User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
2.5 stars. Beautiful setting and atmosphere. Unlikeable and irritating characters.
This book had so much potential. A popular champagne house in the French countryside during WWII. Fields of grapes and rolling hills. Hidden wine caves. Resistance work. Past and Present timelines. All of these aspects drew me into this intriguing storyline. However, the characters and romance aspect spoiled most of my enjoyment potential.
The main character is the wife of the owner of the champagne house. She is a selfish character who irritated me from start to finish. I couldn’t sympathize with any of her decisions. Quite honestly, she ruined the story for me.
A large issue I had with this story were the romances. The love triangles in the Past timeline were too much for me. They didn’t feel real. They weren’t something I could root for. The repercussions of these love triangles are what push the story forward and since I wasn’t bought into the romances to begin with, I had no investment in what happened. For me, the heavy romance aspect took away from the serious nature of the wartime situation. The Present day romance was not believable for me — overdone and obvious. It felt forced, unrealistic and convenient for the success of the storyline.
Overall, I liked the champagne house setting and atmosphere of this book. I learned new pieces of this time in our history which I appreciate. However, the characters didn’t work for me and the heavy unbelievable romance aspect overshadowed my sense of historical fiction enjoyment. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy romance, no-grit, lighter wartime stories.
Audio review: Overall, the narrators were enjoyable. Their french accents added to the narrative. Some of their character voice changes were over the top, but for the most part, the audio was well done.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my review copy!
Thank you to my lovely local library where I borrowed a copy of the audio.
Rating: really liked it
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Shuster Canada for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review. Kristin Harmel presents a well researched and detailed story set in wartime Reims France( 1938-1943) and the other in contemporary France( 2019). I gravitated to this story because I have visited Reims and its gorgeous cathedral Notre-Dame-de- Reims( the site in which many French monarchs were crowned) and was intrigued at the angle of the champagne industry and it's resistance during German occupation. Also, I did enjoy the author's 2018 book
The Room on Rue Amelie But what often had me considering DNFing or giving this a lower rating on Goodreads was the descent into historical romance. Michel, Ines, Cecile, and Theo were all so weak and I honestly hated all of them. It was so incredibly difficult to relate to characters that just kept cheating on each other( Ines, Cecile, Michel) or stuck their heads in the sand( Theo). I totally get it that ordinary people do exist and they cannot all be superheros, but this book hurt my heart.
In the contemporary storyline, American Liv and her grandmother, Edith arrive in Reims where Liv is told that this trip is significant. Of course, a romance is thrown into the mix and the big "reveal" was not a surprise at all.
Disappointing.
Goodreads Review 16/06/19
Publication Date 09/07/19
Rating: really liked it
The synopsis provided for this story is a bit misleading. Less than 15% of the story deals with the French Resistance; and moreover, it goes into little to no details about what they did other than hiding the munitions as stated in the synopsis. The members are never named, the groups are unknown, and the effect of their cause is anonymous. The reader never sees the outcome of what came from their help with the resistance and there is no action regarding the resistance movement.
The premise for this book was an interesting concept showing a different perspective of WWII German-occupied citizens: the winemakers. It was interesting that they were treated differently since the Nazi soldiers needed booze, and I would have liked more interaction between them.
This novel relishes in marital problems, affairs, and wine. The chapters alternate between Liz, Ines, and Celine. The reader is quickly made aware of Liz’s divorce in 2019 which causes her to fly to Reims, France to stay with her 99-year-old spunky Grandma Edith. Meanwhile set in 1943 during German-occupied France, Ines and Celine both express their own marital problems. The first half of the book primarily focuses on Ines and Celine’s relationship problems with their spouses. Ines constantly feels left out and insignificant, and for the reader it frequently feels like she is whining and can become annoying to suffer through the pages of her moaning about no one caring about her.
Overall, there was little depth to the main characters, so none of them really resonated with me. I didn’t like any of the characters set in the past, and I felt like it was hard to get to know them as a reader. On the other hand, I did like Grandma Edith and it was her relationship with Liv and the connection that was to be made between her and the past that caused me to keep reading. The ending was carefully crafted and enjoyable.
This is a good light read for those interested in both romance and wine. (There are pages and pages beautifully describing how wine is made.)
Thank you to Gallery Books, Kristin Harmel, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: really liked it
France, wine, WWII, present day, and love - all of this wrapped into one amazing, difficult-to-put-down read.
We meet Inez, Celine, Michel, Thor, Liv, and Liv's French grandmother, Edith, as the story moves back and forth in time.
We find out about the lives of the winemakers during the war and a secret that grandmother has kept for many years as well as a connection that the vineyards, a restaurant, and the characters have to both time periods and to their lives.
Grandmother Edith was my favorite character…mysterious and stubborn all rolled into one.
Liv was likable as well.
Inez, Celine, Michel, and Thor were interesting, and their wine tunnels were fascinating.
We learn more of the war, the resistance, the French people involved in the resistance, and how the danger of making one simple mistake could alter the safety of many people.
THE WINEMAKER’S WIFE is another marvelous, intriguing read about the resiliency and determination of the French people and the entire European population.
Those of us who were not living during this time, do not have any idea of the horrors and hardships endured by the European people.
Ms. Harmel weaved a beautiful tale filled with authentic characters and a story line that kept me turning the pages to learn more as well as cry with the characters.
Absolutely LOVED this book. Do not miss reading this book. 5/5
This book was given to me as an ARC by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Informative, beautiful, and tragic!
The Winemaker’s Wife is a stirring, immersive story set in France during the early 1940s, as well present day, that is told primarily from three different perspectives; Inès Chauveau, a young wife who after feeling neglected and misunderstood naively makes choices that have far-reaching, life-changing consequences; Céline Laurent, the half-Jewish wife of Chauveau’s winemaker who lives in constant fear of the advancing Germans except when deep within the vineyard caves where she finds solace, hope, contentment, and love; and Liv Kent, a recently divorced American who journeys to France at the request of her grandmother only to uncover a family history that’s littered with secrets, betrayals, and sacrifices.
The prose is preceptive, vivid, and sincere. The characters are courageous, vulnerable, and resilient. And the plot is a heartrending tale that gives us a unique view into the struggles, sacrifices, horrors, and bravery of those who lived and survived in the Champagne region during this heinous time in history.
The Winemaker’s Wife is, ultimately, a story about life, love, loss, deception, determination, perseverance, resistance efforts, intricacies of winemaking, and the importance of forgiveness. It’s pensive, moving, and thoroughly absorbing and a fantastic choice for historical fiction fans and book clubs everywhere.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
This is one of those times where I feel finishing the book was redemption.
This book features the Champagne area of France during WWII. We have alternating storylines with Ines Chauvin, Edith Thierry and Celine Laurent in the 1940's and present day with Liv. This is your standard historical fiction novel with a few twists, heartbreak and of course a background of tragedy with the holocaust casting a cloud over the novel. I appreciated the author's attempt to introduce a fresh perspective with the champagne house narrative and history, but it just didn't hit for me.
Most of the book was a challenge to connect to the characters. They are just so unlikable that it made it hard to find anyone to get behind in this story. I anticipated most of the twists that inevitably present themselves to the reader. I found myself finding most of the plot extremely hard to believe and was constantly rolling my eyes at the conveniences that kept popping up. I also hated the present day storyline- Liv and the lawyer fall in love almost immediately- is that realistic? Maybe, but not based on what the author wrote. While I appreciated the attempt Harmel tried with presenting Ines as someone that didn't believe what the Nazi's were orchestrating, I ultimately couldn't believe how stupid she was with her decisions during this period in history.
If I DNF'd books, this might've been one I would have set aside early on, however I am so glad I finished it. The end mostly redeemed this novel for me and brought my review up to 3 stars. This is one of those times where I am thankful that I am an eternal completest.
Thank you to Netgalley and Galley Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: really liked it
The Winemaker's Wife is my second book by Kristin Harmel. I am fascinated with WWII and tend to be drawn to books that take place during this time. Unfortunately, I loved the idea of this book more than the book itself and a lot of it had to do with the characters. That being said, there were parts of the book that appealed to me.
As with many historical fiction, there are dual timelines, present day 2019 and the 1940s. The majority of the book takes place in the Champagne province in northeast France. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the Maison Chauveau and its underground maze of caves and learning about the process of making/storing wine and champagne. The ending was also satisfying which bumped up my rating.
Now for my critiques. I struggled to connect with any of the characters. Ines was infuriatingly naive, immature and absolutely self-centered while Theo was clueless. I wish there would have been a little more attention given to the French resistance. That would have elevated this story and given it more depth in my opinion. I am normally really moved by books surrounding WWII, but sadly I felt no emotional connection to this story. I've gone back and forth with my rating, but it felt like more of a romantic drama rather than historical fiction which is a shame because I enjoyed her previous book that I read. 3 stars.
Rating: really liked it
This is a WWII Historical Fiction. This book is told in two timelines (1940's and 2019). I have found when a book is told in more the one timelines most the time I like one of the timelines and not the other one, but I liked both of the timelines in this book. The characters in this book is not lovable, but they grow on you as you read the book. This book brings to light that one big event can change so many peoples lives. There was so much going on in this book that I think even if you do not like WWII book you may still enjoy this book because this book is more like a family drama book that takes place in the 1940's.
Rating: really liked it
My thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for sending me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by the publisher.
Okay. Minority opinion alert. This book currently has a very respectable 4.14 average on Goodreads, so if the synopsis sounds like something you'll love, by all means, don't let my review turn you off of it. But my honest reaction to this novel was mainly disappointment.
To start with, the synopsis gave me an impression of a plot that was firmly rooted in the resistance movement in France. Unfortunately, this all felt very secondary in the novel, and the main thrust of the historical portion of the plot hinges around marital affairs and discord. In and of itself, this could have been a decent focus for a story (despite not being what I was expecting) had the characters involved been a bit more developed. All that being said, there were high stakes for this part of the book and good cause to be emotionally invested in the outcome.
The modern portion of the plot, by contrast, felt tacked-on and lifeless. Liv, much like the characters in the earlier timeline, feel quite underdeveloped, and she was without the benefit of the tension in the HF portion to push the story along. Liv is recently divorced and sad about it. A very obvious romantic interest figure pops into the story when Liv's grandmother, Edith takes her to France, and their romance is delayed to a positively ridiculous degree by a misunderstanding and multiple characters' failure to communicate very basic facts.
Harmel has quite a few novels under her belt, but this one unfortunately read like a debut, in my opinion. The characters were all very shallow, and were often unsympathetic when I believe the author did not intend for them to be. The plot sometimes strained the limits of incredulity, and the more interesting aspects of the story routinely took a back seat to things like wine making and affairs. The rating is comparable to her prior books, however, so I think it's safe to say that fans of her existing work will not be disappointed in this book as I was.
All that being said, I was still prepared to rate this around three stars rather than two until I got to a particular scene that cast the entirety of the book in a bad light for me. I will try to be as vague as possible to avoid giving away huge plot points, but some spoilers are ahead.
(view spoiler)
[
In a moment of distress, a character (I'll call her person A) confides in a person whom she knows to be a Nazi collaborator. The secrets she gives away lead to the arrest of several people, who then end up in a concentration camp. Years later, one of the characters who has managed to survive the camp (I'll call her person B) makes quite a point of saying that she doesn't blame the person who gave her up to the Nazis. Her reasoning is essentially that Person A was careless but not cruel. Again, I'd like to emphasize that Person A was well aware that her confidant was a Nazi collaborator.
I'm all for victims finding forgiveness for those who have harmed them if it helps them find peace, but Person B is not a real person with autonomy; she is a character being fed lines by an author. Forgiveness can be healing, but there's something about the narrative that seems to frame this as the "correct" choice, and that didn't sit well with me. Perhaps I'm entirely misreading the author's intentions, but this was the impression I left the book with, and it was enough to turn me off of a book I already had a rather lukewarm experience reading.
(hide spoiler)]Again, many readers thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you are a fan of Harmel's work, please do give it a chance. Unfortunately, this was my first impression of her work and I don't think I'll be reading another of her books.
You can read all of my reviews on my blog, Jenna Bookish!
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Rating: really liked it
Rating: 3.5 stars rounded down to 3 stars
This is a dual timeline book mainly focusing on northern France during WWII. There are some contemporary chapters interwoven which helped propel the storyline. I’m giving the book 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 stars. This book’s genre is Historical Fiction. For me there were not enough historical details about the French Resistance in the Champagne region of France during the war to sink my teeth into. It often felt more like a Romance or Chic-Lit/Women’s Fiction genre book.
There was a lot going on with the three main protagonists in the WWII era. There is Michel Chauveau, and his recently wed wife, Ines. Also in the mix are Theo and Celine Laurent. Michel recently inherited Maison Chauveau upon the death of his father. He has worked hard to learn the wine, specifically the champagne, business. Maison Chauveau is unique. Michel’s grandfather dug an elaborate system of caves under the main house. The grapes are made into champagne in the caves. The resulting bottles are stored and tended in the caves to until they are ready for market. Much of the dramatic action of the book takes place in the caves.
Theo is Michel’s chef du cave (cellar master). His half-Jewish wife, Celine, was raised in a winemaking family from Burgundy. She is a good resource for many facets of the wine making process. Ines is the odd person out in this mix. She has no wine making experience. She soon feels real and imagined slights from Michel and Celine. Her feeling of exclusion leads her to make some bad decision have catastrophic unintended consequences. However, she is not the only one with unclean hands.
Then we have the modern story of Grandma Edith and Liv. While reading the modern chapters I was usually impatient to return to the WWII era to see what new scrapes this foursome was encountering. This was a brutal time of German occupation, French citizens collaborating with the Germans, and French Resistance networks. Those elements were touched upon in the story. Michel was working for the Resistance. I would have liked to read more about that work in the book. The story often dipped into Romance/Chic Lit levels of angst, especially in the modern storyline.
I would recommend this book to wine making aficionados who want to learn more about the Champagne region during WWII. I would also recommend it to readers who usually enjoy Women’s Fiction and want to learn more about this region in France during WWII. The Author’s Notes at the end of the book also gave more resources for continued research about this era and region, and the backstory of how the book came about. I appreciated having that information.
‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Gallery, Pocket Books; and the author, Kristin Harmel for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
The Winemaker’s Wife is set in the beautiful Champagne region of France and it’s around 100 miles from Paris. The soil is chalky, rocky and the vines have to send their roots deep into the earth to survive and it gives the champagne a unique mineral flavor.
1940: Ines is married to Michel the heir of Maison Chauveau and he runs the famous champagne house with his head winemaker Theo Laurent and his wife Celine. Everyone in France is very worried after the Germans invade Poland; Michel starts making plans and begins hiding his priceless wine in the network of secret caves under the chateau. When the Germans arrive; they immediately start taking bottles of champagne, food, furniture and whatever else they want! Celine is part Jewish, she’s very anxious about her family’s safety and her husband Theo isn’t all that concerned! Michel decides to join the resistance, he's had enough of the German's and want's fight to free France. Soon both couple's marriages are struggling, tension escalates and will Ines crack under pressure and put everyone at the chateau at risk?
2019: Liv Kent’s 12 year marriage has ended her husband Eric has decided to move on and Olivia is devastated. She really didn’t see it coming, with her struggles to have a baby, Eric’s idea for her to stop working and he was planning to divorce her. Now she’s single, unemployed, living in a tiny flat, and childless. Her unconventional grandmother Edith arrives from America and whisks her off to Paris and takes her to Champagne. Her grandmother is 99, she’s always been rather erratic, her behavior becomes rather odd as soon as the plane lands in Paris and Liv is concerned.
The Winemaker’s Wife has a dual timeline account that alternates seamlessly between 1940 to 2019. It includes interesting information about the Champagne region during WW II; it’s full of suspense, mystery, danger and intrigue. The present day story is about Olivia's journey to discover the truth about her grandmother, family and what really happened during World War Two.
I’m a huge fan of Kristin Harmel’s books, this book doesn’t disappoint and five stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
Rating: really liked it
Once again Kristin Harmel has written an incredible, well researched, historical novel of living in France during WWll. Michel and his young wife Ines working their vineyard Madison Chauveau producing champagne near Reims, France. Being that I have owned my wine business and producing wine and champagne brings this story closer to my heart. The story moves back and forth in time allowing us to meet some very incredible people which makes “The Winemakers Wife” an I can’t put down read. Enjoy...cheers🥂
Rating: really liked it
3 champagne stars
This is a well-researched historical fiction tale set in the champagne region of France, mostly during WWII. I truly enjoyed learning more about the process of maintaining a vineyard, the process for making champagne, and a bit more about what the inhabitants of this region did as part of the French resistance.
The three women in this book – Celine, Ines, and Liv -- mostly didn’t capture my sympathy until the end of the book. They didn’t feel fleshed out and I struggled to understand why they acted in certain ways. I just didn’t connect to them in the way I do with a book that I love. There are elements of intrigue, secrets, and deception all woven into this one.
I really liked “The Room on Rue Amelie” by this author, so I will definitely read her next book, I wish I would have liked this one more.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kristin Harmel, and Gallery/Pocket Books for a copy of the book to read.
Rating: really liked it
What a story. It’s both complex, yet simple and embodies the feelings, ideas and fears of people, and how they vary in extreme situations (in this case WWII). You may be thinking, another WWII book; let me assure you there are thousands of WWII stories that are all very different and worth telling. Kristin Harmel tells one of them here.
ProtectionDuring great adversity we are reminded of what the essentials are for human beings; and what are great luxuries. The Nazi's were obsessed with ensuring they received all the luxuries; even so far as to remove paintings from museums and galleries. Here we see this greed and selfishness shown in their desire for good champagne. And this in turn offers our characters (including one with Jewish connections) protection, of sorts. The problem with protection during an adverse time like this is the enemy is not playing fair. And so, of course, the Nazi's take advantage of their advantageous position by demanding, threatening, and belittling our characters.
Spoiled ProductsOne of the most interesting pieces of The Winemaker's Wife is that our characters making the wine can choose to make it sub-par. They know how to tweak it to make it amazing; and how to spoil it just a little. We see them scheme, along with fellow champagne makers, to trick the Nazi's into thinking they are receiving the best product; whilst preserving the actual best product for the future. It's dangerous, but clever.
How It's MadeMaking champagne (or wine) is such an interesting process. I loved learning about it throughout this story. With a bit less detail, Kristin Harmel takes us though the process of making wine much like Lisa See did in The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane. What's cool about learning about creation or farming processes like this via fiction is that it's far less boring (at least to me) than reading a non-fiction novel. You also get to see the impact things like weather, harvest delays, machinery breaking, etc. has directly on the process and people involved. The Winemaker's Wife is the next best thing to actually going out and making champagne in France yourself.
Lust and SexIf you ever wanted to encounter a love-square/rectangle this is your book. Harmel gives our characters lusts for one another that make their lives a lot more complex than they needed to be (in an already complex time). That said it is what ultimately allows for our grand finale to be so stunning. Don't be surprised that there is a lot of sleeping around in this story. Scenes are all written tastefully, this is not smut and not really even romance; it's just a part of the story that affects people's interactions and motivations.
OverallI really enjoyed The Winemaker's Wife. Harmel brings us a WWII story that is unlike any other I've read. The scheming between characters (even those who are working together) is brilliant and the complexities of scamming the Nazi's are well explained. While not my favourite WWII fiction, this novel deserves to be on a shelf alongside most other recent WWII fiction. If you enjoy these types of stories about people persevering and surviving in war times then you won't be disappointed.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Rating: really liked it
I have no words. This was the most ridiculously silly WWII novel I have ever read. It totally trivializes the gravity of that period. The characters were cardboard and stereotypical. Ines was a complete idiot who seemed to not possess a single brain cell and Liv in the present time was pretty silly as well. This basically was a trite romance book. If you want an incredible WWII novel, try the "The Nightingale". I am frankly shocked at all the great reviews.
