This was a quick read - I enjoyed the dynamic between Shelby and Nathan, and how they worked through their prior traumas.
The side characters definitely helped bring the story to life.

LOVES:
- The analogy about cars and penises 😂
- Her non-swear words are kinda cute
- Shelby’s friends are interesting characters, I like them

CRITIQUES:
- The writing is a little chaotic and quirky, but it can be somewhat endearing at times
- The instalove thing can work, but it wasn’t done super well in this case. It doesn’t feel natural or understandable, they’re both too all over the place with how they feel about each other and how they treat each other.
- Nate stops talking to her or other employees about plans and just bulldozes through things…
- The ending felt rushed and abrupt

This was kinda cute and mostly okay, but there were enough cringy or awkward moments that I wasn’t super into it. It also kind of seemed like it was supposed to be enemies to lovers, but it never actually went there. I’m torn between kind of enjoying the quirkiness of this and feeling like it just ended up being weird.

Thanks to @netgalley for the eARC.

Sweet, sexy, quirky and cute.

This book follows vintner, Shelby, as she hands her family’s vineyard over to an investor to keep it alive. The only problem is the guy he sends to manage it….and her.

Whilst speedy, and almost instalove, the relationship between Nate and Shelby was rather sweet, with hilarious inner dialogue (perhaps a bit too much) and a menagerie of animals and family standing between the pair and happiness.

This was a solid, enjoyable read, but I really feel it could do with a little finessing and a more drawn out plot.

After her father dies, Shelby works desperately to save the family business, Flora Valley Wines. Finding an investor willing to help, she is faced with a decision listen to Nathan Durant's advice as the new manager, or forgo the help of the investor. But working with Nate isn't what Shelby expected, and as they get closer to saving Flora Valley Wines, Shelby discovers that maybe they're just a little more compatible than she thought.
This book is a fun Rom-Com and I loved the banter between Shelby and Nathan in the beginning. I did feel that the romance seemed a little to instant to me and I really wish it had more of a buildup. Their relationship felt a little rushed to me and it felt like Nate was claiming he loved her when he barely knew her for two or three days. Overall this was a cute book and definitely a good read for people who like Romantic comedies.

I recently delved into "Corkscrew You" by Catherine Robertson, the inaugural instalment in the Flora Valley series. This delightful tale weaves together romance and the competitive world of winemaking. Shelby Armstrong seeks out Nathan Durant's guidance to revive her father's winery. Despite their initial clashes, a surprising kiss uncovers their undeniable chemistry. However, navigating their attraction amidst financial struggles presents complex challenges. The storyline immediately drew me in, evoking the cosy charm of a Hallmark movie. The dynamic between the characters, with the Grumpy/Sunshine trope, added an extra layer of enjoyment.

I did notice that there were instances of excessive drama and miscommunication throughout the book, which isn't typically my cup of tea. The pacing felt a tad unrealistic at times, and it affected my connection with the main characters, especially in the first half.

I'm not an expert in steamy scenes, but I found them lacking in quality writing. Since the book is labelled as erotica, I expected more well-developed and skillfully crafted romantic encounters.

#CorkscrewYou #FloraValley #RomanceNovel #WineCulture #CharacterDevelopment #RelationshipDynamics #LoveStory #WritingCraft #BookReview #RomanticEncounters

This was ultimately very cute and a good read but it was very cheesy.

As someone who loves wine and has dabbled into hospitality for college it was an attention grabber for me as soon as I saw a book involving wine! The main characters were alright but they really dived into the spicy moments quick and I don't know I like a bit of a chase so I wasn't expecting it to be so quick! I love the jealousy moments and his family but it was very cheesy at times. It's a very cute read so I hope someone enjoys it and gets a kick out of the funny moments.

Overall Rating: 3/5
Spicy Rating: 1.5/5
Made Me Blush Rating: 1/5
Would I recommend? Sure
Version: Kindle e-book

DNF 2% in.

Thank you to One More Chapter for providing me with an arc.

I was put off immediately when the FMC was so focused on a parking space that wasn't actually assigned to her and talking down about the person she assumed owns the car. And then she just kept going and makes comments about how it must be a man with a small dick and how who knows if she has a brother who is tattooed and in a gang?? It was weird and so unwarranted.

Cute romance, good plot, fun characters. I read it in one sitting!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Firstly I loved how we dived right into the story here. And I really liked the initial storyline, it was a fun fast paced read. However, it did have some faults.

Shelby the youngest sibling of 4 strives to keep her Dads dream and vineyard alive, but needs help and investors to do it. In then comes our MMC Nate - this could have been a great enemies to lovers story line but unfortunately this didn't happen. It's was very insta love with the Nate falling in love 20 - 30% into the book.

The plot just felt a tad too loose and non existent to me I'm afraid, it just lacked depth.

It's one to take to the beach or if you need a quick filler romance in between heavier more emotional ones.
I read it pretty quickly.

Thanks One More Chapter and Netgalley for a copy of this book to review.

This book wasn't really for me.

If you like easy read, cutesy romances you will probably like this book but it just didn't work for me.

My main issue was the characters. I didn't really connect with the female main character and I actively disliked the male lead. I found him arrogant and really unpleasant.

I found their chemistry hard to believe and it all felt very insta love - like one day they decided they were attracted to each other and so it happened rather than there being any build up or on page chemistry to show how this happened.

It felt quite immature and just wasn't for me

Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My rating: 2.75 ✨

I had such high hopes for this book, I really really like the blurb and the tropes. They were a recipe for the perfect book!

However, from the first chapter I wasn’t too sure, I kept going on and the writing was something that reminded me of what a teenager would journal about, all messy and all over the place and kept changing train of thought and it just made me confused. I found both FMC and MMC incredibly annoying, he had just broken up with his fiancée who left him for another man. She hates him at first, but she thinks he’s hot. Her friends told her not to go for him straight away because of the risk of being a rebound and what happens? 30% in the book they sleep together, about a week after meeting (?) and he’s now in love with her, after telling all his siblings that she’s annoying.
Plus the other stuff going on with Nate’s dad and I just couldn’t focus or actually get into it too much.

I just struggled soo much, it took me ages to finish this book and I felt like I was put into a bit of a slump because of this book.

I can see the author had a clear idea of what she wanted to achieve from this, but the writing just wasn’t doing it for me.

this book was cute but i couldnt connect with the characters and the MMC was really not my cup of tea. the trigger warnings should be taken into account.
nothing special, will not miss this if you don't read it. won't regret it if you do.

thank you NetGalley & Harper Collins UK - one more chapter for this eARC.

The plot of Corkscrew You had me from the start.

There was drama and miscommunication throughout the book and I love a good grumpy/sunshine trope. The premise was great but they went from just met to love a little too quickly for me. I usually love an insta love but this one was just a little too rushed. But I still enjoyed the book and feel like there are other people out there that will too!

"Corkscrew You" by Catherine Robertson dives into the world of winemaking with a side of grumpy-sunshine romance. Shelby, determined to save her family's winery, clashes with the stoic consultant, Nathan. Their opposing personalities lead to fiery arguments, but a surprising kiss hints at a deeper connection.

If you enjoy lighthearted rom-coms with a dash of spice, "Corkscrew You" might be worth a try. But be prepared for potentially underdeveloped characters and a focus on the romance over the winemaking details.

2 ⭐️

Sadly, this was not for me :( and I had to DNF…

This book follows Shelby Armstrong, who must work with her nemesis Nathan Durant to save her father's winery. Despite their clashes, an unexpected kiss reveals a potential for more than just business between them.

Read if you like:
🍇 grumpy x sunshine.
🍇 enemies to lovers.
🍇 small town romance.
🍇 he falls first.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Corkscrew You by Catherine Robertson will be coming out on July 5th.

DNF at 24%

Just... no
This completely missed the mark for me. I was promised enemies-to-lovers and got a FMC who refuses to swear (totally fine) but who blushes at words like "stiff" or "hard" and calls sex "boinky-bonk"? It made me think of her as a thirteen-year-old instead or a twenty something.

And it didn't really feel like enemies-to-lovers when the MMC lusts over the FMC in the second chapter and falls in love with her after having known her for three days.

I... no, this is not my cup of tea

Absolutely charming, delightful & full of fun! I enjoyed reading this book so much - I was hooked moments into the book. Two completely different people, both navigating a new path AND falling for each other fast & hard! (Learned a little something about wine making as well 🍷)
Things I enjoyed about this book:

💜 Shelby: optimist, determined, intense when it comes to what is important to her, stubborn (especially when it comes to the winery), very passionate

🍷 Nathan (Nate): pessimist, extreme (!) Type A, attempts to take responsibility for everything, falls first & fast

💜 Opposites Attract: these two are extreme opposites but when all is said & done they fit like two perfect puzzle pieces

🍷Steaminess & Spice: simply off the charts with these two

💜 Small Town Romance: I just love this trope so much! The close knit community, love & support for each other, their protectiveness of each other

🍷 Protectiveness: Nate has an extreme need to protect all that is important to him; his need to keep it all safe & it makes him adorable!

💜 Internal Monologues: Laughed each time these two had extra little conversations in their heads! 🤣 The one liners were so fun

🍷Go Team 🙌🏻: Nate & Shelby are an on/off team so many times; fun to watch & see how it all turns out!

💜 Mental Wellness & Grief: conveyed in a manner both light & serious that shows what both can do to a person

🥰 HEA: love it & smiled the whole time! 💘

Read this book!!! Definitely a fun read!!

I really tried to like this one, and I pushed through it. I felt like it was messy sometimes. Like I didn't even feel it was a romance. I don't even want to of on and on about what I didn't like. The plot was messy and I was bored.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

2.5 stars rounded up. I thought I was going to like this a lot more than I actually did. The light-hearted writing style and the first-person voices of Shelby and Nate drew me in to begin with, and I figured I was in for a humorous enemies-to-lovers tale centred around revitalising a vineyard. Then it took a surprising turn very early on, and from there felt rather choppy and chaotic. To use a Flora Valley-esque analogy, it was rather like a Bartons cocktail: lots of promising ingredients which produced an unexpected and somewhat disappointing result.

I really wanted to love this wine series but it fell short for me. Everything happened to fast with Nate and Shelby, within days, just felt rush and unrealistic. Nate hates her until all the sudden he’s wanting to marry her, just didn’t do it for me. POV we’re a little weird. Wine lover really wanting to love these but not a book I’d recommend. Thank you to netgalkey and the publishers for the early read for my honest opinion. 3.5 star