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Orange Wine
While I was giving birth to Lucy, my husband, Alessandro, was lying in bed with my sister, Isabel.
And thus, Inés de la Rota—the youngest daughter of an Italian nobleman and a Colombian poet—begins to speak in a bitter, sweet voice.
Against the backdrop of early twentieth-century Colombia, where the Catholic Church exercises total control over women, Orange Wine weaves an unforgettable story of sisterhood, love, passion, and betrayal. Isolated in a society that opposes her desires, Inés struggles with her identity as a mother, artist, sister, lover, and woman. Her choices are stark: accept her duty to her family or embark on a sensuous journey of self-discovery. Each path will cost her—or those she loves—something dear.
Mirroring the alchemical process of turning oranges into wine, Inés must create a new life from a bitter pith, pressing sweetness from life’s agonies as she struggles toward artistic freedom and feminine awakening.
And thus, Inés de la Rota—the youngest daughter of an Italian nobleman and a Colombian poet—begins to speak in a bitter, sweet voice.
Against the backdrop of early twentieth-century Colombia, where the Catholic Church exercises total control over women, Orange Wine weaves an unforgettable story of sisterhood, love, passion, and betrayal. Isolated in a society that opposes her desires, Inés struggles with her identity as a mother, artist, sister, lover, and woman. Her choices are stark: accept her duty to her family or embark on a sensuous journey of self-discovery. Each path will cost her—or those she loves—something dear.
Mirroring the alchemical process of turning oranges into wine, Inés must create a new life from a bitter pith, pressing sweetness from life’s agonies as she struggles toward artistic freedom and feminine awakening.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
February 28, 2025
Some stories are told as they unfold, urgent and immediate. Others are recounted with a layer of distance, shaped by time and memory, emotions softened by the years but never lost. Orange Wine belongs to the latter.
From its opening lines, the novel introduces us to Inés, a woman who, while giving birth to her daughter Lucy, unknowingly loses her husband to her sister Isabel. The revelation is devastating yet presented with a quiet, almost fated inevitability—a betrayal not just personal but woven into the very fabric of her life and lineage. There is a matter-of-factness to Inés‘s narrative voice that reminded me so much of listening to my grandparent’s stories around a kitchen table, hearing the most devastating things they experienced as if they weren’t the ones to experience it.
That is to say—Snyder’s storytelling mirrors the way family lore is passed down—not always direct, but full of echoes. Snyder is a poet, and her language is beautiful in a precise and economical way.
Inés’s story is one of survival, not just in the immediate sense of picking up the pieces after Alessandro’s departure but in the way she carries the burdens of those who came before her. Her mother, Aura, a woman who lived for beauty and roses, cultivated a life of refinement but left her daughters unprepared for a world that required more than aesthetic devotion.
This book is for anyone who loves stories that unfold like a family secret—one that is painful, but also intoxicating in its telling. This is for those who appreciate narrative as something that unfolds like a folktale—personal yet collective, distant yet deeply felt. This is for readers drawn to the works of Isabel Allende, Elena Ferrante, or Gabriel García Márquez. This is for anyone who has ever listened to an elder tell a story—one where sorrow and survival are spoken of in the same breath, where tragedy is recounted with the simple knowledge that it happened.
I hope that like the scent of citrus on the hands long after peeling an orange, this one stays with you.
From its opening lines, the novel introduces us to Inés, a woman who, while giving birth to her daughter Lucy, unknowingly loses her husband to her sister Isabel. The revelation is devastating yet presented with a quiet, almost fated inevitability—a betrayal not just personal but woven into the very fabric of her life and lineage. There is a matter-of-factness to Inés‘s narrative voice that reminded me so much of listening to my grandparent’s stories around a kitchen table, hearing the most devastating things they experienced as if they weren’t the ones to experience it.
That is to say—Snyder’s storytelling mirrors the way family lore is passed down—not always direct, but full of echoes. Snyder is a poet, and her language is beautiful in a precise and economical way.
Inés’s story is one of survival, not just in the immediate sense of picking up the pieces after Alessandro’s departure but in the way she carries the burdens of those who came before her. Her mother, Aura, a woman who lived for beauty and roses, cultivated a life of refinement but left her daughters unprepared for a world that required more than aesthetic devotion.
This book is for anyone who loves stories that unfold like a family secret—one that is painful, but also intoxicating in its telling. This is for those who appreciate narrative as something that unfolds like a folktale—personal yet collective, distant yet deeply felt. This is for readers drawn to the works of Isabel Allende, Elena Ferrante, or Gabriel García Márquez. This is for anyone who has ever listened to an elder tell a story—one where sorrow and survival are spoken of in the same breath, where tragedy is recounted with the simple knowledge that it happened.
I hope that like the scent of citrus on the hands long after peeling an orange, this one stays with you.
September 30, 2025
Pre-Read Notes:
I remember thinking, "Orange wine would taste interesting." And then I requested it.
"To hell with everybody!” she shouted back. ... I still could not understand my sister’s reaction. I had told her about Alessandro from the beginning. She had always listened with what seemed like interest to me but had never expressed her opinion. Now there was no mistaking her silence. She had never approved of my relationship with Alessandro. But why? What had he ever done to her?"
Final Review
(thoughts & recs) This book was not a bad read, but unfortunately it doesn't have anything new to say. Not about love or families or betrayal. But it does have a satisfying happily ever after.
I recommend this one to readers who love period dramas involving tragedy and enduring fmc's who survive terrible story circumstances. I think this one will satisfy for both historical fiction and romance fans.
My Favorite Things:
✔️ Literature can sometimes romanticize past eras, but this book does quite good work in depicting how women's liberties were restricted in so many ways, like here: "If only I were a widow, I thought. Then I would have a good excuse for living without a man." p101 and here "How could I be available and willing to listen, run a household, and take care of the children while also devoting time to my painting? Sometimes I felt that being a mother, a lover, and a house director could consume me, and I fought hard to keep a little bit of myself private so that I would have something that was only mine, a source of my creativity." p148
✔️ "While I was giving birth to Lucy, my husband, Alessandro, was lying in bed with my sister Isabel." Despite this tantalizing and salacious opening line, the book is sadly flat and has very little conflict.
✔️ I mean I love the drama but this fmc does not make good choices lol!
Content Notes:
abandonment, neglect, abuse, childbirth, stitches, infidelity, family betrayal, violence against women,
Thank you to the author Esperanza Hope Snyder, Mareas Books, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of ORANGE WINE. All views are mine.
I remember thinking, "Orange wine would taste interesting." And then I requested it.
"To hell with everybody!” she shouted back. ... I still could not understand my sister’s reaction. I had told her about Alessandro from the beginning. She had always listened with what seemed like interest to me but had never expressed her opinion. Now there was no mistaking her silence. She had never approved of my relationship with Alessandro. But why? What had he ever done to her?"
Final Review
(thoughts & recs) This book was not a bad read, but unfortunately it doesn't have anything new to say. Not about love or families or betrayal. But it does have a satisfying happily ever after.
I recommend this one to readers who love period dramas involving tragedy and enduring fmc's who survive terrible story circumstances. I think this one will satisfy for both historical fiction and romance fans.
My Favorite Things:
✔️ Literature can sometimes romanticize past eras, but this book does quite good work in depicting how women's liberties were restricted in so many ways, like here: "If only I were a widow, I thought. Then I would have a good excuse for living without a man." p101 and here "How could I be available and willing to listen, run a household, and take care of the children while also devoting time to my painting? Sometimes I felt that being a mother, a lover, and a house director could consume me, and I fought hard to keep a little bit of myself private so that I would have something that was only mine, a source of my creativity." p148
✔️ "While I was giving birth to Lucy, my husband, Alessandro, was lying in bed with my sister Isabel." Despite this tantalizing and salacious opening line, the book is sadly flat and has very little conflict.
✔️ I mean I love the drama but this fmc does not make good choices lol!
Content Notes:
abandonment, neglect, abuse, childbirth, stitches, infidelity, family betrayal, violence against women,
Thank you to the author Esperanza Hope Snyder, Mareas Books, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of ORANGE WINE. All views are mine.
September 11, 2025
3.5
Orange Wine tells the turbulent story of Ines, the youngest of five girls born to once wealthy parents. Rosa, the eldest, moves to Bogota and says she will take it upon herself to see that her sisters find jobs and good husbands. However, when Ines refuses to do as Rosa says she moves back home to Paipa where she meets Alessandro, a lothario of the highest order.
As Ines life begins to unravel after her marriage to Alessandro, she gets a second chance but her sisters again sabotage her happiness until Ines is left to make something of herself using her own quick wit and resources.
I enjoyed almost all of Orange Wine but, as with other books, I found the constraints of organised religion difficult to stomach. Faith is a wonderful thing but, it seems to me, when men get their hands on religion they will twist it to their own ends.
It would also be easy to find Ines quite irritating as she seems to have everything but her life is not easy and you find yourself cheering her on.
On the whole an interesting short novel which evokes the era and the places it is set. Beautifully written and based on the life of the author's grandfather. Recommended.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Bindery Books for the advance review copy.
Orange Wine tells the turbulent story of Ines, the youngest of five girls born to once wealthy parents. Rosa, the eldest, moves to Bogota and says she will take it upon herself to see that her sisters find jobs and good husbands. However, when Ines refuses to do as Rosa says she moves back home to Paipa where she meets Alessandro, a lothario of the highest order.
As Ines life begins to unravel after her marriage to Alessandro, she gets a second chance but her sisters again sabotage her happiness until Ines is left to make something of herself using her own quick wit and resources.
I enjoyed almost all of Orange Wine but, as with other books, I found the constraints of organised religion difficult to stomach. Faith is a wonderful thing but, it seems to me, when men get their hands on religion they will twist it to their own ends.
It would also be easy to find Ines quite irritating as she seems to have everything but her life is not easy and you find yourself cheering her on.
On the whole an interesting short novel which evokes the era and the places it is set. Beautifully written and based on the life of the author's grandfather. Recommended.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Bindery Books for the advance review copy.
September 23, 2025
Book Stats:
📖: 304 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Bindery books
Format: physical book from the publisher
Series: standalone
Themes:
💫: Love, Loss and Family
💫: Artistic Freedom
💫: Feminine Awakening
Representation:
🍊: Strong Female lead
🍊: Colombian Setting
🥵: Spice: Half a pepper 🌶️
Potential Triggers: **check authors page/socials for full list.
General Thoughts:
This book was soulful. Rich in love, loss and self discovery.
A little slow to start, once you get to know Inés you fall in love with her spirit and the book begins to fly by. We watch Inés blossom under the weight of sisterhood, loss and ultimate betrayal. Staying true to her hopes and dreams is a risk in this timeline in Colombia due to the stronghold of the Catholic Church. Inés manages to find love and herself against adversity.
The book left me reflective and hopeful at the end. But crushed and humbled me throughout. Excellent novel.
Disclaimer: I read this book as a physical ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
📖: 304 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Bindery books
Format: physical book from the publisher
Series: standalone
Themes:
💫: Love, Loss and Family
💫: Artistic Freedom
💫: Feminine Awakening
Representation:
🍊: Strong Female lead
🍊: Colombian Setting
🥵: Spice: Half a pepper 🌶️
Potential Triggers: **check authors page/socials for full list.
General Thoughts:
This book was soulful. Rich in love, loss and self discovery.
A little slow to start, once you get to know Inés you fall in love with her spirit and the book begins to fly by. We watch Inés blossom under the weight of sisterhood, loss and ultimate betrayal. Staying true to her hopes and dreams is a risk in this timeline in Colombia due to the stronghold of the Catholic Church. Inés manages to find love and herself against adversity.
The book left me reflective and hopeful at the end. But crushed and humbled me throughout. Excellent novel.
Disclaimer: I read this book as a physical ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
October 6, 2025
I'm latina, I'm divorced, I'm a painter. I was so sure this was going to be great. I'm so disappointed by how unseen I feel. I recieved a free copy from a giveaway, which has in no way impacted my rating.
While I'm very sorry to say that this frustrated me, I still have the caveat that we need more stories about older women, divorced women, latina author's and latina publishers. I will still continue to support the author in her journey and Mareas publishing in their journey.
Here is why I was frustrated. I have heard stories like Ines' before. I have lived a story adjacent to Ines. Being a divorcee follows women like a plague. It has stigma that is enforced by society. She went for the bad boy and got burned. He returns to continue to be a piece of trash. She finds someone who loves her and wants to protect her. She had to find herself while being a care giver. She uses art to find piece within herself. When I tell you that all this in theory sounds like it is the start of a cheesy tropes heavy romance plot and holds a mirror to my life, I expected so much nuance. I got none.
The two pit falls of this book is pacing and insight. The pacing truly gave me whiplash. within a short span maybe 2 pages max, someone would die and weeks to months would pass with a brief few sentences of how everyone was impacted. Someone would be sentenced to jail and a paragraph later they did their time. There was never enough time given to sit with Ines in her feelings about how she was being treated. I knew more about how the men felt about how they were treating her than how she felt about how they treated her. I don't care about how they feel. She is a separated woman in early 20th century Bogota with kids, show me her will crashing in waves.
Show me how she yearns to be touched or struggled with touch after so much abuse. Show me how she can't sleep because of worry for her children. Show me the pain of having to live in the shadow of a bum. Instead there is this canyon of space where we are left to infer how she is feeling. I could have turned on La Rosa De Guadalupe and gotten more vibrancy and emotion than this book. Walter Mercado gave me more clarity that Ines did at any given moment.
As a painter, creation is a very intimate act. It is connected to will, mental health, clarity, emotion, and so much more. We don't get time to sit with Ines as she paints. We just don't get time!!! At one point she says "yea I've been painting for a while " ( I'm poorly paraphrasing here) and i screamed "WHEN!?"
She gets representation because her work is beautiful. Let me tell you, no one gets representation because their work is beautiful. It sells because it either fits a general neutral home decor aesthetic that is easily marketable or the artist has an interesting story. Either scenario would be a great point to explore her being a single mom business woman trying to make enough money to be independent or how the shadow of her ex plagues her reputation.
I'm sad because this felt like a missed opportunity.
While I'm very sorry to say that this frustrated me, I still have the caveat that we need more stories about older women, divorced women, latina author's and latina publishers. I will still continue to support the author in her journey and Mareas publishing in their journey.
Here is why I was frustrated. I have heard stories like Ines' before. I have lived a story adjacent to Ines. Being a divorcee follows women like a plague. It has stigma that is enforced by society. She went for the bad boy and got burned. He returns to continue to be a piece of trash. She finds someone who loves her and wants to protect her. She had to find herself while being a care giver. She uses art to find piece within herself. When I tell you that all this in theory sounds like it is the start of a cheesy tropes heavy romance plot and holds a mirror to my life, I expected so much nuance. I got none.
The two pit falls of this book is pacing and insight. The pacing truly gave me whiplash. within a short span maybe 2 pages max, someone would die and weeks to months would pass with a brief few sentences of how everyone was impacted. Someone would be sentenced to jail and a paragraph later they did their time. There was never enough time given to sit with Ines in her feelings about how she was being treated. I knew more about how the men felt about how they were treating her than how she felt about how they treated her. I don't care about how they feel. She is a separated woman in early 20th century Bogota with kids, show me her will crashing in waves.
Show me how she yearns to be touched or struggled with touch after so much abuse. Show me how she can't sleep because of worry for her children. Show me the pain of having to live in the shadow of a bum. Instead there is this canyon of space where we are left to infer how she is feeling. I could have turned on La Rosa De Guadalupe and gotten more vibrancy and emotion than this book. Walter Mercado gave me more clarity that Ines did at any given moment.
As a painter, creation is a very intimate act. It is connected to will, mental health, clarity, emotion, and so much more. We don't get time to sit with Ines as she paints. We just don't get time!!! At one point she says "yea I've been painting for a while " ( I'm poorly paraphrasing here) and i screamed "WHEN!?"
She gets representation because her work is beautiful. Let me tell you, no one gets representation because their work is beautiful. It sells because it either fits a general neutral home decor aesthetic that is easily marketable or the artist has an interesting story. Either scenario would be a great point to explore her being a single mom business woman trying to make enough money to be independent or how the shadow of her ex plagues her reputation.
I'm sad because this felt like a missed opportunity.
September 29, 2025
This is a story about a woman who goes through a life changing traumatic event that forces her to reconnect with her roots. Sounds good right? There are a lot of things about this books that I loved right off the bat and that made me think that this was going to be a five star read. The author is a brilliant writer. The prose and sentence structure had me pulling out my highlighter and believing that I was going to come away from this read profoundly changed. I also loved that the setting and the vibes of the story were so tranquil and just really special. Taking place in Columbia with Italian roots was really fun to witness.
What I didn’t like was how unrelatable it was. It was like a Disney fairytale, everything that the protagonist could have wanted was just magically there with no real struggle or detriment. She was well off and beautiful. She had a big family who continued to be in her life despite how insufferable she was. Everyone just magically fell in love with her. She got everything she ever wanted. Even when she suffered a loss - it was a minor plot point and did nothing to give her character depth.
Overall, it was probably like a 3.5 star read. Well written but just lacking in any feeling and depth to be truly great. I hope this author continues to write and grow.
What I didn’t like was how unrelatable it was. It was like a Disney fairytale, everything that the protagonist could have wanted was just magically there with no real struggle or detriment. She was well off and beautiful. She had a big family who continued to be in her life despite how insufferable she was. Everyone just magically fell in love with her. She got everything she ever wanted. Even when she suffered a loss - it was a minor plot point and did nothing to give her character depth.
Overall, it was probably like a 3.5 star read. Well written but just lacking in any feeling and depth to be truly great. I hope this author continues to write and grow.
February 27, 2025
This was not my favorite, and I’ve been struggling over why that is. First of all, this book succeeds in creating a vivid atmosphere with lush descriptions of settings, food, and wine. I enjoyed that, and reading a story set in Colombia, which was a first for me.
Here are my thoughts as to why I didn’t click with this much:
- It reads more like a memoir than a novel. It’s all telling and no showing. The narrative is extremely distant despite being in first person. It seems like Inés is just recounting an (extremely bland) story rather than taking us on the journey with her.
- I don’t know how this managed to be so undramatic. The premise is fascinating and rife with drama. The affairs, the sister betrayals, the illegitimate children, all of it. But it just falls flat. I was bored most of the time, and I think Inés’s monotone recounting of everything is the reason for that.
- I also found Inés unlikable. She’s prettier than all of her other sisters—who are all ugly. Every man wants her. She steals one from her sister while she’s already a married woman. Everywhere she goes, she causes mass destruction. I often like complicated characters, and am soft to ones that most people hate. But I didn’t know Inés enough to see past all of this. I still feel like I have absolutely no idea what her personality is, and that goes for all of the other characters as well.
- There were several times that the dialogue seemed to be disjointed with the intensity of the corresponding reaction. The dialogue would be so mild and unbothered, and then suddenly people are smashing things. I saved an examples of this:
“I don’t mind cooking and cleaning. But having to clean up after your parties is getting harder!” I grabbed a wineglass and smashed it against the chimney.
- I was shocked by her anger because leading up to that scene, that’s not how I was interpreting her tone. There is just a disconnect with emotional cues here in a way I haven’t seen in other novels.
- There is no sisterhood. At all. They all hate each other. And don’t forget, they are all much uglier than Inés.
- I don’t know how Inés’s husband running away with her sister Isabelle could’ve been less dramatic. That was the premise that initially drew me into reading this book, and it was such a letdown. Everything about it seemed so inconsequential, and me not being connected to the characters at all didn’t help that.
- With Inés’s child’s death, we were informed that she cried for months, but again, it prompted no emotional reaction because we weren’t really with Inés at all. Child deaths are usually emotional for me, and this one wasn’t at all.
There were several feminist quotes that I appreciated:
“I am angry at God for making me a woman and at the world for deciding my fate.”
“God’s punishment to women, I concluded, was not the torment of pregnancy and childbirth, but coupling these with the intellectual ability to question and to wonder.”
I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own. This was unfortunately a miss for me, but I appreciate the chance to read it.
Here are my thoughts as to why I didn’t click with this much:
- It reads more like a memoir than a novel. It’s all telling and no showing. The narrative is extremely distant despite being in first person. It seems like Inés is just recounting an (extremely bland) story rather than taking us on the journey with her.
- I don’t know how this managed to be so undramatic. The premise is fascinating and rife with drama. The affairs, the sister betrayals, the illegitimate children, all of it. But it just falls flat. I was bored most of the time, and I think Inés’s monotone recounting of everything is the reason for that.
- I also found Inés unlikable. She’s prettier than all of her other sisters—who are all ugly. Every man wants her. She steals one from her sister while she’s already a married woman. Everywhere she goes, she causes mass destruction. I often like complicated characters, and am soft to ones that most people hate. But I didn’t know Inés enough to see past all of this. I still feel like I have absolutely no idea what her personality is, and that goes for all of the other characters as well.
- There were several times that the dialogue seemed to be disjointed with the intensity of the corresponding reaction. The dialogue would be so mild and unbothered, and then suddenly people are smashing things. I saved an examples of this:
“I don’t mind cooking and cleaning. But having to clean up after your parties is getting harder!” I grabbed a wineglass and smashed it against the chimney.
- I was shocked by her anger because leading up to that scene, that’s not how I was interpreting her tone. There is just a disconnect with emotional cues here in a way I haven’t seen in other novels.
- There is no sisterhood. At all. They all hate each other. And don’t forget, they are all much uglier than Inés.
- I don’t know how Inés’s husband running away with her sister Isabelle could’ve been less dramatic. That was the premise that initially drew me into reading this book, and it was such a letdown. Everything about it seemed so inconsequential, and me not being connected to the characters at all didn’t help that.
- With Inés’s child’s death, we were informed that she cried for months, but again, it prompted no emotional reaction because we weren’t really with Inés at all. Child deaths are usually emotional for me, and this one wasn’t at all.
There were several feminist quotes that I appreciated:
“I am angry at God for making me a woman and at the world for deciding my fate.”
“God’s punishment to women, I concluded, was not the torment of pregnancy and childbirth, but coupling these with the intellectual ability to question and to wonder.”
I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own. This was unfortunately a miss for me, but I appreciate the chance to read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2025
"...I had loved and also suffered, and I was now learning that the shades of heartache are many, that being betrayed and abandoned is great cause for grief, but that when the heart chooses, it will not be dissuaded."
"Beauty, like love, must have its caretakers."
What a book (said Sabie again, in 2025 but seriously guys, its applicable here too) and just to let you all know: I read this book in a matter of few hours AND did not do anything during the day as I couldnt get Orange Wine out of my mind.
This was a beautiful book of self discovery, understanding one self and growing. Themes like religion guilt, complex relationship with families and the beauty of art and love is explored so deeply and beautifully. I quite enjoyed how it felt like the book was written as Ines explored different journey and grew while still flowing naturally through different events. We meet Ines and her sisters in the beginning, see the impact that Alessandro has had on her and Isabel, we meet Rose and see the lack of compassion towards her sisters. We see Ines witness loss and love, regain her taste in life and how her love for art, Regulo and her daughters helped save her
So Orange Wine is then a tale of love, grief and growing up while learn to balance suffering and being happy all at once. Buckle in and let's go for a long review about why you need to read Orange Wine like yesterday?
GENRE: Fiction
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
FORMAT: Arc copy from Bindery
Long Review:
We start off by getting an introduction into Ines, who she is and her family members. We learn that she comes from a family of 4 other sisters and she is the youngest. As she grows up, she gets a revelation that she "...has a gift ... The Gift of seeing ... you see the future, see into people's hearts and minds." and she grew up around an artistic mother, one who taught her to appreciate the finer things in life and to understand beauty, art and aesthetics.
We then learn more about each of Ines's sister, her interaction with them when she takes a trip to Bogota to stay with her older sister and how she feels different to them and I wont dive into details in here as it would be spoiler-ish but I think Synder wrote the interactions between the siblings in a beautiful way. Their relationship developed for better or for worse, with each one having a different priority in life.
"Rosa sent me back to Paipa to protect me, and it was there that I met Alessandro Scala, the man who would break my heart and change my life. I wish Rosa could have protected me from that."
Looking back at this quote, as an elder sister, I would have wanted to protect Ines from the world, but Rosa was a very different type of elder sister, with which her love was not unconditional.
When Rosa met Alessandro, there were so many red flags and signs that should have warned her away, but perhaps the biggest one in mind is her bad feeling that she got when she met him. Ines is a woman who hasnt learned to trust her own instinct just yet at the age of seventeen (and who has at that age honestly?). There were many moments in the beginning of the book where Ines has warnings, like:
"Sometimes thinking about him brought me pleasure, but at other times I felt a heaviness in my heart that I couldn't shake. It was almost as if I knew this man was dangerous, as if I understood he would cause ma pain, though at the same time I couldn't resist him."
"... when I felt torn — almost paralyzed by a fear — by a premonition that warned me I was about to make a mistake that would cause me suffering, even though at the same time I knew I could not alter that part of my destiny."
And its a bit like Ines watched her life unfold in front of her, unable to stop anything from happening, despite knowing that it would not end well.
"How could I have been so blind? What kind of see was I, when I couldn't even see what was in front of my very own eyes?"
She struggles with the concept of destiny and what she is faithed for during these moments. Its almost like she can foreshadow her own suffering but finds herself helpless in stopping it. I mean, after all, who else remembers being a teenager, liking someone and having it take over your life?
"Funny that he, who was previously a stranger to me and unrelated to my personal happiness in any way, had become so important that the world prior to his existence no longer mattered. I did not know yet that the world after his departure would not matter either, not for a long time."
And Alessandro's bad side started showing up right before the marriage, his anger and his abusive traits as well. Despite all of this, Ines says this on her wedding day despite her own intuition, people warning her and all the signs around her
"I'm sure no one present at the ceremony could have imagined that our end would be as traffic as our beginning had been splendid."
Oh but the story continues, despite all the down sides and everything that Ines struggles with, we watch her meet someone else, live a life of loss, grief and love. We watch her fight and try to make it through despite facing different inner demons (and outer ones sometimes too). We watch her struggle to build a life as she cannot divorce Alessandro and struggles to fit into a mould of the perfect Catholic girl in her city and country. We watch people shun her, especially her own sisters (well most of them) and watch Ines struggle to accept the betrayal from all of her older sisters.
And in a beautiful touch to Orange Wine, we watch her find love again. We watch her meet someone who understands her soul better than Alessandro ever could. We watch her and Regulo grow together, grow apart and separately and watch how life folds in front of them. We watch Ines become the best version of herself as an artist and learn to not lose herself in motherhood.
"I knew Alessandro had never heard me, and if he had never heard me, how could he have loved me? Regulo's love was silent and profound. He looked upon me as his equal, and that made me immensely happy."
"It was altogether different to be lying in Regulo's arms, as if I had done so a thousand times before in a thousand different countries during a thousand different lives. In Regulo's arms, I became a woman."
"It surprised me to think that I had never felt the longing, the desire in my husband's presence that I now felt for Regulo."
And the Orange wine they create together that has miraculous powers? The one that started as an idea with Ines and Regulo took the idea and built an empire for her and then, actually gave her half of the company as one of the creator of the business. This should be a standard, however, the fact that Regulo does this at a time where women are not seen as an equal to men is a great gesture.
"You make a good team... She's the creative spirit behind the enterprise and you, Regulo — you are the businessman who puts the deals together. What an amazing couple!"
And you know the trend where people keep saying "Some men say "I love you" but x says ..."? Well Regulo says:
"Some claim the wine has miraculous powers. Supposedly, it heals people from their disappointments in love...It may heal you too.
Yours,
Regulo
P.S It hasn't worked for me. I still miss you terribly."
Anyways, thank you for reading this far if you have made it. I truly loved this book and I hope you consider reading it and experience the pain, yet feel the love Ines goes through.
Thank you to Bindery, Mareas Imprint and the author for this lovely Arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 4, 2025
Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC!
"Orange Wine" wasn't what I expected. If anything, it was felt reading one of those bad *your name* fanfics. (That sounds harsh, but it's really not)
This novel is about a (very beautiful, very talented, very elegant, very nice, just perfect) woman, Ines, whose life shatters as her husband betrays her with her sister (who's not even half as beautiful, talented etc).
Taking her 2 small children with her, she leaves him and goes to her other sister's (who are even uglier than the betraying sister).
Ines' qualities catch the eyes of all the men she meets and they all fall in love with her (because she's very beautiful and talented). Then there's a "Redeeming Love" moment, before the happy ever after.
Even though the writing style is really good and the atmosphere is charming (20th century in Colombia), I was barely able to keep up reading. The main famele character is a pick me and a "feminist", while constantly putting other women down because of their looks (or more specifically because their beauty is inferior to hers) or lack of prospects (she got like 5 men that want to marry her, while her other sister didn't even get a single proposal). Her mother also favoured her, leaving her the family home
She's also constantly and actively seeking male validation and isn't able to have one female friend.
Obviously, because of her great qualities, she navigates through life easily: the man she sells her house to offers to start a relationship, another man is ready to marry her even though she's still married, providing for her and her children, her artistic friend and guide falls in love with her and promotes her art. All her paintings and ideas are brilliant and successful.
Also, she's the only one who gets a happy ending, while all the other sisters can only struggle. Don't those other 3 sisters deserve a bit of happiness too? (No, because they are ugly)
I expected more drama, more challenges, maybe even a bookish soap opera, but this novel fell short.
"Orange Wine" wasn't what I expected. If anything, it was felt reading one of those bad *your name* fanfics. (That sounds harsh, but it's really not)
This novel is about a (very beautiful, very talented, very elegant, very nice, just perfect) woman, Ines, whose life shatters as her husband betrays her with her sister (who's not even half as beautiful, talented etc).
Taking her 2 small children with her, she leaves him and goes to her other sister's (who are even uglier than the betraying sister).
Ines' qualities catch the eyes of all the men she meets and they all fall in love with her (because she's very beautiful and talented). Then there's a "Redeeming Love" moment, before the happy ever after.
Even though the writing style is really good and the atmosphere is charming (20th century in Colombia), I was barely able to keep up reading. The main famele character is a pick me and a "feminist", while constantly putting other women down because of their looks (or more specifically because their beauty is inferior to hers) or lack of prospects (she got like 5 men that want to marry her, while her other sister didn't even get a single proposal). Her mother also favoured her, leaving her the family home
She's also constantly and actively seeking male validation and isn't able to have one female friend.
Obviously, because of her great qualities, she navigates through life easily: the man she sells her house to offers to start a relationship, another man is ready to marry her even though she's still married, providing for her and her children, her artistic friend and guide falls in love with her and promotes her art. All her paintings and ideas are brilliant and successful.
Also, she's the only one who gets a happy ending, while all the other sisters can only struggle. Don't those other 3 sisters deserve a bit of happiness too? (No, because they are ugly)
I expected more drama, more challenges, maybe even a bookish soap opera, but this novel fell short.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2025
3.75
A beautiful story about heartbreak, resilience, betrayal, and following your heart.
A beautiful story about heartbreak, resilience, betrayal, and following your heart.
August 5, 2025
I think I really did not vibe with the writing style here. The sparse writing on a mostly character focused story just did not necessarily work for me. It felt a little too meandering and a little too long when the writing felt very matter of fact. I just felt like it didn't quite match the tone of the story and that felt a little jarring to me. I'm sure it's a book/writing style that will work for many others - it just was not my cup of tea.
May 6, 2025
i didn't end up loving this one as much as i was hoping for
overall it was just fine, i understand and respect what the book was trying to do and enjoyed the exploration of its themes somewhat but it just feel lacking to me. and more often than i would've liked to i can't help but question ines and some of her choices throughout. wish it was more gripping than what was presented in text
overall it was just fine, i understand and respect what the book was trying to do and enjoyed the exploration of its themes somewhat but it just feel lacking to me. and more often than i would've liked to i can't help but question ines and some of her choices throughout. wish it was more gripping than what was presented in text
October 31, 2025
Orange Wine is a novel inspired by the author’s grandparents. She doesn’t go into too much detail about which parts, other than the orange wine, but ultimately, this is a novel, and I’m going to review it as such, rather than as a family memoir. The story starts strong and with the premise of being a complicated family saga. One sister has run off with the other sister’s husband while she is in labour. There are five girls in total in this family, and they each have their allies within the sisterhood. Each possess individual talents, some are more beautiful than others, some are smarter, some are crueller, some have more compassion. I was ready for a rollicking family drama with all the trimmings. And in some ways, it delivers, but in others, I was left wanting.
Esperanza Hope Snyder writes beautifully, in terms of her love prose and her ability to capture the essence of the landscape and society of early 20th century Columbia, and later in the novel, parts of Italy, Spain, and France. Her ability to evoke passion was sublime, and she is a published poet, so this was evident in the sweeping passages about love and romance. I think where this novel really fell short for me was in the plot, it just seemed underdeveloped for the scope she had set in place from the outset. Much time was given to the domestic frivolities of Inez’s relationships, and not enough given to her creative pursuits that would ultimately lead to her freedom and ability to fully embrace the life she was seeking. I think, what was missing, is the yearning that should have been present, particularly through the times of loss and heartache, but I remained separated from this, held at arm’s length by the author.
‘The passion I felt for Regulo came upon me so suddenly, I did not know how to adjust to it. For the first time, I understood what it felt like to learn a foreign language and one day discover that the world is somehow different and richer because of a new vocabulary to describe the self and those around it.’
There was a lovely easter egg in the final chapters where Inez and Regulo befriend by chance an American writer in Madrid who is clearly Ernest Hemmingway, despite remaining unnamed. I found that a little bit of a redemption at the end of what was largely a lacklustre read.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
Esperanza Hope Snyder writes beautifully, in terms of her love prose and her ability to capture the essence of the landscape and society of early 20th century Columbia, and later in the novel, parts of Italy, Spain, and France. Her ability to evoke passion was sublime, and she is a published poet, so this was evident in the sweeping passages about love and romance. I think where this novel really fell short for me was in the plot, it just seemed underdeveloped for the scope she had set in place from the outset. Much time was given to the domestic frivolities of Inez’s relationships, and not enough given to her creative pursuits that would ultimately lead to her freedom and ability to fully embrace the life she was seeking. I think, what was missing, is the yearning that should have been present, particularly through the times of loss and heartache, but I remained separated from this, held at arm’s length by the author.
‘The passion I felt for Regulo came upon me so suddenly, I did not know how to adjust to it. For the first time, I understood what it felt like to learn a foreign language and one day discover that the world is somehow different and richer because of a new vocabulary to describe the self and those around it.’
There was a lovely easter egg in the final chapters where Inez and Regulo befriend by chance an American writer in Madrid who is clearly Ernest Hemmingway, despite remaining unnamed. I found that a little bit of a redemption at the end of what was largely a lacklustre read.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
February 8, 2025
Read for work, ines you crazy woman!!!!!!
October 9, 2025
4.25
Oh my goodness, this was SO LOVELY! 🥹 when reading the summary I was expecting drama, but it’s actually a quiet story. There are elements that make it dramatic, but it’s not soap-y.
I love the unconventional love story and the way the couple plays by their own rules. They’re not petty and always prioritize their hearts over their pride. They continue to choose each other regardless of the paths their lives take.
Additionally, I really like that Inés lives life by her own standards despite what propriety dictates. However the author doesn’t make it overly preachy or in your face. The way Régulo also chooses Inés above everything and eventually learns to accept everything about her was a breath of fresh air.
My only issue with the novel was that some moments/feelings needed to linger a little longer. Big events that should’ve gutted me only mildly affected me bc they weren’t emphasized enough or weren’t given as much attention as they should have. (I’m purposely being vague to avoid spoilers.)
I also would’ve liked more time with the children, particularly the first half of the book. They’re very much supporting cast and I wanted them to play a bigger role considering they are quite important in both their lives.
Oh my goodness, this was SO LOVELY! 🥹 when reading the summary I was expecting drama, but it’s actually a quiet story. There are elements that make it dramatic, but it’s not soap-y.
I love the unconventional love story and the way the couple plays by their own rules. They’re not petty and always prioritize their hearts over their pride. They continue to choose each other regardless of the paths their lives take.
Additionally, I really like that Inés lives life by her own standards despite what propriety dictates. However the author doesn’t make it overly preachy or in your face. The way Régulo also chooses Inés above everything and eventually learns to accept everything about her was a breath of fresh air.
My only issue with the novel was that some moments/feelings needed to linger a little longer. Big events that should’ve gutted me only mildly affected me bc they weren’t emphasized enough or weren’t given as much attention as they should have. (I’m purposely being vague to avoid spoilers.)
I also would’ve liked more time with the children, particularly the first half of the book. They’re very much supporting cast and I wanted them to play a bigger role considering they are quite important in both their lives.
March 10, 2025
a big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC!
things I enjoyed in this book - the setting, naturally, as you'll always get me reading something set historically in Colombia / Latin America. I also found the book to be very easy to read and relatively fast paced, which is just what I needed right now to get out of a sort of slump.
however, I also have a few issues with this book. our main character Inés is like the 20th century version of a 'not like other girls'. she is CONSTANTLY, and I mean constantly, described as being the most gorgerous, clever, smart, mysterious, lovely woman in all of Paipa, Bogotá, Italy, doesn't matter the setting, she will be so far above any other woman that we won't hear the end of it! in fact she is so much more beautiful and better than everyone, including her own sisters, one from which she steals the man she was interested in (and has zero remorse) - who cares about the other two sisters, they're too ugly to ever get married so we don't need to know about them (although they are actively working and contributing to society and actually furthering the status of women for the country and time period). Every other woman mentioned in the story is torn down and compared to Inés just to show how great she is. She also manages to invent an orange wine better than ANY other wine in the entire world, plus has incredible talents in art and perfumery.
Inés was also warned OVER AND OVER by EVERYBODY NOT to marry her first husband because he is a KNOWN scoundrel and what does she do... marry him... and what happens... he leaves her with huge debts, has an affair with her sister... Inés just didn't seem concerned about anything, never thought of consequences or her actions, but I think the lack of detail in the writing is also to blame. i don't mind a morally grey character, not at all, but it is more the lack of seeing into Inés that I missed here. I just wanted more from her - why did she really go above everyone's advice and marry Alessandro, beyond their physical attraction? How did it leave her feeling when her husband left her for his sister, moments after she gave birth to their child? that is a HUGE event and yet we didn't have much of a chance to get into the MEAT of it, she just moved on quickly to the next man. Her son DIES aged 7 and again, doesnt seem to affect her past a couple of pages. Another example- towards the end of the book Isabel murders Alessandro and we get about 2 sentences on it then we move on! The travel sections of the book were also pretty boring and could have been sliced out.
I wanted a feminist story, showing a woman who, despite society's expectations and restrictions manages to achieve her desire - a la Allende- but instead the story followed a woman with poor judgement who allowed herself to be put down by everybody in her life (while still being the best woman alive) and was 90% (bad) romance. The plot had a lot of potential but the writing let it down just a little - would have loved just a bit more oomph to the story! More show and less tell! The blurb does it way more justice and the story deserves
things I enjoyed in this book - the setting, naturally, as you'll always get me reading something set historically in Colombia / Latin America. I also found the book to be very easy to read and relatively fast paced, which is just what I needed right now to get out of a sort of slump.
however, I also have a few issues with this book. our main character Inés is like the 20th century version of a 'not like other girls'. she is CONSTANTLY, and I mean constantly, described as being the most gorgerous, clever, smart, mysterious, lovely woman in all of Paipa, Bogotá, Italy, doesn't matter the setting, she will be so far above any other woman that we won't hear the end of it! in fact she is so much more beautiful and better than everyone, including her own sisters, one from which she steals the man she was interested in (and has zero remorse) - who cares about the other two sisters, they're too ugly to ever get married so we don't need to know about them (although they are actively working and contributing to society and actually furthering the status of women for the country and time period). Every other woman mentioned in the story is torn down and compared to Inés just to show how great she is. She also manages to invent an orange wine better than ANY other wine in the entire world, plus has incredible talents in art and perfumery.
Inés was also warned OVER AND OVER by EVERYBODY NOT to marry her first husband because he is a KNOWN scoundrel and what does she do... marry him... and what happens... he leaves her with huge debts, has an affair with her sister... Inés just didn't seem concerned about anything, never thought of consequences or her actions, but I think the lack of detail in the writing is also to blame. i don't mind a morally grey character, not at all, but it is more the lack of seeing into Inés that I missed here. I just wanted more from her - why did she really go above everyone's advice and marry Alessandro, beyond their physical attraction? How did it leave her feeling when her husband left her for his sister, moments after she gave birth to their child? that is a HUGE event and yet we didn't have much of a chance to get into the MEAT of it, she just moved on quickly to the next man. Her son DIES aged 7 and again, doesnt seem to affect her past a couple of pages. Another example- towards the end of the book Isabel murders Alessandro and we get about 2 sentences on it then we move on! The travel sections of the book were also pretty boring and could have been sliced out.
I wanted a feminist story, showing a woman who, despite society's expectations and restrictions manages to achieve her desire - a la Allende- but instead the story followed a woman with poor judgement who allowed herself to be put down by everybody in her life (while still being the best woman alive) and was 90% (bad) romance. The plot had a lot of potential but the writing let it down just a little - would have loved just a bit more oomph to the story! More show and less tell! The blurb does it way more justice and the story deserves
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 22, 2025Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
Orange Wine by Esperanza Hope Snyder is a first person-POV literary historical set in Colombia in the early twentieth century. Inés is the youngest daughter of an Italian nobleman and a Colombian poet and seems to have the world at her feet. When she marries Alessandro, she believes she found true love until he continues his affair with her sister Isabel while Inés is giving birth to their daughter. Lost and raising her children alone, she meets Régulo who could be the true love of her life.
Colombia’s strong Catholic influence gets explored particularly in regards to marriage. To anyone not familiar, in Catholicism, divorce is not really a thing. We have annulment instead and it used to be much more difficult to get access to than it is now but still involves essentially saying ‘I didn’t know who this person really was so I entered the marriage under a lie.’ Affairs can be a factor, but there are also some countries that are deeply Catholic where the moment you marry, that’s it. The end. You are married to that person forever in the eyes of the public and God. All of that tension is used as Inés moves on emotionally from Alessandro and has no interest in being with him ever again because of his actions, but in the eyes of their community, her faith, and two of her older sisters, she is his wife and she will always be his wife. If you’re Catholic, you understand the rock and a hard place that puts Inés in and it’s not as simple as leaving the Church especially since she’s in a very Catholic community.
One of the things I really liked was how Inés is an artist but has to put her art aside a few times due to economic reasons. There are a lot of people throughout history who were talented in the arts but had their options limited by what they could and could not afford and had struggles with their significant others when it comes to pursuing their craft in other ways. It’s complicated because I never got the impression that Régulo was resentful of Inés’ art, but he is definitely jealous of the opportunities it can afford her and how that might move her away from him.
The chapters are all fairly short but the pacing is on the slower side. I would view this as literary because it is so focused on the characters and the story is not really plot-driven nor that driven by the actions of the characters. It is more driven by the circumstances of the world that they live in, but not in a world-driven way I would expect of fantasy.
Content warning for depictions of abuse
I would recommend this to fans of books set in Colombia that discuss Catholicism and readers of literary fiction looking for a historical
Orange Wine by Esperanza Hope Snyder is a first person-POV literary historical set in Colombia in the early twentieth century. Inés is the youngest daughter of an Italian nobleman and a Colombian poet and seems to have the world at her feet. When she marries Alessandro, she believes she found true love until he continues his affair with her sister Isabel while Inés is giving birth to their daughter. Lost and raising her children alone, she meets Régulo who could be the true love of her life.
Colombia’s strong Catholic influence gets explored particularly in regards to marriage. To anyone not familiar, in Catholicism, divorce is not really a thing. We have annulment instead and it used to be much more difficult to get access to than it is now but still involves essentially saying ‘I didn’t know who this person really was so I entered the marriage under a lie.’ Affairs can be a factor, but there are also some countries that are deeply Catholic where the moment you marry, that’s it. The end. You are married to that person forever in the eyes of the public and God. All of that tension is used as Inés moves on emotionally from Alessandro and has no interest in being with him ever again because of his actions, but in the eyes of their community, her faith, and two of her older sisters, she is his wife and she will always be his wife. If you’re Catholic, you understand the rock and a hard place that puts Inés in and it’s not as simple as leaving the Church especially since she’s in a very Catholic community.
One of the things I really liked was how Inés is an artist but has to put her art aside a few times due to economic reasons. There are a lot of people throughout history who were talented in the arts but had their options limited by what they could and could not afford and had struggles with their significant others when it comes to pursuing their craft in other ways. It’s complicated because I never got the impression that Régulo was resentful of Inés’ art, but he is definitely jealous of the opportunities it can afford her and how that might move her away from him.
The chapters are all fairly short but the pacing is on the slower side. I would view this as literary because it is so focused on the characters and the story is not really plot-driven nor that driven by the actions of the characters. It is more driven by the circumstances of the world that they live in, but not in a world-driven way I would expect of fantasy.
Content warning for depictions of abuse
I would recommend this to fans of books set in Colombia that discuss Catholicism and readers of literary fiction looking for a historical
February 23, 2025
Thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.
This book was fascinating, frustrating, and fruitful all at the same time. Esperanza writes beautifully and simplistically, the same way she has a character describe art in the book. “The importance of simplicity in art.”
I will state that the first 100 pages or so were incredibly frustrating as Alessandro is just a living, breathing red flag. It very much mirrored the “bitter” taste of orange wine. I could not, or maybe would not, understand some of the decisions Ines made, but truly those decisions did reflect human nature.
I also struggled with Ines quite a bit. As stated earlier, the author is a talented and has such beautiful prose. But I didn’t believe the feelings or emotions coming from Ines. It felt like we the reader were kept at arm’s length from her as a character. Maybe that was deliberate. I felt what the author said, but I didn’t feel Ines felt it. Her actions just didn’t reflect what she said or thought.
As much as we watched Ines struggle with decision, loss, sorrow, I do think we deserved to see more of her wins and triumphs. We hear about her art in galleries in Paris (which she never sees in the book), and she is selling soaps that sell out. But we didn’t stay with that for too long. It felt like it was cut short. I would have loved more of that.
Lastly, sisterhood was mentioned in the synopsis. However, there was none. In fact, I would call it the opposite of sisterhood. She incredibly suffered because of her sisters (minus Chata), and she seemed almost indifferent to them at times. I don’t think sisterhood is accurate.
Overall, I enjoyed this. The writing was beautiful, the struggles of just being born a woman, and basically being punished for that was poignant. The act of betrayal and overcoming loss, grief, and society was written frustratingly well. Ines deserved more of her triumphs to shine through though. Maybe reading this book, others will have the first bitter taste and have the same hopeful ending in the end. Just like Ines.
This book was fascinating, frustrating, and fruitful all at the same time. Esperanza writes beautifully and simplistically, the same way she has a character describe art in the book. “The importance of simplicity in art.”
I will state that the first 100 pages or so were incredibly frustrating as Alessandro is just a living, breathing red flag. It very much mirrored the “bitter” taste of orange wine. I could not, or maybe would not, understand some of the decisions Ines made, but truly those decisions did reflect human nature.
I also struggled with Ines quite a bit. As stated earlier, the author is a talented and has such beautiful prose. But I didn’t believe the feelings or emotions coming from Ines. It felt like we the reader were kept at arm’s length from her as a character. Maybe that was deliberate. I felt what the author said, but I didn’t feel Ines felt it. Her actions just didn’t reflect what she said or thought.
As much as we watched Ines struggle with decision, loss, sorrow, I do think we deserved to see more of her wins and triumphs. We hear about her art in galleries in Paris (which she never sees in the book), and she is selling soaps that sell out. But we didn’t stay with that for too long. It felt like it was cut short. I would have loved more of that.
Lastly, sisterhood was mentioned in the synopsis. However, there was none. In fact, I would call it the opposite of sisterhood. She incredibly suffered because of her sisters (minus Chata), and she seemed almost indifferent to them at times. I don’t think sisterhood is accurate.
Overall, I enjoyed this. The writing was beautiful, the struggles of just being born a woman, and basically being punished for that was poignant. The act of betrayal and overcoming loss, grief, and society was written frustratingly well. Ines deserved more of her triumphs to shine through though. Maybe reading this book, others will have the first bitter taste and have the same hopeful ending in the end. Just like Ines.
September 20, 2025
Family stories usually aren't told as one long tale spun over the course of hours. They come in fits and starts. A bit here during an endless card game at Christmas and a bit there when the old photo albums come out. They're told at the kitchen table while making the special birthday dessert, or while getting ready for that fancy occasion and grandma's earrings come out of the jewelry box. Parts of a life revealed across the years, told when enough time has passed that the strongest emotions have passed and the pain of the worst parts doesn't hurt quite so much.
This is how Esperanza Hope Snyder unwinds her tale in Orange Wine, a book about a beautiful young woman named Inés, the youngest daughter of a once-wealthy family that is now drifting into poverty. Though Inés and her sisters learn various trades to help them find jobs and make their own way in mid-1900s Colombia, Inés initially thought her beauty would help her find love and success. That was, after all, how the stories would go: the lovely sister finds true love and happInéss when her Prince Charming spots her from across a crowded room.
Something like that happens at first. Inés meets a charming musician who falls head over heels for her, and she falls for him in turn. It's not long before stormclouds start to appear on the horizon of Inés' happily ever after, though, for Allesandro proves not to be the thoughtful and loving man she thought he was. This isn't a spoiler, it's the opening line of the book:
""While I was giving birth to Lucy, my husband, Alessandro, was lying in bed with my sister Isabel."
This is neither the first nor the last time the course of Inés' life will change in ways she cannot predict.
Snyder tells her story with grace, never letting the narrative grow too bitter nor too angry. We see Inés as a hopeful young woman until middle age, when she has learned a thing or two, suffered heartbreak and grief, and realized that her beauty was never what made her special, though that was often all others saw.
Though the narrative is more remote than what many readers of American or British historical fiction might be used to, Orange Wine's narrative puts it in line with other Latine stories like those of Gabriel García Márquez or Isabel Allende. It is a story of a life, told by an older person who can look back and see their life for what it is: full of hope and folly, but ultimately a life lived as well as it could be.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the advance copy for review.
This is how Esperanza Hope Snyder unwinds her tale in Orange Wine, a book about a beautiful young woman named Inés, the youngest daughter of a once-wealthy family that is now drifting into poverty. Though Inés and her sisters learn various trades to help them find jobs and make their own way in mid-1900s Colombia, Inés initially thought her beauty would help her find love and success. That was, after all, how the stories would go: the lovely sister finds true love and happInéss when her Prince Charming spots her from across a crowded room.
Something like that happens at first. Inés meets a charming musician who falls head over heels for her, and she falls for him in turn. It's not long before stormclouds start to appear on the horizon of Inés' happily ever after, though, for Allesandro proves not to be the thoughtful and loving man she thought he was. This isn't a spoiler, it's the opening line of the book:
""While I was giving birth to Lucy, my husband, Alessandro, was lying in bed with my sister Isabel."
This is neither the first nor the last time the course of Inés' life will change in ways she cannot predict.
Snyder tells her story with grace, never letting the narrative grow too bitter nor too angry. We see Inés as a hopeful young woman until middle age, when she has learned a thing or two, suffered heartbreak and grief, and realized that her beauty was never what made her special, though that was often all others saw.
Though the narrative is more remote than what many readers of American or British historical fiction might be used to, Orange Wine's narrative puts it in line with other Latine stories like those of Gabriel García Márquez or Isabel Allende. It is a story of a life, told by an older person who can look back and see their life for what it is: full of hope and folly, but ultimately a life lived as well as it could be.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the advance copy for review.
March 7, 2025
**ARC Review: *Orange Wine* by Esperanza Hope Snyder**
Imagine a story that unfolds like the layers of a fine, unexpected vintage—*Orange Wine* is an experience that seduces the senses and lingers like a whispered secret. At its heart, the novel follows a woman who returns to her coastal hometown after years of living elsewhere. Confronted with the echoes of a past she thought she’d left behind, she finds herself swept up in a tapestry of rekindled relationships, long-hidden family secrets, and the bittersweet pull of memories that refuse to fade.
As she navigates the familiar streets and rediscovered haunts of her youth, every encounter—whether with an old flame, a trusted friend, or even a mysterious stranger—uncovers another hidden layer of her identity. Snyder’s narrative is lush and evocative, exploring the delicate interplay between love and loss, and how the passage of time can both heal and haunt. The title itself hints at the transformative journey ahead: much like orange wine, the protagonist’s life is complex, unexpected, and enriched by every nuanced moment.
If you’re drawn to stories that invite you to savor life’s complexities and embrace both its joy and its sorrow, *Orange Wine* is an intoxicating journey into the depths of personal discovery.
**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity 💕**
Imagine a story that unfolds like the layers of a fine, unexpected vintage—*Orange Wine* is an experience that seduces the senses and lingers like a whispered secret. At its heart, the novel follows a woman who returns to her coastal hometown after years of living elsewhere. Confronted with the echoes of a past she thought she’d left behind, she finds herself swept up in a tapestry of rekindled relationships, long-hidden family secrets, and the bittersweet pull of memories that refuse to fade.
As she navigates the familiar streets and rediscovered haunts of her youth, every encounter—whether with an old flame, a trusted friend, or even a mysterious stranger—uncovers another hidden layer of her identity. Snyder’s narrative is lush and evocative, exploring the delicate interplay between love and loss, and how the passage of time can both heal and haunt. The title itself hints at the transformative journey ahead: much like orange wine, the protagonist’s life is complex, unexpected, and enriched by every nuanced moment.
If you’re drawn to stories that invite you to savor life’s complexities and embrace both its joy and its sorrow, *Orange Wine* is an intoxicating journey into the depths of personal discovery.
**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity 💕**
September 14, 2025
Inés Camargo is isolated by her desires, the betrayal of those around her, and a passion for art that goes against the society she must live in. Set in early twentieth-century Columbia, Orange Wine is a portrayal of the Catholic Church’s total control of women. It’s a novel that takes us through one woman’s struggle for autonomy and identity as a lover, mother, sister, and artist.
Inés tells her story to the reader the way a mother or grandmother might pass down their stories orally. The language of her tale is poetic but does not mince words. It is direct and reads like a memoir. I think that is both why it is a good book and why it was not my favorite. There is so much heartache and drama in this story but it didn’t evoke any big feelings from me. If I had gone into it knowing it would read like a memoir, I may have felt differently. If you like that style, this is a story with a fascinating setting and a character who struggles towards her own feminine identity through the trials of love, family, and motherhood!
Thank you NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC!
Inés tells her story to the reader the way a mother or grandmother might pass down their stories orally. The language of her tale is poetic but does not mince words. It is direct and reads like a memoir. I think that is both why it is a good book and why it was not my favorite. There is so much heartache and drama in this story but it didn’t evoke any big feelings from me. If I had gone into it knowing it would read like a memoir, I may have felt differently. If you like that style, this is a story with a fascinating setting and a character who struggles towards her own feminine identity through the trials of love, family, and motherhood!
Thank you NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC!
August 7, 2025
⟢ 3.25 stars ✮⋆˙
Orange Wine follows Inés, the daughter of an Italian nobleman and a Colombian poet, as she lives her life in early twentieth-century Colombia. While trying to find herself, Inés discovers her love for art and freedom. The setting descriptions were amazing, I felt I could see very clearly all the places she visited and lived in. I liked the complex relationships between the characters and the writing was very fast-paced. However, some of the conflict resolutions felt too rushed and most of the side-characters didn’t feel entirely flashed out. I do wish the third act kept up the energy of the first two acts. An interesting novel, worth a read if you are captivated by the premise.
ARC sent by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Orange Wine follows Inés, the daughter of an Italian nobleman and a Colombian poet, as she lives her life in early twentieth-century Colombia. While trying to find herself, Inés discovers her love for art and freedom. The setting descriptions were amazing, I felt I could see very clearly all the places she visited and lived in. I liked the complex relationships between the characters and the writing was very fast-paced. However, some of the conflict resolutions felt too rushed and most of the side-characters didn’t feel entirely flashed out. I do wish the third act kept up the energy of the first two acts. An interesting novel, worth a read if you are captivated by the premise.
ARC sent by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
June 13, 2025
I was engrossed in this story for the beginning. I was rooting for Ines from the first page. She is struggling to find her own path and not accept what others want from her and for her.
The writing and voice of this novel was stark yet lyrical. I felt every shared emotion. The characters were well fleshed out and the pacing was evenly written.
Thank you to Goodreads giveaways and the publisher for a free ebook copy of this book.
The writing and voice of this novel was stark yet lyrical. I felt every shared emotion. The characters were well fleshed out and the pacing was evenly written.
Thank you to Goodreads giveaways and the publisher for a free ebook copy of this book.
November 18, 2025
While this book opens on a very salacious line, the story itself is rather subdued and more quiet. We do get some drama with family but it isn't the main focus of the story. I truly enjoyed Inés as a character and wanted to see her overcome her hardships and struggles. The style read like a memoir and my only complaint was that some very big life events would be mentioned so briefly that it felt a little glossed over.
Thank you Bindery Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you Bindery Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
November 28, 2025
Upon beginning to read Orange Wine, I immediately thought of Isabel Allende’s works. Similar style, period pieces and stories about strong Latina women. Orange Wine tells the story of Inés who was kind and beautiful. Her sisters were jealous of the way men were attracted to her. Inés married a cad, who eventually left her for her sister Isabel. Her life changed dramatically and she had to fight to survive for herself and her two children. Through tough times, she endured loss, envy and hardships, but her inner strength saved her. It’s a beautiful story, albeit difficult at times. I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and am grateful to have received it.
March 15, 2025
This story really felt like a memoir to me. The author notes that it was inspired by her grandparents. The story follows Ines as she deals with the fallout of her marriage and family relationships. This story explores themes of love, forgiveness, betrayal, and navigating societal pressures in the search for authentic love. The writing is engaging and I loved the descriptions of all the settings the story takes us to. I will say the story did not focus on sisterhood. Most of the sisters have antagonistic relationships to Ines and each other. Overall, I really enjoyed this and would recommend to anyone who likes historical fiction, emotional family dramas, and romance.
October 6, 2025
Rounding up from a 3.5
December 7, 2025
My new fave genre: historical fiction mixed with a tasteful amount of romance, with a hint of religion like a cherry on top.
May 22, 2025
Review to come
September 7, 2025
I can appreciate what this story was trying to do, but ultimately I think it didn’t deliver what it set out to do. The story centers around Ines, who did not fit the societal/gender/Catholic expectations placed on her as a woman in 20th century Colombia. The premise drew me in as someone who has a lot of thoughts about those topics. However, this read like a very emotionally distant telling of her life, with no emotional evocation (even when dramatic events occurred). It was hard to have sympathy for this highly privileged woman whose main problems are being ousted by her sisters because they’re jealous of her, and the consequences of some poor decisions. I don’t mind complex main characters but she had no personality besides having many suitors and being artistic, which made it really hard to be invested in the story. There was a lot of potential to explore more of the themes of the socio-cultural setting in Colombia at the time, especially since it paints itself as a feminist story. I wanted more depth, exploration, and healing in the strained relationships with her sisters. It wasn’t until the very end (author’s note), that I saw this is the author’s telling of her grandparent’s story, which may explain why it felt like a telling, not showing story, but I still wish it had been emotionally captivating. Don’t get me wrong, some portions did have me more interested (starting around the halfway mark) but it lost momentum towards the end. I’m glad I got to experience a new (to me) author who is telling Latin American focused stories - we certainly need more of those!
Thanks to the publisher (Bindery / Mareas Books) & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy - all opinions are my own!
Pub date: 9/30/25
Thanks to the publisher (Bindery / Mareas Books) & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy - all opinions are my own!
Pub date: 9/30/25
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