Secrets of the Chocolate House
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4.5 • 126 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
The second novel in a bewitching series "brimming with charm and charisma" that will make "fans of Outlander rejoice!" (Woman's World Magazine)
New York Times bestselling author Paula Brackston’s The Little Shop of Found Things was called “a page-turner that will no doubt leave readers eager for future series installments” (Publishers Weekly). Now, Brackston returns to the Found Things series with its sequel, Secrets of the Chocolate House.
After her adventures in the seventeenth century, Xanthe does her best to settle back into the rhythm of life in Marlborough. She tells herself she must forget about Samuel and leave him in the past where he belongs. With the help of her new friends, she does her best to move on, focusing instead on the success of her and Flora’s antique shop.
But there are still things waiting to be found, still injustices needing to be put right, still voices whispering to Xanthe from long ago about secrets wanting to be shared.
While looking for new stock for the shop, Xanthe hears the song of a copper chocolate pot. Soon after, she has an upsetting vision of Samuel in great danger, compelling her to make another journey to the past.
This time she'll meet her most dangerous adversary. This time her ability to travel to the past will be tested. This time she will discover her true destiny. Will that destiny allow her to return home? And will she be able to save Samuel when his own fate seems to be sealed?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In Brackston's pleasing follow-up to The Little Shop of Found Things, her supernaturally gifted heroine, Xanthe Westlake, goes back to the early 1600s, where she finds her lover under threat from a mysterious and powerful stranger. Xanthe and her mother, Flora, in the present, are working to make their small antique shop in Marlborough, England a success. But their efforts are put on the back burner when Xanthe, who has the power to sense the historical life of items in the shop, hears an antique chocolate pot singing to her and has a vision of her former lover Samuel, who she met when traveling to 1605 in the previous book, being imprisoned. The revelation pushes her to return to the 17th century, following the chocolate pot to a chocolate house, where she learns about the persecution of Catholics and dissenters. She also learns that Samuel is in the custody of Benedict Fairfax, a local aristocrat who knows more about Xanthe than she expected. As she tries to free Samuel, Xanthe becomes embroiled in the political turmoil of the time and fears she might not make it home or perhaps even want to return. Brackston's vibrant story is on firm historical ground, with period details woven in nicely. While the plot is less propulsive than the first book, Brackston's majestic time-swapping romance will please fans of Alice Hoffman.
Customer Reviews
Excellent!
So far this series is amazing. I definitely recommend it.
So disappointing
This is nothing like the Outlander series it was marketed after as the author decides to switch the Hero on us after giving us such a sweet heartfelt ending in the first book, with the hope of love across time. The book read as if the author decided in the middle of it to scratch this, and you can feel the jarring difference this decision made in the quality of the story. The decision was probably made to enable the author to add more books in the series and have the heroine travel to different times, but it sadly affected the continuity of the series for me. Which makes only the first novel work as it was marketed so. Needless to say, I lost interest 77% into the book when the H & heroine magically don't feel anything for one another anymore and she's gone, never even tells Hero from first book who she truly is but makes sure to tell the villain of the series. Go figure. So, I won't be continuing the series, especially if the "can't take no for an answer Liam" becomes the Hero of the series. Creepy vibes.