Pippa MacMillan is a legend on the Irish folk music scene. But when her voice requires a time-out, she’s left wondering how—and where—to find happiness in the silence . . .
Seeking answers, Pippa leaves Ireland in favor of a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Turns out lovely Blue Hollow Falls in the perfect place to heal—and solitary Seth Brogan is the surprisingly perfect host. After all, Seth is beginning again too: turning his renovated stone barn and beautiful hillside into a vineyard is the start of a whole new life for the former Special Forces soldier. Only Mother Nature keeps thwarting both their plans, leaving Pippa snowbound with unsettling thoughts about how life can take unexpected turns . . . To Pippa’s surprise, she might actually fall for small-town living. She might even fall for Seth, whose quiet strength is a balm for her world-weary soul. But when the music starts once more, will she follow her fortune back to Ireland, or surrender to the call of her heart?
USA Today bestseller and award winning author of the Cupcake Club series and the Blueberry Cove series, DONNA KAUFFMAN has been gratified to see her books get rave reviews in venues ranging from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal to Entertainment Weekly and Cosmopolitan. She lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, where she is happily working on the next book in her brand new Blue Hollow Falls series, set right in her mountain home area. When she's not writing, she can be found recapping the popular tv show NCIS for USA Today, or escaping into her garden to play in the dirt. Donna also works as a volunteer wildlife transporter for two local sanctuaries, giving orphaned and injured wildlife a second chance at survival. You can catch up on all of her adventures via her author page on Facebook, or on Twitter, or Instagram @writerchick. Donna loves to hear from readers!
Donna Kauffman passed away on April 9, 2020 of pancreatic cancer.
4.5 - "Come to Blue Hollow Falls and fall in love... Like I have." Stars!
Returning to Blue Hollow Falls for the second book in the series; Bluestone & Vine finally gives us Seth Brogan’s story.
It’s not often I take much notice when an author starts posting pictures of her inspiration for a certain character. Mainly because they never look like how I want to envision them in my head. But when Donna starting posting pictures of the yumminess above that is Lasse Matberg, I was happy to picture the bearded, hairy Viking type as Seth. I can’t say I am a huge fan of long hair on men normally, mainly because so few can carry it off well, but paired with that well thatched beard, and all of it groomed to perfection, I was more than on board on this occasion.
"Who knew being a vintner was such a good workout."
Seth has been a major secondary player in the series so far, the consummate good guy with a degree in flirting, has up ‘til now, kept romance out of the picture, but when Superstar Folk Singer; Pippa MacMillan looking for peace, quiet and time to recuperate from a year of stress and medical trauma, lands on his doorstep fresh from Ireland with very little warning after his sister arranges a house swap à la The Holiday he feels an instant connection with her.
"This thing… whatever it is between us, at least for me, it’s just a lot. Maybe too much…"
It doesn’t take long for sweet and quirky Pippa to work her way into the hearts of the Blue Hollow Falls community, and even less time to do the same with Seth, even if he does give it a pretty good try in regards to ignoring his growing feelings for her.
"You’ve got a special place here. With some special people."
But how do a commitment-shy Vintner from Virginia and a Folk Singer from Ireland who is working through her own personal issues, merge their lives in a way that will allow their passions for wine and song to flourish? With enough time spent together to allow their fledgling relationship and growing feelings for each other a chance to build and flourish as well…
He’d always be strong for her, want to care for her, and she would always do the same for him.
This was another strong instalment to the series. Again the author pulls in a number of secondary characters to give depth to the story, I can’t not mention Mabry, Seth’s elderly and perceptive neighbour, because he gave the right advice, and the perfect push to each of them when needed.
"You Yanks are a sucker for a lass with an Irish accent."
And the inclusion of widower Will McCall and his son Jack was the perfect introduction to them in regards to the next full length book of the series offering up their story; Lavender Blue due early 2019. Donna had me in tears with the epilogue when it came to this grieving father and I am expecting to have tissues at the ready for when I read his book. But we get to return first for Christmas this year with Donna’s novella; A Blue Hollow Falls Christmas being released later this year as part of Fern Michael’s A Season to Celebrate anthology, and I cannot wait!
"Never underestimate the power of Blue Hollow Falls!"
ARC generously provided by the author via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
Pippa needs a break from the limelight with her successful career as a folk singer when she recuperates from a tragic vocal cord accident. What better way to disappear than house swap with a friend of the family. Heading to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, was the perfect place for Pippa. Not only does she instantly fit in with the locals in the remote little town, but romantic sparks immediately fly when Pippa and Seth lay eyes on each other.
Seth is working hard at getting his winery up and running while assisting friends get their artisans mill shop going. He doesn’t need the distraction of the beautiful Irish singer who is bound to leave when her vacation from reality is up. But something about Pippa, keeps him coming back for more.
I've come to the realization that Kauffman is a queen of marvelously romantic love stories. Her characters don't have an over abundance of internal turmoil and/or dialog (which gets tiresome), but speak their minds and are truthful with themselves and each other... making Kauffman's characters utterly relatable, completely realistic, and totally lovable. I found BlueStone & Vine heartwarming, sweet and endearing and just what I wanted in a read. My only complaint, I didn't want this story to end.
I received this ARC copy of BlueStone & Vine from Kensington Books - Zebra. This is my honest and voluntary review. BlueStone & Vine is set for publication June 26, 2018.
Oh, I was so looking forward to Seth's book...and Bluestone & Vine was picture-perfect right from the start. With off-the-charts chemistry, a couple you can't help but root for, and a super sweet, sexy romance, Bluestone & Vine has everything I want in a love story.
I absolutely loved every bit of this story and did not want to put it down. There were so many wonderful emotions. The author wrote an amazing story with the right amount of conflict and angst to have you devouring it in a day. And the setting of Blue Hollow Falls just warms my heart.
I took a day to try to put my feelings for Bluestone & Vine into words for this review to try to convey how strongly I feel about it. First, know that this story is AMAZING – I needed to tell you that up front. After that, words truly fail me.
We met Seth, our hero, in book one as he was a sort of wingman to Sawyer. I fell in love with Blue Hollow Falls with that first book, loved the novella that came after, but B&V made me want to call a realtor to find this truly magical place. Seth is such an integral part of this new mountain ‘family’ and is someone you want to be in your corner because he will be there, no matter what. Annnnnnnnd picturing him as a hunk doesn’t hurt!
And then we meet Pippa. Read the story to enjoy their ‘meet-cute’ as it is much fun. Simplistically, Pippa is a well -known Irish folk singer recovering from surgery. She is a ‘wee’ thing, strong, beautiful. There is so much more to her character and story but I can’t even begin to describe. You must read it.
The story is…bigger… at least for me, and I kept reading until I finished. It made me laugh, it made me crazy, it made me smile, and it made me cry. I thought that Blue Hollow Falls was my favorite book, until I read this one. Seth is sometimes SUCH a boy and Pippa slips into herself often but their road to a relationship is special – it felt real, if that makes sense. All the other characters on the mountain are special as well. Sawyer’s and Seth’s friendship is great, especially when Sawyer gets to laugh and say I told you so as he watches Seth fall for Pippa. Mabry is just adorable and probably a conscience for the group of friends and neighbors. Of course, he is also a cranky old guy with much love to share. And Bailey. As it is for all the characters, it’s tough to remember she is only ten. And Jake/Jacob…a young man on the cusp of adulthood, and a great friend to Bailey. And let’s not forget Dex…
Loved this book, can’t really find the words to describe how I felt like a part of the community. Seth’s and Pippa’s story is special – loving from start to finish. I highly recommend Bluestone & Vine. I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Unbeknownst to Seth his sister has agreed to do a house swap with her best friends sister. She wants to go abroad for some much needed alone time so she can study for the bar and her friends sister, a famous singer, needs to get away and think about her career. You see Pippa had to have throat surgery and even though things have heeled she is a bit scared of singing, she can't get the fear of her vocal cords rupturing again out of her head. Seth isn't happy with his sister when he learns of the swap and decides that he will just have to come up with an alternative plan for his new house guest. When they meet there is instant attraction and neither knows just now to deal with it. Seth likes being alone, he has been working hard on getting the vineyard he owns running, and he's not ready to change the status quo. Follow along as these two skirt around each other and fall in love even though the do their best not to let that happen. This was such a touching and heartfelt read, I laughed at Pippa's antics, cried when things happened that I didn't expect and fell in love with the romance that happened along the way. Who wouldn't fall in love with a story like theirs?
OMG. SO SO MUCH LOVE. This book was such a joy. I've loved all of Donna Kauffman's books, but with this series she's really leveled up. So bravo. My only complaint is her publisher is listing the next book as "Now Available" when it's only on preorder (until October) and that's just mean because I want more! Like...now.
Ahh, another romance author that has stumbled across my path. I know I've seen Donna Kauffman's name before, but I've never picked up any of her books. I finally did, when a local second hand book store had a giant sale and I decided to raid the stock. Bluestone & Vine was there, I read the back cover and decided I needed to dip my toes into some more romance books.
I enjoyed this one. It's a medium-paced romance read following a singer taking a break after vocal cord surgery and a young army vet who is running a vineyard and has a llama named Dexter. She goes to rest in this teeny, tiny town and meets someone she has feelings for, and he might learn to open his heart open too. I enjoy these tropes and I enjoyed this read.
There isn't a lot of impactful romance until the last 75% of the book, so that was my only complaint. The chase went on for a little too long, in my opinion. I kept going "WILL THEY, WON'T THEY?!" the entire time. But, I still loved it. I'll ned to find more of Donna's books soon, because it was sweet and delightful. Everything I had hoped for out of this romance read. And, it seems like this series takes a peek into each of the town folks' lives, so I might see their siblings find love too... I'm in.
✦Review: BLUESTONE & VINE by Donna Kauffman https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-aXT Publication Date: June 26, 2018 Genre: Contemporary Romance Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna Rated: 5 Stars
I absolutely loved this lovely little romance and wish I lived in Blue Hollow Falls. It made me smile gently through the hole story as it wove through the growing love between Pippa and Seth. The smooth writing made me feel a kinship with them both right away, as well as those in town. I especially liked that the author didn’t write in a thick Irish accent for Pippa – there was just enough to remind you that she is fresh from her homeland, but not enough to pause in the reading. Lovely job. There was just enough heat to keep all reading tastes happy in this feel-good story.
*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This one is the best of the series so far. Seth and Pippa. It is such a heartwarming, sweet love story. The dialogue between Seth and Pippa was fantastic. I laughed out loud several times, found tears in my eyes and a big silly smile on my face at the end. It is a perfect series to just block out the rest of the world, meet some colorful, lovely characters and visit a tiny little artists colony/village high in the Blue Ridge Mountains where people really care and watch out for each other. Just wonderful. ;)
Nice development of characters (especially secondary), nice small town setting, and a pleasure to read. Only thing that distracted me a little were a few typos and grammar mistakes. Nothing big.
Unbeknownst to Seth his sister, Moira (Mouse) has agreed to do a house swap with her college roommate's sister. She wants to go abroad so she can study for the bar alone, and her friend's sister, Pippa, needs some time to recuperate from throat surgery and ponder her next move. Pippa is a famous Irish folksinger, who has not sung in over a year since her surgery and is not sure if she will be able to sing again. Seth isn't happy with his sister when he learns of the swap and although he agrees with Mouse, he plans to find alternate accommodations for this interruption into his life. When they meet there is instant attraction and neither knows how to deal with it or if they even want to. Seth likes being alone, he has been working hard on getting the vineyard he owns running, and he's not ready to change his life for something that has too many obstacles to work around.
I loved the character of Pippa. She is so sweet and easy to love. She is kind and is able to see what others need and what they are feeling. She is fun, bubbly and everyone who meets her falls in love with her. Seth is serious, quiet and reserved, but he can not resist her. Pippa and Seth do not want to fall in love. Seth is sure she is going back to Ireland, Pippa does not know what she wants. The more time they spend together, the harder they fall. It takes a huge leap of faith for Seth and Pippa, who are from two different countries and ways of life, to let down their guard and just be happy. I enjoyed the journey they had to travel to get to their happy ending. Donna Kauffman is able to write characters who are strong, compassionate, witty, loving and real. I wanted to be right there with them watching their story unfold. A great romance with a fun storyline to fill it out. I am looking forward to heading back to Blue Hollow Falls to see when Moira will get her Happily Ever After. I listened to the audiobook of this story, narrated by Amanda Ronconi. She did a great job with the narration and I loved the lilt she used for Pippa.
Unbeknownst to Seth his sister has agreed to do a house swap with her best friends sister. She wants to go abroad for some much needed alone time so she can study for the bar and her friends sister, a famous singer, needs to get away and think about her career. You see Pippa had to have throat surgery and even though things have heeled she is a bit scared of singing, she can't get the fear of her vocal cords rupturing again out of her head. Seth isn't happy with his sister when he learns of the swap and decides that he will just have to come up with an alternative plan for his new house guest. When they meet there is instant attraction and neither knows just now to deal with it. Seth likes being alone, he has been working hard on getting the vineyard he owns running, and he's not ready to change the status quo. Follow along as these two skirt around each other and fall in love even though the do their best not to let that happen. This was such a touching and heartfelt read, I laughed at Pippa's antics, cried when things happened that I didn't expect and fell in love with the romance that happened along the way. Who wouldn't fall in love with a story like theirs?
I received an ARC of this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Pippa MacMillan is famous Irish folk singer but because of a recent vocal surgery, she has not performed for over a year. Wanting to get away from everything and hide out in a place where no one knows her, Pippa agrees to her sister Katie's plan where she goes to the US, while Katie's old college roommate, Moira "Mouse" Brogan comes and stays at Pippa's place in Ireland. Now, Moira just needs to let her big brother, Seth know that he is going to have a guest at his vineyard in Blue Hollow Falls, Virginia for a few months.
Seth Brogan left the military and is trying start a new life for himself, away from his crazy Irish family, in Virginia. He bought an old vineyard with the hopes of turning it into a profitable income. Seth is excited to hear from his little sister Mouse, except when she suddenly informs him that he will be having a guest for few months, oh, and guess what....she just showed up....literally crashing into his life! Seth reluctantly agrees to this arrangement.
Pippa is so full of life, while Seth is much more quiet and reserved. As these two try to manage being together, along with the fun way of life in Blue Hollow Falls, things start to heat up. It takes a huge leap of faith for Seth and Pippa who are from two different countries to let down their guard and just be happy. I just adored the road they had to travel to get to their happy ending. Donna Kauffman writes such wonderfully, strong characters and takes them on a journey that will make you laugh, swoon and cry. I did not want the book to end as I was reading it because it was that good! Awesome job! Highly recommend!
This is the story of Pippa MacMillan and Seth Brogan who meet in Blue Hollow Falls and fall in love. Pippa is an Irish folk singer who hasn't sung for almost a year due to throat surgery. Seth is a former Ranger who now owns a vineyard. The book is the story of their meeting and finally coming together. The book was a quick easy read.
I listened to this book in one sitting! I loved Pippa and Seth's characters. You always know what's going to happen in a romance novel but I loved how their story played out! I actually wanted more of Moira (hopefully I spelled that right) and her vacation. I had to look it up to see if she gets her own story (she does!!). I can't wait to continue with this series!
Not a perfect 5 star, but worth the rating.... Big sigh .. satisfying read with strong plot and characters. I am curious about Will and Moira now and hope they get their HEAs. DK is ON her writing game with this one! Yes I shed a tear .. and my copy has 329 pages which includes the epilogue.
Fast, sweet contemporary romance. I have really enjoyed this series so far. And I have to say that Seth has been a favorite of mine throughout the series.
Seth is a man trying to start grow grapes and make something out of it. He is ex ranger. Kind of silent. Nice and he wants to be left alone to get some work done. But hey who can blame him, he has a lot to do.
In comes the whirlwind that is Pippa. She needs to relax and find herself again. She is a famous folk-music singer (ok how that makes her a household name I do wonder, and it makes me want to hear her music.) She is to stay there (not his idea!). i liked Pippa, she was so sweet and kind to everyone. She become friends with everyone at once and made them feel good.
And there is not even any major drama. Except for these two to get that they should be together. He is so busy, and yes obviously they live on different continents. But I liked how nothing dramatic happened or how they communicated (so many don't). and I like that.
Everyone else were lovely too. Seth's elderly neighbor was a sweetie. The two kids that help out with the animals were fun. And then there was someone who I hoped would get a book and yes the next book will be about that person.
A sweet romance. It is only missing some music!
Narrator: She did a good job with everyone, and I am a sucker for an Irish accent :)
This is the third book I have read in this series, and each one has been a delight to read. I have to also mention the covers, as I do love a good book cover, and the ones in this series just draw me in every time, they're so lovely and inviting.
This time we meet Pippa, an Irish folk singer, who has had major trouble with her voice recently and is recovering from an operation. She is very famous in Europe, but not so much in the US, so when the opportunity arises to swap houses with her sister's best friend (Moira) she agrees to the break and hops on a plan 'across the pond' to spend time thinking about her career and recovering.
But the swap wasn't exactly what she had initially thought, as she was actually staying in Moira's brother's house in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and it was sort of dumped upon Seth that Pippa was arriving at his house literally when Pippa was driving a snowplough onto his property!
Pippa was such a lovely happy character that she quickly made friends with everyone in and around Blue Hollow Falls, especially as the place reminded her of her small village back home in Ireland. It was lovely to catch up with characters in the previous books too.
There was an immediate attraction between Seth and Pippa, but because of the circumstances (i.e. she was only there for a certain period of time) they resisted at first, but as the townsfolk were meddling a bit they decided that life was too short and to enjoy the moment while it was there, knowing that it would have to end at some point.
Pippa hadn't sung since her operation, and wasn't 'feeling the music' anymore, but of course being in Blue Hollow Falls eventually relaxed her into feeling more secure and things slowly changed. The ending was just so lovely and I definitely shed a few tears of happiness!
I really love this series as there's just some really great strong characters in it, along with baby goats and a fabulous Llama called Dex, and is set in the beautiful sounding Blue Hollow Falls and the Artists Centre set in an old mill, a fairly remote community but where everyone looks out for one another. One of those places I'd love to live in. Long may this series continue. Please, please can we have Will's story next!
***I received an eARC that was provided to me by the author and NetGalley.
Pippa MacMillan, an Irish folk singer, has had a difficult past year having undergone surgery to repair her ruptured vocal cords. Rumors are flying that she may not be able to sing again. Pippa’s more than a little worried herself. When her sister’s best friend from college proposes swapping houses, Pippa jumps at the chance to get away from it all.
Pippa comes crashing, quite literally, into Seth Brogan’s quiet little life. Seth’s sister, Moira, has offered up his place for the house swap, which she fails to mention to him until the very last second. Seth just wants to focus on getting his vineyard up and running; he doesn’t have time to deal with someone else’s problems or to get involved with someone whose life is an ocean and continent away. Fate, and the fine citizens of Blue Hollow Falls, aren’t about to let Seth make the biggest mistake of his life by not pursuing Pippa.
I really enjoyed reading the love story of Pippa and Seth. I wish Seth would have listened to his heart (and everyone else) a little sooner. There were smiles, laughter, and more than a few tears reading Bluestone and Vine. This book does standalone, although reading the first book and novella will help you to appreciate how the silk mill was renovated, to see more of Seth and Sawyer’s friendship, and to learn more about Blue Hollow Falls. I’m looking forward to the next installment in this series.
This is a book that will grab you from the very beginning. The main characters are Seth and Pippa. Pippa is taking a break from her home in Ireland to recoup and start back up with her career, as a folk singer and song writer. Seth’s sister decided to do a house swap with Pippa but she put Seth’s home, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, as the place for Pippa to go. Seth is starting up a winery after his time in the Army. He has a unique style which Pippa refers to as a “Viking” look. When Pippa arrives to Seth’s house she makes a big entrance by flying in the air! The chemistry between the two of them is instantaneous and undeniable. You will fall in love with the small town, Blue Hallow Falls, and all of the unique characters that make the town very special. Let’s not forget the very funny llama, who is more spoiled than any other animal around. Once they make a decision that will affect the rest of their lives there is no turning back and you can’t help but cheer them on along the way, along with the entire town. This is a great summer read that you will not regret!
Second book in the series. It was okay but not easy reading because way too much description and not enough conversation. Almost a whole chapter describing a love scene. Way too much. Don't think I will read any more of these.
I loathed this book. I tried so hard. I wanted to love it. I loved the others. It was just a constant, we like each other, we want a relationship, we can’t have a relationship you're leaving soon. Eventually I lost the will to care. Boring. One note.
If you enjoy cozy romances then I think you will like this book. It takes place in Blue Hollow Falls (there are others in this series that I assume all take place in this spot). The best part of this book is Seth Brogan the male main character of the book. He is well written and fantasize worthy. He seems real and down to earth. So why two stars? Well I have a hard time when I feel like a book is not real - where you have to seriously suspend disbelief to believe the story or the character. And that is where I feel this author struggles and needs to hopefully address in future novels. Parts of this book felt so FALSE and fake.
1. Pippa the female lead is not believable or relatable. She starts crying over issues that other people have that she has never even met, or that she knows for about two minutes. It is just so over the top. She gets involved in the town folks lives immediately (the fact that they let her - again not believable. Friendly yes - treating her like their new sister - no). She is too syrupy sweet. She has no bad qualities to make her relatable. She is false and she reads this way.
2. (slight spoiler alert) Pippa has an orgasm from literally getting put in Seth's lap straddle position. Um what? Come on! The minute I read this (and up until this point I thought the chemistry was really good!) the book lost me. This was SO fake and poorly written.
3. The author did not do their due diligence regarding the fiddle playing portion of this book. She should have had Pippa be a singer only. You would never play a strange fiddle for the first time at a main performance. Fiddles are sacred to the player. Even if it was a stradavarius you would practice with it first. Also - you can't just play a performance without having practiced and gotten into playing shape for weeks and weeks, possibly months. Pippa hadn't played in months and months. She would have needed months to get back in shape.
4. Again - Jake would NOT have been good enough at the fiddle after about three weeks to play a concert. This was so laughable. Something easy and in the background? Even that is a stretch. Playing the violin is just plain HARD and it takes years and years to be decent.
5. The accident with their neighbor Mabry was unnecessary. It was a weak plot trope to try to get the characters into each others arms. It was a lazy choice and I think that the chemistry she had built up (which was well done to that point) could have allowed a much more natural progression to this in a different way. Falling back on the "hero must rescue heroine" or "adrenaline charged event" to bring about character interaction is lazy.
The last thing may be a bit unfair but the blurb for the next book int he series was in the back of my edition of this book and it will be about Seth's sister Moira. This was SO AWFUL! Moira is at an event drinking in a bar and this guy literally walks into the bar and then decides to take her with him because he thinks she is into him and drags her by the arm out into the parking lot. Um What???!!!! She doesn't scream? hit him? Alert the bar she is not interested? COME ON! Needless to say her hero steps in and saves the day. Also needless to say ... I won't be reading this book. That was probably the stupidest thing I have ever read. If some guy kidnapped you wouldn't you scream at the very least?
Though Bluestone and Vine is the second book of the Blue Hollow Falls series, it works a stand-alone story.
The main character, Pippa MacMillan, is a feisty, independent, Irish folk singer. Due to a catastrophe onstage, she stays out of the limelight to recover. She house-swaps with her sister’s friend for a quiet, private cabin in the mountains of Virginia. With tabloids following her every move, Pippa grabs the opportunity.
Seth Brogan, a former special forces solder turned vinter, is the owner of the private cabin, and brother of the other end of the house-swap, discovers his sister has "volunteered" him to have Pippa stay at his home for eight weeks. Within moments after his discovery, Pippa shows up in the midst of a snowstorm.
I was captured at once. Both characters are likeable. Pippa’s bouncy attitude made me chuckle, especially when she awkwardly curtseys. However, underneath, she is dealing with a lot of uncertainty and life-changing decisions.
Seth is a hulk of a man, intent on bringing an old vineyard back to life, and quite content to live alone. He’s kind, giving and private—the latter now being invaded by Pippa.
Right from the start, there’s no denying the attraction between the two. Throughout this endearing story everyone in the town is invested (aka endearingly nosey) in Pippa and Seth’s friendship. Those closest to Seth encourage him to stop getting in the way of his own happiness. Actually, Pippa is in the way of her happiness as well. They both seem to be more concerned with the drawbacks of their logistics than the closeness of their hearts.
The community is chock full of fun characters. Mabry, the old man, is my favorite. There are several others who portrayed the closeness of a small town. Everyone embraces Pippa, and keeps her shielded from the adoring public and tabloids she fled from.
Never once did this story lag. I couldn’t put this book down. What happens to this charming Irish folk singer next? Can Pippa trust her voice … as well as her heart? And what about mountain-man Seth Brogan? Will he remain a part of her life when she goes back to Ireland?
The answers and so much more are within the pages. The descriptions of the countryside and residents become “real” and the storyline makes one “feel” --Two of the best qualities a book can hold.
Be sure to read Bluestone and Vine. Pippa, Seth, and the myriad of charming residents of this mountain town are sure to capture your heart.
I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Bluestone & Vine by Donna Kaufman, the second book in her Blue Hollow Falls series and I really struggled to put it down. This is a story of two loss souls who are starting over again, hoping they are on the right path toward their futures.
A former Special Forces soldier, Seth works on his renovated stone barn and beautiful hillside into a vineyard. Pippa MacMillan, a super star on the Irish folk music scene, voice requires a time-out, leaving her wondering how and where she can find happiness in the silence. As she looks for answers, Pippa leaves Ireland in a house swap with Seth’s sister, ending up in a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The lovely Blue Hollow Falls is the perfect place to heal and the solitary Seth is the perfect host. Small-town living in Virginia is not much different than that of Ireland and Pippa does feel at home among the residents of Blue Hollow Falls. As Seth and Pippa spend time together, they are surprised by their feelings as they begin to fall for each other. The only problem is when Pippa starts hearing the music once again, will she return to Ireland, or surrender to the call of her heart?
Seth is my new book boyfriend and I wish I was as talented as Pippa in creating the music she hears in her head. These two quiet souls were the perfect match despite their size difference; Seth was 6’6”, think Viking Thor, while Pippa was barely 5’2”, an Irish fairy. These two are good people, caring for those around them and supportive of the town and its residents. I enjoyed revisiting the characters from earlier stories and especially loved the name of Seth’s wine, Bluestone and Vine Llamarama Label, with a picture of his llama as part of the label.
I highly recommend this outstanding book to other readers. It was difficult for me to put this book down. Ms. Kaufman is a wonderful story teller drawing me into her books, making me forget the world around me. I could visualize beauty of this place through her descriptive words. I highly recommend this book to other readers and look forward to the next book in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I love Donna Kauffman’s books and jump at the chance to read every single one! This latest book lives up the promise of all her prior books. Ms. Kauffman knows how to tell a story that will tug on your heartstrings and leave you sighing happily at the end. Seth Brogan left the military and moved to the mountains of Virginia to get away from the noise and find some peace. He bought a vineyard in shoddy condition with some interesting animals and is working at making his life a success. He doesn’t expect his youngest sister to volunteer his home as a swap for an Irish singer. He understands his sister’s need to get away, but would have liked a little more notice than a phone call five minutes before his new houseguest shows up. One look at her and Seth knows he’s in trouble. Pippa MacMillan may be a famous folk singer, but right now she is just looking for a quiet place away from her fame. Pippa had a devastating throat injury almost a year ago and hasn’t sung since. She hopes that time in the mountains of Virginia might be the best way to find her music again and to get over her fear of singing. Once she meets the man who is supposed to be her host, Pippa knows that she might be in over her head. Watching Pippa and Seth fight their growing attraction to each other and deal with their own demons makes this story so wonderful. Added to these two are the many residents of Blue Hollow Falls who not only make Pippa feel at home, but find delight in sticking their noses into this budding relationship. Things may not be smooth between the two but the heat is palpable. I loved seeing them become closer. They do have to deal with the fact that Pippa lives in Ireland and Seth is bonded to the land he owns in Virginia. Fans of Ms. Kauffman will love this story. New readers will get a real sense of her as a writer. This may be the second book in the Blue Hollow Falls series, but it can stand on its own. Characters overlap, but you don’t need to know their story to appreciate Pippa and Seth’s.