Sweet Success

by Susan Mallery

Bestselling author Susan Mallery awakens the senses -- and fills the heart with warmth and laughter -- in this tantalizing novel of love's richest rewards.
The free-spirited owner of a booming chocolate emporium in Santa Magdelana, California, Allison Thomas is out to save the world -- one truffle at a time. Everyone adores Ali -- who wouldn't love a lady who sneaks midnight chocolate deliveries to the local health spa? And even if a string of crumbled relationships have put romance on hold, Ali's perfectly content with her life and her high-flying career. That is, until the mysterious Matt Baker stirs up her world....New to town, Matt quickly gets under her skin and leads her into temptation. But neither love nor chocolate seems to melt Matt's icy heart. Now, in a unique setting where luscious desserts, sweet wine, and fresh ocean breezes intoxicate the soul, it may prove impossible for either of them to resist this seductive recipe for a wondrously indulgent passion!

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Ebooks, Fiction, M F Romance

326 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 2001

About the author

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. She's best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Beloved by millions of readers worldwide, her books have been translated into 28 languages.

Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.

Reviews

[Kiandra 🦋 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve never been so irritated by two characters in my life, I’m surprised I didn’t DNF. Matt and Ali both got on my nerves so bad, the communication between the two was absolutely terrible.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I missed this book when it published the first time around, but enjoyed reading about Ali and her chocolate shop, her family and friends, and of course her handy man who begins working in her shop. All the characters were lovely!

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susan Mallery is one of my favorite writers, and definitely one of my favorite contemporary romance writers. I almost always enjoy her books to the point of constantly having a smile on my face or laughing over something. (I say almost because there has been one or two that weren't my favorites.) Sometimes the stories are a little cliché, sometimes they aren't, but no matter what, I love them. And Sweet Success was a delightful read.


I enjoyed the characters of Matt and Ali immensely, and I thought that they fit well together--first as friends, second as lovers. Sure, they had their conflicts, but what relationship doesn't? And! As a plus, I didn't hate them at any time in the book! (That seems to have been happening to me a lot recently.) I liked Rick, Harry, Kasey, Willie, Sara, and Charlotte Elizabeth (with Miss Sylvie). All these wonderful side characters added more warmth and depth to the book, making it all the more enjoyable.


Not that it was actually in any question, but I will definitely be reading more of Susan Mallery's books. She's just too awesome to pass up!

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

if i could this book would be .08 stars i decided to give up on it. I am 200% bored I do not know whats going on because all that is going on is whining and complaining its driving me insane! NEXT BOOK PLEASE!

[Cindi Hanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars ⭐️

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very mid, never really got into it

[Amy Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whenever I need a feel good romance book, I always find myself turning to the books by Susan Mallery. The author never lets me down when I need a heart fluttering love story that ends with a happily ever after that we all love in a romance story.

Allison Thomas is the daughter of a famous movie star with a chocolate shop nestled in Saint Magdelana, California. She loves sharing her sweet creations with the town, and in the process helping those in need of a second chance in life. She has a big heart that has always been her downfall in relationships. She always seems to find men who need something instead of a relationship. When Matt Baker arrives at her store to do some construction, she finds herself trying to fix him as well. She can tell that something is haunting him from his past, but Matt is not the type to share it.

As the two work together on fixing her store room and other items on her to do list, we see each of them slowly do the dance of falling for each other and opening up about their pasts. Is the story predictable? Yes. Do we know that they are going to be a couple that has a happily ever after? Yes. What makes it enjoyable though is the story in between. Each of the characters have flaws that they need to work through before we get to that point, but in the end making it worth it for both of them. With a "small" surprise that enters the picture later in the book, it made it even more enjoyable.

I also enjoyed the secondary characters, and found myself wanting to learn more about them than the main characters at times. Rick, Ali's brother, was witty and full of laughter. I loved how he was always there to cheer Ali up when she needed it. Charlotte Elizabeth--Ali's mother--was an enigma of her own with a pudgy pig as a pet that she treated like a child. Every time she showed up with Miss Sylvie in tow, I laughed with the mental image the author created!

While this isn't one of my favorite books by this author, it is a book I would reread again for that feel good moment we enjoy in reading romance books. Another great read by a fabulous author who never lets me down!

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book originally because I thought it was part of the Sweet series. Well it is NOT but that does not mean it wasn't good. I enjoyed the book because it was about a chocolate emporium owner. Now who does not love chocolate tell me, hardly no one that is. I enjoyed this story especially how smooth it flowed I just could not put it down. I really like how the chemistry between the characters worked. I recommend this book and author for everyone who likes some comedy and good characterization in their romances.

[GaffersGirl]

DNF only about 20%.

I just couldn't get into it.

I was thrown by the updated cover. I actually went and looked at the published date as I was reading because some of the themes felt dated and found out it came out in 2001.

It's noticeable.

⚠️Spoilers Possible⚠️


I didn't get far but the first 20% is a lot of our FMC Ali wanting to be married and have babies while trying to defend her decision to own a business. Ali's mom bemoaning her fashion sense and the fact that she hasn't "given her grandchildren".

We get this passage:
"Ali's private guilt on the subject of grandchildren didnt help. In the recesses of her mind she knew she owed her mother grandchildren and so much more"

Eek.

If I'm understanding this correctly, Ali has had lifelong guilt because her mother "gave up" a million dollar acting contract in order to have Ali.

And, Ali trying to befriend a handyman sent to work on her shop, our MMC Matt. Their first meeting included Ali telling him he needs "fattening up" because I guess he's too thin for her liking.

It hints at a mysterious past but I'm just not curious enough to stick around to hear about it.

Also, there's been SO much talk about babies, I'm honestly afraid there will be an unexpected pregnancy thrown in as that is a very early 2000's thing to do. How could a woman experience a Happily Ever After without a baby!?

Anyway, I'm sure many people have and will enjoy this. Just not for me.

[Beppa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ali Thomas, daughter of one of Hollywood's biggest 60's stars, owns a chocolate shop in St. Magdelana, CA. There, she takes in the strays of the town, helping those around her through either her desserts or her kind heart. When her local handyman hires a reserved and mysterious worker Matt Baker, it unadmittedly becomes love at first bite of truffle. Together, they realize they need to work through their past demons before their romance can finally be.

My first Susan Mallery book was Sisters by Choice, which left me wildly disappointed. Thankfully, many other Goodreads reviews mentioned that the ball was significantly dropped on that one, and it was uncharacteristic of Mallery's work. So, I gave another one a go, and I am genuinely surprised that the two share the same author. The character development, the gradual yet consistent buildup, and descriptions were so much better and shows her skill in romance writing. There were no dull or useless chapters, and the even though the male protagonists of the two I read share many similarities, Matt's character wasn't rushed and his presence in the story was real-world plausible, unlike Sisters by Choice's Dugan. I enjoyed reading this, and the end was a sweet yet unexpected surprise.

Happy reading,
-Beppa

[penelopewanders]

In some ways this reminds me of the song from the Broadway version of The Sound of Music... "How can Love Survive" (for some reason, to my dismay, this song was not in the film). I don't want to create more of a spoiler, but the Million Dollar Baby has successfully (?) shed any sense of privilege, and the handyman... Suffice it to say it was an entertaining read, and the gradual thawing of Matt into a human being was gratifying. I appreciated the fact that the main characters began to gain some understanding of the way they were allowing their pasts to define their present and futures.
A nice weekend read.
The cover has been through the wars, apparently, but the actual pages of the book have survived fully intact.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It's a sweet, stand-alone romance with all the feels. Ali is the type of person you immediately want to be best friends with--she's kind and giving and always trying to take care of everyone else. Matt shows up, with secrets and guilt weighing him down but soon learns that you can't outrun your past. But as their feelings for each other grow stronger, they start to realize that a small-town baker and a big-business mogul may just have more in common than they thought! This will definitely be added to my Mallery collection of cozy, feel-good stories that I'll read time and again.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chocolate maker Ali is content running her business and helping her friends... but will handyman Matt make her even happier?

Even though this romance was predictable overall, it was also light, sweet, and a nice distraction from reality. Originally published in 2001, I did find it a bit old-fashioned at times, especially when it came to societal norms about women. I really liked generous, kindhearted Ali and was happy she found her happily ever after. And now I need some chocolate!

For the Love of Summer (4.5 stars) and the The Girls of Mischief Bay series (4 stars) remain my favorites by this author.

3.5 stars

Location: California

[Heathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took forever to finish! Put it down for awhile, forgot all the characters' names, then finally forced myself to finish it.

It never grabbed my attention. The only enjoyable character was the little pig. I found the female lead (Ali, if I recall) to be very annoying.

And I didn't even think the relationship was believable. Lust? Sure. But I just don't buy it that they fell in love after such a short time & without much meaningful interaction.

[Britt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read this book because the rebranded cover caught my attention. I hadn't realized it was written in the early 2000s.

That being said, this wasn't really my cup of tea. The two main characters gave me absolutely nothing but irritation. Ali is immature and doesn't know how to communicate. Matt doesn't know how to take "no" for an answer and is pushy.

To top it all off, there's an unexpected pregnancy at play. I decided to just skim the last 30% of the book to finish it.

[Flo Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

An explosion of love

What a lovely story of second chances. It's incredible what chocolate and love can do. Matt needed someone to help him get over his feelings of not doing the right thing and Ali was looking for a normal relationship but when these two people met it was an explosion of love.

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad this book was re released. It was such a great and fun read. Allison and Matt are such wonderful characters. I loved reading their stories of what made them what they are. Allison's mom and her moms pet cracked me up. Matt's story was sad. I loved how Allison took him on and didn't back down. Thanks for a wonderfully written story.

[Lindsey Lowrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Cute, but not exactly what I was thinking it would be. I thought it would be more Hallmark movie buuuut Matt was a bad MMC and ruined the story for me. I did really enjoy Ali and the town and all of the little shops so that was this book’s saving grace! There was also two tropes that I STRONGLY dislike in this book so that made it hard to read.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Ok, but not sure it still holds up. This book was written ~2001 but was recently given new cover art. Reads like a time machine and I think how the characters eventually get together a little problematic.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

nancy

Another successful book finished! The characters were just amazing as was the storyline. I really enjoyed the pig. I’m so hungry for chocolate after reading this book. Thanks for the great read.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Susan Mallery’s writing has improved since this was first published in 2001. Still, it’s fun to read her older works. I don’t foresee this being a new favorite but it was a solidly enjoyable read. 3 ⭐️

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A typical entertaining feel good Susan Mallery story. Enjoyed the technology timeframe - made for a fun trip down memory lane. I really enjoyed the first half, but somewhere in the second half - the story shifted and at times lost my interest.

[Kristi Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read! And who doesn't like chocolate! Saint Maggie is a plae I'd like to visit! A sweet romance and a lot of sweet and funny happenings around town. A great story for after the holidays or anytime!

[Vikki Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have been the very Best book if I hadn't had to read about Gays! It's sickening! Please stop including them in your books. It's not natural and it's just plain disgusting to even think about.

[Emilio Bove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro molto scorrevole e spensierato, una bella storia d’amore che merita di essere letta. Sono rimasto colpito dalle parole scelte dall’autrice, la scrittura del testo è impeccabile, priva di errori e con una scelta semantica straordinaria.

Consigliatissimo :)

[Susannah Carleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book weathers the time since it was written surprisingly well. Neither the characters nor the plot need computers, the internet, or cell phones to “sell” the story, their products, their skills, or themselves.

[Caitlyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Perhaps the most unlikable MMC I’ve ever encountered. It was like the worst of billionaire and surprise pregnancy tropes I’ve ever encountered. Like why is Matt so manipulative and controlling and why does Ali like it? It was a struggle to get through.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me a while to get through; I never got to a spot in the book where I just couldn't put it down. The book was older but the story wasn't so dated that it messed up the story. The characters were fun and I enjoyed Matt & Ali as a couple. It was a cute story but just ok.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it

[El Ma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 *- 4*