Monday, February 17, 2025

About the Book

Book: Love and Chocolate

Author: Linda Shenton Matchett

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release date: September 13, 2024

She just needs a job. He wants a career. Is there room in their hearts for love?

Ilsa Krause and her siblings are stunned to discover their father left massive debt behind upon his death. To help pay off their creditors and save the farm, she takes a job at Beck’s Chocolates, the company her father despised and refused to supply with milk. Then she discovers her boss is Ernst Webber, her high school love who unceremoniously dumped her via letter from college. Could life get any more difficult?

A freshly-minted university diploma in his hand, Ernst Webber lands his dream job at Beck’s Chocolates. His plans to work his way up the ladder don’t include romantic entanglements, then Ilsa Krause walks back into his life resurrecting feelings he thought long dead. However, her animosity makes it clear she has no interest in giving him a second chance. Can he get her to change her mind? Does he want to?

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About the Author

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a former trustee for her local public library. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state and immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.

More from Linda

A couple of years ago while I was planning my upcoming writing projects, I knew I wanted to write a series of books about siblings but couldn’t decide where or went to set the stories. Lots of research later, I discovered the 1898 Columbian Exposition here in the United States and the various inventions associated with that event. Further study led me to Milton Hershey who attended that World’s Fair and was so enamored with the concept of chocolate production for the masses that he sold his caramel company to enter the chocolate business – a risky proposition at that time. As I read more about Milton and his wife Catherine “Kitty” Sweeney-Hershey, I knew I had the beginnings of a story.

The owner of Beck’s Chocolates in my latest release Love and Chocolate is inspired by Milton Hershey, and I enjoyed creating my own “company town,” Cocoaville in which to set the story. Taking place in 1914 prior to the beginning of World War I, the story explores the mixed feelings about German Americans that were prevalent at the time as well as themes of second chances and forgiveness.

In the early days of my career, I worked in a printed circuit board factory, but I knew nothing about chocolate or how to manufacture it. Research for Love and Chocolate included interviewing a close friend who is a chocolatier and trying various brands of chocolate to understand the difference in flavor and texture. Here are a few fun facts I learned about chocolate along the way:

The Aztecs and the Mayans were the first to realize the benefits of cacao beans, ground and soaked in water approximately 5,000 years ago.
Switzerland has the highest per capita chocolate consumption.
The smell of chocolate can help relax and reduce stress.
It takes two to four days to produce a single serving chocolate bar.
Cote d’Ivoire is the single largest producer of cocoa, providing roughly 40 percent of the world’s supply.
The world’s largest chocolate bar weighed over 12,000 pounds.
It takes about 400 cacao beans to make a pound of chocolate.
Cacao trees can live up to 100 years.

MY REVIEW

I have such a big craving for chocolate after resting this book. With great research the author describes what it is like to run a chocolate factory. Ilsa never dreamed that she would be working at the factory her father refused to sell milk to. Times have changed since his untimely death. The farm is in trouble and bills are piling up. Ilsa takes a job that she prays will get her family out of debt and save the farm. I admire her hard work and devotion to her siblings.

Ernst is all set to work at the chocolate factory as a leader. Waiting for him will be a journey to share his faith, repair a relationship and find happiness. When Ernst discovers that Ilsa is now an employee there he wants to clear the air between them.

Ilsa is struggling with faith and tells Ernst, “my faith is an illusion.” She is angry that God took her parents. Ernst is so thoughtful when he tells Ilsa “ questioning God doesn’t mean you don’t have faith.” He references people in the Bible who struggled with their faith. Having this conversation begins the journey to reconcile their friendship.

The author explores how hard it was for women to achieve a degree during this time period. They could be nurses, leaders or a teacher, but they were not allowed to be doctors, supervisors or even a principal. Women in the factory are starting to talk about unionizing. Why do they get paid less then men? There is also a problem looming for Ilsa. Jealousy is rearing its ugly head as rumors are spreading. Some think Ilsa is getting special treatment. I didn’t like the joke they pulled on her at her locker. It seemed petty and juvenile.

Things start to change at work when it is announced that management positions would be open for women to apply for. How exciting that there are men who see value in women in the workplace. I wonder just how much women had to fight to move up in a job during this time period?

Oh how I loved the message about joy in the story. God wants the best for us. He knows what we are going through and stands beside us as we struggle in life. But joy is there if we trust Him. Ilsa must find a way to be joyful and not worry what others think. She puts so much power on people’s opinions of her that she may lose out on happiness. Change can be hard if we don’t allow God to show us the growth we will have when we let go of fear.

I was going to share the ending but then I would ruin a great surprise. Jesus is there in the most glorious way as an unexpected danger threatens the managers of the factory. Be sure to grab a copy of this beautiful story of faith, joy and hope.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.