"A solid pick for fans of historical romances combined with a heartbreaking mystery.” – Library Journal
San Francisco, 1953: Heartbroken over the mysterious death of her husband, Celina Savoia, a second-generation chocolatière, resolves to take their young son to Italy’s shimmering Amalfi coast to introduce him to his father’s family. Just as she embarks on a magical, romantic life of making chocolate by the sea surrounded by a loving family, she begins to suspect that her husband had a dark secret—forged in the final days of WWII—that could destroy the relationships she’s come to cherish.
While a second chance at love is tempting, the mystery of her husband’s true identity thwarts her efforts. Challenged to pursue the truth or lose the life she’s come to love, Celina and her late husband’s brother, Lauro, must trace the past to a remote, Peruvian cocoa region to face the deceit that threatens to shatter their lives.
In The Chocolatier, Jan Moran, an international bestselling author of the contemporary Summer Beach series, and the historical novels The Winemakers and Scent of Triumph from St. Martin's Press, offers a testament to the power of forgiveness and the resilience of love, along with insights into the world of chocolate-making. The Chocolatier is also available in audiobook. For readers of Danielle Steel, Renee Rosen, Susan Meissner, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Chanel Cleeton, and Gill Paul.
“A novel that gives fans of romantic sagas a compelling voice to follow.” – Booklist
“Jan Moran is the new queen of the epic romance.” – USA Today Bestselling Author Rebecca Forster
Excerpt:
One chocolate truffle had changed her destiny. Indeed, it was one of Celina’s best—a silky cocoa powder-dusted truffle filled with raspberry-infused, dark chocolate ganache and enrobed with a couverture, a layer of rich chocolate that melted optimally with the warmth of the body.
After she had offered one to a weary, dark-haired soldier who had just returned from the European front, he introduced himself as Tony Savoia, an Italian immigrant whose family had owned and operated Cioccolata Savoia before war rationing had made sugar difficult to obtain.
And so the journey begins...give yourself the gift of The Chocolatier now.
Whether you like immersive historical sagas or heartfelt contemporary women's series, JAN MORAN'S books will keep you up all night. The Midwest Book Review and Kirkus have recommended her books, calling her heroines "strong, complex, and resourceful." Booklist says she is a "compelling voice to follow."
Feel like a beach vacation? Reach for Seabreeze Inn in the village of Summer Beach. Chocolate lover? The Chocolatier is for you. Love the idea of visiting the wine country in Tuscany and Napa in the 1950s? Then The Winemakers is a must-read. Intrigued by the story of a French perfumer during WWII? Scent of Triumph is a heartbreaking and heartwarming saga. Slip into a story and be swept away. Enjoy Jan's storytelling in ebook, print, and audiobooks narrated by Erin Bennett. Jan's books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, including German, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Turkish, Polish, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Bulgarian, and others. Visit her at JanMoran.com.