The Vineyard at Painted Moon: A Novel

Susan Mallery

Feb 2021 · Sold by HQN Books

About this ebook

"In true Susan Mallery fashion, strong female characters, friendship, and family are at the center... You're sure to laugh and cry along the journey and delight in the happy ending."—Robyn Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Virgin River

Step into the vineyard with Susan Mallery’s most irresistible novel yet, as one woman searches for the perfect blend of love, family and wine.

Mackenzie Dienes seems to have it all—a beautiful home, close friends and a successful career as an elite winemaker with the family winery. There’s just one problem—it’s not her family, it’s her husband’s. In fact, everything in her life is tied to him—his mother is the closest thing to a mom that she’s ever had, their home is on the family compound, his sister is her best friend. So when she and her husband admit their marriage is over, her pain goes beyond heartbreak. She’s on the brink of losing everything. Her job, her home, her friends and, worst of all, her family.

Staying is an option. She can continue to work at the winery, be friends with her mother-in-law, hug her nieces and nephews—but as an employee, nothing more. Or she can surrender every piece of her heart in order to build a legacy of her own. If she can dare to let go of the life she thought she wanted, she might discover something even more beautiful waiting for her beneath a painted moon.

Don't miss New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery's heartwarming summer novel, The Summer Book Club, where conversations over a glass of wine turns into something much more in this journey of motherhood, friendship and love.

Get lost in more beach reads by Susan Mallery:

• The Summer Book Club - Coming February 2024!
• The Happiness Plan
• The Sister Effect
• The Boardwalk Bookshop
• The Summer Getaway

Ratings and reviews

The Vineyard at Painted Moon by Susan Mallery has Mackenzie Dienes living and working at Bel Après. She has been married to Rhys Barcellona for the last sixteen years. Her family is his family since she lost her parents when she was a child and her grandfather right after she graduated from high school. The one thing that she has wanted is to own a piece of the winery, but the proves to be elusive. The matriarch of the Barcellona clan, Barbara holds tight to the reins. She controls all aspects of the winery, and she is determined it will only belong to those with Barcellona DNA. At a special event at the tenth annual Solstice Party, Mackenzie realizes that her life is lacking. Evidently, Rhys feels the same way because he asks for a divorce. Mackenzie must make some important decisions regarding her future. She could stay at Bel Après as the winemaker or she strike out on her own. What happens when something unexpected throws a wrench in Mackenzie’s plans? I thought The Vineyard at Painted Moon was a good escape novel. I needed a break, and this book was just what I needed. It is well-written with developed characters and it moves at a steady pace. While the story focuses on Mackenzie, we also get to see how Barbara’s other children are doing, especially Stephanie Barcellona. Stephanie is not happy with her job and she wants a change. She is not sure, though, that she has the courage to do it. The author captured the dynamics of a family and a family run business. This is an emotional novel as Mackenzie goes through the various phases after Rhys asks for a divorce. I thought it was realistic (as someone who has gone through a divorce). There is plenty of family drama in this engaging tale along with some good life lessons. The author presented the information on winemaking in an easy-to-understand manner. I found it fascinating all that goes into making wine (who knew). There is some repetition of details along with foul language and intimate situations (not explicit). The Vineyard at Painted Moon is a great book to read while relaxing in front of a fire with a glass of wine.

What a wonderful and magical book! The characters were charming (well, most of them) and the plot was well-written, with just enough foreshadowing to leave me with the desire to continue to read to see if I was right. Mackenzie is a strong female protagonist, a talented winemaker who gets stronger in the face of adversity. Barbara, her domineering mother-in-law, is selfish and short-sighted, two characteristics that lead to her loneliness. Stephanie and Four, Mackenzie’s loving sisters-in-law, are the perfect matches to help Mackenzie through the rough times in her life. I really enjoyed how the plot unspooled itself, one thread or loop at a time. The book was perfectly written to make me ponder the themes: relationships, work v. family, single parenting and selfishness. There were characters that I knew from the beginning that I would not like, like Lori, the other sister-in-law, the one who tries to ingratiate herself with Barbara by disdaining Mackenzie. I honestly did not like Barbara and her manipulations at all, but I did understand that was all that she knew. I loved Bruno and could have just swooned when he appeared on the scene. He was a metropolitan man in a country setting, and he stood out as a super hero tends to do. All of the characters were complex and so well-developed that they have lived with me in my den for the past week or so. Fans of good romance will want to snap up this fantastic book! And the author has included bonuses at the end: wine pairings, recipes and discussion questions. This is definitely a great book to read with a book group! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

The Vineyard at Painted Moon by Susan Mallery Emotion laden, deeply moving, intensely poignant, well crafted – this story grabbed me and didn’t let me go till I finished at 3am. I felt so much and at times wanted to jump into the pages to “fix” things knowing that the author would bring things right for at least some of the characters by the end of the book…or at least I hope she would! This is a story of love, loss, growth, endurance, values, goals and family. It is a keeper and one I would reread in the future. What I liked: * Mackenzie: dedicated, focused, interesting. She has been stymied for a while and may need to move on from the safe haven she has lived within for over a decade and a half. She has a rough time of it but comes through rather brilliantly in the end. * Catherine: sister-in-law to Mackenzie, loving, kind, in tune with the earth, grounded, warm, creative…really liked her. * Stephanie: sister-in-law to Mackenzie, divorced, mother of two teens, stuck in a rut and trying to move forward but it isn’t easy for her to do so. She is Mackenzie’s best friend and has been since college. * Bruno: wealthy, attractive, investor, wine distributor, and intriguing. He is warm, a good friend, caring, communicates brilliantly and is perfect for the woman he ends up with. * Kyle: a good father, professional, a bit selfish…divorced from Stephanie and father of her children * Rhys: not a bad guy, married to Mackenzie, wants what is best for both of them, a bit heavy handed at times and sometimes rather clueless…and also selfish, perhaps. * Georgio: a good man, loving, kind, generous, and perfect for the right woman – the boyfriend of Barbara (mother-in-law of Mackenzie) * The close relationships that were friendly, warm, and caring. * That there was growth in a number of characters. * The dynamics between various individuals and groups. * The way verbalization of feelings, thoughts, and insight into the characters * Learning a bit more about the winemaking business. * The setting – love that area of the world! * All of it really except… What I didn’t like: * Barbara: I won’t give details but if you read the book you will probably feel the same * Lori: daughter of Barbara and quite a bit like her, I fear. * The sadness I felt as I empathized with Mackenzie. Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would I read more by this author? Definitely Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequen (HQN) for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars

About the author

#1 NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives—family, friendship, romance. She's known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages. Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Visit her at SusanMallery.com.