Champion Chocolatier

A Cocoa Christmas

by Amanda Zieba

Emmy is a thirty year old stuck in a dead end job she hates, but life takes a pleasantly unexpected turn when she wins a Facebook contest to own and operate a chocolate shop in northern Minnesota. When she leaves the big city for a fresh start (despite knowing nothing about business or candy making) fun, romance and little mystery follow. Will her new business succeed before the December thirty first deadline? Will the cute guy from the store-next-door add to her sweet rewards or will he only be a disaster-level distraction? Two tablespoons of big dreams, a dash of chocolaty goodness, and a pinch of love. Step inside Sweet Shores Chocolate Store and enjoy this winning story recipe.

Included is a sneak peek of book 2 in the Champion Chocolatier series, Reality Bites!

168 pages, Paperback

Published September 24, 2017

Reviews

[Kristin]

This was such a fun read! Kind of like a classic Hallmark movie but in the book form! Loved all the real places mentioned in Duluth as well as the recipes at the end. Since we’ve had seven snow days so far this school year, the book and hot chocolate recipe were great! I made the homemade hot chocolate many times and it was amazing!! Well done!!

[MaryLee Eischen]

This book was light reading. Easy plot line. Fun characters. Cool to have the location in Duluth, Minnesota.

[Sarah]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was realistic and believable. I am a sucker for a love story and admired the strength of the main character. Great book Amanda! I really enjoyed your writing.

[Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews]

First, I want to thank Amanda Zieba for providing me with this book to bring you this review.

Amanda Zieba had me craving chocolate after reading Champion Chocolatier. This was an adorable short read about Emmy who won a contest on Facebook to take over a candy shop. However, here is the comical part she doesn’t even like chocolate!!! Let alone know anything about business or how to make any candy! That right there made for an interesting read. Seriously, who doesn’t like chocolate?

The cover design on this book was very inviting with a cup of hot coco. Kudos to the graphic designer who designed the cover.

There were many times in this book where Amanda would reference something that would make me crack up laughing.

I really liked Eddie acted like a tour guide and showed her around town. There seemed to be a spark brewing between them.

At the end of the book Amanda incorporated some amazing candy recipes. I am a huge fan of caramels. So, Sandy’s Caramels looks so good.

[Brenda Castellano]

This book is a very enjoyable easy read. It's like reading a Hallmark movie. You know the outcome but it's fun to go along with the twists and turns.

[Sandy]

This is a charming book. Quick read, I read it in under 2 hours. Can’t wait to meet the author next month at the Charmant event In LaCrosse .

[Sarah]

This was my very first read by Amanda Zieba, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The characters were incredibly likable, and I loved following Emmy's adventures as she settles into Duluth and navigates the ins and outs of running a chocolate shop.

Admittedly, it was a little hard to believe at first that Emmy knows absolutely nothing about making chocolate candies—and doesn't even like chocolate!—yet is so determined to own this business. Still, her journey is incredibly engaging. I especially loved reading about the Duluth setting; the descriptions were wonderful and genuinely make me want to plan a visit there in the near future.

The story kept me on my toes, and I definitely wasn't expecting that plot twist at the end! Overall, this was a perfect cozy read, and I really hope to pick up the next book in the series soon.

[Sarah]

If you are you in the mood for something sweet and cute, look no further than the Champion Chocolatier by Amanda Zieba! This sweet novella is a winning combination of hope, perseverance, romance and of course, chocolate! For fans of Jenny Colgan and JoAnne Fluke, this Hallmark-like story is absolutely adorable and fun to read.

[Angela]

I felt so GOOD reading this contemporary fairy tale!

[Allie Cossette]

A very cute book! Quick and easy read that you don’t want to put down. Can’t wait to read the next ones.

[Avery Wopat]

Such a fun book!

[Tabatha Odens]

It was fun to read the stand out places from Duluth and the story was cute but quite a bit lighter than my usual read. Fairly predictable.

[Cari]

Makes me want to go back to Duluth for a weekend visit!

[Amy]

This was a fun, cozy romance perfect for fall and winter! The characters are fun and Emmy gets into humorous situations! I liked the beautiful descriptions of Duluth.

[Liz Mansky]

A perfect book to curl up with during the cold of winter. It helps transport your mind to a fun and happy place. Follow the series, you won't be disappointed.