Like Water for Chocolate: Summary Like Water for Chocolate is a fictional novel that takes place in Mexico at the turn of the century, during the Mexican Revolution. The novel covers a time span of around thirty five years and is organized in monthly instalments with each month introduced by a traditional Spanish recipe. Most of the novel takes place on a Mexican ranch and is about a family with a very traditional mother. Within this novel, food and love intertwine to form a tale of forbidden romance. Like Water for Chocolate is a romantic love story about the frustration, heartache and joys of a true love that could be passionate, b