Kathleen W. (catsandbooks) reviewed Playing with Bonbon Fire (Southern Chocolate Shop, Bk 2) on + 68 more book reviews
This starts out with a very annoying heroine I wanted to shake and tell to grow up and face reality. She's in her mid-30s and runs an inherited chocolate shop, and if it weren't for loyal friends she'd lose the business as instead of concentrating on that she whines and complains about her family, not knowing how to make chocolate, etc. I almost didn't go any farther than the first few chapters, however, the plot finally twisted nicely enough to keep my interest even though clues were given broadly and I again felt like saying "really, you didn't catch that?" All in all, it was pretty simplistic and I don't think I'll read any more in this series, if there are more.
Lori C. (dollycas) reviewed Playing with Bonbon Fire (Southern Chocolate Shop, Bk 2) on + 636 more book reviews
Dollycas's Thoughts
Camellia Beach is going to be filled with music and people as the Beach Music Festival begins. Thanks to a little help from her half-sister Tina, Penn is able to book the famous Bixby Lewis to be the headliner of the festival. The event is also going to mean The Chocolate Box is going to have tons of customers. She is still learning to make the perfect bonbon, but with Bertie's help, they will have enough chocolate treats to serve the masses.
But the first night of the festival brings tragedy. A body is found in the bonfire and Penn can't help but jump right into the investigation. She is also helping Bixby with a stalker, trying to keep her business open after several freaky occurrences, plus she is dealing with a lawsuit over ownership of The Chocolate Box and oh, she also wants to create her own special spicy hot bonbon while trying to find her birth mother.
We are getting to know these characters better and Penn is opening up more in this story. She is making friends and getting involved in the happenings in Camellia Beach. But top on her list is finding her mother and proving that the chocolate shop left to her should be solely hers. I don't know how any person could handle everything that she had to deal with in this short time span. Thankfully she had her friends and her sister to lean on and step in while she was running all over town chasing down leads and trying to keep the festival on track.
The author really blends two mysteries together in this book. A murder mystery and the search for Penn's mother. They coexist very naturally together. Both have surprising twists. The main mystery, the murder, had many topsy-turvy turns. There was so much going on and I was not sure how the whole plot was going to come together, but when we reached the end, it all did.
I usually read a book like this over 2 evenings, but I was having a very hard time putting this book down the first night. Finally, my body made the decision for me, when I could no longer keep my eyes open. I hated having to work the next day because I would have rather been reading, but I escaped back into it before supper was even on the table. The ending was surprising and not what I was expecting at all. Fantastic storytelling by this author.
I can't forget to mention the bonbons, the truffles and all the other goodies for sale at The Chocolate Box. You may want to have some chocolate on hand while reading this story because the descriptions will have you drooling.
I enjoyed everything about this story. Dorothy St. James has packed these pages full of mystery, drama, action, and chocolate. I am excited for the continuation of this series.
Camellia Beach is going to be filled with music and people as the Beach Music Festival begins. Thanks to a little help from her half-sister Tina, Penn is able to book the famous Bixby Lewis to be the headliner of the festival. The event is also going to mean The Chocolate Box is going to have tons of customers. She is still learning to make the perfect bonbon, but with Bertie's help, they will have enough chocolate treats to serve the masses.
But the first night of the festival brings tragedy. A body is found in the bonfire and Penn can't help but jump right into the investigation. She is also helping Bixby with a stalker, trying to keep her business open after several freaky occurrences, plus she is dealing with a lawsuit over ownership of The Chocolate Box and oh, she also wants to create her own special spicy hot bonbon while trying to find her birth mother.
We are getting to know these characters better and Penn is opening up more in this story. She is making friends and getting involved in the happenings in Camellia Beach. But top on her list is finding her mother and proving that the chocolate shop left to her should be solely hers. I don't know how any person could handle everything that she had to deal with in this short time span. Thankfully she had her friends and her sister to lean on and step in while she was running all over town chasing down leads and trying to keep the festival on track.
The author really blends two mysteries together in this book. A murder mystery and the search for Penn's mother. They coexist very naturally together. Both have surprising twists. The main mystery, the murder, had many topsy-turvy turns. There was so much going on and I was not sure how the whole plot was going to come together, but when we reached the end, it all did.
I usually read a book like this over 2 evenings, but I was having a very hard time putting this book down the first night. Finally, my body made the decision for me, when I could no longer keep my eyes open. I hated having to work the next day because I would have rather been reading, but I escaped back into it before supper was even on the table. The ending was surprising and not what I was expecting at all. Fantastic storytelling by this author.
I can't forget to mention the bonbons, the truffles and all the other goodies for sale at The Chocolate Box. You may want to have some chocolate on hand while reading this story because the descriptions will have you drooling.
I enjoyed everything about this story. Dorothy St. James has packed these pages full of mystery, drama, action, and chocolate. I am excited for the continuation of this series.
Brenda H. (booksinvt) -
Playing with Bonbon Fire is the second installment in the A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series set in the small coastal town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina featuring Charity Penn. With the help of chocolatier Bertie Bays, Penn has her grandmother Mabel's Chocolate Box shop up and running again.
Penn has teamed up with Bubba Crowley, president of the Camilla Beach association to host the Summer Solstice Beach Music Festival, a weekend featuring old time Carolina shag beach music and sure to bring an influx of tourists into the small town. Headliners will include rock musician Bixby Lewis and Bubba's now defunct band The Embers.
When Penn discovers the body of one of the musicians smoldering under a bonfire things in Camilla Beach start to heat up. Despite the objections of the local police, friends and family members Penn is determined to stick her nose where it doesn't belong and unravel a decades old mystery.
A fast paced story with many subplots that all tie together in the end. The return of characters introduced in the first book along with a few new faces will leave you salivating for more in the series and not just for the delicious chocolate recipes.
Penn has teamed up with Bubba Crowley, president of the Camilla Beach association to host the Summer Solstice Beach Music Festival, a weekend featuring old time Carolina shag beach music and sure to bring an influx of tourists into the small town. Headliners will include rock musician Bixby Lewis and Bubba's now defunct band The Embers.
When Penn discovers the body of one of the musicians smoldering under a bonfire things in Camilla Beach start to heat up. Despite the objections of the local police, friends and family members Penn is determined to stick her nose where it doesn't belong and unravel a decades old mystery.
A fast paced story with many subplots that all tie together in the end. The return of characters introduced in the first book along with a few new faces will leave you salivating for more in the series and not just for the delicious chocolate recipes.
