How’s a girl to resist? I’ve been invited to take part in the Chocolate Book Tag Challenge! A big thank you to Tara Ford for thinking of me. I never touched a morsel, I promise *licks lips*. You can take a look at Tara’s scrumptious selection of books here.

So here’s what you have to do – you choose some favourite books (6 – 8 of them) that you think will go with certain chocolate bars (it’s just for fun) and then at the end you tag others to continue. I’ve enjoyed this challenge so let me know what you think of my choices.

Munchies

Marian Keyes first book, Watermelon, I simply loved. I immediately empathised with Claire, dumped by her man whilst giving birth (!!) and left with no choice to return to the bosom of her quirky family. All of Keyes’ books tend to deal with modern ailments, but are always written with compassion and humour. Great therapy to curl up with.

Whole Nut Chunky

I stayed up most of the night reading Security. Fab! Nathan had me at the first page, hook, line and sinker *sigh*. Here’s a snippet of my review. “Take the best of 24, Taken, and The Bodyguard and you have Security. Roll Jack Bauer, Liam Neeson and Kevin Costner into one, and you have focussed, hard-edged, ex-special forces agent, Nathan Regan. I was just blown away by Security.”

Green & Black’s Dark

If you want something dark and edgy, Martina Cole’s, The Ladykiller, does it for me. Cole’s crime thrillers promise to be hard-hitting, uncompromising and haunting. Trust me, they are. With this book, you are right there in George’s head. Chilling, but utterly addictive.

Bubbly

Jilly Cooper’s, ‘The Man who Made Husbands Jealous’. Delicious escapism. You can’t help but fall for sexy Lysander, who simply loves women, all women, so much he can’t help himself. Yes, he’s a bit of a scoundrel, but there is a line in the book where he looks into his dog’s eyes (I’m not quoting, because I can’t remember it exactly) that goes something like, ‘his dog empathised with him as only a dog can’. Oooh, scrumptious! I read this a while back and it still stays with me.

Cream Caramel

When I picked up It Happened One Night by Phillipa Ahsley I really needed something I could get immersed in. This story was the perfect antidote to life, providing the much needed escapism I needed. I did have to put it down, necessarily, but you know that little thrill of anticipation you get when you have a lovely book waiting you can just fall back into? This book was it.

Praline

The Silver Locket by Margaret James –historical romance you can’t help but melt into. What makes The Silver Locket outstanding, for me, is the excellent portrayal of what life might have been like for those poor souls in the trenches and for the medical staff that fought tirelessly to care for them when their bodies and spirits were broken. The author obviously put a tremendous amount of historical research into the writing of this book, relaying it in a way that is compelling, accurate and thought-provoking. Margaret James tells a beautiful story of love, of tragedy and hope.

Belgian

Starting Over by Sue Moorcroft is truly delicious escapism, yet touches on familiar life and love crises experienced by woman or man alike. Oh, and what a man! A hero, absolutely, but a flawed one, who never pretends to be anything but what he is, you simply cannot help but love Miles Arnott-Rattenbury, affectionately know as “Ratty”. A man who, once he sets his sights on something…or someone, single-mindedly, determinedly; unconventionally, goes for it.

That’s it! I should stop before I over-indulge. Due to hospital visits with a loved one, I’m late coming into this, so I’m passing on the Chocolate Tag Challenge over to one lovely, uber-talented author friend:

Suzie Tullett – Author of Little White Lies and Butterflies (*** SHORTLISTED for The Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize for 2013! ***) Born and raised in Lancashire, Suzie Tullett has worn many hats in life: from office work to teaching, from managing an advice centre to being an outreach worker for Women’s Aid. She’s achieved a Bachelor’s and a Master’s and worked with the BBC as a scriptwriter—all while raising her family. Find out more about Suzie HERE

Thank you for stopping by!

Keep safe.

Lots of love,