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Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances by Sue Watson
Blurb
Escape to the cosy little village of Appledore for hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and a second chance at love. Will this Christmas prove that miracles really can happen? A year after she separated from her husband, Gianni, on Christmas day, Chloe’s heart is finally on the mend as she unpacks the decorations for her first ever festive holiday alone. That is, until the phone rings… It’s the manager of Gianni’s new seaside restaurant in Appledore, begging for Chloe’s help. Equally famous for his gold-leaf Christmas puddings and his explosive temper, Gianni has been really stirring up a sensation with the locals – and not in a good way! It’s the last thing she wants to do, but Chloe knows she is the only one that can help. As pans fly and the temperature in the kitchen rises, Chloe’s calming influence and magic touch might just get critics back on side in time to save the restaurant from sinking like a sad soufflé. But as Chloe’s eyes meet Gianni’s as they tussle over a plate of turkey tartlets, could there also be a chance for new romance on the menu?
Review
I struggled with this story quite a bit, and I'm still not really sure what I think about it. It's got all the ingredients of a good chick lit- seaside restaurant, Christmas, snow, wonderful food, a handsome Italian man -but somehow it just didn't work for me as well as I'd hoped.
Gianni was insufferable, and although he did improve a great deal towards the end, he didn't really change. Maybe he was a bit too arrogant and macho for my liking. I kept wanting Chloe to find someone else!
There was also a fair amount of repetition and soul-searching, which had me skipping paragraphs.
That said, I thought the way the author tackled the heartbreak in the story was sensitive and realistic, and I also enjoyed the fact that the main characters were slightly older and were still married, which was refreshingly unusual in this genre.
The book sends a message for the need to communicate and the need to be more in tune with one's spouse's feelings - and that can't be a bad thing.
About the Author
Sue Watson was a journalist then a TV Producer at the BBC until she realised that instead of working, she could stay at home, make stuff up and sell it! So far Sue's written eleven books, and some have been translated into Italian and Portuguese (she's big in Brazil!).
Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her husband and teenage daughter in Worcestershire where her days are spent baking (and eating) lots of cake, while making big life decisions about whether to have Caramel Chew Chew or Salted Caramel ice cream while watching 'The Biggest Loser USA,' on TV.
For more info visit Sue's website; http://www.suewatsonbooks.com/Sue would love to meet you on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/suewatsonbooksFollow Sue on Twitter @suewatsonwriter
