This book follows two story lines. Sat during WWII in France, Ines, the wife of Michel, a champagne maker, believes that if they just follow the rules, the German conquerors will leave her and her husband alone. Celine, the wife of the chief wine maker, is half-Jewish, and fearful for the lives of her parents. In the present day, Liv is whisked away by her grandmother to France. Her grandmother tries to tell her about her life during the war, but is afraid to share her part in the devastation that occurred.

I had a hard time with this book. The characters just did not feel real. They were very stereotypical and one dimensional. Ines constantly told us how inexperienced and naive she was. She used that throughout the entire book as a justification for everything. I found this extremely off-putting. I would rather see character traits through actions and conversations. I also thought the modern day story was completely unnecessary. I felt that it did not add anything to the book. Overall, a bust.

Historical fiction set in WWII France (under German occupation) and current day France. Told in alternating chapters about Liv, a modern day divorcee who has accompanied her 99 year old grandmother on a mysterious trip to France and chapters about a group of champagne makers who are active in the Resistance. Of course, there is a connection, but it may not be the one you expect.

I love historical fiction, and there are plenty of stories about WWII Europe and the underground network of locals who quietly fought against German oppression. This one stands out for a couple of reasons -- not all the characters are noble & heroic, there are several twist and turns that surprised me, and I got a chance to learn about champagne production in France. The characters are realistic and multi-dimensional. Their motives are always clear, even when the results of their actions are maddening to the reader. All the action is consistent with non-fiction accounts of events in the region, and the fictionalization adds emotion and heart to the story. Obviously well-researched and easy to read. The transitions between characters and time periods are clearly marked and each character is so well defined there is no confusion about whose story is being told. I really liked this book.

I loved this book! I have read other books by this author and have enjoyed each one. This book takes place in an area of France with which I was not familiar. It was very interesting to read about the grape growing and champagne making process. It is intertwined with a love triangle and WWII. The story"s chapters go back and forth from present to past but is very easy to follow.
Although the book is somewhat predictable I still found it to be a fascinating story line.

Champagne, 1940: Inès has just married Michel, the owner of storied champagne house Maison Chauveau, when the Germans invade. As the danger mounts, Michel turns his back on his marriage to begin hiding munitions for the Résistance. Inès fears they’ll be exposed, but for Céline, half-Jewish wife of Chauveau’s chef de cave, the risk is even greater—rumors abound of Jews being shipped east to an unspeakable fate.

When Céline recklessly follows her heart in one desperate bid for happiness, and Inès makes a dangerous mistake with a Nazi collaborator, they risk the lives of those they love—and the champagne house that ties them together.



Thank you to net galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book it was a great experience first time reading anything from this author.

Beautifully told, "The Winemakers Wife" is set in occupied France during WWII and te present day. It will habe you slightly captivated with its beautiful writing from the first page to the last. This is wonderfully told.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

I must start by thanking Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this extraordinary, beautifully written novel. Harmel has elevated a story about France during the German occupation to a beautiful novel that pulls the reader into the lives of a group of French patriots. The portraits of the characters are so beautifully drawn that I felt a strong tie to each of them.

Additionally, it is the story of young American, Liv, who is brought back to France by her grandmother to learn the truth about all those who had preceded her. Grandma Edith has quite a story to tell and the reader is taken on this journey with her.

For those of us who loved THE NIGHTINGALE, this novel will bring back the history of that frightening era, filled with a new set of heroes and heroines. I fear including any spoilers, but I do recommend this book to reading groups who will love this novel, cry over this novel and enjoy discussing the many facets of the characters. The author has also brought perfect closure to make this come to a full circle. I should admit that I’m glad I read an electronic version, or I fear the pages would have been soaked.

Wow! Such a great book. I admit that I struggled with the character of Ines and had a hard tune with what came across as a whiney immaturity but perhaps that’s what made her more real and her eventuality more bittersweet. The prose that surrounded the process of champagne making was woven so beautifully through the plot that I learned so much without even realizing it. The French resistance and Nazi occupation also came to life in The Winemaker’s Wife.

A great WWII saga. I love the flow from past to present.
Very touching story and would recommend to others! If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a great read for you!
Thank you NetGalley.

Kristen is a great writer and the stories are enjoyable... yet predictable...it is time to change the formula and ww2 backdrop to something new and different

I had a friend recently mention that she was a bit burned out on books with wife/husband/daughter/etc. in the title. Believe me, I understand the overload and fatigue from so much of the same. But trust me, you'll want to give this one a chance if you're a fan of WWII era stories.

This one's a tale of a love triangle. Well actually, a quadrangle. When Inès met and married Michel, she had visions of happily ever after dancing around in her head. But living and working in a winery is not as glamorous as she'd expected. It's even more difficult when someone else is vying for your husband's affection.

And then there's the war. As France is pulled deeper and deeper into German occupation, everyone involved has something to lose. And everyone has secrets. Some are working for the Resistance, and some are aligning themselves with the enemy.

This is one of those stories that alternates between past and present. And really, that's the best way to tell a tale such as this. An outstanding addition to the genre.

5 enormous stars!!! Kristin Harmel has absolutely blown me away with The Winemaker’s Wife!!!

This historical fiction time hops between the early 1940’s in the Champagne region of France all the way to 2019 in New York City. As the novel unfolds, we follow several characters and their journey during WWII and how events all those decades ago have an enormous impact on the present day lives!

This book is a must, must read!! I was completely entranced and felt so emotional connected to the characters and storyline—this novel is truly superbly written. There is a line in The Winemaker’s Wife that really cut to the heart of it “Family is more than just blood”, I felt so much power in those simple words in this novel. I also found I learned a lot about the intricate and intense process of making champagne, as well as perspectives from Northern France during WWII. The Winemaker’s Wife is both a beautiful and heartbreaking 5+++ star novel that will stay with you long after you finish. I wholeheartedly recommend everyone read this novel!

Thanks to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster, and Kristen Harmel. I have read everyone of this authors books. My first book of hers, my copy of “Italian for Beginners” has been read many times over and looks it ! In my mind, that’s how you can tell a great book, by its ravaging of its pages. But i found that I have grown to love historical fiction, and hers are the best. Each one of them gives a different story and doesn’t go into a lot of boring details, but gets the point across. I anxiously await every new book she writes. My book club relies on my opinion and I gladly share Ms. Harmel’s works, always !

This book has potential but needs some of its characters - Ines, Theo, Edith, Michal, etc. flushed out to make them more dynamic.