** advanced copy received via publisher **

I’m absolutely delighted to be hosting a stop on the blitz tour for Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances by Sue Watson! Many thanks to Kim Nash at Bookouture for the opportunity and the advanced copy!

Author : Sue Watson
Title : Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances
Pages : 269
Publisher : Bookouture
Publication date : October 12, 2017

A year after she separated from her husband, Gianni, on Christmas Day, Chloe’s heart is still in pieces as she unpacks the decorations for her first ever festive holiday alone. That is, until the phone rings…

It seems Gianni’s new seaside restaurant is in trouble and Chloe must go to Appledore to save the business – and him. Equally famous for his experimental culinary extravaganzas and his explosive temper, Gianni has been really stirring up a sensation with the locals – and not in a good way!

As pans fly and the temperature in the kitchen rises, Chloe’s calming influence and magic touch might just get critics back on side in time to save the restaurant from sinking like a sad soufflé. But will it be enough to save their marriage?

Some of you may know, this isn’t really my normal sort of read. I tend to shy away from romance things and pretty much anything to do with Christmas. Just call me Scrooge. But this is Sue Watson and her Ice-Cream Café series holds a special place in my heart so the decision to read and review this one was a lot easier than you’d think.

Sue Watson takes us back to the lovely town of Appledore but this time, Winter is coming. (Sorry!) Gianni, a fiery Italian, has opened a restaurant there but things aren’t going very well. Gianni isn’t exactly a people person and has an incredible temper which results in staff leaving, altercations with food critics and grumpy customers. He calls in the help of his estranged wife, Chloe, though he won’t admit the idea was his as he’s far too stubborn for that.

Chloe and Gianni started out having a wonderful relationship and marriage but after the sadness of three miscarriages, each tried to deal with their grief by throwing themselves into their work. A lack of communication, misunderstandings and too much time apart eventually leads Chloe to leave the marriage behind. Forced to spend time together in Appledore and make Gianni’s latest venture a success, could their marriage possibly get a second chance?

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Appledore with Chloe and Gianni. Although I must admit to frequently feeling my temper rise at Gianni’s attitude and if I’d had a pan handy, it probably would have found its way to his head. Despite his character also delivering quite a few chuckle-worthy moments, he’s also utterly infuriating and Chloe, quite frankly, has the patience of a saint most of the time.

Throw in the delightful residents of Appledore we’ve all come to love, snow and the impending arrival of the holidays, and this does exactly what you’d expect. Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances is a feel-good Christmas romance that will definitely get you into the spirit and is as warm and comforting as a cosy fire or a blanket. Yes, there is a level of predictability but really, I couldn’t care less because this author always manages to come up with realistic characters you care about and root for. And she makes me laugh. It’s that simple, really!

If you’ve read any of this author’s previous books, you will absolutely adore this! If you haven’t, maybe now is the time to give them a go and kick-start the festive period (too soon?) with a giggle or two.

Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances was published on October 12th.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads

Sue Watson was a journalist then a TV Producer at the BBC until she realised that instead of working, she could stay at home, make stuff up and sell it!

So far Sue’s written ten books, and some have been translated into Italian and Portuguese (she’s big in Brazil!) Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her husband and teenage daughter in Worcestershire where her days are spent baking (and eating) lots of cake, while making big life decisions about whether to have Caramel Chew Chew or Salted Caramel ice cream while watching ‘The Biggest Loser USA,’ on TV.

You can contact Sue via her website, Twitter, Facebook Author Page or Instagram

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