Eight Hundred Grapes

June 8, 2015
Dave (The First Husband) both charms and pulls at the heartstrings in this well-crafted novel about a Northern California winemaker's daughter and the foibles of her family. Georgia Ford seemingly has it all: a devoted fiancé, a high-powered career in Los Angeles, and a loving family on a vineyard in Northern California. But in an instant, Georgia learns that not everything is as it seems. She's rocked by a series of revealed secrets, including one about her fiancé so explosive that she questions whether to go through with the marriage, and the bitterâand unrealizedâtruth about her parents' relationship, which the author also covers from her parents' point of view. Georgia's wrenching journey, and those of other members of her family, are detailed in heartbreaking fashion, as each character comes to terms with their new, unforseen situation. Along the way, the author throws in a few secrets about winemakingâin fact, the title is a reference to the number of grapes needed to produce a bottle of wine. This winning tale will both satisfy on a literary level and encourage oenophiles to pour themselves a glass of a recent vintage to enjoy while reading; it's a tasty treat for wine lovers and teetotalers alike. Agent: Suzanne Gluck, WME Entertainment.

April 1, 2015
Days before her wedding, Georgia's relationship breaks down. But when she tries to escape home to wine country, she discovers nearly as many fissures in her family. In the navel-gazing microcosm of California, worlds don't get much more different than Los Angeles and Sonoma: the former rich in artificial vice, the latter in cultivated flavor. Dave, a seasoned writer of literary romance (The First Husband, 2011, etc.), explores this divide through the eyes of Georgia Ford, a 30-year-old LA-based corporate lawyer on the cusp of marrying her dream guy, Ben. He's a devastating British architect, of course-rom-coms breed such fellows on a Burberry island somewhere-and his long-ago fling with an equally devastating movie star resulted in a 4-year-old daughter he's just learned about. Cue the devastation for Georgia, who flees up the coast in wedding garb after spying the seemingly happy family walk by during her final dress fitting. Destination: The Last Straw, the idyllic family vineyard in Sebastopol where she grew up with handsome twin brothers and crazy-in-love parents. Unfortunately, the clarity Georgia hopes to find there is quickly marred by everyone else's problems. Her parents' marriage is faltering; her feisty brothers are warring over a woman; and, in the deepest cut of all, her dad plans to sell the vineyard that's always anchored them. As Georgia weighs her ambivalence about Ben, she struggles to understand the parade of relationships blooming and busting around her. Through a series of flashbacks that range from canny to cloying, we learn how the Ford family has reached this collective crisis point. Resolutions arrive slowly and often unexpectedly for each of them, giving this satisfying novel legs. A lovelorn winemaker's daughter seeks the right way to crush sour grapes into a winning blend.

May 1, 2015
Weeks before her wedding, Georgia Ford finds out that her fiance has a four-year-old daughter from his prior relationship with a famous actress. Georgia flees to her family's Sonoma Valley winery, only to find her parents' marriage foundering, her brothers bickering, and the devastating news that the vineyard has been sold. As the family gathers for their final harvest festival, Georgia is faced with a series of crucial decisions. What begins as a light romantic comedycomplete with bride-to-be fleeing Los Angeles in her wedding dressbecomes a thoughtful exploration of the shared history that makes a family. In less capable hands, the Fords could easily become a series of caricaturesthe runaway bride, her handsome British fiance, the playboy brotherbut their realistic reactions to the chaos that surrounds them elevates the narrative. Georgia comes to terms with the changes in her life with an open heart and a lively sense of humor, and the ending takes a surprising yet believable turn. Dave's (The First Husband, 2011) latest is a charming summer read with depth, just perfect with a glass of California wine.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2015

When Georgia Ford learns that her fiance has been hiding a shocking secret, she returns home to the family vineyard in Sonoma, CA. Instead of comfort, she hears shockers from her family, too. From a steadily building author; optioned for film.

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May 15, 2015

A week before her wedding, Georgia Ford flees to her family's vineyard in Sonoma: the vineyard where she and her brothers grew up; the vineyard that is now being sold to a big commercial winemaker. She might be losing a fiance, but it's the vineyard that Georgia can't bear to let go. "Be careful what you give up," her mom says, in the midst of having marital problems with Georgia's father. Meanwhile her brothers are fighting. Then, Georgia's fiance arrives to make amends--but his ex-girlfriend also pops up. Enter the handsome Jacob, who is buying out Georgia's family. There is so much going on in this lighthearted, mainstream chick lit; so many conversations about complicated feelings. It takes 800 grapes to make one bottle of wine, but how many winemaking metaphors does it take to get to the predictable happily-ever-after? VERDICT Fast-moving chapters and snappy dialog make this a quick, breezy, perfect beach read, but the story would improve if the protagonist had some romantic love scenes and a bit more passion. This is Dave's (The First Husband; The Divorce Party) fourth novel; she is gaining a following and finding her spot next to the likes of Emily Giffin and Nancy Thayer.--Sonia Reppe, Stickney-Forest View P.L., IL

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.