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lindyloureads's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
portybelle's review
4.0
I was reading this book when it was the hottest day of the year and Edinburgh actually had the top temperature of the day in Scotland, quite unusual since we are on the often cooler East Coast. I felt as though I'd actually been transported to France! Many years ago I spent a few weeks on holiday in Provence and just loved it. This book brought back many memories of the beautiful countryside, the pretty villages, the delicious wine - and the heat! With so much about making rosé wine in the book, I just had to pop a bottle in the fridge which we enjoyed later.
Ava's world has crumbled when her husband Mark drops a bombshell or two. She loses her home and her marriage and is reduced to staying with a friend. Her husband was a really horrible character, I found it impossible to find any redeeming features in him. Their daughter Sophie wasn't much better! She was so self-absorbed and showed little sympathy towards her mother. At least by the end, she was showing more kindness and understanding.
Things begin to look up when Ava hears she has inherited her grandfather's vineyard in Provence. She heads there with every intention of selling and solving her money worries. When she gets to the vineyard, she finds it and the house very different to her childhood memories, but as those memories flood back she becomes rather attached to the place.
All those A Home in the Sun type programmes make it seem like a dream to move to a hot country and live a life of leisure. This book showed that it's not always that easy and it can sometimes involve a lot of hard graft. The village near the vineyard sounded just like the places I remember from when I visited Provence. It was full of quirky characters and one thing I enjoyed about this book was that Ava became involved with the people in the village. She didn't keep to herself or just befriend ex-pats as so many people seem to do when they move abroad. Mind you, I'm not sure she had much option as the area was most definitely very French and didn't appear to have many foreign residents. When she meets hot young waiter Jacques, there is more than a hint of romance.
There was a mystery to be solved in this book too. Why had Ava's mother taken her away from her grandfather's vineyard so suddenly when she was a little girl and why had there been no contact since? Ava clearly had fond memories of a loving grandfather and it was touching to read about how her grandfather had always loved her and about the secrets which had been kept from her.
What I really enjoyed about this book, apart from the wonderful setting, was Ava discovering what she wanted in life, the strength within her and doing what she wanted for once. The Little Vineyard in Provence is perfect for summer reading with a glass of something chilled close by. Just the thing to read in the garden or by the pool on a lazy day. And if it's not a hot, sunny day? Well, this book will make you feel like it is.
Ava's world has crumbled when her husband Mark drops a bombshell or two. She loses her home and her marriage and is reduced to staying with a friend. Her husband was a really horrible character, I found it impossible to find any redeeming features in him. Their daughter Sophie wasn't much better! She was so self-absorbed and showed little sympathy towards her mother. At least by the end, she was showing more kindness and understanding.
Things begin to look up when Ava hears she has inherited her grandfather's vineyard in Provence. She heads there with every intention of selling and solving her money worries. When she gets to the vineyard, she finds it and the house very different to her childhood memories, but as those memories flood back she becomes rather attached to the place.
All those A Home in the Sun type programmes make it seem like a dream to move to a hot country and live a life of leisure. This book showed that it's not always that easy and it can sometimes involve a lot of hard graft. The village near the vineyard sounded just like the places I remember from when I visited Provence. It was full of quirky characters and one thing I enjoyed about this book was that Ava became involved with the people in the village. She didn't keep to herself or just befriend ex-pats as so many people seem to do when they move abroad. Mind you, I'm not sure she had much option as the area was most definitely very French and didn't appear to have many foreign residents. When she meets hot young waiter Jacques, there is more than a hint of romance.
There was a mystery to be solved in this book too. Why had Ava's mother taken her away from her grandfather's vineyard so suddenly when she was a little girl and why had there been no contact since? Ava clearly had fond memories of a loving grandfather and it was touching to read about how her grandfather had always loved her and about the secrets which had been kept from her.
What I really enjoyed about this book, apart from the wonderful setting, was Ava discovering what she wanted in life, the strength within her and doing what she wanted for once. The Little Vineyard in Provence is perfect for summer reading with a glass of something chilled close by. Just the thing to read in the garden or by the pool on a lazy day. And if it's not a hot, sunny day? Well, this book will make you feel like it is.
doggymomma's review
2.0
I would've given it a 4 star but I found the romance between Jacques and Ava ridiculous and it ruined the book for me.
rebeka_r's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
thereadingchemist's review
4.0
Are you still looking for that perfect summer read that sweeps you off of your feet and leaves behind your worries? Look no further than The Little Vineyard in Provence by Ruth Kelly, which will have you pouring an incredibly large glass of chilled rosé while imagining you’re in immersed in the beautiful vineyards of Provence.
The story opens with Ava’s world collapsing around her. She learns that her husband Mark is in severe debt and has gone to bed with loan sharks. They lose their house, which forces Ava to crash in her best friend’s spare bedroom. To make matters worse, her spoiled daughter Sophie blames Ava for not wanting to patch up her sham of a marriage.
While staying with her best friend, Ava learns that her beloved grandpapa, who she hasn’t seen since she was a small girl, has died leaving her to inherit his vineyard in picturesque Provence. Ava decides to go to Provence to the vineyard she loved so much as a child to find that it has been left in quite a state. Even though she has her doubts, with the help of new friends, Ava decides that she is going to revitalize the vineyard and enter the Golden Grapes competition to by recreating her grandpapa’s award winning rosé.
This story is about Ava’s brand new self-discovery. While making a life for herself in Provence, Ava relearns her passions and desires (especially with the gorgeous Jacques who is 16 years her junior) as well as finding her inner strength, which Mark consistently tried to mute. She also must learn who to trust especially when the future of the vineyard is at stake, and there are devious characters who would rather see her vineyard eliminated from the competition.
Additionally, there are points in the story where we see flashbacks to when Ava was a child. It’s through these flashbacks that we learn the truth of behind Ava’s mother’s motivations to Ava from her grandpapa.
Overall, this story was such a fun and inspiring read. Ava will have you rooting for her from the beginning as well as wanting to try some of the delicious wines that are mentioned.
Thank you again to Tracy Fenton and Trapeze Books for providing an eARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
The story opens with Ava’s world collapsing around her. She learns that her husband Mark is in severe debt and has gone to bed with loan sharks. They lose their house, which forces Ava to crash in her best friend’s spare bedroom. To make matters worse, her spoiled daughter Sophie blames Ava for not wanting to patch up her sham of a marriage.
While staying with her best friend, Ava learns that her beloved grandpapa, who she hasn’t seen since she was a small girl, has died leaving her to inherit his vineyard in picturesque Provence. Ava decides to go to Provence to the vineyard she loved so much as a child to find that it has been left in quite a state. Even though she has her doubts, with the help of new friends, Ava decides that she is going to revitalize the vineyard and enter the Golden Grapes competition to by recreating her grandpapa’s award winning rosé.
This story is about Ava’s brand new self-discovery. While making a life for herself in Provence, Ava relearns her passions and desires (especially with the gorgeous Jacques who is 16 years her junior) as well as finding her inner strength, which Mark consistently tried to mute. She also must learn who to trust especially when the future of the vineyard is at stake, and there are devious characters who would rather see her vineyard eliminated from the competition.
Additionally, there are points in the story where we see flashbacks to when Ava was a child. It’s through these flashbacks that we learn the truth of behind Ava’s mother’s motivations to Ava from her grandpapa.
Overall, this story was such a fun and inspiring read. Ava will have you rooting for her from the beginning as well as wanting to try some of the delicious wines that are mentioned.
Thank you again to Tracy Fenton and Trapeze Books for providing an eARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
daisyneja's review
2.0
A very bad rip off of a film A Good Year. I wanted to give it a benefit of the doubt because of the bad translation but the story line is full of bad clichés. Very disappointed.
astro's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
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