Member Reviews

So I have some mixed feelings about this book. I was originally attracted to this book purely based on the title, however; I found this book to be very fast paced and it felt like the romance in the book went from hating each other to sort of dating to getting married all in the semi-unrealistic span of like six months. I’m all for a fast paced romance, but this one just felt kind of forced and a lot of the conflict that happened just felt like it was thrown in there. Overall, I did enjoy the plot of it and the world building and characters were great (although I did find Shelby to be a tad bit annoying). I loved that it was written in alternating POVs so we get both sides of the story. I do fully intend to read the next book in this series and I did enjoy this book as well. I guess I just had high hopes for a book with such a fun name. But I will say that the author was very knowledgeable about the wine making process and I applaud their research skills. I would recommend this book to someone who enjoyed watching Emily in Paris, likes wine, and fast paced small town romances.

Was this review helpful?

DNF.

Really love the cover and the summary, did not so much love the rest.

Dialogue was cringey. Super crazy instalove. I feel like there were two different men written under the same guy here

Was this review helpful?

This was a very rom-com-y and cute book. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the MMC. He was a little unbearable for me. This book has instalove and I usually love that, but it just didn’t make sense in this book. It seemed out of nowhere that he fell in love with her. I really liked Shelby (the FMC). The ending was very cute and it looks like there could be a chance for other stand-alones in this series.

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for the arc of this book.

Was this review helpful?

Corkscrew You by Catherine Robertson is a rom-com with potential, but it fell short for me.

While the premise of the story had promise, with Shelby Armstrong and Nathan Durant navigating the complexities of reviving Flora Valley Wines, the execution left much to be desired.

My biggest issue lies with the male main character, Nate. He came across as an overly aggressive "alphahole" whose sudden change of heart towards Shelby felt forced and unrealistic. Their relationship lacked genuine chemistry and depth, making it hard to root for them as a couple.

Although I appreciated the focus on mental health and grief, particularly through Shelby's character, I found her to be somewhat one-dimensional and overly reliant on tears. While vulnerability can be endearing, it felt excessive in this context.

Additionally, the writing style felt unnatural, with odd grammar choices and confusing narration shifts between Nate and Shelby. The use of third-person self-dialogue without clear punctuation made it difficult to follow and detracted from the overall reading experience.

Despite these flaws, I did find some enjoyment in the side characters and the potential for future stand-alone novels in the series. However, Corkscrew You ultimately fell short of my expectations.

#CorkscrewYou #CatherineRobertson #bookreview #romcom #bookish #bookstagram #2stars #readingcommunity #booklovers

Was this review helpful?

The whole no-swearing deal was odd from the get-go. Like, if you can't swear, just don't, right? Those quirky replacements felt forced. On the flip side, the forced proximity aspect, with her saving his dad's winery, added some spice. But the pace? Lightning fast. Didn't leave much room for character growth. And the love story? Went from zero to a hundred real quick. I believe there is room for improvement.

Was this review helpful?

A very cute rom-com with lots of banter and a lovable cast of characters! I really enjoyed it, it was light and summery, and the Durant family drama was very fun!

Was this review helpful?

This was one of the loveliest covers I have seen. It instantly pulled me toward this book, and the premise sounded fun. The book was fine, nothing stellar or overly exciting, a bit cliche in some points, as were the characters, all of whom fit into the traditional rom com roles. Does that mean I didn’t get butterflies at the end? Not at all. There is a place for these kind of books, the ones you binge super quickly, and just because it wasn’t my fave doesn’t mean it won’t be someone else’s

Was this review helpful?

cute cover with a cute synopsis - however i couldnt get into this one. Corney at times, no depth, etc.

Was this review helpful?

Love romance books with great family dynamics involved! A woman trying to save her family’s vineyard, while having to deal with a new guy running the show! So many relationships at play while still bringing all the spice! Enjoy

Was this review helpful?

This enemies to lovers romance is set in a vineyard, a gorgeous setting for two people who have each other to fall in love.
There are plenty of twists and turns along the way and a whole host of brilliant side characters too.

Was this review helpful?

I want to start this off by saying that I think the premise of this book is great and it had so much potential. Unfortunately the mmc Nate ruined this book for me. He is so full of him self and decides out of nowhere that he is in love with Shelby the fmc after he has been nothing but rude to her the entire time. There is literally a part in the book where Nate fantasizes about hitting Shelby so hard that she passes out just so she’ll shut up. I also felt like the pacing was all out of whack. With that being said I still enjoyed the book I just thought it was lacking a little in those areas

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to NetGalley for the sneak peek at Corkscrew You for an honest review.
I’ll admit this was my first romance book in a while. This was an easy read, something to bring to the beach or accompany a glass of wine. Most of it is stream-of-consciousness narration, so it’s very easy to get into. I did appreciate that each chapter swapped narrators, so readers could get into the mindsets of both Shelby and Nate.
I found Shelby’s anti-swearing quirk annoying, and it hints at a naïveté that doesn’t actually exist or match the rest of her character.
The main 95% of the story spanned only two short weeks, so the emotional rollercoaster expected of a story like this was very truncated and a little less believable, but I still enjoyed the story, even if it was a bit much. A solid 3 star silly love story.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this one - it was very hallmark-esque with a bit of spice! The only thing I wasn't fond on was the instalove, as I then struggled to really feels the sparks between Shelby and Nate because it went a little too fast for my liking. I really loved the side characters and can't wait for the next in the series! I also found myself really enjoying Catherine's style of writing, it flowed so nicely and it was addicting that I found myself flying through the pages.

Was this review helpful?

Oof, I could not finish this to save my life. I don’t need the writing to be anything amazing for me to enjoy a book but this was a lot for me to overlook.

Was this review helpful?

LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOOOVVVEEE, LOVED IT!!!… Absolutely stunning!!!… I was completely swept away!!…
Give it a go

Was this review helpful?

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/306320093_zpid/?rtoken=0b8db215-0086-45ff-8009-d0e3ecc0cac9%7EX1-ZU16iui62e3hm2x_5gnlt&utm_campaign=emo-instantsavedsearch&utm_source=email&utm_term=urn:msg:202404110035498c7fa07ef47a89a0&utm_medium=email&utm_content=forsaleaddress&searchQueryState=%7B%22mapBounds%22%3A%7B%22north%22%3A37.950985%2C%22east%22%3A-86.597042%2C%22south%22%3A37.707222%2C%22west%22%3A-86.904571%7D%2C%22regionSelection%22%3A%5B%7B%22regionId%22%3A21779%2C%22regionType%22%3A6%7D%5D%2C%22filterState%22%3A%7B%22sort%22%3A%7B%22value%22%3A%22days%22%7D%2C%22ah%22%3A%7B%22value%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%22price%22%3A%7B%22max%22%3A500000%7D%2C%22mp%22%3A%7B%22max%22%3A2476%7D%2C%22beds%22%3A%7B%22min%22%3A1%7D%2C%22baths%22%3A%7B%22min%22%3A1%7D%2C%22tow%22%3A%7B%22value%22%3Afalse%7D%2C%22mf%22%3A%7B%22value%22%3Afalse%7D%2C%22con%22%3A%7B%22value%22%3Afalse%7D%2C%22apco%22%3A%7B%22value%22%3Afalse%7D%2C%22apa%22%3A%7B%22value%22%3Afalse%7D%2C%22manu%22%3A%7B%22value%22%3Afalse%7D%7D%2C%22mapZoom%22%3A14%2C%22savedSearchEnrollmentId%22%3A%22X1-SShtplu6phh3ov1000000000_7nbft%22%7D&3col=true

Was this review helpful?

Okay, first off. Looks can be deceiving and this was the case for me. The cover, and synopsis sounded right up my street. The story let's it down massively, so much so that I couldn't finish.

The dialog was so cringeworthy, and uncomfortable and just really not fleshed out. It felt very wooden. I didn't feel the characters had any chemistry at all.

DNF at 20%

Was this review helpful?

First off, thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

OUTLIER ALERT!! 🎶It's me🎶!! The synopsis for this book sounded amazing and I was super excited to read it. I mean who doesn't love a grumpy/sunshine and forced proximity?!? Plus the cover is SO adorable!! Unfortunately, it makes me really sad to admit that this one did not work for me at all. Ugh, I kept reading hoping it would get better but that never happened. So what were my issues with the story? The extremely odd and cringy dialogue, unlikeable characters, and the dreadful and constant miscommunication. Honestly, I do not recommend this book.

✨I know many people will love this book so please do not base your decision to read this book solely on my review.✨

*2.5 stars rounded down to 2*

Was this review helpful?

Corkscrew You synopsis:

“If Shelby Armstrong wants to keep her late father’s beloved Flora Valley Wines in business, she’ll have to listen to Nathan Durant’s advice. But given the fact that Shelby is all heart and Nate is nothing but tough love, bringing the winery back to life quickly becomes a battle of wills.

And yet, Shelby and Nate aren’t incompatible in every way – in fact, an unexpected (and unexpectedly hot) kiss shows Shelby that they’d make a very good team – in the bedroom! But as is always the case when it comes to love and money, things quickly get complicated…“

I was immediately hooked from the description of the book and the cover! I thought and was hoping the reading experience would be the same. Unfortunately, I couldn’t resonate with the book nor connect to the characters.

The writing felt clunky and it was the exact example of telling not showing.

While it felt like it would be “enemies-to-lovers,” it felt very insta-love to me, which I’m not a fan of. Sadly, it felt childish and the fmc was just… awkward.

This was a rom-com that just didn’t stick.

I still want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review for an arc copy. Thank you!

Was this review helpful?

If you're a Hallmark girly...you will love this one.
I, for one, struggle with insta love and cheesy plot lines. So this just wasn't my favorite type of trope. However, this was well written and a sweet story.

Was this review helpful?