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The Vineyard at Painted Moon by Susan Mallery has embedded in it romance consistent with the genre. This story works because more than the romance, it is about family, friendship, and women. All in all, some expected romance, lots of family drama, and some more compelling stories draw me and provide the escape that this book is ended to be.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/02/the-vineyard-at-painted-moon.html

Reviewed for NetGalley and a publisher's blog tour.

3.5

The Vineyard at Painted Moon is a family drama set in the wine country of Washington. I could imagine myself in the scenery and craved a glass of wine while reading. The first chapter teaser I received had me hooked and I knew I had to read it.

The characters were very well written and the story intriguing. Our lead, MacKenzie, just can't seem to catch a break. She loves her job, loves her house, loves her husband...if only she was IN love with her husband. While he is her best friend, they haven't really had a marriage in a long time. And her cares for her as well, but thinks it's time for them to call it quits.

Of course you know family drama will continue from here. MacKenzie finds out she's pregnant, she goes and opens her own winery, even. And though I just told you all these huge life changes, I haven't even given away the story. Intrigued? I thought so.

I could not stand Barbara, the matriarch of Bel Apres, and MacKenzie's mother-in-law. She was just...a very unlikable person. Had to throw that in the review.

Fans of Mallery will enjoy this book, even if it isn't the romance they were looking for. I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Another Susan Mallery winner! She is determined to make me cry with each book and I love it. I totally recommend.

Oh this was such a delightful book! SM really knows how to write and engaging, heartfelt and emotionally complex book and this may be my favorite from her yet. I haven’t read all of her books though I’m trying to slowly make my way through her backlist, but this one was really special.

I loved so many things in this one, Mackenzie for starters was the type of lead character that charms the reader immediately. I also enjoyed the ensemble cast comprised of her husband’s family and then the primary setting being a vineyard was just the cherry on top of the cake. There was a lot going here plot wise, Mackenzie’s divorce, her strained relationship with her mother in law and then you get glimpses of her sister in laws struggles too, so definitely many relatable moments and problems and what I appreciated the most was the messiness of all their interactions. These characters felt genuine and true to life and even the way some things ended on a not so happy note made sense as real life is often complicated and not HEA. Overall just a really charming and entertaining read.

I love reading Susan Mallery's women's fiction. It deals with friendship, family, finding your place, new beginnings, and following your dreams. Mackenzie is an orphan, who loses her only family member, her grandfather just before college. When she gets to college, she is rooming with Stephanie Dienes and they become fast friends. Eventually, Mackenzie marries Stephanie's brother Rhys and begins working at the family winery. After 16 years, Mackenzie feels she has found her place and her family. When Rhys tells her he wants a divorce, suddenly she is not sure of anything anymore. Barbara, the matriarch of the family is like her mother, and Rhys' sisters have become her sisters. Will she still be part of the family if she and Rhys get divorced?

Mackenzie has to start life anew and she is one strong woman. She does not realize it, but she has the intellect, the talent and the cojones to do what she needs to do to follow her dream and do what she has always wanted to do in her life. She has some help along the way. Two of her sisters-in-law, support her and encourage her as well. Barbara, is a piece of work. That is all I am going to say about her, you will have to read the book to find out more. This story was just what I needed right now. Many of the characters have a happily ever after, but not all. The ones that don't deserve what they get. I loved the story and the several off-shooting storylines. It is well written and flows very well. The characters were well-developed and I felt like I knew people just like them. I was sorry to say good-bye to Mackenzie, Stephanie and the others. The audiobook was narrated by Tanya Eby. She is one of those narrators that has a wonderful voice to listen to, great expression, pacing and inflection. I thoroughly enjoyed my read/listen of this story. I definitely recommend this story to those who enjoy women's fiction, strong characters, following your dreams and new beginnings. A great story.

Mackenzie Dienes is alone in the world until she meets Rhys Barcellona. Rhys and Mackenzie marry and she becomes part of the Barcellona family. The Barcellona’s own a winery, Bel Apres, where Mackenzie works as their expert winemaker. Everything is perfect. Her career is successful, she’s part of a large family and she has a beautiful home. Rhys’ mother, Barbara, is as close to Mackenzie as any mother can ever be. Mackenzie is as happy as can be, until one day Rhys hits her with a bombshell. After sixteen years of marriage, he has decided the marriage is no longer working for him and he wants a divorce.

Mackenzie is devastated, she is about to lose everything. Since she will no longer be part of the family, she can continue to work as an employee but that’s all she will ever be. She wants more out of life than that. She decides she wants her own vineyard and she takes the steps to get it. She quickly learns who her true friends are and who are not!

What an emotional story complete with larger-than-life characters. Susan Mallery has a talent in creating realistic characters readers can care about and putting them in realistic situations. She does an excellent job of making me either love or hate characters. When an author grabs a reader’s emotions, that’s good writing. It’s been years since I’ve read a Susan Mallery book. This brings back all the memories of why I always enjoyed her writing style.

Basically, this is Mackenzie’s story but there are a couple of other sub-plots that were just as riveting. It was a fast read for me. I was totally absorbed in it and wanted to know how it would all turn out. A very satisfying read.






FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The more I read of Susan Mallery's writing the more I enjoy it, I'm definitely thinking I'm going to need to pick up more of her books when I'm looking for chick lit. This book really covers the transitive nature of life and truly coming into your own when you discover that what you have may not really be what you need. Even though it was hard at times I really enjoyed Mackenzie's journey as she found herself after the loss of her marriage and presumed place. It was interesting to see how relationships and actions towards her changed once her marriage ended, but also heartbreaking in some ways. This book will make you feel a wide range of emotions as you follow along with her story.

Initial Thoughts: I’ve read a few novels by Susan Mallery and really enjoyed them. I love a good women’s fiction pick!

Themes, Elements & Review Notes: The Vineyard at Painted Moon was my favorite novel by Susan Mallery yet! Filled with themes of love and family the novel hits the heart, in good ways and bad. Life in reality isn’t perfect and things don’t always get tied up in a pretty little bow. One of my favorite themes was finding family through love and friendship and another was that people will eventually show their true colors and sometimes they’ll surprise you.

Well-thought out cast of characters, from Mackenzie’s passion, determination, and drive to Stephanie’s thoughtful and conflicted career and motherhood. Barbara is extremely unlikeable but the author certainly wrote this character to be a terrible individual intentionally. Barbara was such an intriguing character. At the surface she’s a cold-hearted bitch but deeper down she may be sentimental and caring. Either way, she’s got the appearance of having thick skin and doesn’t allow herself to succumb to anything that could make her look weak.

Another interesting theme that was featured was the crazy things people are driven to when money is involved. Instead of realizing what’s important, Barbara was so concerned with not letting go of ownership of her winery that her actions were leading to what could potentially be the winery’s complete downfall.

In a Nutshell: Wonderfully written story about women and the stories of their lives. Filled with themes of love and family and the lengths some people will go to pursue their dreams, even if it’s later in life.

Mackenzie Dienes is a renowned winemaker for her husband Rhys Barcellona’s family vineyard. She met him 16-years ago when she accompanied his sister (her college roommate) home for the holidays. She fell in love not only with him but his entire family, which ultimately became the one she didn’t have but always wanted. While Bel Après belongs to the Barcellona family, led by matriarch Barbara, Mackenzie is the winemaker, managing the grapes from the moment they are picked until the wine is bottled. She’s content with her life even though her marriage is more like a union of best friends. But when Rhys suddenly asks for a divorce, Mackenzie has to confront the realities of her situation...home, career, marriage and family.

It’s made abundantly clear at the onset of the story that Mackenzie is the most favored by mother-in-law Barbara over all of her own children. That tells you a lot more about Barbara than Mackenzie, which is the heart of everything. Stephanie, her sister-in-law and former college roommate, is Mackenzie’s best friend but relationships can change when blood lines are involved. And, because Barbara always made it clear that because Mackenzie wasn’t truly a Barcellona, the business had to stay in the “family” and she wasn’t entitled to any ownership stake. As she attempts to navigate her way through all of it, Barbara sets the tone and boundaries, forcing her to examine her own heart, talents and vision for her future.

Despite Barbara’s overly dramatic bad behavior, this was a realistic view of how relationships can change overnight when an in-law’s marital status changes, despite years of great shared experiences. Mackenzie’s contentment delayed her taking a critical view of her personal circumstances, settling for an unsatisfying marriage and far less than what she was entitled to in her career. I loved seeing her descend into chaos and emerge with a clearer sense of self, confidence and hope for the future. Even though her love for Bel Après was deep and boundless, she didn’t let it hold her back in facing her new truths. I listened to the story and very much enjoyed narrator Tanya Eby’s performance. She expertly provided character distinctions and is a great storyteller. I loved the honesty of the story and its strong themes and messages. This was a win for me. 4.5 stars

This is a book about starting over. Imagine having it all... loving family, a beautiful house, a job you love, but it comes at the expensive of your husband's family. And now your husband has decided to call it quits; he wants a divorce. Instead of letting life get her down, MacKenzie takes a step into the unknown as she begins to build a new lie for herself. This is a quick, fun read.

In her newest novel, Susan Mallery paints a picture of life after divorce, a woman starting over, and the courage to face the toughest challenges with a smile.

Mackenzie Dienes has a life she loves--a job she is passionate about, a family she is close to, and a home that is beautiful. The only problem? Everything she has comes from her husband’s family, and, unfortunately, they have decided it is time to call it quits on their marriage. What will Mackenzie’s next chapter look like? Can she surrender the comfort of what she has for the promise of what could be?

I loved this book. Books about women starting over always appeal to me, and this one delivers all the angst, emotion, and happily-ever-after that a reader could want. Mackenzie is a terrific heroine, one that I rooted for from the beginning. I wanted her to take a chance, to discover her self-worth apart from the family.

The rest of the characters were well-written, well-rounded people as well. I enjoyed the subplots relating to Stephanie, I wanted Four to be my best friend, and I simply hated Barbara (which was the whole point, so well-done, Ms. Mallery!). Rhys was actually decent to Mackenzie, which was a nice change of pace from the normal contentious divorces one would see in a novel.

Overall, I loved this book. It started a bit slow, building up the characters and plot, but I didn’t want to put it down from the beginning.

The always exceptional Susan Mallery is back with a fantastic new women’s fiction novel written with her trademark flair and style and brimming with heart, hope and humor: The Vineyard at Painted Moon.

Mackenzie Dienes is a woman who seems to have everything: a wonderful husband, a beautiful home, a wide circle of friends and a thriving career as a winemaker in the family business. But scratch beneath the trappings of success and prestige and rather than a fulfilled woman, Mackenzie cannot shake off this feelings that she is an impostor. Her life might seem perfect, but everything in Mackenzie’s life is connected to her husband. Her friends, her business and the winery are all his. With each passing day, Mackenzie feels as if she has nothing that is solely hers and when her husband announces that they should divorce, she realizes that she stands to lose more than just her life partner, but her entire life. What is Mackenzie going to do now? And more to the point, with so much of her life being tied to her husband, who is the real Mackenzie Dienes?

Mackenzie knows that she could take the easy way out and stay put. However, staying in her comfort zone will mean that although she can hug her nephews and nieces and be on good terms with her in-laws, she will be nothing more than an employee and Mackenzie doesn’t want that. The time has come for her to shake off the shackles of her married life, take a deep breath and a leap into the unknown in order to build a legacy of her own. When an opportunity arises to build a vineyard at Painted Moon, Mackenzie jumps at the chance and soon realizes that life has a habit of giving you want you really want in the most surprising and unexpected of ways…

Susan Mallery is an icon of romance and women’s fiction who writes so beautifully and brilliantly about relationships, families and friendships and in The Vineyard at Painted Moon she has written a fantastic tale about finding your place in the world, taking a chance on yourself and having the courage to make your dreams a reality readers are going to absolutely love.

Mackenzie is a wonderful heroine. She is smart, kind, loyal, flawed, but ultimately someone readers will cheer on and absolutely adore.

Susan Mallery’s name on a book jacket alone is a surefire guarantee of excellence and in The Vineyard at Painted Moon she continues to cement her standing as an outstanding writer of women’s fiction.

The Vineyard at Painted Moon is the latest stand alone from author Susan Mallery. The story features Mackenzie who has poured her heart and soul into her husband's family vineyard. When she realizes her marriage is over, she risks losing everything she holds dear. The story is a wonderful tale about changing your path in life and finding out that what you thought you wanted wasn't really what you needed.

I really loved this story. The story is told through three perspectives, Mackenzie, her sister-in-law Stephanie and her mother-in-law Barbara. I loved Mackenzie and her journey to realizing what she could accomplish on her own. I loved her friendship with Stephanie and Bruno. I also enjoyed Stephanie's journey to figure out what she wanted out of life and finally being able to stick up for herself. Barbara... well let's just say that her entire family had way more patience than I ever would. That tie would have been cut a long time ago. She got what she deserved. The other characters added so much flavor and rounded out the story nicely. I highly recommend this one. I think it's going to be a favorite of the year.

THE VINEYARD AT PAINTED MOON by Susan Mallery is a women’s fiction novel that pulled me in from page one. This is the perfect emotionally intense and ultimately satisfying read to curl up with on your couch wrapped in a comfy blanket with a glass of your favorite wine by your side on these snowy cold days. I read it entirely in one sitting.

Mackenzie Dienes is a successful elite winemaker at her husband’s family vineyard in Walla Walla since graduating from college where she was his sister’s roommate. Having lost her grandfather to cancer after graduating from high school, she has been happily enveloped by her husband’s family and vineyard for sixteen years, but now he wants a divorce.

Mackenzie’s life is thrown into turmoil. She realizes the life she has lived has all belonged to her husband and his family and as much as she longed to be considered a member of the family, she was in many ways just an employee to certain members of the family.

Mackenzie can stay and continue working at the winery or she can risk everything to claim a new future she has only ever dreamed of.

I loved this book from start to finish! Not only did I go through the range of emotions a women’s fiction novel usually takes me through, but I got a HEA, too. Mackenzie is an endearing protagonist. It was so satisfying to see her go from just living to emotionally thriving not only in her personal life, but in her professional one as well. Ms. Mallery made me feel as though I was at the vineyard and walking right along with Mackenzie with her vivid descriptions throughout the story. The secondary characters come to life on the page; some supportive and some surprising, good and bad. I hated to see them go, but was happy with the epilogue.

I highly recommend this novel!

Another good one by Susan Mallery. A quick, easy read. Lots of family dynamics in it. A few surprises along the way.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for sending me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've never read a Susan Mallery book before, so I was excited to start this one after reading the synopsis. I ended up reading it in one sitting because I couldn't wait to see where the story ended! While a story about divorce sounds sad, this is really a book about characters learning to let go and find their inner strength to chase their dreams instead of simply going through the motions of life. I ended up loving this book and wish there was more to read about these characters!

Main Characters are Excellent
Mackenzie, the Barcellona siblings, and Bruno are all such great characters! I loved that we got the perspectives of all the women in the novel (except for Lori - oh, poor Lori) because it added a nice depth to each of them. Their relationships with Barbara and each other is so important in this book, so it's great that we get a lot of insight here. I do wish that we had spent more time with Stephanie and Mackenzie's romances (we are told about them in the epilogue), but I understand that the point of this novel is them figuring out how to let go of their pasts, not necessarily them falling in love again.

Love the Vineyard Setting
As someone who isn't a fan of vine (or most alcohol - I hate the flavour), I always seems to love books that are based in vineyards. There's something so romantic about rows and rows of grapes that will be turned into wine. I think it's the history of how wine is made that continues to fascinate me and romance novels that take place on vineyards always capture my attention. In this case, Mackenzie's journey from the winemaker for the Barcellona family to being her own boss is lovely to witness and I loved seeing her excitement in starting this new adventure. As someone with no knowledge of how wine is made, I was thoroughly convinced that Mallery knows her stuff and that Mackenzie truly is a winemaker.

Barbara Needs More Development
Sadly, the character who needed the most development is the character that should've been the strongest. As the antagonist of the story, Barbara's role should've grown to the dramatic climax of the story. Instead, she her actions simply seem pointless and irrational with the final meeting between her and Mackenzie being very anti-climatic. I was expecting a lot more drama from her, but she continued to fall short of what her role called for. I would've loved to have a better understanding of her motivations (maybe we needed to know more about her past to understand why she's like this in the present?) or seen more dramatic actions taken by her to give that final confrontation the intensity it deserved.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! This was my first time reading Susan Mallery and I'm excited that this is the book I started with. I'd recommend The Vineyard at Painted Moon to fans of Mallery, Nora Roberts, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips, or to readers who enjoy multiple female perspectives and slow burn romances.

The Vineyard at Painted Moon is your standard chick-lit fare: average without anything that makes it special.

Mackenzie is in her 30's and working at her husband's family's vineyard. The two have a rote marriage: work, family events, and retiring to separate rooms. When the couple deal with the fact that they aren't truly happy, Mackenzie must strike out on her own. With no one else in her support team but her ex's family, she deals with major changes and tries to figure out what this winemaker can do with her life to make her heart happy/

Susan Mallery's writing style is lovely. My only issue is that the chapters are small sections for each character's viewpoint and hopped around without any preamble. My e-book version had no breaks between these sections which was jarring; this is something that could have been corrected by the final copy Mallery manages to throw in a twist but it still ends in the way I imagined. Mackenzie learns very little (how to cook and do laundry oh my!) and the ending negates any real growth she had. Which is a shame.

This book had a chance to be something special. The book is motivated by a marriage that didn't foster love. What was once mutual decision and blame becomes another book about how the man is evil and treats women like crap. I had been looking forward to how it dealt with mutual divorce feelings and was highly disappointed when it veered sharply. The book had plenty of power without falling back on stereotypes.

Overall I was uninspired and the ending was completely predictable. But if you love chick-lit, you'll find great comfort in the story.

Mackenzie Dienes life is just perfect. Well, almost. She never had a good relationship with her own family, but once she married Rhys she learned the true meaning of family. Not only had she been his sister Stephanie's best friend for years since they were college roommates, she found a mother in Barbara, their mother. Mackenzie also drew close to Rhys's sisters Lori and Catherine, who chose to be called by the name of Four.

Not only does Mackenzie have the family she always desperately craved, she has the ideal job. She works with her husband's family's winery, overseen by her mother-in-law Barbara, and that is something that Mackenzie excels at. She has an unrivaled creative talent when it comes to the business. However, there is something desperately missing in her life. Mackenzie and Rhys are married in name only and it has been that way for years. The flame is gone and one day they come to an agreement to end things between them.

This is the beginning of the end for Mackenzie. Giving up on her failed marriage means that she could possible lose everything and she certainly was not prepared for that. Will Mackenzie be able to stay at the winery, stay close to Barbara, Stephanie and the other girls? What is more is that she has a very close relationship with her nieces and nephews and she doesn't want that to be jeopardized.

Mackenzie not only has to face decisions much bigger than ending her marriage. Her career will no doubt be affected, as well as her relationships. Will Mackenzie ever find the true meaning of contentment and happiness? Factor in another major life change for Mackenzie and she truly must think of her future.

What a book! First of all, I loved Mackenzie. She was a kind, intelligent and caring woman. Conversely, there were some horrible characters in this book. I will just name two: Barbara and Rhys were not likable characters, and this made me feel even more compassion towards Mackenzie. Just as there were unlikeable characters in this story, there was another character that came into the story that truly warmed my heart.

Family drama, excellent character development, conflicts and a wonderful conclusion all came together to develop quite an engaging story. I loved the discussion questions at the end of the book as well. Being able to consider those after reading this marvelous story impressed this book on me even more.

Many thanks to Harlequin and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I like Susan Mallery’s books and I liked this one. It’s a heartwarming, emotionally charged and compelling story that made smile and moved me.
It’s a story about losing nearly everything and building again, growing up and finding happiness. It’s also a story about discovering what really matters and who the persons around you really are.
Ms Mallery is a talented storyteller and her characters are quite realistic and you can easily relate to them. In this case the only small issue is that I found the MC a bit too zen and patient for being realistic (sometimes she seems to be the embodiment of a mindfulness course) and Barbara, the arch-villain, a bit too caricatural.
The plot is tightly knitted and flows, you read about the characters story and I couldn’t help rooting for Mackenzie and hoping for the best.
Some moments made me laugh, other moved me to tears and I was involved in the plot and some parts reflected personal experiences of mine.
A good story that I recommend, perfect for this bleak times when we need hope in a better future.
Many thanks to HQN and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I hated to reach the last page! Loved the story and Susan Mallery is becoming a favorite author. I learned so much about life on a vineyard, so unfamiliar to me here in Wi. Loved the family dynamics, not outwardly dysfunctional ,but definitely lots of ups and downs and inner strife. Loved the character of Barbara, the matriarch of the vineyard. Such an interesting character. Following her relationship with her adult children and daughter in law was so intriguing to me. Sad that I reached the last page and couldn't continue to follow the continuing story of this family! Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.