Book Review: The Chocolate Lovers' Diet

By Melissa Amster

I mentioned in the past how much I loved "The Chocolate Lovers' Club" and how I couldn't wait to read the sequel. I finally obtained a copy this year and devoured it just as much as I did the first. It not only made me crave chocolate even more, but now I really want Carole Matthews to write a third novel about this fascinating foursome.

I don't want to spoil too much about the previous novel, if you haven't read it yet. All I can say is that "The Chocolate Lovers' Diet" picks up where it left off and the story soars right away. Each woman has to deal with similar issues related to what happened in TCLC. With the help of delicious chocolate and their strong bonds of friendship, they don't have to experience any of their situations alone.

I can definitely say that I enjoyed TCLD as much as, if not more than, TCLC. I loved revisiting these friends and seeing what happened after the first story ended. Their camaraderie filled me with a feeling of genuine warmth and made me wonder if I am that good of a friend to my girl friends. There were a lot of surprise twists and things that I didn't expect to happen at all, which kept me on my toes throughout. The dialogue was snappy and humorous and the chocolate was described to absolute perfection, allowing me to realize that there can never be too much of a good thing. I also like that Ms. Matthews tied things in from TCLC so that my memory was instantly refreshed as I was reading TCLD. It didn't feel like almost two years had passed between when I read the first one until now.

My criticisms are that the story went on a bit long (over 400 pages) and some parts felt far-fetched and unrealistic (again, I can't say what it was without including spoilers). However, that didn't take away from how much I enjoyed this story.

If you haven't read "The Chocolate Lovers' Club" yet, check that out so that you can follow it up with a delicious "Diet." You won't be disappointed!