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bookertsfarm's review
5.0
I don't usually read a lot of contemporaries, but I read one by Beth Kendrick last year that I absolutely loved, and this is a companion book set in the same town, so I couldn't resist picking it up. Plus, isn't summer the best time to read these type of books?
Once Upon a Wine is the 4th Black Dog Bay book. You really don't need to read them in order, as only some characters make minor appearances later on in them. In fact, I still haven't read books 1 and 2 although this one seals the deal and I'm putting them on reserve at the library as soon as I can. Cammie lives in LA, but her life is drastically going downhill - her restaurant tanked after her chef/boyfriend jumped ship, and she lost her job as a waitress. Cammie gets a call from her cousin Kat advising the her Aunt Ginger just bought a vineyard in Black Dog Bay. None of them know much about what they are doing, but since Ginger raised Cammie after her parents died, she returns to Deleware to help figure the winery business out. Add in Kat's marriage is on the rocks and Cammie's ex-boyfried/farmer still lives in the area and you have a great family-centered novel with enough romance to keep you interested, but not enough to make you queasy.
Kendrick has really created quite a town in Black Dog Bay. It's a beach-side location where people come to mend their heartbreaks and often end up finding new loves. There is also a mysterious ghost of a black dog that is sometimes seen in town and is a harbinger of good things to come. This book has the right amount of humor and drama and once I started, I couldn't really put it down.
Now, the real reason for the 5/5 rating. I really did love the book and it would have definitely have gotten 4/5, but enter Jacques - see the cute dog on the cover? In the book Kat's husband buys her Jacques as a gift because she always wanted a dog and he just "makes" the book. He is a retired show-dog, who thinks he is a farm dog, who ends up being the hero of Black Dog Vineyard. He is so cute and the author/publisher gets extra points because the dog on the cover looks like the dog described in the book (a major pet peeve of mine).
So if you like contemporary books and are looking for a light summer read with some substance, you should give Kendrick a try. As I mentioned, I plan on reading books 1 and 2 and learn more about this little hidden town in Deleware.
I received an ARC of this book from the Penguin First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.
Once Upon a Wine is the 4th Black Dog Bay book. You really don't need to read them in order, as only some characters make minor appearances later on in them. In fact, I still haven't read books 1 and 2 although this one seals the deal and I'm putting them on reserve at the library as soon as I can. Cammie lives in LA, but her life is drastically going downhill - her restaurant tanked after her chef/boyfriend jumped ship, and she lost her job as a waitress. Cammie gets a call from her cousin Kat advising the her Aunt Ginger just bought a vineyard in Black Dog Bay. None of them know much about what they are doing, but since Ginger raised Cammie after her parents died, she returns to Deleware to help figure the winery business out. Add in Kat's marriage is on the rocks and Cammie's ex-boyfried/farmer still lives in the area and you have a great family-centered novel with enough romance to keep you interested, but not enough to make you queasy.
Kendrick has really created quite a town in Black Dog Bay. It's a beach-side location where people come to mend their heartbreaks and often end up finding new loves. There is also a mysterious ghost of a black dog that is sometimes seen in town and is a harbinger of good things to come. This book has the right amount of humor and drama and once I started, I couldn't really put it down.
Now, the real reason for the 5/5 rating. I really did love the book and it would have definitely have gotten 4/5, but enter Jacques - see the cute dog on the cover? In the book Kat's husband buys her Jacques as a gift because she always wanted a dog and he just "makes" the book. He is a retired show-dog, who thinks he is a farm dog, who ends up being the hero of Black Dog Vineyard. He is so cute and the author/publisher gets extra points because the dog on the cover looks like the dog described in the book (a major pet peeve of mine).
So if you like contemporary books and are looking for a light summer read with some substance, you should give Kendrick a try. As I mentioned, I plan on reading books 1 and 2 and learn more about this little hidden town in Deleware.
I received an ARC of this book from the Penguin First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.
stephaniesbookreviews's review
4.0
I just discovered this series and this author this year and she’s become one of my favorite chick lit authors. I’ve been looking forward to reading Once Upon a Wine for quite awhile and it surpassed my expectations. I really, really enjoyed this book.
I loved the family dynamic in this book. I loved how close Cammie was to her cousin, Kat, and her aunt, Ginger. I loved Ginger and Kat’s mother-daughter relationship, as well. They were such a realistic portrayal of family, even when the circumstances were occasionally quite unrealistic. They were there for each other and supported and encouraged each other, but also disagreed with and fought with each other. They all had a bit of a lesson to learn throughout the story and I enjoyed watching their character development.
I also really enjoyed the romance(s), though it didn’t play as big a part as I was expecting. I am quite in love with Ian, Cammie’s former and current love interest. I think part of it is because he reminded me a lot of Cooper from the Anna Curtis series. Though I did have some small issues with him when they were 22, he definitely grew up during their time apart. As an adult he knew what he wanted when it came to Cammie and he didn’t make a secret of it, but he didn’t pressure her at all. He was just there for her and cared for her and was so, so sweet and I am just so fricking in love with him I can’t even handle it. On the other end of the romantic spectrum, we have Kat who is married, but is having a bit of an early mid-life crisis and isn’t sure if she wants to be married anymore. I enjoyed seeing how her and Josh’s relationship changed throughout the book and that again it seemed like a pretty realistic portrayal of how love and marriages need to evolve over time.
There were some cameos from some of the characters from the previous books in the series, but there weren’t as many as I was hoping for. There was also way less emphasis put on Black Dog Bay being a break up town, though it did still play a part. This installment almost seemed more of a standalone than part of the series, though. Which isn’t a bad thing because it was still such a great book, but as a fan of the series I wish it was a little more inclusive.
Overall, I just really loved Once Upon a Wine. I loved the characters and the relationships and the romance. Beth Kendrick has really become one of my favorite authors of this genre and I definitely recommend this book (and series) to Chick Lit/Contemporary fans.
Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars
I loved the family dynamic in this book. I loved how close Cammie was to her cousin, Kat, and her aunt, Ginger. I loved Ginger and Kat’s mother-daughter relationship, as well. They were such a realistic portrayal of family, even when the circumstances were occasionally quite unrealistic. They were there for each other and supported and encouraged each other, but also disagreed with and fought with each other. They all had a bit of a lesson to learn throughout the story and I enjoyed watching their character development.
I also really enjoyed the romance(s), though it didn’t play as big a part as I was expecting. I am quite in love with Ian, Cammie’s former and current love interest. I think part of it is because he reminded me a lot of Cooper from the Anna Curtis series. Though I did have some small issues with him when they were 22, he definitely grew up during their time apart. As an adult he knew what he wanted when it came to Cammie and he didn’t make a secret of it, but he didn’t pressure her at all. He was just there for her and cared for her and was so, so sweet and I am just so fricking in love with him I can’t even handle it. On the other end of the romantic spectrum, we have Kat who is married, but is having a bit of an early mid-life crisis and isn’t sure if she wants to be married anymore. I enjoyed seeing how her and Josh’s relationship changed throughout the book and that again it seemed like a pretty realistic portrayal of how love and marriages need to evolve over time.
There were some cameos from some of the characters from the previous books in the series, but there weren’t as many as I was hoping for. There was also way less emphasis put on Black Dog Bay being a break up town, though it did still play a part. This installment almost seemed more of a standalone than part of the series, though. Which isn’t a bad thing because it was still such a great book, but as a fan of the series I wish it was a little more inclusive.
Overall, I just really loved Once Upon a Wine. I loved the characters and the relationships and the romance. Beth Kendrick has really become one of my favorite authors of this genre and I definitely recommend this book (and series) to Chick Lit/Contemporary fans.
Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars
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