Bittersweet Chocolate (The Swiss Chocolate Series Book 3)
$3.99
In the third and final installment of Martha Reynolds’s award-winning Chocolate series, Bernadette Maguire’s story is about to come full-circle… But is she ready for what her future holds?
It’s been five years since Bernie married Gary, a dear friend from the past and the true man of her dreams. Bernie now practices law in New York City, while Gary enjoys tenure as a German professor at the university, and they have a beautiful life together. But when Gary learns his job will be eliminated, then Swiss banker Karl Berset reaches out to Bernie with devastating news that could have far-reaching effects, it seems it may be time to return to Switzerland–at least for a while. Several years earlier, Bernie reconnected with Jean-Michel, the son she conceived nearly thirty years ago during her Fribourg dalliance with Karl, and he now has a family of his own. But a gene he may carry for a deadly genetic disease from a father he never knew could very well ruin his life and the lives of his children. Though he’s not the only one about to face a huge and terrifying change in the bittersweet conclusion of the beloved Chocolate saga…
ASIN : B00GW0GAYC
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : December 23, 2013
Edition : 2nd
Language : English
File size : 1.4 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 278 pages
Page Flip : Enabled
Book 3 of 3 : The Swiss Chocolate Series
Best Sellers Rank: #1,421,533 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store) #2,326 in Women’s Sagas #6,960 in Mothers & Children Fiction #8,447 in Saga Fiction
Customer Reviews: 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 52 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Cindy White Overton –
Sweet and slightly addictive
I’ve finished the Chocolate Series by Martha Reynolds, having just turned the last page of Bittersweet Chocolate. There were a number of weeks between my opportunities to read the entire trilogy, and I was happy to discover, as I began this last book, that it felt like I was greeting an old friend in Bernie Maguire. Ms. Reynolds has managed to flesh out her main character into a flawed but genuine woman who quietly worked her way into my imagination and my heart. Her saga from high school to deep middle age takes the reader on a bit of an emotional roller coaster, with enough downward spirals to leave you wondering if she would ever surface to normal levels again.Her intertwining of the lives of Jean Michel and his family, and the way she seamlessly integrated her past with her present and future allowed me to feel that I would miss Bernie once I closed the final book. This series has been a warm, sweet read, and has left me looking forward to more.
Nancy F. –
Great ending – and beginning…!
When Martha told me that she was going to put a little more focus on the men in this final book of the ‘Chocolate’ series, I was intrigued and eager to read the rest of the story. As it turned out, I read ‘Bittersweet Chocolate’ in one sitting – the perfect vacation book. I found new empathy for Karl; I ached at the unexpected turns for Gary; I celebrated the future prospects for Jean-Michel. And, of course, I followed every minute of Bernie’s journey with husband, son, and ghost from the past. Martha did a great job of bringing her characters to a place where we, her readers, are satisfied that they are going to be okay. Thanks for a wonderful story.
Amazon Customer –
Bittersweet? How about DARK chocolate, instead?
For the final installment (or so the author maintains) to the “Bernie” trilogy, we are greeted generally with a point of view from the men’s side of things, instead of the Bernie-centric view (I was not a huge fan of Bernie, anyway, so this is a positive for me!) in the previous two books. Martha does a pretty good job of presenting the world and the intricate relationships as the men would see and react to them. The book revolves around the characters of the older Karl, and his bastard son Michel, and deftly details their personal struggles – one, to redeem his life in the face of serious health issues, and the other to provide for his family and work to keep everything going in the right direction. Martha does a great job of presenting these two characters in all their glory, while still presenting us with their foibles.Martha wraps up the trilogy nicely with a feel good ending – all is going to work out it seems.I did not give the story a 5 star rating because I still feel Martha could have provided us with more – more development of some of the minor but very interesting characters (Gamil and Farad, Sophie and Paul), more character development through action and deed instead of exposition, and more chocolate, damnit – there HAS to be more chocolate.Though Martha truly surprised me with a GRR Martin type character development (You Game of Thrones aficionados will understand the reference), I did find her use of coincidence a little self serving. I also think she pulled back a little from the potential of the Michel and Dani relationship – that “could” have been a real bombshell!This is a good page turner, with plot and development moving quickly along, and with some characters you grow to really care for. It’s a good ending to a good series, and I look forward to the next opus from the pen (does anyone even write in pen?) for this emerging and interesting author.
madkitty23 –
A beautiful Bittersweet story!
The third and final book in Martha Reynolds’s trilogy, “Bittersweet Chocolate,” brings Bernadette Maguire and her family and friends full-circle. The author did a fabulous job with telling a gripping story, and the suspense made it quite a page turner.Ms. Reynolds was able to make unlikeable people likeable, and, without giving away any spoilers, the reader will be empathetic to the struggles of characters she previously disliked. Thirty years after Bernadette first arrived in Switzerland as a naïve student, she faces life’s joys and grief with eyes wide open. The characters are realistic and developed, their lives are normal and believable. A suspenseful story that will keep you turning the pages. Highly recommended!
Lane Ceylan –
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and the whole trilogy!
The book kept me interested and intrigued, and I wanted to find out what happened to the each of the characters! It’s one of those books, that makes you feel cozy and comfortable while you’re reading it, the way I feel when I read a Maeve Binchy book. You feel you really know the characters, especially by the end of the series, you’re invested in what’s happening to them!! Definitely read all three books in the series!!
AnnE. –
Fun read and I loved it.
I loved the first two books in this series and downloaded the third one as soon as it was available. I loved this one too. It was fun catching back up with the characters and their lives. I read the book in one setting because after I started it I couldn’t put it down. Another wonderful read from Martha and I will be watching for her next one.
GirlsWhoWearGlasses –
A fitting finish
Kudos to Martha Reynolds for rounding out her lovely ‘Chocolate’ series with this fitting conclusion. As a writer myself – and as a reader who has grown to love these characters – there were some things I found myself wanting to change. In the end, though, there was a symmetry to the story told by the three books that felt satisfying. Additionally, I was impressed by the depth developed in certain characters who could just as easily have remained two-dimensional. I won’t say more because I don’t like spoilers. Overall, this was one of the finest series I’ve read in recent years, and I especially appreciated the themes of acceptance, forgiveness and growth through change. Don’t let the sweet titles fool you; Martha Reynolds’ ‘Chocolate’ novels are mature tales, satisfying and full.