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Grape Juice: An 831 Stories Romance
Not yet published
Expected 4 Nov 25For fans of Under the Tuscan Sun, French Kiss, and The Pairing.
In her life in NYC, Alice feels like she’s withering on the vine. So when her boss suggests she attend wine harvest in rural France, she’s on a plane faster than she can second-guess herself. On her first day of alcohol-addled adult summer camp, she’s paired with Henri—equally disillusioned, albeit in his own very French way—and she realizes just how much can change if she’s willing to get her hands dirty.
In her life in NYC, Alice feels like she’s withering on the vine. So when her boss suggests she attend wine harvest in rural France, she’s on a plane faster than she can second-guess herself. On her first day of alcohol-addled adult summer camp, she’s paired with Henri—equally disillusioned, albeit in his own very French way—and she realizes just how much can change if she’s willing to get her hands dirty.
208 pages, Paperback
Expected publication November 4, 2025
4657 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
July 13, 2025
This was stunning. It packed a lot into a small book—and did so in a big way. The writing and descriptions were vivid, almost entrancing. I loved the characters and how they blended their personalities and cultures into a cohesive, heartfelt friend group. Alice and Henri were so sweet, and their love story felt both realistic and believable.
Every time I read an 831 Stories title, I’m reminded that I need to read them all—they’ve yet to disappoint me.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the advanced copy!
Every time I read an 831 Stories title, I’m reminded that I need to read them all—they’ve yet to disappoint me.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the advanced copy!
October 5, 2025
2.5 ⭐️⭐️.✨ // I fear I am in a reading slump— although this was everything I was expecting in a short novella I kind of zoned out while reading. However it was atmospheric and romantic and I do love that I can read an 831 book in one sitting! I was approved through NetGalley for the audiobook and the narrator did a great job especially with the French accents!
July 23, 2025
A new favorite 813 Stories book has entered the chat! Loooooved this. Such a romantic and expansive story about letting go and living in the moment. This was like taking a sip of cold, sparkling wine on a hot summer night. Sexy, effervescent and a perfectly crisp night cap. I loved that Grape Juice revels in the romance of "what if" and isn't bothered with wrapping things up in a neat little bow. If I could climb into the pages of Eliza Dumais' Alsace during harvest season and live there for awhile I absolutely would.
This one’s not out until November, but I had to gush about it now to make sure people put this on their radar!
Many thanks to Netgalley and 831 Stories for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
This one’s not out until November, but I had to gush about it now to make sure people put this on their radar!
Many thanks to Netgalley and 831 Stories for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 4, 2025
Thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the arc!
I absolutely loved this! While it was short, it certainly packed a punch. I loved all of the side characters, and the friend group/found family in this was so well written. Each side character had completely different dispositions and attitudes, and they all worked so well together. I loved Alice and Henri too, and the romance between them was super well-written. The book was fast-paced and to the point, and I also loved the author's writing style! Overall, I loved this book and would completely recommend it :)
I absolutely loved this! While it was short, it certainly packed a punch. I loved all of the side characters, and the friend group/found family in this was so well written. Each side character had completely different dispositions and attitudes, and they all worked so well together. I loved Alice and Henri too, and the romance between them was super well-written. The book was fast-paced and to the point, and I also loved the author's writing style! Overall, I loved this book and would completely recommend it :)
June 30, 2025
I absolutely loved this, and if you've enjoyed any of the other novells in this imprint I think this will be right up your alley (and if you haven't - you absolutely should read them because I'm obsessed!). Also if you like stories about letting yourself live and love again.
This story packs so much in so little. I loved the writing and the descriptions, and how it transported me to a vineyard in France. Spending time with this story was really beautiful. I also found the romance with Alice and Henri really refreshing, and I loved the whole set of characters. Seeing their connections form was so lovely.
Definitely pick this one up - you won't regret it!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All views are my own.
This story packs so much in so little. I loved the writing and the descriptions, and how it transported me to a vineyard in France. Spending time with this story was really beautiful. I also found the romance with Alice and Henri really refreshing, and I loved the whole set of characters. Seeing their connections form was so lovely.
Definitely pick this one up - you won't regret it!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All views are my own.
July 11, 2025
Top-tier 831. Really kinetic descriptions and gorgeous writing about food and wine and feeling. Great structurally with a sweet, believable romance. Fantastique!
October 14, 2025
Published in “An 831 Stories Romance” series, Dumais’s novella takes place on a French vineyard during harvest season. Alice, a wine sales rep. at the largest natural wine importer in the western hemisphere, flies in from New York to gain firsthand knowledge of the wine production process. For a month, she works alongside her new acquaintances, most notably an Australian named Ruby and a Parisian named Henri, whose family owns the orchard.
Alice and Henri become romantically involved, which forces both adults to come to terms with their respective romantic situations from before their time together. Henri’s working through his relationship with Charlotte, his long-time partner, until he decides to take a break from dating to reevaluate their future and what he wants. Alice ended her relationship with Max when, not long after he proposed, she answered “no.” With encouragement from her girl friends, Alice overcomes her fear of this relationship with Henri coming to an end, choosing to embrace awe, honesty, and open up to life again. After the month-long trip, she and Henri acknowledge their mutual enjoyment of the other and give love a chance. Alice stays in Paris for one more day and will take each day as it comes.
Dumais demonstrates her strength in bringing a group of characters to life, although heavily leaning on broad generalizations of folks from different countries. For example, the Australian is energetically contrarian, while the German is impersonally reserved. Grape Juice should certainly be tagged as a YA book that is written with striving for a literary timbre, so to speak: the author writes with grand ideas in mind—romance, self-growth, philia, unknown futures—that gives the book a life-is-about-to-begin feeling. Readers unaware of the YA tone (though categorically it should belong to the regular romance genre due to its mature content) may wish for more detail and complexity within these ideas, even within the standard bounds of the romance genre. For this reason, I rate Grape Juice 1.5 stars.
My thanks to 831 Stories and NetGalley for an ARC.
Alice and Henri become romantically involved, which forces both adults to come to terms with their respective romantic situations from before their time together. Henri’s working through his relationship with Charlotte, his long-time partner, until he decides to take a break from dating to reevaluate their future and what he wants. Alice ended her relationship with Max when, not long after he proposed, she answered “no.” With encouragement from her girl friends, Alice overcomes her fear of this relationship with Henri coming to an end, choosing to embrace awe, honesty, and open up to life again. After the month-long trip, she and Henri acknowledge their mutual enjoyment of the other and give love a chance. Alice stays in Paris for one more day and will take each day as it comes.
Dumais demonstrates her strength in bringing a group of characters to life, although heavily leaning on broad generalizations of folks from different countries. For example, the Australian is energetically contrarian, while the German is impersonally reserved. Grape Juice should certainly be tagged as a YA book that is written with striving for a literary timbre, so to speak: the author writes with grand ideas in mind—romance, self-growth, philia, unknown futures—that gives the book a life-is-about-to-begin feeling. Readers unaware of the YA tone (though categorically it should belong to the regular romance genre due to its mature content) may wish for more detail and complexity within these ideas, even within the standard bounds of the romance genre. For this reason, I rate Grape Juice 1.5 stars.
My thanks to 831 Stories and NetGalley for an ARC.
October 18, 2025
I really enjoyed this story! It leans a bit away from romance, and for a novella I found myself wanting a bit more emotional depth. I could have used a little less focus on the wine (even though I love wine lolol), but the writing and atmosphere was lovely.
The French wine country setting was honestly a fave of mine - cozy & charming. Loved the found-family, the hunky French man, and I thought the chemistry between the MMC & FMC felt very believable!
Thank you to 831 Stories for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The French wine country setting was honestly a fave of mine - cozy & charming. Loved the found-family, the hunky French man, and I thought the chemistry between the MMC & FMC felt very believable!
Thank you to 831 Stories for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 17, 2025
Grape Juice is a short and summery read about Alice, who spends a season working at a French vineyard hoping to shake off her boredom and find a little spark again. The setting was definitely my favorite part. It felt warm, vivid, and easy to picture, with side characters who felt real and fun to follow. The descriptions of the vineyard and the French countryside were beautiful, and the audiobook narration was great too. The narrator handled all the different accents so naturally, which made it really enjoyable to listen to.
That said, the romance between Alice and Henri just didn’t work for me. Their relationship felt distant and I never really bought into their chemistry. The dialogue sometimes came across as a little too dramatic, which made it hard to imagine these characters as real people. I liked what they brought out in each other but wasn’t all that invested in them together. The story also wrapped up too quickly for my taste and left a few things unresolved.
Overall, Grape Juice was a light, atmospheric story, but it didn’t leave much of an impression once it ended.
That said, the romance between Alice and Henri just didn’t work for me. Their relationship felt distant and I never really bought into their chemistry. The dialogue sometimes came across as a little too dramatic, which made it hard to imagine these characters as real people. I liked what they brought out in each other but wasn’t all that invested in them together. The story also wrapped up too quickly for my taste and left a few things unresolved.
Overall, Grape Juice was a light, atmospheric story, but it didn’t leave much of an impression once it ended.
September 23, 2025
Oh man, I really wanted to like this one. Set on a vineyard in France during harvest season?? Yes please.
Sadly, so sadly, this did not work for me on many different levels.
It is supposed to be a romance, but I didn't feel any chemistry between Alice and Henri. They apparently have an immediate connection, but I didn't get that at all. It also bothered me that Henri is on a break from his long-time girlfriend. They do discuss this in the story, and I understand it is supposed to be a sort of catalyst for other things, but it felt too close to cheating for me.
The writing also was not my cup of tea. It felt like it was trying to be a certain way – I'm not sure how to explain it. It didn't feel natural, it felt too flowery and put upon. Also, there are so many similes. I understand that one of Alice's personality traits or whatever is being able to describe the wine in unique and quirky ways – so keep the similes for that. The writer overuses this writing device to the point where it's distracting. It really felt like the book needed a good edit.
This may be a me problem, but it annoyed me how the French/English was used in the book. Almost always, when a character would something in French, they would immediately say it in English. I do speak French, so perhaps that's why it annoyed me – because it felt repetitive and unnecessary. But many times, the translation could be inferred in context. I don't think readers are going to be picking up this book to learn French phrases, so again, it just felt unnecessary.
Anyways, as you can tell, this book was not for me. But as always, just because it didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you.
I received a free copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Sadly, so sadly, this did not work for me on many different levels.
It is supposed to be a romance, but I didn't feel any chemistry between Alice and Henri. They apparently have an immediate connection, but I didn't get that at all. It also bothered me that Henri is on a break from his long-time girlfriend. They do discuss this in the story, and I understand it is supposed to be a sort of catalyst for other things, but it felt too close to cheating for me.
The writing also was not my cup of tea. It felt like it was trying to be a certain way – I'm not sure how to explain it. It didn't feel natural, it felt too flowery and put upon. Also, there are so many similes. I understand that one of Alice's personality traits or whatever is being able to describe the wine in unique and quirky ways – so keep the similes for that. The writer overuses this writing device to the point where it's distracting. It really felt like the book needed a good edit.
This may be a me problem, but it annoyed me how the French/English was used in the book. Almost always, when a character would something in French, they would immediately say it in English. I do speak French, so perhaps that's why it annoyed me – because it felt repetitive and unnecessary. But many times, the translation could be inferred in context. I don't think readers are going to be picking up this book to learn French phrases, so again, it just felt unnecessary.
Anyways, as you can tell, this book was not for me. But as always, just because it didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you.
I received a free copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 13, 2025
one of my favorite 831 story premises- alice is in wine sales and gets sent by her boss to france to work in a vineyard for 2-3 weeks. there's a summer camp vibe since everyone at the vineyard is in their 20s and they spend their days away from their phones and drinking copious amounts of wine. of course alice falls in love- it's sweet and fun, and i loved what this book had to say about vulnerability and the power of people gathering. i don't know if i understood what made alice and henri click but that's ok!
thank you netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!
thank you netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!
September 23, 2025
This story follows Alice who lives in NYC, but attends a wine harvest in rural France at the recommendation of her boss. It’s there she meets Henri and a fun cast of characters that are there together for some manual labor at a sort of adult wine harvesting summer camp. The writing is absolutely beautiful— descriptive, and lush. I kept finding myself re-reading Eliza’s sentences to fully appreciate how vividly she could describe the scenery, the senses and feelings. The side characters were all fun and felt like found family. I really enjoyed Alice and Henri’s relationship, and the way they were able to work through some of their previous issues while falling for each other.
I wished the romance just had a little more to it— more tension, or higher stakes. There was just something missing from this one piece of the book— but I still really enjoyed this read and highly recommend it.
I wished the romance just had a little more to it— more tension, or higher stakes. There was just something missing from this one piece of the book— but I still really enjoyed this read and highly recommend it.
Read
August 13, 2025A sweet little summer romance set over the course of just a few weeks in the French countryside. This felt more contemplative than a usual genre romance with the story revolving around two characters — Alice and Henri — getting to know each other through deep and honest conversations. The language in this was beautiful; the type of book that doesn’t take itself too seriously and just lets you sink into the little slice of life it presents.
September 26, 2025
Another absolute masterpiece from 831 stories. Every time I read one I am sure it’s my favorite and this was no exception. This book was graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley .
July 10, 2025
I read this entire book sitting on a ferry after a night spent at a wine shop in Croatia, so I’m incredibly biased but I LOVED THIS BOOK! The found family somehow managed to work so well in a novella, my only annoyance is that it’s not longer. The lyrical writing was so well done, so special without being pretentious and I’m obsessed. I can not wait for a finished copy so I can highlight it and look up the bonus scenes in this universe.
October 4, 2025
October 2025: audio reread
Special thanks to 831 Stories for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions!
Grape Juice follows Alice as she sets out to rural France for a summer working at a vineyard during harvest season. She joins a group of international seasonal workers, all unique in their own ways and adding both emotional depth and comedic relief to the story. When she meets Henri, a fellow summer harvester, sparks fly and their connection is instant. Through conversations between the vines as they pick grapes, Alice's cold and reluctant heart begins to melt and she comes to many realizations about herself, her life back in NYC, and her past relationships that have pushed her to this penultimate summer in the French countryside with Henri.
Eliza Dumais has done what no author has done for me before: managed to make me fall in love with her writing in just a few pages. From the first few scenes of this novella, I knew this was going to be one of my favorite books of the year because of the writing style alone, not even knowing where the romance was going to go. All of her characters felt so utterly real, not just the hero and heroine of the romance at the center of this book. I found myself setting my e-reader down to merely process her words and soak in the meaning behind each and every one. With beautiful prose, immersive settings, and the most vulnerable romance, Grape Juice is sure to top my best books of the year list and I will be anxiously awaiting for another book from Eliza Dumais!
Special thanks to 831 Stories for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions!
Grape Juice follows Alice as she sets out to rural France for a summer working at a vineyard during harvest season. She joins a group of international seasonal workers, all unique in their own ways and adding both emotional depth and comedic relief to the story. When she meets Henri, a fellow summer harvester, sparks fly and their connection is instant. Through conversations between the vines as they pick grapes, Alice's cold and reluctant heart begins to melt and she comes to many realizations about herself, her life back in NYC, and her past relationships that have pushed her to this penultimate summer in the French countryside with Henri.
Eliza Dumais has done what no author has done for me before: managed to make me fall in love with her writing in just a few pages. From the first few scenes of this novella, I knew this was going to be one of my favorite books of the year because of the writing style alone, not even knowing where the romance was going to go. All of her characters felt so utterly real, not just the hero and heroine of the romance at the center of this book. I found myself setting my e-reader down to merely process her words and soak in the meaning behind each and every one. With beautiful prose, immersive settings, and the most vulnerable romance, Grape Juice is sure to top my best books of the year list and I will be anxiously awaiting for another book from Eliza Dumais!
August 11, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! The sexy, yearning, French summer romance story I've been searching for all year! An impressive debut novella that felt like Dumais has been writing romance for years. What I loved most about this story is that it could easily stand on two feet without the romance. It's a beautiful story about new friendships, overcoming fears of vulnerability, and a shared love of wine. I enjoyed learning about age-old methods of wine making and the physicality & heart that goes into working on a vineyard. Dumais has such a creative and poignant way of describing tasting notes that I could've read an entire book on just that. There were very few bits, if any, that felt unrealistic, which made it that much more enjoyable. I adored Ruby and Alice's friendship - doing each other's makeup, picking each other's outfits, and gabbing about boys. I love the girlhood of it all. But of course, the romance was beautifully thought out, including the timing. Romance requires some build-up, and I think Dumais did a great job finding the footing there. Spice level was great, I love some will-they-won't-they yearning. After devouring this in a day, I sent the rec to all my friends to put this on their list come November!
October 6, 2025
Thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC.
Grape Juice is the second book I have read by the 831 Stories imprint. There are definite similarities between this book and Exit Lane by Erika Veurink. The female main characters that explicitly refer to themselves as "cold, aloof, and unknowable" who manage to attract a male love interest determined to break through their emotional walls and written by an author who does absolutely nothing to build or sustain emotional intimacy on page. The characters are wooden. Boring. Comically "New York." Deeply selfish. Don't misconstrue this critique as a demand for moral or virtuous characters or actions. Redemption is a theme I love to see explored through character development. Sadly, none of that is present in Grape Juice.
Grape Juice desperately wants to be taken seriously. It's in the purple prose writing style, the idyllic and lush French scenery, the malaise and ennui that only a life trapped in late stage capitalism can bring to these GenZ protagonists. The privilege on page is astounding in its lack of self-awareness. But, Grape Juice also very much wants to be apolitical. And it's that desire to remain neutral and apolitical, in a likely attempt to attract a broader reading audience, where it all falls apart. Everything about this story lands like a white chef appropriating the cuisine of a historically marginalized/colonized culture but making it "elevated." (ie. "It's Mexican food, but elevated. Refined.") These 831 Stories books want to capitalize on the billion dollar buying power of romance genre readers, but it seems they want to "elevate" the genre. The genre doesn't need to be "elevated," it needs authors and stories brave enough to engage with the present social and political realities with more depth than a wading pool.
There's also something particularly...icky...about a cast of deeply privileged characters, like the ones in Grape Juice, living out some agricultural-voluntourism fantasy in France and absolutely knowing that none of these characters would have the moral or political fortitude to stand up for the rights of agricultural workers back in their home countries. You just know they're leaving this experience having "discovered themselves" by immersing their hands into the rich earth of Alsace and rubbing elbows with real "salt of the earth" people. There is no emotional intimacy in Grape Juice. So, when the scenes of physical intimacy arrive, there is nothing to ground the act as anything other than insert part P into part V mechanics (but you're surrounded by grape vines in the French countryside, so there's that). If you're reading this review and thinking, "OMG it's not that deep!" Yeah, I know. I really, really know there's nothing deep about this book.
At every imaginable opportunity, the female main character, Alice, makes a reference to New York. New York as the height of culture. I'm a New Yorker, not an American. There's just something so different about Henri, he's so not New York. It's tiresome and repetitive and there's a clear sense of superiority communicated.
Grape Juice is the second book I have read by the 831 Stories imprint. There are definite similarities between this book and Exit Lane by Erika Veurink. The female main characters that explicitly refer to themselves as "cold, aloof, and unknowable" who manage to attract a male love interest determined to break through their emotional walls and written by an author who does absolutely nothing to build or sustain emotional intimacy on page. The characters are wooden. Boring. Comically "New York." Deeply selfish. Don't misconstrue this critique as a demand for moral or virtuous characters or actions. Redemption is a theme I love to see explored through character development. Sadly, none of that is present in Grape Juice.
Grape Juice desperately wants to be taken seriously. It's in the purple prose writing style, the idyllic and lush French scenery, the malaise and ennui that only a life trapped in late stage capitalism can bring to these GenZ protagonists. The privilege on page is astounding in its lack of self-awareness. But, Grape Juice also very much wants to be apolitical. And it's that desire to remain neutral and apolitical, in a likely attempt to attract a broader reading audience, where it all falls apart. Everything about this story lands like a white chef appropriating the cuisine of a historically marginalized/colonized culture but making it "elevated." (ie. "It's Mexican food, but elevated. Refined.") These 831 Stories books want to capitalize on the billion dollar buying power of romance genre readers, but it seems they want to "elevate" the genre. The genre doesn't need to be "elevated," it needs authors and stories brave enough to engage with the present social and political realities with more depth than a wading pool.
There's also something particularly...icky...about a cast of deeply privileged characters, like the ones in Grape Juice, living out some agricultural-voluntourism fantasy in France and absolutely knowing that none of these characters would have the moral or political fortitude to stand up for the rights of agricultural workers back in their home countries. You just know they're leaving this experience having "discovered themselves" by immersing their hands into the rich earth of Alsace and rubbing elbows with real "salt of the earth" people. There is no emotional intimacy in Grape Juice. So, when the scenes of physical intimacy arrive, there is nothing to ground the act as anything other than insert part P into part V mechanics (but you're surrounded by grape vines in the French countryside, so there's that). If you're reading this review and thinking, "OMG it's not that deep!" Yeah, I know. I really, really know there's nothing deep about this book.
At every imaginable opportunity, the female main character, Alice, makes a reference to New York. New York as the height of culture. I'm a New Yorker, not an American. There's just something so different about Henri, he's so not New York. It's tiresome and repetitive and there's a clear sense of superiority communicated.
July 4, 2025
6/30
Again and again — I could wax poetic for almost every work published under this house. They have a talent for picking the ripest uncut gems.
Grape Juice, I can tell, is special. Even that feels like a bastardization, but I have no other words. To explain: it has inspired a 5-star review, and I am only halfway through the first chapter.
Reading these words imbues an unencumbered sense of romance. It makes me smile, feels like flirting. This is where it may appear as if I have lost the plot—for me, the romance renders in a platonic, almost auto-romantic way. It is the kind of love only I could fathom and only I would understand. My heart speaking to my unknown desires. A rendition of my fugue dream states. And that is something I can’t attest to having felt before.
Should I need to adjust my rating by the end, I shall tuck my thoughts at the tail end of this review. In the case of inspiring literature, I believe readers-in-waiting should not be slapped face-first with another’s personal opinions of the crimes the text has committed against them. It is unfair. We should all aim to remember this more frequently.
Anyway, I am in love. With myself and with this novel and with this publishing house and with the fraught world. Now let me get back to my book.
7/1
I hunger for the content of this book; the kind that is not resolved by any matters of the flesh.
As I fall deeper, I see an infinity mirror…echo chamber, of my own separate thoughts. But it is art, not parasocial activity. Perhaps this isn’t love, but some other primal entity that runs impossibly deeper.
7/2
I want to clarify that I’m not even necessarily obsessed with the main character, the love interest, or the environment/scenes. What is attractive about this story transcends the typical fun bits that you appreciate from your everyday romance novel. I think I’m living for the sound bites…
I just want to keep getting into the characters’ heads, observing their body language, and following along to see where things go. There are so many short snippets that hit hard. I almost want to scream, stop resonating with me!
7/3
A trip. A life-changing non-entity.
The concept of love without ownership.
Of life without plans.
Maybe poetry finds you again. Something not chase-able. Like romance or affection, it finds you. Your choice is whether or not to hold on longer.
Perhaps I am better for reading this. Less afraid of falling, in and out of love. Perhaps it is just a vividly brilliant work of fiction.
Again and again — I could wax poetic for almost every work published under this house. They have a talent for picking the ripest uncut gems.
Grape Juice, I can tell, is special. Even that feels like a bastardization, but I have no other words. To explain: it has inspired a 5-star review, and I am only halfway through the first chapter.
Reading these words imbues an unencumbered sense of romance. It makes me smile, feels like flirting. This is where it may appear as if I have lost the plot—for me, the romance renders in a platonic, almost auto-romantic way. It is the kind of love only I could fathom and only I would understand. My heart speaking to my unknown desires. A rendition of my fugue dream states. And that is something I can’t attest to having felt before.
Should I need to adjust my rating by the end, I shall tuck my thoughts at the tail end of this review. In the case of inspiring literature, I believe readers-in-waiting should not be slapped face-first with another’s personal opinions of the crimes the text has committed against them. It is unfair. We should all aim to remember this more frequently.
Anyway, I am in love. With myself and with this novel and with this publishing house and with the fraught world. Now let me get back to my book.
7/1
I hunger for the content of this book; the kind that is not resolved by any matters of the flesh.
As I fall deeper, I see an infinity mirror…echo chamber, of my own separate thoughts. But it is art, not parasocial activity. Perhaps this isn’t love, but some other primal entity that runs impossibly deeper.
7/2
I want to clarify that I’m not even necessarily obsessed with the main character, the love interest, or the environment/scenes. What is attractive about this story transcends the typical fun bits that you appreciate from your everyday romance novel. I think I’m living for the sound bites…
I just want to keep getting into the characters’ heads, observing their body language, and following along to see where things go. There are so many short snippets that hit hard. I almost want to scream, stop resonating with me!
7/3
A trip. A life-changing non-entity.
The concept of love without ownership.
Of life without plans.
Maybe poetry finds you again. Something not chase-able. Like romance or affection, it finds you. Your choice is whether or not to hold on longer.
Perhaps I am better for reading this. Less afraid of falling, in and out of love. Perhaps it is just a vividly brilliant work of fiction.
July 10, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
god this book made me feel a lot in so little time. someone else reviewed that this book may be short but it packs a punch and PHEW is that true. i’m actually shook that as short as it was, it said so much. i HEARD so much 🥹
the writing was so thoughtful and lovely, and the author really mastered the art of evoking certain feelings in me: longing, nostalgia, heartache, and hope. from alice’s descriptions of the wine to her experience with love and relationships, the writing was so poignant that my full attention was on every word, not wanting to miss a single line. i could almost smell the wine and feel the grapes they were picking in my hands, could almost hear all the different characters’ voices in my head.
alice’s mind worked wonders and i found myself relating to her so much. i have so many quotes bookmarked that i know i’ll go back to every now and then just to relive them to feel something again
alice and henri were so complicated yet at the same time, also so simple. i loved the way they fell into place, so naturally in a short time, and how they came to free each other of the weights on their shoulders. i thought as complicated as the whole thing between them was, they were beautiful and i loved every single one of their moments.
i feel like this book put me under a microscope by how seen/exposed it left me. i think it’s because i’m going through similar motions right now, but this amplified these emotions for me (like seriously - some of the writing was like a punch in the gut omfg) and i enjoyed that. this is definitely going to stay with me for a while and i can’t wait to get my own physical copy so i can hold it in my hands.
thank you to the publisher for the arc. this was an amazing experience and i had a great time!!
god this book made me feel a lot in so little time. someone else reviewed that this book may be short but it packs a punch and PHEW is that true. i’m actually shook that as short as it was, it said so much. i HEARD so much 🥹
the writing was so thoughtful and lovely, and the author really mastered the art of evoking certain feelings in me: longing, nostalgia, heartache, and hope. from alice’s descriptions of the wine to her experience with love and relationships, the writing was so poignant that my full attention was on every word, not wanting to miss a single line. i could almost smell the wine and feel the grapes they were picking in my hands, could almost hear all the different characters’ voices in my head.
alice’s mind worked wonders and i found myself relating to her so much. i have so many quotes bookmarked that i know i’ll go back to every now and then just to relive them to feel something again
alice and henri were so complicated yet at the same time, also so simple. i loved the way they fell into place, so naturally in a short time, and how they came to free each other of the weights on their shoulders. i thought as complicated as the whole thing between them was, they were beautiful and i loved every single one of their moments.
i feel like this book put me under a microscope by how seen/exposed it left me. i think it’s because i’m going through similar motions right now, but this amplified these emotions for me (like seriously - some of the writing was like a punch in the gut omfg) and i enjoyed that. this is definitely going to stay with me for a while and i can’t wait to get my own physical copy so i can hold it in my hands.
thank you to the publisher for the arc. this was an amazing experience and i had a great time!!
July 31, 2025
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! all thoughts and opinions are my own ✨
grape juice by eliza dumais is a yummy, bite-sized romance with gorgeous prose and a lot of heart. you can tell that dumais intended for this book to act as a love letter to france, to wine, and to found family. the writing itself is beautiful—lush, descriptive, and poetic, without collapsing under the weight of its own importance. there were several lines in the book that gave me pause so that i could really stop to appreciate the author's talent.
the side characters in this novel were also absolutely delightful. over the course of a mere two hundred pages, they managed to worm their way into my heart. i too would like to embark on a month-and-a-half-long harvesting expedition and emerge with a newfound appreciation for humanity and a close-knit group of unlikely friends.
the reason why i didn't rate this book higher is simply because all the stakes felt very low. from the beginning, there's a palpable attraction between alice and henri, and readers watch them grow closer as the harvest season progresses. though the author did try to introduce a bit of conflict with frequent mentions of henri's long-time girlfriend, the attempts often fell flat. i never felt any sort of urgency or pull from the characters, and thus wasn't very invested in how their romance would play out.
if you prefer more of a "slice of life" vibe in your romance novels, you'll probably eat this one up! but i think, going into this book, i was looking for a love story with a bit more oomph to it. regardless, i had a nice time with it and i would definitely be interested in reading whatever dumais publishes next!
grape juice by eliza dumais is a yummy, bite-sized romance with gorgeous prose and a lot of heart. you can tell that dumais intended for this book to act as a love letter to france, to wine, and to found family. the writing itself is beautiful—lush, descriptive, and poetic, without collapsing under the weight of its own importance. there were several lines in the book that gave me pause so that i could really stop to appreciate the author's talent.
the side characters in this novel were also absolutely delightful. over the course of a mere two hundred pages, they managed to worm their way into my heart. i too would like to embark on a month-and-a-half-long harvesting expedition and emerge with a newfound appreciation for humanity and a close-knit group of unlikely friends.
the reason why i didn't rate this book higher is simply because all the stakes felt very low. from the beginning, there's a palpable attraction between alice and henri, and readers watch them grow closer as the harvest season progresses. though the author did try to introduce a bit of conflict with frequent mentions of henri's long-time girlfriend, the attempts often fell flat. i never felt any sort of urgency or pull from the characters, and thus wasn't very invested in how their romance would play out.
if you prefer more of a "slice of life" vibe in your romance novels, you'll probably eat this one up! but i think, going into this book, i was looking for a love story with a bit more oomph to it. regardless, i had a nice time with it and i would definitely be interested in reading whatever dumais publishes next!
July 11, 2025
This little novella hit me hard, as the titles under this imprint so often do. It’s short, yes, but it says so much in so few pages that I kept having to take breathing breaks. Eliza Dumais's prose is stunning, and her command of details and the rural French setting were so impressive. She also clearly know a ton about wine, and her love for it shown through.
Why did this make me want to spend the summer harvesting grapes? Alice, my relatable icon. The romance between her and Henri felt realistic for the setting and circumstances - quick, yes, but messy and honest. Both of them were very mature in their communication. Lately, I've really been enjoying stories about people finding others that make them feel seen, and this book was very much in that same vein.
I loved the found family vibe, and how the ensemble of this book really felt like real people with differentiated personalities. Like a real family (found or otherwise), no one was perfect, but they were clearly doing their best to be good to each other. I'm going to be thinking about this book for a long time.
I'd recommend to fans of gesticulating, summer camp vibes, and good wine.
My advanced review copy was provided by Eliza Dumais and 831 Stories (thank you!). All opinions are my own. Grape Juice releases November 4, 2025.
Why did this make me want to spend the summer harvesting grapes? Alice, my relatable icon. The romance between her and Henri felt realistic for the setting and circumstances - quick, yes, but messy and honest. Both of them were very mature in their communication. Lately, I've really been enjoying stories about people finding others that make them feel seen, and this book was very much in that same vein.
I loved the found family vibe, and how the ensemble of this book really felt like real people with differentiated personalities. Like a real family (found or otherwise), no one was perfect, but they were clearly doing their best to be good to each other. I'm going to be thinking about this book for a long time.
I'd recommend to fans of gesticulating, summer camp vibes, and good wine.
My advanced review copy was provided by Eliza Dumais and 831 Stories (thank you!). All opinions are my own. Grape Juice releases November 4, 2025.
August 7, 2025
Grape Juice
By: Eliza Dumais
Pages: 176
Genre: Romance
I loved everything about this book!!
Thank you to Netalley and 831 Stories for the opportunity to read and review this book!
As Alice feels like she’s stuck in a work loop, her boss sends her (forces gently?) to France to learn more about a client. While she’s there, she meets some new friends as they’re all working on this vineyard during the harvest season. She quickly takes a liking to Hernri, and it ensues in a steamy summer romance.
This book was fast paced, cut, and left me with a gooey, lovely feeling. It was sexy, and the chemistry between Alice and Henri is yummy. I love Alice’s personality, and how she describes things. I thought this story was very well written, and from the very beginning, I was completely immersed in this story. There wasn’t a character that I thought didn’t belong in the book, and overall it was bursting with charm. I only wish it was longer. I would’ve loved to read more about Alice and Henri, and the author did a phenomenal job with their story. I also adore Ruby and I loved her character and the constant “honeybee”. I think the ending was very fitting, and I see myself rereading this in the future. This was a 5 star read for me!
By: Eliza Dumais
Pages: 176
Genre: Romance
I loved everything about this book!!
Thank you to Netalley and 831 Stories for the opportunity to read and review this book!
As Alice feels like she’s stuck in a work loop, her boss sends her (forces gently?) to France to learn more about a client. While she’s there, she meets some new friends as they’re all working on this vineyard during the harvest season. She quickly takes a liking to Hernri, and it ensues in a steamy summer romance.
This book was fast paced, cut, and left me with a gooey, lovely feeling. It was sexy, and the chemistry between Alice and Henri is yummy. I love Alice’s personality, and how she describes things. I thought this story was very well written, and from the very beginning, I was completely immersed in this story. There wasn’t a character that I thought didn’t belong in the book, and overall it was bursting with charm. I only wish it was longer. I would’ve loved to read more about Alice and Henri, and the author did a phenomenal job with their story. I also adore Ruby and I loved her character and the constant “honeybee”. I think the ending was very fitting, and I see myself rereading this in the future. This was a 5 star read for me!
July 23, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, 831 Stories, and Eliza Dumais for the opportunity to read and review an arc of Grape Juice.
I was sold as the premise of this being akin to the films French Kiss and Under the Tuscan Sun - I am a sucker for a travel romance novel. Especially when it is set in one of my favorite places in the world: France. There is something inherently romantic about the French countryside, surrounded by vineyards under the summer sun. Pair it with an excellent cast of characters and a slow burn, teasingly sexy romance, and it's truly the perfect book.
I had so much fun reading this, I found I couldn't wait to pick it back up again and yet, I wanted to savor it as much as possible. The writing was so rich and delicious, I have so many highlights saved on my kindle of Dumais's beautiful words. The story is absolutely precious as well, about finding yourself and taking chances, about loving and letting go. I cried at the end, primarily because I wasn't ready to say goodbye (just as the MC, Alice, felt).
This is such a great summer romance, or all-year-round really. I would highly recommend this book to fans of romance (and good wine)!
I was sold as the premise of this being akin to the films French Kiss and Under the Tuscan Sun - I am a sucker for a travel romance novel. Especially when it is set in one of my favorite places in the world: France. There is something inherently romantic about the French countryside, surrounded by vineyards under the summer sun. Pair it with an excellent cast of characters and a slow burn, teasingly sexy romance, and it's truly the perfect book.
I had so much fun reading this, I found I couldn't wait to pick it back up again and yet, I wanted to savor it as much as possible. The writing was so rich and delicious, I have so many highlights saved on my kindle of Dumais's beautiful words. The story is absolutely precious as well, about finding yourself and taking chances, about loving and letting go. I cried at the end, primarily because I wasn't ready to say goodbye (just as the MC, Alice, felt).
This is such a great summer romance, or all-year-round really. I would highly recommend this book to fans of romance (and good wine)!
October 9, 2025
2.5 ⭐️ This 831 Stories novella follows Alice, who is sent to France for the wine harvest by her wine distributor boss. She’s in a bit of a rut and is excited to get out of her routine for a few weeks. We meet a cast of characters who make up the “adult summer camp” she finds herself at, including Henri, a hot Frenchman. The two quickly connect and romance ensues.
I really wanted to love this… but instead I just couldn’t wait for it to be over. I wanted more context for Alice. It felt like we knew next to nothing about her and her life in New York, and then suddenly she was in France and we were supposed to understand her motivations and feelings about everything. Similarly, I would have liked more build up for her and Henri’s romance. Everything felt too abrupt and I just couldn’t buy in. The writing style also wasn’t for me - I felt like it was trying too hard to be a certain way and Alice’s quirky descriptions of wine got old fast.
Overall, I liked the premise of this one but the execution didn’t hit for me.
ARC provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this… but instead I just couldn’t wait for it to be over. I wanted more context for Alice. It felt like we knew next to nothing about her and her life in New York, and then suddenly she was in France and we were supposed to understand her motivations and feelings about everything. Similarly, I would have liked more build up for her and Henri’s romance. Everything felt too abrupt and I just couldn’t buy in. The writing style also wasn’t for me - I felt like it was trying too hard to be a certain way and Alice’s quirky descriptions of wine got old fast.
Overall, I liked the premise of this one but the execution didn’t hit for me.
ARC provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2025
4.5 rounded up to 5.
Safe to say, I adored Grape Juice. The relationships both platonic and romantic between all of the characters felt very akin to a found family. Henri might in fact be the dreamiest Frenchman I’ve experienced.
Some of the writing is incredibly delicate and tender. There’s one line I want to quote so badly so I’ll add it to the review once it’s released but safe to say I would definitely read something by Dukakis again.
All that being said, I always feel like I’m the exact person 831 Stories are geared to. Someone who loves a good novella and loves a romcom. This one in particular is very up my alley since I went on a vineyard tour in Beaujolais when I spent a month in Lyon last summer.
If only this actually happened to me.
Thank you Netgalley, 831 Stories, and Eliza Dumais for sending me this advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Safe to say, I adored Grape Juice. The relationships both platonic and romantic between all of the characters felt very akin to a found family. Henri might in fact be the dreamiest Frenchman I’ve experienced.
Some of the writing is incredibly delicate and tender. There’s one line I want to quote so badly so I’ll add it to the review once it’s released but safe to say I would definitely read something by Dukakis again.
All that being said, I always feel like I’m the exact person 831 Stories are geared to. Someone who loves a good novella and loves a romcom. This one in particular is very up my alley since I went on a vineyard tour in Beaujolais when I spent a month in Lyon last summer.
If only this actually happened to me.
Thank you Netgalley, 831 Stories, and Eliza Dumais for sending me this advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 25, 2025
Grape Juice (arc) – Eliza Dumais
5⭐️
What a violently, delicious story. It felt like the bare foot run along grass in the summer, the clinking of wine glasses, the laughter in the back yard on a late summer night. It tastes like the first sip of bubbles among close friends toasting a secret and it feels like unencumbered, infinite love.
What an amazing story. This book was written in such glorious and divine prose that it was hard not to keep reading. It had such great use of metaphors that genuinely had me going “oh my god – someone put the feeling into words.” The exploration of the characters and the depth of each character knew no bounds. The way we got close to them I mean Alice and Henri were the absolute perfect pairing. I love that their relationship throughout the book felt like their little secret and as a reader, this made it all the more intimate to read about.
Also who knew there was such intimacy in picking grapes?? Every moment and fleeting touch, whisper, glance – whatever it was between Alice and Henri, had me on the edge of my seat.
I absolutely cannot get over how well written this book was and how it had me craving and chasing a feeling I never knew existed. Somehow this story has just left me wanting more than I could possibly imagine and I don’t know what to do with this or how to feel. Absolutely brilliant.
Cannot recommend this book enough !!!!
Thankyou to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an advanced copy of this book!
5⭐️
What a violently, delicious story. It felt like the bare foot run along grass in the summer, the clinking of wine glasses, the laughter in the back yard on a late summer night. It tastes like the first sip of bubbles among close friends toasting a secret and it feels like unencumbered, infinite love.
What an amazing story. This book was written in such glorious and divine prose that it was hard not to keep reading. It had such great use of metaphors that genuinely had me going “oh my god – someone put the feeling into words.” The exploration of the characters and the depth of each character knew no bounds. The way we got close to them I mean Alice and Henri were the absolute perfect pairing. I love that their relationship throughout the book felt like their little secret and as a reader, this made it all the more intimate to read about.
Also who knew there was such intimacy in picking grapes?? Every moment and fleeting touch, whisper, glance – whatever it was between Alice and Henri, had me on the edge of my seat.
I absolutely cannot get over how well written this book was and how it had me craving and chasing a feeling I never knew existed. Somehow this story has just left me wanting more than I could possibly imagine and I don’t know what to do with this or how to feel. Absolutely brilliant.
Cannot recommend this book enough !!!!
Thankyou to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an advanced copy of this book!
July 2, 2025
Thank you so much to 831 Stories for an arc in exchange for my honest review!!
4.5
Wow!! This was brilliant. It really was such a witty and refreshing take on the romance genre. Growing up, my favorite “romcom” novel was “Anna and the French Kiss” so I am no stranger to the “American lost in Europe Finding Herself and Falling in Love” schtick.
This was that book’s older more sophisticated sister and my god was it a pleasure to read! I don’t often find myself really connecting with the prose in contemporary romance books that make up the majority of what is published by the bigger houses — this was such an enjoyable shift from the predictable, bubble-gum pink that is out there right now while still being so full of light and hope and swooooooning!! It takes care in its depictions of love and has characters whose conflicts feel real and true.
4.5
Wow!! This was brilliant. It really was such a witty and refreshing take on the romance genre. Growing up, my favorite “romcom” novel was “Anna and the French Kiss” so I am no stranger to the “American lost in Europe Finding Herself and Falling in Love” schtick.
This was that book’s older more sophisticated sister and my god was it a pleasure to read! I don’t often find myself really connecting with the prose in contemporary romance books that make up the majority of what is published by the bigger houses — this was such an enjoyable shift from the predictable, bubble-gum pink that is out there right now while still being so full of light and hope and swooooooning!! It takes care in its depictions of love and has characters whose conflicts feel real and true.
August 1, 2025
I’ve been saying it for months now, and I’ll keep saying it: 831 Stories are hot girl literature.
These are smart, incisive, novella length literary romances. They combine the tropes we know and love with real-world problems facing smart, sophisticated career men and women. “Big Fan” for example, is a celebrity-normal person romance, but it’s set in the world of DC Consulting and revolves in no small part around a campaign for Universal Basic Income (a hot girl topic, if I’ve ever heard one!). 831 Stories specializes in these complex backdrops and competent protagonists - you likely aren’t going to get a bumbling, goofy romantic lead out of their books. They are, in short, the kind of high-brow, chic book that I’d love to read alone at a wine bar over a plate of mussels and shoestring fries.
I had the opportunity to read an E-ARC of one of their upcoming releases, GRAPE JUICE by Eliza Dumas and found that it again delivers the nuanced emotions and sophisticated settings I’ve come to expect from 831. Alice, stuck in New York after the end of a relationship, jets off to a live-in wine harvest program in France, where she meets a cast of characters including fellow recently unlucky in love guy, Henri. The winery backyard is more than just window dressing — apparently the author has a background in wine and that definitely shows through. The books pulls off a great feat of holding an elevated conversation about wine, without being pretentious. The romance between Alice and Henri is dreamy and tender, but also, extremely hot. The “alcohol-addled adult summer camp” vibe of the wine harvest adds additional humor and warmth and serves to keep the story light between moments of sometimes wistful and ennui ridden flirting.
GRAPE JUICE, like all of 831 Stories’ works to date, is an evocative but concise little dream of a novel. Out November 4, 2025.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the E-ARC!!
These are smart, incisive, novella length literary romances. They combine the tropes we know and love with real-world problems facing smart, sophisticated career men and women. “Big Fan” for example, is a celebrity-normal person romance, but it’s set in the world of DC Consulting and revolves in no small part around a campaign for Universal Basic Income (a hot girl topic, if I’ve ever heard one!). 831 Stories specializes in these complex backdrops and competent protagonists - you likely aren’t going to get a bumbling, goofy romantic lead out of their books. They are, in short, the kind of high-brow, chic book that I’d love to read alone at a wine bar over a plate of mussels and shoestring fries.
I had the opportunity to read an E-ARC of one of their upcoming releases, GRAPE JUICE by Eliza Dumas and found that it again delivers the nuanced emotions and sophisticated settings I’ve come to expect from 831. Alice, stuck in New York after the end of a relationship, jets off to a live-in wine harvest program in France, where she meets a cast of characters including fellow recently unlucky in love guy, Henri. The winery backyard is more than just window dressing — apparently the author has a background in wine and that definitely shows through. The books pulls off a great feat of holding an elevated conversation about wine, without being pretentious. The romance between Alice and Henri is dreamy and tender, but also, extremely hot. The “alcohol-addled adult summer camp” vibe of the wine harvest adds additional humor and warmth and serves to keep the story light between moments of sometimes wistful and ennui ridden flirting.
GRAPE JUICE, like all of 831 Stories’ works to date, is an evocative but concise little dream of a novel. Out November 4, 2025.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the E-ARC!!
September 16, 2025
A romance set in a vineyard? A swoon-worthy French love interest? Say less, I’m already hooked! I loved the author’s use of French within the dialogue. It made it seem immersive and made the story easier and more fun to connect to. Also our lovely protagonist’s way with words gave the English readers something to fall in love with as well. There’s also a delightful cast of supporting characters that add humor and a blend of cultures to the beautiful setting. As simple as the plot is (and at 175ish pages, it needs to be simple, and it’s excellently paced), I thought the descriptions really added that connective touch to really keep me invested. It definitely made me want more, and I think Grape Juice could have benefitted from an epilogue, but the HFN ending is still very sweet.
This was a delightful, quick, and somewhat spicy read, and it’s everything I’ve come to know and love about 831 Stories. This is a great option for romance lovers, but because of the length and pacing I think it would be a fantastic introductory option for readers who are new to the contemporary romance genre. I’m thankful to the publisher for providing a complimentary eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my thoughts.
This was a delightful, quick, and somewhat spicy read, and it’s everything I’ve come to know and love about 831 Stories. This is a great option for romance lovers, but because of the length and pacing I think it would be a fantastic introductory option for readers who are new to the contemporary romance genre. I’m thankful to the publisher for providing a complimentary eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my thoughts.
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