Charmed by Chocolate

Leah has come home to Marietta, Montana to lick her wounds after suffering heartbreak and humiliation. Running from problems is a way of life for Leah, but this time she ran to the last place she should have. Escaping straight into the arms of her loving family, friends, and Wade, the man that broke her heart and was at the center of the disaster her life has become.

Being a contestant on the reality show, Charmed was the biggest mistake Leah ever made. Not only does she reveal her lifelong love of childhood BFF, Wade on national television, but she also belittles the town that helped her and her brother, Dylan when their parents were tragically killed. The town of Marietta takes care of its own and isn’t happy with Leah.

Sneaking back into town to hide from her humiliation and broken heart just makes things worse when she realizes that everyone knows she is there and what she has done. To make matters worse, she comes face-to-face with Wade. Opening her heart to tell him that she loved him was a hard and exciting decision, not being able to wait to do it in person she had grabbed the phone and called him. Pouring her heart out confessing her love she was not expecting his response. Wade didn’t say anything for a few seconds, then abruptly said he had to go to get ready for a trip, then hung up. Leah couldn’t believe it, she had missed her chance and lost the only man she had ever loved.

Between her Grams, her brother, the townspeople pushing her towards a relationship with Wade that is over and being back in Marietta, Leah feels as if no one understands how hurt she is. She finds solace in a warm bed with plenty of chocolate to keep her company determined to move on with her life in California.

---

Series: Love at the Chocolate Shop – Book 6
Author: Steena Holmes
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Tule Publishing

Rating:

The characters are interesting, “Grams” is the kind of grandmother we all wish we had and wished we could run away from at the same time. Wade is kind and pleasant; the other supporting characters are entertaining and well rounded especially Grams and Sage.

Wade not knowing why all of a sudden Leah isn’t talking to him, or why things have changed between them is complex. The reality show debacle is unusual and original. It would have been interesting to include it in more detail with perhaps some scenes interjected.

The story is entertaining but a bit slow to grab the reader’s full attention. As the pace picks up and we learn more about why Leah is running from her job, friends, and California, the entertainment and intrigue go up. When Leah finally tells Wade that everything is her fault, that she took him for granted and now it’s too late is the most memorable scene in the book.  With one word she begs him not to say anything. All of the pain and grief for what she has lost is contained in that one word, it can be felt by the reader and even brings a tear to the eye.

This book is a sweet romance. The problems associated with the relationship between Leah and Wade are believable.  This is not an intense love story but it is a fun read. The book will appeal to almost any reader of romance novels as well as tweens. There is no foul language, no drugs or illegal activities, and no sexual content.