Carole Matthews, The Chocolate Lovers Club

The Chocolate Lovers? Club

Carole Matthews

St. Martin?s, Feb 2008, $23.95

ISBN: 9780312376666

Lucy Lombard is addicted to one thing, chocolate. Her craving can come in any shape or form as long as it is chocolate. Headaches vanish with one bite. Problems at work instantly vanish with one bite of gooey chocolate. Heartaches do not exist except if she has no chocolate nearby, but so far that has not happened as she is always prepared.

She and three other chocoholic fanatics (Autumn, Nadia and Chantal) formed THE CHOCOLATE LOVERS' CLUB. The quartet meets at Chocolate Heaven to discuss issues that disturb anyone of them where they can toast one another with a bar. It is not the talking and listening that provides this group solace; instead it is the chocolate. Cheating boyfriend, womanizing bosses, an addicted gambling spouse and a failed marriage mean nothing once the foursome take their first nip of eternal sweetness.

THE CHOCOLATE LOVERS' CLUB is an amusing chick lit tale starring four females who believe Willy Wonka's chocolate factory is sweet heaven as they use chocolate as their panacea for anything negative. Besides needing monthly blood tests for diabetes as the anti Atkins Diet, the story line is a lighthearted look at friendship with chocolate being a shallow link that brings this quartet together. Although the friends seem one dimensional, the audience will enjoy this sweet tale that sees the world through chocolate colored glasses.

Harriet Klausner