This was a fantastic read, one that kept a huge smile on my face and had me laughing right the way through it.

The book is about Dani, a larger curvy woman who works in an ice cream shop in the seaside town Appledore.

Obviously working in the ice cream shop isnt helping Dani with her weight, aside from that Dani has gone through a number of personal issues that have led her to turn to food in times of comfort. So she finally decides enough is enough and signs up to a gym were a hunky gym instructor gives her the motivation to lose weight and exercise and become a completely different woman.

Overall this was a super summer read one I think a lot of people can relate too and be inspired by the character Dani.

If you're looking for a 'getaway' read, you can never go wrong with Sue Watson! With some characters coming back from previous novels (as background characters here), this book is all about accepting yourself and making your own reality. The struggles, fears, and events are things that real women face everyday - and it's easy to see yourself as one of the main characters. Another win!

Curves, Kisses, and Chocolate Ice-Cream is a fun summer romp and perfect for any woman's beach bag. That said, it is the second book in the Ice-Cream Cafe series but can be read as a complete standalone. For those who enjoy the chick lit and women's fiction genre, this would be the perfect fit for you! It's a relatable tale about a "curvier" woman who just wants to loose a few pounds. How many of us have been in this same predicament? I can assume that most if not all have felt this way before. And indeed, so does our heroine (Dani). Although, giving up the sweet treats and actually exercising isn't her idea of fun. Now, at times I felt that Dani came off as a bit whiny - we get it, your heavy-set and don't like people making fun and talking about you behind your back- but other than that I truly enjoyed the novel.

If you want a fun summer read with relatable characters and the perfect setting to relax into then you should pick up a copy of this lovely little read. It's sweet, charming, and filled with delicious ice-cream treats that will leave you salivating over the pages.

Took me a little while to get into this found quite hard for the first few chapters, but I pushed on hoping to here about characters from the first book but I didn't get much which was a shame but worth pushing on and gradually found myself hooked and not wanting to put it down!

Dani fed her broken heart with sweets until her weight became unmanageable. Now, desperate to get control of her weight and of her life, she’s returned home. Working at an ice cream shop wouldn’t seem the best place to diet, but Dani vows to get into shape and to exorcise the ghost of Jude, the one who broke her heart. With the help of hunky personal trainer Chris, Dani may just reach her goal…until Jude strolls back into town, just as tempting as a frosted brownie. How much willpower has Dani got? I’ve always wondered how all the heroines in these sweet and bakery shops stay so thin. Dani is a real life heroine for the rest of us

Without a doubt, my new favourite book by Sue Watson - its fabulous, its funny, its full of ice-cream, its full of all around goodness, wrapped into one fantabulous story!

I spent so much of the first part of the book laughing and smiling, and also seeing myself in the main character of Dani. Dani is on the larger size, works in an ice-cream shop, and consistently wishes she was thinner, but she also loves to binge eat and isn't too keen on exercise. She is full of good intentions, and has a really bubbly personality, although often she perhaps talks a bit too much.

The first couple of times Dani goes into the gym are hilarious, her mouth runs away from her induction interview, then the treadmill runs away from her in another session, and then there is another injury too. Needless to say that Dani and gyms don't necessarily go together, but then she gels with Chris, and things begin to change!

The descriptions of ice-cream in this book are mouth watering, I was finding I could only really read this book while I was eating, or else I would have been binge eating like Dani, to cope with the hunger being generated by the salivating descriptions of ice-cream flavours.

This is of course the ice-cream shop that featured in the first Appledore book, but they can both be read as standalones. It is of course great to catch up with the gang from the shop, and I was especially pleased to see that Sue makes a reappearance. I can't believe how many more malapropisms she has, but they made me laugh, or at least roll an eye with each one!

At the start of each chapter there is one of Dani's previous failed diets, plus the reasoning for being on the diet in the first place. If you are on the lookout for a new diet, I wouldn't recommend any of the ones Dani's tried as they clearly don't work that well, or have horrible side effects, but the do make for amusing reading!

I can't express how satisfying and enjoyable I found every second of this wonderfully entertaining story.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Even though this is the second book in The Cafe Ice Cream series, as it's a different set of main characters, this book can easily be read as a stand alone.

I have to admit this was quite an emotional book for me. Anyone that has ever battled with their weight is going to be able to relate to Dani. In parts it was actually quite painful as I saw so much of myself in her. If anything I have to say a big thank you to the author as this book has made me even more determined to quit the diets and just start making healthier choices. It even made me contemplate exercise and that is definitely going some. 

Even though there is a wonderful relationship blossoming between Dani and Chris and that wonderful sense of romance brewing, this so much more than just your stereo typical romance. This is about a woman finally finding peace within herself and learning to love that person inside that everyone else can see. 

Chris I absolutely loved. I so need this man in my life for many reasons. He really is such a great character and he is going to have so many readers falling head over heels for him. 

This is such a truly wonderful book. In fact it is now my personal favourite of the authors. I feel like it should be my personal bible to keep going back to, to give me inspiration that it's never to late to turn yourself around. Thank you Sue Watson for creating such larger than life characters who never fail to give us hope whilst giving us an utterly enjoyable reading experience.

You may remember from my review of the first book in this series, Ella's Ice-Cream Summer, that this isn't my typical type of read. But after having enjoyed the first one so much, I couldn't resist picking this one up as well and it's every bit as heartwarming.

Dani has a bit of an unhealthy relationship with food. Twenty years ago, she left Appledore but life didn't quite pan out the way she thought it would and now she's back. Determined to finally let go of the past and get fit in the meantime, she signs up for gym lessons with a gorgeous personal trainer, Chris. But temptation is everywhere, especially when you work in an ice-cream parlour.

I found Curves, Kisses and Chocolate Ice Cream a bit more of an emotional ride than its predecessor but that's not a bad thing. The story is incredibly realistic and believable and I'm sure us women can all relate to Dani's circumstances as far as body issues and low self-esteem are concerned. Yet she's an amazing and funny lady and I warmed to her instantly. Her diary entries about numerous diets she's tried are hilarious! 

There are appearances from characters from the first book which I thoroughly enjoyed. They may not be the main attractions in this story but they leave their mark regardless. Their help and support is invaluable to Dani. I found myself truly caring and by the end of the book, all I really wanted to do was hug Dani and say "you go, girl!"

Of course there are some emotional moments where I almost shed a tear and that doesn't happen often, let me tell you. But there's ice cream and the beach, romance, plenty of chuckles and laugh-out-loud moments and so yes, this is a perfect feel good summer read.

Many thanks to Bookouture for my advanced copy which I received via Netgalley and chose to review honestly!