For The Love Of Hot Cocoa Book Tour
Cover Blurb
Is it possible for a simple café owner and a disgruntled prince to find magic at the Snow Solstice Festival?
All Icelyn wants is for her little café to be successful. But opening across from Mother Maude’s could have been her
first mistake. Icelyn and her pet dragon have escaped the clutches of her cruel family just in time for the Snow Solstice Festival. Her best friend convinces her to accept the contract to supply her baked goods and hot cocoa for the festival.
“It will be good for business,” she said ...
But when Icelyn agrees to be a part of a fake relationship, her world is turned upside down ... her life and café are
sabotaged at every turn.
“It will be good for business,” she said ...
Icelyn watches her life and business fall apart with every decision she makes. Will she be able to save herself and
her café before they’re both nothing more than crumbles from her Caramel Apple cookies?
Prince Colden should have known better. Sure he wanted his father to give him more responsibility. But to be in
charge of this year’s Snow Solstice Festival? That wasn’t exactly what he wanted. He definitely didn’t expect his
father’s ultimatum— the proverbial icing on the cake.
That is until his Captain of the Guard and best friend handed him a mug of hot cocoa. One sip was all it took. It was more than delicious—it was magical.
A perfect solution to his father’s ultimatum. All Colden had to do was find who made the hot cocoa. Simple.
That is until he meets Icelyn. Beautiful, intelligent, stubborn. Very stubborn.
The one person capable of showing him the festival’s importance to the townsfolk. His people. How easy it would be to fall in love with her. But he was already in love with someone he has yet to meet ...
Will Colden make the right choice ... Icelyn or for the love of hot cocoa?
Other Titles By the Author
Stephanie Clemens
Author Bio
Stephanie K Clemens is known for many things: an author, photographer, dog mom, instagrammer, adventurer, teacher, lawyer, and more. When she’s not sitting behind her laptop she can be found on some adventure. Most of the time it’s a road trip with her two doggos, but recently it has been in the pages of a book.
The Book Tour
Day 1 - Favourite Quotes
Day 2 - Character Summaries
Icelyn: A gentle and unassuming young woman, who doesn’t fully recognise her own worth. She is a Cinderella type figure, hampered and suppressed by her stepmother and it’s wonderful as the story progresses to see her finally getting her time to shine. (Michelle Marshall)
Prince Colden: I quite like Prince Colden in this. He’s a little simple, but he’s well-meaning and I understand his reticence. I did guffaw somewhat at his being chased all round town because he is expected to marry! I particularly enjoyed his cluelessness. He decides he wants to marry the person who made his cocoa, not knowing who they were, but then he meets Icelyn in the forest, not knowing that she is the cocoa maker, and falls in love with her. Then he descends into a ton of internal angst because he thinks he’s fallen in love with two people. He's a good prince, able to reflect and learn. I liked him. (Eryn McConnell)
Icelyn: A true fairytale heroine for the modern era. Icelyn is as sweet as the cocoa she serves. I couldn’t help comparing her with the character of Cinderella and like with that character, I was willing her on to get her much deserved happy ending. (Eileen Tilley)
Holly and Douglas: Holly and Douglas are joint winners for my most memorable characters. They show what true friendship is about. Both seed to bolster their friend – Holly helps Icelyn to see that the magic comes from within her, and not in some talisman or object, while Douglas help Colton to see that love can be found right in front his nose – and isn’t dependent on some mysterious feat performed by a mysterious hot cocoa maker. And while both are very supportive of their friends, they also realise the value of letting them work through problems themselves – to encourage them to realise their own strengths. (Phoebe Wilby)
Icelyn: Icelyn, as the main character, is probably the one that most readers will fall in love with. Easily identifiable as a modern day magical Cinders, we know the tale of old - she is kept away from the real world by her cruel family, as if it is necessary to be hidden from sight at all times. Buoyed by the popularity of her baked goods and hot cocoa recipes from her stall at the Wynterfell Snow Solstice Festival, her confidence in herself and her abilities grows along with business. The more we learn about her murky past, the more we want her to succeed. We want her to accept help to turn her life around, realising her potential to have everything! At times she can be very stubborn, and perhaps naive, this is not her fault, but fault of her unusual upbringing. I just love her best friend Holly, and of course Ember, her pet dragon! (Yvonne Marrs)
Holly: My favourite character was Holly. Icelyn is a strong character of course, and is the main protagonist, but really her constant cheerleader and true friend is Holly. Even before things fall apart, Holly has Icelyn’s back as demonstrated by her help in the shop, taking care of Ember, etc. When Icelyn meets the prince, and all the obstacles start befalling her, Holly goes into full support mode. She not only helps with the shop, but she helps with navigating the event and Icelyn and Colden’s feelings for each other. She shows more wisdom than Icelyn on more than one occasion; yet she knows to leave it to her friend to realize things on her own. I found Holly and Douglas’s relationship to be wholesome and cute; I wish we’d seen more of their relationship too! Everything about Holly is loveable. When she comforts Icelyn about her mom’s recipe book and tells her the magic was within her all along, she shows true wisdom and helps her friend in her grief and to realize her own power. Holly is the best friend one can only hope for once in a lifetime. Her character development is fairly constant, but she truly is the wiser one of the group; hence her character arc isn’t what stands out– it’s her personality. (Sophie Jupillat Posey)
I love the characters in this story, they all have great personalities and are really well developed making them an instant hit with the reader. I found myself completely torn between choosing Icelyn and Prince Colden as my favourite as they both have qualities that are endearing, as well as little quirks and habits that are simply heart warming and give credibility. And so as I can't make a decision... I'm picking Ember the Dragon...hey it's an adorable Dragon and as everyone knows I am Dragon crazy and this particular dragon is called Ember, a reminder of my feline companion also called Ember...great name! (Kirsty McKay)
Day 3 - Favourite Excerpts
The sun encouraged the sleepy town to wake up as the light filtered through the trees and buildings, causing the snow to glisten like fairy dust. Icelyn loved the magic that mornings brought with them. There was something special about the soft morning light that made her feel like every sunrise was a fresh start, a new beginning, a time to reinvest in her dreams. (Eileen Tilley)
“In four days, it will be the last day of the festival, and the final event will be the hot cocoa competition. The winner of the event will become my consort. I will judge the competition myself. That way the winner will be the one who makes the cocoa I tasted a week ago and again tonight.” A murmur swept through the crowd. Most could not believe what they were hearing. This would be an opportunity for anyone to become the next consort to the king, the next ruler of Wynterfell. “Son, you cannot choose your partner in life based on hot cocoa. What are you thinking?” “What am I thinking? You’re the one who gave me this ridiculous ultimatum. I’ve tasted things this week that make me feel like the person who made it knows me better than anyone else. And they’ve never met me in person. So, this is my response to your ultimatum.” Colden waved at the crowd as he spoke to his father through a pasted-on smile. “Everyone gets what they want in the end, right? That was your goal.” (Eryn McConnell)
He wanted the festival to be the perfect escape into a familiar and cozy world. He could picture this park decorated with twinkling lights along the pathway leading to town. In town he could see all the festive stands with happy people selling their wares. Every stall filled with goodies, art, crafts, clothes, furniture, snacks, baked goods . . . really a little bit of anything and everything. (Michelle Marshall)
She looked down at her pet mini-dragon. Ember was looking especially good today. Her purple scales were extra shiny, perfect for the upcoming grand opening. Ember let out a little puff of smoke, agreeing with Icelyn. She flapped her wings, causing her to hover just above the ground. It was Ember’s favorite way to show excitement. (Yvonne Marrs)
“You know it’s not your mom’s recipes that make your hot cocoa magical. It’s you, and it’s always been you. You’re so happy making it and everyone that takes a sip can feel it.” (Sophie Jupillat Posey)
Colden looked over to see the captain of the guard standing next to him. “You abandoned me to those vultures.” Douglas threw his head back laughing. “You’re right. I left you to the twins, while I tried a fabulous new place that just opened in town.” Douglas held out a steaming mug. “I brought you some peppermint hot cocoa that’s going to change your life.” “You think a mug of hot cocoa is going to be enough for me to forgive you? I should make you try the desserts the twins forced upon me. That’s the sort of retribution you deserve. Maybe then I could find some forgiveness—maybe.” The prince crossed his arms and turned away from his guard in a way reminiscent of a child pouting because his parents took away his favorite toy. “Are you really going to turn down a delicious warm and comforting beverage over—let’s call it a misunderstanding.” (Kirsty McKay)
Day 4 - Video Interview
Day 5 - Reviews
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars. A charming story which was exactly the right kind of book to be reading as the cold weather sets in. I thoroughly enjoyed it and managed to finish it over the course of two cosy afternoons, accompanied by a cup of hot cocoa! (Eileen Tilley)
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars. This is a charming and sweet wintry Cinderella retelling. The characters are simple, with lots of wintry themed names: Holly Green, Douglas Fir, etc. I enjoyed the addition of unicorn heritage and a baby dragon, though. There’s a low stakes situation as Icelyn’s step-siblings want her new chocolate shop to fail, as they’re her rivals (but they can’t bake for toffee). So she has to shine, and get enough customers, at the Solstice fair. The real draw of the book is the themes of friendship, even more than the romantic undertones. I really liked seeing how the town rallied around Icelynn and her stall, to bring about the Solstice Festival. It’s light, frothy and rather funny. I recommend it. (Eryn McConnell)
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars. A very sweet story, appropriately, given the title of the book. I breezed through it, finding it charming and very easy to read. It’s a perfect book to read curled up in front of the fire on a cold and cosy afternoon, preferably with hot cocoa in hand! Stephanie has created a heartwarming and uplifting novel, which I’d recommend reading in the approach to the holiday season. (Michelle Marshall)
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars. Stephanie Clement’s ‘For the Love of Hot Cocoa’ is a Cinderella story with a difference. Instead of a glass slipper to fit the maiden, the Prince must find the woman who makes the most magical hot cocoa he has ever tasted. However, he meets and develops feelings for the lovely Icelyn, who has just opened a bakery in town. As the story unfolds, we see how Prince Colten tries to live up to his father’s expectations and find himself a princess before the end of the Snow Solstice Festival, and how Icelyn thwarts the evil intent of her stepmother and siblings. This is a delightful, lighthearted twist on a classic. The story is well-written and engaging from the outset, drawing you into the plights of the two main characters as they try to make the Snow Solstice Festival the best yet, despite the setbacks. Dialogue is witty and relevant, moving the story along at a lively pace. The two main supporting characters are well-rounded as well, without stealing the limelight from our hero and heroine. There may have been a few grammatical errors because there usually are, but none stood out enough to draw the reader away from the story. Overall, I enjoyed the story – after all, who doesn’t like a good happily ever after story! (Phoebe Wilby)
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars. All Icelyn wants is to have her café be successful. But opening near Mother Maude's could be her first mistake. She and her pet dragon have escaped the clutches of her cruel family just in time for the Snow Solstice Festival. Her best friend convinces her to supply baked goods and hot cocoa for the festival. But when Icelyn agrees to be a part of Prince Colden’s fake relationship, her world is turned upside down as her life and café are sabotaged at every turn. Will she save herself and her café? Prince Colden wants more responsibility, so his father puts him in charge of this year's Snow Solstice Festival - and gives him an unexpected ultimatum. When his Captain of the Guard and best friend handed him a mug of hot cocoa, one magical sip was all it took. It was the perfect solution to the ultimatum, if he could find who made the hot cocoa. That is until he meets beautiful, intelligent, very stubborn Icelyn. She is the person capable of showing him the festival's importance to the townsfolk, his people. He could easily fall in love with her, but he was already in love with someone he has yet to meet - the maker of the hot cocoa. Will he make the right choice? A fantastical tale which has the reader rooting for Icelyn, wanting retribution for her horrid life with her cruel family. As a twist on an old fairytale, it was cleverly thought out - I’m not sure what target audience this would be for, as it can be appreciated by kids and adults alike. The author can easily alter the phrasing and scenes that are more awkward than the rest of the book to perfect it. Overall, readers will identify with Icelyn and her best friend, and the challenges they face throughout the book. I have no issues with recommending the book. (Yvonne Marrs)
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars. The book begins with Icelyn, a talented, kind café owner trying to make a name for herself in Wynterfell. She has some magic and great baking chops to stand out; yet she is sabotaged at every turn by her step-siblings Dru and Stacey. When the Snow Solstice Festival arrives, her chance to shine comes thanks to a fortuitous encounter with Prince Colden’s bodyguard, Douglas. We have a strong cast of characters with Holly– Icelyn’s best friend, Ember, her cute dragon pet, and the prince and his bodyguard. Everyone felt fleshed out and real; the dialogues as a result flowed and it was easy to see who’s who. Sometimes the twins felt a little too dastardly but otherwise the characters were authentic. The pacing was good; it was a short, exciting read. There is lots of tension and conflicts throughout. Sometimes Prince Colden’s level of naiveté was almost over the top, but he does come into his own eventually. For the most part the story felt balanced and satisfying. This book gives cozy, sweet, holiday vibes. (Sophie Jupillat Posey)
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars. A perfect story for those dark winter nights, to cozy up on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate or your favourite festive tipple and slowly drift away into a cinderella like fairy tale. The characters are endearing and extremely credible, the relationships are heartwarming, not only between Icelyn and Prince Colden but their friendships with Holly and Douglas. And of course who can forget the adorable Ember the Dragon and the incredible bond shared with Icelyn. I thoroughly enjoyed the drama and conflicts introduced, the gentle teasing and tenderness between the couples, all of their quirks, foibles and imperfections which were not too over the top or eye rolling cringe worthy, as can happen with some fairy tale stories. The dialogue felt authentic and the plot moved along at a good pace, sweeping the reader through the pages and keeping them engaged. Suitable for all adults who are young at heart and enjoy a feel good read with love and laughter. (Kirsty McKay)
