I have seen her books over the years but this is the first time I have read a book by Sophie Lark. Compared to her other books I was expecting a dark and gritty story, but this was more of a contemporary romance with some spice. The two main characters were very likeable and it was a quick and easy read. I was not interested in the sweat kink though lol but other than that good.

This was my first time reading a Sophie Lark novel and now I want to read everything she has ever written. There was not a single chapter in this book where I did not feel some sort of emotion. I laughed out loud more times than I can even count, I swooned over the romance and I seethed at the unhinged mother. If it wasn’t for work I would have devoured this book in one sitting. When I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking about this book. I am so completely intrigued by this series and the subplot with the family history that I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one.

I thought the insta-love between Sadie and Monroe would be a low point for me in the story but honestly they were so cute with each other I didn’t even care. I ate that sappy, Hallmark insta-love right up. There was enough conflict going on outside of the main romance that I never once felt bored with the book.

The story takes place on a gorgeous, ocean side vineyard in Rhode Island. The way Sophie Lark paints a picture for her readers makes you feel like you are right there in the vineyard; the old cliff house, hill house on the other side of the property next to June’s little cottage. If I could crawl into a book and spend time in its location, this would be it.

I also appreciated the thought that went into writing this story. There were so many interesting characters with layers you just wanted to peel back and see what is hiding beneath the surface. Not one single character was lacking. They were all so interesting in their own way and you just know that every last one of them has secrets to uncover. It has been a long time since a contemporary romance has left me anxiously awaiting for the rest of the series the way this book has.

In the earlier chapters Sophie Lark’s humor does seem to be a tad more on the more vulgar side. Some examples being senile grandpa helicoptering naked through the vineyard, snooty receptionists lips pursed like an anxious anus. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t cough out a shocked laugh during both scenes though. 😂

Sabine was definitely giving Lucille from Arrested Development vibes. I think the “working visa” comment would have been more expected from her character rather than Monroe. That would have been more fitting and not a negative reflection on the workers but on Sabine’s character. Sabine was definitely the pretentious mother who equally hates everyone in the story so hating staff would have fit right into her narrative. I think by having Monroe say it was the author’s way of showing that even though he’s charming he’s still a flawed character and a product of his mother. I think it was a failed attempt by the author as a way to make the reader question Monroe’s true character and motives. Try to make the reader second guess how the storyline will go. Unfortunately it just wasn’t that well executed and kind of came out of left field.

All in all, I LOVED this book and I think I officially have a new favorite author.

Many thanks to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books and Sophie Lark for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I will start out by saying, yes the author should have removed certain lines from the book especially in the world we live in today, but I did like story despite those things. First of all it’s set in RI and being from RI, I loved that. I love a marriage of convenience trope but I will say this one had a little too much insta love for me. I’m used to Sophie’s dark mafia romances so I think I expected more dark. The lovey dovey was cute but unexpected.

Since this book was archived due to reasons beyond me, I haven't read the book yet. The author will be rewriting parts of the book, since there were some harmful scenes in there. Hopefully, the rewritten version will help her in her further writing career.

Sparrow and Vine brings romance along with family and financial responsibilities for the two families closely related through a partnership made long ago that has repercussions on members today. A hasty marriage create suspicions for both sides involved as saving a wine business becomes the highlight of the battle. This book created much interest and held it throughout.

This was a cute and enjoyable story about Monroe and Sadie and their familial drama surrounding a vineyard that was meant for The Wedding That Never Was. Sadie and Monroe’s parents were engaged to be married, though in the end, they didn’t, leaving the vineyard in an irrevocable trust that only a marriage could save. Enter Monroe with his genius idea to marry Sadie as a workaround to the trust requirements. But of course, Monroe’s mom has her sneaky ways, Sadie’s sisters who have been trying to keep the vineyard afloat for 20 years are floundering, and no one in the family believes this marriage is real.

This is a 3 for me. Enjoyable, bingeable, and the romance was adorable! There were some things left unanswered that bugged me, and some comments that were not appropriate for the climate.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this book.

In the beginning this book was easy to read and to follow, however the further through this book I read, the more I started to dislike it.

The characters were not likeable and the language used when writing was improper and harmful.
The following quote in particular I would like to point out should never have made it into arc copies as it is harmful to cultural groups -
“But shouldn’t there be a crew of people with questionable work visas picking these grapes for us?”

Overall I am appalled and disappointed in both this book and its author.

I’ve never read anything by Sophie lark before and I wasn’t disappointed. I really enjoyed the story and the main character was likeable. Overall a good read

I really wasn’t a fan of this book. I liked a few books I have read by this author but I just couldn’t finish it.

I can not not recommend .

I have read a few of Sophie Larks books and truly enjoyed them. Unfortunately I can’t say the same about Sparrow and Vine. I was immediately put off by the way the mmc speaks about the fmc. I understand an enemies to lovers trope but starting off by saying how Sadie is nothing compared to her sisters? I had high expectations for this story and wish I would have loved it!

This is a very controversial book. I got the ARC copy of it and not long after quite a few things came out about quotes of the book and a rough non-apology from Sophie about it.

With all that in mind, I’m going to keep this brief.

The book was cute. I enjoy a good romance and a save-the-day vibe. The slow burn was spicy and the teasing was lovely. I enjoyed them all pulling together as a family.

I do not enjoy unnecessary racist comments in a book and unneeded comments praising Musk as he destroys our government and tries to ruin progress. I also do not appreciate it when authors don’t own up to their mistakes.

It’s a shame. This is a really fun book and would have been an enjoyable 4 star romance.

I will not be reading or reviewing this book after hearing and seeing the harmful content witihin it and the fact that it has officially been pulled from publication.

I freaking love Sophie Lark and every character she creates! I adored the sparrow sisters and cannot wait for more of this series!

I believe the publisher already pulled this book and it will not be out so we are removing this from our list of to be read by a librarian or assistant.

ARC Review: Sparrow and Vine by Sophie Lark

Sophie Lark delivers another compelling romance with Sparrow and Vine, weaving together tension, family legacy, and a reluctant marriage between enemies. Sadie Sparrow’s devotion to her family’s overgrown winery is palpable, and her willingness to marry Monroe Beaumont—her sworn enemy—sets the stage for a slow-burn, high-stakes romance.

Sadie’s internal struggles and determination were a highlight of the novel. Her perspective felt raw and authentic, making her easy to root for even when the situation seemed impossible. Monroe, on the other hand, brings a commanding presence to the story—his brooding intensity and cinnamon-scented allure add layers to their dynamic, making every interaction between them electric.

The push-and-pull between Sadie and Monroe kept the tension high, and I appreciated how their relationship developed beyond simple attraction. The backdrop of Sparrow and Vine added an atmospheric richness, with the winery itself feeling like a character in its own right.

While the romance and family drama were engaging, some aspects of the book were concerning, particularly in how certain topics were handled. Sensitivity readers are crucial, and I hope their feedback is fully considered in future works. That said, I focused on the heart of the story—the characters, the tension, and the emotional weight of their choices.

Overall, Sparrow and Vine is a captivating marriage-of-convenience romance that balances passion, history, and family stakes. Fans of Lark’s signature blend of tension and steam will likely enjoy this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

I honestly did like a lot of this book, but there were some major items that had me knocking down stars:
- the main MMC asking “shouldn’t there be some people with questionable work visas picking these grapes for us?” Just ask where the workers are? there was no need to bring this racist visa question up at all.
- the main FMC referring to someone’s mouth as looking like an anxious anus
- side character (future book's FMC) talking about Elon Musk being her inspiration (gross)
- MMC and FMC joking around about sex in front of MMC's dad
- MMC's dad having totally inappropriate advances on a side character

To dive deeper on the questionable work visas line:
Sophie Lark even posted this as a response: "My intention was to craft and demonstrate a flawed main character, but instead, I wrote dialogue that read as attacking a community that I care about very much." The fact that this was flagged by the publisher (they suggested removing a number of lines) and she chose to go ahead with it anyways pissed me OFFFF.

Sophie Lark obviously has conservative views and it was very unfortunate to see that shown in the inner monologue and dialogue of the characters. She's "pausing this book and this series for some re-writes to ensure that my work doesn't contribute to harm." Its BS to only recognize this and see it as an issue after people give you shit for it. You're only trying to save face after your views weren't received well. I hope she actually educates herself instead of doing this by contractual obligation.

I like a good marriage of convenience and forced proximity trope and this was an interesting storyline. I also appreciated that the "3rd act breakup" showed a lot of growth on the FMC's side. Overall, it all felt flat. Interesting enough to not DNF but i couldn't wait for it to be over. I won't continue to read the other books.

I tried to leave a review on Goodreads but they aren't allowing reviews for that book right now (i'm assuming because the publisher pulled the book)

This book was paused from publication by the publisher and the author due to concerns with the content. I will be updating my review in the future when edits have been made to reflect the author's final version. I have read and enjoyed some of Sophie Lark's work in the past, as well as the work of many of Bloom's authors, so I hope issues will be solved in Sparrow and Vine quickly.

Title: Sparrow and Vine
Author: Sophie Lark
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Sparrows and the Beaumonts have a long and sordid history. When the founders/former best friends are both old and ill, their grandchildren (Sadie Sparrow and Monroe Beaumont) take matters into their own hands in order to save the vineyard - by fulfilling an old marriage contract between the families.

I love the character growth that you read throughout the book. The MMC was a naive rich young man with a very flawed view of the world, however by the end of the book he changes dramatically caring more for others than even himself.

Sophie Lark is an incredible author. This book has some taboo quotes which I believe do lead to showing a flawed MMC and help lead to his character growth - luckily she has now released a statement apologizing and stating she is removing the specific quote from the book.

Overall, I believe this is a 4⭐️ read and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to Sophie Lark and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Uhhh yeah. I received this ARC and then saw all of the racist quotes and undertones other readers highlighted and have decided not to continue reading something that goes against my personal values. I also cannot help but notice and mention the author seemingly doubling down on not removing or editing the specific moment in the book and cannot support this publication.

As a whole I loved this book. Yes there were things that I did not agree with, but I did not judge the whole book by these simple things. Just know that when you have sensitivity readers please listen to them. I come from a family of color( my dad) and it did make me feel bad to read those lines. On the topic of this book, I loved the FMC and how her inner thoughts! I can totally see where this is going and loved it!