Celine goes through an emotional journey over the course of the novel, worrying about her family and her own safety. Her story, sadly, is dictated by the times she lived in. Did you feel satisfied with the way it turned out, or did you want Celine’s story to go differently?

Basically instead of the high stakes subterfuge with a bit of romance thrown in (a typical historical novel)...I got a high school level, three ring circus of a soap opera. All that being said, I was still prepared to rate this around three stars rather than two until I got to a particular scene that cast the entirety of the book in a bad light for me. I will try to be as vague as possible to avoid giving away huge plot points, but some spoilers are ahead. I would have liked a pronunciation guide or a footnote every time a new French name was introduced. That would have been helpful, as I don't speak French and probably butchered the way the names sounded in my head. Despite being in the same place, the two women are worlds apart, and as the war continues, their differences become even more distinct as they each begin to make choices that they would never have made in peacetime. Inés chooses to escape the countryside and seeks out companionship, putting her in a complicated relationship with a Nazi sympathizer, while Céline grows closer to Michel, the one person who seems to care about the plight of the Jews and who would do anything to resist the Germans. Both women make bad decisions that lead to terrible consequences, and it's interesting to consider whether these choices would've produced such dramatic outcomes if they hadn't been made during the war. Nonetheless, the paths that Inés and Céline have chosen finally intersect on one tragic night when the fragile worlds they've built are shattered and their lives irrevocably changed.Ines tries to help the Resistance, but those around her accuse her of only acting, as a way to prove that she’s useful—in essence, for still having selfish motives. How did you separate her motives from her actions? Is there something inherently selfish in every generous act? France, wine, WWII, present day, and love - all of this wrapped into one amazing, difficult-to-put-down read. Kristin Harmel is an international bestselling novelist whose books have been translated into numerous languages and are sold all over the world. A former reporter for People magazine, Kristin has also freelanced for many other publications, including American Baby, Men’s Health, Glamour, Woman’s Day, Travel + Leisure, and more.

Most of the book was a challenge to connect to the characters. They are just so unlikable that it made it hard to find anyone to get behind in this story. I anticipated most of the twists that inevitably present themselves to the reader. I found myself finding most of the plot extremely hard to believe and was constantly rolling my eyes at the conveniences that kept popping up. I also hated the present day storyline- Liv and the lawyer fall in love almost immediately- is that realistic? Maybe, but not based on what the author wrote. While I appreciated the attempt Harmel tried with presenting Ines as someone that didn't believe what the Nazi's were orchestrating, I ultimately couldn't believe how stupid she was with her decisions during this period in history. I would highly recommend The Winemaker's Wife to those who like historical fiction and women's fiction. A 5 star for me!' Stories Unfolded Blog The Winemaker’s Wife is a stirring, immersive story set in France during the early 1940s, as well present day, that is told primarily from three different perspectives; Inès Chauveau, a young wife who after feeling neglected and misunderstood naively makes choices that have far-reaching, life-changing consequences; Céline Laurent, the half-Jewish wife of Chauveau’s winemaker who lives in constant fear of the advancing Germans except when deep within the vineyard caves where she finds solace, hope, contentment, and love; and Liv Kent, a recently divorced American who journeys to France at the request of her grandmother only to uncover a family history that’s littered with secrets, betrayals, and sacrifices.The whole thing wasn't helped by the modern day POV of Liv, the grandchild of Grandma Edith. When Liv found out the secret that Grandma Edith had been keeping for decades, her first reaction was instantly "she's not my grandma", she also makes a comment about how the vineyard "wasn't hers to give away", or something along those lines, and I just lost it. All I could think was: Read Wine and War by Don and Petie Kladstrup, which is about French winemakers who resisted the Nazis. Discuss the Resistance techniques depicted in both books and whether they were effective.

Her voice echoed through the tangled maze of passageways, carved out of the earth three-quarters of a century earlier by her husband’s eccentric great-grandfather. Thousands of champagne bottles rested on their sides there, a small fortune of bubbles waiting for their next act. Audio review: Overall, the narrators were enjoyable. Their french accents added to the narrative. Some of their character voice changes were over the top, but for the most part, the audio was well done.This novel takes place in the champagne-producing region of France. How does the location play into the plot? Is the setting crucial to the story, or could this book have taken place at any vineyard during World War II? Norwegian novelist Jacobsen folds a quietly powerful coming-of-age story into a rendition of daily life on one of Norway’s rural islands a hundred years ago in a novel that was shortlisted for the 2017 Man Booker International Prize. Liv Kent has lost everything: her job, her husband and the family she thought they were building. Alone and adrift she leaps at the chance to join her eccentric grandmother on a trip to Champagne. But it's not long before past and present collide, and in a desperate search for the truth, Liv is led straight to the Maison Chauveau. The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristen Harmel is a historical fiction of two generations, one set in 1940 and the other in 2019. The story centers around Inés, a newlywed just starting her life with Michel, owner of the champagne house Maison Chauveau. (This is a fictitious winery.) The Germans invade France, loot the wineries, and oversee wine production in Champagne. Through the story of the Inés, Harmel helps you imagine life under Nazi rule – and all of the doubts, fears, violence, and risks the French endured. If you love The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Beekeeper's Promise and then you'll adore this beautiful story of love, hope and survival.

The whole reason I applied to win this book is because I had assumed it would be about La Résistance from the point of view of a vineyard owner. In the contemporary storyline, American Liv and her grandmother, Edith arrive in Reims where Liv is told that this trip is significant. Of course, a romance is thrown into the mix and the big "reveal" was not a surprise at all. Liv has her own struggles, including dealing with the end of her marriage. How does her situation compare with Inés’s predicament?

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The main character is the wife of the owner of the champagne house. She is a selfish character who irritated me from start to finish. I couldn’t sympathize with any of her decisions. Quite honestly, she ruined the story for me. What a story. It’s both complex, yet simple and embodies the feelings, ideas and fears of people, and how they vary in extreme situations (in this case WWII). You may be thinking, another WWII book; let me assure you there are thousands of WWII stories that are all very different and worth telling. Kristin Harmel tells one of them here.