A year after she separated from her husband, Gianni, on Christmas Day, Chloe’s heart is still in pieces as she unpacks the decorations for her first ever festive holiday alone. That is, until the phone rings…
It seems Gianni’s new seaside restaurant is in trouble and Chloe must go to Appledore to save the business – and him. Equally famous for his experimental culinary extravaganzas and his explosive temper, Gianni has been really stirring up a sensation with the locals – and not in a good way!
As pans fly and the temperature in the kitchen rises, Chloe’s calming influence and magic touch might just get critics back on side in time to save the restaurant from sinking like a sad soufflé. But will it be enough to save their marriage? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)
There are quite a few eccentric characters that have emerged from Sue Watson’s novels, and Gianni can easily be added to the list. He’s brash and he’s bold, loud and obnoxious. His hot-tempered manner sprinkled with egotism reminded me a little of Gordon Ramsey to the hilt, and you’ve got to wonder if Gianni is really that way in “real life”, or if it’s partially for show. If it’s what he thinks his audience would prefer, or if it goes even deeper than that.
It seems only one woman can tame the wild beast of Gianni, and that would be Chloe. She doesn’t put up with his antics, in fact she’ll often add fuel to his already enraged fire, which makes for a smoldering, deep relationship between the two. There are so many layers to the both of them, and we get to see everything unravel, inch by inch, answering the question of, why? Why couldn’t they make it?
The answer is deep, and tragic. Human. What I’ve always appreciated is Watson's ability to create characters who are real and experience real emotion, and handle everything in a way that any flawed human would. It’s messy and intense, but that’s usually the way it goes when we’re trying to deal. Thrown in there are moments of comedy and humor, the icebreakers that we all need in order to get on and get through this life.
And of course, there is food. This wouldn’t be a Watson read without it. It’s funny that this go around intermixes a blend of deliciousness, with a few odd delicacies that Gianni whips up, only adding to his character and the tone of this story. No one in Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances is perfect, but I can tell you, that’s one of the things I loved the most. It’s perfect in its imperfections, and the perfect holiday read for this time of year.
Thanks to Bookouture for the book in exchange for an honest review.
More holiday fun from Sue Watson:
Book Review: Snowflakes, Iced Cakes, and Second Chances, to be honest, this book titles says a lot about the book and for me, it is a must buy one.
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