Sweetly

I'm having a hard time rating this book. I did have really high hopes for it but it turned out to be an ok book.I really liked Pearce writing for the most part. It was a bit hard for me to get into the story at the begining but the mystery surrounding the characters made me want to read on.
 
I have a huge problem with the romance in this book and that's why I'm having trouble deciding how many stars to give it. The whole Samuel/Gretchen thing seemed really forced and really not necessary. I think that if Pearce would have left the romance out or maybe hint of a romantic relationship betweeen the two, the story wouldn't be affected.
 
I did enjoy the description of the town and the people in it very much. The chocolate shop and all the treats Sophia made really reminded me of Hansel and Gretel. I felt that Jackson Pearce incorporated some hints for the next book but they were really nicely done and with a delicacy that I really appreciate. So I'll be looking forward to read the other two.