Thank you to the nerd fam and Laura Piper Lee for an arc of this book!

I approached this book with some hesitation, as I'm generally not a fan of spicy romance. However, I quickly realized that my reservations were unfounded—perhaps I just haven’t enjoyed spice in the past because I haven’t read a book where it was done as well as Lee does in this book. In this case, I found myself thoroughly enjoying every moment of the story. But this story goes beyond just spice (even though those moments were fun to read) the author also weaves multiple storylines into this book,  particularly the vineyard rivalry, which was fun to read about, but also amazing to see the history of it all unfold. 

What I found most compelling, though, was the authenticity of the friendships in the book. Zoe, the protagonist, grapples with the trauma of her mother’s death, and this pain manifests in various ways. Despite her struggles, her friends are consistently supportive, offering both lighthearted banter and unwavering emotional strength when needed. Their dynamic is both fun and deeply genuine, and I truly appreciated how the author balanced humor with heartfelt moments. 

I certainly will be picking up Laura Piper Lee’s other books👀


*spoiler* 

I almost cried on page 313 when Matthew from Bob Vivant says “we fight for our vineyards, Zoe. And our friend.” And then again at the showcase when Marisol was ready to fight the critic for Laine.