Was it a coincidence that one of the books I read was about chocolate? The Chocolatier's Wife by Cindy Lynn Speer is more of a murder mystery than it is about chocolate. Tasmin and William were destined to be wed despite the fact that Tasmin is from the North and considered a barbarian and William is from the more reserved and less magical South. When William is accused of murder the wedding looks to be called off until Tasmin decides that she is going to prove her intended's innocence. What she discovers besides William's fledgling chocolate business, is murder and revenge. Someone wants to see William and his family destroyed and Tasmin is determined to find out who and why.

I quite enjoyed The Chocolatier's Wife but didn't love it. I liked how Speer told the back story of William and Tasmin's relationship through the letters that they wrote to each other while they were growing up. Why I only quite liked it rather than loved it was that it was just a bit too drawn out. While the letters were a great way to tell the reader more about the characters it also tended to interrupt the story. A couple of the big reveals, including the identity of the main 'baddy', were very good. Lovely illustrations throughout as well.

The Chocolatier’s Wife by Cindy Lynn Speer (Amazon | B&N | Kobo) is an absolutely charming tale about marriages arranged via magic. In the kingdom of Berengeny, spouses are picked by the Wise Woman. She pricks the baby’s finger for a drop of blood, adds pure water, rosemary, roses, salt and sage to her spell bowl and the resulting combination reveals their best possible mate. William does not find his mate until he is seven years old and his parents are horrified to learn his bride is from Tarnia. Murmurs are made about the war five hundred years ago and how the witches of the other land eat the dead.

Tasmin Bey did not mind that her husband to be was from Berengeny. Sure, there was that war five hundred years ago and the rumors of eating the dead but she liked William. While few never heard from their prospective spouse, William had been writing since he first found out about her. So when she hears he has been accused of murder, she packs her bags and heads straight to Berengeny, determined to help. Along the way, there is love, laughter and magic – and of course, a happy ending.

The ring fit like perfection on her finger, and the truth was, one would not have rightly been able to say who kissed whom, just that a kiss was exchanged, and that it was a little too long to be proper.

A perfect example of a woman is as strong or stronger than a man. I look forward to the next book.

I tried, I really tried hard to read this book. None of the characters are fleshed out so it was impossible to develop a connection. No logic in the story nor a decent timeline of what little action there is.

This is a wonderful palate cleansing romance. It is so well written, the characters voices are consistent throughout practical and reasonable. Yet there is a significant romance and love that is cultivated and unknowingly nurtured by William and his letters to Tasmin. No flash, just a well balanced story with a number of twist, some I did not see coming.