An intoxicating and sparkling new romance by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory.
Margot Noble needs some relief from the stress of running the family winery with her brother. Enter Luke: sexy, charming, and best of all in the too-small world of Napa, a stranger. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and Margot is delighted that she lucked into the perfect one-night stand she'll never have to see again. That is, until the winery's newest hire, Luke, walks in the next morning. Margot is determined to keep things purely professional, but when their every interaction reminds her of the attraction still bubbling between them, it proves to be much more challenging than she expects.
Luke Williams had it all, but when he quits his high-salary tech job in Silicon Valley in a blaze of burnout and moves back to Napa to help a friend, he realizes he doesn't want to tell the world--or his mom--why he's now working at a winery. His mom loves bragging about her successful son--how can he admit that the job she's so proud of broke him? Luke has no idea what is next for him, but one thing is certain: he wants more from the incredibly smart and sexy woman he hooked up with--even after he learns she's his new boss. But even if they can find a way to be together that wouldn't be an ethical nightmare, would such a successful woman really want a tech-world dropout?
Set against a lush backdrop of Napa Valley wine country, nothing goes to your head as fast as a taste of love--even if it means changing all your plans.
Jasmine Guillory is a New York Times bestselling author of nine novels including The Wedding Date, the Reese's Book Club selection The Proposal, and Flirting Lessons. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan, Bon Appetit, and Time, and she is a frequent book contributor on The Today Show. She lives in Oakland, California.
A lighthearted, seductive love story at work place ; and guess what ? That dreamy workspace I would work for free without hesitation is a WINERY! Who could say no to likable main characters with fiery chemistry and a book about wines! Let’s not forget this book is written by Jasmine Guillory! Sold!
Margot Noble inherited family winery with her brother from their uncle! Both siblings have different ideas how to conduct the business. Margot knows the importance of marketing, planning a big launching party to attract more attention as her brother has more traditional perspective to run the place.
Margot is so tired, stressful for juggling many things at the same time, dealing with brooding brother. Only thing she wants is hanging at her best friend Sydney’s bar at an eventful Sunday night. But everything changes when a very attractive man wearing a tech company’s hoodie walks in and chooses the tool next to her to sit in. Margot meets with a little younger, smart, charming Luke. They have an imminent connection and they didn’t plan to end their night at Luke’s place. But they did. It was memorable night.
Their morning is more memorable! After Luke drives Margot to her house, asking her number, they meet again: Luke is the new wine taster Margot’s brother hired! Oops!
Of course two of them get panicked. Luke even offers to quit but Margot is so sure they can be civil enough moving on, forgetting that magical night they’ve spent together. But their attraction is still there! Margot is afraid of getting caught by her brother who is already unfairly critiquing her work ethics.
On the other hand Luke couldn’t tell his mother why he left his job at tech company in Silicon Valley and his mother thinks he’s dating with his best friend Avery as he still has eyes on his boss.
Could two overcome the obstacles to be together? Let’s read and find out!
Overall: quick feelgood read I absolutely need! Highly recommend to the author’s greatest fans!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
This is your every day, fun, contemporary romance. It was hard to find anything that was special but since it had my heart fluttering a good amount, I decided to bump it to a little above average. They were awfully cute and the smut was just right. They could have definitely used more communication.
Family was important in this one, which is always good to use as a reflection of the kind of people the characters are.
Margot has been busy the past 3-years co-running Noble Family Vineyards with her brother, Elliott. The brother-sister duo inherited the Napa Valley vineyard and corresponding business when their dear Uncle passed away.
Margot has always felt like her brother was displeased that she was included in the bequeathment. Because of this, she has continuously worked extra hard to prove herself to him.
It's put a strain on their relationship. Nevertheless, they both show up to work every day and bust their humps.
Sometimes after a stressful day, Margot will go to her best friend, Sydney's restaurant, The Barrel, sit at the bar, chat with her friend, have some drinks and food, it's her go-to for unwinding.
On one particular night, a very handsome man ends up sitting right beside her. After some friendly prodding from Sydney, Margot ends up taking a chance and striking up a conversation with him.
He's quite charming and the two end up hitting it off, keeping each other company for the next few hours. Before they know it, it's time to go, but neither really wants the night to end.
Luckily, they both live close by, so it doesn't have to. One thing leads to another and the next morning, Luke, is dropping Margot off at her apartment before work. Whoops, that might have gone too far, but boy, was it fun.
Margot's happy. She needed that. A fun little release. She fully expects and is prepared to never see Luke again.
Then she gets to work and that very morning is introduced to their new hire. Imagine her surprise when Luke walks into her office, just as sexy as the night before.
The two have to pretend they've never met, all while keeping their insane chemistry in check. The sparks traveling between them have to be snuffed out and ASAP.
How are these one-time lovers going to make this work? Can they hide their feelings from everyone, even themselves?
Drunk on Love is the 7th-book that I have read from Ms. Jasmine Guillory. I love her writing and will continue to pick up all her new releases.
While I will say this one felt a bit more subtle and serious than her other works, I still really enjoyed it. The characters were well-developed, believable and relatable. I was invested in their journeys, both together and individually.
I always like how Guillory's characters are working through things in their careers, or family lives, that warrants equal attention to the romance involved in the story. For me, I need more substance than a strictly romantic plot to stay invested and Guillory always delivers that.
This is no exception. Both Margot and Luke are at sort of pivotal points in their lives, with their careers and in making decisions for their futures; where they want to be and what they want to be doing.
I liked the way that Guillory was able to explore them individually so deeply, without giving preference really to one over the other. The dual POV narrative definitely helped with that.
This is a sweet story. Luke is a dreamy leading man, so focused on Margot, on making her feel safe, happy and appreciated.
Margot was strong, independent and goal-oriented. I loved that about her. She didn't need a man to make her life complete, but was willing to open her heart if the right one came along, even though it scared her to let down her defenses.
I had fun with this. I loved the setting in Napa Valley and the vineyard angle will set it apart for me, as I haven't read any other romances taking place with that as a backdrop. It was a lovely change of pace. A perfect Autumnal romance!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
So I wrongread Meant to Be by this author and despite having already read her once I received multiple comments telling me to give her another chance. Careful what y’all superfans wish for. This one was sitting on the first come/first served shelf when I walked into the library so I figured what the heck. I don’t know if this author just isn’t for me or if romance books in general just aren’t my thing anymore, but yeah I didn’t love it . . .
I’m all for the one-night-stand who turns out to be someone you will have to work with on the daily trope, but I HATE failure to communicate. And yes I’m well aware that’s going to be a theme at the end of 99.99999% of romances, but it still grates. This featured not one but two characters who could not have an adult conversation. From coming clean regarding the feels surrounding the family business and expectations regarding the potential relationship from her to not disclosing the facts regarding current employment and relationship status to the parents from him these two simply weren’t ready for anything other than a quick bang session as far as I’m concerned. And that’s before we even got into the “age gap” issue – where somehow him being in his late 20s (while she’s only 34) is some monumental problem with apparently all 20-somethings simply being f*^%boyzzzzzzz? Nah, son. If this would have been given a good edit and condensed down to around the 250 page mark it may have ended up with a bit higher rating from me, but beating the dead horse regarding all of my aforementioned gripes and grievances for another 150 pages left me exhausted.
I’m calling this week of absolute drudgery to a close. It’s a DNF and I think this is where my journey with this author ends 😭 I looooved The Wedding Date. That series was one of my all time favorites but the last three I’ve read from Jasmine Guillory have been so lackluster for me that I’m just sadly done. There’s not anything specifically wrong with this book, it’s just the classic take on a very overused trope that I was not into. No crazy sparks or banter or anything to keep me past that first night with these two much less read them through the awkward morning after Ah crap she’s my boss, mess.
It’s fine, it’s harmless, but it’s not very good. Good lord, the talking. So many conversations. And not just between the couple — it’s also the talking they each do with their friends. Snore. All of the ‘drama’ and heartfelt conversations were very very boring. Why do I keep reading her stuff?
I could have finished this book days ago but after loving House of Hunger so much I kind of fell into a reading slump/ book hangover. That book just destroyed my desire to read....but don't worry The Year of the Witching is on the way, it should be here by the end of the week!!!
Any about the actual book I'm supposed to be reviewing.
Drunk On Love is 7th Jasmine Guillory novel I've read...that's right I've read every single one of her books...And yall know I barely even like Romance. I love her books, they are easy and fun to read. I never feel irritated by the romance, unlike most Romance novels.
Drunk On Love wasn't my favorite Jasmine Guillory book but it was still a good book. I read this while I battled a nearly 2 week long infection....that wasn't Covid( that bitch still hasn't caught me). This book was a welcome relief from the misery I felt and I always wanted to pick it up even when I physically couldn't handle anything that required concentration.
I will say that this book is the rare case in which I enjoyed the male lead Luke more that I enjoyed the woman Margot. Margot was a little too whiny for me. She was awful but she just came off as too immature at times....Luke was great....I need to find me a Luke.
If you've read and enjoy Jasmine Guillory's other books than you'll enjoy this one as well!
Love this one! She did not hold back on the physical but grew the love throughout. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What a wonderful kick-off to a delightful read! The author killed it on the whole burning attraction and deep desire between these two. Smart and steamy got a new look!
Guillory crafted two awesome characters that balanced each other in the most delightful way. Both had struggles hidden away but once the fires started heating up, they were perfectly matched.
The storyline offers a beautiful backdrop, fun, passion, fresh ideas, and an awesome ending for the romance lover in you! Drunk on Love is the perfect title for this story!
This book honestly could have been a novella. It was redundant and boring. Too much fluff was added to make it a full novel. The storyline was mediocre and predictable. I usually love Jasmine G. But this was not it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for inviting me to read Drunk on Love and for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A review will be up on my blog on October 11, 2021 at 10 am CST on Honey Roselea Reads for you guys to check out!
My review on Drunk on Love will be accessible using this link from October 11, 2021 at 10 am CST and onward.
For now, here is a preview to what the review will look like:
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After a much needed one night stand, Margot Noble discovers that the handsome night stand also happens to be her new employee, Luke Williams for her winery. But, their chemistry and memories of that hot and steamy night can’t seem to be forgotten by both parties, especially now that they are seeing a lot more of each other than they thought.
I gave Drunk on Love four stars, really enjoying the growing relationship between Margot and Luke and loved that they were just so attracted to each other. It was a fun relationship that… [ continue reading ]
the queen of the modern Black romance strikes again. i couldn’t put this one down! i love how jasmine writes love stories. no serious trauma. no major hurdles to overcome. just beautiful, pure, Black love.
i know all of her characters tend to live in the same universe, so i would love to one day read elliot’s love story. (it sounded like she was setting that up, right?!) or even sydney or avery’s.
i own all but one of jasmine guillory’s books. but this was only my third one i’ve actually read. definitely will be reading the rest of the books this year!
hmm... ok, I think that this book and I weren't vibing.
I haven't been able to read that many books lately, so I've been picking up more audiobooks to listen to on my daily commute. I didn't like the narration for this book, I might've liked it a bit more if I read it, but I genuinely don't think it was for me.
Right from the start, I couldn't binge it. there's always a certain part in books that get me HOOKED and I start bingeing... it just didn't happen for this book. so it took me a longer time than usual to get through it.
I literally JUST finished it and I can't tell you anything about the plot... I forgot what happened😭
I think it all comes down to the insta-love/ lust aspect of it. I waited for the chemistry to follow, but I didn't think it did. and although some parts were very cute, overall felt like nothing really happened. I just wanted something, you know? give me a spark, give me tension, HECK I'D EVEN BE FINE WITH SURPRISE PREGNANCY AT THIS POINT. I'm sorry I was just bored.
I will say that the setting and spice were nice, but they weren't enough for me to LOVE it. I'm greedy this week, I want MORE.
I honestly really wanted to love it because I love reverse age gaps, but not for me :(
it wasn't bad at all, but it was just okay. I feel like I read something VERY similar to this before. you know that feeling?
Ohh this may be my new favorite from the author, I really enjoyed this sexy, flirty and fun book! I was initially drawn to the winery side of the plot, I just knew it would be such a fun and beautiful setting and it definitely was. I was instantly connected to Margot as she was incredibly likable and I was into the fact that she was older than Luke. Workplace romances are always interesting and since Margot and Luke decide not to pursue a romantic relationship because she’s his boss that added a engaging dynamic. Their chemistry was undeniable and seeing them struggle to keep things professional added to their sexual tension. Lots of spice in this one, also some tender and genuine moments too, overall a really great light romance read.
(free review copy) This is one of my favorite Guillory novels! I adored the setting and the friendships and the romance only had a few nonsensical “obstacles”. A really fun read set in Napa 🍷❤️
Drunk on Love is a sexy standalone rom-com. It is my seventh book by this author.
The book has both the male and female 3rd person POVs.
Margot Noble is 34 years old and has inherited a winery with her brother Elliot.
My favorite thing about this book is the setting. I loved the Napa Valley setting. And I loved that she ran a winery. So much fun!
I liked that she ran the business side (social media, promotion...). I adored her best friend Sydney. And I loved the restaurant that she owned (made for a great place to hang out).
I liked Luke. His best friend and mom added a lot to the story. I also really liked that there was an age difference between him and Margot.
I enjoyed this book. However this book is very sexy. So for some people that will be a huge plus. But it has definitely become a big trend for some rom-coms to be so sexy. And I personally would prefer more story.
The tropes in this book (mentioned in the blurb) have potential. Although I think that I wish that the main one had played out in a more daring/forbidden way. But overall this was a quick enjoyable read.
Margot Noble spends the majority of her time at the winery that she runs with her brother. However, one night she literally let her hair down and enjoyed a beautiful one-night stand. Leaving that in her memories, she plans on focuses on the busy winery. She is glad that they will have a couple of new hires as she and her brother are pretty much overworked. Imagine Margot's shock when she discovers that one of those new hires is none other than Luke Williams - her one-night stand.
Business first. In fact, with no plans on crossing any lines Margot is determined to ignore the strong attraction that draws her to Luke. Luke has his own concerns. For one thing he left his high-paying job, in part, because he felt the diversity there was of a token nature, not because of his talent and skills. Luke doesn't know how to tell his mother, as she was always so proud of his education and his job. So, for now, he plans on spending a few months in Napa and enjoying his time working at the winery.
Luke is in the same position as Margot when it comes to the sexual pull that he cannot deny. However, with the career failure that he feels and the temporary nature of his stay in Napa, he doesn't see anything further happening between them.
This heartwarming and often steamy romance by Jasmine Guillory was a delightful read. The characters were wonderful, and their feelings were relatable. I love that they initially found one another and the journey that it took for them to find their way to forever happiness. With a beautiful setting, warm characters and a happy ending, Drunk on Love was a true delight.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Jasmine Guillory writing a Black romance that takes place at a Black owned winery in Napa Valley…I swear this book was made for me. I adored this book.
I loved both Margot and Luke. They tried to play off not being able to be together since Luke becomes an employee at Margot’s family winery (thanks to her brother), but their chemistry was palpable. There’s so much banter and angst, which I loved.
I also really enjoyed working through the personal baggage that both Margot and Luke had. It made both of them so relatable for me since family issues are something we can’t avoid.
My only gripe is that I wanted to actually be at the Noble family vineyard and try the wines!
Thank you Berkley Romance for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Aside from their first night together, the story continues in an underwhelming, repetitive pattern. “I want to be with him but he’s my employee! Oh no!”
This would make a good book if you were into fluff and in need of a palette cleaner from books with more depth (ie books that make you feel any type of excitement, thrill, etc). I wanted to enjoy it, but it was just not for me. DNF at 60%
I hate not finishing a book so maybe I’ll pick it up again in the future. I was just growing annoyed with the lack of a plot twist. I felt like I was waiting on something that was never coming.
This author writes some great books. This book was so cute it surrounded around my favorite drink wine🫣. lol. It’s about a this middle aged lady that had a hot date night with a younger guy and he happened to be the person her brother hired for the winery she owned.The dialogue was hella good in here too
Margot Noble and her brother Elliott co-own a winery in Napa Valley after it was left to them jointly by their uncle Stan. It was a shock to both siblings as Elliott was the only one working in the winery, while Margot was working in advertising and marketing in the city. Nevertheless, despite the friction, the winery is very successful and is taking on more staff to run the wine tastings and tours while Margot concentrates on growing the business and Elliott concentrates on growing the vines.
After yet another fractious discussion with Elliott where he resists all her attempts to grow the business, or reluctantly accepts with bad grace, and announces that he has hired a new guy to help with the wine tastings, Margot finds herself in the bar run by her BFF Sydney. Sydney recommends that Margot unwind and take her mind off things by flirting with the young(er) guy sitting next to her at the bar.
In true rom-com tradition, the guy, Luke Williams, just happens to be the man that Elliott hired. A former high-flyer in Silicon Valley, Luke quit in a moment of stress/burn-out and has temporarily moved back home to Napa Valley to be closer to his BFF Avery who has just gone through a nasty break-up. Although he originally intended to do nothing, he decided he would get bored and so applied for a job which was totally different from anything he'd done before (which BTW must be super irritating to people who study for years to know all about the wines being offered and this book makes it seem like you can pick it up in a couple of weeks).
Margot says she doesn't want to talk about work and they never share last names so it's a bit of an unwelcome surprise when the morning after the night before Luke discovers that Margot is one of his new bosses. Margot is desperate to keep their one-night stand from Elliott as she thinks it will be further evidence that she shouldn't be co-owner of the winery, even though the business was not doing well until she came along.
I have really enjoyed the other Jasmine Guillory books I have read and so I was delighted when I got approved for an ARC. Sadly although this was competently written (naturally), there was no spark, the angst felt by Luke and Margot over their attraction and one-night stand goes on and on and on. Also, I get that the Williams and the Nobles are black, which makes them unusual in the mainly white Napa Valley, but how many times do they need to say it to each other and in exactly those words? I also got unreasonably irritated by how many times Margot put her hair up in a bun, a sleek top knot, a messy bun, just a bun, FFS who cares!
Anyway, there's a few side plots eg the rom-com staple of pretending to be dating someone else, Luke's ex boss being a racist/terrible boss etc but it was just dragging no real plot advancement just longing looks and angst about their age difference and their one-night stand yadda yadda. Sorry just not for me.
I was honestly hoping/expecting that this was a rerelease of an earlier book, but no sadly this is a new release.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Another winner from the fabulous Jasmine Guillory. Set amongst a winery with a backstory of familial expectations, what's not to love?! I enjoyed watching Margot and Luke fall in love and I especially loved the cameo from some old familiar faces.
Thank you to Berkley Romance for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
I normally don't make purchases of authors or books I haven't researched about, but since this was on sale and I loved the book cover and the color palette, I thought: why not?
My mistake. This was a waste of my fucking time.
Where do I even begin? I hate everything about this book except for two things: 1. Avery, the MMC's girl best friend who I thought was gonna be the typical smitten best friend and would probably end up ruining or causing huge misunderstandings between the main couple, BUT NO. SHE'S THE BEST CHARACTER IN THIS BOOK. I LOVE HER. She's the only one who's not a dumb bitch in this entire cast. 2. The book cover. It's gorgeous, and I'm only giving 0.5 stars for it, another 0.5 for Avery.
Now onto what I don't like. Or shall we say hate because that's a more apt word for what I'm feeling right now. Before I enumerate what I absolutely dislike about this book, let me just preface it by saying both lead characters are adults. THEY'RE ADULTS. The MMC, Luke, is 28 years old. The FMC, Margot, is 35 years old. Which is why I couldn't use their age as an excuse for every single dumb thing they did in the book (which was a fuck ton).
Little background about the leads so you don't have to read it: Margot is the CEO and co-owner of a vineyard and wine company. She co-owns it with his brother who she has a strained relationship with (the reason why it's strained is also dumb, I'm gonna list it below later). She only has one best friend, the owner of a bar named Sydney. Other than that, she has no social circle. On the other hand, Luke is a tech professional who quit his high-paying job because it was toxic and he hates everything about it. He has a girl best friend, Avery, and her mother Lauren who owns an inn, and stepfather Pete. That's pretty much it.
It's like a stupid version of Grey's Anatomy S1E1: Margot and Luke hooks up after meeting in the bar, they had a great time, the next morning they both discover that they're gonna be co-workers because Luke applied as a wine taster for Margot's company. She's gonna be his boss, and because Margot has an inferiority complex about how his brother doesn't like to co-own the company with her, she hides her attraction to Luke. [Something uninteresting happens, a few chapters goes on that NOTHING happens] And then, Luke has to quit his job at the winery to help out at his mother's in because she was in a minor car accident. Of course, now that they're not boss-employee anymore, they immediately jump into having sex every day. I couldn't even bring myself to enjoy the smut, because by the time they got together, I was annoyed by both of them so much I didn't wanna read about them being "together" anymore. Anyway, boring chaos ensues, and they come at each other's throats for both being liars: Luke lying to his mother about quitting his high-paying job and letting her believe the lie that he was dating his best friend Avery just because he didn't wanna disappoint his mother (lame), and Margot lying to his brother that she was dating a former employee.
Okay, so dumb things about this book: 1. BOTH LEADS ARE LIARS. They're lying by omission, yes, but that's still lying. Like I said, Luke lied to his mother about the job and about his relationship, and when Margot discovered that Luke's mother thought he was together with Avery, she got angry. Margot on the other hand was also lying to his brother and omitting that she's in a relationship with Luke. Basically, they're both fucking hypocrites, and I guess they deserve each other because they're both equally dumb. 2. Margot's strained relationship with her brother Elliot all stemmed from her overhearing him talking to their cousins about how she didn't deserve to co-own the winery with him. She let that fester for years, and I guess she only decided to confront Elliot when she reached the ripe old age of 30-fucking-5. Really now. 3. Luke's entire ordeal with his mother and how he's gonna disappoint her if he tells her he quit a job he hates (spoiler: his mother Lauren was a sweet woman and she was actually proud of him for leaving a toxic job) was basically non-sensical. He kept dancing around the topic, and had he confronted her like Margot did with her brother, this book would've ended 17 chapters earlier. This should've been a novella, really. But since both leads are dumb, it dragged for so long. 4. THERE ARE NO SIDE STORIES. THE PLOT IS A STRAIGHT LINE. The author had to force a brief breakup by about 80% just to say it has "plot" because otherwise it would've been so fucking boring. We have Sidney, Margot's best friend. But do we know anything about her apart from being there when Margot needs her? No. We have Elliot, Margot's brother, but we don't hear ANYTHING about him outside of the brief mentions in Margot's POV. We have the staff at the winery, but they don't have any side stories as well. Even Avery, who's an interesting person, we don't get much info about her other than she broke up with a toxic boyfriend. This story is heavily centered on two people, and there are no attempts at even trying to give the side characters a personality. What a waste. 5. Lack of descriptions. This is set in the contemporary world, but other than repeated mentions of Napa Valley, we don't get descriptive words. What's the point? 6. The big plot of this book is just one massive boredom wrapped in a 400-page book.
Should you read this? If you're looking to waste time, definitely. Otherwise, please, spare yourself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Another AMAZING Jasmine Guillory book! This book had: - Great humor - A crazy outcome after a one night stand 😜 - Lots of wine 🍷 - Fun sexy times 🌶 - Complicated but extremely loveable characters
I love Margot and Luke! This book make me very happy!
This was my first read by Guillory, and honestly I'm not thinking I'll seek out her others. Ugh I hate giving bad reviews 🙊.
I was going to say I wasn't sure why I didn't like it, but I think that would be a lie. While the story was fine and the romance was fine, and I even occasionally liked the best friend, I didn't feel very connected to the characters.
Honestly, more than that, though, I just thought the plot was kind of stupid. Margot was Luke's boss, sure, but for a job he didn't want that much or really need. And on top of that, people date people from work, especially in jobs like that. It would not have been that big of a deal - ESPECIALLY after Luke wasn't working there anymore. It seemed silly even from the initial meeting where she's like "too many people know me here." Like (1) is Napa a small town? Cause like I didn't think so and (2) even if it is, you're a 35 year old single adult woman, you're allowed to kiss someone outside.
I don't know, I thought it was very shallow and dumb and them so juvenile that she still kept it a secret.
The pacing was weird too - it was like there were too many *almost* side plots - Margot and her brother, Luke and his old job, Luke fake dating his best friend whose name I already forget, etc. but none of them were that well developed, so it felt random and sort of lazy?
I found the dialogue to be awkward ("don't ever say I'm not obedient" lol wut) or cringey and sometimes forced, and a lot of the sex scenes to be abrupt. They never had any real tension, and then when they did fight it was like prolonging the plot just to make sure they fought and made up.
I found Margot's overreaction to the party "problems" to be annoying and I think that was the point in the story where I was rolling my eyes, and I just wanted it to be over.
Also can we PLEASE stop making professional ambition and wanting money evil? It's okay to actually not LOVE every single thing about your job but still want to do it and be successful and make money. People work for money. So that they can afford to have things in life they want. That's not evil. It's honest. And sure he didn't have to be "special" but at 35, I'd probably want my boyfriend to be employed and like, wanting a career and not just a job. And that doesn't make me a careless materialistic witch, either. 🙃
P.S. I swear every chapter mentioned her nipples. Like every single time they had any sort of physical contact, there was nipple play. Like get new tricks I'm sorry. It was too much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I have read all of Guillroy's books, and if you are a fan of her Wedding Series, you will love this!
Synopsis: Margot is co-owner of Noble Vineyards. When her brother hires a former-silicon techie, Luke, to help out in the tasting room, Margot is shocked when she finds out he is the person she shared a one night stand with the night prior. Margot makes it clear they cannot have a relationship, however, that doesn’t stop either of their feelings from developing.
Thoughts: I was initially drawn to the winery side of the plot and the beautiful Napa setting, which is one of my favorite places ever, but grew to love the two main characters and the connection they shared. A workplace romance mixed with a bit of forbidden love is a great combo, and the way Guillroy incorporated these tropes felt realistic and believable in today’s modern dating world. Plus, the way she balanced the spice with the sweet, genuine moments was great. There were small pieces that annoyed me, such as the secrets Luke kept from his mom and the repetitivness of some parts, but it was not enough to taint the reader experience for me!
Thank you PRH Audio for my complimentary audiobook!
I would rather watch paint dry than read another paragraph of this book. Holy hell this was painful.
Let me break it down for you: • unlikeable characters • horrible communication skills • the book is written like the reader is too stupid to piece things together on their own • dual POVs were very much rinse and repeat (see previous point) • nothing felt sexy about this romance • there wasn’t a single bit of humor or fun in this novel
The only reason I didn’t DNF it was because the publisher sent me the novel and I always follow through on my commitments to publishing houses.
I like this writer so I'll continue reading her books. But I just couldn't connect with these characters. It was so/so for me. And I am glad that she's a best seller who represents diversity in her books. I did learn a bit about winery's & Napa Valley so that was interesting.