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Love and Wine
Helen Shaw – Svelte with an elegant complexity and a beautifully soft finish.
Jared de Villiers – The ideal companion for all festive occasions, a wine for summer days and good friends.
Max de Villiers – Defined and persistent to guarantee a lingering aftertaste. Has ample structure for excellent ageability. Decanting recommended.
With a shattered relationship behind her, British artist Helen Shaw doesn’t have much solace beyond her landscape painting and brave swims in the icy waters of the Atlantic. That is, until she meets the de Villiers brothers, Max and Jared. Sucked into their very different world of winemaking, wealth and rivalries, her stay at their homestead Bourgogne in Franschhoek, South Africa, is much more than she could ever have imagined. Torn between Jared’s tempestuous unpredictability and Max’s sensitivity and romance, Helen is attracted to both brothers. But a secret lurks at Bourgogne and tragedy is only a harvest away.
Jared de Villiers – The ideal companion for all festive occasions, a wine for summer days and good friends.
Max de Villiers – Defined and persistent to guarantee a lingering aftertaste. Has ample structure for excellent ageability. Decanting recommended.
With a shattered relationship behind her, British artist Helen Shaw doesn’t have much solace beyond her landscape painting and brave swims in the icy waters of the Atlantic. That is, until she meets the de Villiers brothers, Max and Jared. Sucked into their very different world of winemaking, wealth and rivalries, her stay at their homestead Bourgogne in Franschhoek, South Africa, is much more than she could ever have imagined. Torn between Jared’s tempestuous unpredictability and Max’s sensitivity and romance, Helen is attracted to both brothers. But a secret lurks at Bourgogne and tragedy is only a harvest away.
255 pages, Paperback
Published February 28, 2016
3 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Paula Marais
13 books21 followersPaula Marais is the author of several books including her recent novel Shadow Self, which was longlisted for the Etisalat Prize.
She lives in Cape Town, South Africa but spends a lot of time planning where she'll travel next (Panama and the US). She also adores: quality coffee, whiskey, cookery, beautiful views and contemporary art. Paula reads anything but science fiction (sorry!)
Paula is married with two sons and an overly spoilt Jack Russell called Sunny.
She has a Master’s in Creative Writing from the University of Cape Town and is an alumnus of Bread Loaf in Vermont, the oldest and most illustrious writing conference in the US.
Connect with her on: www.facebook.com/PaulaJMarais/.
She lives in Cape Town, South Africa but spends a lot of time planning where she'll travel next (Panama and the US). She also adores: quality coffee, whiskey, cookery, beautiful views and contemporary art. Paula reads anything but science fiction (sorry!)
Paula is married with two sons and an overly spoilt Jack Russell called Sunny.
She has a Master’s in Creative Writing from the University of Cape Town and is an alumnus of Bread Loaf in Vermont, the oldest and most illustrious writing conference in the US.
Connect with her on: www.facebook.com/PaulaJMarais/.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 26, 2016
A few years ago, a reader declared she would read only novels written by South Africans and set in South Africa for a year. I always admire people who have these brave reading missions. I know I couldn't do it. What if I (gasp) stopped reading because (heart palpitation) it wasn't fun anymore?
This book made me want to abandon writers from countries abroad. It is that good.
Love and Wine is set in our fairest Cape of Good Hope. The novel is as beautiful as the setting.
Helen Shaw is an artist, come to recover from life and a bad relationship in Uncle Alec’s sea-facing cottage on the craggy Atlantic side of the peninsula.
Read my full review here.
This book made me want to abandon writers from countries abroad. It is that good.
Love and Wine is set in our fairest Cape of Good Hope. The novel is as beautiful as the setting.
Helen Shaw is an artist, come to recover from life and a bad relationship in Uncle Alec’s sea-facing cottage on the craggy Atlantic side of the peninsula.
Read my full review here.
March 31, 2016
Really enjoyed this book, I am familiar with the area in which it is set - the beautiful Western Cape of South Africa and the author evoked the wonderful memories of the area. The romance aspect was wonderful while still being realistic. The lead female character was complex (as all the best woman are) and the author portrayed this very well.
April 29, 2016
The book is set in a beautiful part of the country and you definitely had a sense of the gorgeous surroundings and the history of the area. The characters are very well portrayed, as Paula Marais always does, and I was fascinated by the complicated love triangle that came about in the book. You can't go wrong with a little wine and romance! Sit back with a glass and have a read.
April 28, 2016
I loved this book! Couldn't put it down. I was completely drawn into the story and felt like I knew the characters personally. Beautifully written and a great holiday read! Paula Marais is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. Highly recommended.
September 5, 2016
This was a really great read, Paula! I was hooked from page one and read it in a few days!
February 10, 2017
After her messy divorce Helen escapes to South Africa’s Cape to nurse her broken heart. Soon after her arrival she meets Max, the more thoughtful and reliable of the two dishy De Villiers brothers. She feels attracted to him, but nothing like the instant, knee-buckling magnetism she and Jared feel for each other from their first meeting.
The love triangle that ensues is an emotional roller-coaster for Helen, until she discovers that Jared is hiding a secret with a potentially devastating effect on their relationship. Max, meanwhile, himself hopelessly in love with Helen, waits patiently in the wings, his quiet strength and consistency making him a likely contender in Helen’s choice of a partner.
Paula Marais creates vivid, life-like characters. She kept my interest throughout and the plot was well-planned and paced. Although not my usual choice of genre, I enjoyed this romance set in the Cape winelands, as well as some lessons on viticulture and winemaking. There are a few steamy sex scenes. I rate this book 3.5
The love triangle that ensues is an emotional roller-coaster for Helen, until she discovers that Jared is hiding a secret with a potentially devastating effect on their relationship. Max, meanwhile, himself hopelessly in love with Helen, waits patiently in the wings, his quiet strength and consistency making him a likely contender in Helen’s choice of a partner.
Paula Marais creates vivid, life-like characters. She kept my interest throughout and the plot was well-planned and paced. Although not my usual choice of genre, I enjoyed this romance set in the Cape winelands, as well as some lessons on viticulture and winemaking. There are a few steamy sex scenes. I rate this book 3.5
December 30, 2024
This book suprised me, I enjoyed it very much. As a resident of Cape Town, I enjoyed reading the descriptions of the towns and landscape from an artist POV.
The only reason this read isn't rated 5 stars is because of the ending. Everything built up so well but it only have Helen and Max finally end up together because of Jared's death didn't fit with the story for me.
Any-hoo, I will be having a look at other books by Paula Marais.
The only reason this read isn't rated 5 stars is because of the ending. Everything built up so well but it only have Helen and Max finally end up together because of Jared's death didn't fit with the story for me.
Any-hoo, I will be having a look at other books by Paula Marais.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2017
The reason I picked this book is because the cover speaks to me. I never read the synopsis so I really started reading without any knowledge of its content.
First of all I need to say that the characters are amazing. They are so accurate and there struggles so realistic.
I love Madeleine and Max the most. Madeleine is a friend I would gladly except in my life and I would marry a guy like Max in a heartbeat.
The descriptions of the surroundings are... AMAZING.
The story line is well-built. It takes you by the hand and walks with you at a good pace, without ever getting boring.
There is only one element in the story that disappoints me really badly and the reason I didn't give it 5 stars.
Despite that fact, I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to visit Africa without really going there and who loves romance.
First of all I need to say that the characters are amazing. They are so accurate and there struggles so realistic.
I love Madeleine and Max the most. Madeleine is a friend I would gladly except in my life and I would marry a guy like Max in a heartbeat.
The descriptions of the surroundings are... AMAZING.
The story line is well-built. It takes you by the hand and walks with you at a good pace, without ever getting boring.
There is only one element in the story that disappoints me really badly and the reason I didn't give it 5 stars.
Despite that fact, I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to visit Africa without really going there and who loves romance.
November 21, 2018
A very entertaining read! Highly recommended especially if you feel some nostalgia about the winelands of the Western Cape of South Africa. Delicious story.
March 28, 2017
I have very mixed feelings about this book.... I really love the general feel of it, the descriptions of the landscape, the food etc, and even the rather detailed accounts of the wine making process BUT the main characters just don't make any sense AT ALL, they remained very flat throughout the book and are overall far from being likeable. (Honestly, the only sympathetic characters are the old couple Helen befriends)
Helen, to me, is almost as spineless as Jared is self-centered, while Max is a truly hopeless idiotic masochist.
There's also no love triangle - just a sad version of a man waiting around for the woman who chose his brother over him, and the 'big secret' is a big joke.
And then...the way everything is 'solved' oh so quickly and superficially in the end made me downright furious! To me, it certainly wasn't a 'happy' ending.
Three stars because even though I despise the main characters I don't actually regret reading love and wine, but I don't think I'd recommend this to my friends.
Helen, to me, is almost as spineless as Jared is self-centered, while Max is a truly hopeless idiotic masochist.
There's also no love triangle - just a sad version of a man waiting around for the woman who chose his brother over him, and the 'big secret' is a big joke.
And then...the way everything is 'solved' oh so quickly and superficially in the end made me downright furious! To me, it certainly wasn't a 'happy' ending.
Three stars because even though I despise the main characters I don't actually regret reading love and wine, but I don't think I'd recommend this to my friends.
March 28, 2017
A truly excellent read, wonderful descriptions of South Africa with a tangled plot that compels the reader to continue reading deep into the night. Highly recommended.
April 5, 2017
Love and Wine is a beautiful, yet heartbreaking story. I loved it from the second I picked it up. Set in a South African vineyard, with beautiful landscapes, the reader learns about two brothers, and a woman that came into their lives.
Max, who is calm and laid back, is a stark contrast to his brother Jared, who is a thrill seeker, and lives life on the edge.
Helen is brought to the vineyard to illustrate a book about the family vineyard, but soon finds herself in a love triangle with the two brothers.
This book brought out so many emotions, and left me wanting so much more by the end. Definitely a must read! Loved every second of it
Max, who is calm and laid back, is a stark contrast to his brother Jared, who is a thrill seeker, and lives life on the edge.
Helen is brought to the vineyard to illustrate a book about the family vineyard, but soon finds herself in a love triangle with the two brothers.
This book brought out so many emotions, and left me wanting so much more by the end. Definitely a must read! Loved every second of it
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews