3.5 Stars rounded to 4 stars
Free download from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Ellen Bradshaw owner of the Vineyard wine bar goes on her travels and leaves Lindsay in charge alongside her daughter Piper Bradshaw. Lindsay has to get permission from Piper if she plans any changes to the Vineyard that will cost money.
Well written story, obviously well researched into the wine trade, and that side of it was quite interesting. Lindsay was a bubbly lovely character and her enthusiasm for the wine bar kept the story going. Piper was the  ice queen with issues. I thought the ending was a bit rushed and that they were a couple of loose ends which were not very clear. Good warm romance to read on a cold night.

This book was such a treat! It was fun, gave me feelings and on top of that, it was educational. Now, more than ever, I really want to try a blend. *lol* 

The best thing about this book are the two main characters. They're described in a real way, and you can't help falling in love with them. Piper is such a cool human being, buried under many layers of frostiness, and Lindsay is an unsure-of-herself woman wrapped in a cocoon of happiness and smiles. They're flawed and they're perfect in my eyes.

This book made me want to read more Georgia Beers.

While I usually throughly enjoy all Georgia Beers novels, this one was especially great. I really loved the premise around the wine bar. Lindsay was a great character and I felt a kinship as I didn't know much about wine until my wife started to get into it and while I still don't drink a ton I know a lot more about it than I used to. So it was actually fun learning a few more tips while reading this book. Piper was a great character as well, it was easy to see that she was still grieving her father's death and that made her interactions come across as they did. The couple was fun and I'm glad it worked out like it did. Was a great novel and I look forward to the next!

I love Georgia Beers books.  Unfortunately not all of them can be 5 star.  But this one is a strong 4 star.  4 star only because the story was mostly very predictable. ( I prefer her more unpredictable books such as "Fresh Tracks" ) This was a good romance with interesting dialog and definitely increased my interest in wine.  And the story definitely sparked many strong emotions.  Most of the story is full of warmth but about 3/4s of the way it takes a very hateful turn. (one of those strong emotions I experienced)  This is what good writing is all about.  Actually making the reader respond emotionally.  Kudos to Ms Beers for another good read.

Beers is definitely one of my favorite authors when it comes to this genera, as I am never disappointed. You can actually sense how much care and attention went into writing this as you read through. 
This story is about two women, who have to work together to successfully manage a wine bar that had been left in their care, while the owner goes on an extended vacation. I love all things Pride and Prejudice themed, and this book definitely has a similar feel to it. One character is slightly arrogant and cold, while the other is free spirited and fun loving. Naturally, they have a lot to overcome in order to get past their initial rocky relationship.
This story captured all of my attention, and I ended up reading it in one sitting. I think the characters were relatable and their interactions had a realistic feel. There’s a great back story for both women, so I think that helped make the characters come to life.
I love the detail about wine. Beers either knows a decent amount about wine tasting, or did her research, because I was inspired to learn more after reading this. 
To answer some random questions I usually want to know before reading: Yes, there’s some angst to this. Normally, I’d take a star away, because I loathe angst. It’s usually just an overly dramatic space filler that doesn’t seem realistic, given the characters’ personalities. In this case, I’d say the angst was on the verge of being pointless, but I think it worked and was written tastefully. There’s a little bit of graphic content, but it’s not the focal point of the story. There is indeed a dog in the book, so that’s a huge plus! I don’t recall there being any fowl language, but my own extensively inappropriate vocabulary probably means that I fly past or can’t pin point any in books. There’s no cliff hanger, so the book will thankfully leave you with all questions answered. 
Overall, I highly recommend this story if this genre appeals to you!

Lindsay Kent is the manager of Vineyard, a wine bar owned by the widowed Mrs. B.  When Mrs. B decides she needs more adventure in her life, she leaves Lindsay in charge of the bar indefinitely, with the freedom to make the changes she’s been dying to do.  The catch is that she has to get approval from Mrs. B’s prickly daughter, Piper Bradshaw, for any changes that require spending money.  If it sounds contrived, it’s because it is.  It’s a pretty standard romance formula, with not much thrown in to make it stand out.  Piper was not likable, despite the author’s efforts to explain her control issues and emotional unavailability on missing her deceased father.  Lindsay was a character to root for, with imagination, character, humor, and heart.  I just think she could have done better.  I love a good romance novel, but this one was only okay.

The story is basically about an ice queen that thaws with a few glasses of wine. There is enough there to hold your attention throughout the whole book.

BLEND is an opposites-attract romance between a light-hearted and warm Lindsay, a wine bar manager, and the prickly and emotionally distant Piper, daughter of the wine bar owner. This is a trope that Beers favors (all five books I’ve read by her have been opposites attract). The romance develops slowly. My only problem with this slower development is that we end up with a tiny view of them as a couple. And with so little weight behind the romance, we barely have enough time to believe that they will last and that the professions of love are meaningful.

While Lindsay does grow as a character, BLEND definitely belongs to Piper. She has to confront how much she misses her father, how she doesn’t want his wine bar to change, and how to be with someone who is always open about her feelings. Interestingly (strangely maybe), most of Lindsay’s story involves details of wine bar operations, but we never really know what Piper does for a living. And while the book manages to give us a lot of Piper’s sorrow, it barely touches how irrelevant Lindsay’s family makes her feel. It’s a peculiar disparity especially for a book that has so little story.

Also, there is a scene in the book where Lindsay and Piper are discussing when they knew they were gay. It could have been a nice scene, but it was muddled by the idea that the best indicator of sexuality is gender expression. Piper knew she was gay when she was young because she was a tomboy and liked sports, while Lindsay did not realize she was a lesbian because she preferred typically “girly” things. Is this a scenario that is true for many queer people? Yes; however, it isn’t universal and implying as much is harmful when we still seem to be having conversations on who is queer enough.

One of the book’s greatest flaws is the black moment that relies on a power dynamic that never really feels present until the end of the book. Lindsay manages the wine bar, but Piper controls the finances. On a particularly bad day, Piper ends up firing Lindsay. First, there is so little conflict in the book that this feels unnatural and as if it comes out of nowhere. Second, it drags in a power dynamic that wasn’t really present for most of the book. We go from sort of a coworker situation to boss-employee. And boss-employee romances involve an intense power dynamic that needs to be navigated carefully, and I don’t remember seeing the employee fired. As a romance reader, it seems like a step too far. Could Lindsay forgive Piper for stealing her security? Could Lindsay trust Piper again when her reaction to a very bad day is to fire her lover? I don’t know, but I know I wouldn’t.

Power dynamics are treacherous, and BLEND didn’t handle them with the care and consideration they need. This relates to a more general complaint I have with a great deal of f/f romance: the conflict is so minimal that the black moment usually feels forced and untrue to the characters...but someone could write an essay on that.

Wow this one was good as well Piper ambitious and right down judgemental especially towards Lindsay. She assumed Lindsay was lazy, hippy and to happy for a liking and couldn't see why her parents hired her in the first place. Given the chance Piper began to see what her parents and her sister Gina saw. She was what Piper needed even when she didn't know it.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

I like Georgia Beers, and I’ve read most of her books. This one was ok, but not great. I liked both main characters, but for some reason they didn’t click for me as a couple. 

The plot is fairly formulaic. Lindsay is a nice, sweet woman who manages a wine bar, and Piper is the owner’s (corporate big wig) daughter, when said owner decides to go on a months long holiday she leaves them both in charge, but they don’t like each other (mostly Piper doesn’t like Lindsay) but are attracted to each other anyway. I’m sure you can figure out what happens from there. I know I could. 

Their relationship does unfold over a good length of time, but it still felt superficial. Even though the two characters do interact a fair bit, they still don’t really get to know each other, and yet they manage to fall in love. There’s also a ridiculously contrived breakup that involves a storyline that does not get wrapped up, it was literally just shoehorned in to provide ‘drama’.

There’s also a boring corporate storyline for Piper (in place only to show her ‘emotional growth’) and both women seem to talk to their respectively pets more than to each other. Secondary characters mainly show up just to give pep talks to the MC’s. 

And then there’s the wine. A lot of wine. So. Much. Wine. Drinking wine, talking about wine, talking about the people drinking the wine, talking about the place where you drink the wine. I don’t drink, and I don’t know anything about wine, which isn’t an issue, lots of books have characters working at or doing stuff that’s not familiar, and if done right, it can be interesting and you feel like you learned something. Here I just felt like I read more about wine than I did about the characters. 

All in all, this is average, it’s not Beer’s best book by far ([book:Starting from Scratch|6906054]), if you like wine, then maybe you’ll enjoy it more than I did.

Wow, I liked everything about the book -> it's setting, te slow-build story and the chemistry between the two main characters is like drinking a good bottle of wine. Once you uncork the bottle of wine, you will enter a world of infinite possibilities that will delight your senses and the magic starts to happen ;)

I really enjoy reading this author's work, particularly of late. She combines just the right amount of humor, heat, and heartbreak to make me want to continue reading. Reading this book was a very slow start for me. I loved the premise, but when I began reading, it just didn't hook me at first. May just have been me, but I would read a chapter and put it down, not really vested in the story...at first. If you're feeling the same way, stick with it - the good stuff comes quite a few chapters in, and once I got there, I couldn't put this down.  Very well done.

Lindsay is happy to take on the responsibility of the wine bar she works at, but the owner's daughter, Piper, seems to have a problem with it.
Both woman a wonderful characters and the chemistry is intense. The emotional development and the unfurling of the romance is very convincing and captivating. One of  Georgia Beer's best books.
I loved every moment.

Blend is my first novel by Georgia Beers, but it won't be my last! It's a beautifully written story that's a perfect blend (forgive me, I had to because it's just so accurate) of everyday life, heartwarming friendships, and a begrudging coworkers to lovers story. It's a remarkably relatable romance that's well-paced and nicely wrapped up. It's soulful enough to stick with you, but not excessively dramatic--a perfect rainy day or vacation read. 

I loved the dual POV narration and getting inside both Piper and Lindsay's heads, and Vineyards seems like a lovely place to stop for some wine and cheese.

Georgia Beers hits all the right notes with this romance set in a Wine Bar. Like the title, Beers’ novel blends the storylines of her main characters Piper and Lindsay in her signature style. The story is subtle, yet compelling as the lead characters grapple with issues of self-esteem, grief, and ethical dilemmas. A low angst read it still delivers a story rich in heart-rending moments before the characters get their happy ever after.  A well-crafted novel, Blend is a marvelous way to spend an evening curled up with a large glass of your favorite vintage.

I just love Georgia Beers books. This was my 17th book by her. Her writing just works for me, and it appears to be getting better with every book. I enjoyed her earlier works, but I love her newer books. It isn’t a new idea but the whole dislike to love romance really worked with Lindsay and Piper. Lindsay’s character was awesome. She was trusting and full of ideas to bring the Vineyard back to life, while Piper is trying to hold on to the past. I loved the setting, I loved the buildup of the relationship and for me this one just worked. Chemistry is well written and I had trouble putting it down once I started. Saved this one for my weekend read, so if you want to relax with an awesome book written by a never fails to deliver author this is the one.

Reading this book was very much like watching one of those feel good movies. You can’t help but enjoy the journey Beers takes us on. Lindsay Kent has found her dream job, managing the Vineyard, where wine rules. When she is asked to look after the bosses pride and joy she looks on it as a chance to spread her wings and grow the business to new heights while keeping her regular customers happy while bringing in some new clients. Piper Bradshaw loves her mother but having to help Lindsay with the actual day to day running of the Vineyard isn’t something she looks forward to. She has her own life and work to keep her busy. Lindsay and Piper couldn’t be more different but this is what makes for a good read. Simply another great read by one of my favorite authors.

Georgia Beers is onto a winner with Blend. Absolutely loved the story and the characters were just great. I just loved both Lindsey and Piper and was rooting for them from the moment they met. This is an enjoyable story and a sweet romance. Would I recommend.....yes I would

Beers is easily one of my favorite authors and like all her others this short novel did not disappoint.