I read my first Christmas book in August this year, and you’ll know how much I love every single one – but there does come a point when even I need to say “enough!”. At the weekend, I’ll share a post with a reminder of (and links to) all my many Christmassy reviews – they might be of rather more interest now your tree is up and the lights are twinkling. I do also have a few more reviews to write of other books I’ve read recently and enjoyed (I’m finding it so difficult to find keyboard time – or any oomph – at the moment), I’d like to do the usual round-up of the year’s audiobooks, and I really do want to tell you about my reading plans until the January blog tours kick off once more (yes, I never learn, I’ve signed up for ten of them…!). And I haven’t forgotten either that I could really do with starting to think about my Books of the Year for 2024…
But there were so many more Christmas reads I would have really liked to get to (and apologies to the authors of those I’ve missed), and I decided I’d just squeeze in a final two – with slightly shorter reviews than usual, just to make some time for my many pre-Christmas activities. So two posts today – and my first, a long overdue review of A Recipe for Christmas by Jo Thomas, published on 10th October by Penguin/Transworld, now available as an ebook on all major platforms, in paperback and as an audiobook. My thanks to the publishers for my e-copy, provided via netgalley – and I’m sorry you’ve been waiting so long for a review.
It was 2022 when I read my first and only book from Jo (yes, I know I’d love them all, but they always seem to come out when I’m snowed under – no pun intended!). Keeping a Christmas Promise was so wonderful – that spectacular Iceland setting, Freya embracing the joy of every new discovery and learning how to really live, and a particularly engaging and moving romance (if you missed it, do give it a try – you’ll find my full review here). I ended my review of that book by saying “I’ll certainly be sure to read everything Jo Thomas writes in future” and it’s now two years on (sorry Jo!) – but as well as the writing, which I already knew would be lovely, I did hear mention of Swiss chocolate…
Take one woman longing for the perfect Christmas . . .
All Clara has ever wanted is Christmas surrounded by loved ones, full of warmth and delicious food. So when her new boyfriend asks her to move to Switzerland, she can’t help but say yes! After all, what could be more perfect than Christmas in the Alps?
Add a dash of surprise
She quickly signs up for a tempting chocolate-making class, but it turns out to be chocolate-making bootcamp! And her boyfriend isn’t all he seemed either . . .
And enjoy a magical festive treat!
Despite it all, Clara begins to make friends – including the aloof yet intriguing Gabriel. With all of the ingredients at her fingertips, will she finally be able to whisk up her Christmas dream?
It sometimes takes a leap of faith to change your life – but when your friends clearly feel you’ve taken leave of your senses, maybe you need to think about it a little. Clara has made a big decision – leaving her job security in the local store’s HR department (where she’s worked since leaving school), finding someone to take her place in the flat share, and moving to Switzerland with Daniel, who might or might not be the man she’s been looking for (it’s difficult to tell after just one weekend together, most of it spent in bed).
Her redundancy package included some paid-for training, so she’s signed up for a beginners’ chocolate making course – only to find that she’s the only one without any previous experience, and she gets the strong feeling that no-one wants her there. And there’s little comfort at home either – she really didn’t know Daniel well enough before they moved away together.
But her situation only makes her more determined to succeed, her initially stand-offish fellow students accepting her and acknowledging her efforts (long nights perfecting tempering and playing with flavours), finding an unexpected friend and ally in master chocolatier Gabriel (who has some secrets and hidden depths of his own). Clara herself is totally adorable, as she slowly works out what will really make her happy, bravely overcoming every possible challenge, both personal and chocolate related – and, I have to say, Gabriel is rather delicious too.
The snow-covered setting is beautifully recreated, with added warmth from the relationships and the mugs of hot chocolate – and yes, I learned so much about the chocolatier’s art. I was also perpetually hungry – raclette, fondue, tartiflette (recipe provided!), and the sweetness of all those wonderful chocolates – and I blame the author entirely for the calorie-filled on-line order I placed when I finished reading (well, it is Christmas…!).
This whole book was an absolute delight – Clara’s (often emotional) journey, the warmth of the friendships, the perfect and really moving romance, the wonderfully drawn setting, the many festive touches, and all that chocolate. Just gorgeous – I really loved it.
About the author
Jo Thomas worked for many years as a reporter and producer, including time at Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Radio 2’s The Steve Wright Show.
Jo’s debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, was a runaway bestseller and won both the RNA Joan Hessayon Award and the Festival of Romance Best eBook Award. Her recent book Escape to the French Farmhouse was a #1 bestselling eBook and in every one of her novels Jo loves to explore new countries and discover the food produced there, both of which she thoroughly enjoys researching.
Jo lives in Pembrokeshire with her husband and three children, where cooking and gathering around the kitchen table are a hugely important and fun part of their family life.
I was craving chocolate when I was reading this one!
Tell me about it – I put in an order at Hotel Chocolat!