and life has never felt so sweet. Until the rainclouds start to gather...

A rival sweet shop and killjoy landlord give Emma a headache, and when a face from the past turns up unannounced, Emma finds herself spiralling down memory lane. With Max’s crazy work schedule driving him to distraction, Emma’s in danger of making some choices she might regret . . .

With close friends, spaniel Alfie, and the whole village behind her, can Emma get the chocolate shop and her love life back on track?

‘A deliciously summery story about second chances, following your heart and never giving up, and it’s brimming with romance’ Cressida McLaughlin

Ratings and reviews

I realised when reading this book that in any book set in a seaside location the tide is rarely in. No matter the time of day the characters can often be found walking on the beach and this holds true here. There seem to be no early morning or evening high tides in Warkton and during the day it is always a blissful stretch of sand. I have no real idea why this occurred to me or why it irritated me so much - actually, it may have been to do with the fact that I didn't really engage with the book or get engrossed in the tale. We have been at The Chocolate Shop By The Sea with Emma in a previous book and although it was a while ago I soon remembered the various characters and got into the swing of things. Unfortunately the plot is largely similar to the first one - problems with the landlord of the premises Emma operates out of. Actually let's pause there for a moment. That raises another question if the premises are rented how does she get away with making so many alterations to the fabric of the building? There is little of that this time around but the events in this book made me hark back to the first one. Anyway back to the plot similarities - the on/off relationship with Max is still on/off, we are reminded of the death of her fiance every other chapter, lots of chocolate making described in loving detail. Apart from a couple of set pieces this really could have been the first book all over again and although it felt comforting to be back in Warkton-On-Sea I was disappointed in the book as a whole. You could flag up exactly what was going to happen to the business from the first time The Eel makes his appearance in the shop. Unfortunately, the same could be said for Emma's romantic attachments. I never really engaged with this book at all, despite my familiarity with the setting. It is inoffensive and passes the time nicely so a good holiday read if you're going to be busy but other than that nothing really to recommend this sequel.

About the author

Family, friends, food, a glass of bubbly and, of course, a good book make Caroline smile. She loves writing emotional stories about love, loss, betrayal and family, which explore how complex and yet beautiful love can be. She also likes to write romantic comedy, letting the characters have a bit of fun too! Caroline believes in following your dreams, which led her to HarperImpulse and a publishing deal after many years of writing. Stunning Northumberland is her home – sandy beaches, castles and gorgeous countryside have inspired her writing.