Book Description:

Bri Stone has it all: the man of her dreams and their surf-riding teenage son, a chocolate-loving best pal, an adorable beach bungalow, and a kicky job as a Southern California tour bus host. She also has a few things she did not ask for: a know-it-all friend, a snobby mother-in-law, and a Fabio-meets-Dilbert boss. All three of them seem eager to share their strong opinions and suspicions about Bri's relationship with her husband, Douglas.

My review:

Well I finally finished Chocolate Beach. It had a light-hearted fun theme, but a dragging plot. I loved the dialog and quirkiness of the character Bri, but at the same time wasn't sure where the story was heading. In the end I'd say I enjoyed the book, but felt it was lacking in action. There was plenty of activity going on in the story and fun incidences, but no real conflict unless you consider the weirdo boss and the nightmarish interior decorator. That was pretty hilarious.

The characters were all well done, but I never got to know them very well. Maybe that was limited by the first person POV. I'm not sure. At any rate, this is a nice, calm read with some cute humor, but the plot was lacking. Bri worried too much and didn't do anything about her concerns. And because of his behavior, her husband ended up being not that likable and was pretty much absent for the majority of the story. I felt bad for Bri.

Chocolate Beach was published by Bethany House and released in February 2007.