The Vineyard at Painted Moon
My Rating: 4
Genre: Fiction
Format: eARC*
Publication Date: February 9, 2021
Author: Susan Mallery
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The Vineyard at Painted Moon Blurb
Mackenzie Dienes seems to have it all — a beautiful home, close friends and a successful career as an elite winemaker with the family winery. There’s just one problem — it’s not her family, it’s her husband’s. In fact, everything in her life is tied to him — his mother is the closest thing to a mom that she’s ever had, their home is on the family compound, his sister is her best friend. So when she and her husband admit their marriage is over, her pain goes beyond heartbreak. She’s on the brink of losing everything. Her job, her home, her friends and, worst of all, her family.
Staying is an option. She can continue to work at the winery, be friends with her mother-in-law, hug her nieces and nephews — but as an employee, nothing more. Or she can surrender every piece of her heart in order to build a legacy of her own. If she can dare to let go of the life she thought she wanted, she might discover something even more beautiful waiting for her beneath a painted moon.
The Vineyard at Painted Moon Review
As a quick reminder, here is my rating structure:
- 1 star: Did not finish
- 2 Stars: Finished but I do not recommend
- 3 Stars: Liked but could use some improvements
- 4 Stars: Loved this book!
- 5 Stars: Rare. The unput-down-able, binge read obsession.
My star ratings are also based also genre based. I compare all books with books of the same genre. While I would love to believe that my love of books in general transcends all bias, there are genres I prefer over others.
I’m human.
Example: If I read a mystery novel and think it deserves a 5-star rating, then I have compared it to other mystery books, and determined it to be one of my absolute favorites. The unputdownable mystery.
This will hopefully keep me from comparing Outlander, a personal obsession of mine, with the experience of reading The Hate You Give. Both 5 star books for me, but completely and totally different. I couldn’t even try to rate them against each other, so I don’t. Makes my life easier. 🙂
My Thoughts
Though there is a very small thread of romance in The Vineyard at Painted Moon, I wouldn’t call it a love story. Unless you would classify a woman finding herself and loving herself again a love story. Because that’s what this book is about. Women finding themselves and rebuilding their lives after major changes.
While at times I thought a few of the scenes or small pieces of dialogue were a bit overdramatic, the main stories were wonderfully done. I understood the struggles of each of the women and loves how they went about rebuilding their lives.
While the story was complete, I would have loved this book to be a series because I would have enjoyed more time with each woman, Mackenzie, Stephanie, and Four. I wanted to know even more about them, experience more of their feelings, and really feel out the plot. Plus, who doesn’t want to spend more time at a vineyard.
The only reason I didn’t give this book 5 stars, because I legitimately read it with almost no breaks, is the mother character. She was honestly too over the top evil for me. Not that those type of people don’t exist, because believe me they do, but I like my villains to be a little more complex. Otherwise, this was just a fun, wine filled journey through family complexities.
Conclusion
Women’s fiction lovers will really enjoy The Vineyard at Painted Moon, especially my fellow winos.
*Special thanks to Susan Mallery, Netgalley, and HQN for providing a copy of The Vineyard at Painted Moon in exchange for an honest review.
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