Once Upon A Wine by Beth Kendrick

• Title:  Once Upon A Wine
• Series:  Black Dog Bay, #4
• Author:  Beth Kendrick
• Pages:  336
• Genre:  Women’s Fiction
• Published:  July 2016 – NAL
• Source:  Publisher; NetGalley

Description: From the “sharp, sassy, [and] surprisingly emotional”* author of Put a Ring on It, New Uses for Old Boyfriends, and The Week Before the Wedding, a new novel set in the charming seaside town of Black Dog Bay, Delaware…
 
Cammie Breyer needs a big glass of cabernet—her restaurant failed and her chef boyfriend left for a hotter kitchen. Just when she thinks she’s hit rock bottom, her Aunt Ginger calls with a surprise. She’s bought a vineyard. In Delaware. At Ginger’s command, Cammie returns to Black Dog Bay, the seaside town where she spent her childhood summers with her aunt and her cousin, Kat.
 
The three women reunite, determined to succeed. There’s only one little problem: None of them know the first thing about wine making. And it turns out, owning a vineyard isn’t all wine and roses. It’s dirt, sweat, and desperation. Every day brings financial pitfalls, unruly tourists, romantic dilemmas, and second thoughts.  But even as they struggle, they cultivate hidden talents and new passions. While the grapes ripen under the summer sun, Cammie discovers that love, like wine, is layered, complex, delicious, and worth waiting for…  (publisher)

My take:  When Cammie’s aunt buys a vineyard on a whim she calls her niece and daughter for help. Cammie doesn’t have anything to lose at this point so she leaves California and all her disappointments for a new adventure at the Delaware shore. She also reconnects with Ian, the guy she left behind years earlier to pursue her dreams. Cousin Kat, Aunt Ginger’s daughter, is in the middle of an early mid-life crisis. Will she be able to get it together enough to help her mom and cousin make a go of the vineyard?

Once Upon a Wine is the latest addition to the Black Dog Bay series. It features a new dog, the vineyard’s new mascot, Jacques. He has his own twitter account that soon rivals a Kardashian’s! While the women wait for the grapes to ripen they hope to find success with their strawberry wine. They’ll also learn if the adage “Bloom where you’re planted” will hold true.

I thought this book was very cute and funny and sweet. If you’re familiar with the Black Dog Bay series you’ll recognize many of the characters from previous books who make appearances. But the book can stand on its own. It’s a light, fun novel that is perfect for a beach read. Recommended to fans of the series, Beth Kendrick, and novels featuring adorable dogs.

---

About the author:  Beth Kendrick is the author of twelve women’s fiction novels, including Put a Ring on It, New Uses for Old Boyfriends, Cure for the Common Breakup, The Week Before the Wedding, The Lucky Dog Matchmaking Service, and Nearlyweds, which was turned into a Hallmark Channel original movie. She lives in Arizona with two big rescue mutts and vacations at the Delaware beach, where she devotes a great deal of time to eating local strawberries and drinking wine. You know, for research. Visit her online at BethKendrick.com, Facebook.com/BethKendrickBooks, and @BKendrickBooks.