In Gudrun Cuillo's debut novel, "Casalvento - House of the Wind," readers are transported to the picturesque landscapes of Tuscany, where romance and family secrets converge in a compelling narrative. This story, published by Greenleaf Audiobooks and Greenleaf Book Group Press on October 17, 2023, blends elements of romance and women's fiction to craft a tale of self-discovery and unexpected inheritances.

Erika Germoglio initially seems to have it all—a flourishing career and a well-connected fiancé. However, her life takes an unexpected turn when she inherits Casalvento, a charming Italian house and vineyard, from a grandfather she never knew existed. As she travels to Italy to unravel the complexities of her newfound inheritance, Erika encounters Paolo, the estate manager and winemaker at Casalvento, who is intelligent, compassionate, and strikingly handsome. Her journey of discovery and transformation is at the heart of this narrative.

One of the book's standout strengths is its well-drawn characters, with Paolo being a particularly memorable figure. Gudrun Cuillo masterfully crafts multi-dimensional characters, deeply connecting readers to their experiences. The emotional journey of Erika and her quest to understand her Italian heritage create an engaging and relatable narrative.

The novel's vivid and immersive descriptions of Tuscany lend an atmospheric quality to the story. Readers will find themselves longing to visit the picturesque landscapes described within the pages, as Cuillo's prose effectively transports them to this enchanting setting.
While the vineyard is central to the story's setting and theme, some readers may find the frequent mentions of wine a tad excessive. Nonetheless, this aspect does not significantly detract from the narrative's overall enjoyment.

In the audiobook version of "Casalvento," the narration by Maria Marquis is a standout feature. Her voice is soothing and easy to listen to, immersing readers in the story. Marquis's narration remains clear and understandable, even at 1.75x speed for those who prefer to listen at an accelerated pace. The slight accent adds an authentic touch to the narrative without hindering the dialogue between characters, making it an excellent choice for audiobook enthusiasts.

In conclusion, "Casalvento - House of the Wind" is a delightful novel that weaves together themes of self-discovery, romance, and family secrets. It presents an engaging narrative that will resonate with readers who appreciate stories exploring identity and heritage complexities. I recommend this book to those seeking a compelling journey of the heart set against the captivating backdrop of Tuscany.

A heartfelt, moving debut set in Italy. This was a great women's fiction, family saga set in a part of Italy I didn't know much about. Perfect for fans of Under the Tuscan sun and good on audio too. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I devoured this book! Who wouldn’t want to be left a vineyard in Tuscany by a long lost relative? At first I was annoyed with Erika for being so ungrateful about this insane gift she had been handed, but she quickly grew on me. This book made me extremely hungry for anti-pasti, and I drank plenty of wine while enjoying the story.
Side note, my husband and I actually stayed in Castellina in Chianti many years back, so it was fun to relive those memories through this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Greenleaf Audiobooks, and Greenleaf Book Group Press in exchange for my honest feedback. To the author, Gudrun Cuillo, please write a sequel ASAP!

#Casalvento #NetGalley # GudrunCuillo

I really enjoyed this book. The descriptions of Italy were rich and detailed. While some elements were painfully predictable, the overall story was lovely.

To me, this definitely reads like a debut novel. To the author’s credit, the story unfolded realistically. None of the relationships felt forced or silly. There were moments that felt incomplete—like the author’s original intent was to have a much lengthier novel to flesh out a number of different character subplots. But Erika’s individual narrative was well-rounded, I felt.

I REALLY didn’t like Erika at first, and I was afraid that she would be an unlikeable main character, but she changed a lot throughout the book. Maybe it was a drastic change, given the timeline of the story, but I liked her by the middle of the book.

It seems to me that the book must have had more twists in the plot in an earlier draft. There seemed to be a buildup to something that never happened, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. The final twist was a well-written surprise. My heart was pounding as I didn’t know what to expect, and I appreciated that.

Overall, the story was lovely and full of vivid word pictures that brought the characters and the setting to life. Thanks to NetGalley, Greenleaf Audiobooks, and the author for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t like to give a 1-star, but this book just didn’t do anything for me. The story and characters felt very surface level and undeveloped. The story felt like it was moving so slow, yet nothing deep was happening. I would have loved to have felt a connection with the characters, but that didn’t happen for me. Was Erika a good person at heart? Or a b*tch as she self l-proclaimed to be (in order to get ahead in the business world)? I’ll never know because she doesn’t really have any expressed emotion. Did she truly love Craig? Was he a good person at heart? Are we sad about what happened with them? Again, I don’t know because I don’t know the characters well enough to decide. The storyline idea is wonderful, but in my opinion perhaps not well executed. It reminded me of a really cheesy Hallmark movie. The cover is really appealing and the audiobook narrator did a good job.

I should preface this by saying that I live in Italy, so am perhaps a bit more critical of books set in Italy. To read this book I had to suspend reality a bit as there were certain things that were just not really possible, from the small (cicadas in April - too early! lemon pasta in spring - not the season!) to the large (an American woman moves to Italy for months without a work visa or permission to live in the EU - can't happen, even if they inherit property!). In this way, the story was sort of like a lovely fairy tale of the dream of Italy people want to believe -- a beautiful property in Tuscany, sexy Italian winemaker, inventing a new dream life in the bel paese -- what a dream! I think this is the version of Italy people want to hear about, and if that's you, this book delivers. I think I'm a bit too cynical to buy into the fairy tale, but that's also just my preference in books more generally.

I think if you liked Under the Tuscan Sun or Eat, Pray. Love, this is 100% a book for you. When I strip away all my cynicism at the inaccuracies (artistic license I suppose!), it is a lovely story of reinventing yourself, finding family and your roots, and evolving as a person into a better version of yourself. The book does deliver a lot of factually correct information about Italy, customs, traditions, cuisine, holidays, family, and language (the Italian in the book was pretty spot on). If you don't know Italy well you'll walk away with a better understanding of the country. For a balance of heart-warming story and sharing some useful knowledge, this book does deliver. Romance lovers, people who want to read about the dream of living in Italy, and those who love a good family story will enjoy this book.

Erika’s parents died when she was a young adult. Years later, when she was living in New York, she gets a letter saying that she inherited two small vineyards and a hotel, Casalvento and Livernano in Italy from her paternal grandfather. A man she never knew. Erika’s current job is turning properties around for a profit. She is also engaged to a man named Craig. She now has to fly to Italy to handle these estates, and everything that goes with them, while trying to juggle her life at home. It is a light and interesting book albeit a bit to predictable and too easy to believe for 5 months. I enjoyed all the food throughout this book and if definitely made me hungry, the recipes at the back of this book have definitely been added to my “to make” list. Cuillo does an excellent job of capturing the colorful spirit of Tuscany, as well as the breathtaking scenery and the extensive winemaking traditions. Readers can experience the sights, smells, and tastes of the Italian countryside by entering Casalvento through the author's meticulous attention to detail and descriptive writing style.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.

A wonderful story of family, known and unknown, discovery, personal growth, letting go of what you always thought you knew and wanted to let in something new. Erika receives a surprise inheritance from a grandfather she never met. Of course there are specific and to her, seemingly difficult choices to make for one, the requirement she stay in Italy for 5 months and learn how to run both of the properties from top to bottom. Unsure of what to do she heads back home only to have her decision to become crystal clear. Italy is a go! While there she works with Paolo to learn all there is to know about running a winery and bed and breakfast. What a difference a few months can make in a life. Change can be daunting, but the rewards can be invaluable. A beautifully written story that really takes us to Tuscany and a wonderful cast of characters.

Erika Germoglio has the perfect live. She co-owns a consulting firm saving businesses, two best friends, and a fiance she loves.

She receives a letter she has inherited Casalvento, a vineyard in Tuscany. Erika goes to Italy set on selling the property and selling it. The lawyer for her grandfather and Casalvento informs her that she must remain in Italy for five months and the run the vineyard in order to actually accept her inheritance.

In those five months, Erika figures out her fiance is not who she thought he was (engagement was ended), the vineyard and Italy is where she belongs (sell her shares of the consulting firm), and she has found family.

I have read the physical copy of Casalvento in July and enjoyed it enough to want to listen to the audiobook. The audiobook really brings the book to life and was a very good listen.

Erika Germoglio is a self-made woman who has it all—a fancy New York City job and the perfect fiancé. Out of no where, an Italian grandfather she has never met wills to her Casalvento, a house and a vineyard, and Livernano, a medieval village turned bed-and-breakfast, both in Tuscany. When Erika travels to Italy to settle her late grandfather’s affairs, she meets Paolo, Casalvento's handsome estate manager and wine maker. Erika learns that her inheritance comes with a catch—before she can keep or sell Casalvento and Livernano, she must live there and learn the business of the two estates for five months. Should she uproot her life and embrace all Italy has to offer? And if she chooses Italy, which man will be by her side?

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC. I listened to this on audiobook and the narration was great. The story itself was…fine? The description of the book sounded interesting but in reality it played out as anticlimactic. The most exciting plot points happened within the first 50% of the book, and the remaining portion was basically everyday life on a vineyard and it got boring until the novel’s very end. There were a ton of detailed descriptions of recipes and wine making, which were interesting initially, but got tiring after the first fifty times. Overall the character development was lacking and the writing style and dialogue weren’t particularly engaging to me. Paulo’s character didn’t really have anything interesting to him. His job is just wine. The relationship between Erika and Paulo lacked any modicum of development or nuance; it was sort of just like oh he’s handsome and we’re in love without any sort of relationship building. It just sort of happens, which is basically how the whole book felt—everything just happened without much development, which made me not really care for anything that was going on.

Oh my goodness, this was a wonderful story that takes you to the vineyards of Tuscany, Florence and Siena. Erica is a business entreopeneur living in New York, who learns that she had inherited a vineyard and hotel in Tuscany from a Grandfather she never knew. We follow Erica as she goes Tuscany and learns about her family history. Erica falls in love with Italy, and the families that work for her winery. The descriptions of Tuscany and the vineyards are so vivid and beautiful. So she has a big desicion to make between, whether to continue her life in New York or move to Italy.
Thank you to Netgalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks for the advanced listener copy. The narrator Maria Marquis and had a lovely Italian accent. 4.5 stars.

What a nice book. It was such a nice change of pace. I wished there was a bit more drama BUT it was wonderful just the way it is.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

I wish I could be like the female protagonist and inherit a vineyard in Tuscany from my grandpa, you know what I got instead? Allergies to penicillin
This book is about Erica a girl from New York who inherits a house in Tuscany and is legally obligated to live there for 5 months before being able to sell it.
As a long-time lover of Tuscany I really really enjoyed this book and seeing how Erica learns to enjoy life. I could relate to her feelings throughout the story.
The descriptions of the towns and food were amazing and I felt like I was in Firenze again. The finale of the book was predictable but still enjoyable.

Love any book that is set in Italy! This one didn’t disappoint. The food, the wine, and the scenery made this book interesting to me. The characters were okay. At times, the narrator left me annoyed with the characters. Overall, she did a good job with the characters.

Erika inherits vineyards and a hotel in Tuscany from a grandfather she never knew. She travels there to sell the property, but there is a catch, she must live there for 5 months. She stays, gets involved in the business, and falls in love with the land and the handsome, Paulo.

The author did an amazing job describing Casalvento, the winery, and Livernano, the hotel. The recipes at the end of the book were a bonus.

I would recommend this book just for the descriptions of Italy.

Thank you to @netgallery and Greenleaf Audiobooks for the audio ARC.
#bookworm #bookstagram #booklover #fiction #bookreview #readersofinstagram #arc #advancedreadercopy #advancecopy #arcreader #romance #womensfiction #gudrumcuillo #casalvento

I really enjoyed Casalvento in the beginning. But as I turned the pages, I felt that it was predictable. I also felt that I was reading a script for a Hallmark movie.

I loved everything about this book except for the last two chapters. For me, this book was absolute perfection from the main character, who left her life in Italy for a chance at connecting with a family she never knew to the descriptions of the lush Italian vineyard where most of the book takes place. I loved the atmosphere and the found family Erika finds in her deceased grandfather's vineyard; everyone she meets is absolutely charming and pure in every sense. I really enjoyed reading about Erika's journey of finding herself and happiness throughout her journey of learning about Italy and her grandfather's life.
My only issue with this book was the last two chapters which were highly rushed. I enjoyed the care and subtleness of the relationship between Erika and Paolo, a farmer who worked closely with Erika's grandfather; their relationship grew so naturally and sweetly that it made the final couple of chapters that much more jarring.
I recommend this clean, adult romance for anyone looking for a sweet story with interesting characters and a bit of taking a chance on a single phone call.

TW: Parental death, Infidelity, mild paranoia

I enjoyed the storyline and setting of this book! Loved escaping to Casalvento along the grapes and winding roads. The only critique was that the main character bugged me just a little. Otherwise, I enjoyed this!

Casalvento by Gudrun Cuillo is a great story that will transport you to Tuscany, Italy. I’ve been there a few times and the author really captured the essence of that beautiful and bountiful region.

The characters were interesting and well developed. The plot had interesting twists. This is an audiobook I would happily recommend and listen to it again. It could become an Hallmark kind of movie as well.

The narrator also did an awesome job.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to review this Audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’m going to start this by saying there are many things that were predictable in this book, which takes away from the oh wow moments. I still enjoyed the book, but when certain things happened you knew it was going to happen.

Erika owns her own company in NYC she has a thriving business and she is planning her wedding. Everything has come together beautifully for her and suddenly she’s given information that she’s inherited a vineyard in Italy from as grandfather she didn’t know existed. Erika has to upend her life to go to Italy to get her affairs in order. However, during this Erika starts to discover herself.

Thank you #NetGalley for the advance read

Listening to this audiobook made me feel like I was in Italy! The narrator did an amazing job which gave me the full immersive experience. I loved the descriptions of the setting, food, and wines. This audiobook will definitely make you crave Italian food and wine.