Each time we finish one of Melissa Brayden’s books we spend some time in a kind of afterglow just cherishing our favourite new characters birthed by that magical mind. This one was no exception. Happy bonus, this is the beginning of a series of books that will feature a group of friends – and this, series-about-group-of-friends, is really where Brayden excels.

Josephine Wilder, Joey, is in a happy place in life – looking after Tangle Valley Vineyard in Whisper Wall, Oregon, with her father and uncle. Three years back Joey had been literally left at the altar but she is trying to move on from that setback and all the pity that she felt from the small town she is in. Where Joey’s dad is winemaker par excellence, Joey’s skills are perfectly suited for organising, marketing, selling and everything else to make a success of their prize-winning wines. When Joey’s father suddenly passes, she is devastated and calls on her old friend Madison, now an up-and-coming winemaker herself. Madison arrives with a great chef, Gabriella in tow for the restaurant Joey is planning.

One sore point for the residents of Whisper Wall is a huge commercial resort, the Jade, being opened by a big chain, Elite Resorts. Becca Crawford is the general manager of said disliked resort. Sunny and cheerful, Becca arrives in Whisper Wall little knowing the resentment against the Jade.

Becca visits Tangle Valley Vineyard and meets Joey. Both feel that something between them. And that something sparks even with the ‘evil empire’ resort thing between them.

Brayden’s books can never be captured in a synopsis because they are much more about the characters, the dialogues and attitudes than they are about just the plot. In every book, Brayden gives us at least one character to love (sometimes more than one).

As typical, in this one too there is one quirky, adorable leading lady offset by the second leading lady who is hot, nice but rather stoic and not entirely as emotion-capturing as the first one. Joey is the adorable one in this. (We must admit when they were introduced we were expecting Becca to be the solidly likeable one, especially in her introductory scene.)

There is a lot that happens with Joey and her character gains a lot of depth as the story progresses. Joey is extremely well-rounded and there is a definite character growth in her.

We do have a problem with the post-conflict relationship-repair part. The conflict happened because Becca kept important information from Joey for weeks plus she shared that information with Joey’s friends thus igniting every single one of Joey’s not wanting to be the person pitied triggers. Resultantly, Joey understandably breaks off (with a very mature conversation). Now, after that, Joey is the only one working towards getting over what happened and saving the relationship. It’s like the actual problem triggered by Becca wasn’t the problem at all and Becca didn’t have any making-up to do. That made the whole latter part rather lopsided and while Joey gained greater depth as a character, Becca is left very wanting.

However, each time we read (or re-read) one of Brayden’s books we feel a desperate urge to be the women she writes about and even more, we want everyone we know to magically become like the people she writes about – all accepting chill attitudes with great sense of humour and solidly supportive in every circumstance.

Of course, we recommend this book and eagerly look forward to the rest of the series.

Joey has big ideas for her family's vineyard , Tangle Valley. She unexpectedly gets the chance to implement changes when the business becomes hers to operate.

Becca has just moved to town to manage the new elite resort opening close to the Tangle Valley Vineyard.

Right from the beginning, I felt a kinship with Joey. I could really relate to what she experiences early on. It provided an extra layer of depth for me as I followed along on her journey.

Good romance novels need to be believable and offer a good dose of chemistry. "Entangled' hit a home run. Joey and Becca meet and have an instant connection but neither of them know they are adversaries of sorts. Satisfying reveals. Conflicts of interest. Overcoming preconceptions. Being vulnerable. Providing support. Making mistakes. Stubbornness. This book really provides the emotional upheaval that hurts so good. I had a good healthy cry there toward the end.

Brayden also excels at creating amazing supporting friend groups. This book sets the stage for future installments focusing on her two other friends who end up working with her at her vineyard. In the same vein as her other 'Soho Loft' and 'Seven Shores' series. Which is awesome, because those are my favorite and gives me something exciting to anticipate.

Overall, this is an affecting romance with a lot of heart. I can't wait for future installments.

Bonus points to me for catching Brayden's throwback to her book 'Back to September.' I read tons of book and NEVER realize when this happens. I'm always surprised when I read about stuff like this in other people's reviews.

I recommend this book to people who love to read about romance, strong family relationships, good friends, wine, entrepreneurship, hotel management, quaint towns, and french fries.

One of the non-main characters of this book has a line that describes well what you will find in it: "it has all the ingredients of an impressive love story (...) I can spot formulas. Conflict, tension, a will-they-won't-they storyline. I already popped the popcorn". That said, I say I got what I was expecting from the plot of a book by Melissa Brayden. If you already know this author, you know what I mean. You are going to find a group of nice women you probably wish you could be friends with. One of them has a romance and the love life of the others will certainly be developed in future books. It is an arrangement that seems to work well for the readers and publishers.

I usually enjoy reading Brayden’s books and with ‘Entangled’ it was not different. With Joey, we can experience a character that tells us about changes in our lives and how to move on. However, I have to say that what I saw of depth in Joey, lacked in Becca. The last one is a nice woman, nothing against her (!!), but I felt an imbalance in psychological depth when analyzing both characters.

Another solid romance from one of the best in the genre, Melissa Brayden. Entangled is a great start to what will be a trilogy, with each of the three MCs getting her own story. The story flows nicely and the characters (especially Joey and Becca here) are all well developed, and I hope we see more of the interesting townfolk we met here in the subsequent books.

My only complaint is that the characters are all a little too perfect - from the gorgeous/handsome way they look to the witty banter they all seem to share. But as for the Summer of 2020, I think we can all use a little perfection somewhere.

I really enjoyed the description of this book which involved Josephine (Joey) Wilder’s taking over her family's Tangle Valley Vineyard in Willamette Valley, Oregon. Joey was to clash with Becca Crawford who works in the hospitality industry as Elite Resorts’ Manager of The Jade Hotel which is opening in Tangle Valley. Most of the town including Joey is convinced that the commercial hotel will impact the vineyard’s rustic charm.

While the actual story and characters were good, I got a distinct "Hallmark Channel Movie of the Week" vibe from the book. From the stereotypical gay cowboys whom Becca gets her dog, Skywalker, from to Joey's best friend, Madison, whom has a positive relationship with the vineyard chef and her ex, Gabriella, to the old town biddies, everything seemed just a bit too contrived like a Hallmark Movie.

Finally, I had recently read "And Then There Was Her" by Tagan Shepard and kept getting the Madison in that Willamette Valley, Oregon, vineyard story confused with this Madison. I will give this story 3 stars.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The book "Entangled" by Melissa Brayden is about Joey, the owner of Tangle Valley, a beautiful vineyard in Ohio, who has suffered many losses in her life. She meets Becca, the general manager of an exclusive hotel that opens in front of her vineyard. Joey is not happy about the new hotel, and therefore not happy about Becca.

I'm a fan of Melissa Brayden's books and this too is up to her standards. But in my eyes it is not one of her best works. Nevertheless, one can get lost in the enchanting world between the vines and fine wines. I found it delightful that Becca is a successful businesswoman, but not, as is often the case in romance books, portrayed as an ice queen. She is a lovable character from the beginning who is open, approachable and friendly.

I received a copy from netgalley in exchange for a an honest review.

A New Favourite Series

Joey grew up at the Tangle Valley Vineyard and ever since she was little she has had plans for the place to make it the best it can be. None of those plans include The Jade Hotel, a new resort opening up not far from her beloved home. She just knows that the resort will spell the downfall of the picturesque cozy town. Becca is in charge of The Jade Hotel. She loves the job, the resort and a great glass of wine. She isn’t there to make trouble despite what Joey thinks. If only they could find common ground before everyone looses….


Bing a tale from the incomparable Ms Brayden, you already know this book is going to be sweet, mushy and full of awwwws. You also know it’s going to be really well written with lots of description and vivid imagery. However, I think I almost liked this first book of a series better than any other. This one has humor and loss, disappointment and destruction along with serious joys and growth, and of course all kinds of love. It was not a book that I wanted to put down, nor a book I wanted to have finish. I loved the characters, and let me tell you, a lot of them were just that… The Biddies, old, gossipy busybodies, Patsy, the fireball owner of the local saloon, The Cowboys, in all their gay fabulousness, and all the others made this story such a delight. I loved the main characters feisty Joey and her dedicated best friends and Becca with her friendly charming self. Even Sky the dog was a loveable scamp. I think the only way the book could have been better is if there were a horse and yet, Im not sure where one would have fit so maybe not. This is an adorable story and I am eagerly awaiting the next books!!!

Talk about grabbing your interest at the beginning of a book! It’s a pretty good indication that the author has done just that when they can make you cry while reading the Prologue. That is exactly what happened to me as I began to read Entangled by Melissa Brayden.

This novel is the beginning of a new romance series set in Oregon’s wine country. In this book you meet the three women the series will follow, and we have the first of the romances with Josephine “Joey” Wilder and Becca Crawford. These two characters end up with an enemies-to-lovers tale since Joey is totally against the new resort opening up next door to her winery. Unfortunately, the general manager of The Jade, the new resort next door is Becca. This leads to lots of romance and attraction with the addition of misunderstandings and conflict.

This is a really well-written romance. The characters are very likeable, down to earth, and easy to fall in love with. The setting is absolutely gorgeous. The romance is captivating. It does have some angst running through the tale (obviously since I was crying before Chapter One), but the overall story is uplifting and joyous. To me it ends up being a feel-good story. And of course there is a dog, which always adds to the good vibes.
Ms. Brayden has a definite winner with this first book of the new series, and I can’t wait to read the next one. If you love a great enemies-to-lovers, feel-good romance, then this is the book for you.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Rainbow Reflections: http://rainbowreflections.home.blog/

This is the first book in the Tangle Valley series and what a magical trilogy this is setting out to be. The stories revolve around three women, Joey, Gabriella, and Madison, fiends and co-workers at the Tangle Valley vineyards. The first book centres around Joey - who owns Tangle Valley Vineyard and spends her days in the tasting room wooing people with their wine. Becca comes to town to run The Jade, a new resort part of a large national chain and Joey is not having it. She doesn't want a large commercial hotel in the quaint and unique town of Whisper Wall Oregon. The two women butt heads over their profession, but their instant attraction is hard to ignore. Are the star crossed lovers destined for tragedy or will love win?

Melissa Brayden brings us another wonderful group of friends - I love the support the women in her books always give each other. No one does witty dialogue between friends and the delicious flirting between Joey and Becca like Melissa Brayden. The chemistry between the two leading ladies was out of this world, it really sizzled and made your heart basically explode every time they were within two feet of each other. The whole setting was dreamy and the food and wine added to the beautiful world created in this book. The ending was one of the most romantic I've ever read and I am looking forward to the rest of the Trilogy especially Ryan and Gabriella's story.


I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Josephine (aka Joey) is suddenly sole owner of Tangle Valley Vineyard, when her father dies unexpectedly. She is in charge of making sure the day to day operations go smoothly. She also wants to open a restaurant on the property. Things are going well until there is talk of a resort being built in Tangle Valley. The small town is in an upheaval over the building. Joey realizes it is not really her being against it herself, it is more what her father felt about it. Joey accidentally meets the general manager of the resort, Becca, on the street. Both women notice the connection despite the brief interaction. It is not until Becca goes to the vineyard that Joey realizes who she is. Joey is very vocal about her dislike of the resort much to the amazement of Becca. She tells Joey that she will do what she can to sway her judgement. Will she?
I would recommend.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars. Josephine Wilder loves her vineyard, Tangle Valley. She grew up on it, and the vineyard is passed down to her after her father dies. Joey has big plans for the vineyard. She is a little worried about the new resort, The Jade, that is opening up next to her vineyard. Becca Crawford is out to prove herself as the manager of the new resort. Becca cannot help but be attracted to the beautiful owner of Tangle Valley. She does not understand why Joey is a little hostile to her at first, as she only wants to get to know Joey. Joey wants to know like Becca, but she is wildly attracted to her and is softening the more she gets to know Becca.

I enjoyed this novel but it was not my favorite Melissa Brayden. I have read most of her novels and I thought this one was a little weak and I thought Joey and Becca's romance was not the best. There was not that much tension and Joey's progression was a little steep and I thought it could be a lot better on that aspect. Their interactions are good but they ramp up a little too fast for my liking. This is the first in a series, so I will probably continue to read the other books in this series. I would read if you like Melissa Brayden.

It has been a hot minute since I've shared a book recommendation with you guys, but I am back with an absolute win on multiple levels.

Melissa Brayden is a new to me author, but most definitely not a new one. She is a multi-award winning author with eighteen books under her belt. A special thanks to Bold Strokes Books for allowing me to review this ARC and introduce me to a writer I have immediately become a huge fan of.

Entangled ticks off soooo many of my boxes. It's set in a small town and our main character Joey owns a vineyard. Yeah, both are serious forms of catnip for me. Add in that it's located in my favorite part of the country (where I hope to live in an early retirement that will certainly never happen) I absolutely adore, the Pacific Northwest. Insert all the mega heart-eyes here. I knew from page one that I would love Entangled and the story and Ms. Brayden's talent definitely did not disappoint.

Joey and Becca have immediate chemistry, but their relationship is a deliciously drawn out slow burn because Becca just so happens to be in charge of The Jade, a luxury resort that's part of a large national change that the people in Whisper Wall, and Joey especially, fear will affect their way of life, their income, and drive tourists from the small bed and breakfasts that have been family run for generations to the large, flashy hotel.

To the point Joey, a woman who is a bit of an introvert, finds herself front and center at a town hall meeting urging the city to stop the resort from opening in their little community.

While the black moment of their story was one I saw coming, Ms. Brayden's depth of writing is so enthralling that you're too busy enjoying the ride to sweetly satisfying final destination.

Entangled is a simmering slow burn romance, but I also fully believe it would be appealing for lovers of women's fiction. The friendships between Joey, Maddie, and Gabriella are well developed and engaging as well as incredibly entertaining. And the side benefit of learning the ins and outs of winery is something I really enjoyed. All that topped off with a deeply fulfilling happily ever after that gives all the happy sighs long after you flip the final page which makes Entangled a story I can't recommend highly enjoy to both fans of lesbian romance and those who have never ventured into that genre before.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed reading this novel, seemingly the first of several set in Tangled Valley. wine country. Lovely characters, pleasing storyline, and an instant attraction sizzling romance between two main characters. The setting is perfect, the characters' chemistry sizzles on the page, and the reader can't help but be drawn in. As feel good stories go, this is definitely up there with them.

I loved the incidental touches which showed Joey not only knows her business, but is well-regarded for her practical skills. There are some tough decisions to be made but Love will find a way through! There's a lot of dialogue centred around the art of winemaking which was great to read and learn about. The author seems to focus heavily on one aspect within the background she sets her novels within, and does it exceptionally well.I enjoyed the banter between the characters and look forward to catching up with several of them in the follow on novels.
4.5 stars

Ages ago, a friend from Oregon took us on a wine-tasting trip in Sonoma Valley on our way to San Francisco. Now I wish we had stayed in Oregon and visited Willamette Valley instead, and more precisely, Tangle Valley Vineyard.

Joey – Josephine – Wilder grew up in Tangle Valley, learning everything about wine on her family’s vineyard. When her dad suddenly dies, she finds herself in charge. Fortunately, she can count on her best friend Madison LeGrange’s help. It so happens Madison is a winemaker extraordinaire, and also knows exactly the right person to make the team complete, her ex and great friend Gabriella Russo. Joey’s life seems brighter with them by her side, and will get even better when she meets sexy Becca Crawford. The only problem is, Becca is the general manager of the luxury resort opening down the road from the vineyard, a resort Joey and other residents of Whisper Wall see as a threat to the charm of their little town.

Melissa Brayden is the queen of banter and flirty dialogue. Her characters are relatable, witty and sweet and I just want to be friends with them. I’m actually glad they don’t exist because I’d be torn between wanting them to talk all day and my need for quiet. Or maybe I could let them chat and go enjoy the quiet among the vines, as Joey used to as a child, knowing there’s happy stuff happening just a few feet away.

Another thing Melissa Brayden excels at is groups of friends. I’ve already listed some of the reasons why her characters are so fantastic, and they get even more fantastic when you put them together. They have this awesome energy that only multiplies in an exquisite way. Entangled is book 1 of the Tangle Valley trilogy that centres around Joey, Gabriella and Madison. Gabriella will get her love story in book 2, Two to Tangle, so logically, Madison should get hers in the last book of the series. I’m very much looking forward to these!

I’m not going to argue that this novel is perfect. It’s not, including a few editing glitches. It is, however, perfectly enjoyable. Ms Brayden knows what she’s doing and she does it well. She makes the reader fall in love with the MCs then breaks them up, tearing the reader’s heart in the process, until the characters realise there’s no resisting fate and get back together, leaving the reader delighted and warm again. I sometimes wish she would take a few risks, but I can’t exactly blame her for playing it safe when this is the result. So yes, it’s another 5*.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

4.5 stars

This is my new favourite book by this author, and there have been a few. Brayden is my go-to author when I'm in the mood for a feel-good romance.

Although her last book was a little too sweet for me, this one strikes the perfect balance between 'aw-shucks' and 'oh shit.'

The story is told in third-person and from both heroine's point-of-view, something I always appreciate. I adored both Joey and Becca. Their story didn't go in the direction I anticipated, and that made it all the more gripping.

The supporting cast is just as fabulous. Brayden has crafted a wonderful tale. And the ending, wow, way to hook a reader into desperately needing the next book.

4.25 Stars. I have been really lucky to be on a great string of books lately. When I decided to read the new Brayden book I knew my good luck streak would continue. While I tend to enjoy Brayden’s standalone and more dramatic books the most, there is something about picking up the first book in one of her series about friends finding love, that just makes me excited and gives me some butterflies of happiness. I really enjoyed this read and I’m looking forward to reading more of this series.

As soon as I heard the premise of this series, I knew I was going to enjoy these books. I love stories that take place on a vineyard. And I have actually been more interested in Oregon vineyards lately, since California wine country is a little played out, so I have to give Brayden props for putting this in Oregon. Something about the beautiful setting and the intimacy of sharing wine with someone, it’s just so easy to fall for a romance among the vines. I think Brayden did a wonderful job with the setting and I can’t wait for more books to take place in this small town.

I was happy with the characters. The three main characters, which will each star in their own book, are all likeable and have their unique personalities. This book is Joey’s story, who happens to be the heart of Tangle Valley Vineyard. It was a good place to start and I warmed to her immediately. The next book looks to be Gabriella’s story (and there is a big hint who her love interest will be) saving Madison, who intrigues me the most, for last.

When it came to the romance I enjoyed it. I thought the two characters had a good amount of chemistry and really sparked together. The match felt right and I was rooting for them. The big angst/conflict moment is very predictable, so you can see it coming, but I was still okay with it. I hate feeling like there is forced conflict thrown in and in this case I did not. I thought the character that was wronged, had a believable reaction. It was not so much what the other character did, but how they handled it was where they went so wrong. I’m being vague here on purpose; I just mean the conflict felt believable for the characters which I appreciate.

If you are Brayden fan this book should be automatically on your to read list. It was classic Brayden and I’m excited for more stories in this world. It looks like the next book in this series is coming out later this year so I’m glad we won’t have to wait long for more from Tangle Valley.

Josephine Wilder works on the family vineyard, Tangle Valley Vineyard and has to overcome a number of obstacles to keep the vineyard afloat. She's still reeling from having the misfortune of being the number one gossip story after being left at the alter by her fiance who is now happily shacked up with the local vet.  Becca Crawford has just arrived in town to run the brand new resort that has divided the locals, some of whom think, including Joey, that it will ruin the small town charm.
Being an unashamed Melissa Brayden fan, I loved this book. Actually I think it's one of her better books in recent times. As usual, the chemistry is sizzling between Joey and Becca, there's the usual witty banter and all the likeable sub characters....which it sounds like we'll hear more about in her forthcoming books. Melissa Brayden never disappoints. 5 stars.

Ever have a night where you open up a bottle of wine, pour a glass and plan to immerse yourself in a good book? I usually do that when I get a brand new Melissa Brayden book in my hands because I know it’s going to be good and once again I was right.
Josephine “Joey” Wilder has big dreams for her family’s Vineyard Tangle Valley. What began as her Grandfathers dream, passed down to her dad and since his passing it’s up to her to continue the legacy and put all her planning into fruition. What doesn’t bode well for her vineyard is the commercial Hotel,The Jade, that’s getting ready to be built and will surely mess with the vibe that her hometown has worked so hard for. What she doesn’t count on is the newest resident and manager of the hotel Becca Crawford in her put together ways, gorgeous smile, and my God will she stop wearing those sexy suits already.
What I loved about this book is the chemistry between Joey and Becca and the sex scenes..well just hot really. Never got tired of it. What I also loved is the eccentric cast of characters, which also includes Joey’s best friend Madison and chef to the vineyard Gabriella, which I’m pretty sure we are going to see again in Melissa’s upcoming books..or I can only hope.
4.5 stars
I received this ARC copy via NetGalley and publisher for an honest review. Many Thanks!

This was a fun book. I love most of the characters and can't wait for more in the series to see what happens with the others. A few annoyances with a couple characters but overall sweet, funny, and enjoyable.

Like a fine wine, this book is delicious, bursting with flavours and smooth on the mind’s palette.

I started the book on the back of a rough day of work. Trying to shift my attention and kick off the bad vibes, I went in slow.

This happened at 96% of the book - “I know,” Becca said, the vibrant moonlight illuminating her eyes. “I was just waiting for you to catch up.” And catch up I did. Melissa has nailed it again. Perfect ten and a winner in its own rights. The book crept up slowly but surely to nudge my headspace into the right direction.

As The Jade, the newest establishment intruded its way into the small cosy town, the very person of Becca Crawford also forced its way into Joey’s life. Becca, the sassy, beautiful and spirited being threatened to tear down the walls of a prejudiced and closed up Joey. The same Joey who was left at the altar 3 years ago.

Akin to the charm of small town line dance, we watch as Joey and Becca find their feet to sync their dance with each other. But no great story is ever told without its twist, so angst is delivered.

A solid 5 stars for this latest addition to Melissa’s offerings. One you should savour like I did at the end of a long day.

I just reviewed Entangled by Melissa Brayden. #NetGalley