Wine People
Michelle Wildgen

“In her five years in the wine business, Wren observed many roads into the industry-an affinity for chemistry, history, travel;an auspicious mix of boredom and family money;unchecked hedonism-but surprisingly few ways out.”

With this banger of a paragraph, Wine People begins, an intelligent, hilarious book that centers around two women in the wine industry, Wren and Thessaly. Both entered the industry in different ways with different backgrounds, styles and attitudes regarding the wine industry, but they soon discover the potential for a perfect partnership while their friendship develops as well. After finishing this book, I also felt like I learned a lot about the wine industry, from production to sales.

Just one example of the gorgeous writing found throughout the book:
“The wine was good and young and new and well made, yes- but so was the moment. The pleasure in this wine was inseparable from sitting here, and as trite as being together and sharing wine sounded, it was also simply true.”

Beautifully written, interesting characters and a rare view into the world of wine.

Thanks to Zibby Books for the ARC!

If you’re interested in learning more about the wine industry, and also enjoy reading about the complexities of female friendship, then Wine People by Michelle Wildgen is just the book for you. What a treat this was to read! It checked so many of my boxes, and I found it extremely entertaining, educational, and intriguing. I’m really not a big drinker, but when I do partake, wine is always my alcoholic beverage of choice. My idea of a perfect Friday night includes a good book, bubble bath, and a glass of wine, so picking up this novel was a no-brainer for me. I must say that Wildgen truly did a fabulous job mixing fiction with a behind-the-scenes look at the wine industry. I learned SO much from this novel. Everything from growing, tasting, importing, and sales—the author didn’t miss a thing. I loved being in Wren and Thessaly’s world, witnessing their struggles and successes in this male-dominated industry.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Wine (Duh! 🤪)
- Food and travel
- Female friendship
- Strong and ambitious female characters
- Workplace drama/politics
- Unique plots
- Light romance

Wine People releases on August 1st, and it gets a solid 4/5 stars from me. Winos definitely need to check this one out!

Wine People tells the story of the people who work in a wine distribution company. The focus is on two young women in different areas of the company who begin as "rivals" then form a friendship and coalition of sorts. Though I enjoyed the book, the plot was a bit predictable and I soon tired of the myriad descriptions of food and drink. It was all just a bit too much "inside baseball" for me.

Wine People expertly blends the complexities of the wine industry, entrepreneurship, and ambition through the lens of a budding friendship turned business partnership between 30 somethings Wren and Thessaly. This latest title from Zibby Books brims with distinct, relatable characters, rich settings, and a few steamy scenes that were quite fun to read. Wildgen's thoughtful, layered storytelling brought me into a world I didn't know existed and left me with a subtle aftertaste that will never make me look at a bottle of wine the same way again!

As a wine lover, I knew I would enjoy this book just because of the title and cover! I was intrigued by the in-depth look behind the scenes of what the wine industry is like and loved learning about new varietals. Following Wren and Thessaly was a great opportunity to see what two women who hadn’t intended on being friends were able to do together, while ultimately recognizing their individual dreams.

What a great way to see into the wine world. It was nice to follow the friendship of two very different women trying to make it in a very competitive industry. This story kept me engaged from the beginning and interested all the way through.

One part Succession, one part Sideways, and one part Fleabag.

This book presented a unique take on women working in the wine industry that I feel like I haven’t seen anywhere before. I also appreciate how real and flawed the two main characters are throughout the arc of their friendship. I could see aspects of myself or my friends within them.

I wish the format of the book had been slightly different, maybe one chapter focused on Wren then the next one on Thessaly, as the point of view jumps around quite a bit. Regardless, I was still able to follow along and enjoy this read.

Thank you Zibby Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wine People is the story of two young women working for a high end wine importer in New York City. The intricacies of the wine business are explained in a detailed but very enjoyable manner. That portion of the book was very interesting. It also served as another example of how pretty much everything in life is based on the relationships you form with others. The relationships needed for a successful wine business set the backdrop to the relationship formed by the two main characters- Thessaly and Wren.
Michelle Wildgen does a fantastic job of creating a true female friendship story. Both Thessaly and Wren are relatable real characters and the ups and downs of the friendship are true to life. The book explores how colleagues can become close friends and continue to work together. It shows how women's strengths can be complementary, and when they work together and respect each other they thrive.
Overall this is a very enjoyable quick read. You will not be disappointed. The descriptions of the wine will definitely leave you wanting a glass, or two!

First rivals and then allies and eventually friends, Wren and Thessaly are women in the wine industry; one a consummate insider, the other an uncertain outside. When a succession drama plays out at their company, the two women, convinced that together they can usher in the next chapter for the company, strive to make each other better.

Wine People was an interesting insider look into the wine industry. The story takes you from New York to Northern California to France to Germany to Italy, sharing a glimpse into the world of importers, growers, and makers. I loved the behind-the-scenes peek almost as much as I love a good Cabernet.

Thank you to @netgalley @zibbybooks and @MSWildgen for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I've been really intrigued by the books that Zibby has published this year so I'm so glad I finally got around to reading one! Books like this remind me of how much I love descriptions of food and drink in books. The descriptions of the wine made me feel like I was drinking them myself. But my favorite aspect of this book was the exploration of female friendship. At first Wren and Thessaly are in competition with one another, as so many women often are (or feel like they are). But as they both evolve they come together and create new careers for themselves. Their relationship ebbs and flows but remains the central aspect of the story throughout the entire novel. The side cast of characters supported the story without overshadowing Wren and Thessaly as well. Definitely a great read, especially for young women.

Wren went from pouring wine at a James Beard nominated restaurant to working for Lionel Garrett Wine Imports, a distributor! When Lionel Garrett announces his retirement, Wren thinks he could be bluffing as he liked to keep them on their toes. But this got everyone talking and vying for Lionel’s position. Who will end up getting the position?

Wren, unlike Thessaly, had to work hard to get where she is today, while Thessaly came from her family’s wine business. She was practically handed her job. Both have knowledge or experience the other one doesn’t have. Can Wren be just as successful or will Thessaly always have the advantage?

A highly entertaining story that highlights the ins and outs of working in the wine industry! A fun summer read for your pool or beach bag!

Thanks to Zibby Books, I was provided an ARC of Wine People by Michelle Wildgen via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A book that everyone need to read this summer! Wine People is an ode to the complexity of working friendships

Interesting insider look at the wine industry through the eyes of two women - Wren and Thessaly - who are alternate between allies and competitors in this high stakes world. Thank you to NetGalley and Zibby books for the ARC

Wine People
Lionel Garret ran a boutique wine distribution firm in NYC. When he announced that he was thinking of retiring, several top employees angled to be his successor. Two of them , Wren and Thessaly, were very ambitious but realized that it would be difficult to be appointed successor due to the fact that they were women.

These two very different women eventually became allies in their quest. Wren was a self educated Midwesterner who had problems with family and relationships. Thessaly was the daughter of wine growers in the Sonoma area of California. They had different goals but were both immersed in the wine culture.
The author explores the inner workings of wine distribution and sales. She explains how the bottled wine is marketed to distributors and gets onto the shelf in a store or to your table in a restaurant. She also explains the competitive world of wine sales. I found the first half slow going but the second half made up for the slow start. I think wine lovers would enjoy this story of two high powered women who used their diverse talents to succeed.
I received this ARC from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Two young women work in sales and operations for a wine importer in NYC. Thessaly comes from a California wine growing family and Wren comes from a modern Midwest upbringing. They’re a bit wary of and competitive with each other even at their male-dominated, cutthroat company that demands a high tolerance for alcohol and a lively after work social calendar. When rumors swirl of a shakeup and potential promotion opportunity at the importer, both women step their game up and begin to form a friendship and an alliance.

Following Thessaly and Wren at work, on business trips to Europe, and across the country in their endeavors, Wine People is a story of the wine world and female friendship, both with their highs and lows.

Oh, how this book was so very different than expected! I truly thought I’d get some sort of rom-com, over the top, absolutely predictable book about how wine brings everyone together (eight hundred grapes, anyone?). Instead, this novel delivered wine INDUSTRY drama, which for me is WAY more fun.

I had a hard time with everyone’s names being very bland (besides Wren and Thessaly), but other than that this one was solid. The character arc was pretty good - not perfect, but thought out. Wildgen could have explained Wren a bit more, and Thessaly was all over the place which didn’t reveal itself until the ending. I think the book works well with ONE character being inexplicable but when it’s both mains, it makes it a bit harder to execute.

Anyway, a really wonderful story of two women wanting a corporate change, talk each other into starting a company, only to realize that dreams only take you so far and sometimes, you have to do what makes your heart beat. I loved the ending, I loved the mess, I loved that this one was HUMAN. A wonderful book club book.

This book hit home for me, especially working in the wine industry I appreciated so many of its accuracies.

At first I was a little hesitant I wasn’t going to like this story. I didn’t understand how Wren and Thessaly were going to last an entire book when their work relationship was barely existent at the start of the story.
But then I realized their trust (vs competitiveness) in each other was the crux of this tale. As a woman in a male dominated industry, this story centers around how two females who were overlooked for a deserved promotion too a chance and made their careers their own. It wasn’t without its ups and downs but I found myself invested in their tale. I also appreciated how realistic their career path was and that life never looks like you expect it too. This was a fun read and one I will remember for a long time.

If you're a wine lover, you'll love this book! A fast read about female friendship in the wine industry.

The story follows Thessaly and Wren at they navigate a male-dominated wine industry. They start off as competitors and then realize that they can be friends and allies. I really enjoyed the character developments in both them as individuals and their friendship with one another..

Wren and Thessaly both work for a wine importer and have goals to make a career of it and move up the ranks. When an opportunity comes up to rise up the ranks they discover that there is more power in working together. They forge an unlikely alliance but will it help them meet their goals? A story of wine and finding a way to create a life you want.

I was interested to read a book set in the world of wine sales (very original!), specifically a boutique wine importer in New York City (sign me up for anything set in this city). Thessaly and Wren are the two main characters and when we meet them they are pitted against each other in their competitive company. As the story unfolds, the relationship between these two women evolves and they realize they are actually friends and could possibly even be great business partners. I enjoyed following the developments in this friendship and the specific challenges that they, as women, faced in such a male dominated industry.

Perfect to read with a glass of a summery Chardonnay!