This is about Mina who feels a bit lost and want to figure out what it is she wants. Mina acts before she thinks, which is a bit annoying. Yet it is fun to see what she is up to. I'd have expected her to get into more trouble. She is very friendy and so enthusiatic. She is a fun character. I like the way she met Luke. From the moment she met him, it was clear they were supposed to be together. It took Mina a while to realise that. What I like in the book are the characters, cooking and story. It's fun to read about Amelie and the visitors of the ski chalet. All the food sounds amazing! I felt the romance was lacking. There were some sparks, but now it still felt more like a superficial romance. The ending left me feeling unsatisfied.

Chocolate, cheese and a heartwarming love story. What more could a girl ask for?
This is such a wonderful story and Mina, is such a brilliant, warm and impulsive character. Her and Luke meeting was indeed serendipitous. I also loved the other characters, each described in quirky detail - Johannes a definite favourite with his magic for chocolate. The Swiss mountains were described beautifully and in such detail - I could almost taste the fresh air.
I haven't read any of the others in the Romantic Escapes series, but will definitely be adding them to my wishlist as the perfect escape.

Mina is having a rough time and has just proposed to her boyfriend he turns her down and she also finds out that he has been seeing her best friend behind her back, she is not enjoying her job as a food product developer for a big chain but after an incident involving her ex at work she is advised to take a holiday. So she decides to visit her godmother Amelia out at the Swiss alps where she lives and works running a small holiday hotel.
On her journey to her godmother she meets a gorgeous stranger who she shares not only a chocolate bar with but also a kiss.

Will she figure out her future what and where she is meant to be??

❄
I loved this book it's full of laughs adventure love and chocolate. This will definetley take you to far away places we can not enjoy at the minute.
It's a fab book to lose yourself in and I steamed through it in a day.

I have the other books in this fan series to read and will definetley be making an effort to get those read.

I think I have found a new top author to enjoy.

Plot: A gorgeous love story set in the snow-covered Swiss Alps, velvety chocolates & delicious cheeses...
I utterly adore Caplin novel's & this one is no different! She takes you on a luxurious escape, from the comfort of your favourite reading spot (I highly recommend indulging in a hot chocolate!). The imagery evoked in this novel is so vivid you really could almost be there.

"What will be, will be. Let's leave it in the hands of serendipity..."

People: The characters have depth & strong development throughout. They jump off the page and you really feel like you know them, like you are sitting at the table drinking those delicious hot chocolates alongside them (I wish!).

Mina is fabulous, a great reminder of what fun it can be to act impulsively in life.

Luke is rather luscious if only he was a real-life man....

Pace: It's a medium-paced story a romance with real heart! Romance is a feature but it isn't the sole focus of the story, join Mina on her journey of self-discovery & quest to drown her heartache in hot chocolate I promise you won't regret it.

Disclaimer: A huge thanks to One More Chapter & Rachel's Random Resources for sending me this title. All opinions are my own.

Pick up if you enjoy: Jo Thomas & Sue Moorcroft

This is a sweet, cozy winter romance, full of food delights and traveling near and far. It includes lots of skiing too.

I loved the sister bond in this book. I think Mina is really impulsive and head over heels and she needs people around her to keep her ground. Mina escaped to Switzerland to help her relative Amelie for taking care of guest. She's open, everyone loves her and she brings the best in people.

I liked Mina and Luke's encounter and their love story. It was a sweet and lovely winter read.


Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First book I have read by Julie and certainly need to get on and read her previous ones. Stunning book with beautiful descriptions and you can picture yourself staying at the ski chalet owned by Mina's godmother. Very heart warming read on a cold and wet winters day.

What can I say? I completely and totally fell in love with this romantic story set in the beautiful Swiss Alps. We follow the journey of Mina, who is recovering from a broken heart. She decides she needs some time away to heal and recover and re-evaluate her life. When her godmother invites Mina to visit her at her Swiss Chalet, Mina jumps at the opportunity.

Arriving in Switzerland, Mina takes the train journey to her godmother’s chalet, where she meets the extremely gorgeous and captivating Luke. They get on so well, its like they have known each other forever. As they both arrive at their destination, Luke kisses Mina. Luke tells Mina its all about serendipity. The peace, tranquility and sheer beauty of Switzerland, and her godmother’s chalet are so overwhelming for Mina. The longer she spends there, the less she wants to go home. This feeling may also have something to do with the delicious Luke, who Mina discovers actually works at her godmother’s chalet – as he told her, it’s all about serendipity.

I don’t want to give anything away, but the ending to The Little Swiss Ski Chalet is just magical. If you are looking for a story full of fun, love, romance and serendipity, then you will absolutely love The Little Swiss Ski Chalet.

Snow covered scenes, cheese, chocolate and a host of colourful and fascinating characters all stirred together and gently baked, make this an absolutely delicious novel. I was lucky enough to listen to the audio alongside reading the e-book so I got the best of both worlds.
Recently humiliated and unsure of the direction she wants to move forward in, Mina visits her Godmother Amelie at her guest lodge in Switzerland. A chance encounter on the train only serves to further reinforce Mina’s belief that she needs to settle down and take life more seriously but with adventure on the doorstep and strong feelings developing towards a guest, can Mina figure out who she wants to be?
Mina is such a delightful character. Full of spirit and adventure but one comment really shook her confidence and self-image. There were times when I really wanted to give her a friendly shake and tell her to go with her instincts. Mina’s passion is food and Swiss food is something I know little about, so I loved learning about new dishes – especially the sweet ones.
The chalet is owned by Amelie who I also adored. She is a gentle and wise woman who has a knack for bringing out the best in people. Other characters of the chalet add such a community vibe to the setting and the variety amongst characters is diverse and wonderful. Each character had something so lovely and endearing about them but also flaws and vulnerabilities. Except Simon – I hated him!
The setting is divine. I was completely transported to the ski slopes of Switzerland, feeling the crisp air on my face and the cold of the snow around my feet. I love the idea of the chalet, nestled within this small village serving delicious food (have I mentioned this yet?). I am now desperate to go on a chocolate and cheese train.
As I switched between paper and audio versions of this book I must give a huge mention to the audio narrator, Victoria Fox. Her voice is velvety smooth, like the chocolate that appears so often, and is really soothing to listen to making this the perfect bedtime listen. I really enjoyed the various accents too, changing clearly for each character and really helped me to feel as though I was listening to Swiss people speaking English.
This is a delightful read/audiobook and was pure escapism. Simply wonderful!

I have been a fan of Julie’s work for a while now. I haven’t quite caught up with everything that she has written but then I am slowly getting there. I read the synopsis for ‘The Little Swiss Ski Chalet’ and it certainly sounded like the fun, heart warming sort of book that I so needed at that time. It was certainly all that and so much more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Little Swiss Ski Chalet’ but more about that in a bit.
I loved the character of Mina and warmed to her from the very start. In fact it didn’t take me long to feel as though she had become a friends of mine. Mina is a food technician who thinks that she is in a loving relationship with her boyfriend. There’s a shock around the corner for Mina and she ends up finding out the worst of news at the most public of events. In a way this ‘discovery’ could be the best thing that could happen to her- not that she realises it at the time. Mina ends up going on a bit of a voyage of self discovery and enjoys experiencing new things and meeting lots of new people. Will Mina find the happy ever after ending that she so deserves? Well for the answer to that question and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
It took me no time at all to get into this story. In fact as soon as I read the synopsis, I just knew that I was in for a read and a half. I started reading the story and I became so wrapped up in the story that I just couldn’t stop turning those pages. I just had to know what happened to Mina and I felt rather protective of her. Whilst reading ‘The Little Swiss Ski Chalet’ I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was working my way through the story. I soon got to the end of the book and I had to bid farewell to Mina and her friends. I found this to be an unputdownable page turner of a book, which held my attention from start to finish.
‘The Little Swiss Ski Chalet’ is extremely well written but then I think that to be true of Julie’s books in general. She creates adorable lead characters, who are impossible to dislike and who the reader takes to heart. Julie has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Julie’s books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading an actual book. I hope that makes sense. This book left me feeling like I had had a hug from a mug of hot chocolate in the sense that the ending of the story made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Little Swiss Ski Chalet’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Julie’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

I almost turned this book down, as its location is the wrong side of the Alps, but the mention of chocolate in the description tempted me too much. Wow! All I can say is this is one of those times when I’m glad I gave way to temptation. It is a deliciously heart-warming book that I devoured like a box of my favourite chocolates. It comforted and cossetted me, sending waves of pleasure, just like when you take that first bite of soft-centred chocolate and the different flavours and textures create fireworks from your mouth to your brain and beyond.

Mina had my heart from the disastrous party, that saw her pack her bags for her godmother’s chalet in Switzerland, leaving sleazy Simon for dust. She hopes a few weeks staying with Amelie will help her decide what she wants to do with her future. What she discovers fills her heart, as she witnesses Amelie’s attention to detail with her guests, but also fills her head with ideas of her own.

Luke was adorable, with many hidden surprises, but although he believes in the serendipity that caused their paths to cross, he has plans that might not fit with Mina’s newfound passion and direction. The chemistry between Mina and Luke melted every part of me and for someone who vowed never to return to the ski slopes, this book almost had me yearning for a cross-country ski adventure of my own.

What a treat for all the senses this book was. A stunning location, characters who felt like friends, love, chocolate and lots of cake, what more do you need to pull you out of the winter blues?

After a disastrous breakup with her boyfriend and coworker, Mina is told to take a holiday. Her godmother has been begging her to come stay at her Swiss ski chalet and Mina decides now is the perfect time. Almost missing her train, Mina literally bumps into Luke and, after an instant attraction, she's thrilled that he'll be staying in the same Chalet. But as she's trying to get her life back together, maybe it's not time for a new relationship, especially with someone so impulsive and fun. But Luke is a lot deeper than he seems and when tragedy strikes he steps up in a big way.
I loved this book. It's like a little Swiss vacation tour at home. Chocolate, good food, skiing, and a cozy chair in front of the fireplace to curl up with a good book (maybe the other 6 books in this series).
Thank you to Julie Caplin and HarperCollins One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Regular readers of my blog may remember that I read and reviewed The Little Teashop in Tokyo in 2020 (visit https://mentoringmumof2bookreviews.home.blog/2020/06/03/the-little-teashop-in-tokyo-by-julie-caplin/ for my review). After enjoying that book, I treated myself to a couple of Julie’s books on my Kindle and I’m thrilled to be sharing my no spoiler thoughts about her new book here today.

I had been trying to say no to blog tours after returning to work after my furlough ended, but when I saw the gorgeous cover and the synopsis, which mentions chocolate four times, I had to send an email to Rachel to ask/beg to take part.

I’m pleased to say that it was the right decision. From the starting chapter with the Mexican themed anniversary dinner ending differently to how Mina had planned it, I was hooked. In a year of hardly travelling more than 2 miles to our local supermarket, I loved my virtual visit to Switzerland. I wouldn’t have wanted to go downhill skiing but I fancied the cross country skiing, the train journeys and the food. There is a lot of delicious sounding food in this book (and I wanted to try it all).

This is another uplifting romantic novel by Julie Caplin, full of humour, some heartbreak and a fabulous set of characters. Mina’s godmother Amelie is the perfect hostess and I’m now craving a holiday in Switzerland. A perfect escape for the anxiety inducing world we are currently living in. Treat yourself to a copy today is my humble suggestion.

This book is number 7 in the Romantic Escape series of books. They are all standalone books though and can be read without having read the previous books in the series. I have read all of the previous books though and this is my favourite one so far.
I have not read many books set in Switzerland before, and definitely not modern day ones. It was very interesting to read about the places and the cultures. I especially loved reading about the food, chocolate cakes and cheese- my favourite types of food. It made me so hungry reading about them. The cakes especially sound amazing and I would have loved it if there had been recipes included in the book.
I have never been snow skiing before, but Julie Caplin made me want to go. The imagery and descriptions of the scenery were very vivid, and I could picture it perfectly. This book was the perfect escapism on a wet and windy day in Lockdown.
The characters were good, the plot was very predictable, I guessed what Mina would do as soon as she said that she was going to Switzerland. I still enjoyed reading it though. It was a nice, gentle and cosy book to curl up with.
I was excited to hear that there will be another Romantic Escape book later this year, and I am looking forward to reading it. Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Before you start this book::- required - blazing fire and a large slab of chocolate.

When an Mina made an impromptu proposal to her boyfriend, only to uncover a betrayal, and then to see that all over social media, work was torture for her, as now her ex had made her to be manipulative. She knew she had to escape from there.

So it seemed that the Swiss Alps were calling her as well as her godmother, who sent her an invitation to her Swiss Chalet.

So, taking a two week holiday, and then when getting her train, she’s pulled in by Luke. But not just into the train.

I loved their meet- cute meeting.

Chocolates, Mina was absolutely crazy about them, making me reach for some whilst reading.

This was a beautiful read, with a perfect wintery setting.

Recommend it.

More superior chick-lit from Julie Caplin, this one set in a Swiss mountain resort. When a romance ends disastrously for Mina she decides to visit her godmother in Switzerland for a holiday. What she finds is unexpected but very welcome. Lovely descriptions of scenery and food (Mina is a food scientist, recipe inventor and keen cook), and interesting characters. Heart warming.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

I was really excited for this book: I love Julie Caplin's escapist novels. In pandemic times, they are just simply fun reads. This was a lovely story of finding one's purpose in life, love and family in a beautiful country - so totally what I wanted and needed. The storyline was very good and I liked how Mina's character evolved throughout the story. I also loved the special details added to the story like the Swiss recipes, the country descriptions (and everything Swiss really!) or Luke's hobby.

The story did not go very deep and somehow the whole business of the inheritance was a bit strange - it felt like an abandoned thought try-out (I wonder who can sell a house that is not theirs in the first place...?!). I also did not like the overuse of the word "discombobulated" - it felt so out of place, and it was used like three times, I had to look it up to check the meaning. The current version of the book also feels unfinished, there are misspellings and unfinished sentences. But I am pretty sure it will be perfect when released. I am just sharing these thoughts in case an editor reads them before releasing the book.

It felt revisiting Switzerland again, so an absolute megaplus:-)

Warning - if you are going to read this book make sure you are comfortable by the fire with a large block of chocolate.
Once again, the author delivers another wonderful book n the Romantic Escapes series. Transporting you direct to the Swiss Alps w/o the her wonderful descriptions which make you feel you are there this us the type of book where you know how it's going to end when you start it but that doesn't matter at all as the book takes you on a wonderful journey.
Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this book and it was just what I needed to read. A light, uplifting book that makes you really appreciate the smaller things in love, especially chocolate!

On her way to see her Godmother in the Swiss Alps for two weeks Mina lands with a bump onto the train she very nearly misses. That bump turns out to be the gorgeous Luke, who makes the train journey much more fun than she’d envisioned.

Armed with her trust self help book Mina is determined to decide what she wants to do with her life and start making some more grown up, serious choices. When she arrives at her Godmother’s chalet the scenery sounds so idyllic that I wanted to be there with her. Julie describes the scenes in this book so well that reading this really made me wish that I was off skiing myself. It just sounds so calming and peaceful with amazing views.

The chalet itself has such a lovely homely feel created by Amelie, not only does she bake the best cakes but she also knows the guests inside out and just wants everyone to be happy.

Like I say I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be keeping an eye out for the next one in this little series as we’ll be heading off to Dublin!

This is the first book I have read by this author and I think I've found another author to add to my pile. What a beautiful written story. Pure escapism, a break for my mind while I'm stuck in lockdown. Beautiful setting. Friendly community and characters. Chocolate. Cheese. Skiing. Snow and some romance. It all adds up to make a brilliant read. One to cosy up with.

I loved all the characters but Luke oh wow. What a man eh. I wouldn't mind a look at him. The main character Lexi is off on an last minute adventure to her god mothers in the alps after a shaky start to the story. One trip away that may change her life in more way than one. I loved it all! A happy ending for all. Intact I'd love to read more about these characters as a what happened next?

Perfection for me. However, personally the chapters were a little long for my personal liking I prefer them short but it didn't put me off devouring this story. A well deserved four stars from me. Highly recommend.

I think this has to be one of my favourite escapes with Julie Caplin and perfect for when you can't get away or you fancy a skiing holiday without the cold and for me the skiing!

After a relationship breakdown and when an act of revenge affects her at work, Mina escapes to Switzerland to her godmother Amelie's Swiss chalet. 

There is something unique about this chalet, Amelie is particularly fussy about her guests and unbeknown to them she is waving her magic wand through coffee and cake and getting them to come out of their shells and find themselves. It has a magical quality. 

Mina has vowed not to get too close to anyone after her relationship but when she is literally thrown into the path of Luke, she finds that both serendipity and spontaneous kisses amongst the snow are going to distract her for her entire stay. 

Enter helping Amelie in the kitchen, where she can embrace her love of food and creating some perfect recipes and cakes to soother the most grumpiest of souls. But of course you cannot come to Switzerland and not get tempted by the cheese and the chocolate. 


When an idea strikes Mina, she thinks she may have found her serendipitous moment when it comes to her career. But when events take a sudden dramatic turn she needs to rely on people who care. Can she open her heart again and move forward with a new path?

From the moment I started reading this book, I was transported away to the clean air, the brilliant whiteness of the mountains, the ski slopes, the cold biting weather bringing a refreshing change to any doom and gloom. All of this wrapped up with an immense amount of chocolate, cake and comfort. What more could you want from a book?

A pure escape in book form and with no added calories.