Review of The Hot Chocolate Hotel by Donna Ashcroft
Review of The Hot Chocolate Hotel by Donna Ashcroft
Release date: Nov 10, 2026
Publisher: Bookouture
REVIEW
It seems I often start a review of one of Donna Ashcroft’s novels with ‘this has got be my new favourite’ as I love her books! They always whisk me away to warm and cosy settings and introduce me to characters I care about—including the animal ones. Again, I have to say this is another that stole my heart and made me feel all kinds of emotions! The title The Hot Chocolate Hotel is a contemporary festive romance that conjures up warm, delicious, satisfying feelings and ideas. The cover is gorgeous, too, with its Christmas colours and garnishes. Plus there is atmosphere, snow, lights, presents and a poodle! Animals are always featured in Donna’s books and this little one is especially dear. We have a toy poodle (now 15 years and still going strong) with a gentle though vibrant personality and has posh refined tastes!
Lacey Dupont comes from a family with money but she is not a snob about it. In fact, she is quite the opposite. She is down to earth, wants to be useful (not pampered) and when she is at her engagement party to a man she does not love (picked out by her parents who remind her of what they owe this man who ‘saved’ them) she feels obligated to go along with her parents’ wishes. But standing in the middle of the event, she learns of her fiancé’s infidelity. The realisation of her life, hits her so hard that she needs to get away to breathe and figure out what to do next. And to probably gather courage to stand up for herself. ‘Leaving William Booker III at their engagement party was out of character for her. But…she had to escape the runaway train that her life had become.’ And because this was the first she went against her father’s wishes, she knew there would the dire consequences. When she jumped in her car, and headed in no particular direction, she ended up in a boutique hotel in the Highlands of Scotland. She wanders in late, exhausted and emotional, the receptionist feels sorry for her and sets her up in a room. In the morning Lacey comes down to pay only to discover she does not have her wallet which she must have left in the car that ran out of petrol.
Scott McRae is the owner of the hotel and he is not happy with her situation. He is not very pleasant man to start with. But he has his problems and we learn what they are and how it has affected him. he offers to take her over to and some a can of petrol to get her car, (probably because he wants to get her to pay her bill so it is not such a nice gesture as an ulterior motive) but they discover it is gone. She continues to conceal the fact of who she is and ends up working there to pay off her debt. But will there, her whole life begins to change.
While working together, since help is needed and a bill must be paid, an attraction develops between Scott and Lacey. Things are going well until a cold blast from the past and, a current one, come into town and turn everything upside. Lacey and Scott must deal with their nemeses before either of them can go forward. Identities are revealed (and transformed!) as these collisions happen but they are necessary catalyst for change. Painful for the characters but fun for the reader as these events make for some interesting fireworks in the plot!
This second book in the Honey Haven series is spicy and special. It features the popular romance tropes of Grumpy & Sunshine, Close Proximity and small town setting but it is not formulaic. As in all Donna’s books, she puts her own creative spin on these tropes that are used to demonstrate some very important topics like relationship control. The Hot Chocolate Hotel is brimming with warmth, love, sparkle and festive spirit. A romance erupts that is so right for these two who deserve real happiness that is not dictated by others. Loved, loved, loved this! It gave my heart a real boost of energy and feel-good emotions. An absolute romantic gem. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC.
