Cover Image: Sweeter Than Chocolate

Sweeter Than Chocolate

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Member Reviews

Like it's name this is one of the sweetest stories you will read!

Having said that, I loved this, I'm a sucker for cute, swoon worthy rom-coms and this falls perfectly in this category!

Lucy and Dean are the perfect opposites attract, enemies to lovers couple! and the way they meet for the first time is awesome! her reaction is perfect. I just can't thing of anything better.

Please read this! you'll love it!

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This was a very cute and fluffy book. Lucy and Dean had great chemistry and their funny and witty banter made this slow burn romance a hit for me.

Lucy is the owner of How Sweet It Is and is facing financial situations and it doesn’t help that a new competitor opens across the street from her’s. She focused and determine to make this her own and is excited for the holiday of Valentine’s Day and preparing all the chocolate.

Here pops in Dean a reporter who is nothing but a grump who is against all things love, who has walked through her door and Lucy wants nothing more than to throw him out on his butt.

Nana Edda had me dying at every scene 😂

With Lucy and Dean wrapped in their own stubborn ways with love and what it costs, they end up coming together and creating a beautiful romance.

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Thank you to NetGalley, Lizzie Shane, and Hallmark Publishing for this ARC.

This was a cute and charming book.
I need one of those magical chocolates... 😂

🍫"Enemies to lovers"
🍫 Slow burn 🔥
🍫 Closed door romance
🍫 Small Town

If you love Hallmark Movies, you'll definitely love this.
The story was familiar and predictable but it was still fun reading.

Looking forward to watching the movie.

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The title says it all! This story was cute and sweet and simply charming. And as a bonus, this is also a Hallmark movie, which I will definitely be watching! The story features a grumpy/sunshine pairing, which I always love. Lucy Is a chocolatier and her chocolate shop has been in her family for generations. They are famed for their well-known Cupid Chocolates, which are rumored to lead you to true love once you eat them. Dean is a skeptical news reporter who has been assigned to do a story on Lucy's shop. He doesn't believe in love or the rumors and goes as far as to tell Lucy her chocolates are a scam. Nevertheless, he does his job and interviews those couples who claim to have been brought together by the chocolates, with Lucy by his side.
Dean and Lucy were absolutely cute together. Their journey to finding their own love was lovely to see. Both were likable characters and I enjoyed getting to know them. This was a light-hearted and fun story and I am happy to have had the opportunity to read it.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

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Although romance is my favourite genre, this book didn't work for me, maybe, because of the concept (I was a little intrigued when I read the blurb). I couldn't connect with the writing style, the atmosphere or the characters.

Thank you for the review copy.

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I am not usually one for cliche, Valentine’s Day type romances but this book sold me with its adorable setting and lovable characters. I was rooting for Lucy and Dean from the start, even when they started off on the wrong foot. I found myself smiling throughout this story because it’s honestly just so sweet….pun intended!

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A bakery that sells chocolate that makes you find your true love but only on Valentine’s Day?! Nora’s friend Lena found her true love the year Prie and is now engaged!! She made a post about how she found true love on Valentine’s Day after eating one of Hoe Sweet It Is Chocolate shopps’s magic Cupid chocolates. While Lucy battles the opening of a rival bakery, lots of press and keeping her shop open wil she find love too?
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback!

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First of all I want to say a huge thank you to NetGalley, Lizzie Shane, and Hallmark Publishing for granting me access to this eARC.

I really enjoyed Sweeter Than Chocolate! It’s true to its publisher in its sweet, hometown, Hallmark fashion!

Sweeter Than Chocolate is a very tame romance read, focusing on a slow burn friends to lovers situation. Perfect for those after a cosy read!

Definitely a re-read for next Valentine’s Day, and I’m looking forward to reading more Lizzie Shane books!

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A huge thanks to Hallmark Publishing for my complimentary copy and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is my first Lizzie Shane book and I absolutely adored this rom-com. The book follows How Sweet It Is resident baker, and owner Lucy. Lucy goes viral when her bestfriend posts about her cupid chocolates that she deems that are magical and will lead you to meet your soulmate. As her popularity soars and add in the drama of a journalist who is a love skeptic. I absolutely enjoyed this romance and I recommend it to everyone obsessed with chocolate, romance and small towns. Read it and watch the movie.

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Lucy is loves running the family chocolate shop, How Sweet It Is. She is the shop's chocolatier, she handles all the books, and she has just hired her first non-family employee. Valentine's day is coming, and she expects it to be busy enough to keep the business afloat, for a little while, at least. The shop is famous locally as the place to buy special chocolates - Cupid Chocolates - legendary for the magical ability to help consumers find their true love if they eat one on Valentine's Day. It worked for her great grandparents, for her parents, for her mom, for her best friend, and many others, all represented on The Wall of Love in the little shop.
Dean is a reporter for the local news station, the champion of the little guy, the one who exposes lies and fraud. His boss assigns him to cover How Sweet It Is and their Cupid Chocolates for his next assignment, which he views as punishment. He is a lifelong cynic, trying to protect those he loves, and everyone else, from being taken advantage of. Will the cynical Dean expose Lucy's chocolates to be a fraudulent promise and take down the shop? Will stressed out Lucy find a way to protect her family's legacy?

I enjoyed this one. It was very sweet, if a bit predictable. It was a nice, light, easy read. I knew they would get there in the end, I just didn't quite know how. Readers who don't like a lot of spice will enjoy this one.

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Release Date: January 17, 2023

📖📖📖📖📖

Lucy Sweet and her chocolate shop ‘How Sweet it is’ are being featured on the news after a post about her magical Cupid chocolates helping people find love goes viral. Lucy should be thrilled, but instead she’s terrified. She’s not guaranteeing love or making promises…it’s really just a family legend. What if someone gets mad or worse thinks she’s a fraud. Enter Dean Chase of channel 5 news, the defender of the little people and exposer of fraud…but this piece is supposed to soften his image. When Dean and Lucy start spending time together, her optimism and sweetness perfectly balance his cynicism and distrust. But with such opposite personalities can they find their own Cupid filled sweet ending?

I read the book by @lizzieshaneak first and was very happy that the movie was just like the book! The book was so sweet and a perfect Valentine’s Day treat! I very much recommend this book and the movie which is part of @hallmarkchannel #loveuary line up! I would also recommend listening to the @hallmarkpodcast about the movie (trust me, they are hilarious!).

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

#sweeterthanchocolate #lizzieshane #cupidchocolates #loveuary #hallmarkchannel
#hallmarkpublishing #hallmark #netgalleyreads #romance #hallmarkromance #bookreview #bookstagram #booklover #bookstagram #bookworm #booknerd #booktok #bookrecommendations #bibliophile #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookblogger #igreads #goodreads #bookclub #bookreviews #bookblog

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Sweeter than Chocolate is a feel-good chick-lit novel set around Valentine’s Day, which makes it a perfect read for the season. The overall vibes are just adorable. I thought it was a light, easy read, ideal to unwind and have a good time, even though I did find the pace a bit too slow to keep me hooked seamlessly to the end. I had previously read a book by the same author, A Royal Christmas Wish, and it had made a lasting mark because I remember how much I had loved it. I didn’t get that level of enthusiasm with this new piece, but I would still watch the movie now that it is released!

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Sweeter Than Chocolate is a light-hearted romcom about Lucy and Dean. Lucy is the magical chocolatier behind the charming How Sweet It Is chocolate shop, and Dean is the skeptical news reporter who likes to stand up for the little guy and take down corruption. So when Dean is assigned to do a puff piece on the Cupid chocolates at How Sweet It Is around Valentines Day, he thinks he's being punished. After a not-so-great first meeting, Dean and Lucy agree to work together to further their career ambitions. Lucy will get publicity out of the deal to keep her chocolate shop running and carry on the family legacy, while Dean is hoping for a spot at one of the new morning anchors for his news station.

This book was sweet and warm. Lucy is cautious and constantly worrying about keeping the family legacy by trying to keep the chocolate shop open. Dean has seen people fall in and out of love so many times that he has completely shut himself off from the prospect. The Cupid chocolates from How Sweet It Is shop are legend to help open a person's heart, especially around Valentines Day, so they can find love. The success of the chocolates has been showcased through the Wall of Love photographs from the happy couples that credit their love story to having eaten that chocolate. Is it coincidence, the magic of the chocolates, or something else entirely?

This book had good pacing, it provided warm fuzzies and excellent banter between the characters, was perfect for the Valentines Day holiday, and just an overall fun read. It gave Chocolat vibes here and there, and it was just a delight.

I received this book as a free ARC on NetGalley for an honest opinion. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Lizzie Shane for providing me with this opportunity to read this book.

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Rating: 5 stars ⭐️

Tropes:
friends to lovers 💋
slow burn 🔥
closed door romance 🚪

This was so cute!! It gave me butterflies! 🦋 

I’ve read this book in one sitting and love everything about it. This was about a chocolate store what made it so fun! 🍫

Lucy ownes a chocolate store that sells magic chocolate cupids. There is a myth about them that when you eat one you find your soulmate.

When her best friend posted her lovestory online it went viral! That’s when she saw Dean for the first time. He is a reporter at channel five news that has a chance for a promotion if he makes a segment about it.

There banter was everything and this was a friends to lovers romance done right. 💘

This is perfect to read in February because it has a strong Valentinesday theme. ❤️

Thank you to Netgalley, Lizzie Shane and Hallmark Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

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Thank you NetGalley, Hallmark Publishing, and Lizzie Shane for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This actually took me over a month to finish. But, nonetheless, I still enjoyed it. It was a cute romance about friends turning to lovers, though they started off in the wrong foot, but it didn't last for long. The main characters are cute together, the side characters were cool.

Overall, 3.5 stars.

Apparently, there's a movie adaptation for this, so I'll definitely be checking that out too.

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I really wanted to love this book. The cover and the hallmark label make it seem like something I would love. Maybe I have read too many romance books lately. It just wasn't for me. I look forward to her next book and hopefully I will love that one.

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This book contains dual points of view with enemies to lovers, small town romance tropes. Lucy and Dean are relatable characters and it is easy to see yourself in their situation. Throughout the book the characters seemed to blame their problems on "not having enough time", but lost me a bit at times. The workplace proximity of Lucy and Dean added a sense of excitement without having spice! This was definitely a cute romance, especially for around Valentine's Day

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As cliche as this may be, I found this to be a sweet love story.

“There was nothing in the world so heavenly as the smell of fresh chocolate”

| Synopsis |
Lucy Sweet, owner of a family run chocolate shop, is too busy for love.
Dean, a scrupulous reporter, known for exposing fraud and the truth, is tasked with putting together a story about Lucy’s store and their magical Cupid chocolates.

“Love was a con…and no one was better at exposing fraud than Dean Chase.”

Legend has it that if you eat one on Valentines, you’ll fall in love.

“Never would have met if it weren’t for the Cupid chocolates. Your magic recipe led me to my true love.”

| Thoughts |
If you’re looking for a Hallmark movie as a book, this is it (it has literally been made into one). It includes all the trappings from the women too busy for love and the man whose is disillusioned by love. They’re supported by a lively bunch of characters who add some additional warmth to the story.

I did find the beginning of the book a bit difficult to get into but once they have their meet-cute, it starts to pick up.

Did enjoy the build up in this slow burn romance and they had some sweet moments (although they were conveniently interrupted one too many times).

“She closed the door on his ridiculous face. And was still smiling half an hour later”.

An ending to that will give you all the feels if you’re looking for a simple and cosy romance.

📚 dual POV
📚 enemies to lovers
📚 clean romance
📚 small town romance

Thank you to NetGalley, Hallmark Publishing and the author for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

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This was just the perfect rom-com to read during Valentine's Day!
--
Lucy is the owner of her inter-generational chocolate shop, How Sweet It Is. After a post about her magic Cupids, which helps people find their true love, Lucy draws the attention of Dean's boss.
Dean is a skeptical TV reporter who accepts this job just to have the chance to become the next anchor.
After a shaky first encounter, Lucy decides to give Dean a chance to do his segment about her Cupids and their magic. Because of the forced proximity, they become friends, but what happens when Valentine's Day is coming and they start to see each other in a different light?
--
This book was so cute and heartwarming. I was giggling and smiling the whole time reading it because Lucy and Dean together are so incredibly funny!

I feel like romcoms are usually predictable, but this one wasn't one of them: for starters, there isn't a 3rd act breakup!

I also loved the queer representation, even though they're just side characters.
The focus of the book is obviously Lucy and Dean's relationship, but it's not just about romance. We see why they fear commitment and why Dean is so cynical about the Cupids and their magic!

My favorite character, except for Lucy's grandma, is Lucy because she is such an optimistic FMC and I want her as a friend in real life!!

Can't wait to see the movie of this book and read more from this author
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Tropes:
- opposites attract
- romcom
- foodie romance
- found family
- forced proximity
- clean
--

Thank you NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing for this ARC!

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First off, Lucy Sweet is an adorable name! My only gripe with this book is that, characters being “too busy” and using that as an excuse for their real deep rooted issues is a trope that is way overused in Hallmark books. Along with the family and friends being overly invested in the main characters love lives. But I absolutely adored the scenes where Lucy and Dean were beginning to realize that they were falling in love. Loved their chemistry! I quickly understood where they were coming from when it came to their reservations about love and relationships. I did think this was very instalovey but it made sense with the premise. I didn’t really care for Lena and Tyler’s relationship or side plot, though. That felt a bit like filler for me. I do want Georgie and her crush to have their own book! Or Mark and Pablo!

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