A brilliant read and one I really enjoyed. The characters are loveable and varied, the plot is one that is engaging and medium paced. I found myself completely drawn into the story and enjoyed the writing style.

This is a slow burning, gentle romance with Linzi at its centre. Her number one focus at the beginning are her precious vines and the success of the vineyard. You come to realise that there is an estrangement from her family and that she is burying herself in her work, to mask her broken heart. She is a well- respected and integral member of the community who work at the Green Valley Vineyard. She has some strong friendships and loyal to her colleagues.

The romance is slow in becoming obvious as it seems to have been where Linzi is concerned. The setting is very important in the story and there are some lovely descriptions of the vistas and the countryside. Elliot has come to the vineyard on a mission and it takes time to deduce what his motivations are. A successful businessman, he has a strong sense of the importance of family but you sense that his relationship with his father was not straightforward. This gives him a common understanding with Linzi. Just right for a summer read, this is an enjoyable read.

In short: Changes threaten the vineyard

There’s nothing better than a gorgeous and uplifting summer read as the weather begins to warm up – and Summer at Green Valley Vineyard by Lucy Coleman is certainly that… and I loved it!

Nine years ago Linzi made Green Valley Vineyard her home. But her world is turned upside down when the owner announces he’s retiring and his grandson will be taking over. And sure enough, when Elliot arrives, Linzi’s worst fears are realised. How will someone who’s stepped straight from the boardroom even begin to understand what it is they do here?

But as the summer unfolds, Linzi and Elliot find themselves in an uneasy alliance, just as old secrets begin to be revealed. With Elliot nursing his own grief at the death of his father, could this be the new beginning that neither of them knew they needed?

Summer At Green Valley Vineyard is a beautiful and heartwarming story that had me spellbound from beginning to end. It’s a story full of friendship, hope, romance and the beauty of wine making.

The perfect book to escape with, I thoroughly enjoyed every word of this warm and uplifting story.

A lovely summer read that I would highly recommend.

Meet Linzi, she is preparing herself for what could potentially be a nightmare situation, her boss retiring and his grandson, who so far had tried to avoid the family business, is set to takeover to keep the vineyards going. You just know it isn’t going to be an easy ride when it is someone who cares more about numbers and pitches up in a sharp suit that sounds a little out of place, to try and make a mark. As a reader, you can totally understand her trepidation in what is otherwise a beautiful scenic place to work.

You can feel the friction between the Linzi and Elliott, as he wants a fresh start. The emotions come through the quality of the writing, it is clever as the vines twist, there comes some twists and turns in the characters lives. What looms is the exposing of secrets. There are also unexpected emotions that also materialise that could mean some love is in the air that may just well be trying to bud.

It is a summer read that whisks you away, but never strays too far from what goes on in the forefront of people’s lives, even in a picturesque place. There’s always challenges to overcome and certainly people about to make things difficult. This is captured well in this book of second chances.
Rated 4 1/2 stars on the blog.

Linzi has been keeper of the vines at Green Valley for nine years, her expert knowledge greatly valued by owner Thomas. There have been changes over the years – Thomas’ son Robert, brought in as manager for a while, introduced a hotel and restaurant (now with a coveted Michelin star), and Linzi is part of a wider team who run the various parts of the Welsh vineyard’s business and help enhance its reputation. But further changes are to come, when Thomas is forced by ill health to step back from day-to-day involvement and bring in his accountant grandson Elliot, giving him free rein to make changes everywhere except among Linzi’s precious vines. It’s clear from the start that Elliot sees her as a particular asset, with the wine-making expertise he lacks – and she also becomes a friend he can use as a sounding board, always honest in her views, when it becomes clear that some less than comfortable changes really are a financial necessity.

A tremendous amount of research must have gone into this book, and the author uses it quite superbly. Her descriptions entirely transport the reader to the vineyard itself where you can really feel Linzi’s affinity with the land, and her relationship with the natural world that surrounds it – and the depth of detail about the growing of the grapes and the making of the wines is simply fascinating. Elliot’s perspective is, of course, a different one – while he’s happy to learn from Linzi and fully understands her passion, even content to become hands-on at times, his focus has to be on the bottom line and finding a way to ensure the whole business makes a profit.

The characterisation is quite excellent. Both Linzi and Elliot are eminently likeable, with complications both in their past and present lives and a few slowly revealed secrets: the relationship between them felt entirely real, and I really enjoyed the way it developed. The primary perspective is Linzi’s, but I rather liked the occasional shift to Elliot’s story, enabling an insight both into his feelings and uncertainties and the reasons behind the difficult decisions he may need to make. If you’re looking for romance, it’s fairly low-key, but I was entirely happy with that – the relationship between them is more about support, friendship, and mutual respect, anything else is rather more of a slow-build, and I felt that worked particularly well. But there’s also a wider cast, all really well-drawn individuals with their own stories, some of them unexpectedly emotional – and the author captures particularly well the elements of uncertainty in their lives as they wait to see the changes the new man at the helm will bring.

It’s a strong and engaging story, gently told, wonderfully heartwarming at times, the emotional moments perfectly judged, and I have to say I really loved it – perhaps my favourite of the author’s books so far. A perfect summer read, and very much recommended – I really enjoyed this one!

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Escapist, enjoyable and enchanting, Lucy Coleman is at her irresistible best with Summer at Green Valley Vineyard.

Nine years ago, Linzi had come to Green Valley Vineyard in desperate need of a fresh start. Linzi had soon found somewhere to belong and a place she could call home and she had built a life and a future for herself in this rural idyll. However, everything Linzi has cherished for almost a decade is in jeopardy when the owner announces he is retiring and that his grandson is taking over the reins. Will Linzi still have a home at Green Valley Vineyard? Or will she soon have no other option but to make a life for herself elsewhere?

Grieving the loss of his father, Elliot Montgomery had also come to Green Valley Vineyard for a fresh start. Although sparks immediately begin to fly between him and Linzi, the two of them seem like chalk and cheese. But they quickly realize that they’ve got a lot more in common than they initially thought. Over the course of the summer, an uneasy alliance is formed that leads to old secrets being revealed.

Will Elliot and Linzi manage to vanquish old ghosts, rid themselves of their doubts and insecurities and embrace this unexpected chance at happiness? Is a future for the two of them possible? Or will they end up going their separate ways?

Lucy Coleman writes stellar page-turners that never fail to sweep readers away and she has done it again with Summer at Green Valley Vineyard. A gorgeous, uplifting and captivating tale of long-held secrets, forbidden passions and everlasting love, Summer at Green Valley Vineyard is a hopeful and heartfelt romantic read that plucks at the heartstrings and will make readers laugh out loud.

As brilliant as ever, Lucy Coleman’s unmissable new novel, Summer at Green Valley Vineyard is the perfect romance to lose oneself into as the weather gets a little bit cooler.

Linzi is keeper of the vines at at vineyard in Wales. It has just been taken over by the owners grandson Elliot - will he make or break the business? A great read and a great setting.

I'm really sorry I couldn't get into this book at all. I kept putting down for a while then going back to it in the hope it would click but sadly it didn't. I think it's probably just !e so please don't let my review put you off reading it yourself
Set in a vineyard in Wales Linzi is in charge of the vines when Elliott whose grandad owns the vineyard is suddenly and reluctantly thrust into the job after his grandad had a heart attack. The financial situation is dire, can Elliott see a way to make the vineyard start to make a profit or will he sell up ?

If you have never read a Lucy Coleman book then I highly recommend them all. This was another absolute delight from Lucy.

In this book we meet Linzi Who has always dreamed of working in a vineyard. Linzi knows everything there is to know about the vineyard that she works on. So is worried when the owners grandson steps in to work with her . Concerned about the way that he will mix things and change things up. Elliot is worried too he has been tasked to take over the business but knows very little about the vineyard and it was never really something he was very interested in inheriting. But he is going to have to learn and fast if he wants the family business to survive. As they get to know each other sparks begin to fly and they soon realise they have to work together to keep the business running.

Lucy always seems to do an awful lot of research to make the books sound viable and this time the research was all about how the vines, and grapes, grow, mature, and change over time ending with the end product of the wine itself.

This is a gorgeous book to read on our of our few and far between sunny days in spring and summer. The characters are well rounded with their demons, stories and struggles.

With nuggets of information about the workings of the vineyard makes this book even more interesting to read. Lucy Coleman always gives us great stories and this one is no exception. Lovely setting and characters, well worth 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Summer at Green Valley Vineyard by Lucy Coleman

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Compulsive Readers and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

A beautiful vineyard. A new beginning. A summer that will change their lives forever...

Linzi arrived at Green Valley Vineyard nine years ago, in need of a fresh start. In the lush emerald countryside and ripening grapes, she finally has a place to call home.

But Linzi's world is rocked when the owner announces he is retiring, and his grandson is taking over.

When Elliot Montgomery first sets foot at Green Valley, Linzi's worst fears are realised. He's stepped straight out of the boardroom in shiny shoes and a tailored suit. How will a numbers man like him ever understand the magic of what they do here?

Elliot has his own demons, carrying the grief of his father's death. Despite their differences, he has come to the vineyard for a new beginning, much like Linzi once did.

As the summer unfolds, Elliot and Linzi find themselves in an uneasy alliance while old secrets threaten to be revealed.

Could more be about to bloom here among the twisting vines than they ever thought possible?

My Opinion

Lucy Coleman has yet to write a book that disappoints me, so when I saw that her latest book was coming out soon, there was no hesitation for me - I just had to read it. This was a delight to read and it was so nice to be able to dip in and out of it as time allowed. If you have ever read a Coleman book before then you will know that Lucy has a lovely way of describing the setting so the reader can easily picture it.

I found this to be a nice escape as I was whisked away to the Vineyard. This is a great book that I highly recommend, you will not want to put it down!

Rating: 4/5

Another stunning book by Lucy expertly written. Lovely range of characters and plot, penned in Lucy's expert way. Loved it! Nice to have a book set in a different setting (vineyard) too.

This was an absolute delight to read. I do enjoy this author's books so it was great to pick up her latest one. Working in a vineyard sounds like hard work, but for Linzi, it is her dream job. She is single, works hard and enjoys being out in nature and in the fresh air. When the grandson of the current owner is brought in to take over the running of the property there are worries. Will he change things, will he interfere or will the ethos of the vineyard, restaurant and hotel be ruined by his own vision? Elliot has already been told that he needs to work with Linzi, she will be a valuable asset and she is also knowledgeable.

This is a gorgeous book to sit and read during these nice sunny spring days that we have had recently. It was so easy to imagine how Linzi found pleasure and serenity in her job. Even though things could change she has a feeling of belonging to Green Valley Vineyard and do some of the main staff there. People are on edge as he spends a lot of time going through the accounts and seeing where money is being spent, what works, what doesn't and of course how to improve the business? This is the thing though, with his background he will see this as a business and it is not just that, it is a place where people feel welcomed, at home and more importantly respected.

Elliot has a tough job on his hands. Taking over a business he wasn't expecting to means he knows very little about it. He is going to have to learn and learn fast if he is to make things viable.

There has obviously been some good research done for this book and the author brings this into the story with details about grapes, vines, growing, nurturing and also the end product of the wine itself. I found this really interesting and it was a great part of the story. Bringing someone with knowledge together with someone who hasn't is great. Both of the main characters have knowledge in their own fields, but they also need to understand the priority and responsibilities of the other. This leads to them working, chatting and discussing plans and possible future projects.

As they get to know each other they form a respectful friendship, both realise quickly that they will need to work together and with the odd gentle nudge from Linzi, Elliot starts to understand the passion of those who work there.

I adored this book a lot and there is more to this story than someone coming in to make a profit from vines. Each of the characters has their own demons and there are things that they are not really honest about with themselves, never mind sharing. As the story evolves they do start to break down some of these barriers.

I love being outside in my garden, but my goodness the author definitely works Linzi and Elliot hard. They seem to be constantly on the go, but this actually works well for their characters. For me, anything less would not make them the versions the author has in mind for them.

This is a fabulous book and if you have read any of this author's previous books then you know you are in for a treat. A gorgeous contemporary fiction story that I would definitely recommend.

Linzi has worked at the Green Valley Vineyard for the past nine years and when the new owner announces that he is retiring to allow his grandson Elliot to take over, Linzi is uncertain of her future. He appears as if he stepped straight out of the boardroom in shiny shoes and a tailored suit. Similarly, Elliot is carrying his own burdens, struggling with his father’s death, and wondering what his future will hold. As Elliot and Linzi find their way to working together and trying to ensure that the vineyard remains viable.
I must admit that I didn’t see this book as a romance with little connection between the couple. I found Elliott to be a considerate and thoughtful character whilst Linzi, at times, could be intense. Overall, an interesting read that highlighted the issues facing the vineyard.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received this book from Netgalley.

This book took a while to get into. While I read the first chapter quickly, I felt like it was a slow read and it didn't quite grabbed my attention from the get-go.

Almost 10% into the book and I'm finding it hard to like the main character, Linzi. She seems to be quite full of herself (although I can't even put my finger on why I think that) and already seems to be unwilling to like Elliot. What does she expect from him when he's being thrown into a completely new and foreign challenge. It's like she doesn't want to give him a chance.

42% in and we still don't know the situation between Linzi and her family. However, she seems a bit jaded about her sister and her sister's motives. Of course her sister wants the attention to be on her - it's her engagement party! And either Linzi goes and sucks it up for one night, because it's not about her. Or she doesn't go. Just make a decision!

Linzi also seems way too interested in Elliot's personal life. She doesn't seem to be able to separate the fact that he's there to do a job, and she keeps going back to his supposed girlfriend.

I like books where you get to read from two character's perspectives. However, this one doesn't seem natural because you get a whole lot of chapters of Linzi and then one of Elliott, put of nowhere. I'd much rather hear from Elliot, as I do prefer him as a character.

I don't feel like Elliot and Linzi have much chemistry at all. I feel like as people who work together, sure they work well together but romantically? I just didn't feel it, so I felt like that was a bit forced.

Overall, not my favourite book, but I can see how it would appeal to others.

Free courtesy of netgalley

What a beautifully written book, it was just easy to read, with a nice story, it was like that nice Sunday early evening TV shows that used to be on. In fact it would make a great TV show.

Linzi works at a vineyard in Wales, she is the keeper of the vines and keeps herself to herself as she had been hurt in the past. She learnt her craft in Italy but was poached to come and work in Wales and it suited her needs. She is estranged from her own family and feels like the workers are one big family in this family owned business. The owner Thomas has decided to retire and hand the business over to his grandson Elliot, that nobody has ever met as he was not interested in taking over. There is a bit of tension around the staff when he doesn't share his plans for the vineyard and they don't know if they are going to lose their jobs. Will the vineyard survive new management ?

I would recommend this book, I didn't want to put it down and the TV did not go on ☺️

A huge amount of research went into this book which gives the story a very authentic feel. Linzi, who has been working at Green Valley for nine years, has not recovered from a broken romance, which saw her leaving Italy and her married lover. Elliott, the grandson of Thomas Montgomery, who owns Green Valley, has been charged with the task of taking over the business following his father Robert's death. The pair come together, Elliot relying on Linzi's knowledge and expertise to help him settle into the job. The book is supposed to be a romance, but there is very little romantic content. I didn't feel any real spark between the two of them, even though they were working closely, and they only 'found' each other and had that first kiss as the book drew to a close.
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What I did enjoy were the sub plots concerning some of the staff - Gwyn, Sienna and Michael. The day to day running of the vineyard took centre stage. That too was interesting and woven well into the story. Elliott was kind and caring. He had a job to do, but was careful with how he interacted with the staff, and often sought Linzi's help with problems that arose. Sadly, I'm afraid I didn't take to Lindzi at all. Her character didn't work well for me.. Because it's written mostly from her perspective, she came across as an over confident individual who had answers for everyone's problems.

All in all, it's a good, solid read but there are no real surprises. I've given four stars because the book is well written and the storyline is an interesting one.
I would like to thank Lucy Coleman, Embla and Netgalley for an ARC of Summer at Green Valley Vineyard in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It gives a great insight into vineyards and shares nuggets of information about choosing wines. All this whilst handling an heartwarming love story between Linzi and Elliot, a story about family having to step in as illness hits, and shows how employees can become so much more than just workers, a real family atmosphere prevails throughout.

I'm in the mood for books that made me travel to new places, root for the characters and enjoy the story.
This one made me discover the vineyards in Wales and I liked the story and the characters.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

A real feel good summer read just right to take oh holiday.
Lovely characters and beautiful love story.
It deals with all the emotions that people endure if there is change in their lives.
Linzi and Elliot are thrown together when he is tasked with managing his grandfather’s vineyard in Wales which is perceived to be a real gold mine, but all is not as it seems.
Elliot is seen as the big bad wolf and it appears that Linzi, is the only one who supports him ,but even she has her doubts.