This a perfectly acceptable way to pass an afternoon.

Very impressed with their wine tasting skills, really, because I definitely wouldn't be able to taste that lavender smell.

I like the premise, I do, it just felt a little too formulated and events a tad too organised. ( )

The story wasn't bad but there was something about the writing style that felt off to me. I like that the female MC put herself first once she realized what she wanted but it still felt like something was missing. I can't quite put my finger on what the problem (for me) is. ( )

While taking a weekend trip with her boyfriend, Ethan, Hannah Greene falls in love with the Sonoma wine country. The vacation should mark the last weeks of college and the beginning of their future together in New York, but Hannah has a sudden change of heart, as an offer of a job becomes available at a winery they visit. She makes the life-altering decision to stay behind in California and abandon her dreams of New York. With unhappy memories of her childhood, Hannah begins to help the failing winery and begins to see herself and her hopes and dreams in a new light.

The overall feel of the novel is one of a lighthearted summer read. The pleasant California wine country scenes are beautifully set and well described to give a sense of place. The plot of the book is encouraging and warm. And I always love a book where the main female character is strong enough to walk away without needing a man in her life to fill her sense of self worth. However, this just wasn't a great read for me. There was a sub plot dealing with the owners of the winery that seemed extraneous of the main point of the book and didn't seem to fit. Hannah wasn't very likable. Her immaturity for her age (she came across as more in her early 20's than the 30 that she is) and her unhappiness over growing up poor grated on my nerves at time. I was also uncomfortable with the author's assumption that Hannah's mother, while living in a small town, couldn't understand the basic logic that a job as an executive's assistant at Tiffany's didn't mean that Hannah was wearing diamonds all the time. Also, there was what seemed to be a discrepancy with Hannah's age. While the book seemed to be set in present day time with the mention of social media like Instagram, she mentions that Hannah enjoyed making mix tapes from the Weekly Top 40 when she was 11 with some of her favorite songs being "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Tainted Love". Not sure those work for the time frame.

Overall, this was only a 3 star read for me and was possible on the lower end of that rating. Thank you to the publisher, Dutton, for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. ( )

interesting story of a family book of tales that leads lonely young english woman to a new love and renewed family connex. ( )

Hannah thinks she’s on track to get exactly what she’s always wanted. But one unexpected stop at a winery changes everything.

Hannah and her boyfriend are moving back to NYC. She is about to start an extremely coveted job. He is starting a tech project with his closest friends. And Hannah is pretty sure he’s about to propose. They’ve been together two years and he is exactly the type of guy she thinks she should marry. And she’ll be incredibly wealthy and that has appealed to her since her childhood.

But when they stop at the winery everything changes because Hannah can see a new life right in front of her eyes. After a little chat with the winery owners about how they could improve business, they offer Hannah a job.
Pros and cons:
It pays way less.
It’s in California
Free wine
Free room and board
She’s pretty sure her boyfriend won’t stay

I absolutely loved the premise. I loved the setting. I even loved that the author included food and wine pairings. I even took a few of the suggestions and enjoyed the book with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and brownies with sea salt.

Here’s what I didn’t love. Hannah.
I feel like I can forgive more in a storyline when I love the characters. It’s the characters we are supposed to love. This isn’t a book where I felt like this was supposed to be a “hate to love” lead character or even a “likable villain”. I felt like I was supposed to like Hannah and I didn’t.

I felt that Hannah was cruel to her boyfriend.
If she chose to leave him unexpectedly after two years together, that’s fine. That’s not what bothered me.
She treated him so badly and unkindly. She avoided his phone calls. If he came to see her, she avoided him in person. Didn’t answer his texts. Didn’t call him when someone said he looked homeless.
If this storyline were reversed and a male character was treating the female lead like that, we’d be screaming “dump him!” At our books.

In addition, she avoids her mother’s calls.
She listens to her mom’s phone messages but doesn’t call her back.
She’s really quick to assume her mom is judging her but it’s definitely the pot calling the kettle black.

And she has no friends because she openly admits that she can’t keep up contact when it’s not convenient.

Hannah is selfish.
I wasn’t totally thrilled by the winery owner either.

I hate saying negative things about a book. I did really enjoy the concept and the setting. I just struggle with not liking the main character.

( )