20 December 2014

The Vintner's Daughter by Kristen Harnisch Review!



Book Details

  • Paperback: 355 pages
  • Publisher: She Writes Press; New edition (August 5, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1631529293
  • ISBN-13: 978-1631529290

A captivating historical-fiction debut: ambition, betrayal and love take a spirited young woman from the verdant Loire Valley to turn-of-the-century Manhattan to the wide open spaces of California wine country

Loire Valley, 1895. When seventeen-year-old Sara Thibault's father is killed in a mudslide, her mother sells their vineyard to a rival family, whose eldest son marries Sara's sister, Lydia. But a violent tragedy compels Sara and her sister to flee to New York, forcing Sara to put aside her dream to follow in her father's footsteps as a master winemaker.

Meanwhile, Philippe Lemieux has arrived in California with the ambition of owning the largest vineyard in Napa by 1900. When he receives word of his brother's death in France, he resolves to bring the killer to justice. Sara has travelled to California in hopes of making her own way in the winemaking world. When she encounters Philippe in a Napa vineyard, they are instantly drawn to one another, but Sara knows he is the one man who could return her family's vineyard to her, or send her straight to the guillotine.

A riveting, romantic tale of betrayal, retribution, love and redemption, Kristen Harnisch's debut novel immerses readers in the rich vineyard culture of both the Old and New Worlds, the burgeoning cities of turn-of-the-century America and a spirited heroine's fight to determine her destiny.



From Kristen Harnisch

I'm the author of THE VINTNER'S DAUGHTER and drew upon my research and experiences living in the San Francisco Bay Area and visiting the Loire Valley to create the story for my debut novel. THE VINTNER'S DAUGHTER is the first in a series about the changing world of vineyard life at the turn of the twentieth century. 

I'm chef, chauffeur, laundress, nurse, shrink, shopper, and maid servant to three young children and one terrific husband by day and a novelist by night (or anytime in between when I can scribble down a flitting thought). I love Starbuck's vanilla skim lattes, dark chocolate, and inspirational stories. The intention of my blog is to encourage every mom, regardless of age, to pursue her 'creative path' by sharing stories of moms who are doing it and by chronicling the ups and downs of my own writing life. 

I have a degree in economics from Villanova University, and currently reside in Connecticut. Visit me online at www.kristenharnisch.com or follow me on Twitter @KristenHarnisch. Thanks for reading!


My Review

The Vintner's Daughter is a Historical Fiction novel that starts out in France, the Loire Valley, and the main character, Sara Thibault, who still lives at home with her family and spending her days helping her sister prepare for her wedding and working in the family vineyard. Her passion is assisting her father tending the grapes in their winery. She is very proficient  and loves what she does. Her sister marries into the Lemieux but not is all it is supposed to be. Lydia's becomes a punching bag for her husband and a terrible tragedy happens that causes Lydia and Sara to flee to America.

They arrive and end up in a convent in New York awaiting the birth of Lydia's baby. Another tragedy occurs that forces Sara to flee to Napa Valley where her plans are to purchase some land and start a winery of her own. Unbeknownst to her, she ends up on the vineyard of Phillipe Lemieux, Lydia's brother in law. The story continues from there with an instant attraction to Phillipe. Should she stay? If she does her whole world could fall apart. This is a story of betrayal, ambition and love that will definitely have you rooting for Sara as she comes to terms with her life.

I found this novel to be very readable, enough suspense and romance to keep me turning the pages. A plot that is believable and the subject matter very well researched by the author. I read it in a few sittings and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I received a copy for review and was not monetarily compensated for my review.


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