Vintage grapes are not the only thing that surrounds the history of the River's Edge Winery. Not only has it been riddled with secrets, but it is the host of broken family bonds and possibly a failing business. Protecting or sacrifice a family legacy is the journey we take with the River family.
A CANDLEWOOD FALLS NOVEL
RIVER'S EDGE: BOOK ONE
Publisher: Jupiter Press
Publication Date: September 3, 2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Malbec River wants to sell to his family’s failing winery. So when his mother, Shirley “Weezer” River, calls, informing him she has a potential buyer, he’s on the next plane to ensure his mother isn’t up to her old tricks. Weezer is the reason he left town in the first place, and she can’t be trusted. Of course, things aren’t as straightforward as his mother made them appear and when Malbec comes face to face with the one woman standing in the way of him selling the winery, he may have met his match.
Eliza Jane Blue is a talented Viticulturist and Vintner who searched for an opportunity to head up her own line of wines, and she jumps at the chance when Weezer offers her the job as head winemaker. However, Weezer neglected to tell her that the winery is failing. Eliza will need a miracle if she’s going to save The River Winery and Vineyard, and create a new line of wines that bares her name. Her biggest obstacle—Malbec River, the best Viticulturalist in the business. He’s trying to pressure his mother into selling the winery…to a large corporation, which would not only take away her job, but it would successfully kill her dreams.
MY THOUGHTS...
Once I found out this story takes place at a family winery, I was all in. One of the things that intrigued me about this story was the siblings named after wines, and the feel of visiting with the River family and learning and partaking in some wine tastings kept me engaged.
Throughout the book and with every conversation between the characters, you were anxious to find out the deep dark secret harboring over Malbec and his estrangement from his family and the business. Malbec River is the best Viticulturalist in the business, but he uses his talents in wine country (Napa Valley) instead of River's Edge. He and Weezer don't see eye to eye; he wants her to sell the winery, and Weezer refuses to throw away a lifetime of hard work and sacrifices. When he thinks he has won Weezer over to his way of thinking and anticipating his mother is up to her old tricks, he arrives earlier than expected to assist with the sale and transition of the winery. He quickly finds that the stakes are higher than he originally thought and he may have just run into his match.
Eliza Jane Blue is equally talented in this field and has sought out River's Edge to make her mark in history. That mark in history might be more entwined to this place than she imagined.
There was so much to love about this book. Whether you like romantic suspense, family-infused stories, or the adventure of a winery visit, there is something in this read for you to enjoy. I recommend you pick up a copy of River's Edge, it will be well worth your time.
🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷
Antigal Uno Malbec
This wine was made with organic grapes. The vineyards are cultivated, minimizing the use of agrochemicals. Hand-harvested grape bunches are carefully selected. The wine is exceptionally smooth, thanks to the gravity-fed technology that allows a gentle vinification protecting the fruit's natural acidity. This wine prioritizes and captures the agroecology of the terroir.
RECOMMENDED FOOD PAIR: Pumpkin pasta with a mushroom sauce, a good slams soup, cioppino seafood stew, and seafood bisque. This wine is a good pairing with a casserole with meat and garden vegetables.
RECOMMENDED BOOK PAIR: RIVER'S EDGE
COST: $15 - 18; Can be found a local wine & spirits and grocery stores.
MY THOUGHTS...
When I set out to find a wine I wanted to pair with this book, this one immediately caught my eye with its unique label. It was a great Books & Booze Pair.
On the nose, there are aromas of several of your dark and red-berried fruits, vanilla, and mocha. The sip offers a semi-sweet fruit-forward, medium-bodied, with a smooth finish to top off the experience.
The complexities in this wine, much like this storyline, made you continue to sip so that you don't miss all the wine has to offer. Since trying the Uno Malbec and reading this title, it has opened me up to try other Malbec wines.
Whether you try these together or separately, do enjoy, but sip responsibly.
