Part of this story takes place in the Champagne Region of France. It’s set in 1940 and begins just before the Nazis invade France. Then the timeline and the location shifts to 2019 and New York. Dualing timelimes…one of my favorite plot structures!

In the 1940s sections, the Maison Chauveau is one of, if not the, best Champagne houses in all of France. The house is owned and operated by Michel Chauveau and his new wife, Ines. Also heavily featured in these sections are the chef de cave, Theo, and his wife, Celine. No matter the danger they are in from the aiding enemy army, there is a bigger threat to the house’s stability. Celine is half-Jewish. Word of the real purposes of the “work camps” is just beginning to be discussed. Michel puts them all in danger, but especially Celine, when he begins running munitions for the French Resistance. Michel is so worried, and so preoccupied, that he begins to ignore Ines, hoping her ignorance of his activities will keep her safe. Then there is the attraction Michel feels for Celine that puts a monkey wrench in the whole situation.

In New York, Liv has lost everything. Right before she and her husband, Eric, had started their third round of in vitro fertilization, he convinced Liv to quit her job, to stay home and focus on getting pregnant. Little did Liz know that it got her out of the way while he had an affair. Now divorced, Liv is depressed. There’s a knock at her door

Her 99-year-old grandmother has arrived from France to get her. Liv isn’t interested in returning to Paris. But Grandma Edith is a tough cookie, still, and won’t take no for an answer. Plus she has an agenda that will shock Liv, and give her the purpose she needs to move on with her life.

I enjoyed “The Winemaker’s Wife.” Author Kristen Harmel does an excellent job in keeping the characters’s secrets until the end. There was one question that I had that wasn’t answered and that is, “Did the Nazis find the hidden room in the underground cave system where Michel and Theo his their best champagnes?” Otherwise, the story is a fascinating look at the cave system where Maison Chauveau hid their products, the small things that were done as part of the Resistance, and family secrets.

The Author’s Notes provided insight into the book’s creation, which was also fascinating. “The Winemaker’s Wife ” receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

This book was so good, I was kept up late several nights reading. I will never look at champagne the same way now. I was completely reeled in with all the excellent research about this area of France and how WWII affected the region and the production of champagne and wine. Very relatable characters and a mystery element that I did not see coming until the final chapter. I will definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good historical fiction novel.

This book is set in France with the story moving between the present day and the years of WWII. The story focuses mainly on two women during the war, both married to winemakers and how the choices each made affected lives of several of the book’s characters. I read this book as quickly as my schedule would allow as it’s one of those “you can’t put it down” books. This book rated 5 stars with me for three reasons. 1)The writing style and level of detail used to describe scenes and actions. The author worked in little details and facts that added to the story without dragging on and on with descriptions. 2) I loved the fact that the characters were all flawed. Each of them behaved in ways that could easily be judged as inappropriate, but yet all too human. I rarely find a book where there is not at least one “perfect” character that always makes the right choices. This is not that book, so I related much more to the women than I might have had one of them always made the right choices. 3) I learned something from this book. I’m not interested in wine nor am I wine drinker, yet I now have a much deeper appreciation of not only how wine is made, but also the rich history of part of the champagne region in France. If a book makes me google something for more information, I consider the book a great success. I would highly recommend for any person that enjoys WWII historical fiction with a little romance included.

The Winemaker's Wife by Kristin Harmel set in 1940 in the champagne vineyards during the German invasion of Northern France. The characters are beautifully described and keep the reader engaged in the story until the conclusion. Hamel guides the reader through the story of Ines, wife of Michel, owner of the Champagne house Masion Chauveau. The author takes readers on a journey of adventure, sadness, and romance that will stay with them for years to come. I compare this book to Kristan Hannah's Nightingale and recommend to readers who are fans of Hannah.

A toast to Kristin Harmel for the sparkling facts we have learned about making champagne. It is an industry that many know only from afar -- perhaps just an occasional wedding toast. Clearly there was a large amount of research done to produce this novel. There are POV: Liv in the present; Elas and Celine in the past (beginning in 1939). The combination of the champagne business and the resistance was an aspect of the war that was unknown to me previously. It was fascinating to see the two couples (Michel & Elas; Theo & Celine) working together and the ways they responded to the pressures of the business, the stresses of living in a time of war and especially their reactions to the resistance. Some of the characters really frustrated me. I'm not sure I always understood why they made the decisions that they did. That may be just the nature of living in wartimes and not indicative of a lack in character development. In the end, Harmel pulls it off with some tears and cheers. Well done. Will definitely appeal to fans of "The Nightingale" and "The Lost Girls of Paris."

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Gallery Books, Kristin Harmel, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have been a fan of Kristin Harmel for years now and The Winemaker's Wife did not disappoint! This novel is set in the Champagne region of France following two married couples and switches between World War II and the present day.

This story has twists and turns as we journey along with the characters who are facing Nazi Germans invading their country and their wineries. As the war continues on, each couple must make decisions that will affect their lives further than they may think.

The beauty of the story is it shows how life did continue during this terrible time and how they still faced some of the same marital struggles many have, yet the atmosphere of war and occupation intensifies it. I appreciate it when a Historical Fiction shows you a different side of a major world event that you think you know about, and it makes you think, "what would I have done?"

I would have liked to have read more about the work Edith and her husband did to aid the Résistance- eavesdropping on the Germans as they drank sounded quite intriguing! It was a nice addition to have so many French words mixed into the novel, however, at times it was hard to decipher it's meaning and I often found myself having to look up the translation.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book and I applaud Kristen Harmel for showing us World War II from a different angle.

A family's secrets set in motion during the Nazi occupation of France are the framework for this story. When you think you know them, a surprise awaits. The chapters swing between 1940's France; and the present.
Grandma Edith takes her granddaughter on a seemingly spontaneous trip to the Champagne region of France.
As the story unfolds, secrets start to seep out and we see the often opposite feelings the characters have to the Nazis in the area. The part that family, love, sorrow, jealousy and redemption play in their lives is vividly portrayed.

The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel is set in and around Reims, France. The reader can tell that Harmel did a lot of research of this area, how champagne is made, and how the champagne makers participated in the resistance during WWII. This book is full of wonderful flawed characters who each have secrets and also have a good side. The novel is told by going back and forth from present day to WWII years.

Twists and turns, secrets and heartbreak, and a satisfying ending make this book a wonderful read. Thank you NetGalley and Gallery,Pocket Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The setting is fascinating and so well done in this book. In a dual time-line story, Harmel puts her characters down in the Champagne region of France in World War II, and in present day New York and France. Unfortunately, the characters are less charming, and believable than their environment.

The characters of 1940’s France are petty, immature, and prone to making bad decisions. While that is certainly true to life, and unsurprising for humans, it does not endear one to Ines, Michel, Theo and Celine. One by one, the characters join the Resistance, reminding me of Ian Ousby’s description of the French post-war self description, "A myth of a people united in hostility to the Nazi occupiers, of a nation of résistants.”

In the modern story, Edith is portrayed as "darting about”. I hope that I’ll still be “darting” and “whisking about” at that age, but it does seem somewhat unlikely for a 99 year old woman. I wanted to believe in this woman tying together her own past and her granddaughter's present, but ultimately the story fell short.

Finished this one today, VoiceView read this to me on my Kindle while traveling on a road trip, made it a pretty quick read. Another one of those hard books to review, I was expecting a little bit more based upon the previous reviews. I do agree the description gives a nice overview of what the story is about.
For me, I was a little disappointed that the entire tale really overlooks any WWII happenings, this is not a WWII story, actually it is a story that just takes place during WWII with the location being in France near Reims. We follow the lives of Michal, Innes, Celine, Edith and Theo during the war and then Grandma Edith, Liv and Julian in the present time. I did not like Innes at all, she was a complete narcissistic person that only cared about herself, she was oblivious to anyone else and she could do no wrong. Woe be to me…..was her attitude. She finally tried to redeem herself, but it was way too late.
The pros and cons, the pros first, I liked the way the author kept us guessing as to who was who and how it was all going to come together. My favorite was towards the end when one of the main characters crossed over and the family members were waiting. Nice touch!!! The cons, (more cons than pros). At times the writing was good, but at other times it seemed superficial, I just rolled my eyes at some of the conversations between Liv and Julian. And Grandma Edith, even being 99 years old, and bringing in the factor we should respect our elders, she was a tough cookie to like. The other thing I felt would have made the story better was to learn more about how they overcame the oppressions of the war.
I was very surprised at the turn of events near the ending, I didn’t see that coming. I thank Gallery, Pocket Books and Net Galley for allowing me the privilege of reading this book for my honest review. This one comes in at 4****’s, rounded up from 3 1/2 .

This story is done in a now and then format. Now is Olivia "Liv" Kent in New York, newly divorced from her husband Eric, when whirlwind 99-year-old grandmother Edith Thierry drops in and announces she is taking Liv to France. Then is the story of France during WWII at the Champagne House Maison Chauveau which is run by Michel and his wife Ines along with Theo and his wife Celine. A lot of very interesting happenings occur over the span from 1940 until June 2019. I loved this book. It is very well written, very interesting and I felt the characters were very well developed. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this fantastic book which was a page turner.

Harmel (The Room on Rue Amelie) weaves a magnetic tale of mystery, forbidden love, and the terror of Nazi occupation of France as she offers a parallel narrative in the present-day. In 2019 New York, Liv Kent bemoans the end of her twelve-year marriage to Eric when her elderly grandmother Edith arrives in New York from Paris. Edith whisks Liv away to Paris where she hints at secrets she has kept hidden for many decades.

In 1940s France, Michel and his wife Ines are working at their Maison Chaveau, a winery near the city of Reims. Michel is assisted by Theo Laurent, his chef de cave, and Theo’s wife Celine. The lives of these four protagonists are complicated by the circumstances of the Nazi occupation as the Nazis help themselves to the champagne of Maison Chaveau and instill fear in Celine, who is afraid that her Jewish heritage will lead to her arrest.

As Ines and Michel grow more distant from one another, and he is reluctant to trust her with the information about his resistance activities, Celine and Michel become closer emotionally and physically. Ines, who is young and naïve, seeks solace and validation from an older French official whose close ties to the Nazis will lead to devastating consequences for Ines and those she cares about.

Fast-forward to present day Paris when Liv and her grandmother travel to Reims where Liz meets Julien Cohn, an attorney and the grandson of one of her grandmother’s oldest friends. Her grandmother’s bizarre behavior in Reims confuses Liv, though Julien confesses that her grandmother will reveal her secrets in her own time.

Harmel’s extensive historical research has enabled her to create a magnetically believable novel, highlighting the bravery and fear of the resistance fighters who constantly risked their lives to save their country and adhere to their moral beliefs. The mystery behind Edith’s secrets adds intensity to this creative work which will give readers a greater appreciation of the resilience of France’s champagne houses which have survived the impacts of two world wars.

Wonderful historical novel highlighting the champagne and wine makers contribution to the resistance in France during WWII. Imagine suddenly you find ur country occupied by a powerful and evil force. What choices do you have, which will u make and what are consequences? This story follows several famines over two generations. Much excitement, terror, joy and heartbreak. Extraordinary people living in extraordinary times!

The Winemaker's Wife by Kristin Harmel is a peek into German occupied France during WWII and the lives of two women from that time frame (the 1940s) and one from the present time (2019) living in NYC. This book in my opinion is fast paced--a real page turner filled with intricately weaved stories about each woman's personal choices, decisions, heart break and turmoil. I had just finished The Room on Rue Amelia by Kristin Harmel before I read this book so I was used to the jumping back and forth between time frames and able to keep up with each woman's narrative. I personally loved this book and consider it a wonderful companion to her other book and will definitely read both time and again. The Winemaker's Wife by Kristen Harmel is a well told and well written book about courage, heartbreak, and the never ending redemptive power of love.

This is an interesting tale of love, intrigue, betrayal, war and secrets best left untold. Taking place in the winemaking region of France at the beginning of World War 2 and current day, it recounts a families experiences during the war. It is an attention holding story.

Wow, what a story. Seriously, it's so hard to sit back and imagine what life was like for those during the World Wars, but especially those who fought with everything they had, only to be judged by those around them because their secrets had to stay just that. So much was lost. I'd like say it was all for nothing, but it wasn't. It was to save those that had no say in their lives any more. I wish that stories like Ines, Celine, and Edith's were rare but they're not. They're just forgotten.

Everyone needs to read this book, not just because it was phenomenally written and mesmerizing but because we can't forget what so many people sacrificed. Yes, as Liv learned, you can't live in the past. But without it, we are nothing and are doomed to always repeat it.

Read this. Take it in. And never forget it.

Two women are at a crossroads in life. One woman in present day, and one in 1940 as the Nazis invade Champagne, France. These two stories of resilience and courage come together to create one beautiful book.⁣⁣
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The Winemakers Wife is a book that immerses you in the wine region of France along with the horrors of war. I learned so much about this region during this time period, as well as a plethora of facts about the different Champagne houses. The author did an extensive amount of research for this book and it shows. I loved the character development, the twists and turns this story took, and the seamlessly woven together dual timelines. The Winemakers Wife is a memorable book that weaves a heartbreaking yet hopeful tale. This book is fascinating and a must read! Thank you @gallerybooks for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review. ⁣⁣
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Interesting story told in both present day and during WW2. During WW2, Michel and his wife Ines own Maison Chauveau in France where his winemaker Theo and his wife Celine reside in the guest house. The Germans come demanding champagne, but Michel's ancestors have created caves in the chalk to store the wine, some of the caves are readily accessible, and some are not. This is where he hides a lot of wine. Michel is working for the Resistance, moving barrels of ammunitions. Ines has a good friend nearby, Edith who, along with her husband, Eduoard, own a bar where the Germans come to drink. Edith also works for the Resistance, passing along what she hears from the Germans.
During present day, Liv is recently divorced and jobless, so her Grandma Edith takes her to Paris. They go to tour Maison Chauveau, where Edith has a bad reaction. You must read the rest.

I've been wondering how to review The Winemaker's Wife by Kristin Harmel. This is the first book I have read by this author so I don't know if the writing style or genre is her usual fare. Generally speaking, I enjoy historical fiction but rarely historical romance. The Winemakers Wife does have romance but I saw it as a vehicle that drove the story. If Ines didn't feel ignored/rejected by her husband Michel, for instance, she would not have run off to Riems and gotten involved with Antoine. If Celine did not feel ignored/rejected by her husband, Theo, she may not have gotten involved with Michel. If Theo took Celine's worries for her family and herself seriously, she may not have turned to Michel. If Michel, in fact everyone, treated Ines as an adult and if they had patience with her ... You see it all turns on "if" and the introduction of Antoine into their lives. It seems that each person at the vineyard could only see through their own dimmed eyes, no one looked or thought about another's viewpoint for very long. Yes, Michel and Celine, for example found it easy to see and feel each others views but they rarely thought about Ines and Theo unless they had moments of guilt which they were able to push aside in order to continue their affair. Ines may have come across as young, immature, unworldy, etc. but she was young, she was unwordly, she was immature. They may have looked down on her for not understanding the business and not being able to help much, for not understanding world events but they didn't have a lot of patience to explain things to her as far as the winemaking or the war. They were all born into winemaking families, she was not. Theo ignored the war, the occupation, he believed the propaganda regarding the rules and internment of the Jewish people; he just paid attention to the vineyard yet they didn't judge him harshly as they did Ines. He even judged her! His wife is half Jewish and he can't even comfort her or emphasize with her and Michel and Celine just shrug their shoulders, that's just Theo. The few times those two have a spare moment of guilt for Ines it quickly fades and they continue with whatever they were doing. Michel can't even follow Ines when she discovers them in the middle of .... in the cellars!

Hey Ines was wrong to start up with Antoine but she didn't deserve how she was treated and she certainly lived her life trying to atone for her mistake. It was a sad story but it had courageous aspects. We don't get a lot of details about the resistance but I think that is how real life is. We hear some things, the results really but we don't hear the nifty gritty that make up the result.

I was very interested in the vineyard part of the story both the winemaking but even more so about what these brave people did during the war. I had no idea. It really is surprising when you realize what the region and the people went through, what they had to overcome and survive that there is champagne at all. I would have liked to hear more of that, perhaps there is a book in there for our author to share with us? She has already done the research, why not share it with the world?

I think there is a film (possibly expanded into a mini series)here in this book, it would translate well to. the big or little screen.

This is the second book that I've read by Kristin Harmel and I honestly can't wait to read her other books. I really enjoyed the first book that I read from her and was excited to get my hands on this one. This book did not disappoint. There was love, resistance, betrayal, mystery, two timelines, and I got to learn about how champagne is made. While it focused more on love and betrayal, I did not find myself upset about it. The timelines were well written and I did not find myself confused by them. All of my questions were answered by the end of the book and left me satisfied with the ways things ended.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC. I look ok forward to the next book by this author.