Customer Reviews

Hot Chocolate

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As an altogether book, absolutely superb. "Hot Chocolate" is an enchanting blend of humor and steamy scenes, each story featuring a cup of delicious hot chocolate. I read this book particularly for Lori Foster, but Suszanne Forster and Fayrene Preston also did an outstanding job.

"Not Abigail!", by Suzanne Forster, was packed with delicious scenes. From the 'spiked' hot chocolate to the absent-minded but rather gorgeous boss, this story was wonderfully charming. Plot: Abigial has been pining for Max for years, but he's painfully oblivious. And when he requests her help in finding a wife by Valentine's day, she takes desperate measures. It's a rather cute plot, actually, I enjoyed it very much.

Lori Foster's work, "Tangled Sheets" is my favorite. It goes from sexy to erotic and the chemistry between Cole and 'Shelly' sizzles. Plot: Sophie and Cole are in love with each other -- but neither of them knows it. So Sophie creates a sexy alter ego / twin sister, Shelly, in the hopes of seducing Cole. But it doesn't quite work that way.

The third story, "Buried in her Heart" wasn't the best. In fact, I didn't really like it at all. The characters were too cliché, and the scenes were a bit flat. The added cheesiness of the 'cute-little-animals' was a bit too much for me. Plot: A lawyer, unsatisfied with her job, takes a break at a bed-and-breakfast on the beach, where she meets Jack. But wait, Abby secretly wants to be a cook, and how convenient that Jack is looking for one. However will he convince her?

"Ecstasy" by Fayrene Preston was sexy and adorable... but I'm still dying to know the secret recipe for the 'orgasmic fudge.' Plot: Hayden wants to buy and market a certain recipe from Brenna -- a certain kind of fudge that sends women into throes of ecstasy. The problem is, she won't sell. Instead, Hayden concentrates on what he wants more. Her.

I'd definitely recommend this. It's wonderful reading. And finding things by Lori Foster is very difficult, but she's such a wonderful writer!

I'm generally not a fan of anthologies, I feel they usually sell the stories short and only gloss over the character and plot depth for want of space. I'm pleased to say this book didn't feel like that at all. 4 story submissions and only one didn't grab me by the heart. They were all sweet, and hot. The heros were adorable and the situations ... well, I wouldn't go so far as to say they were realistic, but I happily suspended my disbelief for 80 pages. I'd definitely recommend this for light, happy reading.

I loved this book and have read it a few times but I always wanted to know what happened to the Winston brothers who were left. Found out what happened to Chase accidently in another book of short stores called "Charmed". It was great too but what about the last two brothers? Anybody know what book their stories are in? The last two seemed even more promising and I get hooked on characters.

Four of the romance genre's hottest authors have provided tales to this well-written anthology using HOT CHOCOLATE as a theme.

In Suzanne Forster's "Not Abigail!" multi-billionaire Max Gallagher gives his mousy assistant Abigail two weeks to find him a wife. She loves her boss, but it takes her friend's hot chocolate laced with a love potion for her to show him how she feels. Readers will not need a love potion to enjoy this story.

"Tangled Sheets" by Lori Foster stars Cole Winston, owner of a tavern. The only woman he finds interesting, Sophie, orders a hot chocolate at his establishment every night. She is too repressed to go after him so she invents a twin Shelly who goes after Cole. They spend a night of passion together, but Sophie flees when she realizes Cole knows who she really is. No repression for fans who will relish Ms. Foster's fine tale.

Category superstar Elda Minger contributes a very romantic tale in "Buried In her Heart." Attorney Abby wants to be a chef. Jack is opening up a California bistro that badly needs a gourmet chef. They meet while rescuing a cat together. They soon learn they are staying at the same place. He offers her a job and more, but will she have the courage to go after the two things she desires most in life?

Famous Loveswept author Fayrene Preston completes the book with the lovely "Ecstasy." Brenna's fudge is the rage and tycoon Hayden wants to mass produce it. He also wants Brenna, but how does he prove his love to her?

This Valentine's Day collection is a hot drink on that cold wintry day.

Harriet Klausner

HOT CHOCOLATE is one of the most sexy and arousing romance anthology I have ever read. The steam did not fizzled out halfway like many I have read. Suzanne Forster torched the flame with her story "Not Abigail" about a secretary in love with her boss, Max Gallagher and concocting a potion of love and chocolate to reveal her true feelings. Lori Foster snowballed the sass and fantasies with an engaging tale, "Tangled sheets" when Cole Winston is caught into deception by Sophie. Shelly is her invented identity, who is so sexy and irresistible that Cole finds himself in a struggle in his love for Sophie without knowing both of them are the same person.

Elda Minger comes up smoldering hot for this one. Her story involves a hot passion between Attorney Abby and a chef Jack who is onto opening a restaurant. Abby decides for herself between the one she loves and her job. All this heated desires in this anthology ends with a pleasant climax in Ms. Preston's story between Brenna and the rich Hayden.

HOT CHOCOLATE is unlike any anthology you have seen because the stories are constantly engaging and sexy. With so much zest and scintillating sensuality, they will keep you warm over a hot cup of chocolate. If you looking for something poignant and heavy, skip this one because this is seductive pleasure at its best.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! "Not Abigail!" by Suzanne Forster was a delight. To be the loyal assistant, completely invisible, who vamps into the perfect wife and lover - what a dream come true! Lori Foster's "Tangled Sheets" is also wonderful! Will you be surprised by what Sophie's twin sister pulls off? Like the hero, Cole, says hot chocolate won't be the same (after this read)! Sadly, these two stories outshine the remaining two, which are quick, by slow, reads.

Decadent stories to warm you up on a cold winters night. Just the right amount of comedy and sexiness blended together for the right recipe for love.
"Warm and soothing, sweet and sensual, these luxurious love stories will melt your cares away, and fulfill your most delectable dreams..." the quote on the back of the book hits the mark.
These stories all share a love of chocolate and chemistry. Although the stories may seem short and rushed at times, we must remember, it is an anthology and many feel that way. Each story is a nice little break from the ordinary.
Hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. Lori Foster and Suzanne Forster deliver their best as always.

Actually, half-and-half might be a more appropriate analogy for this quartet of love stories. The first two, by Suzanne Forster and Lori Foster, live up to their billing. The hilarious affair between secretary Abigail and unaware boss Max builds to a delicious climax featuring a striptease! And Lori Foster follows by introducing us to the Winston boys, specifically the eldest, Cole, who is seduced by Sophie twice, once as herself and once as her decadent twin sister. Wonderful characters, delightfully sensual settings - it can't get much better! And unfortunately, it doesn't. While the other two tales are sweet romances, they don't compare well with the crisp sparkle of the first two stories. The plots are bland, and the characters are almost too good to be true. It was worth buying this book for the first two tales, but the second two are a disappointment.

This collection of short stories is about women who share personal insecurities but decide to do something about it. The authors of this anthology take their main female characters and transform them from wallflowers into seductresses. The other thing these stories have in common is the use of chocolate as a plot device serving as some sort of key point in the story.

The sweetest story (no pun intended) of the group is Lori Foster's TANGLED SHEETS. Sophie Sheridan is a business owner who goes to the Winston Tavern every day after work for a cup of hot chocolate. She is attracted to bar owner Cole Winston and she is comfortable with their friendship. She would like to go one step further but she does not want to jeopardize what she already has with Cole. She pretends to have a twin sister named Shelly and she uses this alter ego to do the things that she wishes that she could do as Sophie. If things do not work out she can go back to her safe routine. Cole is intrigued and attracted to Shelly but he is in love with Sophie. He is a bit hesitant around Shelly but when he learns about Sophie's deception he will give her a Valentine's Day she will never forget. Nice and sweet stories for a rainy day.

Each character is perfect. The women are so loving and the men so caring that they pair up nicely in four sweltering short stories. They live in a fantasy world full of friendship, kindness, and romance. Life is wonderful; no major worries except whether they like and love each other but those never last long. Everybody earns some sort of good income. Everything comes to a faultless ending. Each story involves hot chocolate suitable to the title of the collection. It is a great read before going to bed.