A lovely read. Some wonderful, and unexpected twists at the end. I was unsure how the one year gap was going to work but I needn’t have worried as all it did was solidify the growing friendship between Matt and Charlee.

I loved how she stood up to Ricky, not once but twice and how she empathised with Smurf and tried to lessen his heartbreak.

Visiting Castle Street again was wonderful and seeing at Christmas again as a treat. I haven’t read this series in order, or indeed all of it but each book is a stand alone with some cross over characters that it’s great to see again.

My thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Two Christmas’s, two very different outcomes.

Charlee has been happy in Hull, working in a chocolate shop once owned by her late grandfather. But now, her life is on shalt ground. She has just said goodbye to her grandmother, scattering her ashes in her late husbands favourite place. And now Charlee is adrift. Her boyfriend Ricky is moving back to his hometown for work. And wants Charlee to join him. Should she join him? Or should she stay in familiar territory, that she has known all her life? Should she sell the home she was brought up in, with all its myriad memories? As events unfold, Charlee must make some hard choices, and thrust herself into the unknown. It is not an easy ride for Charlee, decisions and choices must be made, especially after a shock internet discovery.

To say that this book is unputdownable is an understatement. Jessica Redland is an author I have heard much of, but not read before. I intend to remedy that in the coming ,months. This book, a rerelease of her 2017 title Charlee and The Chocolate Shop, is charming, uplifting and like a cup of cocoa at bedtime. Warm, comforting, relaxing. I thoroughly recommend it to all lovers of Katie Fforde , Erica James, Bella Osbourne and Heidi Swain.

What a wonderful story - had everything from romance, heartbreak, second chances and forgiveness.
Charlee had a wonderful childhood, raised by grandparents who adored her. When they have both passed on, Charlee decides to follow her boyfriend to his hometown of Whitsborough Bay and open up her own chocolate shop. Charlee's adventure is filled with lots of ups and downs, and memories old and new. She learns a lot about her self, and what she wants and deserves out of life.
Great book, could not put it down.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

“Jessica Redland’s books are like a breath of fresh air”

Charlee, is going through such a big loss, that of the death of her Grandmother, who was more like her mother, her biological Mum handed her to her grandparents when she was born.

This is just the start of the iceberg that’s starting to show cracks. Selling the only place she’s called home, leaving her job and But that is just the tip of the iceberg of what is really going on, selling the only home she has ever had, leaving her job, after which opening her own shop as a Master chocolatier. She’s hardly had time to spend with her boyfriend. Then she comes across a video that’s been posted online, it’s her boyfriend, I’m an indecent situation with his best friends girlfriend in a pizza shop. This is what finally smashes the iceberg.

After all, after facing a crap Christmas things can only go up, can’t they?

So will Charles get everything she’s wished for from Santa this next Christmas?

It’s a simply stunning book, from the plot thoughts to the characters, not to mention the cover, how can you not pick up and read this book, with a cover like that.!

ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK 📖

A gorgeous Christmas book filled with delicious moments, I loved watching Charlee follow her dream and to join a fabulous community by doing so. I’m a firm believer in serendipity and this lovely story has it in spades!
It was uplifting and exciting, the characters were endearing too. I liked the little twists, it had me hooked throughout.
The perfect Christmas book to start my seasonal reading!

A lovely story. Charlee was a strong character. Losing her grandparents was so hard.Gosh you hated her x..What he did was terrible . I loved the chocolate shop. A must jolly feel good book

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Charlee is mourning the loss of her grandmother when her boyfriend suggests she sells the house and move to Whitsborough Bay with him. He was downsized from the job he currently held and landed a job back in his hometown. Charlee is scared to go, everything she knows is where she lives. She takes the leap and quicks her job and moves.

Once she moves - she finds the street her shop HAS to be on - Castle Street. The picturesque town that sounds like most small town main streets. Now to get it refurbished and opened in time for the Christmas holiday!

Charlee encounters numerous challenges - an absentee boyfriend, leaky pipes, and the time pressure. She relies heavily on her BFF of many years to help her since she has no family. The shop opens and the community welcomes her with open arms and makes her shop a success. Now what to do about the absentee boyfriend and the hot plumber that helps her out?

Another brilliant book from Jessica Redland a mixture of old and new characters blending beautifully together in a lovely Christmas story. Charlee grief stricken from losing her beloved nan to cancer makes the decision to change her life and follow her boyfriend Ricky to Whitsborough Bay. Where she hopes to open a chocolate shop and follow in her grandfathers footsteps. Ricky turns out not to be all he seems and life feels bleak for Charlee but things soon look up with surprises galore. A really enjoyable story which kept my interest right to the end. Totally recommend.

Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop by Jessica Redland is another stunning book set around the Whitsborough Bay area, which just sounds such a charming place to be! But I digress.

Charlee is dealing with such loss after the death of her Grandmother, who was basically her mother, when her biological Mum gave her to her grandparents when she was born, so she could continue her life. But that is just the tip of the iceberg of what is really going on, selling the only home she has ever had, leaving her job and opening her own shop as a Master chocolatier, and then finding a video online of her boyfriend screwing his best friends girlfriend in a pizza shop online! Just is really the icing on the cake.

But things can only go up from there…right? And does Charlee get everything she wishes for before Santa comes again?

Jessica Redland knocks it out of the park with Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop, from the characters to the plot and all the way down to the cover on the book, everything was truly excellent! And it left me panting for another Whitsborough Bay story!

I am a fan of Jessica Redland's books, and Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop did not disappoint. Charlee is a very likeable and sympathetic character and you can't help rooting for her. Firstly, rooting for her to toss her very unloveable boyfriend, rooting for her chocolate shop to be a huge success, and of course, rooting for her to find true love. A great romance with some twists and turns!

4.5 stars. This book was such a feel-good read. The ending was perfect and I might have shed a tear or two while reading it. The story follows Charlee, a master chocolatier. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but after her grandmother passes, her boyfriend convinces her to move to his hometown and open up her own chocolate shop. Let’s just say that all is not as it seems and once things open up, the story speeds along. I love a good book when you finish reading it, you feel satisfied and happy with the way that it went. This book was that and more. Make sure you bookmark this for the Christmas season, you will not be disappointed. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. I don’t know what I enjoyed more. The Romance or the Chocolate.
Charlee has recently lost both of her beloved grandparents and is feeling a bit lost. She works for Pierre in his Chocolate shop as a master chocolatier and when he announces he’s handing the running of the business to his daughter Gaby Charlee decides its time to move on.
Moving to Winsburgh Bay with her boyfriend Darren she opens a chocolate shop of her own.
Charlee quickly makes friends with local traders in Castle Street.
The story follows Charlee and her best friend Jodie as the business goes from strength to strength. Then along comes Matt the local Plummer to turn her world upside down.
It was a magical store which made me want to eat chocolate and fall in love.
Definitely worthy of the five stars I gave it.
Thanks you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the early copy of this book. A massive thank you to Jessica Redland for writing such beautiful books.

4.5 Stars
This is a charming Christmas story that transcends seasonal reading. The author achieved just the right balance between the drama of life’s challenges and the celebration of life’s successes.

Charlee has lost her only remaining family with the death of her beloved grandmother. Trained as a master chocolatier in her grandfather’s shop, she realizes she can no longer work there under the new management and so she quits. Ricky, her current boyfriend, is relocating to the small town of Whitsborough Bay and convinces Charlee to take a risk and invest her inheritance in her own business. “Charlee’s Chocolates” is launched with great success right before Christmas.

While her professional life is going well with the support of her best friend and the local business community, her personal life deteriorates as it increasingly becomes apparent that Ricky is interested only in her financial support. Simultaneously she finds herself falling for a wonderful man who is relegated to the category of “just friends” since he has a fiancée. The story skips ahead to the following Christmas when many unknown variables are revealed and a happy conclusion follows.

Charlee is a wonderful protagonist – a smart, savvy, talented business woman and chocolate artist with romance being her Achilles heel. The setting of the chocolate shop in such a charming town made for a fun and interesting backdrop. I appreciated the supporting characters of her best friend, Jodie, and her new friend, Matt. It was a bit frustrating at times to experience Charlee’s acceptance of Ricky’s disrespectful behavior, but when he eventually shows his true nature in such a florid manner, she has no problem standing up for herself.
There are a few plot twists that also gave nuance and depth to a rather light novel.

This was my first exposure to this author and I look forward to reading more of her work.

My thanks to the author, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing a digital ARC in exchange for an independent, honest review.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

I really enjoyed Jessica Redland’s Hedgehog Hollow series, so I was thrilled to get my hands on an ARC of Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop (previously published as Charlee and the Chocolate Shop).

This book was lovely. It takes place mostly over two Christmas/New Year’s, which sounds slightly odd, but works really well. Charlee sets up a chocolate shop (and what could be a better setting for a book?) in the lovely Whitsborough Bay. I thought all the characters were well realised, they all seemed like real people. The plot was great, a lovely romance that took place over a realistic time scale, and a lovely happy ending (of course). And it’s not just about the romance either, it’s also about family and friendship.

If you’re looking for a warm, Christmassy romance, I definitely recommend this one. It’s perfect to snuggle up with on a cold, wintery evening (or any time of year).

I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

Absolutely loved every word

Yes I'm reading a Christmas story in July but it was well worth it. Charlee was brought up by her grandparents, her grandfather died a few years back and she just lost her grandmother. Charlee's boyfriend Rick was there to help her through the grief and even convinced her to sell her Gram's house and move to Whitsborough Bay to maybe open up a chocolate shop.
With the help of a new friend she finds the perfect spot on Castle Street to open a Chocolate shop of her own. Knowing that her grandfather would be proud of her she puts everything she has into the shop without her boyfriends help. Supposedly he is working a lot of overtime to clear up his debt but is he really?? To find out you have to get this book....you won't regret it!!
Jessica Redland is a new author to me and I will be checking out her other books because if they are anything like this one...I'm sure to love them all!
I hope to see another book featuring Charlee and the gang...

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read a digital ARC copy of this book! I'm hooked! Wish I could give it a higher rating than 5 stars because it deserves it!!!

This is a sweet read, and not one that necessarily has to be read at Christmastime. It's feel-good year-round! To be fair, there were times I just wanted to reach through and throttle Charlee for not seeing the truth behind some of the people around her, but she finally caught up to speed and found her happily ever after. I wonder if there would be a second book for Jodie? Either way, this book would be greatly enhanced by some chocolate-y recipes at the end, to satisfy that sweet tooth developed after reading all about being a chocolatier!

Since joining the NetGalley "family" as a reviewer, I'm amazed at the number of prolific authors that had not been on my radar. Based on the author note, Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop had been previously released independently several years ago, but recently released as the final/12th book as part of a deal with Boldwood Books. (Congrats Jessica!)

After reading several intense books recently, I needed something light. Christmas Wishes (previously Charlee and the Chocolate Shop ... or something close ... and the title that will be forever cemented in my brain) was the perfect light "Christmas-y (without being too Christmas-y) book".

I really enjoyed how the characters developed and grew. It was a nice little romance that wasn't too cheese-y (with the a wonderful amount of chocolate). Always amazed at how bad some bad boyfriends can be. Jessica Redland is able to provide just the right amount of detail in the romance (for me); nothing to x-rated. But several scenes will probably be permanently etched in my mind and forever connected with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for introducing me to Jessica Redland, the author for providing via NetGalley and the publisher Boldwood Books for the opportunity to review Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop in exchange for an honest review. I'll be looking forward to reading additional books from Jessica Redland.

Ok yes I know it's the start of summer and this book is not exactly seasonal reading but .....I read books that make me happy and stories that incorporate chocolate and Christmas are always going to be a winner for me! I very much enjoyed getting to know Charlee and I was very happy with the female empowerment message that ran through the story. The description of the switching on of Christmas lights was delightful and definitely put a smile on my face, that festive feeling is much appreciated after the darkness of the last Covid full 18 months. A wonderful, relaxing, festive read.

I received an advance copy of, Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop, by Jessica Redland. This is a great Christmas book, about starting over, change, friendships, romance, and Christmas!

What can I say, only another fantastic book by Jessica. Charlee loved both her grandparents but with them both now gone she feels at a loose end. Does she stay in their home and reminisce or move on. With a change for the worse at work and the push of her boyfriend, she decides to start afresh.
A move to Whitsborough Bay heralds a new start, her dreams coming true, new friends and old, family she didn’t know she had and meeting the love of her life. However in true Jessica style it happens but not without bumps and hurdles along the way.