Jo Thomas books are always great and this one was no exception! Nothing says Christmas like Switzerland and chocolate! Clara moves to Switzerland with her boyfriend only to find he is not as supportive as she would want. She enrols on a chocolate making course and meets some new friends and encounters some challenges along the way! This has a really lovely Christmas feel to it.

I do love a Jo Thomas book and I did love the setting of Switzerland for this one. Clara takes a leap of faith by moving to Switzerland with Daniel after only being with him for a short time. He has a new job so Clara enrols on a specialist chocolate making course at an elite cookery school as she wants to do something completely different from her old job in HR. She is determined to finish the course despite her unauspicious start and her rocky relationship with Daniel. This was an easy read and I was rooting for Clara. I did find the premise of moving to another country with a man you hardly know a bit unrealistic though! However, it had fabulous descriptions of the scenery and I learnt a lot about making chocolate! Thankyou Netgalley for copy of this book.

A good festive read. A really enjoyable novel set in an idyllic location with some great characters.When Clara decides to start a new life in Switzerland with someone she hasn't known long things don't go the way she expects but with grit and determination she's desperate to succeed. If you are a chocolate lover like me this is the book for you

A Recipe for Christmas is a lovely romance filled with chocolate, maybe a little too much chocolate (Can't believe I said that!) With a romance the formula is pretty usual, it was always obvious who was and who wasn't the man for Clara, but the journey to the conclusion was very readable, very interesting and full of delightful characters and I almost felt I was actually in Switzerland. I didn't really understand the emotional engagement with the chocolate flavourings but what do I know! The perfect seasonal read.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy in return for an honest review.

What an absolute delight of a book. A really different christmas tale. I loved the adventure i was taken on. From the moment I read that Clara was filling herself with Lindt chocolate, I knew it was a winner. I also have a new Christmas game! When Clara decided to take a massive leap of faith to not only give up her job but to move to a new country with someone she has barely met and to follow her love of chocolate, i was routing for her. She signs up for a chocolate course which turns out to be for highly skilled chocolatiers and is made not to feel welcome. But with true determination she stays on the course. It proves not to be a smooth path but more a rocky road. Clara is a warm friendly person, who finds out who she is and continues her love of chocolate, whilst trying to navigate new relationships and friendships on the way, read this on a afternoon with a hot chocolate and your favourite box of chocs. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

A Recipe for Christmas is my third festive read from Jo Thomas and it was 100% my favourite. I’d almost completely given up on her books last year, but when this popped up I decided to give her one more try. I’m glad I did. A Recipe for Christmas was an enjoyable read from start to finish and is a contemporary romance I’d recommend.

My usual complaint for Jo Thomas books is that the characters feel one-dimensional with no personality other than a love for baking and while Clara does talk about chocolate a lot, she was extremely likeable. Starting the book with her trying to fit as many Lindors in her mouth as possible was a great way to bring life to her character.

I wouldn’t say this book was particularly festive, but the Swiss landscape more than makes up for it. The constant talk of snow, hot chocolate and general cosiness made me feel all warm inside and really crave some chocolate. Which is pretty unusual for me.

I will always enjoy a ‘baking’ scene in a book and the chocolate making in A Recipe for Christmas was so interesting. The descriptions were written so well I could vividly imagine how each chocolate would taste. Which didn’t help with the cravings I mentioned above.

The chocolate school scenes were some of my favourites, topped only by the chocolate making outside of the school. Which I won’t go into detail about as it’s somewhat of a spoiler.

As always with these types of books it’s obvious who the romantic interest will be and it’s never who they start out with. I don’t mind this though as finding out how the current relationship will fall apart is an anticipated moment for me. Does that make me weird? Maybe, but Daniel showed red flags from the get-go so I was excited to be rid of him.

The real love interest was clearly the right choice for Clara and their chemistry was great. Even if he was a little rude to begin with.

Reading a Recipe for Christmas has given me some much needed energy to continue with my festive ARCs. Here’s to hoping the rest are as enjoyable and heartwarming.

If you like chocolate, you will love this.

A lovely light romance with some great characters in a wonderful wintery scene.

What more could you want.

Absolutely gorgeous book. Chocolate, mountains and delicious men what more could you want!!! Loved the cover and love Jo Thomas books x

A feelgood christmassy read. Clara has been in a rut- working her way up from Saturday girl to HR in her local department store. She decided to take redundancy and in an uncharacteristic act of spontaneity, moves to Switzerland with her new boyfriend, Dan. They've only met in person a few times but it feels right. Using her redundancy training to pursue her love of chocolate, Clara finds herself a student on a very intense chocolate makers course in the Swiss Alps. Lots of ups and downs, laughs for the reader as we imagine her mishaps, and ultimately a satisfying ending. Clara is a delightful character and the characterisation of the environment is wonderful. #netgalley #ARecipeForChristmas

This book is the perfect escapism, it makes you want to quit your job and work with chocolate all day (and eat it)
I loved it was based in Switzerland and you were able to imagine the festive feel of the town through Clara’s eyes. If you want a cosy, cute book with a mug of hot chocolate this is the book to read. 4 stars for me 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is a very sweet, emotional Christmas romance from Jo Thomas.
"You're doing what?" Raquel and Marianne stood open mouthed looking at their friend Clara.
Forty year old Clara worked in HR but had taken voluntary redundancy, she was taking a leap of faith and leaving for a life in Switzerland with her boyfriend Daniel, the boyfriend that she had only known for a few short weeks.
Part of Clara's redundancy package was payment for retraining, Clara had a love of chocolate and where better to learn more about it than Switzerland so she signed up for an apprentice course in chocolate making, was this a mistake ?her fellow students were half her age and were all experienced in the trade.
As this story unfolds Clara discovers that she and Daniel wanted different things and he didn't understand how she could turn down the chance to go back to HR to follow her "hobby".
The mentor on the course was world famous chocolatier, Gabriel Hartman, it soon became clear to Clara that Gabriel had a problem, a problem that could change his life, could she help him ?
This is Clara and Gabriel's story, the mountains they had to climb, the cut throat competition, the people who didn't want Clara and Gabriel to succeed.
Chocolate sometimes overwhelmed this story in my opinion but I did enjoy the book, Switzerland is one of my favourite places and I have spent many happy holidays there, this book took me right back. I love the way that Clara managed to fit in with her younger colleagues and earned their respect and friendship.
Thank you Net Gallery for this ARC, me review is my own opinion.

Love Jo Thomas books they are full of escapism and this one chocolate. The story flowed well and the Swiss mountains added an extra bonus, who doesn't like snow at Christmas. Highly recommended

Another winner from JonThomas and just in time for the Christmas season. Add chocolate and snow to the mix and you’re on for a treat of a read. Loved this.

Thanks for advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Main character Clara MacKenzie makes a snap decision to uproot from the UK after being made redundant from her HR job to make the move to Switzerland with her very recent boyfriend Daniel. She enrols in an intense chocolate making course in the run up to Christmas but soon feels totally out of her depth leaving her wondering if she’s made the right decision. Some of her fellow students appear to be disrespectful of Clara, thinking her of a tourist and not a committed Swiss resident which leads to bad feelings among the group of hopeful chocolatiers.
Romance arrives from an unlikely relationship making this story a must for romantic and chocolate lovers.

I think you have to be a chocolate lover and interested in chocolate making to appreciate this book. Unfortunately I’m not so I didn’t enjoy this book. Disappointed as the cover looked Christmassy and the blurb seemed interesting, but it wasn’t for me. Unusual as I mostly enjoy Jo Thomas books but not enough storyline content for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

Jo Thomas does it again with this book, about a woman who throws in her job, moves to Switzerland with someone she has just met and starts an advanced chocolate making course.

At first I wasn’t certain about this book, but I should have had more faith. Before long I was totally bought into this character the journey she goes on and all the adventures in between. In fact I couldn’t put the book down and finished it in 24 hours. There is so much going on in this book, and you find yourself totally invested in all the characters, in and around Clara.

Jo Thomas has such a great way of telling people’s stories as they make changes in their life and find love along the way. She has quickly become one of my favourite author and I strongly recommend this book. Now just to wait impatiently for her next book.

I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A charming holiday romance set in Switzerland. Great characters and I loved how Clara’s confidence developed throughout. A really lovely read. Recommended.

Anything by Jo Thomas is bound to be interesting, readable and well written. This was all of those, but somehow I didnt feel it had quite the depth of many of her earlier books. It's very chocolate focussed, as Clara , going to Switzerland with a boyfriend, signs up for a chocolate making course. It's more advanced than she is expecting and she needs help. Gabriel, one of the tutors becomes very involved with her and finds that he needs her help. No spoilers.
i enjoyed the book, and as always, Jo's descriptions of the region were beautifully written. You felt the cold, saw the jagged mountains looming, enjoyed the scents of chocolate permeating everything. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

well jo as done it again this is a book to read how somebody writes a story about chocolate is so good it makes your mouth water throughout your reading it tells the story of clara who loves chocolate and finds her way in life at last by going to chocolate school in the alps and starts to taste all the new chocolate which she invents along with help of her friends and long the way daniel and gabriel are in her life where she dines with them to enjoy the qualities of the alps diners now for you to enjoy it for yourself

I was incredibly lucky and grateful to receive an advance copy for an honest review.
Jo you have blown me away yet again. This time transporting me to Switzerland when I got to experience the smells and flavours of a chocolate school via Clara who was experiencing a new life with her boyfriend Daniel after being made redundant from her HR job.
This book was everything I have come to love in a Jo Thomas book. Strong characters, believable plot, delicious food and wonderful relationships.
Thank you for this delightful journey, until next time.