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hijinx17's review
Moving incredibly slowly. Too much description, not enough story happening.
aliu6's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
Joey Wilder has had it rough, from her mom dying when she was a kid, to being left at the altar three years ago, and now her beloved father just died, leaving her to care for their family vineyard, Tangle Valley. Things start to look up when she bumps into Becca Crawford, a new and sexy addition to their little town. But when Joey discovers that Becca is the general manager for the corporate resort going up in town, which Joey strongly opposes, she must decide whether to stick with her principles or risk her heart.
cw: parental deaths
This was a really cute, engaging story. Melissa Brayden rarely disappoints.
The Characters: The chemistry between Becca and Joey was unbelievable. Brayden really brings it, with the longing glances and flirtatious banter. I was rooting for these two the whole way through. I will say Joey's character is more fully developed, since a majority of the book was from her point of view. Joey has her issues to work through, while Becca is portrayed as cool and put-together. It worked for me though. The side characters were also super lovable. I love when Brayden assembles a group of friends and then shows each of their paths to love. So I'm very excited to read about Gabriela and Madison in later books.
The Romance: Very good. Like I said, amazing chemistry. There is a nice helping of angst thrown in there, which hit in all the right ways. This follows the enemies-to-lovers trope, and Brayden pulls it off seamlessly.
The Plot: Although the romance took center stage, there were also interesting things happening in the background, most noticeably with the vineyard. We see Joey deal with the business side of things, and there are ups and downs that come with that as well.
The Writing: It took me a chapter or two to get into the more casual tone, but after that, I liked how Joey's and Becca's personalities came through the narration. The story is told in alternating third person limited POV.
Cons: I really enjoyed this book, so my few cons are a bit nitpicky. First, there were some minor inconsistencies in plot points, which I don't usually expect from Brayden. They distracted me a little from the story. Second, some of the sex scenes felt rushed. The first time they are together is pretty much the only time we get the full act, and then after that, the scenes are just glossed over.
All in all, I really enjoyed this story, and I look forward to picking up the other books in the Tangle Valley series. Would definitely recommend!
**I received an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Joey Wilder has had it rough, from her mom dying when she was a kid, to being left at the altar three years ago, and now her beloved father just died, leaving her to care for their family vineyard, Tangle Valley. Things start to look up when she bumps into Becca Crawford, a new and sexy addition to their little town. But when Joey discovers that Becca is the general manager for the corporate resort going up in town, which Joey strongly opposes, she must decide whether to stick with her principles or risk her heart.
cw: parental deaths
This was a really cute, engaging story. Melissa Brayden rarely disappoints.
The Characters: The chemistry between Becca and Joey was unbelievable. Brayden really brings it, with the longing glances and flirtatious banter. I was rooting for these two the whole way through. I will say Joey's character is more fully developed, since a majority of the book was from her point of view. Joey has her issues to work through, while Becca is portrayed as cool and put-together. It worked for me though. The side characters were also super lovable. I love when Brayden assembles a group of friends and then shows each of their paths to love. So I'm very excited to read about Gabriela and Madison in later books.
The Romance: Very good. Like I said, amazing chemistry. There is a nice helping of angst thrown in there, which hit in all the right ways. This follows the enemies-to-lovers trope, and Brayden pulls it off seamlessly.
The Plot: Although the romance took center stage, there were also interesting things happening in the background, most noticeably with the vineyard. We see Joey deal with the business side of things, and there are ups and downs that come with that as well.
The Writing: It took me a chapter or two to get into the more casual tone, but after that, I liked how Joey's and Becca's personalities came through the narration. The story is told in alternating third person limited POV.
Cons: I really enjoyed this book, so my few cons are a bit nitpicky. First, there were some minor inconsistencies in plot points, which I don't usually expect from Brayden. They distracted me a little from the story. Second, some of the sex scenes felt rushed. The first time they are together is pretty much the only time we get the full act, and then after that, the scenes are just glossed over.
All in all, I really enjoyed this story, and I look forward to picking up the other books in the Tangle Valley series. Would definitely recommend!
**I received an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
jsjarvis71's review against another edition
4.0
I'm a fan off Melissa Brayden and have found you can never go wrong with her novels. She is great with developing characters and making you want to care about them. She continues her good work with Entangled. I could actually picture the author as the character Becca in the story, the blonde beauty who is so nice and grounded, who doesn't take the town's criticism of where she works as a knock against her personally.
I had a hard time liking Joey at all. Through the story you learn of all of the hardships she has gone through, but when she doesn't get the contract with the Jace, she pushes Becca away, the one good thing she had in her life. I didn't feel like she ever apologized fully for this or explained why she did it. Becca was a real saint in forgiving her so easily.
The story was so enjoyable and I hope this setting will include more stories with other characters. I highly recommend this one.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
I had a hard time liking Joey at all. Through the story you learn of all of the hardships she has gone through, but when she doesn't get the contract with the Jace, she pushes Becca away, the one good thing she had in her life. I didn't feel like she ever apologized fully for this or explained why she did it. Becca was a real saint in forgiving her so easily.
The story was so enjoyable and I hope this setting will include more stories with other characters. I highly recommend this one.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
hsinjulit's review against another edition
5.0
Josephine "Joey" Wilder knew how to manage the tasting room but not the whole Tangle Valley. With this huge responsibility suddenly landed on her, she needed to up her game in business. And that included fighting against the new resort, The Jade, that was bound to ruin every beautiful thing Whisper Wall had.
When Joey met new local Becca Crawford, they struck up an easy conversation that might involved some flirting. But having suffered from public humiliation at the altar in the past, Joey was not fully ready to hand over her trust. Especially not when Becca turned out to be the general manager of evil empire The Jade.
If you thought Brayden's books could not get any better, Entangled would pleasantly surprise you. This new series, A Tangle Valley Romance, reflected Brayden's love of wine. I do not know what it is with wlw romances and wineries, but this series is honestly everything we needed. And I cannot wait for the upcoming sequels.
I love the tone of Entangled, and I can only guess that the rest of the series would follow suit. It was mostly light, funny, and entertaining. Not only were character interactions occasionally yet purposefully comical, the playful banters between friends and romantic pairs had me chuckle more than I could count throughout the reading. I never thought I would enjoy a light-hearted romance so much and would gladly reread it, just to see the wonderful characters again. After sitting through BSB's webinar yesterday, Brayden provided me with fresh eyes on how her series worked and characters interacted. She also stated that her heroines must have a love of food, so there is no doubt that this series would overflow with all kinds of yummy stuff. Yes, I am talking about actual food.
Prior to Entangled, I have read seven of Brayden's books. While I have always enjoyed her works, the story arc of this one fit best to my taste. The misunderstandings between the mains were not too ridiculous, and the climax, aka the fallout, happened at just the right time. Many romances I have read climaxed too late into the story, leaving the couples only a small fraction of the book to scramble to resolution, and I would feel dizzy from being thrashed around in their drama. Entangled did not make me feel that. Yes, I was still a little irritated at some of their interactions, but everything was so well executed I believed that was how things were meant to happen.
Time to rave about the characters. First up, the Tangle Valley Trio. Okay, I named them that. It consisted of Joey, Joey's best friend Madison, and Madison's ex-girlfriend Gabriella. Madison and Gabriella were fun and encouraging and without the drama of being exes. The three of them had the best dynamics ever, incredibly supportive of each other, and I love how everything just seemed so fun when they were all together. The most adorable things they shared was talking to themselves: Madison did out loud circle speak, Gabriella talked to stuff, and Joey processed thoughts aloud. I need to get more of the trio in future books.
As for Joey and Becca, they were a striking pair with palpable and believable chemistry. Joey carried some sorrow that made it hard for her to put her heart on the line. And Becca was kind of an opposite. She always had an air of naiveness around her. I love how they were both very much straightforward with each other, that alone deserved tons of sexy points.
If we were to compare this series with Soho Loft (#1, #2, #3), I would say that Joey and Becca's relationship reminded me of Brooklyn and Jess, with both pairs being somewhat rivals. And Gabriella's charm mirrored Hunter's. Maybe Madison was more of a combination of Sam and Mallory just because she was very organized, obsessed with numbers and being logical and rational. But they were by no means clones and definitely very different people.
I always appreciate books with supporting characters that were more than just one-dimensional. Loretta, whom Joey considered as a second mother, was loving and playful at the same time. Carla, assistant general manager of The Jade, was a wonderful friend in addition to being Becca's potent deputy. I also love the references to previous Brayden books, including department store Carrington's, Parker Bristow's new book, and Loretta's daughter, actress Carly Daniels.
The writing of Entangled was smooth and the words were just as enjoyable as the story. Also, this may be just me, but I loved how nearly none of the characters labeled their sexualities. They just loved and were open to talk about past relationships, regardless of what gender they dated. It was wonderful.
A Tangle Valley Romance is a series to look out for, and its first book, Entangled, undoubtedly brings joy and guarantees some laughter along the way.
I received an e-ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Joey met new local Becca Crawford, they struck up an easy conversation that might involved some flirting. But having suffered from public humiliation at the altar in the past, Joey was not fully ready to hand over her trust. Especially not when Becca turned out to be the general manager of evil empire The Jade.
If you thought Brayden's books could not get any better, Entangled would pleasantly surprise you. This new series, A Tangle Valley Romance, reflected Brayden's love of wine. I do not know what it is with wlw romances and wineries, but this series is honestly everything we needed. And I cannot wait for the upcoming sequels.
I love the tone of Entangled, and I can only guess that the rest of the series would follow suit. It was mostly light, funny, and entertaining. Not only were character interactions occasionally yet purposefully comical, the playful banters between friends and romantic pairs had me chuckle more than I could count throughout the reading. I never thought I would enjoy a light-hearted romance so much and would gladly reread it, just to see the wonderful characters again. After sitting through BSB's webinar yesterday, Brayden provided me with fresh eyes on how her series worked and characters interacted. She also stated that her heroines must have a love of food, so there is no doubt that this series would overflow with all kinds of yummy stuff. Yes, I am talking about actual food.
Prior to Entangled, I have read seven of Brayden's books. While I have always enjoyed her works, the story arc of this one fit best to my taste. The misunderstandings between the mains were not too ridiculous, and the climax, aka the fallout, happened at just the right time. Many romances I have read climaxed too late into the story, leaving the couples only a small fraction of the book to scramble to resolution, and I would feel dizzy from being thrashed around in their drama. Entangled did not make me feel that. Yes, I was still a little irritated at some of their interactions, but everything was so well executed I believed that was how things were meant to happen.
Time to rave about the characters. First up, the Tangle Valley Trio. Okay, I named them that. It consisted of Joey, Joey's best friend Madison, and Madison's ex-girlfriend Gabriella. Madison and Gabriella were fun and encouraging and without the drama of being exes. The three of them had the best dynamics ever, incredibly supportive of each other, and I love how everything just seemed so fun when they were all together. The most adorable things they shared was talking to themselves: Madison did out loud circle speak, Gabriella talked to stuff, and Joey processed thoughts aloud. I need to get more of the trio in future books.
As for Joey and Becca, they were a striking pair with palpable and believable chemistry. Joey carried some sorrow that made it hard for her to put her heart on the line. And Becca was kind of an opposite. She always had an air of naiveness around her. I love how they were both very much straightforward with each other, that alone deserved tons of sexy points.
If we were to compare this series with Soho Loft (#1, #2, #3), I would say that Joey and Becca's relationship reminded me of Brooklyn and Jess, with both pairs being somewhat rivals. And Gabriella's charm mirrored Hunter's. Maybe Madison was more of a combination of Sam and Mallory just because she was very organized, obsessed with numbers and being logical and rational. But they were by no means clones and definitely very different people.
I always appreciate books with supporting characters that were more than just one-dimensional. Loretta, whom Joey considered as a second mother, was loving and playful at the same time. Carla, assistant general manager of The Jade, was a wonderful friend in addition to being Becca's potent deputy. I also love the references to previous Brayden books, including department store Carrington's, Parker Bristow's new book, and Loretta's daughter, actress Carly Daniels.
The writing of Entangled was smooth and the words were just as enjoyable as the story. Also, this may be just me, but I loved how nearly none of the characters labeled their sexualities. They just loved and were open to talk about past relationships, regardless of what gender they dated. It was wonderful.
A Tangle Valley Romance is a series to look out for, and its first book, Entangled, undoubtedly brings joy and guarantees some laughter along the way.
I received an e-ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
stine_reads's review against another edition
5.0
*free copy received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Melissa Brayden has a huge fan in me. I've read almost everything she's ever written, which makes my expectations very high for each new book of hers. And this was not a disappointment at all. I often say that reading a book from Melissa Brayden is like huddling down in front of a fireplace, just basking in the comfort and coziness. Entangled is exactly like that. It is a truly feel-good book and I couldn't put it down!
I love how flawed and realistic her characters are, and I can't wait to read more from this small group of women. Next time, I'll huddle down in front of my imaginary fireplace with a glass of wine in hand. You'll see.
To be highly recommended!
Melissa Brayden has a huge fan in me. I've read almost everything she's ever written, which makes my expectations very high for each new book of hers. And this was not a disappointment at all. I often say that reading a book from Melissa Brayden is like huddling down in front of a fireplace, just basking in the comfort and coziness. Entangled is exactly like that. It is a truly feel-good book and I couldn't put it down!
I love how flawed and realistic her characters are, and I can't wait to read more from this small group of women. Next time, I'll huddle down in front of my imaginary fireplace with a glass of wine in hand. You'll see.
To be highly recommended!
youreadtoomuch's review against another edition
4.0
It's literally a perfect little romance. It never pretended to be anything but what it was, meet-cute, instant attraction, oh no! sworn enemies. The problems could have been fleshed out a bit more because when they came in they came in, it was train wreck after train wreck. But a lovely little book. Just two women falling in love.
hammer0761's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
jennabeebs79's review against another edition
5.0
Oh Melissa Brayden. you've most certainly done it again!! This book is just amazing! From the prologue right to the last page, the reader is drawn in and taken on a very delightful ride. This is the first book in the Tangle Valley series and it tells the story of Joey and Becca and their amazing chemistry, dynamics, dialogue, and romance. It also sets up the other two books in the series by introducing the reader to Madison and Gabriella. The setting of Whisper Wall, Oregon is described in such a way that the reader is drawn in and is living side by side with the members of the town. I liked the honorable mentions of our characters in To the Moon and Back and Back to September. I really just absolutely loved this book and will definitely be reading it again and again as well as looking forward to books 2 and 3! The characters are just such nice humans who you want to live a happily ever after. Thanks Melissa for outdoing yourself once again!
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
lujein's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ghostlycreature's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0