In the spirit of The Tattooist at Auswitz and the Librarian of Aushsw, There Winemaker's wife did not disappoint. Kristin has captured all of the feels and left me breathless.

The Winemaker’s Wife (Gallery Books August 13, 2019) is an eloquent historical novel that reveals its multiple but ultimately linked story lines in rich, careful layers—much like a fine mystery novel. The writing is lush, often lyrical, the crossing plot lines captivating, the history stunning, and the characters intriguing and memorable. Kristin Harmel does herself proud once again.

The rest of the review, written for Compulsive Reader, will be posted along with a link once CR has published the review. Shorter reviews will also be posted at Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, and Bookbub.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book. I loved reading it. And I sincerely hope that others will feel the same about it. Switching between WW II and the present the book is an amazing inside about Europe's history and a love story in a tiny little French village situated in the Champagne. I highly recommend reading it

Thank you to Net Galley and Pocket Books for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. What an interesting book about WW II and yet another aspect of it I knew little about. This book focused on the area in France where Champagne and wine flourished. Edith is nearly 100 years old, and she wants her granddaughter to learn about the region of her heritage, with hard truths coming to light. I liked this book a great deal, and I'm picky about this period. I loved the information at the end, giving me new insight into the sparkling beverage we take for granted. I didn't love some of the main characters that you'd have thought I would. I highly recommend this one.

This book has been on my radar for quite some time as one of my most anticipated historical fiction reads of 2019. I was so excited when I was selected to read it early! Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster. With that being said I love a good World War II romance novel that takes a look on the war from a different perspective. What I loved about this read was the vivid descriptions and the past and present that wove their way together intricately but perfectly.

If you liked The Commandant's Wife, or The Lost Girls of Paris or The Nightingale you will love this book! Filled with interesting characters in trying situations, it's hard to put it down; I always wanted to know what happened next!

Two families work together in Champagne France to make wonderful wine for champagne house Maison Chauveau. Michel and his young wife Ines own the winery which has been in the family for generations. When the Germans come to down, Michel does what he can to hide the wines from the Germans while still meeting their demands, so the winery will survive the war. Ines is devoted to Michel but feels that he treats her like a flighty child, and protects her too much. When Michel joins the resistance to fight against the Germans, Ines is devastated that he won't include her and makes some decisions that put them in danger.

Celine is married to the chef de cave, Theo Laurent. When the Germans come to the chateau, Theo's preference would be to find a way to get along with them. But Celine is half Jewish, a fact this is not widely known, but not secret either. It had never been an issue before, but in German occupied France that changes dramatically. Theo does not know that Michel is part of the resistance, and soon Celine joins him in his secret rebellion against the Germans. Their mutual resistance turns into mutual attraction. While unaware that they are lover's, Ines's jealousy at not being included in Michel's activities leads her to some truly terrible decisions with potentially devastating consequences.

Fast forward to 2019. Liv Kent is recovering from a disastrous marriage when her eccentric grandmother takes her off to France, not exactly to recover but for reasons of her own. Grandmother Edith has always been somewhat of a mystery and has always refused to discuss her past, but in France that begins to change. Clearly something is on Edith's mind, but what? And what does it have to do with Maison Chauveau? The alternating story lines, past and present, come together in a stunning conclusion.

The Winemaker's Wife is a really great story. From time to time I did get frustrated with Ines' immaturity and self centeredness, but it was very satisfying watching her grow. Michel is a classic hero, one we'd all like to fall in love with. The Winemaker's Wife is a very enjoyable read for those who like books of this time period (I do!),

This book was received as an ARC from Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Historical Fiction has taken a new trend at our library and our patrons loved The Lost Girls of Paris and I know from reading Winemaker's Wife and the enriched history behind the story, they will love this one too. I love all the Historical facts woven into the plot that Kristin Harmel exemplified throughout the book. This book also reminded me a lot of the Zookeeper's Wife and how she protected all the Jewish children and people from the Nazis and how she was determined to save their lives similar to the risk Inez and Celine made with having love at their fate risking their own lives. This book will definitely be a hit throughout our library.

We will consider adding this title to our Historical Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I respect that I'm in the minority here, but I couldn't get into this book.

The French Resistance has been done to death. Edith read like a charismatic knock off of Quinn's Eve in the Alice Network, and the novel is so vested in martial woes that the war gets lost. That's right, WWII is over shadowed by a woman trying to join the underground to rouse her husband's waning interest.

Ultimately didn't care for the cast or the story. Story felt like a stale rehash of things already prominently available on the market.

Enjoyed this historical fiction thoroughly although I did at times want to shake with some force some of the characters for being so stupidly caught up in their emotional intrigue. The narrative takes place in the Champagne region of France during the Nazi occupation. Through flashbacks, a story emerges about the resistance activities of one champagne producer utilizing his extensive underground cellars and vineyard to secretly transport guns to his fellow resistance fighters and the secrets harbored by him and his wife that seventy years later are only just being revealed to a young woman named Olivia. A nice balance of history and fiction that is both interesting and compelling and is infused with a touching mixture of human frailty and romance.

I don't often pick up historical fiction, but this novel was easy to both pick up and finish! I appreciated the multiple story lines--it kept things interesting and, when things were getting dark in the 1940's story line, the modern one offered a bit of a reprieve. There were a variety of characters, some I was more drawn to than others, but I still found myself wanted to know what happened--regardless of how much I liked or dislike them.

The end was a certainly a surprise--quite a few twists and turns, but nothing too unrealistic. However, I appreciated the finality of the ending, without being too "happy ever after"--especially given the content of the novel. I finished in two days, and definitely recommend to anyone that enjoys historical fiction, a love story, or novels centered around WWII.

Finally, as someone actually planning a trip to France/Paris next year, I think I might have to add a day trip to this region!

What an amazing and interesting read! Kristin Harmel had me absolutely enthralled! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. So very well done.

Wow simply WOW!1

When I first starting reading this book I wasn't sure I would like it but by the end of the first chapter, I was hooked.

The Winemaker's Wife is full of twist and turns that I did not see coming even though the author dropped little hints along the way. This brilliantly written book spans a decade of love, betrayal, forgiveness, and heartbreak. This book brings the past and future together to collide in a story that left me wanting more.

Though I can't voucher as to the historical accuracy I can say that the view of WWll from the perspective of simple people really had me rooting for these characters even though they all had their flaws and were anything but perfect. In the end, it was a brilliant read one I am happy to have read and will read again one day.

Set in the Champagne region of France, this story focuses on a love triangle between a winery owner, his wife, and a young Jewish woman. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and stayed up several long nights reading it into the wee hours. Although the main character, Ines, initially comes across as an unlikeable protagonist, she grows on you and is nicely balanced by the other well drawn characters around her.

No spoilers, but this book had several very nice twists at the very end of the book. Highly recommended for light but interesting reading. There is mention of Nazi violence and the Holocaust, but it was not too disturbing. Overall, a great read.

Champagne, France -- 1940s and 2019

1940 - Newlywed Ines Chauveau is desperately trying to fit into her new husband's world at Maison Chauveau, his family's champagne house. She is unprepared for the time Michel spends on his vines and other work related to the growing and bottling of the precious wine. Michel's head winemaker, Theo Laurent and his wife, Celine, live on the property and are involved in the day to day work. Ines feels left out of everything since she knows so little about the business and she resents Michel's constant chiding her about everything she does. And now the Germans have invaded France, and Michel must find a way to keep his business safe. The underground caves where most of the bottles are stored have hidden areas where he hides the most precious vintages.

2019 - Liv Kent's divorce has hit her hard. After a twelve year marriage, she is suddenly alone and on her own. After giving up her managerial job where her husband worked in order to try in vitro fertilization, Liv now has no job, and no prospects. Thankfully, her grandmother Edith helps her financially from her home in Paris. So, it's a great surprise when Grandma Edith turns up on Liv's New York City doorstep and commands her to pack her bags, they're leaving that day for France. At ninety-nine, Edith is still a force to be reckoned with, and since Liv has no other plans, she obeys, and soon they're winging their way across the ocean.

1941 - With the Germans making outrageous demands on the vineyards, and one of the local Nazi officers making threats towards Celine, who has a Jewish grandfather, Maison Chauveau and its residents are struggling to maintain some sense of order. Food is hard to come by, local workers are non-existent, and Michel is now working behind the scenes for the Resistance, much to Ines' frustration. It's bad enough that he neglects her for the wine, but now he's too busy hiding weapons in the maze of underground caves and attending late night meetings. The danger is real, however, and Ines sometimes doesn't grasp that.

2019 - Grandma Edith has been trying to tell Liv something, but just when Liv thinks she's going to discover what it is, the older woman shuts down. A visit to Reims, near the tiny village where Maison Chauveau is located, seems to have put Edith into a funk, and Liv can't draw anything out of her. They visit a local restaurant where Liv sees a photo of the previous owners, and she realizes that the Edouard and Edith in the picture are her grandparents. But Edith refuses to discuss it. What is she hiding? Why is it so painful for her, and how can Liv convince her grandmother to open up to her?

THE WINEMAKER'S WIFE has been compared to Kristin Hannah's THE NIGHTINGALE, and it is, to me, equally emotional and beautifully written. The horrors of what the Nazis were doing all over Europe surfaces in the tiny French village as it struggles to maintain some semblance of normalcy. The bravery of the men and women who worked in darkness to get information to the allies or to protect Jewish friends makes for some heartrending and, yes, tearful scenes. There is an amazing conclusion that readers won't expect. Historically accurate, THE WINEMAKER'S WIFE is an outstanding novel. Don't miss it.

Resistance and atonement seem to drive these embittered and embattled characters to survive Nazi occupation and profound loss. Inès is a young wife who expects more from Michel, her husband, who is preoccupied with keeping his wine-making business alive as he thwarts the Nazi advances. Céline, another wine-maker’s wife, is disappointed with her husband’s lack of concern for her Jewish family. From this unhappiness comes a love affair that will result in betrayal, death, abandonment and imprisonment. Seventy years later, Liv is healing from heartbreak while escorting her 99 year old grandmother back to Rheims and the wine country she fled years before. There she meets Julien, the young lawyer who represents her family’s business. Kristin Harmel takes us on a tour that entwines these characters’ journeys, providing twists and turns similar to the caverns of the vintners. Secrets are revealed as betrayals are explained. So many missed opportunities, so many mistakes made. Can there be resolution?

5 stars

This book is set in 1940's Nazi occupied Champagne, France and in the current day.

Ines is a young woman married just a year who is somewhat flighty and really doesn't seem to have a clue how much danger she and the other French citizens are in for she is very self-absorbed. Feeling unloved she begins a very ill-advised liaison with a Nazi collaborator. This later behavior (amongst other tragic situations), gets her and those she cares about in a great deal of trouble.

Ines' husband is Michel who owns the House Maison Chaveau Winery and is initially very protective of Ines. This changes, however, and not for the good. But Michele is very overworked and has many concerns of his own.

The couple's two main employees are Celine who is half Jewish and terrified that the Nazis will find out and her husband Theo who is the chef de cave for the Chaveau Winery. Theo is so wrapped up in creating fine wines that he doesn't see what is going on around him – or chooses not to.

There is also Edith in the story who plays a major part as well as her granddaughter Olivia “Liv.” Edith at age 99 has many regrets and is full of sadness about the past. Edith may just be the most likable and interesting character in the whole book. Liv is very like Ines in a way. She, too, is self absorbed and constantly asks Edith if she is okay. (It got a little irritating to tell the truth.) These characters are present throughout the book as the plot switches timelines.

There are also many secondary characters who will play important parts.

This book has romance, infidelity, danger, tension, lies and treachery. And...there is a delicious twist toward the end of the book.

This is a very well written, plotted and researched book. I always appreciate a well researched historical novel. ( I liked that Ms. Harmel put in an afterword. It was most informative.) It was very interesting to learn about all the minor and not-so-minor ways which the citizens and resistance fighters employed to thwart the Nazis. I cheered and chuckled for them. I am still thinking about the book and it has been a few days since I finished it. This is my first Kristin Harmel novel, but it won't be my last. I immediately went to Amazon to look for others of her books.

I want to thank NetGalley and Gallery, Pocket Books/Gallery Books for forwarding to me a copy of this most wonderful and thought-provoking book for me to read, enjoy and review.

Liv, recently divorced, is at loose ends. She doesn't know who she is anymore after being betrayed by her husband. In swoops Grandma Edith, who at 99, just drops in from Paris. Liv is told to pack and nothing else as her grandmother whisks her across the ocean. Liv has no idea why, but she may as well enjoy her French sojourn. From this beginning, the story goes back and forth between the French countryside of today and the same area during World Ward II. Kristen Harmel has written a well-researched novel that gives the the reader an insight into the vine culture of France and the horrors of World War II. I really enjoyed this book - finished it in one day!

Having read The Room on Rue Amelie last year, I had high expectations for The Winemaker's Wife. It was so beautifully written with strong characters and an authentic story line. The Winemaker's Wife lived up to my expectations, and it is another historical novel that's going to stick with me. The book jumps between the present and the past and is mainly told through the voices of Ines and Celine. Forgiveness lies at the core of this novel...forgiving others and forgiving yourself.

I enjoy reading books that are set in the WWII era. Of course, there are heartbreaking moments because it was a horrific war with horrific war crimes. Yet throughout this book, moments of hope remind me that truly good people exist in this world. This type of book also makes me wonder if I would have been brave enough to hide Jews if I were in the position to do so. Would I have been brave enough to transport people in danger or smuggle guns to the allies? As the characters in this novel discover, circumstances can make us do things we never thought we would do...both right and wrong.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel.

It is about love and betrayal in World War Two takes place in the vineyards of northern France.. Then it turns to 2019 Liv gets a visit from her French grandmother with a tragic decades old story. A very poignant story.

This is the story of the Nazis arriving in Champagne at the beginning of WWII and how the lives of the people running Maison Chateau are impacted. The owner of the winery and his young wife, and the head wine maker and his wife, who happens to be half Jewish.

We have a look into their lives as they try to survive by appearing compliant and keeping the Germans happy. We see the fear of Celine as she fears for her parents and grandparents that have been sent to a work camp and fears that every arrival at the winery is there to send her off to meet the same fate as her family. The coldness of Celine’s husband Theo, who doesn’t care about anything but making the champagne and does not comfort his wife when she needs it most. The naivety of Ines who does not truly understand what the war means for France and the Jewish people. The strength of Michel, the winery owner married to Ines, who vows to fight for France and falls in love and fathers a child with Celine.

Each of these four have a different view and stake in the war and work together, and sometimes against each other, to try and survive and regain control of their winery and their country. But even with the victory of the Allies over the Nazis, life has been irrevocably changed for everyone. Everyone has lost something, has been changed by the events, and some lost everything. The survivors need to find a way forward to forge a new life, yet some feel guilt for mistakes made during those trying times and can never learn to forgive themselves, no matter how much good they have done since. Yet they must share the story with their descendants and so this story does.

There have been a plethora of books on WWII in France with the 75th anniversary of V Day this year, one of the few remaining anniversaries where survivors remain and can share their stories themselves, and this is the best of the ones I have read. While this is a work of fiction, it is based on actual events and does not try to paint the Nazis as anything other than what they were. This story is well written and there are no German characters to make you think, not all were bad, some where just forced to fight. Just the facts and how the invasion impacted one region and one house. Never forget the past so that we may not repeat the sins of the past.