We spend a chunk of every year in France, and we’re off tomorrow for this year’s chunk! Provence, where I’ll be doing a lot of research for the Rose series, Italy, where we’ll be taking a much-needed break, and Alsace and Paris. I’ll try to post some photos from time to time, but it can get tricky! In the meanwhile, here is a little glimpse of one of my favorite places along the Côte d’Azur, Haut de Cagnes, which along with Mougins was a major inspiration for Gabriel’s town of Sainte-Mère (in THE CHOCOLATE ROSE).

What are your summer plans?

All right, is this one of my Amélie-style eccentricities, or would it be fun for people to have a little giveaway post-France of some of the fun little things like this you can find in the markets? Or a sampling of some of the many flower-flavored things that fill the flower region around Grasse?

(And I know what you’re going to ask for instead, but the problem is: Chocolate melts! I can’t send that in July. My attempts at cold-packing have been disastrous. And hot guys do NOT fit in my suitcase. Plus, my husband objects to carrying those suitcases when they try.)

Ideas include: making dal and scrambled egg toasts. Wine. Provençal motifs. Anything to do with roses or jasmine or, of course, chocolate.

And particularly lots of good discussion questions. I’m having a lot of fun seeing people’s ideas. What would you ask as discussion questions for THE CHOCOLATE ROSE? Any clever ideas for things to do at the book club meeting?

But seriously! ARCs! Now, the publisher sends me all these proofs because I am supposed to pass them on to reviewers and interviewers. However, the Amazing Publicist at Kensington almost always FedExes copies to the interviewer before I even get there, so I always find myself with 5 or 6 arcs trailing around after the book is released, looking at me reproachfully and Feeling Wasted. So THIS TIME I have decided to Not Let That Happen. I’m heading straight to reader reviewers this time. If you would like to read this story early enough that you’re happy with a proof instead of a regular book AND if you are interested in reviewing it, send me an email with where you can review it (Amazon is good! BN, Kobo, iTunes, Goodreads, your blog, etc.), and I’ll select as many requests as I have ARCs to spare, by lottery. Since you won’t be able to post at most of those places until the book is actually released (July 30), my recommendation is to write it after you read it and save it, and I’ll send people an email on release day to remind you to put it up.

My email is laura AT lauraflorand DOT com.

This is Dominique Richard’s story.

Today’s glimpse is just a window, because to me you look at that and immediately want to be in the world where that window exists, don’t you? I do!

THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH EXCERPT:
It was a soft day, balmy and gentle, with clouds that hinted at rain but never quite delivered. The fresh lemon scent of lilies-of-the-valley was everywhere, as vendors wandered the streets or stationed themselves at prominent corners with buckets full of them, culled from the woods outside of Paris. Florists sold more formally acquired bunches of the muguets, in pots or bouquets, the little white bells dangling sweetly everywhere they looked.

Dom had bought her several bouquets already, after surviving having his heart broken into tiny pieces by the bouquet that Jaime had snuck into the bathroom while he was showering. No one ever, in his whole life, had given him a little bouquet of lilies-of-the-valley on May 1 to wish him fortune and happiness.

“Ça porte bonheur, oui?” she had asked shyly.

And it did bring happiness. Oh, it did.

It was amazing how much sweeter the muguets on every street corner smelled when someone had given some to you, too.

Also, just to keep you happy, another tryout for the role of Gabriel Delange, shared by Diligent and Devoted casting director Elaine. Still taking auditions!

Probably not.

Meanwhile, what do you think? Do you have a better candidate or does this one work for you? I think we should do tryouts.

Romantic Times calls Laura Florand’s writing “sensuous and sumptuous”, awarding her their Seal of Excellence, and NPR says it’s “explosive, sensual . . . and utterly sweet”.

Now, in the third book in the Amour et Chocolat series, a book USA Today calls “so romantic and sexy”, Florand takes us from Paris to summer in Provence, for the steamy encounter between top chef Gabriel Delange and the daughter of his worst enemy, Jolie Manon. Hot-tempered Gabriel isn’t above blackmail to get what he wants, but what he wants might very well be Jolie herself. Because in the heat and sun of Provence, where jasmine and roses climb up old colored walls and fountains play in ancient stone villages, even a beast can prove he is a prince at heart . . .

Praise for Laura Florand and her novels

“I adored this story…Paris, chocolate, and romance, all in one hilarious package.”—New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James

“It’s like when you find that amazing piece of chocolate — you take a bite, and it sits on your tongue and melts into a pool of liquid heaven.” – RT Book Reviews

“Seriously, get this book. Thank me later. Once you wash the melted chocolate off your hands…” – USA Today bestselling author Donna Kauffman

“Readers will devour this frothy, fun novel.” – Booklist

“Both sensual and sweet, a story that melts in your mouth.” – USA Today bestselling author Christie Ridgway

“One of the cleverest, most persuasive enemies-to-lovers stories I’ve read in a long time.”–Dear Author Recommended Read for The Chocolate Kiss

“A lovely confection of a contemporary romance.”–Dear Author Recommended Read for The Chocolate Thief

Other Works

All the books in the Amour et Chocolat series are stand-alone novels, but if you’re looking for the first one, check out The Chocolate Thief  (“a delectable summer bonbon” according to NPR).

The Chocolate Rose bridges two series, Amour et Chocolat with its French chocolatiers heroes, and La Vie en Roses, set in the perfume world of Provence. Want more of the Provençal world and families that are part of the La Vie en Roses series? Check out the novella Turning Up the Heat for Daniel and Léa’s story and make sure to sign up for Laura’s newsletter  to be alerted when Matt Rosier’s story is released.