Five Star Expressions - Chocolate Magic [Hardcover]

Karen Sandler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2004 | ISBN-10: 1594141002 | ISBN-13: 978-1594141003 | Edition: 1

Kat Roth and Mark Denham have plenty in common -- they're CEOs of rival Seattle-area candy companies, they're both in feverish pursuit of number one status in the nation and they were both once married . . . to each other. Their brief venture into matrimony, an explosive mix of hot passion and all-out war, has made Kat and Mark wary of love and leery of the sparks between them. Push comes to shove when they finally give in to the heat between them. After several days of back-to-back lovemaking bouts, Kat convinces herself she's found the perfect solution to the seemingly bottomless pit of lust she feels for her ex - a passionate sex-only affair, avoiding all the messy complications of love. Then the night of the chocolate tasting, Kat experiences the ultimate betrayal . . . the two of them are locked up in her office by close friends who refuse to let them out until they resolve their differences. In a firefight of love and passion, Kat finally confesses her fears of failing at love. Mark admits his own fear that he doesn't know what real love is. They both realize that their verbal fireworks really drives them closer together. They agree to remarry, joining together physically and fiscally, in chocolate and in love. (20041201)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Katrina Roth and Mark Denham grew up together, each an heir to chocolate candy scions in the Seattle area. Naturally they would get married. Unfortunately, they soon divorced, and we join the story as Kat, now CEO of the Roth business, is faced with seeing her ex on a semiregular basis. Unbeknownst to either of them, both families are working on getting them back together. Kat and Mark still love each other, but Kat especially can't make the distinction between business and personal matters. The Denham company business is going gangbusters while Roth is slowly going under. To get past their stubbornness, family and friends go so far as to strand the couple in a cabin in the woods for a weekend. Then, just as Kat and Mark decide the heck with it, let's get together, well-meaning family members inadvertently push the two apart again, this time maybe for good. Kat and Mark's story is lighthearted and funny, topped with enough chocolate references to cause cravings and an emergency run to the nearest candy counter. Shelley Mosley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Kat and Mark's story is lighthearted and funny, topped with enough chocolate references to cause cravings and an emergency run to the nearest candy counter."
--Booklist (September 2004) (Booklist 20040922)

"Kat and Mark's story is lighthearted and funny, topped with enough chocolate references to cause cravings and an emergency run to the nearest candy counter."
--Romance Reviews Today (December 2004) (Romance Reviews Today 20040901)

"...an entertaining tale, energized with delicious description and sizzling sexual tension...dive into Chocolate Magic...and enjoy!"
--America Online's Romance Fiction Forum (September 22, 2004) and Romance Fiction Forum (September 2004) (America Online's Romance Fiction Forum )

"Chocolate Magic is an engrossing, witty novel...a warm, funny story,..Chocolate Magic is filled with enticing characters and snappy dialogue that will keep readers glued...A pleasure to read from start to finish, I highly recommend Chocolate Magic for readers who enjoy a sinfully amusing tale."
--Romance Reviews Today (September 2004) (Romance Reviews Today )

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Five Star; 1 edition (September 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594141002
• ISBN-13: 978-1594141003
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,840,746 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

As a nine-year-old, Karen Sandler was a horse-crazy kid with an over-active imagination. When that pony she begged for didn't appear on Christmas morning, she wrote about horses in poetry and stories. It took until she was an adult to both buy her first horse (the very unladylike Lady) and see her first book published. Since then, she's sold seventeen other books. In addition to writing novels, short stories and screenplays, she loves riding her beautiful Andalusian/Morgan mare, Belle (who is very ladylike). She lives in Northern California with her husband, Gary, and three cats--pleasingly plump Tenka, formerly feral Zak, and cranky diabetic Casper. For more about Karen and TANKBORN, visit http://www.karensandler.net, http://www.tankborn.com, or @karensandlerYA on Twitter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars fun anti-Atkins contemporary romance, September 25, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Five Star Expressions - Chocolate Magic (Hardcover)

In Seattle, Kat Roth is the CEO of Roth Confectionary while her former husband Mark Denham heads up rival Denham Candy Company. Mark's cousin Fritz informs Kat that her father hired him as a community affairs advisor and he plans to get right to work though she asks him to cool his jets. Kat knows that Fritz is a walking disaster and hopes to get rid of him without hurting the well intended man.

Fritz persuades Mark and Kat to co-host a charity event, Kandy for Kids, by playing the rivalry between the two like a concert pianist. As Mark and Kat work on the charity campaign, their love that never died resurfaces. However, will Mark, who has missed his Kat since she dumped him two years ago, convince her that they belong together? A "betrayal" will make it even more difficult to achieve his objective.

This anti-Atkins contemporary romance should not be read on an empty stomach because the audience will suffer from sugar attacks. The second chance at love story line stars two wonderful characters and a horde of eccentric support characters who lovingly interfere with the lead duet. Sweet caring Mark will melt readers while bitter tart Kat receives less empathy. Yet together, fans will enjoy the tasty dessert headlined by the combating candy CEOs.