This fun audiobook kept me company waiting for my red-eye last night - it was so cute I didn't fall asleep at the airport, which is always a potential issue when taking a late night flight. I'm definitely not a late night person and worry I'll be napping by the gate and the plane will board and leave without me. Hasn't happened… yet!
Anyway, Lucy's cupid chocolates from her store, How Sweet It Is, are a family tradition for helping people find love. When her friend's post about meeting her one true love because of the Cupid chocolate goes viral, Dean, a cynical local reporter who needs to soften his image, comes to cover the chocolate sensation. Can you imagine what happens next?!
This is already set to be a Hallmark Valentine's Day movie and I think it will be great. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion. This is available as of 1/11. You don't have to listen to it while passing the time at an airport, but if you do, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did!

Imagine a hallmark movie in the form of a book. That is what this Valentine's Day story is like.

Lucy's small family chocolate shop finds itself on the cusp of not really making it especially with new bakery opening up across the street when the local news station catches wind of their family recipe that is possibly 'magic' love chocolate. The newscaster that will be reporting the story, Dean, is someone who has turned bitter to love based off previous relationships. The only reason he is doing this puff piece is because he is up for a promotion and this is the only way to get it. The two spend time together and maybe start to feel more but can they ever overcome the differences they have?

Anyone who likes a great opposites attract story will enjoy this. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.

A cute book. Some major cheesy parts but overall I liked it. I liked Valentine's setting and the 'magic' behind the chocolates.

The narrator did a great job. I would recommend this read.

This was a super sweet book. I just came off watching a bunch of Hallmark Christmas movies and needed something equally cute. Highly recommend!

Sweeter Than Chocolate
4.5/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

•••Spoiler free review below•••

This book was so enjoyable and so, so sweet!

Our main character, Lucy, owns her family’s third generation chocolate shop. After some (potentially) unwanted social media coverage on their (supposed) magical chocolates that will help you find love, she is thrown into a whirlwind of a journey with our local cast of characters.
Despite her job, Lucy is wary of love but she becomes determined to prove it exists and is genuine. She is willing to do just about anything to prove to Dean, the grumpy news reporter sent to her shop, that he is wrong about his skeptical nature.

I absolutely flew through this one and I highly recommend the audio version. Both our narrators are perfect at capturing our lead characters and paint a picture that will leave you craving raspberry truffles. I can’t wait for the Hallmark movie version to air in February!!

Sweeter Than Chocolate is OUT NOW and if it's not already on your tbr, it should be!
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Special thanks to Hallmark Publishing/Dreamscape Media for sharing a free copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

Are you brave enough to taste the magic? I thought the narrators voices both really fit this book. It was such an easy and pleasant listen. This is the first book that I’ve read from under the Hallmark Umbrella. It read just as well as any movie by them that I’ve watched. I would definitely watch a movie version of this if it was made. It was a enemies to lovers, forced proximity book. There was the normal Hallmark level of affection. I enjoyed the MMC’s strong bond with his sister. I also enjoyed the way that both main characters patiently pushed each other to be their best selves. All in all it’s a sweet story perfect for the coming Valentine season and I really really want some chocolate from How Sweet It Is!

The perfect Hallmark movie! It should be because it is going to be a Hallmark original movie soon! I can’t wait to see how this is adapted to the screen. Lucy Sweet is a chocolatier and owns a chocolate shop that has been passed down from generation to generation. After her cupid chocolates go viral, Dean, a reporter looking to land an anchor job and trying to soften up his image, interviews Lucy about the chocolates. Dean does not believe in the cupid chocolates. Chocolates cannot make someone fall in love, right? This was a sweet read. There was just about no steam as it is Hallmark publishing, a good old fashioned clean rom-com. I love the side characters, especially when friends become family and become Lucy’s amazing support system. Lucy’s growth was at the right speed. Deans however seemed to go nowhere then completely change overnight. A well written story that kept me smiling and left me feeling happy. This is a very cute read that should be read around Valentine’s Day.

Falling in love has never been so Sweet! Lucy, the adorable chocolatier, is the friend that everyone has: smart and driven yet the perpetual overthinker. Dean, the cynical sceptic reporter, is the definition of once bitten twice shy.
The narration brings the characters to life. Thoroughly enjoyable when you want a quick read.

Lucy is the owner of, "How Sweet It Is"- a chocolate shop and she sells a 'magical' chocolate called CUPID. Rumor has it that whomever eats a Cupid on Valentine's Day will find their one true love. Dean is a reporter and a non-believer, not just of magic but also of love. When he is given the assignment to do a nice, fluff piece on How Sweet It Is in preparation for Valentine's Day, he is not only skeptical of Lucy and her magical Cupid chocolates but also seems to be on a mission to expose his awful truth-that magic and love are not real. But the universe seems to have brought these two people together for a reason.

Lucy is patient with Dean while explains her family legacy, 'How Sweet It Is' and how the magical Cupids came to be and Dean is surprisingly willing to listen. These two characters were extremely likable and their story gave me all the good and lovey-dovey feels. This is a real sweet and no-drama filled love story that is perfect for the upcoming Valentine season.

I was skeptical when I read this was Hallmark Original story, but I was pleasantly surprised! So much so, I will probably watch the movie.

Audiobook ARC provided by Netgalley
Well, if you’re looking for an easy good time, here it is! This is cheesy to no end, but if that’s your thing, go for it! Follows the typical romance structure but, to me at least, the conflict felt nearly non existent. Dean got on my nerves sometimes, and most of Lucy’s thoughts annoyed me, but they are cute, so what can I say.

Super cute, light read!
This was just really sweet (pun intended 🙃).

Sweeter than Chocolate is a lovely story about Dean & Lucy. Lucy is a small town chocolatier, making “magic” Cupid chocolates that bring love on Valentine’s Day. Dean is a skeptical newscaster, sent to tell her story & improve his likability to become a morning news anchor.
They help each other with their dreams, and to see that maybe magic, or love, does exist.

Read if you enjoy:
⭐️ Sorta enemies to lovers? Or maybe grumpy sunshine. Skeptic & romantic?
⭐️ Small town
⭐️ Slow burn (without steam)
⭐️ Dual POV/3rd person

The perfect read to get into the Valentine’s Day spirit!

💝 Magic chocolates that help you open up to and find love when eaten on Valentine’s Day? There must be more to this story.

✨ Book Review: SWEETER THAN CHOCOLATE by Lizzie Shan ✨

💝 Book Synopsis: When a social media post goes viral, investigative reporter Dean Chase is assigned to the story. But not to debunk it, to capture a light, fluffy, human interest piece that will soften his on-air image. Lucy Sweet, chocolatier and owner of How Sweet It Is, believes in the legend of her Cupid chocolates, but also fears the extra publicity, thinking she’ll awaken a family curse. The two are an unlikely pair and definitely start off on the wrong foot, but create a truce and find they might be just what the other needed.

Pair one grumpy, cynical reporter and one cautiously romantic chocolatier, and watch the slow-burn chemistry, understanding, and magic build.

💝 My Take: Read SWEETER THAN CHOCOLATE for a dual-POV sweet grumpy/sunshine romance set during the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day. Definitely recommend, especially if you like holiday reads. This had all the magic of a sweet Christmas romance, but centered around Valentine’s Day. Adorable!

Plus, the audiobook is expertly read by Andrew Eiden, the audiobook voice of the BROMANCE BOOK CLUB series (!!!), WHEN IN ROME, and more, and Brittany Pressley, whose audio resume is understandably and similarly very (very!) long. Swoon.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

This book is the perfect book to read for Valentine's Day and it's so sweet it will make you crave chocolate!

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I chose to listen to this based on the amazing names associated with it. Lizzie Shane writes the sweetest small town romances with fabulous characters (especially the Pine Hollow series). Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators. Her ability to voice many different characters is unsurpassed (listen especially to the entire American Royals series). And Andrew Eiden's voice is absolute perfection (known from the Bromance Book Club series and so many more). Put them together in a soon to be Hallmark movie about magic chocolate, and I'm here for it.

Lucy runs her family chocolate shop, How Sweet It Is. There's a family legend that eating Cupid chocolates on Valentine's Day helps you find your soulmate.
When his boss sends him to report the story, Dean isn't convinced. Indeed, he's quite cynical and certain the chocolates are a scam against the naïve. And he plans to prove it.

This is such a sweet (pun intended) Valentine's Day romance. The enemies-to-lovers trope plays out at just the right pacing. I loved all the chocolate descriptions and the hopefulness.

Thank you to Hallmark Publishing and Dreamscape Media for the advanced listener copy. These opinions are my own.

Soon to be a Hallmark movie! Coming the first week of February!

This book was really cute and perfect for a Valentine's read! It's about Lucy and her chocolate shop--more specifically about the Cupid Chocolates she makes. Legend has it that eating them of Valentine's Day makes a person more open to falling in love. A social media post is put out into the world about them by a satisfied customer and friend, which brings a very skeptical reporter, Dean, into Lucy's world. Their initial meet is not favorable.

When Dean is persuaded by his boss to be more open minded, Dean learns to appreciate Lucy whether he believes in the legend or not. The question is, will Lucy be swayed to believe that love could be for her if she'll just open her heart?

I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Brittany Pressly and Andrew Eiden. It was perfection!

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley Audio for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was such a "sweet" read—and perfect for the lead up to Valentine's Day! We see grumpy Dean's heart soften as he spends more and more time at Lucy's chocolate shop, and they both start to believe in the magic of the special Cupid Chocolate. It's a cheesy story and you can tell where the story is headed right from the start, but it has such good vibes and was enjoyable to read. This book definitely gave off Hallmark Channel vibes, and I'll be watching this movie when it releases on Hallmark.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book!

This was my second Lizzie Shane book, but my first time listening to it in audio form. The audiobook was even better than reading it was. “Sweeter than Chocolate” was such a lovely and cozy romance. I’m beginning to realize that Lizzie Shane has a specific style that she brings to the table: a cozy romance with lots of emotion, character growth and romance, but very little spice. I adored this book; it was just the wholesome romance that I needed.

The narrators did such a great job elevating the story. As a reader you learn to understand and empathize with the characters and the story. It makes you believe in the plot and understand the different characters.

I think that this book is great for any romance lover, even if you prefer spicier books. This book was a lot more than just a romance, it had a lot of emotional topics and character growth. It was messy, but beautiful and completely believable. Both Lucy and Dean were so relatable to me. Lizzie Shane is starting to remind me of a much more relatable and emotionally deep Debbie Macomber. She is fast becoming an auto-read/buy for me.

I am always very honest with my reviews, and this book wasn't a miss as much as it wasn't a hit. It was exactly what I expected. Very cute clean Valentine's Day Romance. If that is your cup of tea, then you will love this book.

The whole concept of magical chocolates is cute and Lucy and Dean were adorable. I loved. their banter and their connection, but maybe I just wanted a bit more. The whole Hallmark formula for me is better in movies than book.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing for the e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review of this book.

What a sweet book! Perfect for the upcoming Valentines Day! For a book that will melt your heart, pick up Sweeter Than Chocolate!