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Full Bodied In The Vineyard
ASIN B01KU6LBM4 moved to the most recent edition here
After yet another breakup and on the cusp of her 40th birthday, Shannon Laughlin is feeling lost. Life hasn’t gone quite how she expected and she’s ready for something new, a new outlook, a new adventure. A new love. One night, as she tries to figure out what’s next, a chance post on social media by an old friend offers to give her that change she’s been seeking.
That old friend is Alina. Alina is a seasonal worker at Wild Love Winery up on Leelanau Peninsula in Michigan’s wine appellation. A free-spirited woman, Alina has orchestrated a life for herself that revolves around following her bliss. It’s something Shan has always admired in her friend. That, and Alina’s undeniable sensuality. Shan can’t help but remember the one night in college that the two women shared a bed. And the possibility Alina is offering is just too good to pass up.
Will Shan figure out how to get both her work life and her love life back on track as she stumbles into her 40s? Can the magic of Michigan’s wine country and the surrounding beauty convince Shan that there’s more to this world than she’s been able to see? Or will this second chance at making it work with Alina prove to be out of her reach? Sometimes life is only just beginning at 40, as Shan is about to find out. And there’s so much more of it to live.
After yet another breakup and on the cusp of her 40th birthday, Shannon Laughlin is feeling lost. Life hasn’t gone quite how she expected and she’s ready for something new, a new outlook, a new adventure. A new love. One night, as she tries to figure out what’s next, a chance post on social media by an old friend offers to give her that change she’s been seeking.
That old friend is Alina. Alina is a seasonal worker at Wild Love Winery up on Leelanau Peninsula in Michigan’s wine appellation. A free-spirited woman, Alina has orchestrated a life for herself that revolves around following her bliss. It’s something Shan has always admired in her friend. That, and Alina’s undeniable sensuality. Shan can’t help but remember the one night in college that the two women shared a bed. And the possibility Alina is offering is just too good to pass up.
Will Shan figure out how to get both her work life and her love life back on track as she stumbles into her 40s? Can the magic of Michigan’s wine country and the surrounding beauty convince Shan that there’s more to this world than she’s been able to see? Or will this second chance at making it work with Alina prove to be out of her reach? Sometimes life is only just beginning at 40, as Shan is about to find out. And there’s so much more of it to live.
226 pages, ebook
First published August 21, 2016
61 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 23, 2018
I wish I'd saved my old review of this. I think it was my best one. As I recall this had the right balance of feel-good, eroticism and new romance. There was also the added bonus that I know the area where the story takes place.
December 21, 2016
Shannon and Alina were college roommates twenty years earlier and had a brief fling. Shannon believes it meant nothing to Alina and they both went their separate ways after college. They meet up again twenty years later and that same overwhelming sexual chemistry is still there between them.
I would have given this 5★s except for all the annoying typos.
I would have given this 5★s except for all the annoying typos.
June 10, 2019
Enjoyable warm fuzzy book
📍 “So often, especially as we wander further into adulthood, it becomes easier and easier to question everything you do. You think, ʼam I doing this life thing right?ʼ You look around to your friends and family and try to compare yourself, but it just doesn’t work. You just don’t fit their mold. So it becomes a source of anxiety just to feel like you’re living life like one is ʼsupposedʼ to.”
“Alina opened up this entirely new world for me. It was just… acceptance. Accepting how things were, accepting how things could be, rather than dwelling on how they should be.”
“It’s never too late to live your life, to find the life you were meant for, and to accept everything this abundant world has to offer.”
• ~ • ~ • ~ •
An entertaining, well-written story with intriguing & likeable characters, some hot scenes & an interesting storyline.
📍 “So often, especially as we wander further into adulthood, it becomes easier and easier to question everything you do. You think, ʼam I doing this life thing right?ʼ You look around to your friends and family and try to compare yourself, but it just doesn’t work. You just don’t fit their mold. So it becomes a source of anxiety just to feel like you’re living life like one is ʼsupposedʼ to.”
“Alina opened up this entirely new world for me. It was just… acceptance. Accepting how things were, accepting how things could be, rather than dwelling on how they should be.”
“It’s never too late to live your life, to find the life you were meant for, and to accept everything this abundant world has to offer.”
• ~ • ~ • ~ •
An entertaining, well-written story with intriguing & likeable characters, some hot scenes & an interesting storyline.
October 26, 2023
This is a sweet second chance at love!
So this is my first read of Nicolette Dane’s work, I enjoyed the story, the great job she did of describing the location and her well developed main characters. The secondary characters could have used a bit more umph in their development. The bulk of this book was the sexual development between the two main characters, which was well written but again the antagonist was left a bit too thin. I think the ending was a bit abrupt, maybe an epilogue would have finished it. I don’t want the author to think I did not enjoy what she wrote because I did. I like her style of writing and loved the setting ( I am a wineo at heart), and the sex was absolutely hot!
So this is my first read of Nicolette Dane’s work, I enjoyed the story, the great job she did of describing the location and her well developed main characters. The secondary characters could have used a bit more umph in their development. The bulk of this book was the sexual development between the two main characters, which was well written but again the antagonist was left a bit too thin. I think the ending was a bit abrupt, maybe an epilogue would have finished it. I don’t want the author to think I did not enjoy what she wrote because I did. I like her style of writing and loved the setting ( I am a wineo at heart), and the sex was absolutely hot!
December 12, 2017
Shannon is spinning her wheels in Detroit. She is getting ready to turn 40 and her life so far is not what she expected. So trolling FB, she sees an old college friend who she hooked up with briefly, ask if anyone wanted to work at the vineyard over the summer. Shannon jumped at the chance to reconnect with a lost love and their adventure begins.
October 21, 2017
Good book
This was well written, even though I would say it wasn't spectacular. I definitely enjoyed this author's other books more.
This was well written, even though I would say it wasn't spectacular. I definitely enjoyed this author's other books more.
January 30, 2021
This Author Never Lets you Down
Nice characters, zero stupid drama and lots of sexy scenes. Not afraid to include anal pleasures. Highly recommended, you won’t regret it.
Nice characters, zero stupid drama and lots of sexy scenes. Not afraid to include anal pleasures. Highly recommended, you won’t regret it.
November 21, 2016
Pretty mellow hot read
I enjoyed this story because it's about second chance at love or maybe love revisited. It's nice to read about someone who feels lost (Shannon) from love even though she's got a career yet able to find love, the kind that makes you feel like this is the only one for me, my soul mate the one. Alina is Shannon's college roommate and the one that got away. She a bit hippie but I m glad she helps Shannon find what she is looking for..... ENJOY.
I enjoyed this story because it's about second chance at love or maybe love revisited. It's nice to read about someone who feels lost (Shannon) from love even though she's got a career yet able to find love, the kind that makes you feel like this is the only one for me, my soul mate the one. Alina is Shannon's college roommate and the one that got away. She a bit hippie but I m glad she helps Shannon find what she is looking for..... ENJOY.
November 19, 2016
Loved it!!!
This was wonderful story. It makes me realize that it's never to late to find your path in life, but this story was a well told story about a love lost early and then found later in life. Can't wait to read more stories...
This was wonderful story. It makes me realize that it's never to late to find your path in life, but this story was a well told story about a love lost early and then found later in life. Can't wait to read more stories...
August 31, 2016
Overall a good book
October 25, 2016
Good book
I enjoyed reading this book and I found alina's way of life fascinating. Some of the concepts and comments really make you think.
I enjoyed reading this book and I found alina's way of life fascinating. Some of the concepts and comments really make you think.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews