Light, sparkling and thoughtful

I thoroughly enjoyed Widows on the Wine Path. Although it was book 2 of a series, I had no problem getting right into the characters and plot. The heroines are widows of a certain age, a demographic I identify with. The plot includes gaslighting and mental abuse, so be warned that beneath the froth, there is valuable and sincere life lessons. I have just downloaded the previous book in the series!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-constrained e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

Widows On The Wine Path by Julia Jarman is the second book after Widows Wine Club A funny book explaining how the musketeers initially got together. In this book Libby is a new addition to their widow club her husband Jim has only been dead for a year and she is finding it hard to adjust taking baby steps she goes to the theater alone in runs in to an old classmate she knew from acting class at University. His name is Charles Montclair but now goes by Monty ignoring red flags she saw in the beginning she starts seeing him on a regular basis but soon he wants to move in something she really doesn’t want to do but after he bullies her into it it she ultimately allows it. This isn’t going to be the end of his once and in the end she will learn mini lessons the first always pay attention to red flags. Trying to keep my reviews shorter let them a lot of stuff out especially the funny part with her daughter Eleanor who initially thought Marty was a transgendered friend and although this book is humorous there’s also intense times especially on the vacation Libby couldn’t say no to. This is a very intriguing book and one I highly recommend I almost want to go back and find out how Zara Janet and Viv initially met each other. I really enjoyed the authors writing style and will definitely be on the lookout for more books by her and her previously written books this is a fun book to pass the afternoon with our a fun beach read either way you cannot go wrong with the widows on the wine path by Julia Jarman I want to thank Boldwood books and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes I am blind and dictate my review.

A new author for me and an excellent book from Julia. I will be having a look for more of her books. This one ticks all the boxes for me and didn't disappoint.

I was drawn to this title by both its cover and the book’s description. Here Julia Jaman does what many authors of women’s fiction-she places a group of friends together and lets the reader become a part of their lives. In this instance, the women are widows who have formed their own support system as the support group they attended was not for them. The three, Viv, Janet and Zelda all get to know another widow named Libby. How will these friends be there for Libby when she most needs them. Find out more about all four women in this enjoyable read.

Note that this book is the second in the series. I think that it can be read as a standalone.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Very much part of a series, but a stand-alone read.

The Widows' Wine Club - consisting of Val, Janet and Zelda - happily add a fourth member to their number when they meet Libby, widowed after thirty years and a bit lost without her partner. Libby begins to gain her confidence again and when a trip to the theatre brings reacquaintance with someone she admired years ago, she begins to look to the future again. But the other ladies don't have the same feelings towards Monty Charles and, knowing how precarious the first year of being on your own is, vow to keep an eye on the relationship.

I felt a bit out of step with this one; it was as if I didn't really know the characters the way I was expected to and it wasn't until the very end that I realised this was part of a series. I think, had I read the first one, it would all have made much more sense. As it was, I spent a lot of time wondering just how stupid Libby could be. Not quite the fun read I was expecting and, for me, 3.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is = as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

I have not read the other books by this author in the series.
The group of widows in the story took me from one emotion to the next and then back again. They connected as a support group who like wine.
The author did a good job making me care for each of the widows but there are a lot of things that are needed for me to get into the story more.
I am going to read the first in the series and that will help be become more familiar with the women.
Thank you NetGalley, Julia Jarman and Boldwood Books for the ARC of Widows on the Wine Path. This is my personal review.

I loved this sweet little read about a group of friends and widows who love a support each other through all life throws at them. Through thick and thin, this book shows how shared grief, experience, and friendship stands the test of time and weathers all storms. Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a copy of this book for an honest review.

This little group of musketeers, all widows, are so bold and adventuresome! It's a bit of a roller coaster - you'll alternate between laughing and crying, mad to snickering, The writing is so descriptive that you see the sights, smell the smells, and feel the emotions with the exception of the theater scenes.

It definitely was not the book I expected and I found it to be slow and frustrating at times.. Perhaps if I had read the first book, I would have rated it higher. The four main characters were well developed, have a great bond over their shared status as widows who are learning to live and love again, and always have each others backs.. I was disappointed with what happened to Libby as I thought she had more sense, but that is the writer's prerogative to create them as she sees them. The highlight of the book was the relationship between Libby, Janet, Zelda, and Viv.

A warm emotional moving story of a group of widows who form. A wine group Really a support group to help each other.All is going well till a man named Monty appears.I enjoyed this story from first to last page.#netgalley #boldwoodbooks

Perhaps not what I expected however the book was still an enjoyable read. This is the second book in the series and although I haven’t read the first one I didn’t feel that I needed to in order to follow this one.
The book features 4 widows who have a great friendship however Libby is the most newly widowed.
While at the theatre Libby bumps into Monty who she knew from her younger years and they start a relationship however Monty is not the person Libby thinks he is.
Monty tried to distance her from her friends and family and whisks her off to Greece however Monty is controlling and manipulative and has an impact on her self esteem. This is where the friendship of the widows become invaluable.
The description of the scenery and food was good and I detested Monty with a passion and found myself getting annoyed when reading the book so perhaps not the relaxing read I was expecting however thought provoking and a reminder that intelligent women can be taking advantage of when vulnerable. I was touched by the friendship and how they were determined to rescue Libby from the situation she had found herself in.
Many thanks to Boldwood books and Netgalley for a review copy of this book however all opinions are my own.

The Musketeer members Viv, Janet, Zelda and new member Libby, all widows and after meeting by chance at a "a support club" decided to form their own club, The Widows Wine Club.

After a visit to the theatre Libby meets a smooth actor from her past, that at the time, had a major crush on. Monty Charles as he is know now, sweeps Libby off her feet and away to Greece where things take a dramatic decline!

Another wonder read from Julia Jarman, one that you will want to read from cover to cover, in one hit!

I haven't read the first book in the series, however this was really read as a standalone book. Libby is still mourning the death of her husband Jim, but is helped by the women in the Widow's Wine Club. When she meets someone from her past she falls for him, however the others smell a rat.
SPOILER ALERT. I actually found this book really frustrating, I really felt for Libby, however I just couldn't like Monty, even before doubts about his true intentions came to light. It does show how even an intelligent person can come under the control of someone else without them realising it. The importance of friends and their support is really shown here. I'm not sure about humour in this particular book, but the scenery and the food when they went on holiday made up for this. Not a light read, but one for when you want something deeper.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

A group of widows in a wine club, this just sounds like a good time, and it definitely was. I really enjoyed this one.

Suspenseful and adventurous!!!

Those two words describe Widows on the Wine Path by Julia Jarman. I really did enjoy this book! Jarman kept me on my toes and wanting to read more and more.

I was cheering for the Musketeers the whole time, hoping they would succeed!

This book was a mix of comedy and suspense as poor Libby meets an old love interest a year after she loses her husband Jim. Being a little nieve and lacking confidence in her ability to be alone, this poor lady gets well and truly sucked in by this naughty man!!!
Her gang of friends can’t seem to change her mind or find out enough to keep an eye on her, so can only worry from the sidelines! I felt that way too!! So much so, I had to keep reading through the night to find out what happened!!!!
I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, the characters, in fact I loved it all!!!! I really look forward to reading more from Julia Jarman!!
Many thanks to Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this arc copy for review consideration via Netgalley . My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #TheBoldBookClub, #Jarman6745.

It’s rare that finishing a book makes me feel as though I’ve run a marathon. I regularly read twisted mysteries, pulse-pounding thrillers, and even blood-curdling horror without breaking a sweat. However, Widows on the Wine Path broke me.

In the standalone sequel to The Widows’ Wine Club, author Julia Jarman returns to The Muscateers, a group centered around both their widowhood and appreciation for a solid drink, this time with an additional member. While Viv, Janet, and Zelda have all begun figuring out their new lives, Libby, after the more recent loss of her husband of thirty years, finds herself in a bit of a rut. And after running into a flirty old classmate, Monty, at a West End theatre, that rut might just turn into a sinkhole.

Therein lies the source of my sudden blood pressure problem. Monty might truly be one of the most odious characters I’ve ever come across in the history of literature. That’s a complete testament to Jarman as a writer. She carefully walks the tightrope of allowing the audience to know Monty is no better than a snake oil salesman while still allowing us to understand why Libby might not see it. After Monty’s first scene, wherein he offers to buy Libby a drink, she later realizes she’s been charged not just for her own drink, but his as well. Jarman telegraphs the exact kind of trick he’s played, and yet Libby remains enchanted. He’s attractive. He seemingly has all the right answers. How can he be bad?

Even with this intentionally obvious setup, Jarman has written an unputdownable book. Because really, while Monty is an ever-present rot, it’s not really about him at all. At its core, Widows on the Wine Path is about Libby, her attempts to figure out what her life is going to look like, and the wacky adventures she has along the way. As Libby bounces around from small personal triumphs (like attending a night at the theatre by herself) to far off escapades Monty butters her into, Jarman is careful to make all of these moments about Libby finding herself. It’s an incredibly touching exploration of not just widowhood, but humanity.

Adding to the emotional whiplash I was more than welcome to experience, it’s incredibly funny. While Viv, Janet, and Zelda offer up plenty of relief with their restaurant meetings and quips, Libby herself even sparkles as she comes into her own. A couple of cathartic moments toward the end had me genuinely laughing out loud.

Full of heart with loads of laughs, Widows on the Wine Path is a dazzling sequel. Word of advice, though: try not to get too worked up while reading it.

This might be one of the worst books I have ever read. Impossible to follow, horrible characters - bad all the way around.

Seven months after becoming a widow, Libby runs into someone she had a crush on way back in her acting school days. It feels too soon to start a new relationship, but Monty is sweet, and fun, and she can't help but develop feelings for him. But as things heat up with Monty, Libby begins to wonder if maybe he isn't as wonderful as he initially seemed.

I will say first of all that I don't understand AT ALL why this book is marketed as funny and lighthearted; it isn't either of those things in the slightest. I did like the book, but there was no humor, but based on the description I was expecting a comedy with some hijinks from Libby's friends. Instead, this book is very heavy, and includes a lot of emotional abuse. Again, I thought the book was good, but if you're looking for a light read, this is not that, at all.
I loved that there were some chapters from the other Muscateers' points of view, and Julia Harman did a great job of capturing the awful creeping feeling of something not quite being right in a relationship. While this book wasn't at all what I expected, I thought it was very good and would definitely read more by Julia Jarman.

TW for emotional abuse

2.5 stars.
This is mainly about Libby. Having lost her husband the year before, she befriends the musketeers, Zelda, Viv, and Janet.
Libby bumps into Monty at the theatre. She remembers him from her youth, and soon they are chatting, and he invites her out.
Before you know it, he's moving into her house. Then, he insists that he takes her away for a little holiday.
I didn't enjoy this at all, although I did stick with it just to see what happened at the end.
I found it completely farcical. Libby is a grown woman. I don't understand how she fell for a complete con artist and got herself imprisoned by him.
I even dispared of her friends. How did it take them so long to come to her aide?
The only saving grace for this book was the location. The villa sounded lovely, and Nikos, who adored Libby.
I'm all for books being written about ladies of a certain age, but please don't dumb them down.
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the invitation to read this in return for an honest review.

A wonderful story about a group of widows who are there for one another offering support. It all gets a little heated when Monty arrives on the scene and tries to take over. A great story of loss and friendship. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review. It was a pleasure.