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Chocolate for Breakfast #1
Chocolate for Breakfast
Young Bernie (Bernadette) Maguire is in for the journey of a lifetime when her junior year abroad takes her to Fribourg Switzerland. Ripe for love and adventure she is seduced by a handsome Swiss banker. She is horrified when she discovers she's pregnant. Protected and befriended by those who help to keep her secret for as long as possible, this moving rite-of-passage tale will warm the heart as a young woman struggles with an all-too-familiar dilemma. Yet after the unexpected death of her father, Bernie’s life takes some unexpected turns that will take decades to resolve.
VOTED 2012 WOMEN'S FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR BY TURNING PAGES!!
VOTED 2012 WOMEN'S FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR BY TURNING PAGES!!
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 3, 2012
62 people are currently reading
703 people want to read
About the author
Martha Reynolds
12 books220 followersI am the author of eleven novels, including the Amazon bestsellers CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST and BITS OF BROKEN GLASS.
My writing has appeared in Magnificat magazine and my very short poem was read by journalist Connie Schultz during National Public Radio's "Tell Me More" poetry challenge.
I live in Rhode Island, never far from the ocean.
My novel VILLA DEL SOL won the 2018 Book Prize in Literary Fiction from the Independent Publishers of New England.
Check out my newest novel - I WISH I HAD A RIVER, available now!
My writing has appeared in Magnificat magazine and my very short poem was read by journalist Connie Schultz during National Public Radio's "Tell Me More" poetry challenge.
I live in Rhode Island, never far from the ocean.
My novel VILLA DEL SOL won the 2018 Book Prize in Literary Fiction from the Independent Publishers of New England.
Check out my newest novel - I WISH I HAD A RIVER, available now!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
June 29, 2013
I downloaded Chocolate for Breakfast after enjoying the topics and writing style in Martha Reynolds' blog. Although I enjoyed reading the novel, I had to set it aside for a few weeks. I reopened the novel at Chapter 7 to read outdoors before a promised heat wave. I was hooked. I reluctantly bookmarked the novel so I could go inside long enough to check on a pet and have a hurried lunch. I couldn't wait to keep reading, finishing the book by day's end.
As a writer myself, I am mystified by readers who need to like the protagonist and give a negative review if they do not. While I did not dislike Bernie, the main character of this novel, I did not identify with her quest to lose her virginity, either. However, she struck me as an intelligent but naïve young woman, and I certainly could identify with those traits. As I look back on my own life, I am surprised that I was at once so bright and yet so much in the dark about real life.
More important than liking Bernie is the fact that Martha Reynolds skillfully brought Bernie to life. I forgot I was reading fiction. It was as if I were reading a letter from Bernie about the intimate details of her year in Switzerland. I could easily visualize and hear the secondary characters of Lisa, Erika and Hanna, Mr. Gordon and Timmy, and Karl Berset. With the exception of Berset, I cared about all of them and admired the generosity of the women who supported Bernie during her ordeal. While another author might have created much conflict from Bernie's dilemma, I was glad Martha chose to be uplifting.
The ending of the novel was jarring. I had accepted Bernie as a good person who made a mistake. She did not blame anyone but herself, and she did not run from the consequences. I assumed she would return home, continue her education, marry, and lead a happy life. If the author would have continued the story and gradually revealed the long-term effect Karl Berset had on Bernie's life, I might have reacted differently. Instead, I was less sympathetic to Bernie in her forties than Bernie in her twenties, because I had no basis for understanding her choices. This is probably because most of the novel dealt with one year of Bernie's life. Suddenly, several years have passed, leaving Bernie almost unrecognizable. I needed to read the last few chapters again to reconcile my discomfort. The author's choice to end the novel as she did certainly left a powerful impression and made the point that cavalier choices we make in our youth can have negative, lifelong consequences.
This is an impressive debut novel. A common occurrence takes on heightened drama in a foreign land. The descriptions of life in Switzerland were vivid. Not having studied abroad, I was interested to know what it might have been like for others. The author manages to convey real characters and situations with an economy of language that is also easy and pleasant to read. I was easily transported to faraway places with no effort on my part. I recommend this book without reservation, and I look forward to Martha's Chocolate Fondue.
As a writer myself, I am mystified by readers who need to like the protagonist and give a negative review if they do not. While I did not dislike Bernie, the main character of this novel, I did not identify with her quest to lose her virginity, either. However, she struck me as an intelligent but naïve young woman, and I certainly could identify with those traits. As I look back on my own life, I am surprised that I was at once so bright and yet so much in the dark about real life.
More important than liking Bernie is the fact that Martha Reynolds skillfully brought Bernie to life. I forgot I was reading fiction. It was as if I were reading a letter from Bernie about the intimate details of her year in Switzerland. I could easily visualize and hear the secondary characters of Lisa, Erika and Hanna, Mr. Gordon and Timmy, and Karl Berset. With the exception of Berset, I cared about all of them and admired the generosity of the women who supported Bernie during her ordeal. While another author might have created much conflict from Bernie's dilemma, I was glad Martha chose to be uplifting.
The ending of the novel was jarring. I had accepted Bernie as a good person who made a mistake. She did not blame anyone but herself, and she did not run from the consequences. I assumed she would return home, continue her education, marry, and lead a happy life. If the author would have continued the story and gradually revealed the long-term effect Karl Berset had on Bernie's life, I might have reacted differently. Instead, I was less sympathetic to Bernie in her forties than Bernie in her twenties, because I had no basis for understanding her choices. This is probably because most of the novel dealt with one year of Bernie's life. Suddenly, several years have passed, leaving Bernie almost unrecognizable. I needed to read the last few chapters again to reconcile my discomfort. The author's choice to end the novel as she did certainly left a powerful impression and made the point that cavalier choices we make in our youth can have negative, lifelong consequences.
This is an impressive debut novel. A common occurrence takes on heightened drama in a foreign land. The descriptions of life in Switzerland were vivid. Not having studied abroad, I was interested to know what it might have been like for others. The author manages to convey real characters and situations with an economy of language that is also easy and pleasant to read. I was easily transported to faraway places with no effort on my part. I recommend this book without reservation, and I look forward to Martha's Chocolate Fondue.
January 25, 2014
Young, naïve, and inexperienced, Bernadette “Bernie” Maguire has a mission when she and her best friend Lisa travel to Fribourg, Switzerland for their junior year of college. Bernie’s goal of losing her virginity proves easy, too easy in fact, when she sets her sights on Karl Berset, an attractive Swiss banker. She willingly becomes intimate with him, but after a single passionate weekend together, he disappears from her life and from Fribourg entirely.
Almost immediately, Bernie knows she is pregnant. She quietly keeps her secret, initially sharing only with Lisa and Lisa’s landlady, Erika Stangl. She goes about her normal life, attending classes, spending time with Lisa, and even drinking the occasional beer with her classmates at Café des Espouses in town.
But events start to spiral further out of control when Bernie becomes intimate with a classmate who is unaware of her pregnancy, experiences the loss of someone close to her, and stumbles upon the shocking reason why Karl vanished from her life, as if she had imagined their affair altogether.
Twenty-three years later, Bernie is still dealing with the consequences of those transient moments with Karl. Her life is an emotional mess and, after her mother’s passing, she decides that she no longer wants to live her life in a self-destructive way. With her aunt in tow, Bernie returns to Fribourg and, upon arriving at Hotel de la Rose, she finds her past literally staring back at her.
Will Bernie have the courage to face the decisions she made all those years ago? Will she be able to reconcile the girl who first landed in Switzerland with the woman she is now, someone who has made many mistakes but wants to change her life for the better?
Chocolate for Breakfast starts as a simple adventure abroad and unfurls into a dramatic, heartwarming story which continues in the sequel, Chocolate Fondue. These books must be read together in order to experience and appreciate Bernie’s drastic character development. Chocolate for Breakfast is the place to start to fully understand how the choices Bernie made in Fribourg sent her spiraling down the wrong path, but Chocolate Fondue is where the complexity and depth of Bernie’s character truly come alive and the full breadth of Martha Reynolds’ skill as a writer is on display. In the sequel, Martha does a remarkable job of weaving together two storylines and making the reader want to keep reading to find out how the stories will be resolved. A captivating story has a twist around every corner and keeps the reader wondering what will happen next, both of which Martha accomplishes with aplomb. I was hooked from beginning until the end and, who wouldn’t be, when chocolate is involved.
Almost immediately, Bernie knows she is pregnant. She quietly keeps her secret, initially sharing only with Lisa and Lisa’s landlady, Erika Stangl. She goes about her normal life, attending classes, spending time with Lisa, and even drinking the occasional beer with her classmates at Café des Espouses in town.
But events start to spiral further out of control when Bernie becomes intimate with a classmate who is unaware of her pregnancy, experiences the loss of someone close to her, and stumbles upon the shocking reason why Karl vanished from her life, as if she had imagined their affair altogether.
Twenty-three years later, Bernie is still dealing with the consequences of those transient moments with Karl. Her life is an emotional mess and, after her mother’s passing, she decides that she no longer wants to live her life in a self-destructive way. With her aunt in tow, Bernie returns to Fribourg and, upon arriving at Hotel de la Rose, she finds her past literally staring back at her.
Will Bernie have the courage to face the decisions she made all those years ago? Will she be able to reconcile the girl who first landed in Switzerland with the woman she is now, someone who has made many mistakes but wants to change her life for the better?
Chocolate for Breakfast starts as a simple adventure abroad and unfurls into a dramatic, heartwarming story which continues in the sequel, Chocolate Fondue. These books must be read together in order to experience and appreciate Bernie’s drastic character development. Chocolate for Breakfast is the place to start to fully understand how the choices Bernie made in Fribourg sent her spiraling down the wrong path, but Chocolate Fondue is where the complexity and depth of Bernie’s character truly come alive and the full breadth of Martha Reynolds’ skill as a writer is on display. In the sequel, Martha does a remarkable job of weaving together two storylines and making the reader want to keep reading to find out how the stories will be resolved. A captivating story has a twist around every corner and keeps the reader wondering what will happen next, both of which Martha accomplishes with aplomb. I was hooked from beginning until the end and, who wouldn’t be, when chocolate is involved.
August 12, 2016
“Chocolate for Breakfast” has been on my TBR list for a long time, so I was very eager to start this book.
I planned to only read the first chapter of this book since I was on the treadmill, but I ended up reading more than that because the book captured my attention with Bernie taking off for Switzerland.
All the characters had their own personalities, but Bernie was my favorite. As a young woman who was eagerly wanting to be a grown up, not only did she seem mature, she appeared to know what she wanted. During her adventures in Switzerland, Bernie had several life changing events. From thinking she’s in love with a banker and losing her virginity to him, becoming pregnant, and losing a family member that she’s close to, Bernie had quite a lot on her plate. With the help of her friends (old and new), she survived it all.
There were a lot of twists and turns, some that I didn’t expect, which made it a quick read. One thing that I liked about the end was that I got to see where Bernie was years later in her life, which was interesting to me because she was very different. Though it was sensed, the only thing that I wish there could’ve been more of was seeing more tension between Bernie and her mother.
Martha Reynolds is a very talented author who has written an unforgettable book about a young woman’s journey during her time away from home. I cried, laughed, and cried more. This was the first book I read by Martha Reynolds, and it’s not my last. Right now I’m reading the next book in Martha’s Chocolate Series, “Chocolate Fondue”. If you’re looking for a wonderful, quick read, with a lot of heart, I recommend “Chocolate for Breakfast”.
I give this book 5 stars!
I planned to only read the first chapter of this book since I was on the treadmill, but I ended up reading more than that because the book captured my attention with Bernie taking off for Switzerland.
All the characters had their own personalities, but Bernie was my favorite. As a young woman who was eagerly wanting to be a grown up, not only did she seem mature, she appeared to know what she wanted. During her adventures in Switzerland, Bernie had several life changing events. From thinking she’s in love with a banker and losing her virginity to him, becoming pregnant, and losing a family member that she’s close to, Bernie had quite a lot on her plate. With the help of her friends (old and new), she survived it all.
There were a lot of twists and turns, some that I didn’t expect, which made it a quick read. One thing that I liked about the end was that I got to see where Bernie was years later in her life, which was interesting to me because she was very different. Though it was sensed, the only thing that I wish there could’ve been more of was seeing more tension between Bernie and her mother.
Martha Reynolds is a very talented author who has written an unforgettable book about a young woman’s journey during her time away from home. I cried, laughed, and cried more. This was the first book I read by Martha Reynolds, and it’s not my last. Right now I’m reading the next book in Martha’s Chocolate Series, “Chocolate Fondue”. If you’re looking for a wonderful, quick read, with a lot of heart, I recommend “Chocolate for Breakfast”.
I give this book 5 stars!
April 17, 2013
When Bernie Maguire arrives in Switzerland to begin her junior year in college abroad, she is determined to leave her virginity behind. And leave it she does, however, sometimes decisions have their consequences and Bernie winds up pregnant without a baby daddy. With the help of her best friend and some extremely big-hearted "grown-ups", she is forced to decide how to handle the unwanted pregnancy and the decision she makes ends up having a profound effect on her life.
Although I read this book in just a few days, it was not a fluffy or lighthearted read. It toyed with some serious issues and had some sad moments. It was, however, thoroughly enjoyable and kept my rapt attention throughout. I worried about Bernie right along with her friends and I cared what would happen to her. Although I found myself shaking my head at some of her behavior, I forgave her - she was 20 years old and naive. I absolutely adored her supportive best friend Lisa and her friend Timmy, who I thought was perfectly crafted as a college guy taking advantage of his youth and freedom. The author's descriptions of Switzerland put me right in the scene and although I am not even a "chocoholic", I found myself craving chocolate while reading. Towards the end, I found the story to be a bit depressing and I was concerned with how the story would conclude but the author turned things around and I finished with a smile on my face and a desire to see what would happen next for Bernie. I will definitely be picking up the sequel, Chocolate Fondue and hope that Bernie will find the love and happiness she deserves - better late than never.
Although I read this book in just a few days, it was not a fluffy or lighthearted read. It toyed with some serious issues and had some sad moments. It was, however, thoroughly enjoyable and kept my rapt attention throughout. I worried about Bernie right along with her friends and I cared what would happen to her. Although I found myself shaking my head at some of her behavior, I forgave her - she was 20 years old and naive. I absolutely adored her supportive best friend Lisa and her friend Timmy, who I thought was perfectly crafted as a college guy taking advantage of his youth and freedom. The author's descriptions of Switzerland put me right in the scene and although I am not even a "chocoholic", I found myself craving chocolate while reading. Towards the end, I found the story to be a bit depressing and I was concerned with how the story would conclude but the author turned things around and I finished with a smile on my face and a desire to see what would happen next for Bernie. I will definitely be picking up the sequel, Chocolate Fondue and hope that Bernie will find the love and happiness she deserves - better late than never.
November 6, 2012
Bernie is ready to experience life and love, and what better place than her trip abroad to Switzerland. From the moment she gets on the plane, she’s determined to shed her former life. Mere days into her new adventure, she is swept off her feet and enjoys some intense moments of seduction.
Unfortunately, the handsome man is a playboy and disappears quickly. Just as Bernie starts to move on, she realizes she’s pregnant and everything changes. Friends offer support, but ultimately Bernie has to make her own decision. No path is easy, and no decision is without its own scars.
The decision haunts Bernie years later and affects every facet of her life, including her choices in love and her relationship with her family. One simple night of reckless abandon costs her so much.
Don’t let the title fool you, this is no run-of-the-mill light romance. The author creates a rich depth in Bernie’s dilemma while avoiding getting preachy. While it was a bit slow to start, I found myself getting pulled into Bernie’s life and choices. I hope you will, too.
I read in the author's bio that she is considering writing a sequel, and I hope she does. Bernie has so much more life to live, and I want to know she gets the opportunity to come out of the shadows of her decision. She deserves to be loved, and to love herself.
Recommended for readers who can embrace a flawed character, but one who finds a way into your heart.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.
Unfortunately, the handsome man is a playboy and disappears quickly. Just as Bernie starts to move on, she realizes she’s pregnant and everything changes. Friends offer support, but ultimately Bernie has to make her own decision. No path is easy, and no decision is without its own scars.
The decision haunts Bernie years later and affects every facet of her life, including her choices in love and her relationship with her family. One simple night of reckless abandon costs her so much.
Don’t let the title fool you, this is no run-of-the-mill light romance. The author creates a rich depth in Bernie’s dilemma while avoiding getting preachy. While it was a bit slow to start, I found myself getting pulled into Bernie’s life and choices. I hope you will, too.
I read in the author's bio that she is considering writing a sequel, and I hope she does. Bernie has so much more life to live, and I want to know she gets the opportunity to come out of the shadows of her decision. She deserves to be loved, and to love herself.
Recommended for readers who can embrace a flawed character, but one who finds a way into your heart.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.
August 9, 2013
Bernadette (Bernie) and a group of fellow students travel to Fribourg, Switzerland for their junior year. She loses her virginity to a handsome Swiss banker, and falls pregnant. The decisions Bernie makes next have repercussions that will resonate down the years.
This story brings vividly to life how a lovely, intelligent young woman can think and act foolishly when it comes to men. Her naivety is very convincing, and her feelings and reactions when she finds out that she’s pregnant are totally believable. The choices she makes may not be the ones that all readers would make, but the success of this story rests on the creation of a character who readers can completely invest in.
Bernie’s relationships with her fellow students and the way she’s looked after and protected by those around her are well described, and the author clearly has a love of Fribourg, and chocolate.
I will admit to disappointment on discovering the type of person that Bernie grows up to be, and I think this section, set decades later, needs a little more detail to make it feel as real as the earlier chapters.
I have just purchased the sequel, Chocolate Fondue, because I’m hoping to learn a little more about those missing decades, and I want to find out whether the possibility of redemption, maybe even a happy ending, suggested in the final pages of Chocolate for Breakfast will be fulfilled.
This story brings vividly to life how a lovely, intelligent young woman can think and act foolishly when it comes to men. Her naivety is very convincing, and her feelings and reactions when she finds out that she’s pregnant are totally believable. The choices she makes may not be the ones that all readers would make, but the success of this story rests on the creation of a character who readers can completely invest in.
Bernie’s relationships with her fellow students and the way she’s looked after and protected by those around her are well described, and the author clearly has a love of Fribourg, and chocolate.
I will admit to disappointment on discovering the type of person that Bernie grows up to be, and I think this section, set decades later, needs a little more detail to make it feel as real as the earlier chapters.
I have just purchased the sequel, Chocolate Fondue, because I’m hoping to learn a little more about those missing decades, and I want to find out whether the possibility of redemption, maybe even a happy ending, suggested in the final pages of Chocolate for Breakfast will be fulfilled.
November 26, 2012
I wish I could give this 2 1/2 stars since I was somewhere between liking it and thinking it was just okay--- but since I ended up reading the entire thing in two days I apparently liked it enough to give it three. The story was interesting -- American college girl goes to university in Switzerland for a year and gets pregnant--- but I found it lacking in a number of areas. I never did like the main character, Bernie, all that much and liked/understood her less and less as the novel went on. It often seemed rushed, and I didn't ever feel any real connection with Bernie and her terrible situation -- it was almost as if I was reading a newspaper report about it. I kept expecting more of the other characters too-- they were all very predictable and almost stereotypes: the Supportive Best Friend, the Hottie Party Boy, the Caring Doctor, the Interesting Landlady Whose Character Never Developed At All. And what happened to the teeny strange elderly lady down the hall??
The last part of the novel takes a very abrupt shift in time and viewpoint which hit me as unsettling and clunky. I would have really liked more integration of the past and the present, but not in such a sudden and limited way. It wasn't terrible; it just could have been a whole lot better.
The last part of the novel takes a very abrupt shift in time and viewpoint which hit me as unsettling and clunky. I would have really liked more integration of the past and the present, but not in such a sudden and limited way. It wasn't terrible; it just could have been a whole lot better.
January 17, 2013
Ah... now this was more the type of novel I can really sink my teeth into. A story of fears, dreams, expectations, heartbreak, regret, and restoration. Well written, fairly developed characters, realistically bad choices. This book was 'Chocolat' meets 'Circle of Friends', with its own special flavoring.
Bernadette spends a year studying college abroad in Switzerland. During that time she hopes to fall in love, experience life, see the world, and become richer for the time spent there. Instead, she finds herself pregnant, alone, afraid, and in need of more help and friendship than she came into her trip with.
I agree with other reviewers that there wasn't enough character development on some of the people introduced in the book, that there was too much drinking while pregnant for my tastes (although in Europe in the 70s I think people didn't have the same views as we do, now)... but I found the book captivating, regardless.
The only thing that kept me from giving it five stars was Chapter 36. I don't think they should've had a chapter 36. An epilogue with Timmy at the funeral and her trip with her aunt, yes, but not Chapter 36. But that's just me.
Bernadette spends a year studying college abroad in Switzerland. During that time she hopes to fall in love, experience life, see the world, and become richer for the time spent there. Instead, she finds herself pregnant, alone, afraid, and in need of more help and friendship than she came into her trip with.
I agree with other reviewers that there wasn't enough character development on some of the people introduced in the book, that there was too much drinking while pregnant for my tastes (although in Europe in the 70s I think people didn't have the same views as we do, now)... but I found the book captivating, regardless.
The only thing that kept me from giving it five stars was Chapter 36. I don't think they should've had a chapter 36. An epilogue with Timmy at the funeral and her trip with her aunt, yes, but not Chapter 36. But that's just me.
September 24, 2012
They say to write what you know and this debut author has done so with visceral imagery and heart. Although the heroine may be impulsive and make poor choices she is believable as a girl who has yet to feel the sting of those choices. The magical thinking of youth 'that could never happen to me' - does and Bernie is left to make the tough decisions of an adult.
It makes no sense to mark a novel down because the characters do not act the way you would. It is to the author's credit that she has portrayed a girl who plays life as a game for her enjoyment- as so many young people do. Heroine Bernie has no malice or ill intent and thus is a likable girl. The setting is a charming character on its own; the sexual naivety and freedoms of the pre-AIDs generation well portrayed.
I would have enjoyed seeing into the mother daughter relationship and experienced an older Bernie who had grown in maturity and self esteem, but that is not the reality in so many instances. A bittersweet novel that will keep you turning the pages as you hope for a brighter future for Bernadette.
It makes no sense to mark a novel down because the characters do not act the way you would. It is to the author's credit that she has portrayed a girl who plays life as a game for her enjoyment- as so many young people do. Heroine Bernie has no malice or ill intent and thus is a likable girl. The setting is a charming character on its own; the sexual naivety and freedoms of the pre-AIDs generation well portrayed.
I would have enjoyed seeing into the mother daughter relationship and experienced an older Bernie who had grown in maturity and self esteem, but that is not the reality in so many instances. A bittersweet novel that will keep you turning the pages as you hope for a brighter future for Bernadette.
April 14, 2014
As she heads to Switzerland with her college friends for a year of study abroad, Bernadette Maguire is determined to change her status as a 20-year-old virgin. She succeeds with a handsome banker. Unfortunately, she also gets pregnant with his child. Turns out he’s married, with no interest in Bernie except for a weekend of fun, but now she has a big problem. This is the story of her year in Switzerland, her travels, her friends, and her fears as she tries to hide her condition and do what is best for the baby. In the last part of the book, she is 23 years old, still dealing with the repercussions of that year. The book is so simplistic and predictable, I though at first that I had accidentally downloaded a book written for teenagers, and I wish Reynolds had skipped the whole last part, but I was hooked from early on and downed it like Bernie’s favorite Swiss chocolates.
October 27, 2013
Martha Reynolds knows how to let a story unfold. Bernie Maguire isn't alone on her journey through Fribourg, Switzerland and beyond; the reader is right there, like a friend trailing a pace or two behind. Reynolds' writing style is organic and unfussy, which I love. She has a keen sense of the little quirks and mannerisms that make her characters unique, and she allows them to speak for themselves. At times, this novel felt wonderfully reminiscent of favorites by Maeve Binchy or Anne Rivers Siddons, but Reynolds' style - and her story - are truly unique. I enjoyed Chocolate for Breakfast immensely, and I am happily moving on to Chocolate Fondue.
October 1, 2012
Amazing book! Chocolate for Breakfast is the kind of novel that stays in your head even after you've finished reading it. I connected with Bernie and her quest for adventure in a foreign land. She's flawed but I think that's what makes her a great character. I rooted for her throughout this novel and (when I got to the end of the last page) I was sad that the journey was over. Beautifully written, this book made me long for Switzerland and cozy cafés with delicious pastries. I am definitely looking forward to reading Martha Reynolds' next novel!
December 3, 2012
I will confess the first few pages put me off a little and I felt like I had picked up a young adult romance. But persevere past the opening chapter and you will find a wonderfully complex coming of age story. The characters are wonderfully written and realistic, and the plot is really a study into the errors of youth and the consequences of each decision a person makes. It is also a reminder that by holding back ones secrets more damage can be done than the truth could ever unleash. I really would recommend this book.
February 19, 2013
This book grabbed me from the start. I really loved the protagonist, even if at times I wanted to smack her around a little. She was realistically smart, funny, dense, and naive, and I could really relate to her. I have to say, though, the book wasn't exactly what I expected. What I thought was going to be a light, fluffy work of escapism was anything but. It was at times heart wrenching and poignant and deeply sad. I'm still thinking about it... in a good way. It was evocative and a worthwhile read. Thanks, Martha Reynolds!
February 12, 2015
I loved this book. It isn't a book I normally would read, but it was the book club selection for this month for my online book club. I found myself caring about the characters, and being pulled in and unable to put the book down.
A great light read.
A great light read.
September 19, 2012
I hadn't read anything by this author before but since it was a free kindle book I decided to give it a try. And I'm glad I did because it was a very good book! Humor and romance all rolled into one novel. I can't wait to read more books by this author.
January 8, 2013
Bernie is a courageous soul confronting one of the most devastating circumstances a woman can face. She goes to Switzerland a girl, but she is grace personified under pressure, and leaves after her year abroad a woman, and a strong one at that.
February 1, 2013
I thought this was a great first novel by Reynolds! The characters are engaging and the story moves along very well. A very enjoyable light read, perfect for end of day. Because I have not traveled much abroad, I appreciated the attention to details surrounding the main character's time in Europe.
September 23, 2012
I wanted this book to be a saga :) couldn't help but feel sad as I turned the last page. This is a book where I want to know more about what happened to the characters even after it ended :)
October 1, 2012
What a wonderful story! I really look forward to reading more from Martha Reynolds.
December 21, 2012
I am glad it was free.
It seemed disjointed. Some parts were nicely detailed and others skimmed over.
The ending was disappointing.
It seemed disjointed. Some parts were nicely detailed and others skimmed over.
The ending was disappointing.
May 5, 2014
Quite an enjoyable read. Now have to read the sequel to find out what happens to the heroine!
September 8, 2014
Couldn't put it down!
What a perfectly written novel! Thank you Martha for sharing your gift and the special RI touches! Fantastic must read!
What a perfectly written novel! Thank you Martha for sharing your gift and the special RI touches! Fantastic must read!
December 2, 2012
It is amazing to see how the choices we make alter who we are....a great story.
October 11, 2022
In 1979, Bernadette is on her way to spend her junior year abroad in Zurich. She plans to study and travel, but her initial goal is to lose her virginity. The future is wide open and life is still an adventure. She accomplishes her goal but also ends up pregnant. Her worries, her choices, and the outcome are covered in the first 75% of the read.
Even though the decision is hers, and she has wonderful support from those around her, the final outcome isn’t certain, and I was completely immersed in the story. Bernie’s every choice involves sacrifice, and the book made me think about the thousands of women faced with the same dilemma, many with fewer resources. Bernie is a well-rounded and thoroughly believable character as are all secondary characters from top to bottom.
The last 25% of the book jumps ahead twenty-three years to 2002. Bernie is 43 years old and still struggling with her past decision, her life in shambles. A death in her family opens a shocking door to understanding and forgiveness and another choice—whether to walk through. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to readers of women’s lit, family sagas, and coming-of-age stories.
Even though the decision is hers, and she has wonderful support from those around her, the final outcome isn’t certain, and I was completely immersed in the story. Bernie’s every choice involves sacrifice, and the book made me think about the thousands of women faced with the same dilemma, many with fewer resources. Bernie is a well-rounded and thoroughly believable character as are all secondary characters from top to bottom.
The last 25% of the book jumps ahead twenty-three years to 2002. Bernie is 43 years old and still struggling with her past decision, her life in shambles. A death in her family opens a shocking door to understanding and forgiveness and another choice—whether to walk through. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to readers of women’s lit, family sagas, and coming-of-age stories.
March 9, 2018
Chocolate for Breakfast (The Swiss Chocolate Series Book 1) by Martha Reynolds
Bernadette is heading to Switzerland with some others she knows to study for a year there.
Bernie ends up with a very tiny apartment and has to take a shower in the landlords apartment downstairs.
Lisa her friend gets to have a whole floor to herself and a lot of other perks.
Timmy ends up with another male and they get along great. All attend college and enjoy seeing the countries nearby.
Bernie has friended the bank clerk and ends up at his apartment one night and months later she finds her self pegnant.
Back home and things have hcanged. Story advances a few years later. Surprises and so many more secrets are revealed.
She also finds out more about the clerk from others and her OB doctor. She has options and Lisa's landlord helps her out.
Love hearing of the other countries as I will probably not get to visit in my lifetime and it's fun to hear what the food is like, never mind the land and travel.
Story is good. Excerpt from the next book in the series is included at the end.
Bernadette is heading to Switzerland with some others she knows to study for a year there.
Bernie ends up with a very tiny apartment and has to take a shower in the landlords apartment downstairs.
Lisa her friend gets to have a whole floor to herself and a lot of other perks.
Timmy ends up with another male and they get along great. All attend college and enjoy seeing the countries nearby.
Bernie has friended the bank clerk and ends up at his apartment one night and months later she finds her self pegnant.
Back home and things have hcanged. Story advances a few years later. Surprises and so many more secrets are revealed.
She also finds out more about the clerk from others and her OB doctor. She has options and Lisa's landlord helps her out.
Love hearing of the other countries as I will probably not get to visit in my lifetime and it's fun to hear what the food is like, never mind the land and travel.
Story is good. Excerpt from the next book in the series is included at the end.
December 7, 2024
I went for the book because I wanted to read about Switzerland. But this turned out to be a story of a sex-starved American teenage girl who visits Switzerland for a year. A big disappointment.
February 18, 2022
Martha Reynolds left her long career as a successful fraud investigator to begin anew as a full time writer. As Nicolle Wallace of msnbc often says, "Lucky for us."
I've read a number of Reynolds' books, but only now dipped into her debut novel, Chocolate for Breakfast. It is the first of her Swiss Chocolate Trilogy.
There is so much to like about this book. The opening scene is in the summer 1978 Rhode island beach scene, with its crowds of young people, sand and blankets towels and baby oil, sunscreen for the fair-skinned like the red-headed protagonist Bernadette (Bernie) Maguire, golden haired boys, and dark-haired girls with their layers of gold jewelry, promenading along the beach, all deeply tanned and bronzed.
Bernie and her best friend Lisa and pal Timmy soon leave Rhode Island behind. As the summer ends and September comes around, along with a handful of other students they travel Switzerland to spend their junior year in a study abroad program. They are to live, not in dorms, but rather in private homes of varying degrees of luxury. Bernie is slated to live in a closet-sized room in the home of an older couple. Lisa lives in a posh, well-appointed apartment with a well-off single woman.
Despite its title (Bernie does frequently eat chocolate for breakfast), the story has depth and seriousness. Baby boomers were far more sheltered and less experienced than the Gen-Xers and Millennials, and Reynolds perfectly captures that generation's eagerness to step into adulthood and discover its independence. Bernie, especially, is at heart a bit timid, and pushes herself to do things on her own. She has plans for adventure. She is at times reckless and careless, making one misstep after another. In her starry-eyed naivete and immaturity, she makes ill-conceived life-changing choices that have lasting repercussions.
Bernie is flawed but eminently likeable. She is not yet complex; she is too immature for complexity, but certainly multi-faceted, at heart a good person. Her friendships are strong. Reynolds depiction of the deep bonds as well as the frustrations of her relationships rings true.
Youthful dialogue is realistic and and recognizable. It flows.
Reynolds writes of Switzerland, especially of Fribourg, with visual clarity. The reader easily pictures the small town streets, the shops and cafes. There is no doubt that the author has spent time there, and her fondness for this small town is clear. One senses, too, her equal fondness for chocolate.
Writing from the perspective of a mature woman, Reynolds is sure-footed and confident in creating characters, in dialogue, in specificity of detail in this engaging coming-of-age story. This first novel signals her talent. Brava.
I've read a number of Reynolds' books, but only now dipped into her debut novel, Chocolate for Breakfast. It is the first of her Swiss Chocolate Trilogy.
There is so much to like about this book. The opening scene is in the summer 1978 Rhode island beach scene, with its crowds of young people, sand and blankets towels and baby oil, sunscreen for the fair-skinned like the red-headed protagonist Bernadette (Bernie) Maguire, golden haired boys, and dark-haired girls with their layers of gold jewelry, promenading along the beach, all deeply tanned and bronzed.
Bernie and her best friend Lisa and pal Timmy soon leave Rhode Island behind. As the summer ends and September comes around, along with a handful of other students they travel Switzerland to spend their junior year in a study abroad program. They are to live, not in dorms, but rather in private homes of varying degrees of luxury. Bernie is slated to live in a closet-sized room in the home of an older couple. Lisa lives in a posh, well-appointed apartment with a well-off single woman.
Despite its title (Bernie does frequently eat chocolate for breakfast), the story has depth and seriousness. Baby boomers were far more sheltered and less experienced than the Gen-Xers and Millennials, and Reynolds perfectly captures that generation's eagerness to step into adulthood and discover its independence. Bernie, especially, is at heart a bit timid, and pushes herself to do things on her own. She has plans for adventure. She is at times reckless and careless, making one misstep after another. In her starry-eyed naivete and immaturity, she makes ill-conceived life-changing choices that have lasting repercussions.
Bernie is flawed but eminently likeable. She is not yet complex; she is too immature for complexity, but certainly multi-faceted, at heart a good person. Her friendships are strong. Reynolds depiction of the deep bonds as well as the frustrations of her relationships rings true.
Youthful dialogue is realistic and and recognizable. It flows.
Reynolds writes of Switzerland, especially of Fribourg, with visual clarity. The reader easily pictures the small town streets, the shops and cafes. There is no doubt that the author has spent time there, and her fondness for this small town is clear. One senses, too, her equal fondness for chocolate.
Writing from the perspective of a mature woman, Reynolds is sure-footed and confident in creating characters, in dialogue, in specificity of detail in this engaging coming-of-age story. This first novel signals her talent. Brava.
June 7, 2017
Lady Alexin - the orphaned fifteen-year-old half-elfin girl, and descendant of the Titans - is back for another rollicking adventure. This time Alex, who goes by the code name 'The Black Elf' - is tasked with locating a spy called the Horseman who is in league with pirates to steal Elfin gold. In her new role as a Tracker, Alex travels to Riverton to watch her brother Beren compete in the sword competition which is being held there.
Arriving in Riverton two months before the competition starts, Alex is baffled to learn that she is so early. Although she is at a bit of a loose end, she decides to stay in town to deliver her brother's newest sword to him as a surprise. After all, Alex reasons with herself, Beren's competition would be the perfect cover story for her own mission. Soon Alex picks up the trail of the Horseman, but she just may have run into some serious trouble; it appears the Horseman has some pretty influential friends, and they're definitely not happy with all the sudden attention.
In this latest adventure, Alex continues to unravel the mysteries of Seaward Isle. As she attempts to complete her mission, Alex must contend with a code name that makes her increasingly uncomfortable; superiors who can't see past her youth; and several unexpected aspects to the new gifts bestowed on her by her Titan ancestors.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The story pulled me in right from the beginning and I avidly wanted to find out what would happen next. Tangled Omens by Joni Parker was fast-paced and enthralling, and I loved Alex and her interactions with many of the characters. I give this book a definite A! I can't wait to find out how this trilogy ends.
Arriving in Riverton two months before the competition starts, Alex is baffled to learn that she is so early. Although she is at a bit of a loose end, she decides to stay in town to deliver her brother's newest sword to him as a surprise. After all, Alex reasons with herself, Beren's competition would be the perfect cover story for her own mission. Soon Alex picks up the trail of the Horseman, but she just may have run into some serious trouble; it appears the Horseman has some pretty influential friends, and they're definitely not happy with all the sudden attention.
In this latest adventure, Alex continues to unravel the mysteries of Seaward Isle. As she attempts to complete her mission, Alex must contend with a code name that makes her increasingly uncomfortable; superiors who can't see past her youth; and several unexpected aspects to the new gifts bestowed on her by her Titan ancestors.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The story pulled me in right from the beginning and I avidly wanted to find out what would happen next. Tangled Omens by Joni Parker was fast-paced and enthralling, and I loved Alex and her interactions with many of the characters. I give this book a definite A! I can't wait to find out how this trilogy ends.
January 24, 2014
I have to say, this book did not turn out the way I expected it to! The story of Bernadette Maquire's junior year of college in Fribourg, Switzerland really captured the experience of a young student studying abroad, and the poignant emotions of encounters with men and sex at that time of life. When Bernie became pregnant and gave up her child for adoption, she seemed to handle it fairly well with the help of some trusted and generous people who guided her through it. It looked as though Bernie was going to return home from Switzerland a little wiser, perhaps, and ready to go on with her life.
But the story really grabbed me when the 40-something Bernie emerged. An attorney, she has obviously had some success in life, but habitual drinking and picking up strangers in bars, and her lack of any relationship with her family, give away the reality that Bernie has never recovered from what happened during her junior year abroad. The adult Bernadette Maguire is a sad and lonely woman.
At her mother's funeral, Bernie learns a couple of long-held secrets about her mother, and finally begins to take a hard look at herself. She brings her aunt on a vacation to Fribourg, but when checking into the hotel they are both struck speechless by the young male hotel clerk's distinct resemblance to Bernie. Is this her son?
I'm hiding this review because of spoilers, but I'm starting to read the next book in the series, Chocolate Fondue, as soon as I post this!
But the story really grabbed me when the 40-something Bernie emerged. An attorney, she has obviously had some success in life, but habitual drinking and picking up strangers in bars, and her lack of any relationship with her family, give away the reality that Bernie has never recovered from what happened during her junior year abroad. The adult Bernadette Maguire is a sad and lonely woman.
At her mother's funeral, Bernie learns a couple of long-held secrets about her mother, and finally begins to take a hard look at herself. She brings her aunt on a vacation to Fribourg, but when checking into the hotel they are both struck speechless by the young male hotel clerk's distinct resemblance to Bernie. Is this her son?
I'm hiding this review because of spoilers, but I'm starting to read the next book in the series, Chocolate Fondue, as soon as I post this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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