Chocolate Beach
by Julie Carobini
Published by Bethany House (February release)
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Reviewed by Amy Loos
Julie Carobini's Chocolate Beach is a delightful tale revolving around Brianna Stone's envious life. Bri's life is truly blessed with a well-brought-up, surf-riding teenager, a prominent attorney husband, the world's best friend and a home on the beach. So what could be wrong?
The walls in Bri's life begin to change color, both figuratively and literally as Bri begins to suspect that her husband, the love of her life, has grown tired of their sand-in-the-kitchen, flip-flop-wearing life. Like a woman charging after a fresh-baked pan of brownies, Bri sets out to turn her world upside down in order to show her husband that their marriage is valuable to her and that she'd do anything to keep that spark alive.
But when a decorator begins changing her family's kitschy beach-chic home into something resembling a cigar lounge, and her new hair highlights and wardrobe updates bring about unwanted feedback from her new boss, Bri begins to realize that although change is good, sometimes, when not directed by the Lord, change can lead to disastrous outcomes.
What I enjoyed most about Chocolate Beach was author Carobini's ability to make me feel as if I was reading about one of my own best friends. Bri Stone is a character who, like her flip-flops may be a little tattered around the edges but are well loved. Bri is a character who isn't afraid to call on the Lord in order to face the challenges laid before her. In fact if challenges means making more brownies, then Bri's mantra could easily be, "bring on the problems."
Chocolate Beach is an absolutely delightful read and could easily become every woman's guide on how to handle some of life's problems...God, family, best friends and best of all, brownies!
Armchair Interviews says: Delightful read.