Sunday Review: Romancing the Vines by Catherine MacDonald

Title ROMANCING THE VINES: A TALE OF LOVE, LUST AND REVENGE
Author CATHERINE MACDONALD
Source Received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review
Purchase AMAZON


Blurb

Francesca Bernard is a vintner in the Sonoma Valley who just can't seem to perfect her wine, her finances, and her love life. She finds herself torn between the man she lives with and the man she loves. A letter arrives from a long-lost cousin encouraging her to travel to Italy to uncover the secret to her wine and her heart. Tension is tight around the vineyard, so she leaps at the chance. Once in Italy, her cousin notices Francesca's torment and convinces her to visit the local seer, who is known to help lost souls. The old woman propels Francesca back through time on a heart-pounding quest where she visits three lives where her survival was in jeopardy. Armed with the secrets and truths, she finally understands how the love, lust, and revenge they have endured for centuries holds the answers to their present survival. 
Magna gathered Francesca's hands into her own cool gnarled ones and stroked them lightly. "Listen dearie. No one is allowing you to remain innocent and stuck on the wheel of life and death for eternity, but yourself. Even though the mind forgets, the soul remembers. Hopefully by examining these lifetimes you will understand the truth. You are responsible for the life you have--no one else." 
From Sonoma, Italy, and the Middle Ages Francesca travels to uncover the truth of the wine and the two men who have fought over her for centuries. Romancing the Vines is the sweeping romance of Francesca, Enrico, and Giancarlo and the secret to the wine that has been eluding her for centuries.

Review

This is the second book in the series. I probably should have read the first book before accepting the request to review this book because I believe that I would have been able to enjoy this story more because I would have already been drawn into this plot and story line.

Overall Ms. MacDonald's writing was easy to follow. It didn't really lag much and the story flowed well.

I was pretty mild feeling towards the characters. None of them really pulled me in making me HAVE to learn more about them. But they didn't really push me away either. I was very 'okay' with all of them.

To me, this book was an average read. There wasn't anything wrong with it. I just wasn't drawn into everything like I had hoped and I really think that is because I haven't read the first book.

I liked the description the author had in the novel. It was easy to picture the plot as it unfolded and that is always a plus to me.

I am going to give this a 3.5 Stars. I liked the authors writing and I think a non-mid series book would be pleasant to read from Catherine MacDonald.