I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Curves, Kisses and Chocolate Ice-Cream by Sue Watson Also by this author: Petit Four, Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake, Ella's Ice-Cream Summer, Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances:
Series: The Ice-Cream Cafe #2
Also in this series: Ella's Ice-Cream Summer
on 27th June 2017
Pages: 280
Goodreads
Amazon Kindle, Audible
Dani’s on a mission to get her life back on track by the end of the Summer. Running, rowing, aerobics and more, but perhaps all she needs are sweet treats and a second chance?
Twenty years ago, Dani fled Appledore with a broken-heart and a suitcase full of shattered dreams. Only now is she brave enough to put her past behind her and return for a summer selling homemade ice-cream and getting fit by doing sit-ups by the sea.
But the new-look cafe is filled with old memories of Jude, her teenage sweetheart-turned-sour. She thinks of him every time she swirls warm sauce onto a “chocolate-bockaglory” and even with the help of Chris, her gorgeous personal trainer, the urge to break her diet is everywhere she turns.
When Jude makes an appearance at the cafe on the eve of Dani’s birthday party, history threatens to repeat itself. Is Dani strong enough to say no? And is the love she’s been longing for much closer than she thinks?
Thank you to Kim for letting me part of this blog tour. I have to confess that I didn’t read the blurb before I agreed to the tour or even before I started reading this book so I was kind of expecting this to be a continuation of Ella’s Ice Cream Summer. It wasn’t, nevertheless this was quite a book. Just a warning this is going to be quite a personal review.
This book hit quite a personal note for me. I have always struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. I have always been overweight. Not excessively but I have always been at least a stone overweight but closer to two. I am an emotional eater. I eat when I am happy, I eat when I am sad and I eat when I am bored. So I completely understand Dani’s emotional relationship with food. Sue does a brilliant job of explaining Dani’s feelings about food and I connected with this very easily.
I also understand her new found love for working out. Like Dani I hated PE at school. I am not very coordinated and I didn’t ever enjoy exercise. When I joined a new gym at the beginning of the year I signed up for a weight loss scheme there the content is similar to what Dani does in this story although nowhere near as tough. Through this I found a love of spinning which I never would have expected. I love Dani’s determination in this story. She is very inspiring and really made me want to be healthy even if for a few minutes.
I loved every page of this story. It is the perfect summer escapism that will inspire you to go for a walk before that yummy ice cream.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- Goodreads Challenge (2017)
- Netgalley Challenge (2017)
@bookouture Thanks so much for your wonderful review + for taking part in the blog tour Emma! It’s a… https://t.co/nXP6XGtu27