What do you think?
Rate this book
Chocolate Lovers’ Club #1
Шоколадов рай
Знаете ли кое е съвършеното лекарство срещу главоболие, сексуален глад и депресия? Шоколадът, разбира се, бял, млечен или натурален – топящ се в устата – божествен шоколад. Или поне така мислят Луси Ломбард и нейните приятелки - Отъм, Надя и Шантал.
Когато някоя от тях се нуждае от “спешна помощ”, те се събират в тайното си убежище кафене “Шоколадов рай”. Там обсъждат или гаджето, което изневерява и обещава да се промени, или шефа, който не спира да флиртува, или съпруга, който непрекъснато залага на хазарт, или брака, останал без любов – все поводи за поглъщане на ударни дози шоколад.
Защото:
- Обвързването с шоколада не е опасно
- Удоволствието е гарантирано дори когато шоколадът е омекнал
- Шоколадът няма да разсърди, ако го захапят твърде силно…
Романът “Шоколадов рай” е като съвършената кутия с шоколадови бонбони – в нея има и греховно изкушение, и наслада, но всичко минава толкова неусетно… Едновременно искаш да спреш, за да не дойде прекалено бързо краят, а също така и да погълнеш всички бонбони (пардон – страници!) наведнъж.
Изключително добре написана история за живота, любовта и вечната необходимост – и от добри приятели, и от хубав шоколад.
Publishers Weekly
Когато някоя от тях се нуждае от “спешна помощ”, те се събират в тайното си убежище кафене “Шоколадов рай”. Там обсъждат или гаджето, което изневерява и обещава да се промени, или шефа, който не спира да флиртува, или съпруга, който непрекъснато залага на хазарт, или брака, останал без любов – все поводи за поглъщане на ударни дози шоколад.
Защото:
- Обвързването с шоколада не е опасно
- Удоволствието е гарантирано дори когато шоколадът е омекнал
- Шоколадът няма да разсърди, ако го захапят твърде силно…
Романът “Шоколадов рай” е като съвършената кутия с шоколадови бонбони – в нея има и греховно изкушение, и наслада, но всичко минава толкова неусетно… Едновременно искаш да спреш, за да не дойде прекалено бързо краят, а също така и да погълнеш всички бонбони (пардон – страници!) наведнъж.
Изключително добре написана история за живота, любовта и вечната необходимост – и от добри приятели, и от хубав шоколад.
Publishers Weekly
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Carole Matthews
83 books1,597 followersCarole Matthews is an international bestselling author of hugely successful romantic comedy novels. Her unique sense of humour has won her legions of fans and critical acclaim all over the world.
A Minor Indiscretion and A Compromising Position both reached the Top 5 in the Sunday Times bestseller chart in the UK. You Drive Me Crazy reached number 8 in the original fiction charts. The novel Welcome To The Real World was shortlisted for RNA romantic novel of the year 2007.
In 2006 Carole co-edited - with writer Sarah Mlynowski - two new editions of the hugely popular Girls' Night In charity series called Girls' Night Out - one for the USA and one for Canada. All proceeds go to War Child.
Carole has presented on television and is a regular radio guest. When she’s not writing novels, television or film scripts she manages to find time to trek in the Himalayas, rollerblade in Central Park, take tea in China and snooze in her garden shed in Milton Keynes which is near London, England.
A Minor Indiscretion and A Compromising Position both reached the Top 5 in the Sunday Times bestseller chart in the UK. You Drive Me Crazy reached number 8 in the original fiction charts. The novel Welcome To The Real World was shortlisted for RNA romantic novel of the year 2007.
In 2006 Carole co-edited - with writer Sarah Mlynowski - two new editions of the hugely popular Girls' Night In charity series called Girls' Night Out - one for the USA and one for Canada. All proceeds go to War Child.
Carole has presented on television and is a regular radio guest. When she’s not writing novels, television or film scripts she manages to find time to trek in the Himalayas, rollerblade in Central Park, take tea in China and snooze in her garden shed in Milton Keynes which is near London, England.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 547 reviews
May 6, 2015
Imagine if someone told you they were going to give you a beautiful, ribbon-tied box of Godiva chocolates (or better, handmade, fresh cream-filled Mozarts flown over from Vienna that day), you'd be really looking forward to that. Imagine then if with a bright smile, they gave you a family-size bag of Hershey's Assorted Miniatures instead. There would definitely be some disappointment there, eh?
And so there is in this book. It's not Godiva, not even Lindt, it's a collection of stories, Snickers, M&Ms, Mr. Goodbar and a Watchamacallit.
Disappointing.
And so there is in this book. It's not Godiva, not even Lindt, it's a collection of stories, Snickers, M&Ms, Mr. Goodbar and a Watchamacallit.
Disappointing.
June 14, 2015
WARNING: This book makes you crave chocolate very badly!!
If you're on the lookout for a very light and fluffy story, and if you share a love for chocolate, then this is definitely the book for you. This narrative is about Lucy and her three friends who all indulge in chocolate whenever life becomes too hard. I especially like how this book is told from Lucy's perspective, but we get to follow the three other women as well from a third person perspective. In other words, we get very close with all four characters, and they all have very different and very interesting lives (and struggles).
Yes, this book is silly, and yes, Lucy is kind of immature for a 33-year-old, but that's what I was expecting from this book. I wanted to read something relaxing that didn't require too much thinking, and I wad intrigued with all the chocolate. I was very amazed at how much chocolate these women actually manage to consume within the 400 pages - that intake is highly unrealistic since everyone manages to stay beautiful, glowing and mainly fit at the same time. The plot is good because it is based on four different lives, but it's also very silly at times.
I like this book exactly because of the above-mentioned reasons and I'm definitely going to pick up the second book whenever I'm in the mood for another fluffy, chocolaty read.
If you're on the lookout for a very light and fluffy story, and if you share a love for chocolate, then this is definitely the book for you. This narrative is about Lucy and her three friends who all indulge in chocolate whenever life becomes too hard. I especially like how this book is told from Lucy's perspective, but we get to follow the three other women as well from a third person perspective. In other words, we get very close with all four characters, and they all have very different and very interesting lives (and struggles).
Yes, this book is silly, and yes, Lucy is kind of immature for a 33-year-old, but that's what I was expecting from this book. I wanted to read something relaxing that didn't require too much thinking, and I wad intrigued with all the chocolate. I was very amazed at how much chocolate these women actually manage to consume within the 400 pages - that intake is highly unrealistic since everyone manages to stay beautiful, glowing and mainly fit at the same time. The plot is good because it is based on four different lives, but it's also very silly at times.
I like this book exactly because of the above-mentioned reasons and I'm definitely going to pick up the second book whenever I'm in the mood for another fluffy, chocolaty read.
April 22, 2024
The more "chicken soup" you read, the more they look alike. This one has some funny moments and the rest is near to nothingness. Not to mention the main character, a clumsy, naive, pathetic young lady (I'd rather use the word Idiot, but I'm trying to be polite...) who befriends her ex-lover boy, AFTER she has seen him cheating on her.
P.s: maybe my words are a somehow harsh, but I hate being ashamed by the beahavior of characters in books I've invested my time...
P.s: maybe my words are a somehow harsh, but I hate being ashamed by the beahavior of characters in books I've invested my time...
February 4, 2017
This is an easy read - it is like putting together Bridget Jones and Love Actually - easy, sometimes witty, sometimes sad - the characters are what you would expect - this makes a good book for spending a long winter afternoon - I have the suspicion I will not remember much from this book in a years time - or maybe I will - the chocolate consumption while I had read it :)
December 27, 2015
A light-hearted and amusing piece of chick-lit, I enjoyed this book. It is fun, but no literary masterpiece. A good holiday read.
Lucy Lombard, a 30-something London office temp, has a passion for chocolate. She haunts a place called Chocolate Heaven, where hand-made, exquisite chocolate products are created and sold by the owners, gay couple Clive and Tristan. Recognising three fellow chocaholics among the shop’s clientele, she forms the Chocolate Lovers’ Club, and they meet at regular intervals to provide emotional support and indulge their addiction for chocolate in all its forms. Lucy’s three 30-something companions are:
Autumn, an earnest, single, upper class woman who works as an art therapist at a drug rehabilitation centre. Autumn’s druggie brother Richard is crashing at her flat and turning her ordered world into chaos.
Chantal, a wealthy, glamorous ex-pat American journalist who lives in great luxury, but in a marriage without any sex. She looks elsewhere to satisfy her sexual needs, which in turn creates a situation that forms a major element of the narrative.
Nadia, of Asian heritage, is the only one of the four club members to have a child, three year old Lewis. She is struggling to hold her marriage and home together, due to her husband’s gambling addiction.
Lucy’s love life is somewhat fraught. She has a long term relationship with Marcus, for whom she has a strong attraction, but he is chronically unfaithful. Their on-again/off-again/on-again romance is a dominant theme of the book, but one that I found became quite annoying. For a heroine who I guess is supposed to be strong and feisty, her ongoing weakness for the shallow, venal Marcus mystified me. She has two other nebulous romantic interests, in the form of Jacob, a handsome stranger she meets at Chocolate Heaven, and Aidan Holby, nicknamed Crush, her boss at work.
Lucy and her friends embark on some hilarious adventures which provide a great deal of amusement for this reader. The situations faced by the three friends (told in the third person in separate chapters) have features that are grounded in reality, which adds a poignancy to their stories. Lucy’s voice is first person, and her story is the dominant one in the book. In the early chapters I was very taken with the spirited, fun-loving Lucy, but she began to pall on me as the book progressed.
In my opinion the author had trouble finding the right level to pitch the Lucy character. Is she meant to be a compassionate, supportive friend or a cheeky, comedic character? Some of her behaviour descends towards the slapstick, as the author tries to milk the madcap aspects of her nature. Certainly Lucy’s story lines dominate the narrative, and I wonder if her overwhelming presence throws the harmony of the novel off-balance. While I was reading, two well-known British characters came to my mind - I see elements of Bridget Jones in Lucy, and also the young Cockney P.A. Natalie, who plays to Hugh Grant’s Prime Minister in the movie Love Actually. It seemed to me that the author kept tossing elements of both into the Lucy mix, which created a bit of a mess. The other problem with that approach is that the book is rather lengthy. I reckon that a judicious cutting of some of Lucy’s antics would reduce the page length while strengthening the narrative overall.
The fifth major character in this book is Chocolate. In all its forms it is described in loving detail, time and time again throughout the story. Did it make me salivate? Crave some myself? Surprisingly, no. Admittedly there were a few descriptions that evoked wonderful images in my mind and tastes in my mouth. But I found that Lucy’s gluttonous gobbling of chocolate at every opportunity verged on the obscene, and it actually turned me off. Again, I see this as a lack of judgment on the part of the author, who did not seem to strike an harmonious balance. It is this failure to equalise competing elements which has reduced my rating for this enjoyable book by a full star. So it is 3.5★s from me.
Lucy Lombard, a 30-something London office temp, has a passion for chocolate. She haunts a place called Chocolate Heaven, where hand-made, exquisite chocolate products are created and sold by the owners, gay couple Clive and Tristan. Recognising three fellow chocaholics among the shop’s clientele, she forms the Chocolate Lovers’ Club, and they meet at regular intervals to provide emotional support and indulge their addiction for chocolate in all its forms. Lucy’s three 30-something companions are:
Autumn, an earnest, single, upper class woman who works as an art therapist at a drug rehabilitation centre. Autumn’s druggie brother Richard is crashing at her flat and turning her ordered world into chaos.
Chantal, a wealthy, glamorous ex-pat American journalist who lives in great luxury, but in a marriage without any sex. She looks elsewhere to satisfy her sexual needs, which in turn creates a situation that forms a major element of the narrative.
Nadia, of Asian heritage, is the only one of the four club members to have a child, three year old Lewis. She is struggling to hold her marriage and home together, due to her husband’s gambling addiction.
Lucy’s love life is somewhat fraught. She has a long term relationship with Marcus, for whom she has a strong attraction, but he is chronically unfaithful. Their on-again/off-again/on-again romance is a dominant theme of the book, but one that I found became quite annoying. For a heroine who I guess is supposed to be strong and feisty, her ongoing weakness for the shallow, venal Marcus mystified me. She has two other nebulous romantic interests, in the form of Jacob, a handsome stranger she meets at Chocolate Heaven, and Aidan Holby, nicknamed Crush, her boss at work.
Lucy and her friends embark on some hilarious adventures which provide a great deal of amusement for this reader. The situations faced by the three friends (told in the third person in separate chapters) have features that are grounded in reality, which adds a poignancy to their stories. Lucy’s voice is first person, and her story is the dominant one in the book. In the early chapters I was very taken with the spirited, fun-loving Lucy, but she began to pall on me as the book progressed.
In my opinion the author had trouble finding the right level to pitch the Lucy character. Is she meant to be a compassionate, supportive friend or a cheeky, comedic character? Some of her behaviour descends towards the slapstick, as the author tries to milk the madcap aspects of her nature. Certainly Lucy’s story lines dominate the narrative, and I wonder if her overwhelming presence throws the harmony of the novel off-balance. While I was reading, two well-known British characters came to my mind - I see elements of Bridget Jones in Lucy, and also the young Cockney P.A. Natalie, who plays to Hugh Grant’s Prime Minister in the movie Love Actually. It seemed to me that the author kept tossing elements of both into the Lucy mix, which created a bit of a mess. The other problem with that approach is that the book is rather lengthy. I reckon that a judicious cutting of some of Lucy’s antics would reduce the page length while strengthening the narrative overall.
The fifth major character in this book is Chocolate. In all its forms it is described in loving detail, time and time again throughout the story. Did it make me salivate? Crave some myself? Surprisingly, no. Admittedly there were a few descriptions that evoked wonderful images in my mind and tastes in my mouth. But I found that Lucy’s gluttonous gobbling of chocolate at every opportunity verged on the obscene, and it actually turned me off. Again, I see this as a lack of judgment on the part of the author, who did not seem to strike an harmonious balance. It is this failure to equalise competing elements which has reduced my rating for this enjoyable book by a full star. So it is 3.5★s from me.
August 22, 2009
This book sounded like the perfect light read for my vacation- a tight group of friends bonding over exotic chocolates and tales of woe should be an automatic chick-lit home run. Unfortunately, this book was more a swing and a miss to me because the main protagonist Lucy was clearly more caricature than character.
I would like to believe that no self-respecting young woman would truly be so proud of her ability to stick with a serial cheater of a boyfriend. I would like to believe no self-respecting young woman would be so proud of her absolute inability to perform any of the basic functions of her employment. I would like to believe no self-respecting young woman wants to read and sympathize with so vapid and annoying a main character.
It was a real shame to me that Lucy was so stereotypical and idiotic a character, because the problems faced by the other women in the book rang true and could have elevated this book above the fray if they hadn't been constantly undermined by clumsy babbling irritating Lucy.
A disappointing 2.5 stars.
I would like to believe that no self-respecting young woman would truly be so proud of her ability to stick with a serial cheater of a boyfriend. I would like to believe no self-respecting young woman would be so proud of her absolute inability to perform any of the basic functions of her employment. I would like to believe no self-respecting young woman wants to read and sympathize with so vapid and annoying a main character.
It was a real shame to me that Lucy was so stereotypical and idiotic a character, because the problems faced by the other women in the book rang true and could have elevated this book above the fray if they hadn't been constantly undermined by clumsy babbling irritating Lucy.
A disappointing 2.5 stars.
January 19, 2018
A light read after quite some time! This book is like Sex and The City, with the difference that the friends in this book are chocoholic.
Plot
The story revolves around four friends - Lucy, Autumn, Nadia and Chantal. They share a passion for chocolates and they believe that it is chocolate that is a woman's best friend and not diamonds.
The four have formed 'The Chocolate Lovers' Club' and they meet at their den Chocolate Heaven as often they can. Whenever they meet they have plenty to discuss about their lives.
Lucy has boyfriend who keeps cheating on her but then keeps coming back asking for forgiveness and Lucy continues to take him back.
Autumn seems to worry herself about everything in the world but its mostly her brother who stresses her out.
Nadia's husband is an online gambling addict who has drowned the family in huge debts.
And Chantal, has it all - big bank accounts and loving husband. Her married life might seem perfect to people from outside but only she knows that a basic element is missing from her marriage and that is love - or to be more precise, physical love. Chantal satisfies herself by indulging in one night stands and thus putting her marriage at risk.
With so much going on in their lives and with so much to discuss, they meet and drown their sorrows in rich, creamy, sweet, delicious chocolates. According to them, it can cure anything.
Characters
I don't have any favorite among all the four leading ladies in this book and there were few times when I found them really foolish. But, there were also times when I liked them and felt sorry for them. My favorite in this book would be the supporting character of Lucy's boss who they call, 'Crush'.
What I like
This book is pretty entertaining and fun. There are few serious issues in the book but the way the four handle those issues just makes you laugh hard. I liked the friendship aspect of this book and how close they are. They are very supportive, they don't judge each other and always there for each other. They have the kind of friendship you would love to have in your life.
What I did not like
I did not go into this book with lot of expectations and it turned out fine. So, I would say I did not have major problems with it.
My final thoughts on the book
A pleasant and light-hearted read that is perfect if you are looking for a book that is a quick and relaxing. A warning though - if you love chocolates then this book will make you crave for them like crazy because there is a lot of chocolate in this story. I do not eat chocolates and this book made me want to buy a few. So, if you are a chocolate fan then please keep few handy near you.
Read this and my other book reviews at www.book-choose.com
Plot
The story revolves around four friends - Lucy, Autumn, Nadia and Chantal. They share a passion for chocolates and they believe that it is chocolate that is a woman's best friend and not diamonds.
The four have formed 'The Chocolate Lovers' Club' and they meet at their den Chocolate Heaven as often they can. Whenever they meet they have plenty to discuss about their lives.
Lucy has boyfriend who keeps cheating on her but then keeps coming back asking for forgiveness and Lucy continues to take him back.
Autumn seems to worry herself about everything in the world but its mostly her brother who stresses her out.
Nadia's husband is an online gambling addict who has drowned the family in huge debts.
And Chantal, has it all - big bank accounts and loving husband. Her married life might seem perfect to people from outside but only she knows that a basic element is missing from her marriage and that is love - or to be more precise, physical love. Chantal satisfies herself by indulging in one night stands and thus putting her marriage at risk.
With so much going on in their lives and with so much to discuss, they meet and drown their sorrows in rich, creamy, sweet, delicious chocolates. According to them, it can cure anything.
Characters
I don't have any favorite among all the four leading ladies in this book and there were few times when I found them really foolish. But, there were also times when I liked them and felt sorry for them. My favorite in this book would be the supporting character of Lucy's boss who they call, 'Crush'.
What I like
This book is pretty entertaining and fun. There are few serious issues in the book but the way the four handle those issues just makes you laugh hard. I liked the friendship aspect of this book and how close they are. They are very supportive, they don't judge each other and always there for each other. They have the kind of friendship you would love to have in your life.
What I did not like
I did not go into this book with lot of expectations and it turned out fine. So, I would say I did not have major problems with it.
My final thoughts on the book
A pleasant and light-hearted read that is perfect if you are looking for a book that is a quick and relaxing. A warning though - if you love chocolates then this book will make you crave for them like crazy because there is a lot of chocolate in this story. I do not eat chocolates and this book made me want to buy a few. So, if you are a chocolate fan then please keep few handy near you.
Read this and my other book reviews at www.book-choose.com
June 21, 2016
Published: 2007
Author: Carole Matthews
This book revolves around Autumn, Nadia, Lucy and Chantal and of course chocolate. The four friends meet on a regular basis in Chocolate Heaven to try and sort out their many crises and they find out they have more in common than they thought.
I liked the way this book was written in small chapters with a different character in each one. Easy to dip in and out of if time is an issue except I read it in 2 days. I really enjoy Carole Matthews style of imaginative and believable writing.
Author: Carole Matthews
This book revolves around Autumn, Nadia, Lucy and Chantal and of course chocolate. The four friends meet on a regular basis in Chocolate Heaven to try and sort out their many crises and they find out they have more in common than they thought.
I liked the way this book was written in small chapters with a different character in each one. Easy to dip in and out of if time is an issue except I read it in 2 days. I really enjoy Carole Matthews style of imaginative and believable writing.
October 18, 2020
This h is very hard to like and despite how much the friends swoon about chocolate, the author did not make it believable.
November 4, 2017
** 3.5 CHOCOLATEY STARS! **
“There are times when chocolate really is the answer to all of your prayers.”
***
Okay I'm not going to say too much about this, just the bare necessities.
1. This was a fun, quick read.
2. The consumation of chocolate was a bit excessive. These ladies ate chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as snacks and in liquid form. It's understandable to love chocolate, as do I, but this was just excessive. No one in their right mind eats THAT much chocolate every day over and over again (which these women literally did, I've never seen them consume a proper normal meal other than chocolate.)
3. I have rolled my eyes at Lucy Lombard multiple times with her stupidity but nevertheless she was still a fine character as actually all of them were.
Other than these three facts there's nothing more I feel that I need to say about this book.
It was enjoyable and I've flown through it but it didn't blow my mind and/or sometimes I sighed out loud with annoyance but that's all. I will probably continue the series at a time where I am indecisive as to what to pick up or need a light easy read.
“There are times when chocolate really is the answer to all of your prayers.”
***
Okay I'm not going to say too much about this, just the bare necessities.
1. This was a fun, quick read.
2. The consumation of chocolate was a bit excessive. These ladies ate chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as snacks and in liquid form. It's understandable to love chocolate, as do I, but this was just excessive. No one in their right mind eats THAT much chocolate every day over and over again (which these women literally did, I've never seen them consume a proper normal meal other than chocolate.)
3. I have rolled my eyes at Lucy Lombard multiple times with her stupidity but nevertheless she was still a fine character as actually all of them were.
Other than these three facts there's nothing more I feel that I need to say about this book.
It was enjoyable and I've flown through it but it didn't blow my mind and/or sometimes I sighed out loud with annoyance but that's all. I will probably continue the series at a time where I am indecisive as to what to pick up or need a light easy read.
May 1, 2020
I wanted to love this as a fun, light read but this book was a horrifying train wreck of sexist drivel with a good dose of wealthy privilege abuse and eating disorders. The women portrayed were constantly behaving in the most pathetic ways and many lines seemed to be straight out of the 1940’s. Worse than the main character repeatedly getting back together with her cheating boyfriend was her complete ineptitude at life and her constant judgment of what a woman does and doesn’t do - all women don’t prefer manicures and shopping over physical activity and self respect. Then there was the woman working in a rehab clinic who allowed her junkie brother to live in her place setting no boundaries and not calling the police when he almost killed someone and then led goons to trash her house. A person like that should not work with those who have substance abuse issues because clearly she was willing to get murdered rather than understand issues around substance abuse and helping loved ones get a little help. The other two were also fraught with issues even as they tried to navigate tricky issues.
All in all, an extreme disappointment and backwards view of humor and women.
All in all, an extreme disappointment and backwards view of humor and women.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2023
The characters are a bit annoying and it made me not want chocolate the level that they eat it. I also find Matthews writing very iffy - maybe it's just dated language (2007) but there's a lot of diet culture language and questionable references about gay characters.
The books pretty naff really but it had a decent ish storyline and it’s pure easy reading, therefore I will be reading the second one in the series. I hate myself for it.
The books pretty naff really but it had a decent ish storyline and it’s pure easy reading, therefore I will be reading the second one in the series. I hate myself for it.
February 22, 2015
The book The Chocolate Lovers' Club is definitely a 'chick' novel. This book will appeal to readers who enjoy that genre. I enjoy a 'chick' novel once in a while and this one did have some good points. It is a story of the lives of 4 very different women whose common bonds are their love of chocolate and loyalty to each other. Whenever one of them has a crisis of some type in her life, they meet together to share, comfort, and advise the woman currently suffering. What I did like about the book was how the character and life situation of each of these women were developed---Chantal who is obsessed with sex and out-of-touch with her husband's desires, Autumn who enables her younger brother who is totally involved with the drug scene, Nadia whose husband's gambling addiction has put them deeply in debt, and Lucy Lombard, who appears to be totally flaky and keeps taking a boyfriend back who is repeatedly unfaithful. The constant references to eating chocolate were a little over the top for me but then what can you expect from a book with this title.
March 6, 2014
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/...
These club books are always pretty formulaic and twee on the downside, however fun and addictive on the up.
episode 1 - white choc layer cake
[image error] episode 2 - choc charlotte
episode 3 - chocolate almond torte
episode 4 - chocolate mousse cake
episode 5 - Chocolate Brazilnut Cake
These club books are always pretty formulaic and twee on the downside, however fun and addictive on the up.
episode 1 - white choc layer cake[image error] episode 2 - choc charlotte
episode 3 - chocolate almond torte episode 4 - chocolate mousse cake episode 5 - Chocolate Brazilnut Cake
August 10, 2014
Bridget Jones's Diary was the first chick lit book I've ever read, so even if it isn't as great as I used to think it was, I still believe that it's funny and well written. Simply put - it's an enjoyable ride.
So, if some author 15 years later or so, cannot even recycle it properly I get really, really mad.
The plot was unoriginal, the characters were off putting, stupid and unlikable. I was both bored and annoyed throughout the whole book - even the chocolate-centered parts, which is really sad, cos I looove chocolate.
The only saving grace is that I didn't buy this book or its sequel, they were a gift. Makes me wonder what did I ever do to my sister that she presented me with such literary suckage.
So, if some author 15 years later or so, cannot even recycle it properly I get really, really mad.
The plot was unoriginal, the characters were off putting, stupid and unlikable. I was both bored and annoyed throughout the whole book - even the chocolate-centered parts, which is really sad, cos I looove chocolate.
The only saving grace is that I didn't buy this book or its sequel, they were a gift. Makes me wonder what did I ever do to my sister that she presented me with such literary suckage.
September 28, 2022
Si čokoholik?
Doteraz som si myslela, že milujem čokoládu, ale kniha Čokoládový klub ma z môjho omylu rýchlo vyviedla. Čokoládu mám skutočne rada, ale ani zďaleka nie tak, ako štyri hrdinky tejto knihy. Tie sú od nej doslova závislé, používajú ju ako liek na emocialne problémy, či neplechy vo vzťahoch.
Rozprávačkou príbehu je Lucy, ktorá samu seba opisuje ako ,,kyprú”. Nečudo. Z toľkej čokolády, ktorú do seba dokázala na posedenie nachádzať, som mala neraz glykemický šok, a to som o toľkej čokoláde len čítala. Lucy mala byť akási roztomilá chaotička, ktorú by sme mali vnímať ako malú chodiacu katastrofu a súcitiť s ňou. Nedokázala som ju ľutovať, ani jej držať palce, lebo za každú katastrofu si mohla sama a spôsobila ju vlastnou aroganciou.
Okrem Lucy sme mali možnosť spoznať aj Chantal, Nadiu a Autum. Každá bola iná a všetky spájala láska (závislosť) od čokoládových dobrôt. Autorka sa snažila predostrieť ľahký príbeh štyroch rozličných žien, z ktorých sa stali kamarátky, ale zároveň sa pokúsila do príbehu zakomponovať aj komplikované témy, akými sú nevera, či rozlične závislosti (nie tie čokoládové). Nápad fajn, len vôbec nebol dotiahnutý do uspokojivého konca. Zápletka sa ako zázrakom vyriešila a hurá, zrazu tu bol šťastný koniec, ktorý sa zjavil akosi prirýchlo a bez varovania.
Škoda, ale Čokoládový klub mi momentálne znechutil pôžitok z čokolády a pri predstave čokoládovej vodky ma premáhala hrôza. Lenže nemôžem byť až taká zlá, pretože ako taká oddychovka nebola vôbec zlá. Len škoda, že som pri jej čítaní ani raz nedostala chuť prehľadať skrinku a pátrať po čokoládových zásobách.
Ak máte chuť na čokoládové nebo a neprekáža vám slabšia dejové linka, tak Čokoládový klub nájdete vo vydavateľstve Grada.
November 28, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️ "There are times when chocolate really is the answer to all of your prayers." This was a very fun read packed full with love-life drama and failing families. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then this will be the one for you.
Four women have one main love in their life, and no it isn't their failing relationships, it is chocolate. They meet in a chocolate shop whenever one is in a crisis and in dire need of comfort chocolate. However, this appears to be more often that not with a loveless marriage, a brother with a dark size, a cheating boyfriend, and a flirtatious boss. No matter what trials life throws at them, they believe that all can be solved by chocolate. Or can they be?...
This book was certainly full of a myriad of drama. I loved the connection between the four women don't get me wrong. But sometimes, I just couldn't get behind their actions and motivations. I don't mind reading about characters who make mistakes, don't get me wrong, we're all human. However, when it's the fourth or fifth time, it just gets boring to read about and makes me want to put the book down! I loved the different dynamics in their relationships however, that was throughly enjoyable to read about. This was most certainly a fun read!
Four women have one main love in their life, and no it isn't their failing relationships, it is chocolate. They meet in a chocolate shop whenever one is in a crisis and in dire need of comfort chocolate. However, this appears to be more often that not with a loveless marriage, a brother with a dark size, a cheating boyfriend, and a flirtatious boss. No matter what trials life throws at them, they believe that all can be solved by chocolate. Or can they be?...
This book was certainly full of a myriad of drama. I loved the connection between the four women don't get me wrong. But sometimes, I just couldn't get behind their actions and motivations. I don't mind reading about characters who make mistakes, don't get me wrong, we're all human. However, when it's the fourth or fifth time, it just gets boring to read about and makes me want to put the book down! I loved the different dynamics in their relationships however, that was throughly enjoyable to read about. This was most certainly a fun read!
July 8, 2008
An entertaining, funny and courageously honest story about four women who meet regularly in a chocolate cafe called Chocolate Heaven, run by a gay couple, and devour amazing chocolate creations while sharing the latest ups and downs in their lives. A simple enough pretext for a book. Their lives are a bit of a mess really. Lucy is a temp at a rather horrible IT company, her boss flirts shamelessly with her, and she's just caught her boyfriend Marcus setting up a romantic dinner for two and she's not invited. Nadia, who married a white man against her family's wishes, discovers he's addicted to online gambling and they owe 30,000 pounds. Chantal, a rich and beautiful ex-American, loves her husband Ted but has no idea why he's not interested in her, and in her attempts to satisfy her sexual hunger ends up getting robbed. Autumn works at a centre that helps kids break their drug and petty crime habits, while her own brother is dealing from her apartment.
Most of the time the plotlines revolve around love and relationships. Lucy, despite her fairly low self-image, is romanced by Marcus, her boss, Aiden, and a sexy man she met at Chocolate Heaven, Jacob. Autumn has the hots for a charming man at the centre, Addison. Nadia still loves her husband, Toby, but he can't admit he has a problem. And Chantal is driven to extremes by her frustration. All their stories are believable and, to varying degrees, familiar.
Yes, there are similarities between this and Bridget Jones's Diary - it has the same playful, humorous, slap-me-in-the-head-for-being-so-stupid tone, and Lucy is quite similar to Bridget in temperament and personality but she still maintains her individuality. Being set in London with the same use of Britishisms also prompts the comparison. But they are different enough stories, just as funny but also sometimes heart-breakingly awful, and I did laugh out loud at times, and grin often.
I love chocolate, if you didn't know, though I'm also very snobby about it. There's amazing chocolate, good chocolate, bad chocolate and fake chocolate. I have to make an effort not to eat too much of it - I can't even eat it every day, not even a single bar, because I have pretty much no metabolism whatsoever and my exercise is limited to a 15 minute walk to the subway in the morning - and a 15 minute walk home after work. The amount of chocolate the women eat in this book was actually a bit nauseating. Especially Lucy. I'd be sick on that much chocolate.
One of the peculiar things about this book is the point-of-view switches. Lucy narrates her story in first-person present tense. Which actually works surprisingly well. Chantal, Nadia and Autumn's chapters are all in third person past tense. Which jars a bit, and was confusing at first. I'm not sure why it was written this way, or if it was the only way it could have been written, but strangely enough, once you stop wondering about it, you don't even notice it. Lucy is the ringleader, the founder of the club of chocolate addicts, and definitely a protagonist - it's she who comes up with a dare-devil plan to get back Chantal's jewellrey after the "shag and shaft", as she so delicately puts it. Because Lucy's chapters are in her voice, they have more flavour and humour than the other women's and more spunk too. Yet without the others it'd be a shallow story, and you can't tell them all in first person. Why Matthews opted for present tense for Lucy is also odd, but strangely that works as well. It actually makes the past tense chapters sound odd instead, and gives Lucy's personal life a sense of urgency.
My biggest problem with the book is the men. They're not half as well developed as the women and for the most part come across as selfish arrogant two-timing bastards, while the women are victims. This isn't true, but because the stories are told from the women's perspectives the men don't really get much of a chance. I felt so sorry for Jacob, too. (Maybe I was a little slow in picking up on what he did for a living - end of their second date, it was - and maybe not.) There is a sequel to this book, The Chocolate Lovers' Diet, and maybe they get more of a chance there. But probably not. Also, I hated their nickname for Lucy's boss, Aiden: Crush. Ugh. Really tacky, not at all sexy. Made it hard for me to remember that he's supposed to be a handsome, charming man. But I do give Matthews kudos for creating a character who comes across as sexist and sleazy in the beginning but who, as the story progresses and Lucy's own attitude starts to change, clarifies into a lovely, considerate, fun-loving guy. Seriously, keep an eye on Aiden. He's worth watching.
Despite this, I did really enjoy the book. While some plotlines got wrapped up and some came to a sort-of resolution, I definitely want to read the sequel to find out what happens, because it certainly isn't over.
Most of the time the plotlines revolve around love and relationships. Lucy, despite her fairly low self-image, is romanced by Marcus, her boss, Aiden, and a sexy man she met at Chocolate Heaven, Jacob. Autumn has the hots for a charming man at the centre, Addison. Nadia still loves her husband, Toby, but he can't admit he has a problem. And Chantal is driven to extremes by her frustration. All their stories are believable and, to varying degrees, familiar.
Yes, there are similarities between this and Bridget Jones's Diary - it has the same playful, humorous, slap-me-in-the-head-for-being-so-stupid tone, and Lucy is quite similar to Bridget in temperament and personality but she still maintains her individuality. Being set in London with the same use of Britishisms also prompts the comparison. But they are different enough stories, just as funny but also sometimes heart-breakingly awful, and I did laugh out loud at times, and grin often.
I love chocolate, if you didn't know, though I'm also very snobby about it. There's amazing chocolate, good chocolate, bad chocolate and fake chocolate. I have to make an effort not to eat too much of it - I can't even eat it every day, not even a single bar, because I have pretty much no metabolism whatsoever and my exercise is limited to a 15 minute walk to the subway in the morning - and a 15 minute walk home after work. The amount of chocolate the women eat in this book was actually a bit nauseating. Especially Lucy. I'd be sick on that much chocolate.
One of the peculiar things about this book is the point-of-view switches. Lucy narrates her story in first-person present tense. Which actually works surprisingly well. Chantal, Nadia and Autumn's chapters are all in third person past tense. Which jars a bit, and was confusing at first. I'm not sure why it was written this way, or if it was the only way it could have been written, but strangely enough, once you stop wondering about it, you don't even notice it. Lucy is the ringleader, the founder of the club of chocolate addicts, and definitely a protagonist - it's she who comes up with a dare-devil plan to get back Chantal's jewellrey after the "shag and shaft", as she so delicately puts it. Because Lucy's chapters are in her voice, they have more flavour and humour than the other women's and more spunk too. Yet without the others it'd be a shallow story, and you can't tell them all in first person. Why Matthews opted for present tense for Lucy is also odd, but strangely that works as well. It actually makes the past tense chapters sound odd instead, and gives Lucy's personal life a sense of urgency.
My biggest problem with the book is the men. They're not half as well developed as the women and for the most part come across as selfish arrogant two-timing bastards, while the women are victims. This isn't true, but because the stories are told from the women's perspectives the men don't really get much of a chance. I felt so sorry for Jacob, too. (Maybe I was a little slow in picking up on what he did for a living - end of their second date, it was - and maybe not.) There is a sequel to this book, The Chocolate Lovers' Diet, and maybe they get more of a chance there. But probably not. Also, I hated their nickname for Lucy's boss, Aiden: Crush. Ugh. Really tacky, not at all sexy. Made it hard for me to remember that he's supposed to be a handsome, charming man. But I do give Matthews kudos for creating a character who comes across as sexist and sleazy in the beginning but who, as the story progresses and Lucy's own attitude starts to change, clarifies into a lovely, considerate, fun-loving guy. Seriously, keep an eye on Aiden. He's worth watching.
Despite this, I did really enjoy the book. While some plotlines got wrapped up and some came to a sort-of resolution, I definitely want to read the sequel to find out what happens, because it certainly isn't over.
August 10, 2023
Easy read that makes you want to eat chocolate and sit in a cafe all day reading 😘
June 20, 2011
Books about “clubs” seem to be trendy as of late. Throw a word that girls like in front of it (shoes, chocolate, knitting) and you have a bestseller all wrapped up. Girls with issues all meet up to discuss them. The book does center around one girl who is taking a long time to get over her long time boyfriend. The best part was when the girls get back at some dude who stole from one of the girls in the group. She slept with him and he steals all her jewellery and money and the girls set him up to get it back. That part, while it worked out a little too perfectly, was still the best part. The center girl starts dating some guy who seems pretty shifty and I thought it was going to be the guy that stole everything but it turns out he is some “escort” who one of her friends saw once and center girl gets all pissed. I thought that was pretty lame. The lead girl gets mad at her friend, which is so stupid, because it’s not like either of them knew. Not the worst book ever, but not the best.
Grade: C
Grade: C
July 4, 2018
Parla di 4 ragazze che si ritrovano in un negozio che vende cioccolato, per sfogarsi dei propri problemi. Non so perché ma l'ho trovato parecchio maschilista, con le solite protagoniste donne succubi di situazioni che vogliono cambiare e sempre alla ricerca della felicità con un uomo (ovviamente superfigo), e abbastanza scontato. La protagonista lavora in un ufficio in cui il capo sarebbe denunciabile per molestie.
Per quanto riguarda il cioccolato (io lo amo) non mi ha fatto venire per niente voglia di mangiarlo. Nomina una sacco di merendine che in Italia ovviamente non ci sono, e leggere della protagonista che si mangiava 5 barrette di twix e altrettante porcherie (e mangia solo quello per tutto il libro, a colazione, pranzo e cena) mi ha fatto venire la nausea.
Probabilmente se l'avessi letto d'estate sotto l'ombrellone mi avrebbe fatto un altro effetto.
Per quanto riguarda il cioccolato (io lo amo) non mi ha fatto venire per niente voglia di mangiarlo. Nomina una sacco di merendine che in Italia ovviamente non ci sono, e leggere della protagonista che si mangiava 5 barrette di twix e altrettante porcherie (e mangia solo quello per tutto il libro, a colazione, pranzo e cena) mi ha fatto venire la nausea.
Probabilmente se l'avessi letto d'estate sotto l'ombrellone mi avrebbe fatto un altro effetto.
March 7, 2016
I love Carole Matthews books and this did not disappoint. It is like a box of your favourite chocolates with all the right ingredients and something for everyone. Loved all the characters too. The only problem is it makes you want to devour chocolate All day long! Not easy if you have had to go dairy free like me recently so am making do with dark chocolate and a few I can tolerate but its such a mouth wateringly indulgent read that I am going to devour all the other 3 books of the series in succession taking me nicely up to Easter when I can indulge in some eggs and bunnies albeit on the dark side. Brilliant book.
March 4, 2018
I love chocolate and I enjoy these books also. I like how the story is about 4 woman who have bonded over their love of chocolate. So many ups and downs for each woman and so so real also. Funny, heartwarming and enjoyable. I would have read this faster if I had more time in the day. I can’t wait to read the second book. It makes me realize how much I miss good chocolate from Britain. Lucy is funny and always getting herself into a predicament, Chantel is sex starved (no easier way to say it), Nadia has to deal with her gambling husband and worrying about the debt that he has procured and there their is Autumn and her druggy brother! So much going on but oh so entertaining.
August 15, 2023
I’ve read these somewhat out of order as I started with the Chocolate Lovers Christmas and absolutely loved that one so am returning to start the series from the order in which it’s meant.
We meet Autumn, who works in drug rehabilitation but has her own issues at her very doorstep, Nadia a full time at home mum who’s struggling to make ends meet , Spicy Chantal who just can’t get the attention of her well to do husband and finally Lucy, a temp with many a relationship woe.
A lot of the characters are just absolute car crashes that crash from one disastrous situation to another unbelievable other. It made for entertaining reading but the chances of it were a little stretched! They were all super likeable characters though and between the four of them, there was a lot of drama.
From robberies, disastrous jobs to relationship issues and all associates troubles. Of course, this is where the friendship between the four comes into its own and numerous emergency meets up at the Chocolate Heaven are arranged.
All the chocolate in this book certainly fed my appetites and is exactly what I was hoping for! The sounds of a lot of these culinary delights had my mouth watering and I could only wish I had a Tristan and Clive near me to offer sugary delights whenever they were required.
Glad I bought the series as I’ll probably read them all back to back. Chocolate Lovers Diet next!
We meet Autumn, who works in drug rehabilitation but has her own issues at her very doorstep, Nadia a full time at home mum who’s struggling to make ends meet , Spicy Chantal who just can’t get the attention of her well to do husband and finally Lucy, a temp with many a relationship woe.
A lot of the characters are just absolute car crashes that crash from one disastrous situation to another unbelievable other. It made for entertaining reading but the chances of it were a little stretched! They were all super likeable characters though and between the four of them, there was a lot of drama.
From robberies, disastrous jobs to relationship issues and all associates troubles. Of course, this is where the friendship between the four comes into its own and numerous emergency meets up at the Chocolate Heaven are arranged.
All the chocolate in this book certainly fed my appetites and is exactly what I was hoping for! The sounds of a lot of these culinary delights had my mouth watering and I could only wish I had a Tristan and Clive near me to offer sugary delights whenever they were required.
Glad I bought the series as I’ll probably read them all back to back. Chocolate Lovers Diet next!
December 17, 2017
I got attracted to Carole Mathews' book covers. I was thinking if she could design such cute covers then her books must be great. This time, I can't be faulted for judging a book by the cover.
Sex in the City feels in the UK and bonding over love for chocolate. I felt a few do-not-finish-this-book moments because of how the main protagonist, Lucy Lombard was made out to be twit in love and work. Or how you can get who she'll end up with and Lucy doesn't. But Chantal, Autumn and Nadia do not disappoint and their stories are as entertaining as well. Their individual stories are intertwined and independent at the same time. Overall, friendships, love and the premise of happy endings prevail making this a light and happy read. Book 2 please, as it turned out to be (yet another) series.
Sex in the City feels in the UK and bonding over love for chocolate. I felt a few do-not-finish-this-book moments because of how the main protagonist, Lucy Lombard was made out to be twit in love and work. Or how you can get who she'll end up with and Lucy doesn't. But Chantal, Autumn and Nadia do not disappoint and their stories are as entertaining as well. Their individual stories are intertwined and independent at the same time. Overall, friendships, love and the premise of happy endings prevail making this a light and happy read. Book 2 please, as it turned out to be (yet another) series.
February 8, 2024
A very easy and silly read. It even got a Valentines-day cynic like me to crave some chocolate. The book follows 4 friends, bonded by their addiction to chocolate and shared misfortune with men. Each of the women had very developed personalities and interesting lives- it was refreshing to flip between POVs and really kept the book moving. I was occasionally frustrated with the main character Lucy and her dedication to being a clumsy, immature airhead but overall it was more endearing than annoying.
July 1, 2018
4.5 stars
Despite this being the first in a series, I actually read it last!! I read The chocolate lovers diet many years ago not realising that this book came before it and I have since read the other two books in the series as well, so I was familiar with the characters.
It was nice to read about how things started and was a thoroughly enjoyable book. I'm just now disappointed that my chocolate lovers journey had come to end where book wise it had only just began.
Despite this being the first in a series, I actually read it last!! I read The chocolate lovers diet many years ago not realising that this book came before it and I have since read the other two books in the series as well, so I was familiar with the characters.
It was nice to read about how things started and was a thoroughly enjoyable book. I'm just now disappointed that my chocolate lovers journey had come to end where book wise it had only just began.
September 6, 2022
I don't normally read this genre of book but I decided to just give it a go because I thought it would be a nice easy read for summer. I was wrong. I couldn't put this book down. Its full of suprises and unfortunate events that effect the girls in the chocolate lovers club. I 100% recommend this book and I can't wait to read the next one.
February 14, 2022
2.5 maybe? This was a fun and cute cotton candy read for February. The chocolate consumption did seem a bit...much....in some parts. The decisions made by the main character tended to make me anxious rather than entertain me. I guess it's a series. Though I would be perfectly fine never reading another book in the series, if I happened upon the 2nd book and was in the right mood I would pick it up. A fun group of characters that make a good cotton candy type of read!
May 28, 2023
I was bought this book as a present, I had read it before and remembered a lot of the story. I really enjoyed it last time, but knowing the storyline made me not enjoy it as much this time. It’s made me realise (unless it’s a favourite) I don’t like reading books for a second time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 547 reviews