Forget diamonds, chocolate is a girl's best friend Some women are addicted to shopping, others can't get enough of champagne. Some like to curl up with a good book, and others want a night out on the town. But there's just one thing Lucy Lombard can't live without, and that's chocolate—rich, creamy, sweet, delicious chocolate. For her there's no substitute. There's nothing it won't cure, from heartache to a headache, and she's not alone. Sharing her passion are her three best friends and fellow addicts: sweet, peace-loving Autumn, harried mom Nadia, and sex kitten Chantal. Together they form a select group known as the Chocolate Lovers' Club. Whenever there's a crisis, they meet in their sanctuary, a café called Chocolate Heaven, and with a cheating boyfriend who promises he'll change, a flirtatious boss, a gambling husband, and a loveless marriage, there's always plenty to discuss.... By turns hilarious and heartrending, The Chocolate Lovers' Club brings together four unforgettable women from totally different worlds united in their passion for chocolate.

Christmas is just around the corner but the women of The Chocolate Lovers' Club have more to worry about than present shopping . . . Lucy loves running Chocolate Heaven but she hasn't spent time with her boyfriend, Aiden, in weeks. And then her ex-fiance turns up and things become even more complicated. Nadia hasn't let herself get close to a man in a long time, yet she can't help feeling drawn to Jacob. Will he be her last chance for a happy ending? Chantal and her husband, Ted, are besotted with their baby daughter Lana - but she's not sure that's enough to base a marriage on. Autumn is dealing with a tragedy that has hit too close to home. But when she doesn't get the support she needs from her fiance, will she look elsewhere for comfort? Can friendship overcome all in . . . The Chocolate Lovers' Christmas.

Chocolate dark, white or milk, smooth, plain and creamy or bursting with flavours and textures, it's guaranteed to get the pulses racing. And with chocolate-making now one of the most exciting areas of Britain's artisan food scene, this book takes you on a tantalising tasting tour of the country's sweet spots that helps you explore chunks of Britain while enjoying the country's best and most authentic chocolate. Whether they're based in the Highlands of Scotland or the mountains of Wales, a shed in Cleethorpes or in the shadow of Winchester Cathedral, we seek out the rising stars of the chocolate industry, try their mouthwatering products and explore towns and cities where the bean-to-bar magic takes place. Among the people and places included are Duffy Sheardown, a former Formula One racing engineer who makes bars of chocolate in a shed in Cleethorpes that are prized by chocolate connoisseurs all over the world, Willie Harcourt-Cooze, a glamorous globetrotter who grows cocoa in Venezuala and makes chocolate in Uff culme, Devon (sold in Waitrose) and the passionate young women of Dormouse, who from tiny premises in Manchester are winning international accolades.

Originally published: London: Headline Review, 2007.

"In this age of singles, couples and otherwise smaller households, Small-Batch Baking is an idea that's in step with the times."—The Dallas Morning News No one can resist the allure of home-made chocolate desserts—but when recipes yield a full dozen or more, we often eat more than our serving size. In Small-Batch Baking for Chocolate Lovers, acclaimed food writer Debby Maugans solves the problem by crafting irresistible chocolate recipes perfectly suited for two. Featuring more than 120 cookie, cake, pie, tart, muffin, and scone recipes, over-the-top and lavishly loaded with chocolate of all kinds, nuts, candy bars, and flavors. Ideal for the single guy or gal, small family, retiree, or bride-to-be. There's a dessert in this book for every occasion: a fool-proof birthday chocolate cake recipe, a chocolate orange tart for Valentine's Day, or when you're in the mood for a little self-indulgence, a chocolate soufflé sized for one. Your sweetheart (and your waistline) will thank you!

*The new, deliciously festive ‘Cosy’ novel from the Kindle bestselling author of The Cosy Teashop in the Castle*

Dozens of tasty ideas and inspiration for candy lovers-- it's a carnival of sweet candy-loving bliss!