The Winemakers by Jan Moran
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Date Read: November 28, 2020
Length: 368 pages
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
★★★★☆
A young woman
A family secret
A devastating truth that could destroy the man she loves
Many years ago, the Rosetta family’s hard-won dreams of staking their claim in the vineyards of California came to fruition. Now high-spirited, passionate Caterina Rosetta, who has inherited both her mother’s talent for crafting the finest wines and also her indomitable will, wants nothing more than to win her mother’s approval and work at her side. But that can never happen, because Caterina is keeping a secret that could ruin her: a daughter of her own, fathered by the love of her life, who left her without explanation. Just as she feels she has nowhere to turn, Caterina discovers that she has inherited a vineyard in the Tuscan countryside in Italy, from a grandmother she’s never heard of, and she seizes the chance to start a new life for herself and her child.
But the past is not so easily outrun. In the country of her ancestors, Caterina meets the family of the father she never knew, and discovers that her mother is also hiding her own secret—a secret so devastating it threatens the future of everything her family has worked for. As an old murder comes to light, and Caterina uncovers a tragedy that may destroy the man she loves, she realizes her happiness will depend on revealing the truth of her mother’s buried past—if she has the strength to face it.
From author Jan Moran comes The Winemakers, a sweeping, romantic novel that will hold you in its grasp until the last delicious sip.
My Review
I enjoyed this book. I have had this book on my review list for years. I did start reading it several times over the years only to quickly realize that I was in the mood for a different kind of book. Eventually, the book was lost in my virtual stacks but I am happy that I finally was able to immerse myself in this story.
This book revolves around Caterina and her mother, Ava. Caterina’s life is filled with secrets. Some she keeps from others and some have been kept from her but they are all making their way to the surface in this story. The book is set in the 50s and the fact that Caterina has had a child out of wedlock is a big deal. It is such a big deal that she has hidden this fact from everyone, including her own mother. When she learns that she has inherited a home in Italy from a grandmother she didn’t know existed, she thinks that this might be the perfect escape for her and her daughter. Caterina soon learns that everything she thought she knows about her history may not be true. It seems like just as soon as one secret is revealed we learn about something else someone has been hiding.
I was hooked by the story pretty early on. I was eager to learn about Ava’s life in Italy and loved the chapters told from her point of view. I liked the way that one lie seemed to grow into several more over time. I did like the way that wine played a role in the story which surprised me since I am not a wine drinker. I thought that the passion for the wine that the characters felt really showed. This wasn’t a perfect story though. I didn’t need all of the descriptions of clothing that seemed to pop up throughout the story. I also thought that Caterina’s daughter, Marisa, must be the most well-behaved baby in the history of the world. It seems like someone besides Caterina was always watching the baby or she was sleeping which is not quite how I remember those early days of parenthood.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was an entertaining family drama spanning two generations and filled with great characters. I wouldn’t hesitate to read more from this author in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.
Recently Re-issued with a New Cover!
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This one has been sitting on my shelf for ages and you've convinced me I need to finally read it! Great review!
Simply Angela
There's a special kind of satisfaction that comes from reading a book that you've had for years. 🙂
This sounds very good. Fabulous review!
It is the first I am hearing this book. It sounds fabulous.
Have you read Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris? This one sounds quite similar. I loved that book so much. Guess I will have to check this one out then!
Elza Reads
Never seen this one before but it sounds like something I'll try. I definitely read this kinds of books every now and then.