Jillian Parrish likes to keep things predictable. After working for a local publishing company, she returns alone to a spotless apartment, a little dog, and a heavenly chunk of 70 percent cacao and sugar. By design, the closest Jill gets to messy complexities is in the pages of the novel she’s writing. But her carefully arranged life is turned upside down the day she loses her keys and her phone and her flash drive and then is nearly run over by the man who has taken them—Scott Gentry, who mistakenly thought this little trick would be a charming way to get her attention. Barely appeased by Scott’s apologies, Jill goes home only to find another surprise on her doorstep: Evie, Jill’s long-lost sister, a young woman whose addiction-filled, troubled life can only bring harm to the infant in her arms. Yet, Jill is hardly relieved when Evie disappears the next morning, leaving baby Shiloh in Jill’s inexperienced care—and a whole lot of trouble at her door. Within three days, Jill wonders if chocolate will ever be enough to bring balance to her life again. Granted temporary custody of the child, Jill launches a determined search for Evie and begrudgingly accepts Scott’s help and support. As Scott stumbles, crashes, and falls into Jill’s guarded world, he finds himself willing to do anything for the woman he discovers is not made of stone but of strength. But just as guarded hearts begin opening to sweet new possibilities, Evie’s trail leads Jill and Scott into harm’s way, bringing wounds that only grace can heal.
I made the mistake of starting "Of Grace and Chocolate" too late in the evening, and couldn't put it down until I'd finished. It was a suspenseful, heartfelt romance with two real main characters who had to face things from their past. They found that they were worthy of love, and realized that they weren't alone after all. They mattered.
Krista Lynne Jensen created wonderful characters in a rich setting, and they stole my heart with their humor, and their ability to endure hard stuff. And the drug-dealing killer bad guys chasing them around Oregon were nothing compared to their inner conflicts.
Beautifully written. I loved the setting and of course the romance.
Families are tough, but when it comes down to it, they're what we have.
This was a great book. I loved the story of Scott and Jenna and the unexpected ending.
A story about an abusive parent and the affects that this has on children as they grow up. This was not a light read at all. But it was very well written.
I am not really a huge fan of LDS fiction but as I read this book I liked it more and more until I was quite enamored by the end. It is written with heart and spirit and an unusual ability to write about the challenges of this life with reality. I really look forward to reading more by this author.
I really loved this story. Could really feel these characters and what they were going through. I couldn't put it down! Love the love story involved in the chaos. Just a great book!
This was a well-written and fun read! The characters were believable and the plot was twisty. I got quite misty a couple of times, especially at the end. I will read more by this author.
I have just finished reading 'Of Grace and Chocolate' and I had to leave a review. It is very well written, I was so pleasantly surprised by it. There is a realism about it, very naturally developed and brought out in the way the characters interact with each other. The plot is believable, and so are the relationships, especially the one between the main characters. At the same time, there is a poetic element between Jill and Scott and I loved the way they discover their love for each other. It's not a traditional love story, but that makes it all the more poignant. This is one that I highly recommend to anyone who likes LDS romance fiction.
