"Life is rough for everyone, and it's complicated. It's full of hairpin turns we don't see coming."

I highly recommend THESE TANGLED VINES by Julianne MacLean which is set in picturesque Tuscany, Italy. The cover is gorgeous and the story is beautifully written.
This emotionally charged novel about love, secrets, sacrifice, courage and the true meaning of family is told from dual timelines and different points of view. I was so involved with the characters, the relationships between them, and the scenarios and situations that I read it in one setting.
Fiona Bell, her mother Lillian, Anton Clark and Maria were my favourite characters. My heart broke for Fiona, Lillian and Anton. I disliked Kate Wilson, Alan and Connor and their selfish ways.
I like this quote spoken by Fiona to Sloane.
"...though it's important to look forward, not back...it's important to reflect on past mistakes and learn from them. It helps you move forward in the right direction."
Julianne MacLean is an amazing and excellent author and I eagerly look forward to her next book.

Special thanks to author Julianne MacLean, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of THESE TANGLED VINES which was my pleasure to read and write an unbiased review.

#TheseTangledVines
#NetGalley

Posted on Goodreads May 9, 2021

THESE TANGLED VINES by Julianne MacLean is a stand alone story of romance focusing on thirty year old Fiona Bell, and her journey of discovery.

Told from first person (Fiona) and dual third person (Sloane, Lillian), following two times lines (1986 and 2017) THESE TANGLED VINES follows thirty year old Fiona Bell as she discovers that everything she thought she knew about her life and her family is predicated upon a lie. At the age of eighteen, at her mother’s deathbed confession, Lillian revealed Fiona’s biological father is a wealthy vintner who owns and operates a vineyard in Tuscany, Italy. Fast forward to 2017, wherein, Fiona will be called ‘home’ to Tuscany upon the death of her biological father, where she will learn that she has inherited the bulk of her father’s estate but her half-siblings (Sloane and Connor) are none too happy, and Fiona is left struggling to prove she is her father’s heir, and that her mother was the love of Anton’s life.

Flashback to 1986, Lillian Bell and her wanna be author husband Freddie, travel to Italy in an effort to find Freddie his writing muse but left alone for extended periods of time, Lillian, now living and working on the Maurizio Wine Estates, is seduced by, and falls in love with owner Anton Clark, where they will embark on love affair that will end when disaster all but destroys everyone involved.

THESE TANGLED VINES is first and foremost a love story; an impassioned tale of enduring love, loss, and betrayal; of secrets, lies, revelations and regret. Julianne MacLean pulls the reader into a heart breaking, passionate, intoxicating and sorrowful story of beauty and destruction, of tragedy and regret. An emotion-filled love affair THESE TANGLED VINES will leave you haunted by what was and what could have been.


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From the USA Today bestselling author of A Curve in the Road comes a sweeping and captivating tale of one woman’s journey to the lush vineyards of Tuscany—and into the mysteries of a tragic family secret.

If Fiona has learned anything in life, it’s how to keep a secret—even from the father who raised her. She is the only person who knows about her late mother’s affair in Tuscany thirty years earlier, and she intends to keep it that way…until a lawyer calls with shocking news: her biological father has died and left her an incredible inheritance—along with two half siblings.

Fiona travels to Italy, where the family is shocked to learn of her existence and desperate to contest her share of the will. While the mystery of her mother’s affair is slowly unraveled, Fiona must navigate through tricky family relationships and tense sibling rivalries. Fiona both fears and embraces her new destiny as she searches for the truth about the fateful summer her mother spent in Italy and the father she never knew.

Spilling over with the sumptuous flavors and romance of Tuscany, These Tangled Vines takes readers on a breathtaking journey of love, secrets, sacrifice, courage—and most importantly, the true meaning of family.


Review to come, closer to my blog tour stop!

Books by this author are always enjoyable! This one doesn’t disappoint. Settle down in a favorite chair, grab a glass of wine and enjoy a trip to Tuscany.

Fiona is living day-to-day taking care of her quadriplegic father, along with some outside help. Her mom had passed away a few years before. She receives a mysterious phone call from Italy asking for her to come for a reading of the will of her biological father! Wait, what? Secrets long hidden, mysteries abound.

Fun easy read ...perfect for a summer getaway whether at home or on a beach.

Thanks to Ms. MacLean, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

This was a well-written, entertaining book. It was emotional, and flowed well. It varied between describing events in the past and events during present time. The book held my attention and I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I love books that transport me to places I will probably never see. Ms. MacLean took me on a lovely trip to the twisty roads, grape vine covered hills and kitchens filled with the smells of pasta, sauce and wine for a very lovely little vacation. If that wasn't enough, she gave me a very full story of family drama spread over several decades and told from various view points. Although not all the characters in this book were likeable, they all played a part in the unfolding drama that occurs after Fiona discovers that her biological father that she knew nothing about, including that she had a different biological father than whom she thought, has left her something in his will. She has a family she didn't know existed until now--and they wish she didn't exist at all.
This is a tale of secrets, betrayal and forgiveness at it's best. A lovely story that kept me turning the pages and excited to see how things played out. Loved it!
I was given a complimentary copy of this bookby the author via NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. All thoughts are my own.

I was hooked after the first few paragraphs. This is one of those books you'll find hard to put down. The characters are believable and interesting. It makes you think about secrets and long term effects on all parties involved. The story is told from several points of view both current and past and is woven all together beautifully. Read the jacket cover for any details, I don't write book reports or give spoilers. It is just important to know there are some characters you'll love, some you want to shake and say how could you do that, how could you say that, and all the while you keep hoping everyone did and will do the right thing for all, deserving or not.. The descriptions of the scenery will have you sitting right there with them and make you want to go find a Tuscan winery and villa. Read and enjoy!
I was provided an advance review copy from the author and was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Many thanks to the author, her marketing team , and publisher for allowing me to read this book.

Tuscany, a beautiful place but filled with so many secrets. When Fiona’s mother lay dying, she told Fiona that Anton was her biological father but to not tell her dad. She has lived with that secret since age 18 and she is now 30. Her biological father has just passed with a heart attack and she is named in his will. What will she find when she arrives in Italy other than hostility from his other two children that didn’t know about her any more than she knew about them. When the whole truth comes out, will those hurt by all this be able to forgive. Fiona also learned through this that the love Anton and her mother Lillian felt for each other showed by them keeping the promises they made to each other.

I doubt it is possible to read These Tangled Vines by Julianne MacLean without longing to take a trip to Tuscany. The setting of landscape, food, and drink comes vibrantly alive in this story of Fiona Bell’s journey. Just as much the emotions of the characters past and present are powerfully experienced as Fiona goes to Tuscany after one fateful phone call.

Family secret and mistrust as well as family wobbly relationships and sibling inheritance complications become part of the journey. However, truth comes to light then forgiveness can give healing. Told in a dual time frame that makes this a captivating read.

A powerful book that looks at understanding and accepting what cannot be changed while forgiveness is needed to change life for the better. These characters and their story are unforgettable.


From the USA Today bestselling author of A Curve in the Road comes a sweeping and captivating tale of one woman’s journey to the lush vineyards of Tuscany—and into the mysteries of a tragic family secret.

These Tangled Vines by Julianne MacClean is a soul-touching drama taking place in two time periods. It feature Kate Bell whose mother died 12 years ago, when she was 18. At that time she took over responsibility for her father, who is a quadriplegic and needed round-the-clock care. On her deathbed, Lillian, Kate's mother, confessed that she had been fathered by a man other than her husband, Fred Bell. She also made her promise to never tell Fred: it would devastate him. So she had soldiered on, sacrificing many things that normal people had, all to care for her father. One day she got devastating news: her natural father, Anton Clark, had died and had left her property. Could she come to Italy? It turns out that he was a fabulously wealthy man. He owned multiple homes as well as this lovely vineyard near Tuscany. He had split the other things, as well as some money between his two other children, but he had left the vineyard and wine production to her, as well as a load of cash. She didn't know what to think. Her half-siblings were not happy, and really, not very nice. She still had her father to think of. What would she do with an Italian vineyard? Her half-brother, Connor, was threatening to try to break the will. There was no proof that he had really meant her to have all this, unless they could find the letters that were supposedly here somewhere, from her mother.

Thirty years earlier there had been love and tragedy. Lillian had married Freddie five years earlier because she had been pregnant and then she lost the baby. He was writing a novel and promised the minute he wrote, "The End." They would get pregnant. It was to take place in Tuscany so she suggested they go there for the summer. She could find a job and he could write. So they did. Her life changed. She loved the winery and the vineyards and the owner. There was a brief affair but she felt so guilty: a bout cheating on Freddie and about loving Anton. She was a strong character who knew what was right and did it. Fred was the one: the weak one, who held on, thinking only of himself, before the accident and after. But they had a beautiful daughter, Kate. One they both loved with their whole hearts. He had been in that chair for over two years. The doctors had said it would only be a couple of years before an infection of some sort took him. They all: Lillian, Fred, Anton, and Kate, lived this lie for over thirty years. Now, both Lillian and Anton were dead. And Kate knew the truth. She also had a great many decisions to make, decisions that would affect her father her sibling, the employees of the vineyard. She was devastated. This book had me at the edge of tears, nose stuffed up for the last half of it. The beginning was hard because I was waiting for bad things to happen. Then they had and I could move on. Gut-wrenching, soul-stealing. What a beautiful book!

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of These Tangled Vines by MacClean's ARC team and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #thesetangledvines

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review. I have read to my knowledge all of Julianne MacLean’s books. Every book has far exceeded my expectations. She writes of characters and events that is true to life. I feel each character’s emotions. Her descriptions are so that you feel you are right there with them. She is by far one of my most favorite authors. I always look forward to the next book. Her Color Of books are great reads too. I highly recommend this and any and all of her books. You won’t be disappointed.

These Tangled Vines by Julianne MacLean is the most delightful dual timeline novel about love and family.
The novel is set in 1986 and 2017 and is seen through the eyes of a mother and her daughter. There have been secrets kept but now it is time to learn the truth about the summer of 1986.
Julianne MacLean has a colourful palette of words which she uses to vividly paint the Tuscan landscape. The reader can ‘see’ the vibrant countryside through her words. We ‘feel’ the soaring heat and ‘smell’ the aromatic food and drink. These Tangled Vines is a wonderful assault on our senses.
The characters are perfectly drawn, realistic and likable. The reader can ‘feel’ the tension and attraction between the two lead characters in 1986 as the emotions and heat sizzles.
This is a novel about love. It is a great sacrificial love. It is a guilty love. It is a love bound by a secret. A self-sacrificing, caring and compassionate love remains.
We witness the destructive power of wealth on a character as a sense of entitlement is dashed. In contrast we see a life opening up as one realises that inheritance is so much more than money. True inheritance is love.
I absolutely adored These Tangled Vines, reading it in just one sitting. The love radiates from the pages to surround the reader. Love is the greatest gift of all.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the Net Galley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Add this to your summer reads list, because I promise you will want to go on this trip to Tuscany! Also buy some pasta and wine because I also promise you will be hungry.

On her deathbed, Lillian Bell tells her daughter, Fiona, a secret: the father that raised her isn't her biological father. While 18-year-old Fiona is out of time to ask her mother deeper questions, she learns that her biological father, Anton, lives in Tuscany, Italy, and that she has to continue to keep this a secret from the father that raised her. Knowing the truth could be detrimental to his already poor health.

Twelve years later, Fiona receives a surprise call from Tuscany telling her that Anton passed away and left her some property in his will. Fiona decides to take a trip to Italy to see the property, meet a family that didn't know she existed, and discover why she was included in the will of a father she never met. In Italy, Fiona meets disgruntled step-siblings, falls in love with Tuscany, and works to unravel the secrets of her mother's affair. 

I love the shift in perspective between Fiona (in 2017) and Lillian (in 1986) as the story is pieced together and the truth of a summer affair starts to come out. The twists and turns of family secrets throughout the book are fantastically written, making this a book that's hard to put down. I highly recommend this wonderful story full of love, forgiveness, and surprises!

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!

This book was an emotional roller coaster. There's a great romance. The book left me with a book hangover. Julianne Maclean writes characters that you can identify with and her writing paints such a picture that I become completely invested. This one left me feeling a little melancholy with a dash of hopeful. Fiona is a wonderful character. She handled so many surprises without missing a step. The book presents the story in current time and the one in the past with a perfect blend. It was easy to follow each story and transition between the two. The book is easy to get lost in, so be prepared to not put it down for long periods of time. I received an advance copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.

As you read this beautifully written book, you will spend an unforgettable summer in Tuscany and you will fully experience all that is has to offer...and more! Come along for the journey and fully experience beautiful Tuscany. Yes, come along...but stay for the love story.

Is there anything more enjoyable than eating lovingly prepared fresh Italian food and sipping Italian wines? What makes this even better, is the beautiful setting of sunny Tuscany, where meals can be eaten outdoors while enjoying a gentle breeze and the company of friends.

The descriptions of food and drink were done in such a way that I could just about smell the enticing aromas and taste the delicious foods and wines.

In Tuscany, an epic love story took place during one glorious summer. Stolen, joyful happiness joined with the very deepest and most fervent love. This love story is complete with exquisite highs and tragic, sorrowful lows.

In this story, purpose and destiny collided with a once in a lifetime passionate love between two souls who experienced the very deepest of connections. Lies, secrets, guilt and forced promises tangled the vines of a mother, a father or two, and a daughter.

Relationships were a vital part of this lovely book. I grew very attached to the characters and felt many emotions right along with them. I felt their frustration, their excitement, their contentment, their sorrows and their hope.

Secrets and their consequences are what tangled and kept tangling the vines of the main characters and their families.

I love themes of forgiveness. Truth is, everyone needs forgiveness. And, when truth and forgiveness are combined, you can receive freedom from bitterness and regrets. Add in some gratitude and you can look to the future with anticipation and hope.

I really enjoyed this book. The storyline and the characters will stay with me for a long time.

Julianne MacLean’s novel These Tangled Vines is a story about how secrets can affect the lives of more than those involved. For Fiona Bell, one early morning phone call changes her life forever. For her mother, Lillian Bell, who passed away twelve years earlier, one tragic event changed her life into a life of sacrifice and of giving up the man she truly loved. For Fiona, spending time in Italy where her mother and her biological father fell in love gives Fiona so much more than her inheritance from her biological father. This beautifully written novel shows the power of forgiveness and the power of acceptance of the past to move forward. I highly recommend These Tangled Vines, and I look forward to reading Julianne MacLean’s next book.

Awoken by the ringing of her telephone, Fiona Bell finds out that the father that she never met, Anton Clark, has died and her presence is needed in Italy for the reading of his will.

Bewildered by the request, she finds herself on a journey exploring the past and the consequences of an unexpected love affair...

Reminiscent of Bridges of Madison County, and Whispering Vines, MacLean has woven an emotional narrative that readers won't be able to put down. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

A relaxing and enjoyable read. MacLean takes her readers on a beautiful journey through the Italian countryside and the intimate workings of a generations old winery. She reminds us to focus on the present, and as much as we're able, to let go of the hurts of the past... to embrace forgiveness while embracing the life we have today.

I received a digital ARC from the author through NetGalley for my honest review.

Set in the countryside around Montepulciano in beautiful Tuscany, These Tangled Vines is partly a love story and partly a story of forgiveness and healing. It’s written in two timelines, the first in 1986, the year Fiona Bell was conceived. The second is 2017, the year Anton Clark, the biological father she didn’t know she had, died and left her his massively successful vineyard and wine business.
Through Fiona’s eyes we see the horror of Anton’s two legitimate children, Sloane and Connor, who expected to inherit the vineyard themselves. As she gets to know the vineyard, the people who’ve and work there and the business that her father built up, Fiona discovers that she shares many of the same passions as her father had, particularly for the beauty of the landscape. In the earlier timeline we learn about how Fiona’s mother Lillian and Anton fell in love and about what tore them apart. Author Juliana Maclean skilfully weaves the two timelines together so that this story flows seamlessly. I loved the characters she created but I think what I loved most about this book was the way it drew me in so that I experienced for myself the wonderful food, the atmosphere and the beauty of this gorgeous part of the world. This book is very definitely one for the keeper shelf.

Fiona lives with her quadriplegic father. Her mother died 12 years ago, and on her death bed revealed that the man she knew as her father her whole life, wasn’t her biological father. She’s been keeping that secret for 12 years. Then she gets a phone call from Italy. Her biological father has died, and she is a beneficiary in his will. She goes to Italy to find out what her father left her. The story goes back and forth between present day, and when her mother and father were in Italy one summer 30 years ago.

The writing and character development are excellent. The characters are real and flawed. The descriptions of Italy are beautiful. I can totally picture it. The twists and turns of the story are intriguing. I enjoyed the book. The only problem I had with the story is the blatant infidelity. I knew there was infidelity based on the book description, but I didn’t expect to read a play by play. Although there is nothing graphic, I really struggled with the love story having a foundation of cheating. Because the writing is so good, and the infidelity issue is a personal preference, I recommend this book. I was drawn in by the story and descriptions.