Review: Blood on Vines - Book #1 The Matakana Series - Madeline Eskedahl - March 2021 There's something special about starting the new year with a physical book in hand, and Blood on Vines kicked off my 2026 reading perfectly. As always, I'm on a mission to clear my groaning bookshelves, and this New Zealand-set thriller was the ideal choice to begin that journey. What made this read particularly meaningful was its Martinborough setting, which transported me straight back to my childhood. When I was seven or eight, my family lived in Martinborough, and I have vivid memories of both my parents working on a vineyard during harvest season, picking grapes under the warm sun. Reading Madeline Eskedahl's descriptions of vineyard life felt like stepping back into those memories, and it added such a personal connection to the story that I hadn't anticipated. The plot kicks off with the murder of an ex-winemaker in Martinborough, a meticulously planned attack that signals the ...

The Champagne Crush Caroline O’ Connell (Les Femmes Series) Publication date: September 16th 2025 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance For fans of Emily In Paris (on Netflix). “Pop the cork on this sparkling romance where champagne dreams and career schemes collide in the vineyards of Napa and the glamour of New York. Catherine Reynolds is ready to reinvent herself, but a flirty CEO, fizzing ambition, and a splash of betrayal shake up her plans. From vineyard drama to high-stakes PR, love and bubbles rise to the top. Perfect for fans of witty banter, slow-burn tension, and second chances with a twist.” —Los Angeles Book Review Catherine Reynolds has enjoyed a life of luxury, but her diplomat parents have cut her off financially, leaving her flat broke. She is determined to turn things around and gain her independence—so, when an old family friend offers her a lifeline as a PR consultant for his sparkling wine company, she jumps at the chance. But working with Chris McDermott...

Review: Corkscrew You - Book #1 Flora Valley Series- July 2024 When I saw a couple of months ago, the upcoming releases from HarperCollins NZ, this one caught my attention for three reasons. The first was that Catherine Robertson is a New Zealand author and I love supporting authors from my own country as they just feel a little more special, the second was the setting of San Francisco and Sonoma County as in 2013, I spent a week in San Francisco and also had an author friend who had a place in Sonoma County which we had talked about seeing but due to time restraints, it didn't work out. The third reason was of course the book title and the fact it was a contemporary romance. Corkscrew You takes place in a small town called Flora Valley and is more so based at Flora Valley Winery where we have Shelby who for the past six months been trying to keep her father's vineyard and winery dreams alive as he passed away and she was the only one of her siblings/family willing to continu...

Deadly Paradise Quinn Avery Publication date: October 18th 2022 Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense As a child, Nova witnessed the murder of her parents. She is whisked away in the middle of the night to start a new life, however Nova can’t stop questioning the circumstances surrounding her parents’ deaths. As a teenager, Nova lives a lonely and sheltered existence until fate delivers a handsome Greek boy into her world. Although forbidden to speak to him, the teens navigate through first love until she discovers he’s guarding a secret that unravels everything between them. As a woman, Nova finally goes after the answers that have plagued her entire life. Answers that involve her first love, throwing them both in danger when he returns to save her life. Can she risk the dark secrets of their tangled past to collide with what could become a deadly present? Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo Get it for only 99c – this week only! — SNEAK PEEK: Nova ...

Wine Country King Claire Marti (California Suits, #2) Publication date: January 13th 2022 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance A cocky, charming real estate attorney. A brilliant, gorgeous sommelier. Neither has time for romance. One mind-blowing kiss changes everything. Jack Cassidy heads the team opening the next in an exclusive line of boutique hotels, this one in wine country. Working with his best friend’s sister should make it easier, tapping into her expertise about the area and its wines. The pair have been friends for years, so sharing an apartment shouldn’t pose any issues… except for the simmering heat building between them. Campbell Taylor’s one of only a handful of women to battle the all-boys club and go for the title of master sommelier. She didn’t rise to her position by being a pushover, but living and working with her brother’s best friend – the man she’s secretly crushed on for years – might prove to be her greatest challenge. How can she get him to see...

Review: Little Gordon Grape - Arnold Dixon - September 2019 I love picture books, as a former children's librarian. This was my life for 14 years and so nowadays I love to see what cute ones are out there. Little Gordon Grape was so adorably cute and happy. The book is a Christian Kids Picture book written by a Methodist Minister. The book starts with Gordon Grape and his family of grapes in the vineyard. It is picking time to make the wine and Little Gordon Grape is so excited as this is what he sees as his purpose in life. However, when Gordon is picked, he finds himself dropping to the ground and rolling away. Little Gordon Grape becomes dejected and upset and believes he isn't important anymore. That is until the farmer finds him and gives Little Gordon Grape a pep talk about how everyone has a purpose in life and that God has a plan for every one of us and sometimes, we don't even know what that plan is and we are all destined for great things. This book would make a g...