Australia Week: The Chocolate Apothecary by Josephine Moon Review & Giveaway

Christmas Livingstone has formulated 10 top rules for happiness by which she tries very hard to live. Nurturing the senses every day, doing what you love, sharing joy with others are some of the rules but the most important for her is no. 10 - absolutely no romantic relationships!

Her life is good now. Creating her enchantingly seductive shop, The Chocolate Apothecary, and exploring the potential medicinal uses of chocolate makes her happy; her friends surround her; and her role as a fairy godmother to her community allows her to share her joy. She doesn't need a handsome botany ace who knows everything about cacao to walk into her life. One who has the nicest grandmother - Book Club Captain at Green Hills Aged Care Facility and intent on interfering - a gorgeous rescue dog, and who wants her help to write a book. She really doesn't need any of that at all.

Or does she?

With an enticing tangle of freshly picked herbs, flowers and delicious chocolate scenting the background, The Chocolate Apothecary is a glorious novel of a strong, creative woman discovering that you can't always play your life by the rules.

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Christmas is the owner of the Chocolate Apothecary. She loves working with chocolate and making people happy is what she likes best. Only, is she happy herself? She has a list of strict rules, a path that she needs to follow, so she'll never end up in that black hole again. The rules are giving her focus and she is content, so happy enough. When her best friend enrolls her in a chocolate making class in France Christmas is surprised and a bit nervous, but she can't wait to go. She's always wanted to visit France and it's supposed to be part of her inheritance. Her friends pressure her to find her father, but does she really want that?

Living by the rules is easy for Christmas as she has nobody special in her life. When Lincoln, a botanist who's writing a book about chocolate, asks for her help with his project Christmas gladly accepts. She likes him and he likes her, but that's not supposed to happen. Falling in love is not on the list and Christmas doesn't want to get hurt again. Plus she's going to France, so she has no time to fall in love. Lincoln is a handsome guy, he won't be around forever. Has Christmas made the right decision or has she made the mistake of her life?

I loved The Chocolate Apothecary. Reading about delicious food is a lot of fun, especially in combination with a wonderful story. Christmas is a fantastic heroine who does everything to bring other people joy and happiness. I liked her very much. Lincoln has always been able to lead a free live and to travel wherever his job brings him. It isn't easy for him to stay in one place. I liked seeing him transform and to see him grow up, even though that might have been a little bit late. He also has a fantastic grandma who sees it as her job to tell him the truth. The characters make this story really special.

This book is set in Tasmania and in France. I loved reading about both magical places. I recognized the places in France as I've been there and it was so much fun to read about them. I think Josephine Moon has captured their atmosphere very well. I really like the way she writes about food, tasting and feeling. I could smell the chocolate and taste the treats. This all made the story come to life so well. The Chocolate Apothecary is such a delicious and romantic story, I highly recommend it.

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Josephine Moon will send a copy of The Chocolate Apothecary to one very lucky reader of my blog. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will contact the winner on twitter or via email. If I don't get a reply within 60 hours the prize will go to someone else. All of my giveaways are international.