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Grado Valley Vineyards #4

Horizontal Tasting

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He’s a playboy. A certified Casanova a younger version of me would likely (definitely) have fallen for, hard.

I would have loved the way Marco Grado looked at me from across the bar. The way he strode over to my friend and I as if he owned the place.

As if he owned me.

Fortunately, I’ve been burned by enough guys like him to know better now. Especially when he turns out to be the same Marco Grado who co-owns the vineyard neighboring mine. Or more precisely, the vineyard which is mine for the taking if I choose to accept my father’s “gift” of part-ownership in Sunset Vineyards.

A choice between giving my father a free pass for all the pain he’s caused or returning to a job I hate means there’s no room for the kind of heartbreak Marco would inevitably bring me if I gave in to his not-so-subtle advances.

Advances that are becoming harder and harder to ignore.

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2022

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92 people want to read

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Cissy Mecca

23 books8 followers

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5 stars
79 (57%)
4 stars
37 (26%)
3 stars
14 (10%)
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6 (4%)
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2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Margaret Watkins.
3,570 reviews88 followers
October 26, 2022
Marco Grado, playboy, Casanova, and womanizer, is about to get his fingers burnt! Seeing the sexy woman seated in his bar, he thinks that casting a romantic spell over her will be as easy as all the others he had loved and left. That is until he discovers that Rae Watson is the enemy's daughter and cannot be trusted. After all, loyalty to the family comes first. Rae was hoping to fly under the radar when she went to scope out the competition's bar. Unfortunately, she didn't have a chance when Marco's roving eye landed on her. Min, with all the wisdom of a younger sister, takes up the challenge and what could have been an all-out battle of the vineyards is defused and Marco agrees to work together with Rae to solve the problems between the two estates. Rae has been warned repeatedly by her friends to keep her distance from Marco, thus he finds that despite pulling out all the stops, she is not at all easy to win over, and that is exactly what Marco needs to come to value the one woman who is off-limits. Nevertheless, the sexual tension between them sizzles and is all the better for having to keep their distance from one another. As the plot develops, both Marco and Rae discover hidden motives by a third party and it takes the combined forces of the Grado family to claim a victory for all. I received a copy of this well-written and exciting romance as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Profile Image for Jenn the Readaholic.
2,190 reviews72 followers
October 30, 2022
Marco!!!!! It’s your time! And oh, how you proved everyone wrong. For anyone thinking he’s nothing more than a player, welcome to the deep dive into his head…and heart. Because there’s a lot more to Marco than you’d expect. He’s smart, yes. But he’s also tired of fighting against the presumed role he’s to play in his family. Maybe it’s time for him to throw everyone off track with what he really wants in life.

Rae is excellent, as well. Yes, she’s a little sneaky at first. But once that charade is done, she’s truly trying to find her way. In life. In work. In love, maybe? And she’s not afraid of hard work to get all three aligned as needed.

I loved how these two banter, then communicate, then almost blow up because of snap judgments. But communication is key, and these two definitely remember that when the time comes for it above all else. Add in some familiar faces from another series I adore by this author and I was hooked. While I’m sad to see the last Grado find love, I’m sure we have more coming our way, and I’m 100% here for it!
Profile Image for Cat.
2,216 reviews1 follower
October 28, 2022
Amazing book!!
I loved reading this story.
Marco and Rae's romance is enemies to lovers,as their families vineyards are in competition with eachother.This is until Marco and Rae decide to work together to solve the issues they have with their vineyards.
I Loved Marco he is the ultimate playboy he is gorgeous and successful and could have any woman he wants.But Rae changes all of that she was a challenge for him because she seemed to be immune to his charms.....but was she.
Rae is very professional she could resist Marco Grado and his good looks.
But there was this unrelenting attraction between them that was hard to keep denying,the sexual tension they shared was off the charts.They were a good team as they both resolve the problem with the vineyard and try to come to terms with their feelings to one another.
I love all the push and pull and the change in Marco from a playboy to just wanting one woman.
This series has gotten better with each story and this is a wonderful edition to this series.Bella Michaels writing is perfectly scripted which made it thoroughly enjoyable to read.
This is a fantastic book and Amazing series.
Loved it.
5 Stars.
286 reviews1 follower
November 1, 2022
I have enjoyed each of the books in the GVV series and this last one does not disappoint at all. Each of the Grado family members seem to have an idea of what they want in life. Marco and Rae’s story rounds out the whole series…leaving you wanting even more to read. This story has a little bit of suspense and lots of steaminess that sucks you into their lives and keep you there until you finish.
I have enjoyed reading this book as I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for 🦉Maggie Whitworth.
3,254 reviews114 followers
September 3, 2024
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

Marco and Rea are going to take your breath away!

Bella is on a roll, this series is brilliant, I just love it!

Ok now for the review.
You know I think I may have just about covered it already.
Honestly your missing out on a brilliant story if you leave this on the shelf without even trying it.
If you enjoyed Bridgewater Boys you’ll love this.
Highly recommended read.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review
Profile Image for Lorrie.
272 reviews2 followers
October 25, 2022
This is my favorite book of the series. . . the taming of a playboy.

When someone asks you to trust them and even though everyone on the planet warns you to stay away. . . but you can't.

Rae: Lawyer by career but she just couldn't get into the courtroom drama. Her father tries to make up for their past by gifting her a vineyard when she was sixteen that he co-owned with an associate. Years later, she decides to make that trip to see it. First day at the vineyard and she already feels at home. She meets Marco and is attracted, but not just physically . . . there's a magnetic pull that she can't seem to fight. And what if she sees something in him that no one else sees? But what if she's wrong, she'd been wrong before? And the issues she faces may be enough to keep her from staying.

Marco: LOVED him! He may be a playboy, but he's honest and upfront about it. What he couldn't comprehend was the attraction he had to Rae. A feeling he couldn't shake. Couldn't get her out of his mind. He always gets the girl, but what about this one? He'd do anything to spend some time with her, including stealing his sister's phone to text her. He may be a player, but he has a big heart that he's kept hidden and maybe it would take a girl like Rae to see it.

There's two lines in this book that I found profound. Two lines that would resonate with many of our lives, but I'm not going to post it now. I want the readers to fall upon it the way I did and see if any of my fellow B&Bers will spot it too. Sometimes just two lines can hit home, and you get a great story to boot! I was gifted with an ARC and wanted to post my opinion. Wish I could give it 10 stars!
Profile Image for Hayley.
335 reviews5 followers
November 11, 2022
I love when the hero is persistent in his pursuit of his woman, and Marco definitely fit that description. I wasn't too sure what to think of him based on previous stories in this series, but he impressed me with his dedication to the brewery and thoughtful courtship of Rae. Rae was also extremely impressive. I admired her intelligence and courage in the face of unexpected obstacles. She and Marco pushed each other to be the best versions of themselves. Their personalities complemented one another quite well, leading to a relationship based on attraction but also care and mutual respect.

This is a very family-oriented series, which means we get to enjoy glimpses of previous main characters. I do wish there had been a deeper exploration of Rae's connection with her father since he played such a significant part in the book, even though it was primarily behind the scenes. The epilogue slightly helped with this though. My only other minor issue was that the resolution of the conflict with Jerry seemed a bit unlikely to actually work. Based on a conversation Marco had with Owen, I thought the resolution was going to go in a different, more plausible direction.

Overall, this was an exquisitely romantic and heartwarming story with a strong message of family and dedication to one's dreams. I highly recommend it.

*I received an ARC of this novel. This is my complete and honest review.*
Profile Image for Kat Tolle.
639 reviews13 followers
November 7, 2022
ANOTHER FANTASTIC READ BY BELLA MICHAELS!!! Horizontal Tasting by Bella Michaels is book 4 in the Grado Valley Vineyards series and what an incredible series this has been. Though in a series this book can be read as a standalone but I am highly recommending you really all the book to learn the wonderful characters and their stories. What I loved about this book was that Bella brought in the characters for her other series Boys of Bridgewater. How fun it was to add to this series and to read of their appearance… just brilliant. Bella has such a unique way of writing her books that you get to read what happened to the hero and heroine in their perspectives. I found this book to be be easy to read, original, vivid descriptions, wonderful characters and just a true joy to read. If you are looking for a romantic story than this is the book for you. You will not be able to put it down. This story has a bit of a womanizer, a young smart girl that was given a vineyard, getting off on the wrong foot, in competition with each other, a co-owner that is very difficult to work with, not being respected, brothers & a sister that is against the relationship and falling in love. I am very highly recommending you read this book as I said it is fantastic and I know you will enjoy it as much as I did.

***This book was gifted to me and I am voluntarily reviewing.
Profile Image for Bella Michaels.
Author 18 books456 followers
Read
November 17, 2022
𝗛𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗼𝘆. 𝗔 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮 𝗮 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆 (𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆) 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿, 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱.

𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑜 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑜?

✓ steamy small town romance
✓ playboy hero
✓ no "other woman" drama
✓ new girl in town heroine
✓ all the small town feels + sexy times


GET IT HERE 🍷

Horizontal Tasting
Bella Michaels
1,075 reviews11 followers
July 3, 2024
Such a touching and heartwarming series and Marco and Rae's story was so sweet.

Marco Grado's playboy reputation didn't help others to take him seriously, with good reason, but he'd finally gotten his family to agree to the brewery he wanted to add to their winery. He was determined to make it successful and prove he could be reliable. When a neighboring vineyard, whose owners refuse to work with the other locals, suddenly has a new proprietor Marco has an unexpected reaction to the woman.

Attorney Rae Watson needed a change and it seemed she was now running Sunset Vineyards, thanks to her dad's gift. But the locals weren't exactly welcoming and her dad's partner treats her like little more than a hired hand. His refusal to make any improvements was going to be a problem if Rae had any chance of making Sunset Vineyards successful.

Marco will quickly realize that he has a lot of work to do if he wants his family or Rae to see him in a positive light, but he's up to the challenge. And when Rae gets blocked at every move to improve Sunset a community of vintners will show her what community is all about.

I received an ARC and freely offer.
Profile Image for World Of Books 65.
3,269 reviews61 followers
November 2, 2022
Once again Bella Michaels has gotten my romantic taste buds flowing, she delivered Rae and Marco's story with expert precision, the storyline the heat, and finally seeing Marco fall in love was just Bellissimo.

I just adore Kitchi Falls and the Grado Family and was excited to see next up is Marco Grado, the man who doesn't date more than twice, who is devoted to the winery and the brewery he is in the process of building not to mention the close bond he has with his siblings and parents, the fly in the ointment Sunset Winery, Rae is new in town and is learning all about Sunset Winery, which her father partly owns, and in an attempt to make up for the way he has treated her in the past want's to hand over his share to her, which Rae at the moment is not too sure about, you can't buy love, after all, a meeting at Grado's bar sets this story up nicely, for misunderstandings, instant attraction and so much more, so settle back and enjoy your delve into wine country, I preferred reading mine with a lovely rich glass of red by my side.
Profile Image for Britney Chavez.
618 reviews20 followers
October 29, 2022
I am so happy I got this as an ARC!

I love a good playboy turned smitten. And Marco did not disappoint.
I have to say I loved Rae and Marco’s relationship from the beginning. I normally have trouble with some playboy hero’s but I knew right away that Rae was going to be the kick in the butt Marco needed.

I haven’t read any other books in the series, so I don’t know much about the family dynamic’s with the Gardo’s but I loved that the author touched some on that in the story. Gave you more insight on Marco and his behavior.

As always with most books that I love, I want and need more and don’t want it to end. Rae and Marco’s story has done the same, I love epilogues but wish they always had more to them lol.🤭😜

4️⃣⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
10/10 recommend
Profile Image for Amy Reierson.
1,366 reviews18 followers
November 4, 2022
This book I knew I was going to fall for Marco. The Playboy with the big personality and all the big insecurities too. He is Grado Valley Vineyards VP and the man behind the brewery.
But his heroine Bella Michaels couldn't have written a better partner for him. She was fiery and confident in all the places he needed her to be and she also needed him it just took a little longer to see how for her.
I really loved their playful energy throughout, the way they challenged and taught each other. And Marco proving over and over again how well he listens to everything Rae says. But can they last now that she is considering taking over her dad's portion of a neighboring vineyard? Guess you'll need to pick up your own copy.
I have voluntarily left this review.
Profile Image for Sarah Nielsen.
4,230 reviews21 followers
November 3, 2022
I received this as an arc from the author and I’m voluntarily leaving my honest review.

This was a fantastic enemies to lovers romance. It’s a part of the Grado Valley Vineyards series and though it can be read as a standalone, I would definitely recommend reading the other books first. Marco has from the beginning of the series been described as a playboy but in this book he has found his match. I loved the dynamic between him and Rae. The romance was very slow burn and that increased the chemistry tremendously. I loved it.
273 reviews2 followers
November 7, 2022
Rae and Marco

Good Lord...Marco Marco, Marco. Bad boy with a dicey past..womanizer extraordinaire.. Then he meets Rae. She's competent, smart, gorgeous and gives good banter. Their road to HEA is not smooth but does work out. Marco grows up and becomes the man his family was waiting for him to be. I love the Grado family..they love each other fiercely, and have each others backs, even while they break stones. An interesting family series. I can't wait to see what else Bella Michaels will come up with!
3,085 reviews18 followers
January 2, 2025
Marco and Grado Brewing Co!!

The Brewing Co is a new addition and compliment to the Winery. Marco is spearheading the effort despite his parents' hesitancy. They are now retired, and his siblings are in agreement. When competition and the neighboring winery creates problems and possibilities.

In depth look into career, life choices, relationships and the banter, family and romance we all come to enjoy in this series.
.
***** I am voluntarily leaving my honest review of this book *****
130 reviews2 followers
November 1, 2022
Marco, Marco, Marco. Your persuasive powers.....that's all I have too say there.
Rae, you are amazing! You are a stronger woman than I.
The story had many layers. Both Marco and Rae having different issues to work through with their families.
Argh....the slow burn. It nearly burnt my fingers when it ignited! Hot!
That "Horizontal Tasting" seems like a fine idea!
I don't drink wine, actually, I don't really drink....but I would not say no, to a weekend stay at Grado Valley.
Profile Image for Annette.
256 reviews3 followers
November 29, 2022
I am hooked on Bella/Cecelias writing.

No matter what genre, I'm sold. I just finished Marco and Rae's story. Bella found the perfect partner for the ex model.
I read all the books so far in this series but they are all ranked high. Now I will be leaving reviews.
Just start from the first and get the stories of the Grado siblings. Cos's will be my favorite since it was first. But each story has its special treat.
Profile Image for Surrender2silk.
1,724 reviews14 followers
January 14, 2023
Enemy to lovers at its best !!
Book four in the Grado Valley Vineyards series. Marco is the playboy of the town and owner the vineyard. The enemy . Rae just want to see what’s happening with his vineyard. So she does little mission and what she fines, she can’t seam to walk away easy. Their is more then meets the eyes with Marco. And Rae is they one to let them see. Super hot story where both are about to learn that nothing comes easy .
Profile Image for Gaia Love.
323 reviews12 followers
November 3, 2022
Players eventually meet their match and oh boy does Marco Grado meet his. Rae is such a fascinating character with such diversity in her character. Getting to see a not so Playboy side of Marco is fabulous.

Loved this book and this series. The steam and spice plus all the tension make it a perfect book in the GVV series.

ARC review, my opinions are my own.
Profile Image for bookjunkiejane.
995 reviews1 follower
January 15, 2023
What a boatload of shit... The hero's sister especially... Defend your brother bitch, don't act so self righteous and stab him in the back... The heroine is another spineless coward... Just because the hero hugged his cousin, you thought she was some one night stand? What are you coward, can't go and confront him about it? Are you 30 or 15? Complete crap...
Profile Image for Laurie Strathmann.
7 reviews
June 24, 2024
So good I didn't want it to end.

Michaels never fails to create swoon worthy characters with plot lines that engage the reader so deeply that the characters feel like close friends. I I'll keep reading to follow all of their stories.
235 reviews
March 13, 2023
Loved this book. Loved Rae and Marco's relationship..Love how close all the family is. Can't wait until the next book
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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