In my last romance review I wrote about how romance novels can return you to the feeling of falling in love. I stand by that. But sometimes they can also return you to the feeling of realizing things aren’t going to work out the way you wanted. It isn’t the fault of the book, it’s what I as a reader bring to this particular table. I’m not going to go into my personal history (which doesn’t involve Paris, witch craft, or a happy ending), I’ll just say that this particular book hit my feels.
The Chocolate Kiss is book 2 of Laura Florand’s Amour et Chocolat series of contemporary romances set in Paris and revolving around chocolate. In The Chocolate Kiss, Magalie makes delectable hot chocolate (chocolat chaud) at her aunts’ shop Le Maison des Sorcieres. She doesn’t consider herself a witch, but she does stir a wish for each customer into her chocolate. Phillipe Lyonais, is Paris’ premier pastry chef and opens his patisserie down the street from Magalie’s shop, threatening Magalie’s feeling of economic security. They get off on the wrong foot and stay on the wrong foot for a long time. They battle it out, each trying to get the other to taste their offerings.
In the book, the magic of communicating wishes and feelings through food is literal. It’s a charming device, and one with which I connected. When I cook for people, I do put my emotions into the food. It doesn’t translate to the consumer, but I do invest the food I am making with my feelings about the people for whom I am cooking. I have put my heart on a plate and had it rejected.
I can’t say Laura Florand is making any great social or political statements. Philippe is arrogant, domineering, and surprisingly vulnerable. Magalie is insecure, self-protective, and remarkably strong.
Thank you Mrs. Julien for lending me the first two books and to Malin for encouraging me to read them.
Rochelle, lovely review of possibly my favourite Florand book. I will happily send you e-books if you give me your e-mail address. I love sharing books with people. All I need to know is what type of E-reading device you use, so I know what format to convert them to.
Thanks Malin! I’ll pm you.
I have just sent you the next two, but Malin’s loans are of a more permanent variety and therefore to be preferred.
Great review of a book I really liked.
Thanks! And thank you for the loans. Much appreciated. I desperately want to make some rediculously complicated desserts.
Having seen the magnificence that is your “everyday” baking, I am all agog to find out what you mean by “ridiculously complicated”?
I could go either way – a cake/torte with multiple layers and components (I know how you feel about cake), or pastry – like the kind that really takes three days to make. I’d love to make canele again, but my molds disappeared in a move.
I also just read this and thought it was cute. I was kind of curious how big his macarons were though when it took her two her three bites to get to the surprise in the center. I was always under the impression that they were small enough to be gone after two bites :p
I’m guessing that classy Europeans take small bites and savour their desserts. Unlike us crass Americans. I’m with you. I think she was taking some license.
I get caught in those kind of details, too. All. the. time. I just started a book in which the heroine is sketching her vegetable garden, specifically rhubarb and turnips. All I could think was “Would turnips and rhubarb be in season at the same time? Isn’t rhubarb an early spring vegetable?” Or that time I was reading a contemporary romance and all I could think was “What kind of idiot thinks you open a champagne bottle with a corkscrew?”
I try, TRY, to ignore such things. It does not always work.
I happily know NOTHING about gardening, so my mind wouldn’t be bothered by details like that.
My current massive peeve is with historical romance covers, with the ladies in their fancy period costumes and the backs unlaced all the way down. I’ve seen several examples and EVERY single time I think “Where are the multiple layers of undergarments that would be required under this dress?” The one that annoyed me the most is proably the new Tessa Dare cover, for the book that will be out in January. That’s probably my favourite thing about the Loretta Chase Dressmaker series. For all that I found the first two disappointing compared to Ms. Chase’s normal standard, at least the woman shows she’s done her research on the clothes, both for men and women.
YES! I loved that about those books, especially since they are set during a period of particularly ridiculous clothing.