This book reeled me in from the very first chapter with all kinds of juicy, sensory descriptions. There is such an air of richness and full-color vibrancy on every page. Now add some magic, a little wine, and a broken, vengeful heart and the story just keeps getting better.
I loved the twist on this trope and the idea that a vineyard’s success and the depth and quality of its wine are tied to the finesse of a vine witch. Or that beer is brewed under the darker eyes of a bierhex. I loved the tension between Elena and Jean-Paul. It is very much a story of magic meets science where love overcomes every obstacle.
From the “love potions” baked in the town dessert shop to the dank witches prison to the colorful carnival, I was enamored by the descriptions and subtle details that put me square in the middle of the action.
For its fresh take on this trope, pure sensory fun, and a main character I couldn’t help but root for, this book earns a perfect 5-star rating from me.
Book Details
For centuries, the vineyards at Château Renard have depended on the talent of their vine witches, whose spells help create the world-renowned wine of the Chanceaux Valley. Then the skill of divining harvests fell into ruin when sorcière Elena Boureanu was blindsided by a curse. Now, after breaking the spell that confined her to the shallows of a marshland and weakened her magic, Elena is struggling to return to her former life. And the vineyard she was destined to inherit is now in the possession of a handsome stranger.
Vigneron Jean-Paul Martel naively favors science over superstition, and he certainly doesn’t endorse the locals’ belief in witches. But Elena knows a hex when she sees one, and the vineyard is covered in them. To stay on and help the vines recover, she’ll have to hide her true identity, along with her plans for revenge against whoever stole seven winters of her life. And she won’t rest until she can defy the evil powers that are still a threat to herself, Jean-Paul, and the ancient vine-witch legacy in the rolling hills of the Chanceaux Valley.
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