Thank you @netgalley for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is not my usual selection, but the cover caught my eye the moment I scrolled past it. I was immediately drawn to the enchanting setting along with the idea of many scenes centered around a chocolate shop. I definitely wasn’t disappointed. The descriptions of Paris were absolutely stunning and so easy to visualize. From the popular landmarks, to the lively nightlife, to the hidden restaurants amongst the alleyways. All would make anyone yearn for a trip to the famous city of love. I adored the chocolate shop and watching the creative process that goes into mastering gourmet flavors. Many moments reminded me of Chocolat. My favorite interactions centered around the cast eating. The descriptions would cause any foodie to swoon I always love seeing a main female character who enjoys eating too.

The wide array of characters were great. The perspective switched back and forth between Anna and Claire - some moments are flashbacks to when Claire was young and visiting Paris. I liked how the two intertwined and connected everyone. Thierry was one of my favs. I enjoyed his large personality and being able to see him through the years. I also adored Anna’s flat mate, Sami. I feel like we all deserve a friend like that who sees us at our worst, never judges and always says / does the most unique gesture to make you feel instantly better.

This was a bittersweet story. It’s about love, courage, and finding yourself, but it also covers terminal illness, regret, and various troubled relationships. It is the first book by Colgan that I have read. I was excited to give this author a try because several of her previous books / series have been recommended to me over the past few years. This story sounds like it may be a little more melancholy compared to those. I definitely look forward to reading them and finding out for myself.

The book concludes with numerous chocolate based recipes.

This was a really cute read! I loved the setting of Paris and the chocolate shop. The characters were great and I liked the back and forth between past events and current ones. It was a bit slow for me in parts and the love story in the current timeline could have been developed a bit more. Loved the inclusion of the recipes in the back!

💝 A moving tale of two British women who find love in🗼Paris👍
I must admit, it took me a good part of the book to get into this story told alternately in present day and in flashbacks to a magical summer in 1972. Claire's story is bittersweet; Anna's begins with sadness and depression but ends in a joyous atmosphere of good friends well met and accomplishment. I was more drawn to Claire's story, but both provide scintillating glimpses into a Parisian life and aesthetic that few foreigners ever experience. It seemed that one woman's life was just getting interesting when it switched to the other until closer to the conclusion when their tales converged.

The chocolate-making, described in aching detail as a central activity in both Claire and Anna's story, was a bit too down in the weeds for me. I hungered for the romantic bits and would rather experience the tasting over the laborious creative process.

This was not my favorite Jenny Colgan effort but the ending was truly touching and both women's journeys , with such different outcomes, lovingly depicted by a skilled writer.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book provided by the publisher through NetGalley; this is my voluntary and honest review.

After a freak accident, Anna reconnects with a former teacher in the hospital who presents her with the opportunity to go on an adventure in Paris and study under a master chocolatier. Claire, Anna’s former teacher, has her own life journey to continue and it may include a reconnection to the past she moved past.
This book was quite cute. The beginning was a bit strange but I really enjoyed Anna’s journey in Paris. I love the description of Paris in this book and of the Chocolate Shop, I could really imagine myself walking the streets and seeing all of what Anna took in. Anna wasn’t my favourite character, I really loved her teacher, Claire, who encouraged her to go to Paris. We get to see flashbacks of Claire’s life when she, herself lives in Paris as an au pair and meets the famous chocolatier.
This book was cute, fun and definitely made me want a lot of chocolate lol. There are recipes in the back which I thought was a really nice touch. I feel like this is the perfect summer holiday read. It’s light and fun and you’ll be wishing you were on a flight to Paris rather than the beach lol.

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Thank you to @sourcebooks and @netgalley for the arc e-book.

This book has two of my favorite things, chocolate and Paris, in the title, so I knew I had to read it. The first two thirds of the story focuses on Claire's story in 1972 and Anna's story in modern times. Then the final third is Anna and Claire together. Claire was Anna's French teacher in high school. They reconnect in the hospital. While they are patients, Claire gives Anna French lessons and then later gets her a temporary job and a place to stay in Paris. Claire wants Anna to get out of the small town in England that they are from and have an adventure of a lifetime. We have two romances in one novel. The flipping back and forth in time was handled very well as the stories were clearly marked. I loved the characters. I loved seeing Anna go from being depressed over losing two of her toes in an accident at the chocolate factory to becoming more confident while she developed a life for herself in Paris away from the small town she was born and raised in. Sami, Anna's Paris roommate, stole the scenes that he was in, because he was just so full of life. I enjoyed both Anna and Claire's stories. This story will make you laugh and cry. It also makes me want to learn French and book a flight to Paris. There are several chocolate recipes at the end of the book. All look amazing. If you like Sophie Kinsella's books, you will like this story. This is only the 2nd Jenny Colgan novel that I have read and it won't be the last. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris is definitely one of the “loveliest” books I’ve read this year! Jenny Colgan creates a charming story that takes you on a grand adventure in Paris that you won’t soon forget. Her descriptive writing style has you experiencing the sights, sounds and flavors in such a way that you feel like you are in the story and in Paris. The first few paragraphs of the story are so amusing that I found myself immediately pulled into the story and laughing at the character’s witty personality. Be forewarned, you will want to eat chocolate when you read this wonderful story! Before starting, buy yourself some delicious chocolate, make yourself comfortable and get ready to experience this amazing novel.

Anna Trent has worked at Braders Family Chocolates for the past ten years as a chocolate taster. At the beginning of the story Anna has an accident at the factory and is sent to the hospital. While at the hospital, she develops a terrible infection that leaves her very weak and no longer whole. As Anna begins to recover, she meets Claire Shawcourt a former French teacher from school. Claire is very ill and is also confined to her hospital bed. As the two women try to endure their days in the hospital, they form an unlikely bond of friendship. Claire helps Anna practice her French as a way to pass the time and soon they are speaking only French. When Anna is discharged she finds her “injury” more challenging than expected. She is given a small settlement from the factory but is not allowed to return to her job. She finds herself with no motivation to leave her parents' home and little reason to move on. When Claire arranges a job for Anna at LeChapeau Chocolat in Paris with a former acquaintance, Anna suspects that there is more to Claire’s relationship with the famous Thierry but Claire refuses to discuss it. After Anna’s father points out that this job is a chance to see the world, Anna decides that at the age of thirty she’s ready to try something new. Thus, begins Anna’s adventure in Paris where she will meet new friends, discover new experiences, find her purpose and fall in love.

This book is written with the story alternating between Anna’s new life in Paris in the present and Claire’s trip to Paris in 1972 when she was seventeen years old and was sent to work as an au pair for her mother’s friend. In each story both women arrive in Paris unsure of themselves and uneasy about living in a new and different city. As you continue to read each story, you see them grow, spread their wings and experience all that Paris has to offer. As their stories progress in different time periods they finally come together when Claire insist on going to Paris and asks for Anna’s help. Soon, secrets are revealed and both old and new loves are brought together resulting in a beautiful, heartwarming and bittersweet story.

I truly loved reading this story. The authors format and descriptive writing style are outstanding. I enjoyed the authors note at the beginning and the wonderful recipes at the end. Mostly, I enjoyed feeling like I was experiencing the food, culture and beauty of Paris. This is one of those rare books that you savor like decadent, rich chocolate. I definitely recommend this book. Simply put, it’s a beautiful story.

I would like to thank the publishers for a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

I'm a fan of Jenny Colgan and I liked this book even if it's her best work.
I loved the well written cast of characters, the setting and the plot that flows.
There're some awkward parts but they were balanced by other excellent parts.
I look forward to reading the next book by Ms Colgan.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This book took a while to get a grip on me. And then, somewhere in the middle of all the chocolate, it did and then it was a race to the finish because...there wasn't enough time. We have two stories going on here, Anna's and as a secondary one, Claire's. And their relationship with Paris and the Girard men. It is a nice book, one that will be difficult to reread because of the start to halfway through the book. But it ended well and rather sweetly too.

I want some really good chocolates now. And to visit Paris again.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks, Inc for a copy of the book.

I enjoyed reading this story. It was a cute story set in France with some likable characters. It was a nice book to read in between some heavier books. I loved all the sweets and could imagine myself in the setting.

I was so thrilled to have the chance to read this book from Jenny Colgan ahead of its release date. I will read anything by Jenny Colgan that I can get my hands on, and this one did not disappoint. I loved the complex look at love in many forms in this book. This book went far beyond the typical love story and told of love among friends, family, and past loves. I also loved the idea that love lives on, perhaps in a different form, once the relationship has ended. I can't wait for Jenny's next book!

Loved this book!! I am a huge fans of novels and food and who doesn’t love chocolate.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Jenny Colgan does it again with a brilliant manifesto about the power of love. True love wins always, and champions time and sickness.
Our bodies may be weak, but our hearts can be very strong.
The novel opens with action and the reader is immediately whisked away.
Jenny Colgan fans will enjoy this, as well as any fans of love and literature.

The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris by Jenny Colgan
Source: NetGalley and Sphere
Rating: 2½/5 stars

On the surface, The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris is exactly the kind of book I was going to dive into and not come out of until the very least page. On the surface, what’s not to love? A chocolate shop, wonderful descriptions of delightful sweets, a woman trying to get her life back on track following a strange but true accident, and the sites and scenery of Paris.

As I dove into the book, I found a very different book than I expected, and I can’t say I was at all thrilled with what I found. I am the type of reader who loves good, strong, interesting, and full-bodied characters and when they work, they can carry a weaker plot, but when they don’t work, they take a good book and just sink it. Unfortunately, the latter and not the former is what I found with The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris.

Character breakdown:

Alice: Likely the most horrible character in the book! From start to finish, Alice is a tremendous terror with nothing in her blood but spite and anger. Alice is only ever concerned with her own life, her own well-being, and her own wants and desires. She is selfish beyond belief and has not one single redeeming quality. I found every scene and every encounter with her to be absolutely painful.

Anna: This is the one character I genuinely liked in this book. Anna has had a rough go of life of late and Paris and the chocolate shop is her chance to alter the course of her life. From the moment she arrives in Paris, Anna is faced with uncertainty and difficulties in every aspect of her life. The chocolate shop isn’t at all what she expected, her work hours make a social life difficult, and the people she is surrounded with are unpredictable and often difficult. What sets Anna apart from the rest of the characters is her resilience, her kindness, and determination to live her life in a way that makes her truly happy and not just content.

Claire: I feel bad disliking a character who is dying, but Claire made it difficult to like and sympathize with her. Though I know and understand Claire’s intentions toward Anna came from a good place, they also came from a selfish place. Claire has spent her life always wanting something she once had but lost. In all the years since she left Paris (as a teenager!), Claire has never been able to move forward, to appreciate the love and people she had in her life. In essence, Claire has lived a sad life of her own making thanks to her inability to let go of the past and focus on the good in the present.

Laurent: Meet the man-child of the bunch! Laurent and his father have creative difference where their chocolate making is concerned and unfortunately, those creative differences (and ALICE!) have driven a wedge between them. Like Claire, Laurent can’t seem to let go of the past nor can he let go of petty grievances. His general attitude toward his father, Alice (she deserves it!), and people in general is one of indifference and if their presence in his life doesn’t help him, they likely aren’t worth his time or energy and when things don’t go his way, he tends towards a fit. Man. Child.

Thierry: Because of his generally affable nature, Thierry is a man I desperately wanted to like, but just could not, in the end. Thierry has spent his life, his entire life, pursuing his own interests and appetites with little interest in how his actions and pursuits have consequences for not only himself but others. While Thierry’s attitude towards life has always been happy-go-lucky, his attitude towards his work has been single-minded, focused, and uncompromising. Thierry wants only to produce the best chocolate and his reputation certainly reflects his passion. What most don’t know is how his uncompromising nature has caused tension between he and his son and ruined nearly every relationship he has ever had.

The Bottom Line: I liked the premise of this book, I really liked the descriptions of the food and sweets, but all that cancelled out by truly disagreeable characters. What’s more, I found the shifts between the past and the present to be abrupt rather than smooth transitions. Though I never gave up on this book, I found it difficult to get through and I think I stayed with it simply because of the author and other books of hers I have quite liked. As with every accomplished and long-running author, not every book is a winner for every reader, and The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris is that book for me.

Although the novel promises to deliver a romantic story, it's flat; the romance comes as an afterthought. Once we get past the 50-60% mark in the novel, it seems the author remembered there was too little of the love aspect and hurriedly adds it. It reads artificial. Anna falls in love, presumably, with a man she suddenly finds attractive or handsome, but we're not buying it. It's not natural, it's too sudden, and... well... unromantic.

Not even Claire and Thierry's love story impresses. She fell in love with a selfish man and she basically pined after him her whole life. He did nothing to get her back. Now that I've finished reading the novel, I can clearly see how unlikeable Thierry is as a person. As a charismatic chocolate maker and seller, sure, he is the most charming. But I'm not fooled. I'm not buying his and Claire's love story either. However, comparing the two love stories, I found Anna and Laurent's worse.

Anna, the main character, has the aura of the perfect undercover woman. She knows not about her abilities, clearly. She can change Laurent, she is the trigger that leads to the two men's relationship mending. And how sudden that happens! We learn so much about it because it happened towards the end of the novel and we were too busy trying to wrap our minds around Anna and Laurent's new found passion for one another. Let us not forget, Laurent is attracted to Anna because she acts not interested in him and she likes to eat. That she finds herself physically attracted to him and jumps into impromptu kissing... well, this comes past the 85% mark. Of course she knows she loves him because he's good looking. Sound reason to jump into a... thing? relationship? We don't know.

Speaking of we don't know... Does Anna decide to stay in Paris for the foreseeable future? Is this her life? We're left guessing, just as she was doing before Paris and after the hospital stay. I guess it's enough if you find a love partner and you work in a chocolate shop, but just say this is what she decides. It was vague.

If it's not clear so far, the ending is rushed. Claire's preparations to visit Paris one last time were more interesting to read about than the actual visit and time spent there. Not to mention, they took longer to tell about than the visit.
Honestly, what I wanted to read more about was the chocolate shop in Paris. I was more interested in seeing where the shop will move forward and I like the path - Laurent becoming the governing force and giving Thierry a much needed slower pace.

I think this novel tried to present two Paris rose-colored love stories, but neither convinced me. It dawned on me that for Jenny Colgan the love stories come as an afterthought, a second priority. Her love of food is contagious and I am more interested in that aspect in this novel. Of course I can only base this opinion thinking of the other novels of hers I've read: Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe and The Cafe by the Sea. The Cafe was the one I liked best.

I can't recommend this one. I am sure there are other better Jenny Colgan novels, with more character development, as this one lacked in that department.

Two generations of falling in love in Paris-delightful! The descriptions of this beautiful city takes you to places you either remember from visits or desire to see for the first time!

I’ve read many novels by Jenny Colgan, a go-to writer for those who love chick lit books. I usually very much enjoy her novels, but this new one failed to catch my interest. From the onset, I was put off by the weirdly intense drama going on in the first chapter. The lead female character is the victim of a freak accident, but to give it a lighter touch, the scene is coloured with Anna’s ironic perspective. For me, the rendering felt too strange. Then, I was annoyed by the slow and ponderous writing style, a real hindrance I couldn’t overcome.

I may not have liked this new book, but Jenny Colgan remains one of my favourite chick-lit writers, so I’ll definitely pick up another one of her books.

Jenny Colgan is one of the best authors to get you out of a reading slump. She writes fast and easy reads that will have you laughing out loud.

Things I loved-

The Characters: Anna and Claire were both delightful. I enjoyed both of their storylines equally. Even the side characters were all very well fleshed out with very distinct personalities.


The Setting- Paris, France. I love France. I’ve always wanted to visit Paris and I felt like I was actually there. I was living vicariously through these ladies and loving every minute of it.

The Format- The Book is told in dual perspectives and on two separate time lines.
Claire in 1970’s Paris as a young Au Pair. Falling in love with a chocolate maker who employs present day Anna.
Both storylines are filled with the buzz and excitement of being in Paris for the first time. The romance was very well done and gave me the warm and fuzzies.

This has got to be my favorite Jenny Colgan book to date and I couldn’t be more grateful to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris in exchange for an honest review ☺️

The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris
by Jenny Colgan

Paperback, 416 pages
Published March 14th 2013 by Sphere (first published January 1st 2013)





Goodreads synopsis:
Life is sweet in this heartwarming tale of a little chocolate shop in Paris, by the bestselling author of Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams and Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe.

Mouth-watering recipes inside!

As dawn breaks over the Pont Neuf, and the cobbled alleyways of Paris come to life, Anna Trent is already awake and at work; mixing and stirring the finest, smoothest, richest chocolate; made entirely by hand, it is sold to the grandes dames of Paris.

It's a huge shift from the chocolate factory she worked in at home in the north of England. But when an accident changed everything, Anna was thrown back in touch with her French teacher, Claire, who offered her the chance of a lifetime — to work in Paris with her former sweetheart, Thierry, a master chocolatier.

With old wounds about to be uncovered and healed, Anna is set to discover more about real chocolate — and herself — than she ever dreamed.

***

2.5 Stars

This book is by the same author as Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe.

I should have realized before I even touched this ARC that I might not like this book. I guess this would be considered women’s fiction. But I feel like it is more just following along as someone lives their life. Sure there was an exciting part at the beginning where Anna loses her three middle toes and rediscovers her French teacher while in the hospital but I couldn’t relate to any of it. I felt like a rat in a cage and wanted to shout, “stop the world, I want to get off!”

I am sure there is a place for a book like this. I mean, this one has had three cover changes already so there must be a market for it. I am just afraid that market is not me.

If you love women’s fiction go ahead and check this out. It may be your new favorite. For me, I will have to take a pass.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Another sweet easy read by this author. I love how she makes us feel as if we are there. Easy read especially as I dream of Paris.

I really liked this story, it was whimsical and sweet, with the backdrop of Paris with all the little cobblestones and shops. You also have Claire who is facing down cancer and knows she won't make it long. When she encounters her old student, she wants her to have a beautiful experience like she had when she was young.

Anna is young and after an accident leaves her without a job, and two of her toes she seems lost. So Claire presents her an opportunity, a job in Paris at a Chocolate shop. Learning from one of the best, not the mass produced stuff she is used to, she will be challenged. Also living in a place she is unfamiliar with, pushes her out of her comfort zone. Loved the scenery, the story, and the journey all the characters went on.