A couple of years ago I read and enjoyed Mary-Lou Stephen's debut novel, Last of the Apple Blossoms, which was set in Tasmania and is about the demise of the apple orchards. This novel, her second, is once again set in Tasmania but this time focuses on the establishment of the Cadbury chocolate factory in a town called Clarement, just outside Hobart, in the 1920s.
Our story starts with a group who are making the journey from the original Cadbury factory near Birmingham in England. Together they are travelling across the world to Hobart where work has begun to build a new Cadbury factory. Our main character is Mrs Dorothy Adwell. She had worked for years in the original factory, and shown a keen interest in the mechanical aspects of the machinery in the factory. Her talent and potential have been recognised and she has been chosen to go to Australia as a supervisor.

Mrs Adwell employs a young woman called Maisie Greenwood. Maisie has had to work from a very young age to help her mother make ends meet. After an interview process which included a home visit to establish her character and her familial situation, Maisie is excited to begin working at Cadbury's and not just because of the endless supplies of chocolate. She hopes that the additional benefits such as night school will help her get on in life. Her main aim is also to ensure that her bright younger sister might escape needing to start working at the tender age of 14 and that she will be able to continue her education.

Both Dorothy and Maisie inadvertently get caught up in in plots to steal the much coveted recipe for Cadbury Dairy Milk. It's hard to believe that establishing a chocolate factory could be such a hotbed of controversary and industrial espionage. There were already Australian chocolate makers and so they weren't keen to have what is one of the largest confectionary companies in the world come to Australia. There was also controversy about how much it was costing Australians in subsidising the new factory.

As much as this book is about starting a new industry in Australia, it is also about the aftermath of war. Each of our characters are dealing with the legacy of WWI. Dorothy is dealing with the loss of her husband. Similarly Maisie and her family are living a life where they are having to work hard due to the loss of her father in the conflict, and there are characters with shellshock, for examples.

If you know about the history of British chocolate makers, then you may be aware that Quakerism has played a huge role in the industry. This is yet another strand of the story that we get to know in the pages of this book.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review, Foodie Reads hosted at Based on a True Story and with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host.

When the book was released, the publishers shared a couple of original recipes from the 1920s, so I thought I would share a couple of them here.

The Chocolate Factory is a very interesting account of the Cadbury factory being established in Tasmania. From that historical angle it is informative and awakened my interest in Tasmania. The book also establishes the social and religious attitudes of those times in the 1920's, so soon after the First World War, when men returned from the front with shell shock.

We meet fictional women who came out on ships from England to begin and also to train up local men and women to work in the factory. The alliances and friendships both made and lost weave through the story. There is some up and down romances as well. I found that for me this part of the book was the most engaging.

While the history was interesting at times, especially at the beginning, it overshadowed the story. However it was really well researched, and as a reader we learned more than we ever knew about the making of chocolate.

The final third held me fully glued to the book to see how it would all finally conclude.

I really enjoyed this read which is set in Tasmania and focusses on the women involved in the setting up of the Cadbury factory. Based on true events but with fictional storylines, this novel focusses on Dorothy who has aspirations of becoming high up in Cadbury after moving from Bourneville to Tasmania to help set the factory up. However, when she starts receiving threatening letters her friednship with Mr Moreland is in danger. At the same time, Dorothy is helping local girl Maisie realise her dream of becoming a supervisor and helping feed her family. A great story.

Set in Tasmania in 1921, this book takes us on a journey from Cadbury’s at Bournville to the new establishment of the factory in Claremont.

This story has two main characters, Dorothy Adwell who travels from the UK to Tasmania and local girl Maisie Greenwood.

There were some interesting chocolate facts in this story I especially liked the one about how one of our now loved favourite bars came into existence.

Mary-Lou Stephens describes 1920’s Hobart, Claremont and surrounding areas as I have always imagined and having lived on the Glebe for a few years I can totally relate to Maisie’s walk home.

This story was like a box of chocolates! It has mystery, romance, historical facts, strong female bonds just to name a few.

A big thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinaus for gifting me an ARC of this one to read.

A delicious tale of intrigue and suspence.

Cadbury's Chocolate Factory is the largest chocolate factory in the Southern Hemisphere.Following Cadbury's successful 1919 merger with rival chocolatiers Fry's, the British company decided to expand operations overseas. As Australia was one of the company's largest export markets, it was decided to be an appropriate location for their first factory abroad. After visiting Tasmania in January 1920, executives from Cadbury's selected the unique peninsula location at Claremont due to the state's cheap provision of hydro electricity by the Hydro Electric Commission, cool climate and the availability of high-quality fresh dairy production and supply. The Cadbury family were Quakers, and the company executives believed the site at Claremont embodied the Quaker values of the company, offering a tranquil and picturesque setting for workers.Commencing construction in 1920, the factory was built entirely of white ferro-concrete.These included ancillary buildings for the warehouse and power and transformer houses, which were interconnected by covered arches on each floor. Workers from the original Cadbury factory in Birmingham and Bristol in the UK relocated to Tasmania to oversee the factory construction and train newly recruited staff.Cadbury's Chocolate Factory at Claremont was officially opened on 21 October 1921.Between March and May 1922, Cadbury's Managing Director Dorothy Cadbury visited the factory, overseeing working conditions from both the perspective of the employee and employer.Bound for Sydney, the first shipment left Cadbury's Claremont on Saturday 8 April 1922, containing Pascall confectionery.Based upon the model village of Cadbury's Bournville estate in Birmingham, the newly established 'Cadbury's Estate' embodied Quaker ideology, providing housing for workers, shops, sporting facilities, a school, a Friends meeting house and parkland, complete with purple benches.To assist worker education and social welfare, a variety of organisations and social activities were created within the self-contained community.Quakerism is a way of life built upon principles of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship.

I loved this novel so much! The Chocolate Factory by Mary-Lou Stephens is an absolute gem in the realm of historical fiction (or any genre) with its main topic of interest being the arrival of Cadbury’s in Tasmania after World War 1. Who doesn’t love a Cadbury chocolate bar! And how fun it was to learn the various aspects and processes of this business. But this story is about more than just the roots of this company in England and its extended branch in Australia. Yes, there’s rivalry and espionage—spies and betrayals. But it is also about friendship, loyalty, PTSD, romance, customs of the day and family ties. Plus, we get an inside view of the heart of Quakerism which is marvellously explored in such a way we can relate and understand its core values—in war, business, nature and family. These elements provide an amazing backbone for the story and portray the company in a positive light. A strong network of Quaker ideas, beliefs and motives run through The Chocolate Factory giving the plot serious motion. I never knew the Cadbury’s were a Quaker family and how it made such an impact on the ‘Firm’ (as they were known by employees) in how it was run. There’s a real sense of community among those working for them as Cadbury provided a lot of good things such as housing, healthcare and education just to name a few.

There are some intriguing characters in this novel including nasty villains who want to get their hands on Cadbury’s intellectual property! There are a fair number of hair-raising attempts to harvest this exclusive knowledge. But wouldn’t it be under lock and key? Would the new factory in Tasmania be an easy target as some competitors think? When the parent company in Bournville, England, sends a number of their highly trained staff to Tasmania to help set up and run the new factory—all these factors are taken into consideration but it doesn’t stop the bad guys from trying. And this is where the mystery of the novel lies. When Forewoman Dorothy Adwell begins receiving threat letters, it not only unnerves her, but also sets into motion a plan to uncover this person. Through indirect means, they attempt to blackmail her to get what they want. It is well known there have always been spies after Cadbury’s recipes, so it is a believable scenario that we can accept. But why use her to get to those secrets? What information could they obtain on her that would force her to trade her job’s intel? There are plenty of twists, turns and surprises and on the edge of your seat action and reactions with this plot. I won’t say who else gets involved because I don’t want to give away the story. But I found this novel very hard to put down once I became engaged in the characters and their dramas. It is so well written, with great maturity and skill, that these exceptional ingredients make it a pure delight to read.

The novel is told by two women affected by WW1. Dorothy is a war widow and one of the British trained staff in charge at Cadbury's in Tasmania. Maisie is the local Hobart hired staff who lost her father in the Great War. We get unique perspectives from these two as it creates a wonderful balance between the old world company and the new extension.

Dorothy has a long history with the mother company and started at age thirteen. Her knowledge of chocolate making and working with Cadbury UK is invaluable to setting up the Tasmanian sector. As mentioned, she also is a young war widow and has lost the love of her life. When offered the chance to come to Australia, she accepts as she sees it as a way to escape the memories of her loss and to start again. In spite of her heartache, she is still a very strong career-minded woman who knows her own strengths and can stand her ground when questioned or when things go wrong.

The second point of view by Tasmanian born Maisie provides an interesting contrast. She is shy but her strength comes from the fact she has a goal. She is the eldest child of a family who has seen its fair share of loss. She has taken it on herself to be a major provider for her mother, brother and sister. Always battling poverty, and although her motives are sincere, her desire to escape this debilitating yoke, makes her vulnerable in some areas. Her father was killed in action so she is trying to assist her mother and keep her sister in school. Landing the Cadbury job is a big deal and she is determined to work hard to get ahead. The factory is a new experience for her, so we get a fresh perspective through her eyes.

I must add, there is a wonderful relationship between Dorothy and (her protégé) Maisie. When Maisie gets a job at Cadbury’s, she learns quickly and shows great promise of advancement. But she has a soft heart and must develop a thicker skin to be a leader once she is appointed to a higher position. Her family has struggled with financial security since her father was killed in the Great War. She is sensitive about those who may not have pulled their weight during this momentous time. She has an encounter with another Cadbury employee where the meaning of ‘coward’ is explored and defined quite well. As you’d expect, misconceptions are raised from external voices. Will these prove true or refuted?

There are lovely elements of romance in this novel and I won’t give any of that away but it adds the softer touches to the story. Yet this brings out the strengths and weaknesses of the characters, too. There are both beautiful and heart-breaking moments in this area where lovers must pause, wait and make hard decisions.

PTSD is a topic respectfully covered in The Chocolate Factory—especially with the memory of war so close at hand. Dorothy’s compassionate heart leads her to help a man she meets on the trip over from England who is suffering badly from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from his past experiences in the Great War. He reminds her of her late husband but how far will these emotions lead her?

If there is only one Australian historical fiction novel you will read this year, let it be The Chocolate Factory. I was astounded by the writing skills of Mary-Lou. The advanced development of a clever plot, a diverse range of complex characters and a just-right-balance of fascinating details. Memorable five-senses description fills this riveting power-packed human story to make it a perfect read. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to HQ fiction and Mary-Lou Stephens for a review copy.

The Chocolate Factory is a fabulous fictional tale about the origins of the very famous Cadbury chocolate in Australia. It regales the early days of the factory in Tasmania through the eyes of two female characters - Dorothy, who sails from England to help set up the enterprise and Maisie, who becomes one of its first Australian workers.

The research Mary-Lou has undertaken regarding the history, process and manufacturing of chocolate is educational. There is information surrounding not only chocolate making but also the rivalry between the chocolate makers. The characters are well developed with many issues also under the spotlight such as the many challenges that were faced post World War.

This is a book that historical fiction readers are sure to enjoy as it is filled with friendships, romance, mystery, intrigue and all smothered in delectable chocolate.



‘I'm a patriot. I much prefer the confectionery that's made here on our own shores … Old Gold isn't Australia's favourite for nothing. And what about Hoadley? Who doesn't love a Violet Crumble, eh?'

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for my ARC.
I enjoyed this book. It is a novel based on the establishment of the Cadbury's Chocolate factory in Tasmania, just after World War 1. The company relocated staff from their Birmingham factory to establish the factory in Tasmania, and also to pass on their skills to the local employees. I learnt a lot about the Cadbury company. I did not know that the founders were Quakers and that industrial espionage was rife in those days.
The main character, Dorothy, from Birmingham, is a strong woman, however she did have her enemies because of this. Masie, a local, also figures prominently. She is also a strong woman but because of her home and economic circumstances she does get taken advantage of. But only for a short while!
This book is well written and the characters are well developed.
The only drawback, and this is my opinion only, is that the book could have been written 50 or more years ago. It did not have the "feel" of a modern novel
The ending also felt a bit contrived, but that is only how I felt about it. Overall it was a good read. I have no complaints at all about the hours of research that obviously went into it.

The Chocolate Factory was a great historical fiction about the setting up of the Cadbuy's chocolate factory in Tasmania. Having visited the factory and had taste tests when I was a kid I was really interested in reading this one. It's told from alternating viewpoints from Dorothy- a war widow who worked in the original Cadbury factory in Bournville and wants a fresh start, and Masie- a young local Tasmanian girl who needs to support her family by working at the factory.
I enjoyed the relationship between Dorothy and Masie, and these characters with the other workers, both the British and the locals. I also enjoyed the information about chocolate making and the rivalries with the local chocolate makers. There was a little mystery which added a nice touch. Overall it was an enjoyable story.

Despite the promise of chocolate and the Tasmanian landscape and feminism and romance, I did not really enjoy this book.

I did like the historical details. Hobart was chosen as Cadbury's first chocolate factory outside of England. The investment, in 1921, must have been huge - along with building the factory and a housing estate for its employees, they also shipped out several staff to establish operations in Australia.

Dare I say that Stephens may have been better off simply writing a non-fiction book about Cadbury’s. There are a lot of interesting facts she includes. They read, however, like facts. I don't t think they were added organically into the fictional plot.

Stephens’s story centres on Dorothy, a WWI widow, whose passion for the ‘firm’ finds her in an esteemed position of authority (for a woman in 1921) which sees her leave England to become one of the first Australian based employees. Dorothy had potential, but Stephens seemed to jump around with her plotline.

There was a lot of focus on unnecessary and boring plot points (eg Dorothy’s accent, the Quaker religion, the uptight boarding house owner, blah blah) and then others which should be expanded upon were condensed and mentioned almost in passing (the meeting of school teacher Thomas on the ship, for example, was brief and uneventful but then, a mere chapter later, Dorothy is all starry eyed when thinking about him and I was sure I must have missed an entire scene).

I haven’t had much luck lately with Australian historical romance and this book unfortunately didn’t get me out of that rut. I’m sure a lot of readers will love it, but it wasn’t for me.

2 ½ out of 5

It's a very tempting title and a beautiful cover and the book begins really well with the introduction of the main character, Dorothy Adwell. She is a war widow working at the Cadbury factory in England who is sent to Tasmania to help start up a new factory there.

All good so far. I enjoyed the history about chocolate manufacture, the facts about the war and interesting details about women's rights and the problems they endured in the workforce. Crossing the ocean with Dorothy was interesting as was the prospective love interest who luckily turns out to be heading for Hobart too.

I had some difficulties after that with too many one dimensional characters and odd coincidences.
I wondered why a book which is so well researched and historically factual had to be let down by an unlikely fairytale ending. I am on the fence with this one but it has enough writing goodness in it for three stars.

It was 1921 when Dorothy Adwell boarded the ship from London, bound for Tasmanian shores. Dorothy had worked at Cadbury's in Bournville since she was young. Now an experienced Cadbury's worker, she was heading to the new Australian Cadbury's factory being built in Tasmania, to train young locals in the art of chocolate making. Her best friend Ida had gone on an earlier ship, and when Dorothy arrived at the boarding house for Cadbury's workers, she was dismayed to find Ida in the hands of another worker - Esme - someone who disliked Dorothy, and made it known as often as she could. Dorothy shared a room with Sarah, secretary to the boss, and she was a good friend.

Maisie was a young woman with worries on her shoulders. Her father had been killed in the Great War and her mother was trying desperately to keep her family together. Maisie's job drew a pittance, while her brother Andrew was the same. Lily, their younger sister was a bright girl, going far in school. Maisie wanted her to continue in school but they couldn't see how she could, as they needed the money Lily's small pay would bring. Therefore, Maisie getting a job with Cadbury's was exciting - the extra money would help a lot. But there was trouble on the wind. The spies who wanted the recipe of Cadbury's Dairy Milk (yum!) would stop at nothing to achieve their goals, and both Maisie and Dorothy were drawn into their web. What would be the outcome for Maisie, a young, naïve and gullible woman; and Dorothy, a strong, determined and courageous woman?

The Chocolate Factory is a fascinating look at the origins of Cadbury chocolate in Australia from the pen of talented Aussie author Mary-Lou Stephens. I was completely drawn in to the fictional (though based on fact) account from the very first page, learning about the shell-shock suffered by soldiers returned from the Great War; as well as the way competitors of Cadbury's did all they could to stop the production of the delicious chocolate from going ahead. A thoroughly enjoyable historical read, The Chocolate Factory is one I recommend highly.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

First I must say I love reading a book with a Tasmanian setting as I live in Hobart and can relate to so much about this place. But having said that it still has to be a good book to read and this one certainly is. A story of Friendship, love, secrets and chocolate of course!

Set in Hobart in 1921 with a backdrop of the Cadbury Chocolate Factory Dorothy Adwell is looking forward to a fresh start in a new place with a work promotion. But will all go according to plan? Can Dorothy and her work colleague be able to save a well guarded secret recipe?

This is a well written and well researched story that really held my interest. I love the characters and the friendships they made. The story really comes to life and you can imagine these things happening which makes for a great read. The interesting facts within the book are fun and I am glad they were added. Overall a great book and I enjoyed reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Australia, HQ (Fiction, Non Fiction, YA) for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

What a wonderful book. Just lived this author’s take on how the Cadbury factory start out in Tasmania and her little romance and mystery that she weaved into the story.
Highly recommend reading this one.

The chocolate factory

An engaging novel which centres around the early years of the establishment of the Cadbury factory in Claremont, Tasmania in the early 1920s. The story is told through the eyes of two women. Dorothy, who has sailed out from England to take up a promotion at the new factory. Dorothy had worked at the Cadbury factory in Bournville, England for a many years and is looking to start a new life and adventure after the Great War and the loss of her husband Eddie.
Maisie, a young Australian girl has applied for a job at the new factory and is beyond grateful when she is successful . Maisie had lost her father in the Great War and her mother, brother and younger sister are struggling to make ends meet so the new job will provide added security and extra money for the household.
Dorothy takes Maisie under her wing and soon has her taking on more and more responsibilities.
There has been a great deal of research undertaken for this book. I was interested to read the process of the building of the new factory, the machines used to make the chocolate, the society and norms of that period and also the influence of Quakerism as the Cadbury family were Quaker’s.
There is a great story told with a bit of romance and a lot mystery and intrigue; including spies who would do anything to get their hands on the chocolate recipes. I loved the strong female characters and the wonderful friendships the characters developed.
A 5/5 read!

‘During the war I took on positions at Cadbury’s that wouldn’t normally be available to women, including operating and maintaining machinery.’

In 1921, after years of working for Cadbury’s at Bournville, Dorothy Adwell travels to Hobart to help establish the new Cadbury-Fry-Pascall factory at Claremont. The Great War brought Dorothy both opportunity and tragedy: a shortage of labour has enabled her to undertake jobs usually unavailable to women, while sadly her beloved husband Freddie was killed. During the sea voyage, Dorothy meets Thomas Moreland, a man damaged by his experience of war. They are both travelling to Hobart.

Ms Stephens brings together a diverse cast of characters. There are several workers who, like Dorothy, have travelled from the UK. Once in Hobart, Dorothy makes friends with Sarah Harris another Cadbury’s employee. In Tasmania, we meet Maisie Greenwood, the eldest daughter of a war widow, who applies for a position at Cadbury’s to help family finances and to try to ensure that her younger sister Lily can remain at school. Maisie becomes friendly with Frank Sutton, but then a man named Percy Bates enters the scene.

Establishing a new factory is not all smooth sailing for Cadbury-Fry-Pascall. Competitors circle, and some would do anything to try to obtain the recipe for Dairy Milk, the most popular chocolate in the world. Both Maisie and Dorothy become caught in the scheme to steal the recipe.

I enjoyed this novel. With the history of Cadbury’s in Bournville and the Great War as the backdrop, Ms Stephens brings both her characters and the challenges of establishing the new factory at Claremont to life. While the stories of Dorothy and Maisie were central, other characters are important (especially Thomas, Frank, Sarah, and Gertie) in the story that unfolds.

If you enjoy well-written historical fiction with well-developed characters, I can recommend ‘The Chocolate Factory’.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Mary-Lou’s The Last of the Apple Blossoms is one of my favorite books and I was delighted to see her latest novel explores the Cadbury Chocolate Factory in Hobart. Growing up it was a dream of mine to go and visit the factory, I suspect when I discovered it wasn’t like Willy Wonka’s factory I would have been very disappointed. Sadly they don’t do tours of the factory anymore but this novel certainly makes up for it.

Beautifully written, I could picture myself on the ship making its way across the globe and then Hobart and the beautiful Derwwnt River in the in 1920s. It was fascinating to learn about how the factory was set up, and how well they looked after their workers by providing cottages and staff quarters and a train to pick them up and evening classes. I was impressed to see that women workers were still valued after the war for all their experience.

Told from two characters point of views, it gave a good insight into the different women who and to work in the factory. Dorothy, who intially worked with chocolate and then ended up working on the machines during the war came across from the UK factory to help set things up and Maisie, a local girl trying to to help her family up. Both women were amazing, I loved getting to know them both, their families and see their different relationships play out. There were a number of side characters that made the novel, in particular Gertie, she sounds like she’d be a lot of fun.

I didn’t realize there was a connection between Cadbury and Pascals. I enjoyed learning of the rivalries between Fry vs Cadbury, the women from both companies wanting to be Chief Forewoman and the corporate espionage. This and the mysterious letters helped move the story on.

The novel also explored the impact of war on the Tasmanian economy and Quaker religion. Both were interesting to learn about and well-researched. I definitely appreciated Mary-Lou’s attention to detail throughout the novel, she really captured the feel of the time from Dorothy trying to change her Brummy accent to not wanting to wear trousers in public in order not to offend the locals. Another fabulous read, I just love getting lost in Stephen’s books.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It gave me so much more than I was expecting. Firstly, I enjoyed the fact that it was set in a part of Australia that I have never been to and there is always talk about visiting the Cadbury factory when we eventually go there. Secondly, the characters I fell in love with. Even those characters that had smaller parts and not a main role. They were all well suited. Gertie, Maisie and Dot were my favourite females. Frank by far was my favourite and I could picture him in my head. Bringing together the war and chocolate was a great read. I loved how the book was written in chapters with a different character and the story flowed perfectly. I also loved the fact that it ended with closure! With each page I turned at the end I was hoping it wasn't the actual finish because I needed to know some things, but the author finished it so well.

I was so lucky to be granted an advance copy of The Chocolate Factory and I wasnt disappointed.
Dorothy leaves England to come to work in Cadbury's in Tasmania with the story developing into a historical fiction with a little mystery, and romance.
We follow Dorothy and Thomas, who needs TLC after the war.
We meet Maisie and Sarah, who both admire and support Dorothy when someone wants to find out her secret.

I wasnt expecting to learn anything new but I am now so much wiser about the history of chocolate in Australia and the competition to create the best diary milk chocolate.

I feel that I went on the journey with the characters and was sad to leave them behind.

But beware, you wont be able to escape the craving for some good chocolate!

A beautiful story, it tells the story of the people involved in the start-up of the Cadbury’s Chocolate factory in Claremont, Tasmania, (known as The Firm) we get to know Dorothy, Maisie, Sarah, Frank, Gertie and Thomas to name a few, we learn of their friendships, their loves and the secrets that are coveted by many and that must be kept, come along and take a journey back to 1921, this one is sure to keep you turning the pages, and maybe eating your favourite chocolate while doing so.

Dorothy Adwell has worked for Cadbury’s Bournville since she was a very young girl she is now a widow, thanks to the Great War and missing her husband Freddie very much, when she is offered the chance to come to Australia and be there for the set-up of the new factory she jumps at the chance to put the past behind her and it is a promotion, during the long voyage she meets a man Thomas Mooreland who reminds her so much of her Freddie and she can see that the is suffering the same as Freddie did and she is determined to help him.

Maisie Greenwood is eighteen, she lives with her widowed mother and younger brother and sister and life is a struggle but she is thrilled to apply for a job at the Cadbury’s Factory, Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate is her favourite and very much missed, she is interviewed at home by Mrs. Dorothy Adwell and is accepted and with the help of Mrs. Adwell is soon a supervisor and she is also getting along very well with Mr. Frank Sutton, life is very good, that is until Percy enters her life at the factory.

The recipe for the famous Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate is on that is coveted by many especially the Australian confectionary companies and there are many spies in this industry and when Dorothy and Maisie get caught up in a blackmailing plot to uncover said recipe, reputations are on the line. How far will they go to save their reputations and their jobs and who can they trust? Will they find happiness and fulfill their wishes for their own lives?

I loved this one from cover to cover, MS. Stephens has researched this so well, I loved learning about The Cadbury family and what they did for their staff and their beliefs. The characters are fabulous and so easy to get to know the setting beautiful and the mystery and plot intriguing, obviously that recipe is worth a lot. I highly recommend this one, it is wonderful story, and I loved learning about the making of my favourite chocolate.

My thanks to Harlequin AU for my copy to read and review.