Christmas Livingstone has formulated 10 top rules for happiness by which she tries very hard to live.

Nurturing the senses every day, doing what you love, sharing joy with others are some of the rules but the most important for her is no. 10 - absolutely no romantic relationships!

Her life is good now. Creating her enchantingly seductive shop, The Chocolate Apothecary, and exploring the potential medicinal uses of chocolate makes her happy; her friends surround her; and her role as a fairy godmother to her community allows her to share her joy. She doesn't need a handsome botany ace who knows everything about cacao to walk into her life. One who has the nicest grandmother - Book Club Captain at Green Hills Aged Care Facility and intent on interfering - a gorgeous rescue dog, and who wants her help to write a book. She really doesn't need any of that at all.

Or does she?

With an enticing tangle of freshly picked herbs, flowers and delicious chocolate scenting the background, The Chocolate Apothecary is a glorious novel of a strong, creative woman discovering that you can't always play your life by the rules.

NOTE: This book was re-titled from The Chocolate Promise for UK release.