Which chocolate would you be? (The Chocolate Run - Dorothy Koomson)

Member Name: kingfisher111

Product:	The Chocolate Run - Dorothy Koomson
Date:	18/08/08 (202 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: very enjoyable read

Disadvantages: none!

The Chocolate Run is the third book I have read by Dorothy Koomson following My Best Friend's Girl and Marshmallows for Breakfast. This book is an earlier offering and I have to admit that at first I did not think I was going to enjoy it so much - it was a bit of a slow starter for me but by about half way through I was really hooked! It's a book that's well worth sticking with!

The book is told by the main character Amber Salpone. She is a thirty something with real commitment problems mainly due to a troubled upbringing which saw her witness the disintegration of her parent's own marriage. No relationship has lasted with Amber - that is until she gets together with Greg although this relationship is not without its complications. Greg and Amber have been great mates for years mainly due to the fact that their best friends Matt and Jen are seeing each other. They have generally made up a foursome but it has taken them a while to realise the attraction they feel for each other.

This book is all about the development of their relationship which has both ups and downs. Amber probably knows too much about Greg particularly the fact that she knows he is a serial womaniser (and that's putting it politely!). I really enjoyed seeing how things developed although at times it was a frustrating read as often I just wanted to shake the two main characters and make them communicate better with each other!

Having said that though I really loved the characters of both Amber and Greg. They really were immensely likeable, much more so than their two friends who had brought them together - Matt and Jen were both very flawed characters.

Amber is the sort of character who most women can probably identify with in one way or another - I've already said that she has relationship problems but she also struggles with her confidence in general and has particular issues with her weight. She can easily be hurt, often by her tactless friend Jen, and when in crisis turns to chocolate! Oh yes - Amber is a serious chocoholic - even down to smelling the wrappers - and is often seen to be off on a 'chocolate run' - hence the title! She also views everyone she knows in terms of the chocolates they most resemble. It's often amusing to see her thought process and also makes you wonder, as you are reading, what sort of chocolate you might be!

Greg could probably be described as a likeable rogue. He has a bit of a 'love 'em and leave 'em' reputation which is a bit unfairly earned. As he grows closer to Amber and opens up to her, it soon becomes apparent that there are reasons why he is like he is and all he needs is the love of a good woman in order to change!

This is the sort of story where nothing much happens in terms of action but everything happens in terms of emotions. The characters seem to suffer almost every emotion under the sun and you really are willing them to get it together and make it work! However there are lots of hurdles to overcome and also one or two nasty revelations to come to terms with. The question is whether they can overcome these in order to feel confident and trust each other. The author keeps you wondering to the very end as to whether they can make it and there are no automatic guarantees of happy endings! I'm definitely not going to tell you either!

The story is told by Amber and written in the first person. I really enjoy this type of storytelling as it enables the reader to get inside the main character's head and to really understand why they do the things they do. By the time I had finished reading I really felt that I had gone through the last few months of Amber's life with her and at times it was quite an emotional read.

The story is quite thought provoking particularly in it's examination of different types of relationships. However it does also have its lighter and more humourous moments particularly when Amber is with her two quite extreme work colleagues working on the West Yorkshire Film Festival. There were times in the book when I actually found myself laughing out loud!

All in all this is well written and very enjoyable book. As I read it I was amused, I was moved and I was always entertained! It's definitely a book I would recommend if you enjoy reading about people and their relationships.

The book is published by Sphere and has about 420 pages. I have the paperback version which is available on Amazon for £4.42.

Summary: A very enjoyable and moving book