Title:- Light Through The Vines
Author:- Fiona Valpy
Date published:- will be published on 1st September 2022
Publisher:- Lake Union
No. of pages:- 220 pages
Genre:- Literary
Rating;
Plot:- 3.5/5
Writing:- 3.5/5
Overall rating:- 3.5/5
In this tale of fresh starts in the Escape to France collection from bestselling author Fiona Valpy, Gina has lost everything. Can a crumbling old cottage offer her a new life, new love—and new hope?
Gina’s London life lies in tatters: she has lost her father, her steady job as a wine buyer and her suave but unfaithful boyfriend. When she also suffers the loss of her beloved aunt, a silver lining dawns in the shape of an unexpected legacy: Aunt Liz has left Gina her beautiful, if slightly ramshackle, house in the heart of Bordeaux wine country. With nothing left to lose, Gina takes a chance on a fresh start.
Throwing herself into her new life in the beautiful French countryside, Gina discovers the warmth of a close-knit—sometimes too close-knit—rural community and the exhausting exhilaration of the grape harvest under the late-summer sun. But just as she is beginning to feel like she belongs in her crumbling but charming home, she uncovers a long-hidden secret that makes her question the one person she used to trust the most. While she’s worrying that this is a sign to pack her bags and run, a storm blows a hole in the roof, and Gina finds herself with nowhere else to turn except her neighbour’s capable son for help.
Before long Gina finds herself admiring handsome Cédric for more than just his stonemasonry skills…But everyone she’s ever held dear has left her or betrayed her. And as the grapes ripen on the vine, can Gina find her way to forgiveness, and could it finally be time for her to open her heart to love again?
Fiona Valpy spent seven years living in France, having moved there from the UK in 2007. She and her family renovated an old, rambling farmhouse in the Bordeaux winelands, during which time she developed new-found skills in cement-mixing, interior decorating and wine-tasting.
All of these inspirations, along with a love for the place, the people and their history, have found their way into the books she’s written, which have been translated into German, Norwegian, Czech, Slovenian and Turkish.
Fiona now lives in Scotland, but enjoys regular visits to France in search of the sun.
Gina moves to France and inherits her aunt’s house in Bordeaux. She finds out that many years ago, her aunt Liz used to have an affair with her father, way before her father married her mother. Meanwhile, Gina meets handsome Cedric and as Gina is a bit insecure, she kind of has been distrusting people.
What I liked about this book is I liked reading about the beautiful scenic descriptions of Bordeaux France, that made me feel like I was in France with the main character. . Also this is a quick read and so if you are lookingto read a quick read historical or literary fiction, then this book is recommended. I also enjoyed reading about the wine making process in the story.
But the story is far predictable as I predicted most parts of the story. Other than that, it was beautifully written. Worth 3.5 stars.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
Tropical Girl Reads 