Bittersweet Surrender by Diann Hunt

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You all know how much I love reading...this is the first in a series of book reviews that will appear occasionally on my blog.

Carly Westlake has her hands full with running her day spa while keeping an eye on her eccentric stepmother who has recently moved in. Toss in a handsome childhood friend who's doing her company books, a hunky high school crush who's just moved back into town, plus a brother who's hiding a big secret, and the sparks start to fly.

Chocolate is the unique theme of Carly's day spa; it's also her vice. After struggling through breast cancer followed by a painful divorce, Carly drowns her sorrows in chocolate and has the extra twenty-five pounds to prove it. All combine to threaten her faith—and her self-confidence—making it difficult for her to move forward with her life.

I truly enjoyed a heroine who was flawed and unsure of herself, yet resilient. Carly was so likeable; it was impossible not to silently cheer her on as she struggled with the knowledge that the people closest to her might not be what they seemed.

Although the story began as a light romance, suspense built with the secrets that were revealed as the story developed and I found myself trying to puzzle out what was going to happen next. The messages of faith throughout were subtle but inspiring.

I would definitely recommend this book for the romance-lovers, especially for those who also happen to be chocolate-lovers. The constant references to chocolate in the book stoked my cravings and I found myself pinning lots of chocolate-inspired recipes on Pinterest, like these:

Mounds Brownies from In Katrina's Kitchen

Chocolate Cheesecake Cake from RecipeGirl Lori

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake from Leite's Culinaria

So while it is probably responsible for the extra couple of pounds I gained while reading it, I won't hold that against the book. *wink*

Hugs,
Pam

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”