Fresh pasta isn’t the only specialty that takes extra time… her brutal schedule to meet with Bloomingfield weatherman Lorenzo Rossi, she crushes her reaction to the tall, blue-eyed charmer quicker and harder than a clove of roasted garlic. Lorenzo may be sweet as Italian cassata and hot as a red pepper, but planning an anniversary dinner means married, and she needs another disaster like that like she needs another olive oil stain on her shirt.
But as she and Lorenzo assemble the ingredients for a perfect celebration, she discovers something completely unexpected. And her heart may not withstand the storm of emotion she never saw coming.
Some recipes don’t turn out quite as you predicted…
Don’t miss Josie Riviera’s other sweet chocolate-box romances!
A Chocolate-Box Christmas
A Chocolate-Box Valentine
more
This was a sweet, clean and fun read. While Julie struggles to keep her pasta restaurant open, the local weatherman crushes on her. He commissions her to make a special family dessert that his grandmother used to make while booking her restaurant for an anniversary dinner for his mother and her husband.
I received a free copy of this book, and this review reflects my honest and unbiased opinion.
A Chocolate-Box New Years
Chocolate-Box Series, Book 2
By: Josie Riviera
Narrated by: Allyson Voller
I love a read that includes food! This gem introduces us to Julie, She is the chef at The Pasta Junction and lives by the old school of cooking. When Lorenzo books his parents’ anniversary party, he asks for her specifically to appease his attraction to her. The one request he has is she bakes his mother’s Italian Cassata and she must practice baking it prior to the party to make sure it is made correctly. And our love affair begins. Lorenzo is relentless in a sweet and wonderful way. He never gives up any chance to be with Julie. Julie is married to her restaurant, so while her attraction to this local weatherman is growing, she does not want to give in. It’s sweet and fun and the food sounds so delicious! The best is the recipe at the end! I am going to give it a try.
Narrated by Allyson Voller, she bring this pair to life. I love her voice and she finds the nuances of each character and even adds a little accent in for Lorenzo. It’s a wonderful, relaxing, happy listen.
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A Chocolate-Box New Years (Chocolate-Box #2) by Josie Riviera
This story starts out with praise for the authors’ works.
Story starts with Julie and she not only runs the restaurant but owns it and works nonstop.
Love that her siblings live nearby and are very supportive. She feels migraines coming on often as she is doing too much, doesn’t count on others to do her work.
Story also follow Lorenzo and he’s a Italian local weatherman and others jest he hardly gets the forecast right. He wants her to take charge of the wedding anniversary dinner at her place.
She assumes it’s for he and his wife but learns otherwise later…He wants his grandmother’s recipe and she tries it with his being the taste tester and she just can’t get it right-the recipe was very vague.
Her sister-from the chocolate shop tell her it’s so he can spend time with her-he compliments her often.
Love hearing of the authentic way to make pasta and that she donates the leftovers.
Like the things they find in common after spending a lot of hours taste testing the recipe-he wants it perfect for the dinner.
With so much in common they can’t find ground to stand on where one is off balance and you wonder if they will ever get together.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
The second book in the Chocolate-Box series is a delightful descriptive read that made me hungry for some fresh pasta and chocolate. Julie is the owner and main chef of The Pasta Junction who makes fresh homemade pasta. Lorenzo is the TV meteorologist who is planning a party and wants Julie to cater it. There’s a catch to this in that he wants her to make his grandma Gloria’s Cassata which means he uses this as a way to spend more time with Julie.
I love the way Ms Riviera writes. You can almost visualize everything from the room, clothing, and the foods being prepared. Not only that you can almost smell the foods as they’re being prepared and served.
Another great book to read and recipe to try.
I really enjoyed this wonderful, fun, witty, short romance story set for the New Year’s holiday. The heroine owns an upscale Italian restaurant and is always busy. She even makes all her pasta by herself.
She gets a call from the handsome local weatherman to set up a party for a one year wedding anniversary party for his mother and stepfather, on New Year’s Day which is a busy day as are all the days before Christmas to New Year’s Day. Plus he wants her to make is grandmother’s special cheesecake cassata recipe. Her pastry chef had quit and she hasn’t found a new one so she has to do this one on her own. He gives her the recipe that is pretty basic with no measurements.
He also insists on doing a taste testing.
Well this turns into many taste testing sessions as it his in his eyes, a way to get to know this pretty chef.
There is fun, lots of baking of this cheesecake dessert and taste testing. They even get a chance to take in a meteor shower, that happens only every 24 years.
Their is lots of fun and of course kissing and getting to know each other.
If love fun short romances and chocolate and of course Italian food, this is a good one to read.
I received this ARC and this is my honest review that I chose to do because I loved this story.
Cute short story. Good insight into the characters. Enjoyed reading the banter between Julie and Lorenzo.
I received a free copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.
This is another wonderful and sweet romance from Josie Riviera. Julie owns an Italian restaurant that keeps her extremely busy. Lorenzo is the good-looking local weatherman. He scheduled an anniversary dinner at the restaurant and wants Julie to bake his grandmother’s cassata. The descriptions of this cake were so yummy I could almost smell it! This is a short, easy reading book you are sure to enjoy! I am really looking forward to the next one!
I received an advance copy of this book and I voluntarily wrote an honest review.
This is a sweet novella including yummy food and love. After all, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I received a complimentary copy and I am voluntarily reviewing.
Warning: I think I gained 5 pounds just reading this book!
Josie Riviera has once again delivered a sweet romance for her readers. Both the budding romance between restaurant owner Julie Elliot and local meteorologist Lorenzo Rossi and the delicious Italian food descriptions kept me quickly turning pages. It’s fun to read how a quest to bake the perfect cassata (Italian cheesecake) for an anniversary dinner serves to help romance blossom. And yes, this particular recipe calls for lots of chocolate.
This is a relatively short book, but we learn a lot about our main characters within the confines of the story. There is Julie’s reluctance to follow through on her initial attraction to the very attractive Lorenzo. There is no question that Lorenzo is interested in Julie. Of course, this is a romance, so it is no surprise that she eventually succumbs to his charms.
A Chocolate-Box New Years is longer than the first book in the series but is still quick and easy to read. Although it is the second book in a series, it can easily be read as a standalone.
I had already pre-ordered a copy when the opportunity to read an advance copy was offered. Since I had the time to read it right way, I didn’t think twice about accepting the chance and am glad I did. There was no requirement to write a positive review and I am already looking forward to the third book.
A Chocolate-Box New Years by Josie Riviera is the second book in the Chocolate –Box Series. Even though this is the second book in the series it can very well be read as a stand-alone. This is a very well written sweet clean romance. This was a very quick read which kept me turning the pages. I love the vivid descriptions of the cassata which I could almost smell and taste. This book is funny and romantic and keeps you engaged. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
This story had me at fresh homemade pasta. Julie is right and the dry kind just doesn’t compare. I don’t have it very often, but I love it when the restaurant I’m eating at offers it. Julie and Lorenzo had a whirlwind romance with misunderstandings, which started when she thought he was married and hitting on her. I loved reading about all the wonderful food she made. I’ve never had cassata, but is sounds yummy. I liked that they bonded over their love of film noir, something else that I’ve never truly experienced. There were plenty of funny, romantic, and sweet moments in this clean holiday food filled romance.