Friends from College meets Law and Order. That is the best way I can describe this book. I could appreciated the complicated relationships that are made in college and how they change throughout the years. I personally felt the plot was slower moving than I like it to be. The author set the scenes in Napa very clearly. Some of the plot I found to be predictable. There wasn’t a whole lot that left you wondering what would happen next in my opinion it ended happily. Anjali had some words of wisdom in the last chapter that resonated with me.

The premise of this book was interesting, but ultimately the story felt flat. I didn't care about any of the characters because they weren't that likeable to me. It really took me out of the story and I ultimately felt like I was dragging my feet to finish this.

Ride or die friends who are really just a bunch of a**holes and shallow people. Overall I was not really invested in this book, it fell flat for me.

The characters act like they are 15 years old, when they are clearly not.

This book just made me not like that this is now the new 'generation' of thrillers, making Gen Z seem more self centered and lack of perspective or care for anything or anyone but themselves. Just left a sour taste to be honest.

Thank you NetGalley and Mindy's Book Studio for my DRC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had a great setting. California wine country, with old college friends. I mean it sounds like the perfect spot for a thrilling story to take place, right?
I think normally it would be, but this book just didn’t live up to its promise.
The characters were hard to like, much less love.
And the dialogue felt ridiculous at times.
The drama was real but felt so unnecessary through most of the book.
All in all. I would probably skip this one. 2.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Friends in Napa starts with a murder in a wine cellar in Napa. The book then goes back to a few days before the murder, where you meet six friends from college who reunite around a weekend in Napa many years later. Who was murdered? Who was the killer?

I really enjoyed the characters in this book and the way they were written. The author did a good job in creating imperfect characters that were interesting to follow. The plot dragged on at times, but the end was ultimately satisfying. Would recommend this book!

Oof, I initially requested this because Mindy Kahling chose it for her book club pick. I used to idolize her but recently reread her memoir last year and found it shallow and lacking. Which has kind of been her brand for a while now. However, I thought I could trust her book recommendations. Unfortunately, I found this book just as shallow, narcissistic, and poorly entrenched in attempts at satire.

Friends in Napa

Growing up in Northern California I was drawn to the title as we do love our wine.

I know nothing of brand names so a lot was lost on me. I googled the first few I didn’t recognize but, all of the name dropping got exhausting after a while.

The story spent too much time on the mundane and by the time it was nearly over, finally started to get interesting. Unfortunately with no likeable characters, but then I just didn’t care anymore.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy for an honest review.

I was not able to review this book on time due to my grandmother passing away. 😞 I am excited to start this book soon and plan to write a review on goodreads when I am finished.
Thank you #netgalley for my ARC!

Raj and Rachel Ranjani, an influential couple in the midst of launching their winery in Napa Valley, extend an invitation to their college friends for a celebratory weekend. While Raj and Rachel play the role of hosts, it's their neurotic and work-focused friend Anjali who steals the spotlight with her unresolved feelings for a college crush. In "Friends in Napa," the narrative shines with diversity as it's written, published by, and features a protagonist of South Asian descent. This sharp and engaging story offers a delightful blend of thrills, friendship dynamics, and comedic moments reminiscent of Netflix's "Wine Country."

Beneath the veneer of wine aficionado references, luxury fashion, and exotic getaways lies a deeper exploration of women's journeys to rediscover their sense of self. Anjali's character, in particular, stands out as she navigates personal and professional challenges while grappling with long-held emotions.

"Friends in Napa" presents a refreshing and entertaining read that captivates readers with its wit and charm. It's a must-read for anyone drawn to thrilling narratives, intricate friend dynamics, or the lighthearted humor of ensemble comedies. Special thanks to MBC for providing a copy of this enjoyable book!

Six old friends reunite in Napa Valley on a luxurious vacation. Things have changed this this group has last been together, children have been born, marriages shifted, careers bloomed, and everything in between. When the group gets together, despite all the growing and evolving in adulthood, the friendships go back right into place where it was left off.. which makes for an interesting book. Would recommend for a beach read, pairs well with a glass of wine (or two)!

The story was not interesting and none of the characters were the least bit likeable. I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't. I ended up DNF. The best part was the wine.

When I saw this book on Prime Reading (free in April), I thought it would be an interesting trip to Napa. From the get-go, there was not one character that, in my opinion, had any redeeming qualities. They are all so shallow, vapid, and far more obsessed with designer everythings (including substantial wealth, homes, fine wine, and appearances) than with each other. However, I kept reading, because I wanted to know “who done it,” and I’m always interested in an Epilogue.

The murder is introduced in the Prologue. I figured out who died by the half-way point (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing), but it took until the end of the book to see how it all played out. Then, the outcomes were neat and tidy and all the other friends quite happily got on with their lives, but didn’t seem to have been changed by the events. That alone was completely unrealistic to me.
Thank you, NetGalley and Mindy’s Book Studio, for the opportunity to read this book. I’m pleased to provide this review.

I tried to read this book, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. I originally requested the ARC, because I love wine, have been to Napa several times, and thought it would be a good summer read. The story just wasn't interesting, and the characters not well-developed enough to care about.

I loved the atmosphere of this book. A new winery retreat with old friends? Sold! I just didn’t like majority of these people and struggled because of that. I sometimes love books where you hate everyone, but I don’t think this was supposed to be that kind of book…

College BFFs (or were they really?) get together for a wine baked weekend and secrets come out in this trope-y novel. It's got some good wine vibes and horrible human beings for characters. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

The opening pages of this entertaining novel are positively soaked in Cabernet and blood…but whose blood and who is responsible are not revealed until the slightly too tidy ending.

Anjali is preparing to leave her two young children for what promises to be an exciting weekend. She hasn’t seen her college besties in years; they are meeting up in Napa to help their old pal, Raj launch his top-of-the-line vineyard. Should be a pleasant reunion, right? Unfortunately, things don’t exactly go as planned; old passions are rekindled, and bitter resentments resurface creating lots of snarky drama. The group are 1%-ers or wannabes, and the name-dropping and conspicuous consumerism offer lots of fun moments. In another author’s hands, the characters could come off as one-dimensional, but Marikar does a nice job building emotional backstories so readers can find most of the opportunistic strivers somewhat human. Readers are in for a delightful time with this fast-paced book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing the ARC.

The tensions definitely on the rise throughout this book as you get the know the friends and secrets are discovered.

This was simply meh. I felt that the story was a bit longer than it needed to be and was not at all memorable.

This book drew me in right away as there was a body and I wanted to know what happened. Unfortunately it took 80% of the book to get back to what happened and the build up to get back there was very slow moving. Although it did provide back story for the characters it seemed to drag on for too long and didn't add enough to the story for me. The book did validate some of my higher end wine choices when some of the approved brands were ones that I've drank.

This was an entertaining read. I liked that the characters were complicated… Mostly insufferable but intercut with moments of humanity, so while there were a lot of assholes, there was not an outright "villain". Or maybe they were all low-key villains. I was pretty sure I knew who would end up dead but I definitely did not predict the way it would happen. I actually went back to read the book description again when I was 85% through the story and we didn't seem to be close to any sort of murder plot. (I wondered if maybe I had been wrong about a death?) Once everything finally wrapped up, I decided that I liked it better this way… The most enjoyable part of the story was the buildup to the death, and the murder itself was a little bit anticlimactic. I could've done without the "Greater good of humanity" motive… I feel like adding in that side plot just complicated things. It also felt like maybe everything was tied up a little too neatly in the end. But it was fun, a great fluffy choice for poolside or the beach or on an airplane.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.