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St. Helena Vineyard #3
Autumn in the Vineyard
Frankie Baudouin has a hundred reasons not to trust Nate DeLuca. First, he’s a DeLuca. Second, he kissed her—in front of the entire town—and then never called. Oh, and he’s after her land. Sorrento Ranch is Frankie’s last chance to prove to her family—and to herself—that she has what it takes to be an award-winning winemaker. And she will stop at nothing to ensure her success—even if it means playing nice with the starched, sophisticated, and oh-so-sexy Italian.
For Nate, Sorrento Ranch is more than just soil and grape vines; it was his father’s dream—a dream Nate is determined to make a reality. So when he finds himself forced to cohabitate with a hot-headed, irrational, and incredibly gorgeous Baudouin, Nate is surprised to discover that chaos could be so much fun—especially when she sleeps in nothing but lace.
For Nate, Sorrento Ranch is more than just soil and grape vines; it was his father’s dream—a dream Nate is determined to make a reality. So when he finds himself forced to cohabitate with a hot-headed, irrational, and incredibly gorgeous Baudouin, Nate is surprised to discover that chaos could be so much fun—especially when she sleeps in nothing but lace.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2013
398 people are currently reading
1323 people want to read
About the author
Marina Adair
40 books1,938 followersMarina Adair is a New York Times author whose fun, flirty contemporary romances have sold over a million copies. She has hit #1 overall in Amazon Kindle Paid and her St. Helena Vineyard series was optioned and made into the original Hallmark Channel Vineyard movies: Autumn in the Vineyard, Summer in the Vineyard, and Valentines in the Vineyard. Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a MFA from San Jose University and currently lives in Northern California with her husband, daughter, and two neurotic cats. Please visit her online at MarinaAdair.com and sign up for her newsletter at www.MarinaAdair.com/newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
November 3, 2013
3.5 Stars
.. "You kids think that loving is the easy part, but it's not. It's the liking part that's difficult. Love, once it happens, is always there no matter how angry you get. But like, that takes compromise and honesty and understanding and a lot of hard work..."
Autumn in the Vineyard is a contemporary romance set in the lovely Napa Valley and a first read for me by this author. As part of a family based series, each book can be read as a standalone and while I had no problems beginning with book #3, the inclusion of characters from previous books had me wishing for their background.
The long time feud between the DeLuca and Baudouin families plays a major role in the story. When a land acquisition throws Nate DeLuca and Franki Baudouin together, sparks fly. Both have their reasons for wanting this piece of prime land and each are determined to be successful.
Nate DeLuca is all gorgeous, charismatic, Italian male while Franki is a spitfire, outspoken, independent female. At first I worried that she may be too tomboyish and become more irritating than endearing. But that wasn’t the case at all. As each layer is revealed, I found a proud, ambitious, loyal, as well as vulnerable young woman. Her family history is complicated and it’s not long before the reader understands why she’s erected a fortress around her emotions.
Franki wears her armor well, hiding years of pain behind attitude. But sexy Nate cares for this woman and I enjoyed watching him breach her walls. The negative history they share as well as a standing family feud doesn’t stand a chance against their sizzling chemistry and Nate’s determination. One of the things I loved most is Nate’s tenderness and protectiveness. The complications and set-backs Franki encounters is beautifully offset by Nate’s surprising solutions.
The only glitch for me was the inclusion of the inter-workings of the wine industry. Having not read the previous books may have caused my disinterest. The story dragged until the focus once again was on this lovable couple.
Autumn in the Vineyard was a simple, heartwarming, touching and fun romance with a cast of quirky, lovable characters. While the elements of the wine industry may have kept me from completely loving this book, I did enjoy the love story and look forward to reading more from this series.
ARC courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
.. "You kids think that loving is the easy part, but it's not. It's the liking part that's difficult. Love, once it happens, is always there no matter how angry you get. But like, that takes compromise and honesty and understanding and a lot of hard work..."
Autumn in the Vineyard is a contemporary romance set in the lovely Napa Valley and a first read for me by this author. As part of a family based series, each book can be read as a standalone and while I had no problems beginning with book #3, the inclusion of characters from previous books had me wishing for their background.
The long time feud between the DeLuca and Baudouin families plays a major role in the story. When a land acquisition throws Nate DeLuca and Franki Baudouin together, sparks fly. Both have their reasons for wanting this piece of prime land and each are determined to be successful.
Nate DeLuca is all gorgeous, charismatic, Italian male while Franki is a spitfire, outspoken, independent female. At first I worried that she may be too tomboyish and become more irritating than endearing. But that wasn’t the case at all. As each layer is revealed, I found a proud, ambitious, loyal, as well as vulnerable young woman. Her family history is complicated and it’s not long before the reader understands why she’s erected a fortress around her emotions.
Franki wears her armor well, hiding years of pain behind attitude. But sexy Nate cares for this woman and I enjoyed watching him breach her walls. The negative history they share as well as a standing family feud doesn’t stand a chance against their sizzling chemistry and Nate’s determination. One of the things I loved most is Nate’s tenderness and protectiveness. The complications and set-backs Franki encounters is beautifully offset by Nate’s surprising solutions.
The only glitch for me was the inclusion of the inter-workings of the wine industry. Having not read the previous books may have caused my disinterest. The story dragged until the focus once again was on this lovable couple.
Autumn in the Vineyard was a simple, heartwarming, touching and fun romance with a cast of quirky, lovable characters. While the elements of the wine industry may have kept me from completely loving this book, I did enjoy the love story and look forward to reading more from this series.
ARC courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 15, 2016
Solid 4 "With you, I fit." Stars!
I enjoyed this story a lot. It was sweet. Frankie and Nate are both very good characters. Frankie was a little bit different, kind of awkward girl with a tough exterior and an ooy-gooy center. She is a super sweetheart that wears her heart on her sleeve, but tries to hide it. Nate was a little different kind of hero than I normally read. He wasn't so alpha male, kinda more like a normal real life guy, all be it a bit nerdy with all his lists and such. Which I actually liked a lot- Because when it came down to it, Nate knew just what to do and how to get things done.
These two had an enemies to friends to lovers second chance romance thing going on. I enjoyed reading their story. I think I will read the other books in the series. Start at the beginning. Happy reading!
I enjoyed this story a lot. It was sweet. Frankie and Nate are both very good characters. Frankie was a little bit different, kind of awkward girl with a tough exterior and an ooy-gooy center. She is a super sweetheart that wears her heart on her sleeve, but tries to hide it. Nate was a little different kind of hero than I normally read. He wasn't so alpha male, kinda more like a normal real life guy, all be it a bit nerdy with all his lists and such. Which I actually liked a lot- Because when it came down to it, Nate knew just what to do and how to get things done.
These two had an enemies to friends to lovers second chance romance thing going on. I enjoyed reading their story. I think I will read the other books in the series. Start at the beginning. Happy reading!
October 3, 2019
I'm very tempted to rate one star and be done with it because of that idiotic conflict. She breaks up over a list? Seriously?! Completely unnecessary, stupid, cheesy, misplaced. Not even that big of a deal.
Damn it, I was looking forward to this book and it was a freaking mess. Just like my review.
One thing's for sure, you read one book in this series and you've read them all.
Damn it, I was looking forward to this book and it was a freaking mess. Just like my review.
One thing's for sure, you read one book in this series and you've read them all.
December 19, 2018
Another great addition to this series. I loved Frankie and Nate. And now I can't wait for Trey to be knocked on his ass.
December 12, 2018
Frankie was the best! Her closed off exterior made her story even more compelling.
February 10, 2014
There's a fine line between hate and love -- and our main characters, Nate and Frankie have been walking it for a decade. This is my first book by Marina Adair -- and it happens to be the third book in her "St. Helena Vineyard" series. This doesn't bode well with my need to read in order affliction. Although there were carry-over characters, this one managed to stand on its own and I wasn't lost beyond reading enjoyment with this story.
Getting POVs from both Nate and Frankie livened up the story and gave it depth that I appreciated. Frankie is one strong and sassy female and Nate - well, Nate is really swoon-worthy and keeps Frankie's lips at-the-ready even against her best defenses. A great cast of family and friends also adds to this fun-to-read story -- and one very stubborn and hungry alpaca named Mittens adds much to the humor.
There's the additional wine country history and the process of winemaking involved to keep the story on a realistic level as well. Anyone who has visited Napa or wine country will appreciate atmosphere infusion here.
Getting POVs from both Nate and Frankie livened up the story and gave it depth that I appreciated. Frankie is one strong and sassy female and Nate - well, Nate is really swoon-worthy and keeps Frankie's lips at-the-ready even against her best defenses. A great cast of family and friends also adds to this fun-to-read story -- and one very stubborn and hungry alpaca named Mittens adds much to the humor.
There's the additional wine country history and the process of winemaking involved to keep the story on a realistic level as well. Anyone who has visited Napa or wine country will appreciate atmosphere infusion here.
August 18, 2018
This book started at a 4, dropped to a 2, then a 1, then back up to a 2. One of the reasons I dropped it to a 2 in the first place was because I was SO disappointed after it had started off so strong. I was expecting something sweet, but not necessarily really deep, but what I had got was this seemingly complex, strong, combat boot-wearing, motorcycle-riding woman who secretly felt unloved in her family and my emotions got a punch in the gut.
So imagine my disappointment when this ball-busting woman let's herself be silenced in an argument with a kiss. With a guy she's supposed to be "enemies" with. This is one of my biggest pet peeves! And it basically happened multiple times. She kept giving in to this guy who could take what she'd worked for away from her. I felt like the author wanted this strong-ass female character but didn't know how to write her.
My other issue was the amount of characters. This was supposed to be a standalone but they clearly brought back every single character from the first two books in the series and it was too many! For someone who hadn't read the first two, I had a hard time keeping everyone straight.
I did give it an extra star back at the end for a really good grovel though.
So imagine my disappointment when this ball-busting woman let's herself be silenced in an argument with a kiss. With a guy she's supposed to be "enemies" with. This is one of my biggest pet peeves! And it basically happened multiple times. She kept giving in to this guy who could take what she'd worked for away from her. I felt like the author wanted this strong-ass female character but didn't know how to write her.
My other issue was the amount of characters. This was supposed to be a standalone but they clearly brought back every single character from the first two books in the series and it was too many! For someone who hadn't read the first two, I had a hard time keeping everyone straight.
I did give it an extra star back at the end for a really good grovel though.
December 19, 2018
After years of dreaming about and working hard for it, Francesca Baudoin finally own a couple acres on Sorrento Ranch, the most sought after property for wine business. There's just one catch : the seller split the land in two and her nemesis, Nathaniel DeLuca, bought the other half.
As we learned before in the series, there's a long-time feud (over 6 decades) between the Baudoin and the DeLuca, but that's not the reason why Frankie and Nate can't be in the same room without arguing all the time. We call it chemistry but Frankie would say it's because he invited an other girl at the prom a day after kissing her when they were in high school and Nate would probably say he don't know why but he's a mild-mannered and even-tempered guy, except when she's there. And maybe he wouldn't admit it, but he often have the urge to kiss her until she shut up. But Frankie won't let him mess with her dreams, even if it means having to play nice and share the house with him for a month. They have thirty days to find a way to get along or Sorrento Ranch will be rezoned.
This book has been made into a movie, but I won't compare the two just because I haven't seen it yet ;p In the previous books, we already witnessed the explosive chemistry between Frankie and Nate. But the question always is : will it live up to the hype when come their time ? Absolutely ! They may act like they hate each other but you can still feel the respect and affection they have for each other. Contrary to Nate who have a supportive family, and as the youngest and only girl with three half-brothers, Frankie always felt like the odd one out and her grandfather's behavior, even after all she did for the family business, didn't help her with the feeling of not belonging so it was so sweet to see how the hero made her feel included and important. I also liked that Frankie wasn't your typical heroine. She have a good heart,yes, but she also have a temper and she's a tough, stubborn and passionate woman. I liked how Nate was described as the peacemaker of the family and the rational one but not in a rigid way. The lists was a great idea too :)
Need an other reason to pick this book ? I'll say one word : alpaca ;p
As we learned before in the series, there's a long-time feud (over 6 decades) between the Baudoin and the DeLuca, but that's not the reason why Frankie and Nate can't be in the same room without arguing all the time. We call it chemistry but Frankie would say it's because he invited an other girl at the prom a day after kissing her when they were in high school and Nate would probably say he don't know why but he's a mild-mannered and even-tempered guy, except when she's there. And maybe he wouldn't admit it, but he often have the urge to kiss her until she shut up. But Frankie won't let him mess with her dreams, even if it means having to play nice and share the house with him for a month. They have thirty days to find a way to get along or Sorrento Ranch will be rezoned.
This book has been made into a movie, but I won't compare the two just because I haven't seen it yet ;p In the previous books, we already witnessed the explosive chemistry between Frankie and Nate. But the question always is : will it live up to the hype when come their time ? Absolutely ! They may act like they hate each other but you can still feel the respect and affection they have for each other. Contrary to Nate who have a supportive family, and as the youngest and only girl with three half-brothers, Frankie always felt like the odd one out and her grandfather's behavior, even after all she did for the family business, didn't help her with the feeling of not belonging so it was so sweet to see how the hero made her feel included and important. I also liked that Frankie wasn't your typical heroine. She have a good heart,yes, but she also have a temper and she's a tough, stubborn and passionate woman. I liked how Nate was described as the peacemaker of the family and the rational one but not in a rigid way. The lists was a great idea too :)
Need an other reason to pick this book ? I'll say one word : alpaca ;p
October 28, 2013
Click here for my complete review.
For such a serious title, the book is helluva funny! Beginning with the Alpaca crisis in Chapter One, to Frankie kicking Nate’s balls and yelling bloody murder, I’m caught between laughing out loud and seriously thinking through the vineyard disputes in the story.
Land acquisitions and ancient family feuds play a large part in forming the backbone of what goes on between the DeLucas and Baudouins. When it came down to the economics of the vineyard it gets very technical with a few estate and vinery jargons. It also tends to get boring and dry as the characters attempt to iron out the property details between their families. Frankly, I skipped through a couple of those pages to get ahead.
Frankie is one of few tough novel heroines I’m impressed by. She’s intelligent, diligent, stands her ground and is never afraid to speak up, or on may occasions, threaten to shoot at Nate. Frankie’s never-back-down fiery temper ignites the sparks between her and Nate, who finds himself drawn to the tough cookie.
Nate is a laidback, funny and dangerous – a straight heartbreaker and deadly charming Italian. Their development undergoes a long arduous breaking-in process, as what he feels for Frankie deepens with amusement and admiration instead of a conventional love at first sight. Nate’s was pure lust with zero emotions at first sight.
At certain points in the novel, the book gets draggy. Perhaps I found the caretaking process of the vineyard a tad boring for my taste. No doubt, though, that Marina Adair is extremely knowledgeable in that aspect and adept at bringing this to life. Some descriptions were breathtaking and I could almost feel the vineyard springing to life. Such is what I enjoyed most about this novel – the deep knowledge of French wines – embedded in the pages. A truly enlightening book.
For such a serious title, the book is helluva funny! Beginning with the Alpaca crisis in Chapter One, to Frankie kicking Nate’s balls and yelling bloody murder, I’m caught between laughing out loud and seriously thinking through the vineyard disputes in the story.
Land acquisitions and ancient family feuds play a large part in forming the backbone of what goes on between the DeLucas and Baudouins. When it came down to the economics of the vineyard it gets very technical with a few estate and vinery jargons. It also tends to get boring and dry as the characters attempt to iron out the property details between their families. Frankly, I skipped through a couple of those pages to get ahead.
Frankie is one of few tough novel heroines I’m impressed by. She’s intelligent, diligent, stands her ground and is never afraid to speak up, or on may occasions, threaten to shoot at Nate. Frankie’s never-back-down fiery temper ignites the sparks between her and Nate, who finds himself drawn to the tough cookie.
Nate is a laidback, funny and dangerous – a straight heartbreaker and deadly charming Italian. Their development undergoes a long arduous breaking-in process, as what he feels for Frankie deepens with amusement and admiration instead of a conventional love at first sight. Nate’s was pure lust with zero emotions at first sight.
At certain points in the novel, the book gets draggy. Perhaps I found the caretaking process of the vineyard a tad boring for my taste. No doubt, though, that Marina Adair is extremely knowledgeable in that aspect and adept at bringing this to life. Some descriptions were breathtaking and I could almost feel the vineyard springing to life. Such is what I enjoyed most about this novel – the deep knowledge of French wines – embedded in the pages. A truly enlightening book.
May 30, 2017
הספר השלישי בסידרה, חביב כיתר הסידרה. בספר הזה, האח נייט (נתניאל) משכנע את האחים לרכוש שטח של גפנים בעלות מופרזת ואז מגלה כי את השטח הצמוד רכשה פרנקי.
פרנקי היא תשוקה של נייט מהתיכון. אז הוא נישק אותה והיא איימה עליו שתשבור את ביציו אם יגלה שנישק אותה, לכן הוא הזמין בחורה אחרת לנשף.
פרנקי היא בת למשפחת בודואר. אוייבים מרים של משפחת דה לוקה, המשפחה של נייט וכל עסק בין המשפחות נאסר בתכלית האיסור. כל שכן קשרים אחרים, לדוגמא חברתיים.
אבל אז פרנקי ונייט מגלים שהם צריכים אחד את השני בכדי לעשות עסקים בשטח וגם בכדי להיות מאושרים.
פרנקי היא טיפוס מעצבן ביותר. לא רק שהיא גסת רוח בעיניי, צעקנית ובגלל ההיסטוריה המשפחתית שלה גם טיפוס חשדן. היא גם טיפוס לא מאוזן רגשית והחלק האחרון של הספר כל כך מופרך שהיא עיצבנה אותי.
מאידך נייט הוא אדם טוב, מתחשב, רגיש ואוהב. הוא טיפוס מרצה , שוחר שלום ופועל מתוך הבנה ושיתוף פעולה. נבצר מבינתי מה הוא מצא בפרנקי. אבל הוא מצא.
הספר נחמד. נהנתי כניקוי ראש בנסיעה. אבל אני שמחה שנותר לי רק עוד ספר אחד בסידרה ובו אף אח לא משכנע את אהובת נערותו לצאת איתו (כמו בשני הספרים האחרונים - מארק ולקסי, ונייט ופרנקי) כי התמה הזו מיצתה את עצמה לחלוטין.
פרנקי היא תשוקה של נייט מהתיכון. אז הוא נישק אותה והיא איימה עליו שתשבור את ביציו אם יגלה שנישק אותה, לכן הוא הזמין בחורה אחרת לנשף.
פרנקי היא בת למשפחת בודואר. אוייבים מרים של משפחת דה לוקה, המשפחה של נייט וכל עסק בין המשפחות נאסר בתכלית האיסור. כל שכן קשרים אחרים, לדוגמא חברתיים.
אבל אז פרנקי ונייט מגלים שהם צריכים אחד את השני בכדי לעשות עסקים בשטח וגם בכדי להיות מאושרים.
פרנקי היא טיפוס מעצבן ביותר. לא רק שהיא גסת רוח בעיניי, צעקנית ובגלל ההיסטוריה המשפחתית שלה גם טיפוס חשדן. היא גם טיפוס לא מאוזן רגשית והחלק האחרון של הספר כל כך מופרך שהיא עיצבנה אותי.
מאידך נייט הוא אדם טוב, מתחשב, רגיש ואוהב. הוא טיפוס מרצה , שוחר שלום ופועל מתוך הבנה ושיתוף פעולה. נבצר מבינתי מה הוא מצא בפרנקי. אבל הוא מצא.
הספר נחמד. נהנתי כניקוי ראש בנסיעה. אבל אני שמחה שנותר לי רק עוד ספר אחד בסידרה ובו אף אח לא משכנע את אהובת נערותו לצאת איתו (כמו בשני הספרים האחרונים - מארק ולקסי, ונייט ופרנקי) כי התמה הזו מיצתה את עצמה לחלוטין.
October 7, 2015
Loved it
So far in this series I have been close to crying as soon as it begins not this time. I was pissed at how Frankie was misunderstood by everyone but Nate and even he screws up royally like all his brothers had. What he does to prove his love was so romantic and special I loved it.
So far in this series I have been close to crying as soon as it begins not this time. I was pissed at how Frankie was misunderstood by everyone but Nate and even he screws up royally like all his brothers had. What he does to prove his love was so romantic and special I loved it.
January 24, 2019
A truly touching story of love lost then found. The Classic Romeo & Juliet But with Wineries. Frankie and Nate have more to overcome than each other. With years of Family feuding behind them, they have so much they need to face.
Science vs the Grape Whisperer, Add in a Llama and who knows who will win!
Wonderful characters, and a beautiful love story!
Science vs the Grape Whisperer, Add in a Llama and who knows who will win!
Wonderful characters, and a beautiful love story!
August 10, 2020
Oh yes! Frankie and Nate, just knew there was a story there and it is a great one! Add in the alpaca and what could go wrong. I love this series and these DeLuca boys are falling hard and fast and with style. I cannot wait to see where this series goes next.
November 6, 2013
I really enjoy this series and Autumn in the Vineyard is a great addition. Frankie and Nate’s story is so entertaining and I enjoy watching the sexual tension between to two for several books.
Francesca (Frankie) Baudouin is finally a vineyard owner; she is buying ten acres of prime St. Helena soil and after a disastrous summer she is ready to move forward in her life. The only thing that is standing in her way is Nate DeLuca, so typical; there is always a DeLuca in the way.
It turns out the twenty acres were split years ago and although Frankie knows what she is buying, Nate is under the impression he is buying all twenty acres, sparks fly as they fight over the land the house and try to come up with a reasonable solution, and they find the attraction between them has never gone away.
She felt like a loser around her family, her grandfather fired her as the enologist after dedicating her life to the family winery. And there has always been drama, when Frankie’s father died he had all assets except the shares in the family biz split four ways for the kids, but the family business was split only three ways, only for the boys. She confided in Nate all those years ago and he promptly told her brothers, everything went to hell and she lost her trust in him. The brothers walked away from the business, they like living outside the world of grapes as they always felt the wine business destroyed their family.
This series is so engaging and I love visiting the area in these stories. The town is quant and the characters are quirky and fun. Aunt Lucinda, ChiChi and Pricilla are a hoot and I love when they get together and stir things up. I really like Frankie and feel her sorrow about how she just wants to be part of her family. Because her mother was the second wife and not the mother of her brothers, she has always felt like an outsider and when her father did not leave her any part of the business and her grandfather fired her, her self confidence was shattered. She is just now thinking things were going her way when the land debacle hits.
Nate is a pleaser; he goes out of his way to really know a person and then makes things right for them. I just fell in love with him. He knows he messes up with his brothers but will do anything not to hurt or destroy Frankie’s dream. I love how thoughtful he is. They make a great couple and the chemistry between them sizzles, they have been dancing around the attraction for years. When they get together there is magic.
I enjoy seeing previous characters from other books, Regan and her daughter are delightful and of course all those DeLuca brothers are fun to see again and I love the fact that the family is so close and will do anything for each other. This is such a fun series and I am looking forward to more chaos in St. Helena as it looks like Amy may be next.
Copy from NetGalley for an honest review
Francesca (Frankie) Baudouin is finally a vineyard owner; she is buying ten acres of prime St. Helena soil and after a disastrous summer she is ready to move forward in her life. The only thing that is standing in her way is Nate DeLuca, so typical; there is always a DeLuca in the way.
It turns out the twenty acres were split years ago and although Frankie knows what she is buying, Nate is under the impression he is buying all twenty acres, sparks fly as they fight over the land the house and try to come up with a reasonable solution, and they find the attraction between them has never gone away.
She felt like a loser around her family, her grandfather fired her as the enologist after dedicating her life to the family winery. And there has always been drama, when Frankie’s father died he had all assets except the shares in the family biz split four ways for the kids, but the family business was split only three ways, only for the boys. She confided in Nate all those years ago and he promptly told her brothers, everything went to hell and she lost her trust in him. The brothers walked away from the business, they like living outside the world of grapes as they always felt the wine business destroyed their family.
This series is so engaging and I love visiting the area in these stories. The town is quant and the characters are quirky and fun. Aunt Lucinda, ChiChi and Pricilla are a hoot and I love when they get together and stir things up. I really like Frankie and feel her sorrow about how she just wants to be part of her family. Because her mother was the second wife and not the mother of her brothers, she has always felt like an outsider and when her father did not leave her any part of the business and her grandfather fired her, her self confidence was shattered. She is just now thinking things were going her way when the land debacle hits.
Nate is a pleaser; he goes out of his way to really know a person and then makes things right for them. I just fell in love with him. He knows he messes up with his brothers but will do anything not to hurt or destroy Frankie’s dream. I love how thoughtful he is. They make a great couple and the chemistry between them sizzles, they have been dancing around the attraction for years. When they get together there is magic.
I enjoy seeing previous characters from other books, Regan and her daughter are delightful and of course all those DeLuca brothers are fun to see again and I love the fact that the family is so close and will do anything for each other. This is such a fun series and I am looking forward to more chaos in St. Helena as it looks like Amy may be next.
Copy from NetGalley for an honest review
November 12, 2013
4.5 stars!
This is book three in the St. Helena Vineyard series. All the books are set in the same community but each one is about a different couple. They can all be read as stand alone novels.
Nate DeLuca and Francesca (Frankie) Baudouin have been bickering since high school. When they both buy land that shares a house they have to learn to compromise or risk losing the land altogether.
I love Frankie and Nate! Granted half the time I wanted to smack Frankie for holding out on Nate and making him work so hard but that was a lot of fun to watch. They usually show their affection for one another with fighting and annoying each other when all they really want to do is go at it hot and heavy. I liked how Nate slowly worked his way around Frankie’s defenses. He is very determined to win her over and it was nice to see a male lead that was the instigator of the relationship and didn’t just want sex.
We see quite a bit from the families and the community in general as seems to be the usual from this series. I love to read about the connections between all the people in the town. It has a very small town feel with the gossip and busybodies. Also no one seems to be able to keep secrets which makes for great reading. The town feels like a character in the book. It is a big part of Nate and Frankie’s lives. They both have always lived there and want to do what’s best for the town to make it thrive.
There is quite a bit of drama between Frankie and her grandfather. It has been brewing in the background for the last few books but things come to a head in this one. I was a little annoyed at how Frankie handled everything but I do think that it was true to character, not what my vindictive little heart wanted but it did make sense for her.
I am really loving this series. I love the humor, drama, fighting, making up and all the plethora of emotions that are evoked when reading this book. The characters and the relationships that are being built are a joy to read and I am looking forward to each addition to the series.
This is book three in the St. Helena Vineyard series. All the books are set in the same community but each one is about a different couple. They can all be read as stand alone novels.
Nate DeLuca and Francesca (Frankie) Baudouin have been bickering since high school. When they both buy land that shares a house they have to learn to compromise or risk losing the land altogether.
I love Frankie and Nate! Granted half the time I wanted to smack Frankie for holding out on Nate and making him work so hard but that was a lot of fun to watch. They usually show their affection for one another with fighting and annoying each other when all they really want to do is go at it hot and heavy. I liked how Nate slowly worked his way around Frankie’s defenses. He is very determined to win her over and it was nice to see a male lead that was the instigator of the relationship and didn’t just want sex.
We see quite a bit from the families and the community in general as seems to be the usual from this series. I love to read about the connections between all the people in the town. It has a very small town feel with the gossip and busybodies. Also no one seems to be able to keep secrets which makes for great reading. The town feels like a character in the book. It is a big part of Nate and Frankie’s lives. They both have always lived there and want to do what’s best for the town to make it thrive.
There is quite a bit of drama between Frankie and her grandfather. It has been brewing in the background for the last few books but things come to a head in this one. I was a little annoyed at how Frankie handled everything but I do think that it was true to character, not what my vindictive little heart wanted but it did make sense for her.
I am really loving this series. I love the humor, drama, fighting, making up and all the plethora of emotions that are evoked when reading this book. The characters and the relationships that are being built are a joy to read and I am looking forward to each addition to the series.
October 16, 2013
I received a copy of this book from the publisher at Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review
Absolutely amazing story! I have never read this author before, but the story sounded right up my alley, so I was excited for the opportunity to review this book. This story absolutely blew my expectations away. From the first pages, I was engaged, amused, intrigued and had a horrible time putting it down to go about my life. I won't rehash the plot since you can read that, but what I can say, is the writing is fantastic. Marina Adair created a story that was funny, steamy, heartbreaking, and hooked me so completely, that now I need to go back and buy the prior books in this series. I am a huge of fan of romances by Susan Mallery, Kristan Higgins and Rachel Gibson, and this story blew them away. Frankie is the perfect heroine, she is tough, smart and clever, yet she is still feminine and vulnerable. Nate may be the perfect man, so glad to have had the opportunity to meet him. The sparks between them are beyond incredible and the complexity of their familial ties just tugs at your heartstrings. Throw in an alpaca named Mittens and you've got a story you can't forget. I am also a sucker for family feuds and anything involving wineries...this book captured everything perfectly. I am sad that it's over and I am already looking forward to reading it again. If you aren't reading Marina Adair, then you are missing out.
Absolutely amazing story! I have never read this author before, but the story sounded right up my alley, so I was excited for the opportunity to review this book. This story absolutely blew my expectations away. From the first pages, I was engaged, amused, intrigued and had a horrible time putting it down to go about my life. I won't rehash the plot since you can read that, but what I can say, is the writing is fantastic. Marina Adair created a story that was funny, steamy, heartbreaking, and hooked me so completely, that now I need to go back and buy the prior books in this series. I am a huge of fan of romances by Susan Mallery, Kristan Higgins and Rachel Gibson, and this story blew them away. Frankie is the perfect heroine, she is tough, smart and clever, yet she is still feminine and vulnerable. Nate may be the perfect man, so glad to have had the opportunity to meet him. The sparks between them are beyond incredible and the complexity of their familial ties just tugs at your heartstrings. Throw in an alpaca named Mittens and you've got a story you can't forget. I am also a sucker for family feuds and anything involving wineries...this book captured everything perfectly. I am sad that it's over and I am already looking forward to reading it again. If you aren't reading Marina Adair, then you are missing out.
March 26, 2024
Another day another negative book review how many negative book reviews can I write in one day it’s interesting because I started reading the book and something about it felt familiar. The names were feeling very familiar and then it occurred to me. Oh, I’ve actually seen this movie on Hallmark and it’s a series of movies that I remembered immediately that these movies were based on books and the movies followed Nate and Frankie even though, the second and third movies were based on other books in the series that were about other characters, but the movies were made to focus on Frankie and Nate and I really like those characters and I really like the actors who play them and surprisingly I was able to put the actors out of my mind so as I was reading this book, I wasn’t picturing Rachael Lee Cook the whole time Surprisingly I also preferred the movies to the book the book is, of course, part of a series and the series are not. They are not standalone, works while each book has different main characters. The background characters are the same throughout, so when I picked up this book I felt like I was coming in halfway through a story, and even though we got a little bit of some of Nate siblings, and their spouses are significant others that really let me to believe that there was some of Nate and Frankie in the background of the first two books, and that really does a disservice, because I don’t always want to read about all the siblings in their love lives in fact, when it comes to serious like that, I hardly ever do I read this one because it was on a list of books, featuring tall, female, main characters and clocking in at 5:10. Yes, she’s tall and other than one coming at the beginning beginning when she said that she was like a naturally tall, which is not true by the way, her height wasn’t an issue it wasn’t anything she was self-conscious about which was great. That was something I’ve been looking for but everything was so chaotic in the beginning talking about this thing that happened three months ago and what and it was a very confusing and then there were all these characters and it’s like they were coming out of the woodwork who are these people, and who are they to each other? It was very very very confusing and yes, Frankie and Nate i’ve known each other since they were kids, and he’s been in love with her since forever, but the course of their actual story only takes place over a period of 30 days not even and they fall in love with each other and it’s just kind of wild because you pick up the book and start reading and it’s like the story is already going 60 miles an hour no there were good moments. You know Nate is a great guy and he makes for a really excellent book boyfriend, but it did seem overly dramatic that she finds this list and she gets really upset about it. This isn’t even a third act break up this is like ending credits break up because they break up and three pages later the book is over and I really really hate that. I’m not a fan of third act break ups, but one where they get back together literally right before the book ends is not for my liking because it doesn’t give the reader a chance to really settle and now I feel like I need to scroll through, the next book just to see what little bits of Frankie and Nate are happening in the background to get some closure for them. Otherwise it just ended with some attempt at being poetic like oh and now I finally realized I found my home or some bullshit line like that for the end it was crap really now Nate is supposed to be some uptight khaki polo shirt wearing scientist guy but you don’t really ever get a description like that. We get a really good picture of Frankie she rides a freaking motorcycle. She wears steel toed boots, but we really don’t get much in the way of character description, particularly when it comes to Nate, and it’s almost like these descriptions were provided in the first book in the series and I don’t need like a super detailed description like leave some imagination up to the reader, but it wasn’t very obvious that he was supposed to be a very kind of by the rules type guy that was not glaringly obvious and everything was just really super fast pay so it was kind of hard to believe that. Oh yeah, they had such a deep connection and he was so in love with her and she was in love with him when what they had sex like a few times, and really only had a few deep conversations and what because he remembered that she brushes the alpaca when she stressed like she falls in love with him over that was just a little too far-fetched. There were a couple moments that made me laugh and it was well written no I didn’t have any issues with the grammar sent structure or anything like that but as I’m finding with this trend of reading that I’m on right now it was the story and the pace that really did this one in for me, plus the fact that Frankie could never stand up for herself. She could never accept herself. She could never be proud enough of herself. She still needed that from Nate, which to me is kind of a really big character flaw, and her grandfather was insanely toxic and I don’t believe in doing things just because your family, so yeah it’s great that Nate ran around and found this 11th hour deal to save everything and prevent her from having to let her grandfather claim her wine. I still can’t believe that she was willing to actually do that and her aunt said oh well, I know my niece, and she would never forgive herself if she knew there was a chance to save that vineyard and she didn’t and you know I mean, Frankie even said to herself that she knew what she was doing was right that she didn’t want to go back and work for her grandfather, and that she wanted to have her own thing and have all of that separation. She couldn’t have taken a beat to talk to her aunt and be like hey no one said she agrees to this basically selling her soul to the devil it’s hard to get excited about a heroin who is written that way, the last thing I’ll say going back to the pacing of the story and how it ended. It really could’ve handled an epilogue because it ended with the two characters in a fucking utility closet and it’s just really ridiculous.
Also, I think it was really stupid that Frankie kept saying I don’t like PDA I don’t like PDA but yet she starts to give them a hand job in front of everyone at some community event, and practically every kiss shared between them has been in public ??
Also, I think it was really stupid that Frankie kept saying I don’t like PDA I don’t like PDA but yet she starts to give them a hand job in front of everyone at some community event, and practically every kiss shared between them has been in public ??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2015
Received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
http://loveisastateofmind.wordpress.c...
4.5*
Fact: I am completely head-over-heels in love with this series and this book was special for two reasons:
1. How often do you get to watch two characters find love who are both enemies and friends? Such a delicious mix of complex emotions.
2. Mittens
My only gripe was that there are jut a few too many characters that all play a role in the book - don't get me wrong, I am really happy about this as hopefully we will get to follow all of the Baudounin and DeLuca brothers find love and the series will go on for a long time. However, I did spend the first third of the book trying to remember who is who and by the time I had got that straight in my head, I had sadly come to the end of the book! Suggestion: how about a Baudounin and DeLuca family tree at the start of each book and as the series continues it can be updated with each book?
http://loveisastateofmind.wordpress.c...
4.5*
Fact: I am completely head-over-heels in love with this series and this book was special for two reasons:
1. How often do you get to watch two characters find love who are both enemies and friends? Such a delicious mix of complex emotions.
2. Mittens
My only gripe was that there are jut a few too many characters that all play a role in the book - don't get me wrong, I am really happy about this as hopefully we will get to follow all of the Baudounin and DeLuca brothers find love and the series will go on for a long time. However, I did spend the first third of the book trying to remember who is who and by the time I had got that straight in my head, I had sadly come to the end of the book! Suggestion: how about a Baudounin and DeLuca family tree at the start of each book and as the series continues it can be updated with each book?
April 11, 2022
This is probably my favourite in the series, Frankie is such an interesting character and the contrast between the two families quite stark in this instalment. Nate's family has each other's back, but Frankie is on her own and as a result of years of looking after herself struggles to trust anyone. Highly recommend this.
March 23, 2018
Loving this series
Listened via audible, narrated by Renee Raudman. This was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. Continuing shenanigans with the wineries in St Helena, this was cute, funny, angst-free (which was a balm to my current anxiety), sexy. And the excellent narration was the cream on warm Apple pie.
Listened via audible, narrated by Renee Raudman. This was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. Continuing shenanigans with the wineries in St Helena, this was cute, funny, angst-free (which was a balm to my current anxiety), sexy. And the excellent narration was the cream on warm Apple pie.
October 31, 2015
I enjoyed this book a lot, though didn't find it quite as humorous as the other titles I've read in the series. I was introduced to the series with book 4 and am now debating if I should re-read it before continuing on.
November 28, 2014
Frankie was a bit much at times but I still loved the story.
October 30, 2013
Book 3 of the St. Helena Vineyard series. Similar to #s 1 and 2. Light reading. Very light reading. Very, very light reading. Just what I asked for.
November 1, 2013
Ok, to be fair, this book is full of my two favorite things,....WINE & Good Romance,...so it already was a slam dunk. The fact that I loved the characters was an added bonus. Great book!
February 14, 2018
Well when the hero of a book is named Nate I can't help but give it at least 4 Stars. But seriously one of the things I really enjoyed about this book was that for a change the male lead Nate DeLuca was emotionally healthy and it was the female lead Francesca Baudouin who had emotional baggage that was preventing her from pursuing a healthy relationship. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Frankie character. She was a rough around the edges tomboy with a heart of gold who never received the unconditional love she should have from her family. She had spent her life trying to earn their affection and their respect. Therefore she was afraid to give her heart to anyone and be rejected again. She had learned the art of wine making at the knee of her prickly grandfather Charles the family patriarch but he never respected her opinions or ability because of her sex. After being fired and basically disowned by her grandfather for cooperating with the DeLuca family at the last Harvest Showdown to help the town Frankie buys a piece of prime property to start her own small winery. Problem is the DeLuca family also coveted this property and unbeknownst to them they thought they'd bought the entire 40 acres at an exorbitant price but only purchased half for more than 7 times what Frankie paid for her half. Frankie and Nate have shared explosive chemistry since high school but because of Frankie's intimacy issues and the feud between their two families have never gotten past a few kisses. Now Frankie and Nate are forced to co-exist and work together or both lose the valuable piece of land. The more time Nate spends with Frankie the more he comes to understand what makes her tick and the more he comes to believe she is the woman he's meant to spend his life with. Of course just when it looks like everything is ready to turn into sunshine and rainbows for our two lovers fate takes a twist sending Frankie spiraling away emotionally and requiring Nate to make the big romantic gesture the heroes are known for making in this series. As an added bonus (IMHO) Regan, Holly and Jordan and Ava key characters from the first book along with Abby DeLuca and of course ChiChi the family matriarch all get strong supporting roles in this book. If you've enjoyed the first two books in this series I'm sure you'll also enjoy this one.
September 28, 2025
Nate and Frankie’s oh-so-satisfying romance unites two members of competing multigenerational vintner families when a shady real estate deal finds them sharing a vineyard and a farmhouse, much to their dismay. Our combative couple and a mischievous alpaca named Mittens must coexist on the property for 30 days and the resulting sexual attraction and emotional fireworks are both steamy and endlessly entertaining. I loved the juxtaposition of Nate’s purposeful patience in the face of Frankie’s fiery combustibility and the inevitable sexual tension that swirls between them is deliciously satisfying. Unfortunately, both characters have compelling reasons why a relationship between them will never work and it takes the skillful storytelling maneuvers of Marina Adair to put them on the path to true love. Their story is filled with complicated family drama, meddling octogenarians, and loads of emotional vulnerability that kept me engrossed from start to finish. One of the best parts of the story were the many wine related Harvest Festival activities that consume the attention of the entire town and our combative protagonists.
November 20, 2017
A little slow and repetative a times
So with kindle unlimited i got access to the ebook and Audible versions and I was switching between the two. The middle of the book I did on audio and wow did it drag and get repetative. The amount of time heard about hot gazes or girly parts of descriptions of loafers drove me a bit crazy. The plot of Frankie trying to find her way and her issues with her family was great. Her fear to commit was fine. Just wish the friends to lovers stage was a bit faster as it really snowballed quickly from there. Also didn't like the last mistake that was potentially going to separate them either.
So with kindle unlimited i got access to the ebook and Audible versions and I was switching between the two. The middle of the book I did on audio and wow did it drag and get repetative. The amount of time heard about hot gazes or girly parts of descriptions of loafers drove me a bit crazy. The plot of Frankie trying to find her way and her issues with her family was great. Her fear to commit was fine. Just wish the friends to lovers stage was a bit faster as it really snowballed quickly from there. Also didn't like the last mistake that was potentially going to separate them either.
December 31, 2017
It was bound to happen, the rare exception to the rule. I came across this book in a special $1.99 deal at Amazon and later forgot about it. Then I watched the Hallmark movie that this book was apparently based on and loved it. I see the similarities, certainly, but Hallmark washed it clean of all the language that stands out so glaringly upon revisiting. Perhaps I wouldn't have noticed if I'd encountered the book first, but now that I have, the difference is stark and glaring. So the reading experience is ruined for me. Too bad. The plot was good. It's very rare that I declare a movie better than a book, but in this case, I think I must.
June 1, 2017
If I could be a character, I would want to be Frankie. She is amazing. I wish there were more people like her in this world. She speaks her mind. She's loyal. She does the right thing even though it may be hard.
Nate is the perfect balance for Frankie. He likes to be logical and look at all of the angles. Frankie likes to jump into a situation without looking and with both feet.
Nate is the perfect balance for Frankie. He likes to be logical and look at all of the angles. Frankie likes to jump into a situation without looking and with both feet.
August 23, 2017
Really good
I saw the movie, and it was a nice sweet romance: what you expect from Hallmark. The book is so much better because it's so much more. Not because of the steamy sex (I'm more a "fade to black" fan myself) but because the characters have depth and complexity. A really good read.
I saw the movie, and it was a nice sweet romance: what you expect from Hallmark. The book is so much better because it's so much more. Not because of the steamy sex (I'm more a "fade to black" fan myself) but because the characters have depth and complexity. A really good read.
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