Yvonne
Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth F, over at ‘Beth Fish Reads’. It is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog’s home page. When leaving your link, don’t forget to leave a comment for Beth F, we all like to receive comments and share your thoughts.
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I didn’t consciously realise that I had read many books which are even remotely ‘foodie’, but when I thought back, I came up with a couple of obvious candidiates right away …. So this week I would like to share a book which I reviewed some time ago, yet will never forget, if only for its decadent and enticing cover art ….
‘CHOCOLICIOUS’ by GERALDINE SOLON
A week after Blair Nightingale’s husband, Larry, dies, she learns she’s about to lose everything she owns due to a foolish mistake Larry made.
In an instant, Blair’s life is transformed from rich, Silicon Valley trophy wife to poor, widowed single mom. Her only goal now is to provide for her daughter.
As Blair begins to pick up the pieces, George—Larry’s best friend and the man she truly resents—seems to always be around.
When Blair is overwhelmed by all the challenges she faces, she seeks comfort in baking rich, filled, three-layered chocolate cupcakes that her grandmother once taught her, and soon Blair’s life is changed forever.
My review of this book is here.
Visit Geraldine Solon’s site here.
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I have to admit to being a hopeless chocoholic, so I am only pleased that this book was sent to me electronically, rather than as a hard copy. Looking (or rather drooling) at that image every time I picked up the book, would have been tortuous to say the least! Geraldine was even thoughtful enough to have a milk chocolate cupcake produced for the cover, especially with the finishing touch of the chocolate flake bar as well, she must have known that I am not a fan of dark chocolate, in fact I can’t stand the stuff!
In fact, I am very fussy about my milk chocolate as well, and generally only eat ‘Cadbury’ and although a true chocolate connoisseur will tell you that ‘Cadbury’ isn’t really a chocolate that any discerning expert would ever consider eating, I happen to like the taste of it!
When checking out the ‘Cadbury’ website to copy across the link, I noticed that by sheer coincidence, their latest recipe, is for delicious looking chocolate cupcakes and is a simple enough recipe for even me, someone who is allergic to the kitchen, to follow and make a passable attempt at!
The link to the recipe is here. I love the easy to follow pages and instructions and of course the picture of just what the finished product should look like!
Chocolate aside, ‘Chocolicious’, the book, was an excellent read. A fantastic emotional rollercoaster, that leaves you with a renewed sense of faith in people, and has received plenty of well deserved acclaim for its author Geraldine Solon.
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That cover would make me drool if I had to pick it up too!
Hi Kathy,
Of course I would never buy a book solely on the cover art, although it does sway my decision a little, if the cover is as decadent and tempting as this one …
Thanks for stopping by, it is always good to hear from you.
a good good and a good cupcake recipe? that is a good deal.
Hi Caite,
‘Chocolicious’, was a great womens contemporary romantic fiction story, by an author who has already had two of her first three published books, optioned for film, with this book also gathering some excellent reviews.
The ‘Cadbury’ on-line cook book, is one that I shall definitely be recommending to my sister-in-law and niece, as they love to bake sweet desserts and cakes, especially those containing lots of chocolate and cream!
Your comments are appreciated, as always and I hope that you are having a good weekend.
that s/b “a good BOOK”.
lol
Caite,
Don’t you just hate it when that happens … the brain works just too fast for the fingers, you hit the ‘send’ button and know the second you have done it, that there are glaring typos …. A quick ‘edit’ is the only solution, but sometimes it just isn’t quick enough!!
It happens to me all the time.
LOL!
Ooh, that cover looks so decadent.
Hi Diane,
Yes, isn’t it? It is just a good job that not all books have a food related subject matter, which the authors are as keen to share with us, as Geraldine is. The thought of all those ‘foodie’ covers, is simply too much!!
Thanks for deciding to stop by Fiction Books today. I love ‘meeting’ new people and your visits and comments will always be welcome here.
Just by the title and the cover picture I think I need this book!
Hi Maria,
Thank you so much for deciding to visit Fiction Books today. I love ‘meeting’ new people and your visits and comments will always be welcome and appreciated here.
After stopping by to check out your post, I can see that chocolate is as dear to your heart as it is mine (together with peanut butter by the sounds of it!).
The cover of ‘Chocolicious’ is so simple and uncluttered, yet says it all. A big ‘thumbs up’ for the designer. The story is not quite as simple and uncluttered, yet ultimately chocolate becomes the saving grace for Blair and her sister, making them work together, co-operate to get the job finished and build a professional and social bond between them.
It also helps Blair to decide on the kind of person she wants to be, now that she has been left with the sole care of her daughter Rachel and whether she can ever trust another man enough to share her life again.
I do hope that you decide to give ‘Chocolicious’ a try, I am sure that you won’t be disappointed.
Here’s hoping that the weather gets a little warmer tomorrow, although after a busy week, a nice guilt free lie in would be appreciated!
Enjoy your Sunday.
Oh this does sound fun! I haven’t heard of this book but I’m going to check it out.
Hi Beth F,
‘Chocolicious’ was an excellent read and has been very well received, judging by its great reviews.
It is a story of one womans quest to find her true place and become the person she was always destined to be. She has to overcome tragedy, face her demons, learn to trust again and allow the people who love her the most to lend her a helping hand.
The 3 layered chocolate cupcakes and the other amazing ‘choclaty’ desserts she makes, together with her sister, are just an added bonus to this lovely story.
Thanks for hosting this great meme and I hope that you are enjoying your weekend.
Chocolicious sounds great Yvonne. I’m a hopeless chocoholic too. That cover is droolworthy. I bookmarked the Chocolate Cup Cakes recipe link, thank you!
Hi Naida,
I just have a very sweet tooth, so if I allowed myself to indulge in dessert and cakes on a regualr basis, I would be more overweight than I already am! As it is, dessert is reserved solely for when we go out to dinner and we never have cakes or biscuits in the house!
Therefore, I can only drool over the delicious recipes and cover images which I come across, with ‘Chocolicious’ being a serious work of decadence, albeit a fantastic storyline, which was well written and cleverly crafted by its author, Geraldine Solon.
I hope that all is well with you and that you enjoy the rest of your weekend.
This is one book I’d pick up based on the cover alone!
Hi Joann,
That cover is very tempting, isn’t it?
Unfortunately, Geraldine doesn’t get her characters discussing or making cupcakes, until quite a long way into the book, although that may be just as well, as it stops too much drooling early on in the story, leading to a lack of concentration and missed parts of the dialogue! … LOL!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope that you are enjoying a good weekend.
This looks and sounds like one of those books that would have me craving for one of those delicious cupcakes on the cover, even though I’m not supposed to eat them! 😀
Hi Nikki,
Craving is just about the right word to describe it I think!
I have quite a sweet tooth, so I am better off staying away from anything that looks that good in the first place, or once I start eating then I am lost and just one cake or sweet wouldn’t be enough!
We don’t do desserts at home and I try to avoid them if we go out to eat, although I am always tempted if we are with my family, as they all love their desserts!
In fact, my sister-in-law and niece love baking, mostly sweet goods and always replete with loads of chocolate and cream. The trouble is, it always looks so good and it is generally there on the plate in front of me, before I can muster enough determination to say ‘no’!
I assume from your comments, that you are dairy intolerant, which can’t be much fun fo you, although surely makes you very healthy compared to the rest of us!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope that you have had a good weekend.
Hi Yvonne,
I’m diagnosed lactose and wheat intolerant, and have recently worked out that I’m soya intolerant too! I do indulge in eating a little bit of what I shouldn’t, but only a little.
I’ve hope you’ve had a good weekend too 🙂
Nikki
Hi Nikki,
Poor you! It must have been very difficult for you to work out a menu of meals and snacks that you could eat, when you were first diagnosed and it must be an absolute nightmare if you are away for any length of time and forced to eat out!
Is this the cause, or part of the problem, with the extreme fatigue?
Either way, I can only thank goodness that both Dave and I are ‘normal’ in our dietary requirements …. Whatever ‘normal’ is these days!!!
Have a good week.
This sounds like a perfect read for my Foodies Read challenge. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi Angela,
Thank you so much for deciding to visit Fiction Books today. I love ‘meeting’ new people and your visits and comments will always be welcome.
I think that ‘Chocolicious’ definitely fits the bill for a Foodies Read challenge and if you manage to acquire it as a hard copy, you can always spend those extra few minutes just drooling over that decadent cover art!
Geraldine is fast establishing herself as a recognised author in the world of women’s contemporary romantic fiction, with two of her first three books being optioned for film rights. Unfortunately ‘Chocolicious’ is the one that hasn’t been optioned, as I was quite looking forward to the scenes in the kitchen, where all those delicious cupcakes were being made!!
I hope that your week is going well so far.