​PLEASE NOTE: Whilst I do my best to make sure that all of the cozy mysteries included are free to download at time of writing, they do sometimes revert back to their regular price as the promo period ends. I have zero control over this, the authors themselves set the price promos, each author lives in a different time zone and even then, glitches with technology, etc can mean that the book is no longer on offer. Make sure that you double check the price before downloading. 

​My favourites are the classic, milky, and the salted caramel. But they also do dark chocolate, chilli, and a new one that I haven't yet tried - salted caramel and clementine. You need to boil your milk first and then sprinkle in the grated chocolate, and I usually add a couple of drops of essence of peppermint, or orange for a little extra boost, and either marshmallows on top, or if I can get them, the Hotel Chocolat chocolate dippers (they stopped doing the ones I really liked). If you need to feel guilt free about your hot chocolate then you'll be pleased to know that if you go for the higher cocoa version it is actually scientifically proven to be a mood booster and good for you.  Besides - it didn't do Harry Potter any harm when faced with dementors! I suppose that the Hotel Chocolat kind of reminds me of cold wintery days when I lived in London and would nip into Carluccio's for a 'bicerin' pick me up after an exhausting shift at work - a trio of Florentine hot chocolate, espresso, and cream!! 

Finally, on my wishlist this week, is this really cool advent calendar from Molton Brown. Definitely a luxury item for someone with deep pockets! I've been a big fan of Molton Brown since my days of living in London when I was at the height of my profession and had disposable income and a very different lifestyle that allowed me to shop in fancy places like Selfridges (lovely at Christmas time with the lights in the street). They are a London based company, animal cruelty free, and most of the products are vegan friendly.  Molton Brown are definitely what I call my 'future self' or 'aspirational' faves because they remind me of a time when I had financial freedom and they make me dreamy about my future life as a successful writer provided that I continue to put in the hard work. I have two favourite scents; 'fiery pink pepper', and 'coastal cypress and sea fennel'. For some reason, the coastal cypress fragrance reminds me of my time spent as a professional speaker on cruise ships, and being surrounded by luxury so it always makes me smile when I use it in the shower and brings back loads of happy memories.  Sadly, they don't do the fiery pink pepper candle anymore, but this was my 'writing candle' that I always had on when I was being creative at my desk. I used to love the Yankee Candle 'Candy Cane Lane' candle in the winter but that has been discontinued too.

Last year for Christmas (actually it was in the January Sales when the price was reduced), I treated myself to a Molton Brown selection box (similar to this) and am still working my way through the bottles, so that was definitely a worthwhile investment, especially since it helped me pick up my mood or change my state of mind when I was having a rough day. It was about £18 in the sale and had about 15 bottles including 'Frankincense' which is only available at Christmas. The 'Russian Leather' is also really nice.  Plus it is a great way to test out new scents and because I got it from their website, I got some other free samples included which was a bonus. Definitely worth keeping an eye out for offers and sales and definitely on my wishlist even if they are all beyond my budget at the moment, but I shall definitely be saving up, ready to grab some things in the January sale to keep me going for the next year.    

​PLEASE NOTE: Whilst I do my best to make sure that all of the cozy mysteries included are free to download at time of writing, they do sometimes revert back to their regular price as the promo period ends. I have zero control over this, the authors themselves set the price promos, each author lives in a different time zone and even then, glitches with technology, etc can mean that the book is no longer on offer. Make sure that you double check the price before downloading. 

​PLEASE NOTE: Whilst I do my best to make sure that all of the cozy mysteries included are free to download at time of writing, they do sometimes revert back to their regular price as the promo period ends. I have zero control over this, the authors themselves set the price promos, each author lives in a different time zone and even then, glitches with technology, etc can mean that the book is no longer on offer. Make sure that you double check the price before downloading. 

PLEASE NOTE: Whilst I do my best to make sure that all of the cozy mysteries included are free to download at time of writing, they do sometimes revert back to their regular price as the promo period ends. I have zero control over this, the authors themselves set the price promos, each author lives in a different time zone and even then, glitches with technology, etc can mean that the book is no longer on offer. Make sure that you double check the price before downloading.