A disillusioned widow longing for a change. A hard-working truck driver looking for love. Will Emily and Joe find their happily-ever-after in a forgotten summer breeze?
Widow Emily Varon doesn’t believe in love anymore, and she isn’t wasting her time trying to find it. At her age, she’s learned that life is a daily routine. Rinse and repeat. Safe and secure. And she’s not about to change her … Safe and secure. And she’s not about to change her ways now. With her hard-won affluence, succumbing to a truck-driver’s invitation to spend a summer weekend together means only one thing. Friendship.
Widower Joe Vertucci has never met any difficulties he couldn’t overcome, and work is all he’s ever known. But when the chance for romance with Emily beckons in a little seaside town, will a dilapidated cottage wind up becoming a refuge for their hearts?
The waft of a summer breeze can bring summer rain. Or create new memories.
Sometimes you have to leave what’s familiar in order to discover where home truly is. Because for love, anything is possible.
Don’t miss Josie Riviera’s other sweet chocolate-box romances!
A Chocolate-Box Christmas
A Chocolate-Box New Years
A Chocolate-Box Valentine
Chocolate-Box Hearts 3 book Boxed Set
more
I listened to the audiobook of this story. Narration was good. This book was right up my alley, with a later in life romance. Emily is a widow and her life has become boring. She does the same thing day after day. Joe is a truck driver and meets Emily in a local restaurant, during one of his deliverys. He is taken by Emily, but feels she would never have any interest in him. Could the opposite be true. Cute story and proves that love us ageless.
I received a copy of the book by the author for an honest review.
I enjoyed this sweet story of older adults finding love again. It is short so can be enjoyed in the afternoon. I received a free copy of the audiobook. This is my voluntary review.
A Chocolate-Box Summer Breeze was another great read by Josie Riviera. Emily is a widow who doesn’t believe in love anymore. She isn’t looking for love or a relationship, until she meets Joe, another widower. They take the opportunity for a short getaway. I really enjoyed reading Emily and Joe’s story and can’t wait to read more by Josie Riviera.
In this story, author Josie Riviera reintroduces us to some characters we have previously met. We learn that Emily Varon, a widow, has remained in contact with Joe Vertucci, a truck driver she had gotten to know when stranded at Olive’s Diner earlier that year. Although there are a few peripheral characters (some of which we only hear about), the book focuses on the two of them.
Emily comes from the country club set, and Joe has a far less sophisticated background. However, they were drawn to each other when they first met and continued to stay in contact via text and telephone calls. They do not meet in person again for 4 months – and they decide to return to Olive’s Diner. They have many differences, one of which is taste is music. He likes rock and she loves musical theatre. He listens to 8 track cartridges and she listens to CDs.
Joe has some rare time off and asks her to join him for a few days at the beach. It is there that they discover many challenges. Joe is overwhelmed and decides it is not possible to pursue romance when there are such major lifestyle differences between them. But can the relationship be saved?
I have to admit that I especially loved the ending reference to the song Memory from the long running Broadway musical, Cats. The meaning can be easily understood from the context, but knowing the song actually makes the end a little stronger.
A recipe for peanut butter bars is included. I also loved seeing that the author included her Spotify play list as part of her notes at the end of the story.
Another wonderful addition to the Chocolate-Box Series.
Ms. Riviera writes sweet, clean romance stories. This is the fourth book in the Chocolate-Box Series. This story is a little different because Emily and Joe are both older with grown children and grandchildren. Both are widowed. Emily was raised in a family with money and her first husband left her well off when he died. Joe is a hardworking truck driver who is past retirement age, but still working. He grew up poor and has worked all his life.
I really enjoyed this story of love in the golden years. This book is a quick read and can be read as a stand-alone, but you won’t want to miss meeting the rest of the couples in this series.
I am in love with this series. A short clean story of two widowers in their 70’s who meet and start a friendship that develops over time. Who says you are too old to find love again?
It is not very often that we get a story about 2 seventy year olds and this one is charming. Josie Riviera is a master at describing surroundings and people. She makes you feel like you are there and the characters are your friends and neighbors. A cute, short story of a widow and widower who met in a diner during a storm and their resulting friendship. Wonderful story!
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, however, I voluntarily wrote an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.
This was a sweet, clean, short, story and I enjoyed it. This is a great story for an afternoon read and I found it ended all too soon. I love that all the characters in this series connect in some way to other stories in this series. The other fun point is the fun recipe at the end of the stories in this series; it is so fun to try a new recipe. All in all a good read.
I loved this story. Having been left a widow at 60, I can identify with Emily’s insecurities about dating. Both Emily and Joe were stepping out of their comfort zones. Josie Riviera managed to bring those insecurities to life.
Love has seniority!
So often romances are about young or at most middle-aged couples, but love does not look at the age when it happens; it looks at the heart. This Is a beautiful story about two people who may be past their primes but still have a chance for a new life together. For a novella, it packed a full-size romance.
A Chocolate-Box Summer Breeze is the story of Joe and Emily. The book works as a stand alone despite Joe and Emily being two of the folks trapped in the diner in A Chocolate-Box Valentine. I like that Emily and Joe are an older couple. Both characters are interesting. Joe invites Emily for a weekend in a seaside cottage that turns out to be very run down. You will have to read this book to see if their friendship remains a friendship or blossoms to love. I read it in one sitting.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Joe is crazy for Emily. He is a working class truck driver and she is a God fearing widow and is well off. They met after being stranded in a diner and Have been talking ever since. They have two very different lives, can they compromise and work out a life together? This book is a late in life inspirational adventure set in California. Definitely recommend.
Another very descriptive book by Josie Riviera. She writes so you feel like you’re right there with the characters.
This is a story about two 70 year olds who meet at a diner and develop a relationship. Cute story.
A sweet story that touches your heart.
Wonderful short story. Emily and Joe are a beautiful written older couple. Both are widowed and in their seventies trying to navigate their feelings for each other. I really enjoyed reading this one.
I received a free copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.
This is the 2nd book I read by Josie Rivera. This book’s storyline was okay. Emily’s character was okay. Joe’s character was okay. The ending was okay.
A Chocolate-Box Summer Breeze by Josie Riviera
Book starts out with s short introduction about the authors works and sign up for newsletter and free gift.
Story start with Emily and she’s sitting at the location where she had met Joe from the storm where they were trapped together along with many others as the roads were shut down.
They exchanged information and stayed in contact with one another with calls. They learned a lot about each other and felt a great companionship when together.
When Joe, a truck driver does arrive they share a nice meal that the diner owner has put together. He’s rather a match maker. She had lost her spouse a few years earlier and she feels as if she is intruding on her kids lives.
He has a surprise for her and she is agreeable. They are able to drive to a location where she’s never been, a rahter run down cottage by the sea. She does find faults with it but it will do. She loves the location and scenery and just doing things they want to do, no pressure.
Most improtant is she gets her own room, no pressure! Love the things they do while together but when he drops her off it’s a good bye as he feels others see him as chasing after her and her money.
It’s a wonder if they will ever get back together with one another after the misunderstanding.
Love that the couple is older and is in the same age groups as myself. Love hearing of the music and seashore.
Story ends with a note from the author and a recipe. Acknowledgements and listing of all the author’s other works are listed.
I received this review book from the author and this is my honest opinion.