This is a brilliant story. I did not want it to end, like when eating an exquisite box of chocolates.
This book tells the story of forties something Clara and all of her ups and downs.
It is set mostly in Switzerland so there is an amazing helping of aforementioned chocolate deliciousness and gooey oozy cheese too.

Perfection from Jo Thomas!

Word of warning though - it will make you crave chocolate pretty much for the whole book, so make sure you have a stash to snack on.

This is utterly brilliant for Chocolate lovers, warm and cosy fiction lovers, those wanting to travel to Switzerland this winter and of course for fans of the author.

All of her trademark destination writing and food writing combined into a mouth watering variety of book. I couldn't have loved it more if I tried, or devoured it faster!

Any story that starts with someone trying to work out how many Lindt balls they can fit in their mouth at once, is always going to capture my attention, especially when you then discover Clara has done something very out of character and agreed to move to Switzerland with her new boyfriend which she barely knows and enrol in what she believed to be a beginners chocolate making course.

Turns out it was slightly more advanced, and I absolutely loved her attempting to go along with it anyway. I enjoyed seeing how Clara was able to develop as a chocolatier as well as slowly make new friends in her new life. Although nothing is plain sailing which just adds to the enjoyment of the story.

This really spoke to my inner chocolate lover and was fascinated by the techniques that were mentioned, and just how you temper and create chocolate. I also really wish i had been able to go along on the author's research trips for this book as I can imagine they must have been a lot of fun!

A really Christmas chocolate lover's paradise of a book. Just brilliant and not too festive either, so easily able to be read out of season, but definitely a fabulous winter warmer of a book.

Thank you to Transworld and Netgalley for this book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

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

Switzerland. In the snow, At Christmas. With chocolate. Winning combination.

Jo Thomas never disappoints.

Love a Jo Thomas Christmas story so much so that I read this in 2 sittings.
Clara decides to head to Switzerland with new boyfriend Daniel. Taking a chance on love and hoping for a new start in life
She signs up for a chocolatier course. It's not easy as the others are so much younger than her and have more experience, but Clara is determined to succeed.
Things fall apart with Daniel, but he constantly texts her, begging another chance.
I didn't see why Clara would give Daniel another chance, I certainly wouldn't have.
The developing relationship Clara had with Gabriel was endearing, and I loved how he made her use her senses when eating chocolate. I will definitely be more mindful when putting it in my mouth from now on.
I loved how the group came together and helped each other towards the end.
Snowy Switzerland, Christmas and chocolate with a little romance thrown in the mix.
It's a perfect Christmas recipe.
I was invited to read this in return for an honest review. Thanks to Random House and Netgalley.

I'm sorry, but a new Jo Thomas Christmas book? It's sure to be a winner! And that cover! Oh so beautiful.

This book opened with a very evocative description of chocolate and the way it melts and smells and the joy it brings you...and that was me instantly hooked. This book itself is like chocolate, the melted, warming, luxurious, cosy, comfort that it brings.

I found myself smiling throughout. It's so full of hope and joy and passion and bravery and love, and I think it's my favourite of hers yet. What I really loved is that she's written an older protagonist. Okay, so Clara is 40, not exactly ancient, but for the lead in a rom-com, she is quite old and I loved that. It showed that it doesn't matter if you haven't achieved the "perfect life" by a certain point. You can still find love, adventure, a new career, new opportunities, new friends at any age and I thought that was really important.

I did find it a little repetitive to begin with, day after day at the chocolate school, but that very quickly became a good thing, a comforting and familiar thing, and it means you get to see her progress over the course of the novel.

I have read a number of Jo's books, some I've liked more than others, but none have failed to uplift me. Never have I spent an unenjoyable hour with her work.

I would have gladly accompanied Jo on her research trip! Using Switzerland as the backdrop for this festive tale is great, as it gives us that sort of fairy-tale Christmas ideal, the cold and snow and romance and everything we want Christmas to be. I've always wanted to visit and this has just cemented that.

What I wasn't expecting from it was it to make me cry. It's not sad, so why would I cry? But it's so beautiful that I couldn't help it, and I don't think I'll be the only one. And whilst it's only September (at time of reading), I am definitely now in the mood for Christmas!

Determined to get out of her comfort zone, hoping for new beginnings, Clara decides to leave her long standing job, and heads to Switzerland with Daniel her new boyfriend.

Jo Thomas’s books take you on amazing journeys, along with delicious recipes and this book is no exception. Set in the Swiss Alps, Clara begins an intensive chocolate course not realising the challenges. As a chocolate lover, she becomes fascinated with all the recipes determined to succeed.

Descriptions of the snow bound landscape are vivid and spectacular, you feel you are up in the mountains, breathing in the crisp fresh air. The chocolate recipes that are being created sound delicious and set the taste buds tingling.

As Clara becomes absorbed in her course, she becomes involved with Gabriel a famous chocolatier, and they help each other. I like how several characters have their own stories which the author weaves into the plot. She really gets inside her characters, and it’s interesting to see how they develop.

This heartwarming story is about new beginnings, relationships and friendships, set in the spectacular mountains of Switzerland. Another winner from Jo Thomas.

Clara thinks she has found Mr Right so can she say no when he asks her to go to Switzerland with him, just six weeks before Christmas? She imagines romance and all the magic of a white Christmas in the Alps. She signs on for a chocolate making course, her second love after Daniel, after day one she realizes that it isn't the beginners course she imagined.
Can she and Daniel survive, can she survive the course when all her fellow students are professionals?
Help comes from the most unexpected people so can she help another someone else along the way, maybe even find unexpected love after Daniel proves he isn't Mr Right after all.

I was asked to review by NetGalley

I love Christmas now I work for a school and have all the holidays off so Christmas is magical for me.

Clara was working in HR and was made redundant, on her weekly get together with her good friends she makes the anouncement that she is being made redundant and the guy she has been dating for a short time is moving to a new job in Switzerland. Her friends think double whamy for her until she anounces she is going to move to Switzerland and move in with him!!

As part of the redundancy Clara can sign up for a course and chooses a chocolate making course at a rather prestigious school in Switzerland - was has she done with really only a love of eating chocolate.

Although this story spans just 8 weeks it tells the story at a good pace for the reader.

At times does not feel as festive as you would expect in Switzerland and snowy scenes but the author has wisely written the story this way.

A good few twists and turns. Will the romance work will the school find out that Clara is not an expert chocolate maker.

Recommended read.

Well its fair to say that I adored this. Christmas isn't my favourite time of year but this book made me feel all wintry and festive in the best possible way. As loyal readers of this author will know, crikey me can Jo write food and this is the turn of Chocolate and cheese!

I was craving chocolate almost immediately.

The relationships were great in this one, with a lovely ensemble cast. I liked how this had an ex that wouldn't go away and interrupted the love interest too. This didn't get too bogged down in Christmas cliches but still felt the right amount of festive.

I think I'll suggest to the family this Christmas about trying the how many lindt can you fit in your mouth game. And I feel i'm a Cadbury's Strawberry Rose. Hard exterior, soft on the inside and very sweet.

Recently redundant Clara takes a leap of faith with new boyfriend Daniel, following him to Switzerland for his new job. Wanting to try something different she signs up for a chocolate making class in a prestigious chocolate school. But has Clara bitten off more than she can chew?

This was an enjoyable romantic read, the wintery setting gives a seasonal feel but lacks the festivity that you would normally associate with a Christmas book and could easily have taken place in January/February rather than the 'most wonderful time of the year'. That said it worked well with the story being told.

The story moves at a good pace, spanning an eight week period without feeling overly rushed. Some of the characters lacked a bit of depth and the story could easily have carried on without them. But overall there were some interesting supporting characters to compliment the FMC as she seeks to find where her future lies.

A few unexpected twists throughout the story keeps you invested in how things are going to pan out for Clara.

Overall it is an easy, enjoyable, cosy read, perfect for a light reading session on a cold winters night.

This is a heartwarming story about how Clara finds not only love, but also the person in herself she wants to be. The novel is set in Switzerland before Christmas and we get a glimpse of the beautiful snowy landscape as the story unfolds. There are some twists and turns along the way, but there is a happy ending after all. I liked from the supporting characters the young people at the chocolate making course, and I found the details about chocolate making really interesting.
I can recommend to everyone who loves a nice winter romance.

This is a truly glorious book by a very talented author, which in my mind contains two of life’s greatest pleasures, reading and chocolate.

Clara is suddenly jobless and feels like a life change at 40. A recent meeting with an online love interest sparks a move to Switzerland where her new beau is relocating for his work. As a goodbye from her firm they offer to fund a course and on seeing a chocolate making one in Switzerland Clara joins up. Finding the course is designed for professionals and not amateurs does not deter her and her spirit sees her through many challenges.

A well written and heartfelt book with some absolutely amazing descriptions of the chocolates that are tried and tested which made my mouth water. The characters in the book are vividly described and I loved the pluck of Clara, who kept going and supporting others when that wasn’t always reciprocated.

Highly recommend this as a Christmas read, the place sounds amazing and I would love to visit!

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jo Thomas has this amazing knack of drawing you in with her first few sentences. I have travelled vicariously with her for many years, partaken of numerous different cuisines, as well as romances. All without leaving my sofa! I've thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of her books.

A Recipe for Christmas is no exception! Heartwarming....despite all the snow, as comforting as the raclette and the delicious hot chocolate frequently drunk by the characters and a will they/won't they/should they romance. What more could you want?

Many thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

What's not to love about a Jo Thomas book, you are always transported to the most lovely destinations wonderfully described. Great characters with a magical ending. Thank you netgalley for the advance copy

It sounds absolutely idyllic moving to Switzerland with a new boyfriend and signing up to a chocolate making course but nothing turns out the way she expected, but along the way everything starts to fall into place and maybe this Christmas will turn out to be special. The characters are believable and mostly likeable but with a couple of rogue contenders. A perfect Christmas read.

I was gifted this book by the publishers as have previously read and enjoyed Jo Thomas’ books. I think this is my favourite yet because it’s not only a warm, romantic escape, but it’s based around a chocolate school in Switzerland - like a dream come true for me.
Clara has been working in HR forever, but when she’s offered redundancy at the same time her new boyfriend is offered a job in Geneva, she decides to throw caution to the wind and go with him. Here redundancy money will pay for some training so she enrols on a chocolate making course, which turns out to be for experienced chocolatiers. When the new boyfriend turns out to be a bit of a disappointment, Clara throws herself into the chocolate life. With the help of handsome master chocolatier Gabriel, can Clara turn into a real chocolate-maker, and rediscover herself?
Like a lovely mug of hot chocolate, this book is comforting and delicious. A Christmas treat, even if I did read it in September!
Thanks to NetGalley and to Transworld for the ARC.

What’s not to like? A book about chocolate and Christmas, just a perfect combination. I felt transported to Switzerland, with the snow, mountains, chocolate and more chocolate

Not a bad read. I found it a bit, almost twee. A romance story with recipes. Not original but can be fun, Fairly typical storyline, no surprises. I suspect I'm a bit out on a limb here as lots seem to love.
2.5/5 stars

Clara has a new boyfriend who got offered a new job in Switzerland so she decides to go with him and she enrolled in a chocolatiers course, unfortunately it is for experts not beginners and she is totally out of her depth and everyone laughs at her, but her relationship breaks down and friends are made in her class especially with Gabriel who is the countries finest chocolate maker.
A brilliant atmospheric romantic book, you just want to go there and eat lots of chocolate.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

If you are looking for a cute wholesome Christmas book then this is it! Really enjoyed it. Thanks for the early read Net Galley!