Instant #1 bestseller from The Globe and Mail (Toronto) and The Toronto Star “Love and betrayal, forgiveness and redemption combine in a heady tale of the ever-present past…fantastic!” —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris The author of the “engrossing” (People) international bestseller The Room on Rue Amélie returns with a moving story set amid the champagne … bestseller The Room on Rue Amélie returns with a moving story set amid the champagne vineyards of northern France during the darkest days of World War II, perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale.
Champagne, 1940: Inès has just married Michel, the owner of storied champagne house Maison Chauveau, when the Germans invade. As the danger mounts, Michel turns his back on his marriage to begin hiding munitions for the Résistance. Inès fears they’ll be exposed, but for Céline, half-Jewish wife of Chauveau’s chef de cave, the risk is even greater—rumors abound of Jews being shipped east to an unspeakable fate.
When Céline recklessly follows her heart in one desperate bid for happiness, and Inès makes a dangerous mistake with a Nazi collaborator, they risk the lives of those they love—and the champagne house that ties them together.
New York, 2019: Liv Kent has just lost everything when her eccentric French grandmother shows up unannounced, insisting on a trip to France. But the older woman has an ulterior motive—and a tragic, decades-old story to share. When past and present finally collide, Liv finds herself on a road to salvation that leads right to the caves of the Maison Chauveau.
more
Love and betrayal, forgiveness and redemption combine in a heady tale of the ever present past…fantastic!
Set against all the danger and drama of WWII Paris, this heartfelt novel will keep you turning the pages until the very last word.
I admit when my friend suggested this book for our monthly buddy read I was like ok. I wasn’t thrilled and the reason being was the cover turned me off. It felt ugly and boring and every time I looked it I thought the story would be too. I was WRONG! The story is anything but boring. I describe the story as fascinating, heartbreaking, triumphant and riveting.
I have read quite a few WWII historical fiction novels lately that go from present to past as alternating viewpoints throughout the story but for some reason, this felt fresh and exciting to read. The story of Ines, Celine, Michel, and Edith feels so real that as you read you physically experience what they are as much as you can. I admit I full out bawled the last 50 pages. I still get teary-eyed thinking about the ending.
Look past the cover and give this book a try. I think you will be as moved as I was.
Diving into The Winemaker’s Wife, I was swept away to the Champagne region of France where the story truly unfolds. I could imagine myself in among the shops and restaurants of Reims and also within the caves of the vineyard of Chauveau.
A touch of French Resistance, a splash of romance, and the reality of what some must do in order to survive a war. I found myself brought to tears a few times throughout the story, which to me means Kristin Harmel wrote a compelling story that moved me as a reader. If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, this is a must read.
Written in heart-wrenching prose, THE WINEMAKER’S WIFE is a complex story of love, betrayal and impossible courage set in the champagne growing region of France during World War II. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and savored every moment at the same time.
With exceptional skill, Kristin Harmel constructs The Winemaker’s Wife between the past and the present, giving equal weight and importance to both, all the while weaving a tale full of secrets and betrayals that puts to the test mankind’s strength, fragility and vileness. Once you start reading this moving novel, you will not be able to put it down until you reach the last page.
I loved this book that alternates between France during the nazi-occupied years of World War 11 and the present. Newly-divorced Olivia Kent goes to the Champagne area of France with her French grandmother where she learns about her family’s astonishing history. This tale of love and betrayal, guilt and redemption is alarming and heart-warming by turn and a page turner to the very last word.
Kristin Harmel is a wonderful storyteller who combines her beautiful writing with her extensive research to bring her readers another outstanding story. This time it’s about a family winery near Reims during WWII. Many of the families who owned winerys in the area were part of the Resistance – some on a very small scale by using dirty bottles and bad corks on the wine that was for the Germans but others on a much larger scale – storing guns and hiding downed pilots and refugees in the underground caves where the wine was stored. The Winemaker’s Wife is the fictional story of one of those families.
This is a dual time line book that takes place in the 1940s in France as well as current times in the US and France. As you read the story, you know that they will intersect at some point and when they do, it’s a real surprise. I enjoyed both story lines and the characters in both time periods.
1940 in Champagne, France. Michael is the owner of champagne house Maison
This beautiful well written novel is about family – past and present and about love and forgiveness – not only of others but more importantly of yourself.
Nazis occupy the Champagne area of France near Reims. Some good happens but so much tragedy after choices made by love, bravery, hurt and the war. Meanwhile, almost 70 years later Grandmother Edith brings Liv to Reims, trying to tell her the story of the times of occupation and resistance.
Kristin Harmel’s use of dual timeline between WW2 and the present enhances the tension and keeps the pages turning! Her characters are so believable, the writing is exquisite. If you are a fan of WW2 fiction, Kristin puts the reader right in the middle of Champagne country in France. Both tragic and hopeful, this book is simply wonderful.
I enjoyed the end because it surprised me. Some of the main characters were a bit whiny. Their behavior in certain circumstances less than believable, but that might just be from my perspective.
Love the book in revealing the strength of the women in WWII and the wine industry in France. I loved the dual timeline as well.
This novel takes place in the Reims area of France. The most coveted champagnes in the world are produced there. But it was also one of the most contested areas during World War II evidenced by the number of vineyards bombed there during the conflict. This story is told in dual timelines, but in three voices. Liv wonders about her family’s past. Ines and Celine live through it in those violent times as they struggle to survive and still produce the wine at the Maison Cheveau. The book started slow for me. I had trouble finding my stride as the story started with a lot of French terms and names that I found intimidating. But once those things became familiar to me, the story began to flow. And I found that there were times I couldn’t put it down. By the end of the book, I was fully committed. I would even go so far as to say that I had a book hangover after putting it down. So my advice for all of you contemplating this book is to go for it, but be willing to get familiar with all those names and situations that seem daunting at first. The story is a good one, but not all light and melodies. This book deals with heavy subjects, and things may not always be as they seem.
Enjoyed the different perspective. Loved the twist in the end although was slightly predictable. beautifully written and very picturesque.
This is an entertaining, well-written, fast paced, WWII historical fiction, romance novel. It has infidelity, heartbreak, intrigue, mystery, secrets, and a happily ever after ending.
I LOVED this book. Could NOT put it down! Great characters, surprise ending.
The story was interesting, but the characters were one- dimensional. The narrative and dialogue were uninteresting, even cliched.
A perfect historical fiction drama. Love Love Loved it!
We can’t hide our heads in the sand, look the other way when the enemies prowl about! today!! The French vs Nazi Germany in WWII A good read.
If you are a history buff and love historicals, you will love this book. Kirstin Harmel does it again. This book starts in the present day and then flips and flops back and forth as Grandma Edith takes Olivia(Liv) on a trip through France and her memories. Written about a dark, depressing time, this book is a beautiful ode to friendship, not the pretty fluff and flowers kind but the deep true friendship and honor type. Due to the times and what was happening around them, Choices are made that may not be the best but all do what they can.