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Where I Want to Be
Craving a change of scenery, Olivia Goldstein and her best friend fly north for a weekend of wine tasting in Napa Valley. Within two days, Olivia is seduced by the beautiful landscape, the fabulous restaurants, the amazing wines—and one particularly attractive male tour guide.
When she returns home to Los Angeles, introverted Olivia can’t stop thinking about him and what it would be like to live in Napa Valley. The one-lane highway, smog-free air, and friendly locals are enough encouragement for her to enroll in a three-month wine education program. Putting her lackluster job in LA on hold, she relocates to Wine Country for the summer.
Early in her wine-soaked journey, Olivia becomes friends with three dynamic, young women (one of whom is the girlfriend of the hot tour guide). With the help of these wine-savvy ladies, Olivia gets schooled on more than just the wine industry. Stepping out of her comfort zone, she tags along to parties, learns how to play bocce ball, and even experiments with online dating. After a few heinous dates, she has a new appreciation for being single.
Olivia drinks in the many wonderful facets of life in a small town and embraces the culture. As the grapes in the vineyards ripen, her friendships evolve, bolstering her confidence and self-esteem. Finally, she has the strength to take the necessary steps towards a new career.
While falling in love with Wine Country, Olivia teaches herself how to be happy. By the time Harvest arrives, she’s not ready to leave…
When she returns home to Los Angeles, introverted Olivia can’t stop thinking about him and what it would be like to live in Napa Valley. The one-lane highway, smog-free air, and friendly locals are enough encouragement for her to enroll in a three-month wine education program. Putting her lackluster job in LA on hold, she relocates to Wine Country for the summer.
Early in her wine-soaked journey, Olivia becomes friends with three dynamic, young women (one of whom is the girlfriend of the hot tour guide). With the help of these wine-savvy ladies, Olivia gets schooled on more than just the wine industry. Stepping out of her comfort zone, she tags along to parties, learns how to play bocce ball, and even experiments with online dating. After a few heinous dates, she has a new appreciation for being single.
Olivia drinks in the many wonderful facets of life in a small town and embraces the culture. As the grapes in the vineyards ripen, her friendships evolve, bolstering her confidence and self-esteem. Finally, she has the strength to take the necessary steps towards a new career.
While falling in love with Wine Country, Olivia teaches herself how to be happy. By the time Harvest arrives, she’s not ready to leave…
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 20, 2013
123 people want to read
About the author
Cortney Roudebush
1 book17 followersAs a child, Cortney was an avid reader and always knew she wanted to be a writer.
She graduated with a degree in Creative Writing from the University of Southern California. After working in San Francisco for four years, she moved to Napa Valley to learn more about wine. Cortney began a wine blog called Sip, Swirl, Savor and wrote about her wine tasting experiences. Inspired by her Wine Country experiences, she started her first novel in 2012.
WHERE I WANT TO BE is the first of four novels in the Wine Country Series about four friends who live and work in Napa Valley.
Cortney currently lives in Marin County and still enjoys going wine tasting in her free time.
She graduated with a degree in Creative Writing from the University of Southern California. After working in San Francisco for four years, she moved to Napa Valley to learn more about wine. Cortney began a wine blog called Sip, Swirl, Savor and wrote about her wine tasting experiences. Inspired by her Wine Country experiences, she started her first novel in 2012.
WHERE I WANT TO BE is the first of four novels in the Wine Country Series about four friends who live and work in Napa Valley.
Cortney currently lives in Marin County and still enjoys going wine tasting in her free time.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 2, 2013
I really enjoyed this book even though I don't drink alcohol. I think we can all relate to being "stuck" in our lives and Olivia's story is as engaging and fun to read about as it is relatable. Can't wait to read book #2.
February 12, 2014
Rating: 4.5 stars
Olivia takes a temporary leave from a safe, but boring, existence in Southern California for the call of wine country. She enrolls in a wine course, finds a place to live, and throws herself into the community. Along the way, she meets some amazing women. The longer she stays, the more it feels like home.
With some encouragement from her new friends, she starts dating--including a few attempts via an online dating site. As her love of wine and the community grows, it gets harder and harder to view her time there as temporary. Would meeting someone special change that?
Sometimes a book comes into your life just when you need it. This was one of those times. I recently moved to Northern California and went on my first trip to Napa Valley over the holidays. I was immediately smitten, just like I was with this novel. Olivia is a great character--full of questions and uncertainties, willing to make mistakes, constantly learning and taking risks, and letting her heart be her guide.
Add a great supporting cast, and it's a novel that feels like home. Ooh, and there's wine and great food to boot. Heaven. In addition to the richness of great characters, there's the added fun of humor. Some of Olivia's dates are laugh-out-loud funny. But let's not forget the romance. When the last page came, I wasn't ready to say goodbye.
Where I Want to Be is an emotional and entertaining journey. It made me want to gather some girlfriends and head to wine country, to search for something there I might not know is missing. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.
Olivia takes a temporary leave from a safe, but boring, existence in Southern California for the call of wine country. She enrolls in a wine course, finds a place to live, and throws herself into the community. Along the way, she meets some amazing women. The longer she stays, the more it feels like home.
With some encouragement from her new friends, she starts dating--including a few attempts via an online dating site. As her love of wine and the community grows, it gets harder and harder to view her time there as temporary. Would meeting someone special change that?
Sometimes a book comes into your life just when you need it. This was one of those times. I recently moved to Northern California and went on my first trip to Napa Valley over the holidays. I was immediately smitten, just like I was with this novel. Olivia is a great character--full of questions and uncertainties, willing to make mistakes, constantly learning and taking risks, and letting her heart be her guide.
Add a great supporting cast, and it's a novel that feels like home. Ooh, and there's wine and great food to boot. Heaven. In addition to the richness of great characters, there's the added fun of humor. Some of Olivia's dates are laugh-out-loud funny. But let's not forget the romance. When the last page came, I wasn't ready to say goodbye.
Where I Want to Be is an emotional and entertaining journey. It made me want to gather some girlfriends and head to wine country, to search for something there I might not know is missing. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.
September 30, 2013
Olivia feels like her life is stuck in a rut and going nowhere, so she heads to Napa Valley for a three-month wine study class. Once she abandons her old, workaholic life for one inspired by savory vino and delectable dishes featured at the restaurants and bars around her new home, her life begins to transform.
Olivia’s search for a boyfriend parallels her journey through her class, where she learns everything about the world of wine. With lush descriptions of gourmet food and drinks in most chapters, it’s easy to put yourself into the scenes alongside the characters. Featuring many dates (some disastrous, some unexpected, some even pleasant) and plenty of bonding sessions with Olivia’s new friends, WHERE I WANT TO BE is a wonderful book that’ll make you want to reach for a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc and some snacks to go with it.
Olivia’s search for a boyfriend parallels her journey through her class, where she learns everything about the world of wine. With lush descriptions of gourmet food and drinks in most chapters, it’s easy to put yourself into the scenes alongside the characters. Featuring many dates (some disastrous, some unexpected, some even pleasant) and plenty of bonding sessions with Olivia’s new friends, WHERE I WANT TO BE is a wonderful book that’ll make you want to reach for a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc and some snacks to go with it.
April 15, 2014
Pack your bags before you start reading, because by the end of this novel you'll be wanting to head to Napa Valley. I loved the character Olivia because she was smart, successful, but also a little lost on what her true passion is. She finds out in wine country when she takes a sabbatical and signs up for a summer wine course. She hooks up with a great group of girlfriends, all of them women I'd love to be friends with in real life. Her relationships with these fun, confident women was one of my favorite parts of this book and I'm glad to know this is a series, as I'm looking forward to spending more time with them. Also, the author lived in Napa so it was fun to read about actual places in Yountville. Make sure to keep notes for that trip you're taking.
January 12, 2015
I love when an author makes reading effortless. I flew through this book! Cortney Roudebush is a talented writer who excels at dialogue and setting the scene (I felt like I was there!). This is the perfect read for anyone who wants to feel like they are on vacation in Napa Valley. It is full of fun, relatable characters whose experiences will make you laugh out loud. I hope Hollywood movie producers get a hold of this gem so I can see it on the Big Screen!
November 1, 2013
This was such a fun read! I like to drink wine and I've been to Napa Valley many times, so I really enjoyed the wine references and look forward to trying some of the author's recommendations.
The characters were each so unique, the kind of girls I would definitely want to be friends with. I loved this novel and can't wait to read the next books in the series!
The characters were each so unique, the kind of girls I would definitely want to be friends with. I loved this novel and can't wait to read the next books in the series!
December 19, 2013
I loved this book. it reminded me of my travels to Napa and love of wine. I actually started reading it again :)
I am so excited for the other books to come out.
I am so excited for the other books to come out.
August 15, 2017
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Olivia has followed her plan for herself and has always done what she was "supposed" to do. After a quick vacation in Napa Valley she is inspired to take a life and work sabbatical and try something new in Napa and maybe the something new becomes her new normal!
I ADORED this book. It was just the right amount of work and life drama with friends and love interests and everything to make such a well rounded book. Most books focus on one or the other, but this book had the right amount of everything to make this character feel full.
Olivia has followed her plan for herself and has always done what she was "supposed" to do. After a quick vacation in Napa Valley she is inspired to take a life and work sabbatical and try something new in Napa and maybe the something new becomes her new normal!
I ADORED this book. It was just the right amount of work and life drama with friends and love interests and everything to make such a well rounded book. Most books focus on one or the other, but this book had the right amount of everything to make this character feel full.
January 26, 2014
Ripe grapes, warm weather and elegant restaurants pairing scrumptious delicacies with local California wines: yes, wine country is all it’s cracked up to be.Author Cortney Roudebush explores one woman’s journey from a boring life of finance in Los Angeles, to finding peace in the vineyards of Northern California. In Where I Want to Be, Roudebush takes readers on Olivia’s journey to find happiness among unlikely friends and a new career in the tasting rooms of Napa Valley.
Roudebush’s first attempt at a novel is endearing. Her lifelong dream of becoming an author came true as she self-published the first in her new Wine Country Series. Olivia, our main heroine, grows as a person and develops through critical life lessons as any character should. The settings are romantic, the wine descriptions tantalizing and the restaurants make me crave going out the minute my eyes leave the page.
Unfortunately, the appeal ends at the surface. Olivia’s struggles simply don’t ring true. From self-confidence problems to general life anxiety, she’s as relatable as a cast-off character from Sex and the City. She lands somewhere between Charlotte’s shyness and Miranda’s self-loathing. Olivia is convinced she’s not attractive, forcing her new friends to constantly encourage her to see herself in a new light. This banter is grating and unrealistic. Her dates with men from online are as cheesy as they are predictable. Of course none of them work out and each has a quirky problem, akin to Kismetology by Jaimie Admans. Of course she happens hit it off with Napa’s most eligible bachelor the minute they literally bump into each other.
I look forward to upcoming novels in the series with stories in Napa from the vantage point of each of Olivia’s new friends.
Hopefully this first novel is simply Roudebush getting her feet wet, and the real adventures are yet to come.Pair Where I Want to Be with Sonoma-Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. This rich white with hints of white peach and honesuckle will let you hang on to the summer months just a little longer. With light floral hints and a butterscotch background, this balanced white will whisk you away to wine country as you join Olivia on her travels.
xx,
Syrah
March 30, 2014
I was thrilled to accept this book for review because it seemed perfect for me. I love happy books and there’s not much happier than someone moving to a beautiful place and finding a life they love. I was also excited about the potential for character growth. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out for me. The focus on dating was greater than I expected from the description. I’ve never been especially boy-obsessed and just couldn’t like our insecure, boy-crazy main character. Her attempts at dating ended badly in every cliched way possible. Although I believe the main character might have gotten to know these men well enough to judge them, I didn’t. They all felt like very poorly developed characters to me. Although the main character becomes more confident, the turning point where she realizes she might be attractive comes when she notices that the women in Napa Valley are less pulled together than those in LA. Her gain in self-confidence at the expense of putting down others didn’t endear her to me.
I had some problems with the writing as well. I don’t always mind brand names in books, but in this case, they pulled me out of the story because I was always surprised by them. There were a handful of instances where a similar sounding but clearly incorrect word was used in a sentence. And the constant listing of wine names and flavors got old fast. This surprised me because I expected to like learning about wine, but what I learned was too specific to be helpful to me. I didn’t love the plot either, because there was very little conflict. Even the biggest problems were generally resolved a few paragraphs after they started. In general, the main character doesn’t even do anything to solve the problems; they simply resolve themselves.
Having accepted this book for review and having had high hopes for it, I hate to give it a bad review. However, the major problems I had with the main character, the plot, and the writing made anything else impossible. That said, I do think this book could work better for someone else. Many of the goodreads reviews are very positive and I think if someone picked this up expecting the focus on dating, I think they might enjoy it much more than I did.
This review first published on Doing Dewey.
I had some problems with the writing as well. I don’t always mind brand names in books, but in this case, they pulled me out of the story because I was always surprised by them. There were a handful of instances where a similar sounding but clearly incorrect word was used in a sentence. And the constant listing of wine names and flavors got old fast. This surprised me because I expected to like learning about wine, but what I learned was too specific to be helpful to me. I didn’t love the plot either, because there was very little conflict. Even the biggest problems were generally resolved a few paragraphs after they started. In general, the main character doesn’t even do anything to solve the problems; they simply resolve themselves.
Having accepted this book for review and having had high hopes for it, I hate to give it a bad review. However, the major problems I had with the main character, the plot, and the writing made anything else impossible. That said, I do think this book could work better for someone else. Many of the goodreads reviews are very positive and I think if someone picked this up expecting the focus on dating, I think they might enjoy it much more than I did.
This review first published on Doing Dewey.
March 3, 2014
I've been waiting to write this review until I had some time to mull over exactly how I felt about Where I Want to Be. I won't deny that the setting of sunny Napa Valley, and Olivia's love of wine drew me to read this book. I was intrigued by the idea of uprooting yourself for something new. Of Olivia's quest to shake things up in her life. From the humdrum world of finance, to the lush vineyards of Napa Valley. What could be better?
In fact, this turned out to be the perfect setting for this book. I was charmed with descriptions of delicious wines, decadent food, and a pleasantly laid back atmosphere. It's clear that Courtney Roudenbush has a soft spot in her heart for this place. It comes alive through her writing. I could see, taste, touch and smell everything around me just as Olivia was. This was my favorite part of the book. It was just the escape I was looking for.
Sadly, I couldn't relate to Olivia. Although she did grow a bit during the story, she never felt like a real person to me. Olivia has a lot of issues, not the least of which is her inability to see how beautiful and confident she has every right to be. That wouldn't have been so bad, if it wasn't for the fact that it never ended. Her friends constantly needed to be her source of self-confidence, and it was tough for me to get behind. I didn't need Olivia to be perfectly self-sufficient, I just needed her to cut herself a break.
In terms of the story line, it was sweet enough. Following along as Olivia broke into the dating scene was okay. I wasn't a huge fan of the men, who were all predictably bad matches for her, but it was nice to see her trying. As I said, I just couldn't get behind Olivia as a character. I wanted more from her.
I now know that this is the first in a series, and that each of the remaining books will focus on one of Olivia's other friends. This excites me! I loved Courtney Roudenbush's writing, just not this character, so I'm hopeful that I'll find more to love in this series.
In fact, this turned out to be the perfect setting for this book. I was charmed with descriptions of delicious wines, decadent food, and a pleasantly laid back atmosphere. It's clear that Courtney Roudenbush has a soft spot in her heart for this place. It comes alive through her writing. I could see, taste, touch and smell everything around me just as Olivia was. This was my favorite part of the book. It was just the escape I was looking for.
Sadly, I couldn't relate to Olivia. Although she did grow a bit during the story, she never felt like a real person to me. Olivia has a lot of issues, not the least of which is her inability to see how beautiful and confident she has every right to be. That wouldn't have been so bad, if it wasn't for the fact that it never ended. Her friends constantly needed to be her source of self-confidence, and it was tough for me to get behind. I didn't need Olivia to be perfectly self-sufficient, I just needed her to cut herself a break.
In terms of the story line, it was sweet enough. Following along as Olivia broke into the dating scene was okay. I wasn't a huge fan of the men, who were all predictably bad matches for her, but it was nice to see her trying. As I said, I just couldn't get behind Olivia as a character. I wanted more from her.
I now know that this is the first in a series, and that each of the remaining books will focus on one of Olivia's other friends. This excites me! I loved Courtney Roudenbush's writing, just not this character, so I'm hopeful that I'll find more to love in this series.
February 21, 2014
The four main female characters are women I would love to have as best friends. Although each character struggles in her own way, they are each relatable and a pleasure to spend time with. I love how Olivia's character grows and develops, despite her unsuccessful attempts with dating. She is stronger than she thinks, and it's her passion for wine that started this journey in the first place. I no longer live in Napa Valley, but when I read this story, I feel like I'm there--with the beautiful views, great restaurants, and the social scene, it is a wonderful setting. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it!
There are only a few hardback copies left...order at www.authorcortney.com/novel
Also on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FBWUJU8
And iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/wher...
There are only a few hardback copies left...order at www.authorcortney.com/novel
Also on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FBWUJU8
And iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/wher...
March 19, 2014
I didn't want to put this book down and am looking forward to the next book by Courtney Roudebush. I enjoyed going on the journey of self discovery with the main character and learning a little more about wine, which I am new too. This book made me want to take a trip to Napa Valley.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews