I was swept away in a fascinating love story in beautiful and timeless Tuscany!

Julianne MacLean’s beautifully descriptive writing always pulls me in! But when she wrote her latest tale, The Tangles Vines, which takes place at a family owned winery in Tuscany, she had me after the first few chapters.

The story begins with Fiona’s arrival to Tuscany to attend a will reading following her birth father’s death, a man she never met. Her visit takes Liliann to encounter the owner of the winery, and learn of his history. The scenic descriptions and plot drew me in and made me want to grab a bowl of fresh-made pasta and a glass of chianti, as I sat reading by my fireplace.

The story takes the reader from present day, back 30 years, and again back to present day, learning about a love so true and the many lives it effects. I grieved for Lilianne and Anton, while disliking Freddie from the start. I found myself hating Sloane and then later loving her for her for her realizations of a better life at her reach.

Julianne's novels always manage to sweep me up, and make me spend a weekend engulfed in her story. When she ventures away from her usual lineup of sequels, I am always impressed!!

What A Tangled Web We Weave. This was a strong story of finding yourself, even if that happens a bit later than some would like and creates a bit of a mess. And it was a strong story of ever lasting love, treachery, and forgiveness. All set (mostly) in the idyllic Tuscan countryside. The pacing was solid, the dual timeline worked well - even if a sense of foreboding hung over one of the timelines its entire duration. (We learn early in the book - Chapter 1, IIRC - how that timeline ultimately turns out, so getting there is wonderful, yet also like watching a replay of a momentous event... that you know turns out in disaster.) Overall, the writing here really speaks to the strength of Maclean's storytelling abilities and shows them to be quite strong indeed. Very much recommended.

Once again, Julianne MacLean delivers a story that is breathtaking. A story that is well-written with the beautiful scenery of Italy as the background, strong characters that give you a past love story with heartache and a future filled with emotional truths and secrets. I could not quit reading this story once I started. I was kind of shocked at the ending which I am hoping will lead to a series like her other books. I would like to learn the stories of the other characters as they go forward into the future and hope for a romantic interest for Fiona. I guess the ending left me begging for more.

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

This is a novel about family secrets, love and forgiveness. Fiona inherits a winery in Tuscany from a father she never knew, a secret that was kept for years. Now she must travel to Italy to meet a family who didn’t know she existed and learn about what really happened all those years ago when she was conceived. This journey will unravel the truth of the past and teach her to forgive the sacrifices made by her family for love. A beautiful story that stayed with me, the kind of story that makes you hug your book when you’re done.

These Tangled Vines by Julianne Maclean Review by Shirley W

Do you have secrets in your family? Most do, and Fiona’s family is no different. Fiona’s Mother passed many years ago asking that she keep a secret and never tell her Father, the man who raised her and is in her care in the United States! However, a phone call from a lawyer in Italy explaining that her Father has just passed, and she is named in the will, has her wondering who he was?

This novel is full of twists and turns of surprise as Fiona goes to Tuscany to discover who her father was. Why did her mother make her keep a promise that held so many secrets? This is an evocative story of love, new experiences, forgiveness and becoming whole. The descriptions of landscape, Italian food, and interesting, multi-faceted, and flawed people make this book unforgettable. Julianne Maclean tells a terrific, and tender story that packs a punch. I could not put it down and I now want to visit Tuscany!

These Tangled Vines is a story about the main character Fiona and the major changes that will effect her life from the confession by her Mother on her death bed. The story is centered around family old and new and the journey of accepting kindness, love and forgiveness along the way. The author Julianne MacLean makes you feel as though you have just stepped off the plane with Fiona ( the main character) in her beautiful description of the land and the folks in Italy. This is a awesome story, so take this journey into Italy and enjoy this spectacular love story.
A must read ! 10+

These Tangled Vines is a wonderful gift - a gift of love, forgiveness, family, and accepting what cannot be changed - a gift to a world shattered by the pandemic, by the divisions and ugliness that is so prevalent in our world today. Thank you Julianne MacLean. This book is like a bowl of chicken soup when you are ill.

The settings - gorgeous and like a painting unfolding as you read. The characters - well rounded, most very likable and people I wanted to meet and know. The story line - it pulled me in immediately and didn't let me go until I'd read the last beautiful sentence. I felt like I was there. I felt Anton disappointment and grief...Lillian's love and could imagine the grief and loss she lived with. I loved Fiona and how she came to terms with everything.

Now I want a vacation to Tuscany to see the beautiful scenes described by this very talented author. Do yourself a big favor and read this book. It will fill your soul with beauty, forgiveness, love, and understanding. I think we could all use more of that.

Thank you to the author, publishers, and Netgalley for approving an ARC at my request. Thoughts in this review are my own and happily shared.

These Tangled Vines by Julianne MacLean is a story that will stay with you for a long time. It is a wonderful story about family, relationships, love, loyalty and forgiveness. Fiona's mother tells her that the man who raised her is not her biological father. Fiona spends years hating the man who fathered her, while the only father that she knows needs her. He is a quadriplegic and needs constant care. When Fiona received a phone call requesting that she attend the reading of her biological father's will in Italy, she is confused and hesitant, but feels that many questions will possibly be answered so she flies to Italy.

I received an copy of this book through NetGalley and I could not put it down. The story will tug at your heart and I suggest that you have a box of tissues close! The plot and characters are well developed and I could not wait to find out how everything would turn out. Great story.

“I’m always excited when Julianne Maclean has a new novel out and These Tangled Vines does not disappoint! Relax over a glass of wine and immerse yourself in a story that demonstrates the consequences of family secrets. Rich in dialogue and description that transports you to Tuscany, Italy; These Tangled Vines will inspire you to be a better person and open to forgiveness. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down.”

These Tangled Vines demonstrates once again why Julianne MacLean is such an accomplished storyteller. When Fiona receives a massive inheritance from a man she’d only learned about when her mother was dying, everything she thought was true began to crumble. Readers go with Fiona as she travels to Italy, meets her half-siblings and uncovers the truth about her biological parents. This is a book about the many faces of love, about dependency, about truth, about deception and ultimately about forgiveness of self and others. It’s one of those stories that won’t soon be forgotten and that will be re-read with an even greater enjoyment and appreciation. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

What a tender novel of love, deception, forgiveness and family!
The title of this book is absolutely perfect!

Fiona has devoted her life to her dad who is a quadriplegic since her mother passed years ago when Fiona was only eighteen.. She lives frugally and her only goal is to make sure her father is comfortable.
Fiona does have a secret that her mother shared with her on her deathbed that she can never tell her father. She has always kept this promise and it has been buried and never thought about.
Until,,,, The phone rings one day telling Fiona she needs to come to Tuscany, Italy for the reading of a will of her biological father.
Should Fiona go to Italy? What will she learn? Why would she be left anything from this man? Should she tell her dad where and why she is going away?
This is a beautiful, heart filled journey between two people. Their families need to learn the path of their relationship many years ago.
It is told in dual timelines. One in 1986 and the other in 2017 as mysteries and secrets are divulged.
This will take you into the amazing vineyards, the winery and the landscapes of Tuscany as we all discover the truths of this family story!
Excellent!