Thank you NetGalley, Jessica Redland and Boldwood Books for the ARC of Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop. This is my personal review.
I love nothing better than reading a great Christmas based book in the heat of summer!
Charlee is a master chocolatier, and this makes the story even better.
This story gave me so much to think – see and feel as I was reading it. It gave me the escape I needed from heat of the summer.
If you want a book to give you new friends, then this is the one you need to pick up.

Charlee is a master chocolatier, not just a chocolatier. She lived with her grandparents and works for Pierre her grandfathers friend at the chocolate shop. She’s an only child.
Her best friend is Jodie, they are very opposite, she has 23 cousins.
Charlee dates Ricky and he persuades her to move to the nearby town as that’s where he comes from.
She sells up her grandparents house and finds a premises to buy to become an independent chocolatier.
After feeling alone from being separated from Jodie she soon finds her tribe of friends and quickly meets a good friend in Matt a plumber and other members of the local traders.
Jodie comes to stay and work at the shop.

Jessica’s books are full of love and wonder and are lovely to read and this one doesn’t let you down.

This arc was provided by netgalley in exchange for a honest review. This is a 5* book.

This book was such a delight to end (Christmas in) July with! It was a breezy, cozy read that got me excited for the holiday season.

Thank you Net Galley & Boldwood Books for an early copy of this book which comes out on August 3rd!

Charlee Chambers had not had an easy life growing up. Her mother abandoned right after she was born and she did not know who her father was so she was raised by her maternal grandparents. They have both passed and we open the book with Charlee scattering her grandmother's ashes where her grandfather's ashes were also laid. She is stuck in a dark place now not having any biological family members. We meet her boyfriend Ricky who she had been seeing for a few months. Right off the back, you think something is up with him. He just doesn't scream a good book boyfriend.

Charlee decides that she has to sell her grandparent's house. She is too consumed with memories of them while being inside. Her boyfriend convinces her to quit her job as a master chocolatier at her grandfather's old chocolate shop (It was sold & owned by a gentlemen name Pierre) and to move with him to Whitsborough. Part of the plan of moving there would be to open her own chocolate shop.

She ended up finding a space on the highly appealing Castle Street. Her friend Jodie ends up moving into the apartment above the shop and becomes her assistant. Throughout all these changes, she can feel Ricky and her growing apart. He was spending all this overtime and not paying any bills and Charlee was pretty much taking care of them both. One night while Jodie was taking a shower, water started dripping down into the Chocolate shop. Ricky was unavailable, Ricky's friend who worked on the plumbing was not picking up and so Charlee ran to a nearby shop to see if local Sarah knew anyone. And then we meet Matt Richards.

Right from meeting him Charlee is smitten. The chemistry between Matt and Charlee is something we do not see between he and Ricky. There are several series of events that occurred that I won't spoil but Charlee is worth so much more than any man. One thing I was surprised is that we get a time jump to a year later and we really see how much Charlee has changed and grown. Does Matt and Charlee get together? How does Ricky ruin their relationship? Does Charlee connect with her mother? Does Charlee find out who her dad is? You will need to read to find out!

This movie like any Hallmark or Lifetime ends on a sweet note (not pun intended). I definitely could see this being a movie as when reading any book, I picture the scenes in my head. Everything was wrapped up in a nice bow! I recommend this book as a light, easy, Christmas book that will give you all the feels.

Lovely and quick read. Some of the Ricky stuff was disturbing and some references were dated (Ugg boots etc) but overall the story worked well. Would have liked if there was no time jump, but I understand why it was used. Just seemed like a waste.

Throughout the book the spelling of Charlee drove me mad. Why not just Charlie?

This is a well written book that was a joy to read! I loved the setting, the characters and how to author brings the story to life with her words. This is a wonderful Christmas story that you don't want to miss.
I received a complimentary copy from Boldwood Books via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Following the death of her beloved grandparents, master chocolatier Charlee makes the move to Whitsborough Bay to open her own chocolate shop.

With the help of her best friend Jodie and her new friend Matt, can Charlee create magic in time for Christmas? And can she make the following Christmas her best ever?

I love returning to Castle Street and seeing what everyone is up to. I can’t wait for the next instalment.

Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop is a charming seasonal novel written by Jessica Redland. It is set in the small seaside town of Whitsborough Bay. I have read two other companion novels also set in Whitsborough Bay (Christmas at Carly's Cupcakes and Starry Skies Over The Chocolate Pot Café) and it was so wonderful to be back on Castle Street again.

Charlie is a chocolatier who has been working at her Grandfather's former chocolate shop. When the current owner retires and his daughter takes over, it isn't long before Charlie knows that she is going to have to find a new place to work. She decides to move to Whitsborough Bay with her boyfriend Ricky and open her own chocolate shop. She has no 'traditional' family left to support her and she feels that this move would be good for her. Of course nothing comes easy when you're trying to start over again, right?

Charlie is a strong woman but, she has recently been hit with too many real life tragedies. Not only had she left her job but, her grandmother who raised her had recently passed away. She is vulnerable and looking for support from her boyfriend. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is useless and a bit of a snake. Charlie was so easy to root for as a character. I really enjoyed watching her grow and find her way and build a new life in Whitsborough Bay.

I also enjoyed the dynamic that developed between Charlie and the local plumber Matt. The two characters have a connection from the very beginning but both are spoken for so friendship is all that is available. Over time, the feelings that they have for each other get stronger but, neither is willing to act on them. I usually enjoy a slow burn romance and this was no exception. The romance wasn't the central part of Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop and I think that is why I enjoyed the little tidbits that were periodically shown throughout.

There is many messages regarding female empowerment and friendship throughout Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop which were so enjoyable to read. I loved the connection between Charlie and her best friend Jodie who joins her at the chocolate shop as well as her connection with the other shop owners on Castle Street. Charlie stands up for herself when needed and gets supported as well. She also makes discoveries about her birth parents and grandparents that help build her into an even stronger and loyal woman.

Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop is filled with the magic of the holiday season as well. I loved envisioning Castle Street during the holiday season with all the decorations and tree lighting ceremony. It felt like I was actually there witnessing everything that happened over the course of two years. If you enjoy curling up with a holiday book that will leave you will with warm fuzzy feelings and a smile on your face, this will be the one for you.

Absolutely brilliant, I loved this book. Jessica Redlands writes some fantastic stories and this one does not disappoint. I love Christmas as well as chocolate and this ticks both boxes. Matt and Charlee can’t seem to pluck up the courage to tell each other how they feel. Can they get together or not is the big question? Throw in Charlee’s disastrous boyfriend Ricky and then Matt’s relationship with Libby and it doesn’t seem possible. By the 2nd Christmas Charlee has decided they will both be friends but fate intervenes. This alone was a great story but then Stacey and Pierre are added to it. Charlee running the chocolate shop was a great theme for Christmas. Really recommend this one and role on the next visit to Whitsborough.

I love Jessica Redland’s books. This one had. Christmassy theme which although we are in the middle of summer didn’t matter at all as it was such a lovely story. As with the other books I’ve read this one was sweet and very pleasant to read with lovely characters and descriptions. I always look forward to reading her books when I see them on Netgalley. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

There's very few authors whose books are that good that I'd consider reading a Christmas book in the middle of a heatwave at the end of July. Jessica Redland's books are that good and this definitely didnt disappoint.
It addressed the challenges of Christmas and love and loss very sensitively as well as bringing the amazing friendship aspect that you come to expect from Jessica's books.
For fan's of hers you will be pleased to know that we return to Whitsborough Bay via a detour to Hull and we revisit some our favourite characters.

It was a brilliant read and had me nearly in tears at the end. I have to say that for me Pierre was my favourite character, he just seemed so loveable. I finished the book nearly 5 hours ago and I'm still thinking about it now.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop - Jessica Redland

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Sometimes you just need a little Christmas magic to make your wishes come true...

When master chocolatier, Charlee, takes the leap to move to the picturesque seaside town of Whitsborough Bay, she is determined to follow in her grandfather's footsteps and set up a chocolate shop.

This is the first book I have read by Jessica, it is my understanding that this book has previously been released as Charlee and the Chocolate Shop, however along with a new title a few additional chapters have been added.

This book takes place over two Christmases, which sounds like a strange concept given that the majority of the year is skipped, but it actually works very well! It is a feel-good book, perfect for curling up with. The majority of the characters are all very likeable. I recommend putting this on your list of Christmas reading.

Rating 4/5

I originally read this book as Charlee and the Chocolate Shop and thoroughly enjoyed it .This version has been rewritten with extra material added , producing a much slicker story more in keeping with the books Jessica writes now . It is a 5 star read for me
Strong characters, some you love, some you hate,
Great believable locations , and a fantastic plot with many twists and turns the reader cannot guess . Community! ( I would love to be a trader on Castle Street )
This book is beautifully written, a little gem
The reader is drawn into Charlee’s world and real life is put on hold
I would highly recommend this book
Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books , and Jessica Redland for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review, I loved it !

This is my first Christmas book of 2021 and what a good place to begin. I love Jessica Redland's books and it was so nice to be back on Castle Street in Whitsborough Bay where several of her previous stories have been based. I'd just love to browse through all those fascinating shops in that community! Charlee's Chocolate Shop would be especially delectable. Charlee, a master chocolatier has set up her business in the newly vacant shop but her useless boyfriend is no help at all in assisting her to prepare and build the business in time for Christmas. Thankfully local plumber Matt, comes to her rescue along with her best friend Jodie who both invest much time and effort into helping Charlee. There is an interesting back story involving Charlee's mother who abandoned her at birth leaving a huge gap in the girl's life and she still hankers after a possible meet up with her birth mother but is it too late? Other questions to be answered are - is Ricky, the boyfriend all he seems, is Matt in love with his fiancé? Will Charlee make a go of her new business? There are some surprising revelations towards the end of the book that I didn't expect and they added to the loveliness of this gorgeous story. Jessica's books always leave me uplifted and eager to start on her next book. There is something about her characters that make them seem like friends and the happy and helpful community in Whitsborough Bay, a place that anyone would love to live and be a part of. Again, another beautiful book that kept me entertained and uplifted throughout. ten out of ten from me. My thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood books for a pre release copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was warm and cozy book. It was interest big. It’s a quick, light read. The plot was easily detectable and explicitly thrown out. I did love the plot twist in the middle of the book.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Another great book from Jessica.

When Charlee moves to Whitsborough bay with her boyfriend she decides to follow her dream and open a chocolate shop of her own, She finds a shop on Castle Street but encounters a number of problems including an absent boyfriend. When he does decide to turn up he doesn’t like the fact she has made friends with the local hot plumber Matt. Her best friend comes to help her set up the shop and so do the community on Castle street. Will she give her boyfriend the boot and make the shop a money making business.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

On what was possibly the hottest day of the year I'm reading a Christmas book! I do love the sound of the shops on Castle Terrace - I think I could spend a long time (and a lot of money) in them. Charlee's Chocolates is no exception. Set over two Christmasses this is a wonderful story which I couldn't put down.

I love Christmas books and this one didn't disappoint.
This is my second book by Jessica Redland and I'm fast falling inlove whey her writing style.

This wasn't my first book by Jessica Redland, precisely it was my third one. Having got to know her through social media and live events and interviews, it always amazes me just what a lovely, nice, caring person she is! And it reflects in her writing, in her characters and in her stories, they all touch you and stay with you for a long time.
This book doesn't make any exceptions: it's a lovely story with adorable characters (and some mean ones, too, of course!) that reads easily and highly pleasurably, unfortunately in a too short time, because you just can't put it down.
It was a great way to start my Christmas reading, let's be honest: it's never early enough!
Thank you Jessica for another great one!

My first Christmas book of the year (in July), what a lovely book I was hooked from the start and really enjoyed the way the story unfolded, the characters are very likeable and it didn’t get too hung up on the chocolate, there was just the right amount of description, this is a lovely read whether on holiday by the pool or cosy next to the fire, grab a iced or hot chocolate and enjoy

When master chocolatier, Charlee, takes the leap to move to the picturesque seaside town of Whitsborough Bay, she is determined to follow in her grandfather's footsteps and set up a chocolate shop.

Luckily, she finds the perfect location for Charlee's Chocolates on beautiful Castle Street... Now she just has to refurbish it in time for Christmas!

Charlee is a wonderful protagonist within this. Story and who doesn’t dream of living with chocolate!
I enjoyed all the characters and thinking of Christmas and wishing I could my tree up in July!!