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Julia's Chocolates

Cathy Lamb (Goodreads Author)

3.84 · Rating details · 7,174 ratings · 882 reviews

"I left my wedding dress hanging in a tree somewhere in North Dakota. I don't know why that particular tree appealed to me. Perhaps it was because it looked as if it had given up and died years ago and was still standing because it didn't know what else to do..."

In her deliciously funny, heartfelt, and moving debut, Cathy Lamb introduces some of the most wonderfully eccentric wdo..."

In her deliciously funny, heartfelt, and moving debut, Cathy Lamb introduces some of the most wonderfully eccentric women since The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and The Secret Life of Bees, as she explores the many ways we find the road home.

From the moment Julia Bennett leaves her abusive Boston fiancé at the altar and her ugly wedding dress hanging from a tree in North Dakota, she knows she's driving away from the old Julia, but what she's driving toward is as messy and undefined as her own wounded soul. The old Julia dug her way out of a tortured, trailer park childhood with a monster of a mother. The new Julia will be found at her Aunt Lydia's rambling, hundred-year-old farmhouse outside Golden, Oregon.

There, among uppity chickens and toilet bowl planters, Julia is welcomed by an eccentric, warm, and often wise clan of women, including a psychic, a minister's unhappy wife, an abused mother of four, and Aunt Lydia herself--a woman who is as fierce and independent as they come. Meeting once a week for drinks and the baring of souls, it becomes clear that every woman holds secrets that keep her from happiness. But what will it take for them to brave becoming their true selves? For Julia, it's chocolate. All her life, baking has been her therapy and her refuge, a way to heal wounds and make friends. Nobody anywhere makes chocolates as good as Julia's, and now, chocolate just might change her life--and bring her love when she least expects it. But it can't keep her safe. As Julia gradually opens her heart to new life, new friendships, and a new man, the past is catching up to her. And this time, she will not be able to run but will have to face it head on.

Filled with warmth, love, and truth, Julia's Chocolates is an unforgettable novel of hope and healing that explores the hurts we keep deep in our hearts, the love that liberates us, the courage that defines us, and the chocolate that just might take us there.

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Paperback, 390 pages

Published May 1st 2007 by Kensington Publishing Corporation (first published January 1st 2007)

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Lists with This Book

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

Nouvelle Cuisine

351 books — 247 voters

Best Food Fiction

57 books — 52 voters

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Average rating 3.84 ·

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· 7,174 ratings · 882 reviews

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Jan 19, 2008 JanB rated it did not like it

Shelves: book-club

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I wanted to like this book, I really did but it was too cliched and trite, with too many stereotypes. While I applaud the author for dealing with serious issues the story was just silly. I like happy endings but not at the expense of at least a little realism. Out of 4 women, one repressed minister's wife leaves her small town for NYC to pursue her art and becomes a literal overnight success, a housekeeper leaves an abusive husband and has a book published practically instantly, one has her home ...more

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Nov 05, 2009 Sharon A. rated it it was ok

I'm not sure what to say about this book. I thought some of the characters and situations were contrived, the confrontations and conversations overblown and silly, and the wrap-ups too pat. However, I consumed this book during a weekend trip with my husband. I read for the entire trip there, every spare moment in the hotel, and the entire trip home.

So what does that say? That while I rolled my eyes throughout much of it, I am a sucker for a happy ending.

I do have one question. Why is it, in ne ...more

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Jan 25, 2013 Book Concierge rated it did not like it

Shelves: terrible, cooking, concierge, library, zero-stars, women-writers, chick-lit, oregon

ZERO stars

One of the worst books I’ve ever read; I finished only because I needed it for a couple of challenges.

I had heard it compared to The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood or The Secret Life of Bees. And the book actually starts with a pretty good first sentence: I left my wedding dress hanging in a tree somewhere in North Dakota. Unfortunately it quickly goes downhill.

Julia Bennett has left her incredibly wealthy, violent, abusive fiancé on her wedding day, driving cross-country to her Aunt Lydia’s home in ...more

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Jul 01, 2013 Dana rated it it was amazing

I made a new rule in my house about my non battery operated reading material.. If I put a Pink Ribbon around a Book it is not to be moved... touched... donated (hey I have donated literally HUNDREDS of books so I'm entitled to keep a few ) lent or ANYTHING it means THAT much to me... I put my first pink ribbon around Cathy Lamb's Julia's Chocolates.. I was sent this book right after our devastation of Sandy. For awhile when I would pick it up to read it ..I would cry... I now know why... it remi ...more

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Jan 30, 2009 Diane rated it it was ok

Julia Bennett is the central character in this book. She has lived with abuse all of her life with her alcoholic mother and her many boyfriends, and she is reliving it all over again with her fiancé Robert. Finally, one day after being abused she sees the light and decides to leave before her wedding and go to look for refuge with her Aunt Lydia, a woman who has tried to help her in the past.

In living with Lydia, Julia also gets to know a group of women who will help her find herself and heal h ...more

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Jan 14, 2011 C.H. Armstrong rated it it was amazing

I think I've found a new favorite author. This is the second book by Cathy Lamb I've read, and I can't decide which one I like better. She's such a fantastic author and her books really grab ahold of me.

What is so appealing about this book? Pretty much everything. You have Julia, a young woman who escapes an abusive relationship on her wedding day and moves in with her eccentric Aunt Lydia, who unapologetically hosts women's sexuality "meetings" at her home and grows pot in the basem ...more

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Nov 18, 2013 Britany rated it it was ok

The opening line of this book was the best thing about the whole thing. "I left my wedding dress hanging in a tree somewhere in North Dakota..."

Julia Bennett runs away on her wedding day from an abusive relationship, into her aunt Lydia's kooky world of giant pigs, farm life, and weekly psychic nights with Lydia's friends. Riddled with many issues, abuse, child neglect, communication, cancer, trust, alcoholism, and mostly figuring out that love completes even the most broken individu ...more

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Oct 03, 2009 Gail rated it it was amazing

In the first line, Julia tells us she leaves her wedding dress hanging from a tree in North Dakota, as she leaves Boston and drives away from her abusive and dangerous fiance on their wedding day. Her black eye a reminder of how narrowly she escaped a marriage of abuse and humiliation.

She goes to her Aunt Lydia, a feisty, strong, eccentric woman who lives on a farm in Golden Oregon. In this small town, Julia with her big boobs, wild hair, and damaged psyche, finds friendship, safety, ...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Andree marked it as did-not-finish

DNFing this on page 63. I just, I can't.

It's not the subject matter that's the problem. I'm all for books about women fleeing abusive relationships by fleeing to the safety of their quirky aunt, and her apparent seance group (I am sure this book is about more than that, but as I said I only got to page 63). I just can't deal with the writing style. I can't deal with one more mention of breasts (or any of the euphemisms for them), or about how men are pricks (63 pages in and I'm sure this has be ...more

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Jul 21, 2009 Tara rated it did not like it

I read this because it was recommended by a friend who could not stop raving about it. I was horrified to read it and to find that I not only didn't like it, but that I hated it. To me, it was like the writer composed what she thought was a recipe for a great book, and followed it step by step to get the desired result. Not only was the chocolate metaphor overdone, but the characters were totally unrealistic, as was much of the dialogue. Most of it was a cliche, from the horrible, abusive boyfri ...more

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May 05, 2010 Amy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary-romances, favorite-books-anthologies, books-i-own

Julia Bennett is a single 34 yr. old woman who's having a life crisis. She had a troubled childhood growing up with an abusive mother who was a drug addict and slept around. Her mother would neglect her and also bring home boyfriends who abused Julia either physically or tried to sexually molest her. Julia used to hang out at the library or the park alot sometimes sleeping there when things got too bad and her teachers and others would pitch in and bring her meals or buy her new clothes, since h Julia Bennett is a single 34 yr. old woman who's having a life crisis. She had a troubled childhood growing up with an abusive mother who was a drug addict and slept around. Her mother would neglect her and also bring home boyfriends who abused Julia either physically or tried to sexually molest her. Julia used to hang out at the library or the park alot sometimes sleeping there when things got too bad and her teachers and others would pitch in and bring her meals or buy her new clothes, since her mother didn't seem to care. Her one bright spot in her life was the time she got to spend with her Aunt Lydia at her farm in Oregon most summers. Aunt Lydia tried several times to get custody of Julia but was unable to win and Julia's mom didn't want Lydia to raise her out of spite.

Now that Julia's all grown up she was involved with an abusive man of her own, he was sweet at first then started ordering her around and demanding she stop seeing her friends, belittling her weight and her looks, calling her awful nicknames and telling her he cares about her even when he's beating the living hell out of her when he's angry.

In Robert's eyes she can do nothing right, and she wouldn't go elsewhere because who would have her. She's lucky she's with him. Yeah right. So because of her past and his constant abuse, she's terrified of their coming wedding and one night she up and takes off going cross country leaving him behind and her ugly wedding dress hanging on a tree. She flees to her Aunt Lydia's and tells her the whole story.

Aunt Lydia immediately takes her in and seeing her niece's black eye and swollen battered face vows that she'll be safe in her care. She also apologizes to Julia for not doing more in the past to save her from the abuse her mother subjected her to.

Julia then meets Lydia's friends: her lover Stash, his ranch hands, and her Psychic Night pals, Katie (an abused wife with a unemployed drunken lout for a husband and mother of 4 kids), Lara (an overworked and overstressed wife of the local pastor who secretly dreams of being a successful artist), and Caroline (who is the clairvoyant who does readings for them and keeps mostly to herself preferring to live frugally), and Dean who is a successful lawyer and farm owner who is interested in Julia from the first day they met. Each person has their own secrets as Julia finds out as she gets to know each and every one of them better, they all become really good friends and all work to help her and each other with their issues.

Julia soon gets a newspaper delivery route that takes her straight to Dean's house, so they see each other daily and they hit it off but she's scared to get too close because of her past and also she's afraid that her ex will track her down and get her. Dean is very supportive and protective of Julia and gently nudges her to be less fearful and more proactive and daring.

Julia also helps out her Aunt Lydia on her farm taking care of the animals, the pigs and chickens mostly, and makes her chocolates in her spare time for family and friends. She likes to cook and making things with chocolate seems to take her mind off her troubles and helps her heal.

Julia is also having panic attacks where her heart is racing, she gets cold and she can't breathe on occasion that stem from her abuse with Robert and her childhood as well. She thinks she's got some "dread disease" and will be dying but she tries to keep this a secret, she doesn't want to worry anyone else with this.

Having decided she needs another job, she gets a job hosting a story hour at a local library and meets two siblings, Shawn and Carrie Lynn whose home life is alot like hers was with her mom. She tries to help out, bringing them food and clothes, calling social services but they don't do anything until one night Shawn and Carrie Lynn get beat up by one of their mom's boyfriends that they end up in the hospital. Julia applies for custody of them and with Lydia, Stash, and Dean's help she gets guardianship over them so they come live with her at Lydia's.

Julia also helps Katie and her kids leave her husband and get a place of their own with the help of Stash and his men. She also helps Lara develop the courage to leave town and find herself for awhile focusing only on her art. She spends alot of time with Caroline as well getting to know her and then her Aunt Lydia gets sick with breast cancer. She leans alot on her relationship with the kids and Dean, even though she still is fearful of committing to Dean just yet. Stash takes care of Lydia and everyone helps out, till she's better.

Robert, Julia's abusive ex does come back and threatens Julia but Caroline and her friends help out to save her before something bad happens.

I loved this book....it was quirky and funny, and yet sad and inspirational at times too. Loved her Aunt Lydia....she's the best! :) ...more

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May 05, 2013 Sherry Gorman rated it it was amazing

“I left my wedding dress hanging on a tree somewhere in North Dakota.”

These are the captivating words Cathy Lamb selected to begin her wonderfully crafted novel, Julia’s Chocolates. The mental image of a pristine wedding dress hanging limply from a lonely tree in the middle of nowhere is nothing short of genius. From that sentence on, I had to know what one has to do with the other.

Julia Bennett is no stranger to abuse. Growing up neglected by her mother and abused at the hands of h “I left my wedding dress hanging on a tree somewhere in North Dakota.”

These are the captivating words Cathy Lamb selected to begin her wonderfully crafted novel, Julia’s Chocolates. The mental image of a pristine wedding dress hanging limply from a lonely tree in the middle of nowhere is nothing short of genius. From that sentence on, I had to know what one has to do with the other.

Julia Bennett is no stranger to abuse. Growing up neglected by her mother and abused at the hands of her mother’s train of boyfriends, Julia finds herself trapped in a repeat the cycle with her fiancée, Robert. After years of enduring physical, sexual, and verbal insults at the hands of the man she is about to marry, Julia has a moment of clarity on the day of her wedding. She reacts by fleeing to the sanctity of her beloved Aunt Lydia’s farm in a small Oregon town. On her way across the country, Julia stops in North Dakota and heaves her wedding gown over a roadside tree.

At Aunt Lydia’s eccentric farm, the story unfolds when five flawed women come together to offer one another love and support. Each character is delightfully unique and colorful. Julia, who is overweight, cursed with massive breasts, and afraid to love another man uses the creation of chocolate masterpieces as an escape. Aunt Lydia grows her own marijuana, keeps the love of her life at arms length, and embraces the female spirit in a host of hilarious scenes. Katie works herself ragged to support her children and her alcoholic husband. At the same time, she does her best to shield her kids from their cruel and selfish father. Lara, a prim and proper closet alcoholic, grew up brainwashed and intimidated by the constant barrage of Christianity forcefully imposed upon her by her father. She frees herself from her father’s control only to marry the town pastor. Attempting to be the perfect wife, Lara is slowly dying inside. Caroline is the quirky town psychic with an uncontrollable twitchy eye.

Through their weekly rendezvous referred to as “psychic nights” the women develop deep bonds with one another. They also begin individual journeys of self-discovery and tackle the demons that have held them hostage for so much of their lives.

Julia’s Chocolates is a novel that addresses a host of serious issues: body image, sexual, physical and emotional abuse, alcoholism, homosexuality, domination through religion, and stalking. Yet the real story is the beauty of the female spirit. The characters aren’t perfect, each of their lives messed up to varying degrees, and they all must sort through the issues that haunt them. But they do it together. With the support of one another, each woman emerges stronger as they venture down the road of self-discovery. In a world where women seldom unite to display solidarity and pride in the female sex, this book is an inspiration. Through the most unlikely cast of characters, Lamb shows the reader the power and resilience of the female spirit and the pure beauty of the bond of womanhood.

After reading this novel, I am in awe of Cathy Lamb. The woman has an incredible gift – the uncanny ability to bring the most bizarre characters and imagery together and create a masterpiece. Lamb combines an eclectic mix of humor, tragedy, abuse, victimization, and outrageous scenarios to create a story that on the surface is pure entertainment, but woven into all of this is a much deeper message.

Cathy Lamb has a style all her own, and her writing skills are superb. Beyond that, it’s the uninhibited craziness that she’s not afraid to introduce into the story that makes me love her work. It wasn’t until after I completed the book and started looking into Cathy’s blog that I learned that Julia’s Chocolate was her debut novel. If Julia’s Chocolates was her starting point, I can only imagine where she has gone from there. I am a true fan, and will continue to read her other books. Thank you, Cathy, for being you and for allowing the rest of us to share in your feisty spirit.

Julia’s Chocolates, ★★★★★

Disclaimer: I purchased Julia’s Chocolates from Amazon. I did not receive any compensation or endorsement for my review. It is an honest, unbiased assessment of the author’s work.
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Jul 11, 2010 Marilyn Brant rated it it was amazing

In the character of Julia, Cathy Lamb has created a woman who is warm, funny, unique...and quite literally on the road to self-discovery. After leaving her abusive fiance at the altar in Boston (and her wedding veil on a gnarled tree in North Dakota), Julia keeps driving West until she gets to her aunt's house in Oregon. When she gets there, she meets a community full of quirky, offbeat characters, who show her what it means to support each other, value themselves and honor their passions.

For J ...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Connie rated it liked it

Shelves: book-club-reads, 2013, recomended-friends-5-stars-tbr, on-kindle

This is my first Cathy Lamb book but I see more to come in my future.
What I thought would be a "modern day chick book" actually had a bit more substance than I expected. It dealt with image issues, abusive relationships and so much more. But beneath it all it was a story about women...their value and their friendships.

Often very humorous, with some over the top characters this book took me on a delightful journey with Julia as she runs away from her life to find out who she r ...more

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Jun 09, 2015 Krissy rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: pgs-300-399, imperfect-heroine, dnf, lawlz

I just couldn't get into it so this was a DNF for me

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Apr 23, 2018 Rebecca rated it did not like it

This title is completely misleading. If you'd like lovely descriptions of chocolate and how chocolate pulls Julia into a new life-- nope, not here folks. Instead all the description and vivid imagary is in abuse of all kinds, including rape. Taking away the title _Julia's Chocolates_, and maybe calling it Men Are Pricks or Psychic Women Night would be more fair to the storyline. The book does depict stories of survival and hard themes such as abuse, love, acceptance and being authentic.

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Jan 04, 2019 Lisa rated it it was amazing

LOVE LOVE LOVE Cathy Lamb. I love the way she writes and empowers women in all of her books.

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Apr 24, 2009 Karen rated it really liked it

Well, I finished Julia's Chocolates and I enjoyed it. Whenever I finish a book,if I liked the characters and will miss them a bit then I've enjoyed the story. There sure were plenty of problems in this book and it touches on a ton of social issues. However, it also focuses on the fact that community and support networks are wonderful and very important things. Women can help other women if their hearts are open, fearless and judgment free. I laughed, I cried and I reflected. Above all, I felt a ...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Stephany G rated it liked it

I really love Chick Lit, but this one would just be between "OK" and "Liked it" for me. I am a harsh judge it seems but this book was over the top. Too much going on, the main story would have been more enjoyable if the whole book was a little simplified. Julia decides to leave her abusive fiance before the wedding at the beginning of the book and runs to her Aunt in a small town knowing he will follow eventually and get even with her. Her way of coping, and her gift in life, is chocolate making ...more

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May 18, 2010 Gina Hott rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: goodreads-swapout

I'm not sure what I did more while reading this book - laugh or cry. It's enlightening, humiliating, and completely enthralling!

It was amazing to me after suffering from the 'Dread Disease' myself that I could laugh when Julia contracts it and hides it from everyone - as did I. (Don't worry it's just panic attacks!) I reread and reread the description of Lydia's sprawling farm with the toilet planters and concrete pigs - mostly because the tears in my eyes kept messing with the words ...more

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Feb 02, 2010 Jan rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-copy, chicklit, humor

Julia left her wedding dress hanging in a tree and her abusive relationship in Boston on her way to Golden, Oregon, home of her mother's half sister, the quirkiest of them all, to find herself. Eccentric, Aunt Lydia "grounds" Julia while surrounding her with love, friends, farm animals and the chores they create. Those friends include a psychic with secrets, a minister's very unhappy wife and an abused mother of four. This oddball group gather strength from each other and are able to bare their ...more

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Apr 10, 2010 Mrs. Schatz rated it it was amazing

At the beginning I doubted why I had picked this book to read. Then Julia began to make friends and let herself heal. It was a story of 5 women who needed to overcome obstacles, humougous & to some people insurmountable, but they did. They did with love, friendship, laughter, and inner strength. Aunt Lydia knows how to channel a woman's inner strength with her Pyschic Nights and women's bodies. It made me laugh, cry, and cherish my women friends and love my husband even more. Great read!!! ...more

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Apr 20, 2014 Marli rated it it was amazing

Full of quirky characters and deliciously out spoken taboo subjects, I loved this book. There was also the frightening stalking element and details of abuse that were painful to read. Cathy Lamb has such a way of dealing with and doling out punishments for characters who are complete scum. It is such a satisfying experience to have them so completely crushed. Such a thing hardly happens in real life. *Spoiler Alert* I appreciate how Julia made her stand but couldn't quite believe she would be so ...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Carmen Blankenship rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adored, heart-wrenching

This book introduced me to one of my favorite authors. I devoured everything else she wrote within a month. I will not give away the plot. It is a story of going home, domestic violence, self loathing, and self love, and HILARIOUS relatives. It takes a special type of writer to be able to touch on the nerve of domestic violence. You feel the terror and the sadness but you also feel the healing of Julia. In all of Cathy's books I laugh, I cry, and rejoice... did I mention laugh? Cathy Lamb is one ...more

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May 14, 2009 Shelby *trains flying monkeys* rated it really liked it

Shelves: funny-shit, read-2009, southern-lit

So this book was a bit predictible and happily ever after doesn't always happen. I still liked it. Colorful, strong women characters. Aunt Lydia's character was my very favorite. I want to be just like her when I grow up. Heck I'm wanting to put out some cement pigs with certain peoples names on them right now! :)

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Mar 01, 2013 Bridget Mazzocca rated it it was amazing

Sometimes a girl just needs a good old fashioned "women who overcome obstacles and come out on top" type of book. This is exactly that!! I thoroughly enjoyed this one! It was just such a perfect girlie book! Also my first from Lamb but not my last.....Introduction to a new favorite author...SUCCESS!

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Oct 21, 2016 Csilla Cabot rated it it was amazing

I honestly loved this book. "It is quirky, fun, fast paced and the first chapter alone will have you laughing. "If you have seen the movie Peace,Love and Misunderstanding... you'll love this book. I have vowed to hold onto this one to reread it anytime I need a good chuckle or pick me up.

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Jul 13, 2017 *The Angry Reader* rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2017

I liked the female characters, the fast moving story, the sweet romance. I hated the talk of vagina vagina vagina. I'm a somewhat reserved person. And there's no way I'm going to be flaunting my vagina at a dinner party. Ever.

Julia escapes a bad relationship by driving cross-country to the home of her Aunt Lydia. Lydia has a farm, a booming voice and a large personality. The scenes with her were so contrived and so uncomfortable they ruined the book for me. Some of the scenes without ...more

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Oct 26, 2019 Antonio rated it it was amazing

Shelves: family-drama, violence, coming-of-age, depression, emotional-drama, abuse, revenge, romantic-drama, mentally-ill, disability

Its easy to see why this book has such varied reviews, most of the content makes you cringe, either with embarrassment at the blunt descriptions of the female anatomy, and horrific sexual assault, or disbelief as to the amount of violent abuse that occurs to the woman children and animals in the story.
When you get past the violence you get a quaint story of a group of woman joining together to overcome their fears finding new reasons to enjoy life and tapping the skills that they always possess ...more

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Jul 28, 2018 Kathy Nyman rated it really liked it

This was my first Cathy Lamb book and I loved it. I loved quirky Aunt Lydia and her pigs and Psychic nights, I loved Julia’s strength and compassion for the children and her friends. I laughed,I cried and I recommend it to friends.

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Play Book Tag: Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb	4	14	Jun 24, 2018 07:37AM
Bookworm Bitches : February 2014: Julia's Chocolates	23	192	Dec 11, 2016 06:07PM
Around the Year i...: Julia's Chocolates, by Cathy Lamb	4	30	Dec 10, 2015 06:12PM
Sinopsis en Español // Synopsis in Spanish	1	1	Mar 22, 2015 10:40AM
predictable?	4	25	Feb 28, 2014 04:01AM
Goodreads Librari...: correction of detail in a review.	2	28	Nov 28, 2013 07:14AM

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About Cathy Lamb

Cathy Lamb

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Cathy Lamb was born in Newport Beach, California. As a child, she mastered the art of skateboarding, catching butterflies in bottles, and riding her bike with no hands. When she was 10, her parents moved her, two sisters, a brother, and two poorly behaved dogs to Oregon before she could fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a surfer bum.

She then embarked on her notable academic career Cathy Lamb was born in Newport Beach, California. As a child, she mastered the art of skateboarding, catching butterflies in bottles, and riding her bike with no hands. When she was 10, her parents moved her, two sisters, a brother, and two poorly behaved dogs to Oregon before she could fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a surfer bum.

She then embarked on her notable academic career where she earned good grades now and then, spent a great deal of time daydreaming, ran wild with a number of friends, and landed on the newspaper staff in high school. When she saw her byline above an article about people making out in the hallways of the high school, she knew she had found her true calling.

After two years of partying at the University of Oregon, she settled down for the next three years and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education, and became a fourth grade teacher. It was difficult for her to become proper and conservative but she threw out her red cowboy boots and persevered. She had no choice. She had to eat, and health insurance is expensive.

She met her husband on a blind date. A mutual friend who was an undercover vice cop busting drug dealers set them up. It was love at third sight.

Teaching children about the Oregon Trail and multiplication facts amused her until she became so gigantically pregnant with twins she looked like a small cow and could barely walk. With a three year old at home, she decided it was time to make a graceful exit and waddle on out. She left school one day and never went back. She likes to think her students missed her.

When Cathy was no longer smothered in diapers and pacifiers, she took a turn onto the hazardous road of freelance writing and wrote almost 200 articles on homes, home décor, people and fashion for a local newspaper. As she is not fashionable and can hardly stand to shop, it was an eye opener for her to find that some women actually do obsess about what to wear. She also learned it would probably be more relaxing to slam a hammer against one’s forehead than engage in a large and costly home remodeling project.

Cathy suffers from, “I Would Rather Play Than Work Disease” which prevents her from getting much work done unless she has a threatening deadline. She likes to hang with family and friends, walk, eat chocolate, camp, travel, and is slightly obsessive about the types of books she reads. She also likes to be left alone a lot so she can hear all the odd characters in her head talk to each other and then transfer that oddness to paper. The characters usually don’t start to talk until 10:00 at night, however, so she is often up ‘til 2:00 in the morning with them. That is her excuse for being cranky.

She adores her children and husband, except when he refuses to take his dirty shoes off and walks on the carpet. She will ski because her children insist, but she secretly doesn’t like it at all. Too cold and she falls all the time.

She is currently working on her next book and isn’t sleeping much. ...more