Chocolate Beach

Beach read does not disappoint

I bought this book for cheap on my way to the beach. This book does not disappoint. However, I felt I would enjoy the book more in a few years when I could relate more, as I am fairly young and do not have any children. However, I still found myself involved in the book and wanting to know what would happen next. I was really happy with the book and would recommend it to any woman.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Easy read

Really enjoyed this book. Fun easy read.

Nice easy read

This book was a nice relaxing book to read, you can pick up or put down anytime without taking away from the book.

A Real Treat!

I'll admit, I'm a chocoholic, so I was first drawn to this book by the title and cover. But from the very first page, I was hooked by the story. Bri Stone is a woman I completely relate to. Bri loves her family and has a great life. But she's also got that little voice in her head, the one that asks 'Am I good enough?' When Bri decides she needs to remodel not only her home, but herself, the results are hilarious, and touching. Who among us hasn't thought that a new hairstyle or wardrobe might make everything better? I know I have. Carobini's writing style is warm and breezy, like an afternoon at the beach. She does a wonderful job evoking the mood and feeling of seaside life. You can tell how much she loves the beach herself, because it shines so passionately through Bri. As for chocolate, well, my only complaint about this book is that I kept wanting to run out and buy some! And after reading about chocolate chili, silky chocolate soup and chocolate-cherry fondue, I was really sad there weren't recipes at the end. But that's probably for the best? Bethany House, my hips thank you for the lack of recipes! If you're looking for a fun book that will make you feel good all over, grab a copy of Chocolate Beach!

Delicious!

In Julie Carobine¿s debut novel, Chocolate Beach, readers and fans of chick-lit are entertained in delicious fashion! With protagonist Bri Stone, the quintessential California beach girl now grown up and married with a life of her own, having doubts about her successful husband and the otherwise ¿perfect¿ life they shared with their teenage son, the wind and waves of this So Cal novel will captivate the reader from first page to last.

A delightful read

Bri Stone's blissful fourteen-year marriage to Mr. Incredibly Handsome Douglas has suddenly drifted into murky waters. Friends are dropping hints that Douglas is looking rather 'too single' lately while zipping around Ventura in his new sports car. Bri longs to ignore her friends' concerns, but Douglas has been missing their dinner dates and keeping unusually long work hours at the law office. To further muddy the marital waters, Bri has found evidence that Douglas is shopping for a new home, without discussing the matter with her. Is Douglas becoming bored with Bri's carefree ways and with their beach-kitsch-deco oceanside home? When Bri is unable to confront Douglas about the state of their marriage, due to schedule conflicts and illness, she decides to polish her casual image and her beloved house to regain her husband's interest. As friends, relatives, and a new boss advise, patronize, and sympathize with her efforts, Bri frequently consoles herself by eating delectably described brownies on the beach¿leaving this winter-bound reader happily soaking up the sunny descriptions, while being tempted to wake the family by baking brownies at midnight. Bri, where is the recipe? Author Julie Carobini's characters are lovingly described and the well-paced plot balances humor, lessons in faith, and some gently explored sorrows, making Chocolate Beach a delightful read. Enjoy!

I just want to dive into that book cover

Brianna is a beach loving tour guide who is also a happily married mother. She doesn't always see eye to eye with her mother in law, but being with her chocolate loving best friend Gaby makes up for that. Bri thinks she's been living a pretty good life and thinks that her husband would agree with her. But then she starts to worry about her husband being away constantly from his home because of his job, sees him with his young coworker, and finds an email about selling the house. Dealing with her new boss and with a friend who keeps putting her down starts to put a strain onBri . She decides a complete change is needed and puts both the house and her own self in extreme makeover mode. However she realizes that if this is what is needed to keep her husband, she'll soon lose herself in the process. I really had a great time reading this book. Bri was such a great character to get to know, and she was very likable and you can easily relate to her. You can understand why she does what she does and why she felt like she had to change. I loved that she's a chocoholic and I enjoyed the bit about the chocolate class, the chocolate chili sounds really good. The setting of the book was great as I too am a beach lover. I could hear the ocean and see the sun reflecting off the sand as I read the book. Reading this book took me away from the yucky cold here and into the warm beach surroundings. I also was glad that whileBri's mother-in-law could be annoying and pushy at times, she wasn't evil. Other books have portrayed the daughter in law losing every single battle and never being good enough for her husband's mom. While Mona was difficult to please at times, she andBri could stand to be in a room without killing each other. The Kate issue, however, I felt seemed a little forced at times and I felt she was really rude even though she eventually made up with Bri. Gaby would be such a great friend to have and I hope that there will be another book involving her story. This is Julie Carobini's first novel and I have definitely become a fan. Chocolate Beach in running for one of the best books of 2007 for me. (And I love that cover!) I'm looking forward towards her next book!

Fun Mom Lit

This book is a fresh breath of air in the mom-lit genre. It starts with a classic chick-lit scene. Guy meets girl, who is a crazy barista. They fall in love even though they are extreme opposites. Fast forward about fifteen years to the first chapter. That young man is now an attorney who rarely makes it home, and Bri wonders if it's her. Have their differences finally reached the point where they've driven them apart? Maybe the pressures of being the parents of a teenager are too much for them? Could there be someone else coming between them? The rest of the book frolics through her attempts to change and recapture her husband's attention. Some of her attempts are more successful than others, which left me groaning even as I knew I¿d try the same things. Throughout it's a fun read. This is the author's first book, and it has a light, fun voice. I don¿t read a lot of mom-lit, I guess I¿d call it, but I loved the voice! Bri is a fun character and someone that I imagine I¿d love as a best friend. The whackiness in her life is fairly true to life but just enough away from mine to make it fun to read.

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