"The Winemaker's Wife" - Kristin Harmel (2019)

The Winemaker's Wife takes you on an emotional, historical, and epic ride in a beautiful setting during a gruesome time in history. Sweeping back and forth between Champagne, 1940 and New York, 2019, Harmel has a way with storytelling that makes me want to scoop up every book she has ever written and relish in her words; champagne optional.

To clarify, the book is fiction but takes place during real events of the darkest days of World War II. The core story is during that time but of course, all things must be wrapped up or decades of business needs to be finished. The characters are all very flawed, human, yet you are rooting for each of them, even when most of the time you may not like their choices. But isn't that life?

I truly loved most is that Harmel included at the end in her Author's Note, the real history of what A LOT of winery's in Champagne endured during the War and are still standing; and we are still drinking, unknowing their tragic, yet heroic histories. Cheers to that!

I don't want to give too much away, but I will leave you with this little tidbits. This is a Love Story, but a more so a love story to redemption, forgiveness, starting over. It is tragic, yet beautiful. Strong, memorable characters that will feel so real to you, they will haunt you days after finishing the book. (I am STILL thinking of certain characters randomly in my days.) The writing is flawless. I think I may have had one issue, but once I wrapped up the book and the Author's Note, my issue was forgotten. It becomes predictable at just the write times, but trust me, that is a comfort.

When you do finish this book, I do suggest getting one of the real champagne's referenced in this book, ( yes, the expensive one, its worth it) pour yourself a glass and take a moment of silence to honor this time in history and for the works of all Winemakers at that time.