Synopsis
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes the story of two wine enthusiasts who ride the ups and downs of love in the vineyards of Tuscany.
Tasting wine is not enough: sommelier Giovanni D’Angelo wants to create it. To put his family first, he’s always deferred his dreams—a vineyard to run, a woman to marry. But a three-week vineyard tour in Italy could set him back on track.
For Emma Rutledge, wine is in her blood. Intent to run the family wine business one day, she finds that the men in her family are only intent to push her out of it. But that’s fine—she’s got a plan.
When Gio and Emma meet on a wine tour in Tuscany, their shared aspirations fuel an undeniable chemistry. Returning home to California, they work toward setting up Emma’s vineyard and a label of their own. But when Emma receives a life-altering diagnosis, she worries it’s all been for nothing.
As Emma works to cement her family legacy while dealing with this unexpected challenge, Gio tries to convince her that their future isn’t just wine.
It’s each other.
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Review
I really enjoy the characters in this series. It focuses on one family, and each book is about a different family member. In this one, we get to fall in love with Gio and Emma and their love story.
These are characters that you will want to get behind and support. Gio has a loving family, but they do want to see him married or at least in a relationship. Emma is trying to prove to her father that she can be a contributing member of the winery. Her father is a misogynist, and it won’t be hard to dislike him. A secret is revealed about 2/3 of the way, which explains a lot about his behavior. It doesn’t excuse his actions but does explain it a bit more.
I love the journey through Italy where Gio and Emma meet. I would love to do a wine tour! I can only imagine the experience. It doesn’t hurt that both Emma and Gio have the knowledge to delve into the grapes, so to speak. I chuckled at the competition between the two in pinning down the flavor notes and other aspects of the wines they tasted.
This love story is not without its challenges. I don’t want to spoil the story, but there is more than just Emma’s dad throwing kinks into her life. I will say that it definitely made me misty, but so thankful it ended on a positive note.
Franny, Gio’s niece, is a hoot and steals the plot at different times. Out of the mouths of babes, as they say!
Loved this book and highly recommend it, and the rest of the series too.
We give it 5 paws up.
Excerpt
And when Gio paused long enough to shove some food into his mouth, his mother offered a sweet smile and tapped her fingers on the table.
“You’ve said nothing about Emma.”
Gio chewed slowly and looked around the table.
Everyone was quietly watching him.
He slowly swallowed with a grin and followed it with a drink of water. “What do you want to know?”
Mari lost her smile. Slapped a hand on the table. “What do I want to know?” She rolled her eyes, lifted a hand in the air, and switched to Italian. “For an hour you’ve talked about everyone but the woman you introduced us to.”
“C’mon, Gio . . . give it up,” Chloe said, kicking him under the table.
“Hey.”
“Is she your girlfriend?” Franny asked without hesitation.
Gio winked at his niece. “Emma is someone I hope you will all meet very soon.”
“Bene, bene . . .” His mother was smiling again.
“I won’t say she’s a girlfriend, but we are more than friends.”
Mari’s smile fell to a flat line. “Why not a girlfriend?”
“Mama, we’ve only known each other a few weeks.”
“This means nothing to me. When you know, you know.” Mari swirled spaghetti with her fork. “Your father and I—”
“Yes, Mama, we know. Instant love, marriage, and babies. It isn’t like that nowadays.”
Brooke cleared her throat and placed a hand on her protruding baby bump. “I disagree.”
Dante laughed. “It took Chloe and I more time.”
Mari tossed around gestures with her free hand. “You were childhood friends. That’s different. And since you eloped without a whisper to the family, something must have been instant. Not that I want you to share.”
Dante stood down.
Smart man.
“This Emma is beautiful, and the way you smiled at her . . .”
“It was sappy adorable, Gio,” Chloe said in agreement with their mother.
He was infatuated with the woman, there was no pretending otherwise. “Her guard is up a bit. She’s been married before.”
“Children?” Mari asked.
“No, Mama. But when someone is divorced it takes a little longer to trust.”
All eyes turned to Luca. The only person at the table who had any personal authority on the subject.
Gio waited for his brother to agree.
Instead, Luca placed a hand over Brooke’s at the table and shook his head. “Not when you find the right person.”
Gio rolled his eyes. “It still takes time.”
“Wasting time, you mean,” his mother said.
Gio spread his hands to each side of the table, indicating his sister and brother. “Mama, two weddings in one year . . . isn’t that enough?”
“No,” she said flat out. “My youngest son still isn’t married. There is still room at this table. So, no. It’s not enough. When you’re married, it will be enough.”
“It’s a trap, Gio,” Dante said.
Chloe hit his arm.
“Not marriage . . . the enough part. Soon as you’re married the question switches to babies.”
The two things Emma said she didn’t want.
“Oh,” Chloe sighed. “That’s true.”
“None of this when you meet Emma. We don’t talk about my lack of being a husband or anyone’s biological clock. I don’t want anyone scaring her off.”
“What’s a biological clock?” Franny asked.
Dante started laughing.
“I mean it!” Gio pointed his fork at his sister and mother.
“She means something to you,” Luca said quietly.
Gio paused, thought of her smile, her laugh. The freckles on her face and how crazy her hair turned in the humidity. “Yeah. She does.”
“Then we will do our best to keep our opinions about weddings and babies to ourselves. Don’t you think, Mama?” Luca asked.
Mari released a deep sigh. “Fine. I can do that.”
Gio felt the tension in his shoulders ease.
Franny leaned over, tapped his arm. “What’s a biological clock?”
About the Author
Catherine is a #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Indie Reader bestselling author. In addition, her books have also graced The New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists. In total, she has written thirty-six beloved books that have collectively sold more than 8 million copies and have been translated into more than twenty languages.
Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full time and has penned The Not Quite series, The Weekday Brides series, The Most Likely To series, and The First Wives series.
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About the Author
Naïve but charismatic farm girl, Jacquelyn Benderman, has her life perfectly planned until her town blames her for the accidental death of the local high school’s star running back. Feeling like a pariah, she flees to Austin, Texas where her luck seems to change. Her rapid rise to stardom as a blues diva is derailed when an anonymous stalker begins systematically murdering her associates, leaving the police to suspect her.
Award-winning poet and songwriter Tony Burnett is the Executive Director of Kallisto Gaia Press. He served as President of the Writers’ League of Texas from 2013 to 2017. His poetry, short fiction, and environmentally focused nonfiction appear in over 70 publications. His previous books include the story collection, Southern Gentlemen and a full-length poetry collection, The Reckless Hope of Scoundrels. He resides in rural central Texas with his trophy wife and several rescue dogs who pay him no mind unless hungry. His hobbies include poking wasp nests with short sticks and wandering aimlessly about. He hopes you enjoy meeting his imaginary friends.
Carmen Leal is a storyteller and the author of multiple books, articles, devotionals, and human-interest stories. Carmen relocated from Hawaii to Oshkosh, yes, there is a story behind the move, and has become an awesome dog mom. Carmen and her husband have become reluctant gardeners and know a crazy amount about Wisconsin weeds. She is the mother of two sons, two incredible grandsons, and Coconut, the best imperfectly perfect rescue dog in the world.
Felicia Watson, author of the ground-breaking romance, Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela, and the award-winning scifi novels, The Lovelace Series, started writing stories as soon as they handed her a pencil in first grade.
