The Winemakers by Jan Moran

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Winemakers: A Novel of Wine and Secrets
by Jan Moran
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date April 5th 2016
Source: Netgalley
Genres: Historical Fiction
Goodreads

A young woman
A family secret
A devastating truth that could destroy the man she loves

Many years ago, the Rosetta family’s hard-won dreams of staking their claim in the vineyards of California came to fruition. Now high-spirited, passionate Caterina Rosetta, who has inherited both her mother’s talent for crafting the finest wines and also her indomitable will, wants nothing more than to win her mother’s approval and work at her side. But that can never happen, because Caterina is keeping a secret that could ruin her: a daughter of her own, fathered by the love of her life, who left her without explanation. Just as she feels she has nowhere to turn, Caterina discovers that she has inherited a vineyard in the Tuscan countryside in Italy, from a grandmother she’s never heard of, and she seizes the chance to start a new life for herself and her child.

But the past is not so easily outrun. In the country of her ancestors, Caterina meets the family of the father she never knew, and discovers that her mother is also hiding her own secret—a secret so devastating it threatens the future of everything her family has worked for. As an old murder comes to light, and Caterina uncovers a tragedy that may destroy the man she loves, she realizes her happiness will depend on revealing the truth of her mother’s buried past—if she has the strength to face it.
From author Jan Moran comes The Winemakers, a sweeping, romantic novel that will hold you in its grasp until the last delicious sip.

First Impressions

When I first acquired The Winemakers written by Jan Moran I looked forward to starting up my kindle for a fun historical set in Italy. Sadly, these thoughts were quickly diminished.

Impressions On Plot

Jan Moran has written a book the held potential but quickly went awry. What started out as a novel about discovering hidden family secrets spiralled into a sordid love affair. This would have been fine if it had been a subplot but it soon morphed into the main event. Add yourself a helping of incest and we have ourselves a Judith Krantz novel. Unfortunately, that is not even the tip of the iceberg. The reader is then introduced to her deranged father who is set upon ruining the family vineyard. The conclusion to the story was ridiculous. It had me saying “what, did that really just happen?” I was struck dumb by the demise of evil and predicted happy ending.

Impressions on Characters

The characters were all one dimensional with no one standing out. My biggest problem was with Caterina, she constantly wrestled between her love life and what was best for her daughter.  As a result, Caterina was an overgrown teenager pitching a fit when things don’t go their way. It annoyed me to no end. I would have been perfectly happy if Caterina fell into a wine vat.

Final Impressions

In short, The Winemakers was a bust. It didn’t hold any surprise or originality that made me look forward to reading at night. Instead of going to bed with a good book, I found my eyes rolling.