4.5 stars

Warning: do not read this book if you’re hungry and have no delicious chocolate in the house! Sorry, had to get the practicalities out of the way first before I tell you how amazing and sensuous this book is (and that’s sensuous as in relating or affecting the senses, and not sexually gratifying - although it is a bit saucy at times)
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Chocolat is a wonderfully atmospheric story that’s sprinkled with just a little bit of magic and occasionally hinting at a darker underbelly... Essentially it’s the perfect read to get lost in on a chilly winter’s afternoon, as you enter Vianne’s chocolaterie and become enveloped in a warm, sugary, vanilla-scented atmosphere... sorry, just made myself hungry.
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Vianne and her daughter Anouk live a nomadic lifestyle, wandering through countries just like Vianne and her mother did before - but what are they running from? Perhaps a shadowy man who keeps appearing in their tarot deck, but it won’t prove so easy to escape him.
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I loved how Harris managed to walk the fine line between absorbing storytelling and whimsical atmosphere with more serious themes and darker tones - it’s not a frivolous read but still an enjoyable one. Plus her characterisation makes for fun reading - I’m a sucker for a feisty old lady character, and Armande is the epitome of that!
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If you’re looking for a delicious read with a touch of magic, look no further!