In 1921, Dorothy Adwell a war widow works for Cadbury’s at Bournville, England, when she’s given the opportunity to travel to Tasmania and help establish the firm’s new factory being built at Claremont. A fresh start might be just what Dorothy needs, she misses her husband Freddie and like so many women of her generation all she has left with are her memories of the man she loved.During the sea voyage Dot meets Thomas Moreland, she recognizes the signs of a veteran, he has the haunted and tried look, the war took a toll on men physically and mentally and Dorothy would like to help him and ease his symptoms.

Maisie Greenwood is the eldest of three children, she lives in a weatherboard cottage in Glebe, Hobart and her father died in the war. Maisie and her brother both work, their mother takes in mending and Maisie wants her younger sister Lily to finish school and further her education. Getting a job at Cadbury's Factory would take the pressure off her mother and her failing health, Maisie's very anxious when Mrs. Adwell visits their house for her interview and the company likes to see where the potential employees live (no judgement) and get to know their families.

Maisie’s a nervous wreck on her first day of work, the new girls catch the Cadbury’s train, have a guided tour of the unfinished factory, and Mrs. Adwell explains the process of making chocolate, it’s complicated and hard to believe the bitter tasting beans become the creamy sweet treat people can't resist. Maisie enjoys her job, she's mature for her age, Mrs. Adwell notices and makes her a supervisor in her section. Maisie is chuffed with her promotion and she quite likes Frank Sutton, he repairs the machines and she develops feelings for him.

Dorothy and Maisie are both unknowingly caught up in a plot to uncover the recipe for the most popular chocolate in the world Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, spies posing as employees, plant seeds of doubt in people’s minds about their co-workers, use blackmail as a tactic and acts of sabotage.

I received a copy of The Chocolate Factory by Mary-Lou Stephens from Harlequin Australia and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Wow what an amazing story, full of wonderful and interesting characters like Dorothy, Maisie, Frank, Thomas, Gertie and Lily and each one adds a different outlook and perspective to the narrative.

This is more than a novel about building the Cadbury's Chocolate Factory in Claremont, Tasmania, Ms. Stephens explores so many important issues and topics such as, shell shock, Quaker values of social justice, being stewards of the earth, Cadbury's provided health and dental care to their employees, housing, sporting facilities, park-lands, schools and paid night classes for adults to further their education and used Tasmania's milk to make their delicious chocolate.

It''s also a story about friendship, being loyal, brave, humble and putting others first, this is one of the best books I have read this year, absolutely outstanding historical fiction and five stars from me. I highly recommend and the author's previous book The Last of the Apple Blossom.