“Straight Uphill: A Tale of Love and Chocolate,” which delves into the lives of five generations of women chocolatiers. Through the World Wars, back to the Age of Discovery and up to modern times, villagers on a small Italian hilltop struggle with a sense of purpose and the meanings of love. Critics call them “complex characters, vividly drawn” and “delightful proof that a literary novel can be a deeply satisfying page-turner.”