I spent a majority of this book being mad at both main characters. I was either in one corner cheering for Evan the male lead or on another corner thinking that Carmen the female lead, was right in being furious with Evan. Both these characters were so incredibly frustrating and I legit commend the author for not having them jump into loving each other from one moment to the next. The author made sure that the characters worked through their issues and even though in the end we just get a small glimpse of their happily ever after, I believe I can appreciate this book all the more for the fact that it felt real and not sped through.

I also have to say that this may be the first book where the author tackles inserting Spanish and actually gets it right! I’m so happy to read words I could actually understand and not a garbled sort of Spanish like a lot of other authors do. It definitely made for a delightful and authentic addition of a Mexican family and it so made me want to come back for more of this author’s writing!

Romance in the Washington Vineyards
This is a sweet and clean romance that takes place in the vineyards of Washington State. The story follows a predictable trail to a rather predictable ending. It is a very nice book to read. The author's descriptions make the reader feel like they are the ones swimming in the lake in the dark of night. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Summer at Orchard House by Ellyn Oaksmith is the 1st book in the Blue Hills romance series, and my first book by this author. I found this book to be fun with many twists and turns, that keep me reading. The plot and characters are well developed, and I enjoy the quirky characters and the situations in this book. There were times I wanted to reach into the book and shake a couple of people. I recommend this book, and am looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Family, romance, and wine. Ellen Oaksmith has written such a heartwarming feel good story about the strength and power of love. Carmen has returneded home from Seattle to help on her family’s Vineyard. Her beloved father Juan is suffering from Alzheimers, and Carmen is afraid that the smooth talking interloper who just moved into the Vineyard next-door will talk him out of the family land. Carmen is surprised by the disrepair of the family home and Vineyard, but soon she remembers how much she loves the land. Carmen is determined to not only pay off the bank, but also bring the family vineyard back to its former glory. But Evan the budding winemaker next-door has other ideas, he really wants to get his hands on Carmine’s family land and grapes. Carmen it’s not having it, and will stop at nothing to stop this from happening. But surprise surprise Carmen and Evan are as drawn to one another as they are repelled.

This was such a gorgeous story. The setting was absolutely stunning and so vividly described. I felt like I was right there on the vineyard with Carmen and her family. Loved the bond between the sisters and their father and how determined and creative they were to keep the Vineyard. Also loved the back and forth between Carmen and Evan. There were some pretty funny moments while these to try to undermined one another, I especially loved the goats. A touching story that tugged at my heart, glad to see it is the first in what looks like will be a delightful series.

This book in emojis 🍇 🐶 🍷 🐐 👩🏼‍🌾 🏊🏽

*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

This book should be made into a Hallmark movie! As I read it, I kept envisioning it as a combination of family drama and romantic comedy. The "action" parts of the book are so vividly described, I could easily imagine them in my head. In particular, the scenes involving goats are hilarious. The environment of Lake Chelan is so accurately described, including the locals vs. summer people, the socioeconomic hardships of the Latino population in that area, and the business of making wine. I thought the wildfire part was a bit disjointed--making it hard to imagine the timeline--but that was really the only problem with the book. I absolutely loved reading it, and may actually start it again for a second round of laughter!

This book was a great summer romance read! The characters were relatable and interesting throughout the book. I was originally drawn to this book because of the cover art— I think it’s beautiful! Overall this was a great book and I will be recommending it to others!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy of this book!

I read this for a blog tour.

This was a heartwarming story of family and love set in a sun drenched vineyard on the Pacific coast of America.

Carmen was a strong protagonist and the bond with her sisters and best friend is vital to the plot. I loved the elderly church ladies and Crystal the goat herder, as well as Carmen's Papi, a kind gentle man suffering from Alzheimer's and slowly sinking into the past.

Evan, at first, seems the typical tech playboy, keen to get his own way whatever the cost, but he grows as a person and becomes more likeable as the plot progresses, although Barry the dog is easily the best character.

An enjoyable summer read, perfect for the long evenings.

Gave it five stars instead of four in the hopes that the inconsistencies have been corrected. Stella and Paolo were with them and then not. Lamborgini became a van. I loved it otherwise. A charming and heartwarming romance and family tale. Many laughs, a few tears. Crazy Latina versus rich tech guy with neighboring vineyards. Goats, a dog, fire, harvesting, and so much more flavor the story. A delight from beginning to end.

i really tried with this book, i was so looking forward to the story because the cover is honestly stunning. I had to dnf around 15% (which i know this really isn't that far into the story)b but i could not just get past the writing and the characters were so obnoxious. I may give this another chance sometime soon i feel as if my reading slump also stop me from enjoying this as much.

Orchard House is set in the middle of Juan Alvarez's vineyard-the vineyard he's in danger of losing. HIs daughter Carmen has come home to Lake Chelan to help out because Juan's dealing with dementia, the bills are going unpaid, and things are in a mess. She's not expecting to find a romantic relationship, especially with Evan, the neighbor who wants to buy her father's land. Evan's everything Juan is not and Carmen finds herself feeling under siege. She works with her sisters to find new ways to keep the winery going but hmmm...Evan, what about Evan? You know this is going to be one of those enemies to lovers romances right up front; Oaksmith does a good job with it. I liked the characters and the setting (how delightful). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This book attracted me by the cover, I just couldn't resist how beautiful it is. I definitely haven't been disappointed. This is a beautiful summer romance read which I have absolutely adored.
The author's writing style is engaging and full of life. A very clear picture has been painted so I have felt as though I am right there with the characters as the story has developed.
This is filled with moments to make you laugh out loud, I have found this to be a perfect, light and easy read to devour whilst sat in the sun. This is my first read by this author but it definitely won't be the last,I am now a converted fan.
I absolutely recommend this book. It is so highly deserving of five stars.

Public review to follow on blog tour

Thank you NetGalley, Ellyn Oaksmith and Bookouture for the ARC of Summer at Orchard House. This is my personal review in exchange for the ARC.
This is a story of the Alvarez sisters and how they are wanting to help their father save their family vineyard.
Carmen is the sister who has given up the most to come back and work the vineyard.
It took me several times to get into the story. I did not connect with any of the people in the story. I did not feel the chemistry I wanted to feel to make the story come alive for me.

Let me start by saying that the editing was good in this book, and so was the writing style. That said, there were things that just turned me away from liking it.

Sprinkled throughout the book were phrases written in Spanish with no translation provided. Ok, I get that, the characters were of Mexican descent, and that plays a large role in the story. But then at about 50% the word “gringo” started getting used a lot, and that was the end for me. I don’t feel that the use of a derogatory term for any culture is acceptable, certainly not in a romance/women’s fiction novel.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Although this is a gorgeous summer Romance, for me the romantic aspect took a back seat to the much more important story of a close knit family pulling together in a time of need. Juan Alveraz has worked tirelessly ever since he moved to America from Mexico in order to build a life for himself and for his family, especially since losing his wife and becoming a single parent to his three daughters. The Vineyard means more than just money to Juan, it’s a lifetime of backbreaking work and memories, so it’s devastating to know that it’s started to fall into disrepair as he struggled with the upkeep.

Carmen doesn’t know the first thing about making wine despite growing up on a Vineyard, but returning home makes her see just how important it is to her and she’s determined to save it as the debts owed to the bank mount up. Coming home to Orchard house reminds Carmen of the importance of family as she’s surrounded by the memories of growing up among the vines. As Carmen and her sisters come up with ideas to save the Vineyard, Evan Hollister seems to be sabotaging them at every turn. Evan infuriates her, but she finds it difficult to keep away. There was definitely a love/hate thing between the two of them, and if it wasn’t for the fact that they were in competition with each other they could have had a much simpler relationship. The rivalry made the story all the more compelling however, keeping me interested and giggling away at the one-upmanship between the pair.

There was definitely more to Evan than Carmen realised however. Evan feels a strong need for approval from Juan and is made to feel like an outsider in the small town of Chelan. People like him have got a bad reputation in the town, as they drive their sports cars around too fast and buy all the land, driving up costs and pricing out the locals. This does tend to cloud everyone’s judgement of Evan, as although he does want to buy the land from the Alvarez’s, he really isn’t as bad as they all think, but he certainly goes the wrong way about trying to gain the approval he so desires. The alternating chapters shed some light on Evan’s true intent and why he wants to become part of the small community, as well as showing that he’s just as affected by Carmen as she is by him. It would have been so easy to carry on sparring with each other if it wasn’t for a major disaster forcing them to put aside their differences and work together.

Lastly I want to talk about the gorgeous setting. Picture lush green fields, vines bursting with gorgeous fruit, beautiful mountains and a glistening lake and throw in bright sunshine and small town charm. Reading this on a warm summers day it was easy to imagine sipping fragrant wine on a patio overlooking the lake and gazing at the mountains, and then I had to stop dreaming. I could get some wine and look at my pond in the garden, which is the best I can do for now.

Different Cultural Backgrounds Clash and Sparks Fly

Summer at Orchard House is the first book in the Blue Hills Series but can be read as a standalone.

Carmen Alvarez was trapped in a joyless job reporting to a tyrannical boss. She worked crazy hours and had no private life.

When her boss refused to let Carmen take some days off to check on her ailing father, she got fed up and quit, returning to the family vineyard in Chelan Valley.

The estate was in shambles, and she was alarmed by her father's failing memory and by the state of his finances.

To make matters worse, Evan Hollister, a wealthy former Microsoft employee, and owner of the neighboring estate wanted to buy her father's vineyard at any cost.

It was interesting to see how both Carmen and Evan had preconceived ideas about each other based on their upbringing. They were very similar in personality, both a little unreasonable, very stubborn, but also friendly and resilient.

The romance starts as an insta-lust, but their rivalry does not allow them to act on it before their relationship deepens.

The side characters were layered and engaging. I especially liked Carmen's father, Juan.

The setting was lovely, with breathtaking lake views and endless vineyards.

A fun enemies-to-lovers summer read!

It’s so nice to find a new series, especially one that starts out so good!
Carmen leaves her job in Seattle to go home to save the family winery. Much to her dismay, her neighbor Evan would like nothing more than to buy the winery.
I really enjoyed this book, loved the characters and can’t wait to see where this series goes
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the early copy

What a great start to a new series. The author introduces us to the Alvarez sisters who bundle their forces when their legacy is on the brink. 

What would you do when a rich man would pay big money to buy your family's business? Would you sit down and bow or would you fight with everything you have in you even if you are afraid that you will not be able to reach your goal?

What would be more important to you: giving in to the feelings you start having for that man or would the focus remain on the business? Maybe it's time to figure out a way to have both...

I could feel the warmth on my skin, smell the dusty earth and the sun kissed grapes and wished I had a clear blue lake to dive into too.

A lovely heartwarming summer story on a winery that made me snigger and made me hold my breath. I am very curious to find out what will happen next. 5 stars.

Thank you, Ellyn Oaksmith and Bookouture

This book was okay- but certainly doesn’t belong at the top of anyone’s summer reading list. Unbelievable, unsympathetic characters and a boring plot line made it easy to put down and difficult to finish.

The family vineyard is in danger of being lost and the patriarch is suffering from a grave medical condition. The Alvarez sisters must pull together to salvage the family business plus stave off an avaricious take over plan. The plot was good, if not predictable. The characters were decent. The ending was satisfactory.

Carmen comes home to help with her family winery. Her father was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Her sisters call her in a panic when they realize that the winery is doing so badly that her poor father is in debt and at risk of losing his winery.

When Carmen gets back home, she immediately forms a love/hate relationship with the man next door , Evan. He is trying to buy her father’s winery.
She seems to see Evan as everything that’s wrong in her world. She hates that her dad might lose his beloved winery and she blames a lot of that on Evan. Evan is very wealthy from his previous career in technology. She hates that he can throw his money around and just try to buy whatever he wants. And she also thinks that he could not possibly really care about his winery or her dad’s winery.

She’s very attracted to him and thinks she would like him under different circumstances. If they weren’t each other’s competitor, maybe they could have been perfect together, she thinks.

But because they are competition, they both start acting very childishly trying to win. I really didn’t like the way they handled it in the beginning. Both of them had weddings booked at their respective winery. His happened first and Carmen made every attempt to sabotage it. When Evan found out what Carmen did, he made every attempt to sabotage the wedding at her winery. I really didn’t like that because I’m supposed to believe they are both decent people, what decent person would ruin someone else’s wedding day? I don’t think either one felt any remorse over it either. I was incredibly grateful that it only happened at the beginning of the book.

I liked Carmen and her sisters’ ideas to get people to help at the winery. I thought that was clever and entertaining and it brought the sisters closer.

The book didn’t focus on the sisters much, I appreciated that because I felt it made sense for it to tell one story at a time. This looks like it’s going to be a series, so I bet each gets her own book.

I really liked the sideline characters Stella and Paulo.

I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley. Thanks!