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Life in Icicle Falls #1
Better Than Chocolate
The Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company has been in the Sterling family for generations, ever since Great-Grandma Rose literally dreamed up her first fabulous recipe.
But now it looks as if they're about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank - and that would be a disaster, not only for the family but for the town of Icicle Falls, Washington. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it? After Samantha does some brainstorming with her mother and sisters, inspiration strikes. They'll have a chocolate festival! Time's running out, but the Sterling women are determined and the town's behind them, so everything's bound to go smoothly….
Or not. Events seem to be conspiring against Samantha, and her mother's attempts to help aren't helping. To make matters worse, the fate of her company is in the hands of her archenemy, Blake Preston, the bank manager with the football-hero good looks. It's enough to drive her to chocolate. But Blake's also enough to convince her that (believe it or not) there's something even better than chocolate.
But now it looks as if they're about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank - and that would be a disaster, not only for the family but for the town of Icicle Falls, Washington. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it? After Samantha does some brainstorming with her mother and sisters, inspiration strikes. They'll have a chocolate festival! Time's running out, but the Sterling women are determined and the town's behind them, so everything's bound to go smoothly….
Or not. Events seem to be conspiring against Samantha, and her mother's attempts to help aren't helping. To make matters worse, the fate of her company is in the hands of her archenemy, Blake Preston, the bank manager with the football-hero good looks. It's enough to drive her to chocolate. But Blake's also enough to convince her that (believe it or not) there's something even better than chocolate.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
711 people are currently reading
3153 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Roberts
109 books1,984 followersWith fifty books to her credit, both fiction and non-fiction, Sheila Roberts is a frequent USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller - and a fan favorite. Her books have sold over three million copies and have been turned into movies for the Hallmark, Lifetime and Great American Family channels. Before settling into her writing career, Sheila owned a singing telegram company and played in band. When she's not traveling, Sheila can be found hanging out with friends, playing tennis, and, of course, writing and reading. Sometimes she even remembers to post books she's read!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 339 reviews
August 27, 2013
This wasn't a bad book, but I feel tricked. I found this in the romance rack at my local library, but it isn't really romance. My belief is that a romance novel is one where the central story, the reason for reading, is the developing relationship between the hero and heroine (or hero/hero or heroine/heroine). Period. There might be other, simultaneously occurring stories, but the main focus is two people falling in love. There may or may not be sex scenes and there may be other couples who are also falling in love.
This story had a romance, but it definitely wasn't the central theme. Rather, this was chick-lit with a strong romantic element. The central story was the quest to save the central family's chocolate factory. Throw in a cast of thousands, a vague paranormal influence, and half a dozen loose threads and you've got "Better than Chocolate." And really, that would have been fine, if that's what I was looking for. Instead, I felt let down because my expectations weren't meant.
I knew something was up when I read 70-odd pages and we'd only had one scene with the hero. *SIGH*
I'd like to give it a 3.5. I didn't hate it, although there were a few items that bothered me. The most troubling issue was the relationship between Samantha the Heroine and Blake the Hero. Blake is the local bank manager, one who can't extend the loan that spells doom for the chocolate company. The heroine, even in her most lucid moments, continues to HATE him for it. She repeatedly refers to him as her arch-nemesis. Not matter how many times they have the same conversation (and really, every conversation seems to be exactly the same, unless she's drunk in which case she says the same things but tries to stand on tables while doing so).
Blake: I can't extend the loan. I'm just the manager. I am unable to do anything.
Samantha: I hold you personally responsible for this. I HATE you. (Except when I secretly find you attractive.)
Blake: Well, I'm sorry you hate me but you shouldn't because it's not my fault.
Samantha: I HATE you. I'm going to loose my temper and stalk away.
And that's it. Until the end when he apparently buys her love and affection by taking out a loan for himself, she just stubbornly hates him for not being in a position to extend the loan. And he puts up with it. He won't even tell her that he's helped her out in fundraising. Nope. Just let's her fume away without trying to clear his own name.
If there is one thing I hate, it's drama generated simply by the fact that one person refuses to communicate and the other refuses to adjust their thinking until they are smacked over the head with hard evidence. With such high quality communication skills, I fear for the long term viability of their relationship.
This story had a romance, but it definitely wasn't the central theme. Rather, this was chick-lit with a strong romantic element. The central story was the quest to save the central family's chocolate factory. Throw in a cast of thousands, a vague paranormal influence, and half a dozen loose threads and you've got "Better than Chocolate." And really, that would have been fine, if that's what I was looking for. Instead, I felt let down because my expectations weren't meant.
I knew something was up when I read 70-odd pages and we'd only had one scene with the hero. *SIGH*
I'd like to give it a 3.5. I didn't hate it, although there were a few items that bothered me. The most troubling issue was the relationship between Samantha the Heroine and Blake the Hero. Blake is the local bank manager, one who can't extend the loan that spells doom for the chocolate company. The heroine, even in her most lucid moments, continues to HATE him for it. She repeatedly refers to him as her arch-nemesis. Not matter how many times they have the same conversation (and really, every conversation seems to be exactly the same, unless she's drunk in which case she says the same things but tries to stand on tables while doing so).
Blake: I can't extend the loan. I'm just the manager. I am unable to do anything.
Samantha: I hold you personally responsible for this. I HATE you. (Except when I secretly find you attractive.)
Blake: Well, I'm sorry you hate me but you shouldn't because it's not my fault.
Samantha: I HATE you. I'm going to loose my temper and stalk away.
And that's it. Until the end when he apparently buys her love and affection by taking out a loan for himself, she just stubbornly hates him for not being in a position to extend the loan. And he puts up with it. He won't even tell her that he's helped her out in fundraising. Nope. Just let's her fume away without trying to clear his own name.
If there is one thing I hate, it's drama generated simply by the fact that one person refuses to communicate and the other refuses to adjust their thinking until they are smacked over the head with hard evidence. With such high quality communication skills, I fear for the long term viability of their relationship.
March 13, 2015
After reading the summary I was excited to start the book. As I read the first couple chapters it soon became boring and the story jumped from one character to another without giving background or introducing them. As the book progressed it didn't get any better. I felt that the relationship between Samantha and Blake was rushed. Towards the end of the book, their relationship took off alot faster. I didn't understand how throughout the book it progressed slowly but they fell in love so fast in the end. There's also a lot filler about her mom and her dreams. This didn't add much to the story and just took up space. I personally did not like the book very much it has a good story but it wasn't written to capture the readers attention.
December 7, 2012
This is a story about "Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company" which has been in the Sterling family for generations. But now it looks like the family is about to lose "Sweet Dreams" to the bank. Samantha the oldest daughter, is the new head of the company, and is trying to save it.
I enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, they were cute and fun. But! I was a little disappointed with the story, myself. As I said it is about this company ready to eat the dust, (or should I say, the chocolate) and like the old saying goes: "If they didn't have bad luck, they'd have no luck at all!"
The main character, Samantha, was so into herself, that all she could do was feel sorry for herself, and blame everyone else for the company's failures. I got so sick of her self-pity parties, that about half way through the book I said, "ENOUGH!" with the self-pity. I just couldn't relate to that, I almost quit reading the book at that point. That continuing and repeating of the self-pitying began to feel like it was just filler, and some of it was really not needed. (Well in my opinion anyway.)
Toward the end of the book it began to pick up speed, and got quite enjoyable. I also found out that reading about all that 'chocolate' made me crave a chocolate fix, and lo! and behold! I had no chocolate in the house. To make a long story short, I had to make a chocolate run to the store. Yummy.
I love Sheila Roberts books and this book was an O.K. read, but I have read two books by this author "Love In Bloom" 5***** and "Small Changes" 4**** and I found them much "Better Than Chocolate."
I enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, they were cute and fun. But! I was a little disappointed with the story, myself. As I said it is about this company ready to eat the dust, (or should I say, the chocolate) and like the old saying goes: "If they didn't have bad luck, they'd have no luck at all!"
The main character, Samantha, was so into herself, that all she could do was feel sorry for herself, and blame everyone else for the company's failures. I got so sick of her self-pity parties, that about half way through the book I said, "ENOUGH!" with the self-pity. I just couldn't relate to that, I almost quit reading the book at that point. That continuing and repeating of the self-pitying began to feel like it was just filler, and some of it was really not needed. (Well in my opinion anyway.)
Toward the end of the book it began to pick up speed, and got quite enjoyable. I also found out that reading about all that 'chocolate' made me crave a chocolate fix, and lo! and behold! I had no chocolate in the house. To make a long story short, I had to make a chocolate run to the store. Yummy.
I love Sheila Roberts books and this book was an O.K. read, but I have read two books by this author "Love In Bloom" 5***** and "Small Changes" 4**** and I found them much "Better Than Chocolate."
January 2, 2016
I couldn't stop wanting chocolate while I read this book.
September 30, 2012
Samantha Sterling has just been given a heavy load to bear. Her newly deceased step-father has left the family business in financial ruin. Somehow she needs to save the company in a few months because the bank has called in the note on the loan.
Her small tourist town has been impacted by weather, there isn't snow. When you are a community that capitalizes on winter weather, it puts the community in a financial bind. Samantha's sisters come up with a way to help the community and their chocolate factory, will it be enough or is it to late?
Better than chocolate is a fun book to read. Samantha finds herself in some very awkward moments. She handles them with as much grace as she can muster. Her sister's are fun sidekicks. The three of them make a great team and an interesting story.
The romance in the story is not the prominent theme, but is ever there to worry an linger in Samantha's mind. Blake is the manager of the bank calling in the loan. It is the last thing that he wants to do and somehow he needs to convince Samantha that he is on her side and wants her to succeed.
The the book has some adult humor, but not intimate sexual content. I think anyone who likes a romance will enjoy this book.
Her small tourist town has been impacted by weather, there isn't snow. When you are a community that capitalizes on winter weather, it puts the community in a financial bind. Samantha's sisters come up with a way to help the community and their chocolate factory, will it be enough or is it to late?
Better than chocolate is a fun book to read. Samantha finds herself in some very awkward moments. She handles them with as much grace as she can muster. Her sister's are fun sidekicks. The three of them make a great team and an interesting story.
The romance in the story is not the prominent theme, but is ever there to worry an linger in Samantha's mind. Blake is the manager of the bank calling in the loan. It is the last thing that he wants to do and somehow he needs to convince Samantha that he is on her side and wants her to succeed.
The the book has some adult humor, but not intimate sexual content. I think anyone who likes a romance will enjoy this book.
September 26, 2012
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
Sheila Roberts' Better Than Chocolate> is a light, amusing contemporary romance, like a cup of warm cocoa with just a hint of spice. The lavish doses of chocolate with which the book is liberally laced offer a sweet counterpoint to Samantha's fierce determination to save her family's company. That determination is Samantha's defining characteristic, along with tenacity, loyalty, and a somewhat less admirable tendency to hold a grudge.
One of my favorite characters in the book is Muriel, Samantha's sweet-natured but financially clueless mother. Muriel's grief after her second husband's death and the tailspin into which it sends her feel very real, and I admire the resolve with which Muriel comes to terms with her new circumstances and attempts to take charge of her finances for the first time in her life. The interplay between Samantha and her sisters, professional matchmaker Cecily and sometimes klutzy Bailey, is a lot of fun; I enjoyed seeing Samantha's relationships with her mother and siblings evolve during the course of the book. Hints of past and current attraction for each sister suggest that Cecily and Bailey may find their own romances in future books.
Blake Preston is a likable hero, a decent (and of course, hot) man caught in a difficult spot between his job and his personal wishes. Unfortunately, he takes an oddly secondary role due to Samantha's ongoing antagonism toward him... which brings me to my only real quibble with the book. Samantha is full of resentment toward her deceased stepfather for jeopardizing Sweet Dreams' financial future, and anger toward Blake for not restructuring the company's bank loan. Both feelings are completely understandable given the circumstances, but they continue through much of the book. This undercuts the development of a relationship between Samantha and Blake, leaving them with (apparently) nothing more than a physical attraction until quite late in the game. What irked me is that both of Samantha's emotional issues could easily have been cleared up if people had just talked (or listened) to each other.
Still, there was plenty to enjoy in Better Than Chocolate>. I'll be on the lookout for the next Icicle Falls book, Merry Ex-mas, due out in November. It will feature Samantha's friends and fellow business owners Cass, Charley, and Ella, as each must deal with a "ex" over the holidays.
FCC disclosure: An advance review copy was provided by the publisher.
Read more of my reviews at The Bookwyrm’s Hoard.
Sheila Roberts' Better Than Chocolate> is a light, amusing contemporary romance, like a cup of warm cocoa with just a hint of spice. The lavish doses of chocolate with which the book is liberally laced offer a sweet counterpoint to Samantha's fierce determination to save her family's company. That determination is Samantha's defining characteristic, along with tenacity, loyalty, and a somewhat less admirable tendency to hold a grudge.
One of my favorite characters in the book is Muriel, Samantha's sweet-natured but financially clueless mother. Muriel's grief after her second husband's death and the tailspin into which it sends her feel very real, and I admire the resolve with which Muriel comes to terms with her new circumstances and attempts to take charge of her finances for the first time in her life. The interplay between Samantha and her sisters, professional matchmaker Cecily and sometimes klutzy Bailey, is a lot of fun; I enjoyed seeing Samantha's relationships with her mother and siblings evolve during the course of the book. Hints of past and current attraction for each sister suggest that Cecily and Bailey may find their own romances in future books.
Blake Preston is a likable hero, a decent (and of course, hot) man caught in a difficult spot between his job and his personal wishes. Unfortunately, he takes an oddly secondary role due to Samantha's ongoing antagonism toward him... which brings me to my only real quibble with the book. Samantha is full of resentment toward her deceased stepfather for jeopardizing Sweet Dreams' financial future, and anger toward Blake for not restructuring the company's bank loan. Both feelings are completely understandable given the circumstances, but they continue through much of the book. This undercuts the development of a relationship between Samantha and Blake, leaving them with (apparently) nothing more than a physical attraction until quite late in the game. What irked me is that both of Samantha's emotional issues could easily have been cleared up if people had just talked (or listened) to each other.
Still, there was plenty to enjoy in Better Than Chocolate>. I'll be on the lookout for the next Icicle Falls book, Merry Ex-mas, due out in November. It will feature Samantha's friends and fellow business owners Cass, Charley, and Ella, as each must deal with a "ex" over the holidays.
FCC disclosure: An advance review copy was provided by the publisher.
Read more of my reviews at The Bookwyrm’s Hoard.
April 22, 2013
Disclaimer: I received this book as part of the Tell Harlequin reader panel.
Overall a cute book. Very focused on Samantha and her problems with starting a chocolate festival to save her struggling chocolate business. Almost to the exclusion of other things, including the romance in the book. Early in the book she shows dreams of Samantha and her mother. This seems just to be word filler and added nothing significant to the story. In the end the relationship of Samantha & Blake seems rushed and insignificant. I found myself bored with their relationship. I'm more interested in the story of her sister Cicily and Todd Black and I'm awaiting her story. Though after reading Shelia Roberts's What She Wants (after reading this one) I am dreading that I will be disappointed.
Cross posted: Ramblings of a Lost Dancer
Overall a cute book. Very focused on Samantha and her problems with starting a chocolate festival to save her struggling chocolate business. Almost to the exclusion of other things, including the romance in the book. Early in the book she shows dreams of Samantha and her mother. This seems just to be word filler and added nothing significant to the story. In the end the relationship of Samantha & Blake seems rushed and insignificant. I found myself bored with their relationship. I'm more interested in the story of her sister Cicily and Todd Black and I'm awaiting her story. Though after reading Shelia Roberts's What She Wants (after reading this one) I am dreading that I will be disappointed.
Cross posted: Ramblings of a Lost Dancer
June 30, 2013
Set in the quaint, picturesque town of Icicle Falls, meet the Sterling family, owners of Sweet Dreams Candy. When Samantha's step father dies suddenly, the family is left reeling, not only from his death, but also from the financial missteps he took with their candy company. The bank has called in the note, and Samantha is frantic in how to save their business. She is frustrated by the new bank manager Blake, a former high school football star. Instructed by his supervisor to not extend their loan or credit, Blake is left helpless in his interactions with Samantha whom he finds quite fascinating and attractive. Together the sisters cook up the idea of a Chocolate Festival the weekend before Valentine's Day. Despite the many obstacles they face, the festival turns out to be a huge success, and new romances are found. Will be revisiting Icicle Falls in the future installments of this series.
March 16, 2016
- My Description -
This is a sweet story about three sisters who inherit the family owned chocolate factory, Sweet Dreams Chocolates, from their grandmother.
Through an unfortunate circumstance, Sweet Dreams Chocolates is in the red with the bank.
With the help of the residents of Icicle Falls, the three sisters prepare a Valentine's Day treat to raise money.
Icicle Falls, Washington's first ever chocolate festival.
Will it be enough to bring them the money they need to keep Sweet Dreams afloat or will Sweet Dreams become bittersweet?
- My Review -
This was my first reading of Sheila Roberts. I put her as one of my favorite authors because of this book. I love books about small towns and the people who live in them.
This book has whimsical moments and romantic ones.
I will definitely be reading more of Sheila Roberts and the people in Icicle Falls.
December 17, 2017
3.5 as far as cozies go. Every once in a while I just have to pick up a cozy- and someone suggested this to me... Cute read and looking forward to reading the second in this series!
November 23, 2021
Book was an okay read
September 25, 2012
I love chocolate! So when I came across this title I was instantly intrigued, because there is only a couple things I can think of that are better than chocolate and I wanted to know what Sheila Roberts thought was better than chocolate.
If you are looking for a light, cute read this is your book. You will instantly fall in love with Icicle Falls and all it's quirky residents. Samantha can sometimes be pushy and overbearing, but she's got a company to save. I can't imaging the pressure on Samantha's shoulders and while at times she acted irrationally I think I would have too, especially towards Blake. While reader will love Blake from the instant they meet him, it is easy to see why Samantha blames him for everything. It seems like he is in the way of saving Sweet Dreams and in turn ruining her life. I loved to see Blake struggle, not only with Samantha's wild mood swings, but also how to make things right. He's genuinely a good guy and we need more of those around.
The rest of the characters are just as fun. They are unique and each bring their own spin to the story. We do get to see into Samantha's family a bit, but I'm sad to say not as much as I wanted. There are some loose ends, especially involving her sisters that I want answered. I'm not sure if there is going to be another book or not, but there should be. I want to know what happens to Cecily and Bailey's love lives. These sister need some luck in the love department..
The story itself was intriguing and hard to put down. There was so much detail about running a chocolate factory and how it was built and passed down through the family. I loved hearing about all the different candies and other creations that were made with chocolate. The chocolate festival that Samantha and the town organized sounded amazing, but I think I would need a gallon of milk and some serious exercise after a weekend there. To make sure that you didn't feel left out of the goodie fun, the book features some of the recipes of the creations talked about throughout the story. I love when authors include recipes when they talk about interesting food. I'm super excited to try the Lavender-White Chocolate Scones. Don't they sound wonderful?
Whether you're in the mood for something sweet or just a fun read, try Better Than Chocolate. Oh and if you make any of the recipes in the back make sure to send some my way!
If you are looking for a light, cute read this is your book. You will instantly fall in love with Icicle Falls and all it's quirky residents. Samantha can sometimes be pushy and overbearing, but she's got a company to save. I can't imaging the pressure on Samantha's shoulders and while at times she acted irrationally I think I would have too, especially towards Blake. While reader will love Blake from the instant they meet him, it is easy to see why Samantha blames him for everything. It seems like he is in the way of saving Sweet Dreams and in turn ruining her life. I loved to see Blake struggle, not only with Samantha's wild mood swings, but also how to make things right. He's genuinely a good guy and we need more of those around.
The rest of the characters are just as fun. They are unique and each bring their own spin to the story. We do get to see into Samantha's family a bit, but I'm sad to say not as much as I wanted. There are some loose ends, especially involving her sisters that I want answered. I'm not sure if there is going to be another book or not, but there should be. I want to know what happens to Cecily and Bailey's love lives. These sister need some luck in the love department..
The story itself was intriguing and hard to put down. There was so much detail about running a chocolate factory and how it was built and passed down through the family. I loved hearing about all the different candies and other creations that were made with chocolate. The chocolate festival that Samantha and the town organized sounded amazing, but I think I would need a gallon of milk and some serious exercise after a weekend there. To make sure that you didn't feel left out of the goodie fun, the book features some of the recipes of the creations talked about throughout the story. I love when authors include recipes when they talk about interesting food. I'm super excited to try the Lavender-White Chocolate Scones. Don't they sound wonderful?
Whether you're in the mood for something sweet or just a fun read, try Better Than Chocolate. Oh and if you make any of the recipes in the back make sure to send some my way!
September 6, 2016
Better Than Chocolate is outstanding exciting page turning novel. For readers that love Lesley Pearse and Katie Fforde you will love reading Sheila Roberts novels.
About Better Than Chocolate. It is set in a town of Icicle Falls, which is a town that has it all, lovely breath taking scenery, and the very quaint shops.
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company had been in the generation for years. Samantha was the fourth generation to work in Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company.
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company had in fact been started by Samantha Sterling's great-grandmother.
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company had been healthy when her father took over from his family and the three girls Samantha, Cecily and Bailey just loved to help out spending their summer working in Sweet Dreams.
Soon after Samantha's fathers death her mother makes her new husband president of their family owned business. When her mothers second husband with in fives years dies too Baily clearly felt for her mother calling loosing two husbands is a double whammy. He was a man with a big heart and a big appetite for life her mother claimed. But Samantha seemed to have had to bring back the company from the brink how did this happen?.
With Samantha taking over Sweet Dreams she receives a letter from the bank manager Blake Preston saying that there is a problem with being behind on her loan. Samantha thought that it was with in the banks interest for Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company to do well or otherwise what would a bank do with a chocolate company?.
Better Than Chocolate is full of thinking about delicious chocolate, tough business, flaws, love, romance, laughter and dreaming for things to come true.
At the back of this book is some delicious chocolate recipes.
I hope that many readers will enjoy reading Better Than Chocolate as much as I have.
I have a review about this book on ireadnovel.wordpress.com
About Better Than Chocolate. It is set in a town of Icicle Falls, which is a town that has it all, lovely breath taking scenery, and the very quaint shops.
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company had been in the generation for years. Samantha was the fourth generation to work in Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company.
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company had in fact been started by Samantha Sterling's great-grandmother.
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company had been healthy when her father took over from his family and the three girls Samantha, Cecily and Bailey just loved to help out spending their summer working in Sweet Dreams.
Soon after Samantha's fathers death her mother makes her new husband president of their family owned business. When her mothers second husband with in fives years dies too Baily clearly felt for her mother calling loosing two husbands is a double whammy. He was a man with a big heart and a big appetite for life her mother claimed. But Samantha seemed to have had to bring back the company from the brink how did this happen?.
With Samantha taking over Sweet Dreams she receives a letter from the bank manager Blake Preston saying that there is a problem with being behind on her loan. Samantha thought that it was with in the banks interest for Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company to do well or otherwise what would a bank do with a chocolate company?.
Better Than Chocolate is full of thinking about delicious chocolate, tough business, flaws, love, romance, laughter and dreaming for things to come true.
At the back of this book is some delicious chocolate recipes.
I hope that many readers will enjoy reading Better Than Chocolate as much as I have.
I have a review about this book on ireadnovel.wordpress.com
October 24, 2012
Cover & Title - 4 out of 5
Favorite Line - "he's hot" "A great cover doesn't make a great book"
Favorite Character - Blake
This is a super sweet, lighthearted & easy going romance. It has a lot of story and a big build up to the romance part. The characters as a whole were all very likable, they all had things that endeared me to each off them. Samantha & Blake looked like they will never end up together as things just kept going wrong, when they finally did it was fantastic. I really liked the ending, I am always chasing the HEA.
The recipe looks awesome, i am planning on trying it :) What a quirky thing to throw into the book, major thumbs up.
I would recommend this book & I would read more by this author.
Click here for my book review blog
Favorite Line - "he's hot" "A great cover doesn't make a great book"
Favorite Character - Blake
This is a super sweet, lighthearted & easy going romance. It has a lot of story and a big build up to the romance part. The characters as a whole were all very likable, they all had things that endeared me to each off them. Samantha & Blake looked like they will never end up together as things just kept going wrong, when they finally did it was fantastic. I really liked the ending, I am always chasing the HEA.
The recipe looks awesome, i am planning on trying it :) What a quirky thing to throw into the book, major thumbs up.
I would recommend this book & I would read more by this author.
Click here for my book review blog
December 31, 2012
Cute concept! I had a hard time getting into this book. I love all things chocolate and thought I would love this book since it's about a chocolate company. This one just seemed to drag on for me. I also thought there would have been more romance.
August 13, 2020
This is an excellent story. It is a romance but more about how a young woman, Samantha, strives to save her family's chocolate business with grit and determination. The bank is ready to foreclose, due to mismanagement by her recently-deceased step-father, and the sharks are circling. How she attempts to save the business is creative and amazing, despite her critics that say she will never succeed. There is romance, since the three main characters, Samantha and her two sisters, are vibrant and single young women, and there is a plethora of handsome men in the town of Icicle Falls. This story is an excellent introduction to the town and to the Sterling family, and I look forward to reading more about them.
December 23, 2022
Sweet Dreams is a chocolate shop. It is about to go under. Samantha is now in charge but the bank has sent a notice. A final notice. Her sisters come home to brain storm. The Chocolate Festival idea is born. What s delight in all the ideas- Chocolate dinner, High tea, Sweet Dreams ball, and a male contest for Mr. Dreamy. Blake has been brought to town to bring the bank back to order. He is going to close them. He has his orders. What he finds out is this is a community. They work together and live one another. Is the festival enough?
February 24, 2022
This was so good! I loved the relationships in this book so much and really want to read about the rest of the Sterling sisters. This book made me so hungry for chocolate and I loved the humor in it.
December 18, 2019
Cute little town with great host of characters! I will definitely be reading the rest of this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2020
Two-haiku review:
Her stepfather died
Leaving business in trouble
How can she save it?
Nice women's fiction
Romance and family saga
On to next story
Her stepfather died
Leaving business in trouble
How can she save it?
Nice women's fiction
Romance and family saga
On to next story
November 30, 2019
I found me a new cozy series to read. Yeah!
June 25, 2013
Schokolade, Romantik und eine Familiengeschichte - was will man mehr? Also freute ich mich auf einen schönen Schmöker, klopfte mein Couchkissen zurecht und schon konnte es losgehen.
Der Schreibstil war schön flüssig und einfach zu lesen. Doch die Geschichte an sich war leider voll mit Klischees und wenig romantischen Szenen. Die Figuren (besonders die Hauptcharaktere) wirkten manchmal etwas hölzern und wenig realistisch. Witzige Momente bescherten vorallem die Nebencharaktere wie Bailey und Cecily, die Schwestern von Samantha.
Bereits nach gut 50 Seiten wusste man wie die Geschichte ausgehen wird (was ja nicht selten bei diesen Büchern ist), aber der Weg dahin war schon manchmal etwas anstrengend. Vorallem Samantha fand ich zum Ende wenig symphatisch. Und Blake, die ehemalige Sportskanone (was sonst), arbeitete nun als Banker und musste sich gegen den Chef behaupten und mit den Anschuldigungen von Samantha leben. Warum hat er sich nicht durchgesetzt? Als Filialleiter erwartet man einen durchsetzungsstarken und eloquenten Menschen. Doch leider wirkte Blake hier deplatziert, unschlüssig und teilweise auch verschüchtert. Es passte nicht so richtig zusammen. Die Schwestern hatten mehr Glück mit ihrem Charakter. Sie waren (natürlich) der Gegenpol von Samantha, nicht so zielstrebig, nicht so fleißig, nicht so pflichtbewußt, nicht so ehrgeizig und nicht so gut in allen Dingen. Dafür waren sie etwas chaotisch, etwas kreativer, etwas symphatischer, etwas witziger und lebensnaher. Ihre Parts habe ich ganz gern gelesen und ich fand auch das Zwischenspiel von Cecily und Todd ganz nett. Zwar war auch hier die Romantik und Leidenschaft etwas hölzern und platt, aber durchaus zu erkennen (im Gegensatz zu Blake und Samantha). Zum Ende hatte man das Gefühl, dass der Autorin die Luft ausgeht und sie sich dann in Kleinigkeiten verrennt.
Das Beste an dem Buch waren die Pralinenrezepte am Ende des Buches. Ausprobiert habe ich sie noch nicht, aber gut klingen schon mal.
Insgesamt aber, ist es eine eher oberflächliche Geschichte, der die Romantik fehlt, die Charaktere sind zu flach und die Handlung war mir zu vorhersehbar und mit zu vielen Klischees. Auch die Covergestaltung fand ich nicht so sehr ansprechend. Schon gar nicht die eigenartig aussehende Praline. Ich hatte eine Geschichte á la "Chocolate" erwartet und bin doch etwas enttäuscht wurden.
Der Schreibstil war schön flüssig und einfach zu lesen. Doch die Geschichte an sich war leider voll mit Klischees und wenig romantischen Szenen. Die Figuren (besonders die Hauptcharaktere) wirkten manchmal etwas hölzern und wenig realistisch. Witzige Momente bescherten vorallem die Nebencharaktere wie Bailey und Cecily, die Schwestern von Samantha.
Bereits nach gut 50 Seiten wusste man wie die Geschichte ausgehen wird (was ja nicht selten bei diesen Büchern ist), aber der Weg dahin war schon manchmal etwas anstrengend. Vorallem Samantha fand ich zum Ende wenig symphatisch. Und Blake, die ehemalige Sportskanone (was sonst), arbeitete nun als Banker und musste sich gegen den Chef behaupten und mit den Anschuldigungen von Samantha leben. Warum hat er sich nicht durchgesetzt? Als Filialleiter erwartet man einen durchsetzungsstarken und eloquenten Menschen. Doch leider wirkte Blake hier deplatziert, unschlüssig und teilweise auch verschüchtert. Es passte nicht so richtig zusammen. Die Schwestern hatten mehr Glück mit ihrem Charakter. Sie waren (natürlich) der Gegenpol von Samantha, nicht so zielstrebig, nicht so fleißig, nicht so pflichtbewußt, nicht so ehrgeizig und nicht so gut in allen Dingen. Dafür waren sie etwas chaotisch, etwas kreativer, etwas symphatischer, etwas witziger und lebensnaher. Ihre Parts habe ich ganz gern gelesen und ich fand auch das Zwischenspiel von Cecily und Todd ganz nett. Zwar war auch hier die Romantik und Leidenschaft etwas hölzern und platt, aber durchaus zu erkennen (im Gegensatz zu Blake und Samantha). Zum Ende hatte man das Gefühl, dass der Autorin die Luft ausgeht und sie sich dann in Kleinigkeiten verrennt.
Das Beste an dem Buch waren die Pralinenrezepte am Ende des Buches. Ausprobiert habe ich sie noch nicht, aber gut klingen schon mal.
Insgesamt aber, ist es eine eher oberflächliche Geschichte, der die Romantik fehlt, die Charaktere sind zu flach und die Handlung war mir zu vorhersehbar und mit zu vielen Klischees. Auch die Covergestaltung fand ich nicht so sehr ansprechend. Schon gar nicht die eigenartig aussehende Praline. Ich hatte eine Geschichte á la "Chocolate" erwartet und bin doch etwas enttäuscht wurden.
January 16, 2016
What a great book - cute cute cute! I liked this book from beginning to end. It kept my attention throughout the whole book, never a dull moment. I thought this had a very creative and original storyline. Sheila also takes you on a few mini trips but ties it all together very nicely.
The character development was great. There were a lot of characters in this book to keep track of. But surprisingly I did not get any of them confused! This is a sign of a good author, to me (I get easily confused, LOL) I loved Samantha - she was fun, quirky, and very business-minded. I would buy from her shop any day. I could really picture Samantha and came away really feeling like I knew her personality. I also loved Blake - the hunky bank manager. I was rooting for him the whole time ;-)
There were also some minor characters - Samantha's sisters - Cecily and Bailey, and Samantha's mom. They all had stories of their own! I felt like I was read one big story and 3 short stories in one. It was great. I don't know how the Author did it but it all tied in so nicely, it just all fit together like a puzzle.
One of my favorite quotes from the book -
"At the rate Samantha was going, she'd wind up over-dosing on chocolate. She moved to the counter, poured herself some tea and took a brownie. Just one. She'd make this the last fattening thing she ate for the rest of her life. Okay, for the rest of the month. The week. The night, anyway."
Another thing I really liked about this book was the descriptions. I could really picture myself at the chocolate shop and other shops and restaurants in town. The descriptions of the Chocolate festival were great. What a great idea! I would love to go to a chocolate festival! Also in the book was Icicle Falls and the legend of the "Lost Bride" which was a nice touch.
THE ALL-IN-ALL -
All in all this was a fun, romantic, quirky book to read. There were so many nice things about this book - the chocolate, the men, some historical parts, and a few love stories.
Also - at the end of the book Sheila added a few of the recipes talked about in the book! I seriously can't wait to try a couple (and that coming from a non-baker!)
The character development was great. There were a lot of characters in this book to keep track of. But surprisingly I did not get any of them confused! This is a sign of a good author, to me (I get easily confused, LOL) I loved Samantha - she was fun, quirky, and very business-minded. I would buy from her shop any day. I could really picture Samantha and came away really feeling like I knew her personality. I also loved Blake - the hunky bank manager. I was rooting for him the whole time ;-)
There were also some minor characters - Samantha's sisters - Cecily and Bailey, and Samantha's mom. They all had stories of their own! I felt like I was read one big story and 3 short stories in one. It was great. I don't know how the Author did it but it all tied in so nicely, it just all fit together like a puzzle.
One of my favorite quotes from the book -
"At the rate Samantha was going, she'd wind up over-dosing on chocolate. She moved to the counter, poured herself some tea and took a brownie. Just one. She'd make this the last fattening thing she ate for the rest of her life. Okay, for the rest of the month. The week. The night, anyway."
Another thing I really liked about this book was the descriptions. I could really picture myself at the chocolate shop and other shops and restaurants in town. The descriptions of the Chocolate festival were great. What a great idea! I would love to go to a chocolate festival! Also in the book was Icicle Falls and the legend of the "Lost Bride" which was a nice touch.
THE ALL-IN-ALL -
All in all this was a fun, romantic, quirky book to read. There were so many nice things about this book - the chocolate, the men, some historical parts, and a few love stories.
Also - at the end of the book Sheila added a few of the recipes talked about in the book! I seriously can't wait to try a couple (and that coming from a non-baker!)
February 11, 2014
I received this book as a part of the Tell Harlequin panel. I have received other books as a part of that program that I have absolutely adored, so I was incredibly hopeful for this one. Couple that with the fact that I had other friends with similar book tastes to me tell me they had heard amazing things about this author, and I thought for sure this was going to be another hit that would melt my cynical heart. Unfortunately, I just don't feel that it lived up to the hype.
I have sat here reading other reviews and wondering if I was reading the same book, because there were a lot of people according to Amazon and Goodreads that really enjoyed this one. I just was not one of them.
Firstly, there was a lot of filler in the story - bits and pieces that had no bearing on the outcome and were just there to fill up space. I really dislike filler. A good author can paint a picture without so much extra detail that is unrelated to the main plot. I get sub plots and all, but this was not even subplot, it was just, extra.
There were some editing errors that should have been obvious and corrected before this went to print, and yet they weren't and that is always a big sticking point for me.
And then, this was a romance, right? Because the romantic relationship coming to be happened in the last 15 pages or so and felt rushed and like it was there just because people would expect it to be. I mean, seriously, a check, a kiss, a hike, an engagement? Where are the details about the relationship developing and building. I felt like a couple chapters were missing from my book, but the page numbers matched up so I know that was not the case.
I am sure Ms. Roberts is a gifted writer, at least in the minds of some readers, but after reading this one, I don't think that I will be able to read another book by this author. It took me more than a month to finish this one, and I read books of this length usually in a much shorter period of time. I felt I had to make myself keep reading. The premise was great, and this could have been an awesome book. I just felt like there was too much gritty detail, and not enough meat.
I have sat here reading other reviews and wondering if I was reading the same book, because there were a lot of people according to Amazon and Goodreads that really enjoyed this one. I just was not one of them.
Firstly, there was a lot of filler in the story - bits and pieces that had no bearing on the outcome and were just there to fill up space. I really dislike filler. A good author can paint a picture without so much extra detail that is unrelated to the main plot. I get sub plots and all, but this was not even subplot, it was just, extra.
There were some editing errors that should have been obvious and corrected before this went to print, and yet they weren't and that is always a big sticking point for me.
And then, this was a romance, right? Because the romantic relationship coming to be happened in the last 15 pages or so and felt rushed and like it was there just because people would expect it to be. I mean, seriously, a check, a kiss, a hike, an engagement? Where are the details about the relationship developing and building. I felt like a couple chapters were missing from my book, but the page numbers matched up so I know that was not the case.
I am sure Ms. Roberts is a gifted writer, at least in the minds of some readers, but after reading this one, I don't think that I will be able to read another book by this author. It took me more than a month to finish this one, and I read books of this length usually in a much shorter period of time. I felt I had to make myself keep reading. The premise was great, and this could have been an awesome book. I just felt like there was too much gritty detail, and not enough meat.
December 29, 2013
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company has been in the Sterling family for generations, ever since Great-Grandma Rose literally dreamed up her first fabulous recipe. But now it looks as if they're about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank—and that would be a disaster, not only for the family but for the town of Icicle Falls, Washington. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it?After Samantha does some brainstorming with her mother and sisters, inspiration strikes. They'll have a chocolate festival! Time's running out, but the Sterling women are determined and the town's behind them, so everything's bound to go smoothly….
Or not. Events seem to be conspiring against Samantha, and her mother's attempts to help aren't helping. To make matters worse, the fate of her company is in the hands of her archenemy, Blake Preston, the bank manager with the football-hero good looks. It's enough to drive her to chocolate. But Blake's also enough to convince her that (believe it or not) there's something even better than chocolate.
My Review:
I decided to read this book because of the title. I was intrigued with it since I am a chocoholic. It turned out to be a good book. It showed how families can work together to achieve certain goals. Your biggest asset is your family It is important to have families that support one another as this book showed. It was a book about small-town life and how sweet it could be.There were humorous parts in the book. It showed how you can successfully balance business and love. Each chapter began with a quote about living life to the fullest. It was definitely an inspirational book. This book was Book #1 in the Icicle Falls series. I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
Or not. Events seem to be conspiring against Samantha, and her mother's attempts to help aren't helping. To make matters worse, the fate of her company is in the hands of her archenemy, Blake Preston, the bank manager with the football-hero good looks. It's enough to drive her to chocolate. But Blake's also enough to convince her that (believe it or not) there's something even better than chocolate.
My Review:
I decided to read this book because of the title. I was intrigued with it since I am a chocoholic. It turned out to be a good book. It showed how families can work together to achieve certain goals. Your biggest asset is your family It is important to have families that support one another as this book showed. It was a book about small-town life and how sweet it could be.There were humorous parts in the book. It showed how you can successfully balance business and love. Each chapter began with a quote about living life to the fullest. It was definitely an inspirational book. This book was Book #1 in the Icicle Falls series. I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
October 3, 2012
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company is Samantha Sterling’s baby – the company started by her great-grandmother and which she dreamed of running herself one day. Well, the day comes for Samantha to take over after her step-father passes away. What she finds is a disaster…her step-father has ruined the company financially and she has limited time to pay the arrears to the bank or the doors of Sweet Dreams will close forever. Enter Blake Preston, the new bank manager, who won’t budge an inch on the deadline. Can Samantha and her family pull together a town chocolate festival with limited time and resources and make enough money to save Sweet Dreams?
Overall I enjoyed ‘Better Than Chocolate’, but I was honestly more interested in the factory and the family dynamic between the Sterlings. I felt the romance was one-sided, because Blake liked Samantha, but even though she thought he was attractive, but didn’t like him at all. The way the romance came together very quickly at the end didn’t feel real to me. Samantha hated (and secret lusted after) Blake, but when all was revealed at the end, she fell into his arms and everything was perfect. Maybe I just prefer my romances to have a little bit more of a realistic build-up. Which is why I liked the dynamic between Samantha’s sister and the bar owner…it felt more real. ‘Better Than Chocolate’ moves quickly and has some really good characters and relationships which I hope the author comes back to in a future novel. The author has also included some yummy chocolate recipes in the back of the book!
Overall I enjoyed ‘Better Than Chocolate’, but I was honestly more interested in the factory and the family dynamic between the Sterlings. I felt the romance was one-sided, because Blake liked Samantha, but even though she thought he was attractive, but didn’t like him at all. The way the romance came together very quickly at the end didn’t feel real to me. Samantha hated (and secret lusted after) Blake, but when all was revealed at the end, she fell into his arms and everything was perfect. Maybe I just prefer my romances to have a little bit more of a realistic build-up. Which is why I liked the dynamic between Samantha’s sister and the bar owner…it felt more real. ‘Better Than Chocolate’ moves quickly and has some really good characters and relationships which I hope the author comes back to in a future novel. The author has also included some yummy chocolate recipes in the back of the book!
May 6, 2013
I liked the familial interactions with the Sterling family and how the small town of Icicle Falls pull together in order to benefit the town and keep the businesses going during a rough winter season when the snow that usually draws the crowds is non-existent. I also liked how the author portrayed how grief was processed by each of the Sterling woman when their mother’s second husband dies. Then they find that their family business and part of the town’s livelihood is in jeopardy because the “dearly departed” neglected to pay the loan to the bank. It falls to the eldest daughter, Samantha, to now try and save her family’s business. She views the new bank manager as a snake and tries to creatively find some way to get the money to pay off the loan so that the bank doesn't take their company and sell it to their inferior competition.
I loved the location of the story in a small Washington state town called Icicle Falls, resembling an Alpine town. I liked that each character, really has their own character; they’re not “cookie cutter” characters. I wish the author would have broadened the heroes character a little more, earlier on in the story but, all in all this was a decent read.
I loved the location of the story in a small Washington state town called Icicle Falls, resembling an Alpine town. I liked that each character, really has their own character; they’re not “cookie cutter” characters. I wish the author would have broadened the heroes character a little more, earlier on in the story but, all in all this was a decent read.
October 12, 2012
Aside from this strong craving for chocolate after reading this book....
Ms. Roberts wrote a wonderful book full of characters that kinda of remind me of my trip to Washington, but the town I visited wasn't called anything as cool as Icicle Falls!!
Samantha, was in NO way going to let her family business go down without a fight and she prove that meant by all means possible.
She brought her sisters, her mom, the town, the press, TV and finally love saves it in the end...and of course a check...LOL
I really enjoyed how this story didn't just hand over the company over and say..."Oh we're sorry" or work some love scene from there. Instead , Ms. Roberts made her characters work for it and romance was found along the way....well maybe for some.
The only one character that kinda got a bit boring at times was Muriel....I know she just lost hubby number 2 and her part was major to the whole downfall, but I just didn't understand why some parts of her grieving were needed in the book.(Just commenting...don't shoot me)
I do look forward for more tales from Icicle Falls, since there are so many different characters that we introduced that still have tale to tell.
Ms. Roberts wrote a wonderful book full of characters that kinda of remind me of my trip to Washington, but the town I visited wasn't called anything as cool as Icicle Falls!!
Samantha, was in NO way going to let her family business go down without a fight and she prove that meant by all means possible.
She brought her sisters, her mom, the town, the press, TV and finally love saves it in the end...and of course a check...LOL
I really enjoyed how this story didn't just hand over the company over and say..."Oh we're sorry" or work some love scene from there. Instead , Ms. Roberts made her characters work for it and romance was found along the way....well maybe for some.
The only one character that kinda got a bit boring at times was Muriel....I know she just lost hubby number 2 and her part was major to the whole downfall, but I just didn't understand why some parts of her grieving were needed in the book.(Just commenting...don't shoot me)
I do look forward for more tales from Icicle Falls, since there are so many different characters that we introduced that still have tale to tell.
January 14, 2013
If you enjoy the Debbie Macomber Cedar Cove series or the Susan Wiggs Lakeshore Chronicles, then you will like this book - it follows the same vein of introducing characters in one town and how their lives intertwine. It is easy to see how this could develop into a series. There are plenty of townspeople with stories to tell. This is what I call a comfort book. No big surprises, you know how it is going end, but it is fun for a snowy afternoon in January -- especially with a cup of creamy hot chocolate.
That being said, some of the plot points made me scratch my head (if these people are broke, how can they afford same day plane tickets? what was with the interlude of the teen anti-smoking campaign?) The main character drove me nuts through most of the book with her complaining and blaming everyone for her company's problems. I never did warm up to her as a character and found the ending a little too convenient.
I do look forward to more books in this series to find out what happens with these character’s lives.
That being said, some of the plot points made me scratch my head (if these people are broke, how can they afford same day plane tickets? what was with the interlude of the teen anti-smoking campaign?) The main character drove me nuts through most of the book with her complaining and blaming everyone for her company's problems. I never did warm up to her as a character and found the ending a little too convenient.
I do look forward to more books in this series to find out what happens with these character’s lives.
October 5, 2012
My Thoughts
Well, folks, no one was more surprised than me as to how much I liked this book. I lean more toward dark, twisted, suspense and mystery. Chick-lit is not a genre I seek.
That being said, I enyoyed this story. The characters were believable, so much so there was one I wanted to slap. I liked Samantha and her determined attitude. And yes, there was some romance, but nothing sappy and it didn’t overwhelm the story line.
So, it appears that I’ve learned something. Chick lit can be very likeable when it is written this well. At the end of the book, I discovered that there is another book (Merry Ex-Mas) coming out in November with more tales from Icicle Falls - Yippee!
Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for letting me read this for an unbiased review.
Publish date: September 25, 2012
Well, folks, no one was more surprised than me as to how much I liked this book. I lean more toward dark, twisted, suspense and mystery. Chick-lit is not a genre I seek.
That being said, I enyoyed this story. The characters were believable, so much so there was one I wanted to slap. I liked Samantha and her determined attitude. And yes, there was some romance, but nothing sappy and it didn’t overwhelm the story line.
So, it appears that I’ve learned something. Chick lit can be very likeable when it is written this well. At the end of the book, I discovered that there is another book (Merry Ex-Mas) coming out in November with more tales from Icicle Falls - Yippee!
Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for letting me read this for an unbiased review.
Publish date: September 25, 2012
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