This book has some hallmark vibes to me, just not at Christmas time. It’s a beautifully written small town romance. Murphy moves back to her hometown after living in LA for 9 years. She runs into Wes at a gas station where he fixes her flat tire. She then runs into him again at her family’s winery. They have undeniable chemistry but have valid reasons to keep each other at arms length. However, that is not enough to keep them away from one another. I loved this book. It has cozy small town vibes while having a bit of family drama. This is the first book I read from this author, but definitely not the last.

*4.5

This was so cute. It was interesting to see because Wes and Murphy are very much the same person and their journeys have paralleled each other. They were destined to meet and fall in love.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Okay, Murph! A main chick with broken dreams of wanting to be a singer in LA that isn't annoying - how is that possible? Not sure but the author pulled it off in this book. I enjoyed Murphey and appreciated that her singing career wasn't pushed too hard or made cheesy. I also loved that Wes felt like a real dude that you would want to date. There wasn't anything overdone about him but enough to give a girl the tingles and make him dreamyyyy.

Three stars because I feel like some stories could have been brought together a bit better / in a more complete way. Honestly the author could have taken away some tropes and hit heavier on the ones they kept. Less fluff, more drama. Break my heart, not my brain.

Looking forward to reading about Memphis but for now, I think he is a total dick ;)

BITTER TRUTH Hawthorne Vines Book 1 by Meredith Wild & Jillian Liota
When L.A. brings disappointment to Murphy, she heads back home to work with her family with their vineyard and new restaurant. Wes happens to be around when Murphy has trouble with her car, and lends her a hand.
When she makes it home, she finds out that Wes will be her new boss at the restaurant. It isn’t long before sparks are flying between them but he can’t risk his job, and she is also his boss’s sister. This is 4 stars.

A beautiful book about healing family relationships and yourself. The romance was beautiful! All around enjoyable.

In Bitter Truth, Murphy Hawthorne returns to her family’s Northern California vineyard after nine years in LA chasing her dreams of becoming a singer. While trying to repair strained family relationships, she meets Wesley Hart, the vineyard’s new head chef with a past he’d rather forget. Their connection is instant but complicated—Murphy is Wes's boss’s younger sister while Wes is Murphy's boss, and both are haunted by family. As they navigate their undeniable chemistry, they must confront their pasts and decide if they can build a future together despite the odds.

I initially picked up the book because it's set at a vineyard, and I've wanted to read a book like that forever. However, I was quickly drawn in by the complexity of both MCs.

Murphy and Wes each start the story with unresolved secrets that slowly unravel, revealing layers of emotional baggage. The gradual reveal of their backstories added an almost mystery element to the book that kept me hooked right to the end. I found myself wanting to learn not only how they will get to their HEA but also what happened in their pasts to shape them into the guarded people they are in the book.

What I loved most about this book is how Murphy and Wes's instant connection slowly morphed into something more meaningful, even though it was initially fraught with tension. They became each other’s confidant, sharing their trauma and finding solace in one another.

Wes’s reluctance to pursue Murphy because she’s his boss’s sister created a forbidden romance element that added to the stakes of their relationship. Wes’s internal struggle - torn between his attraction to Murphy and his desire to keep his job - felt very real, but once he figured out his feelings, he didn't let that stop him from being with Murphy, which I loved!

Murphy’s personal growth throughout the book was also a prominent part of it. Her journey from the black sheep of the family to someone who learns to deal with her past the right way was gratifying to read. She definitely had to make several tough decisions and stand up for herself more than once, but ultimately, she chose what was best for her, which ended up helping her repair her relationship with her dad and older brother, too!

And the vineyard backdrop was beautifully woven into the story, offering an atmospheric setting that felt like a character in itself.

Overall, Bitter Truth is a sweet and a bit steamy romance about healing from past wounds and choosing love, even when it’s risky.

Tropes:
-forbidden romance
-instant attraction
-boss/employee
-small town
-vineyard
-trauma bonding
-chef x singer/songwriter
-no third-act breakup
-some spice

This is my first book by Meredith Wild, but I picked it up because of Jillian Liota's name and I'm SO glad I did.
These two authors came together in a seamless and beautiful way that had me begging for more. I'm so glad this is going to be a series because I couldn't get enough of this town, the family, and all of their personal struggles that clearly impact their day-to-day lives.
You will swoon and your heart will break—but don't worry, they'll piece it back together by the end!

This story took me a little while to get through. Not because of the characters or the plot but more of personal things. Overall I feel like Murphy and Wes were very developed characters and you got to see them grow throughout the story. The setting was perfect and I loved the idea of the vineyard. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who has an interest in romance, music, small town business and family.

Hallmark with a little bit of spice is how i would review this series. The main female character comes back to her families winery and meets the chef she’s been placed under. They are opening resturant to expand the business. Meanwhile, the chef has his own secrets and struggles to move on from the past after being black listed in chicago.
The big secrets they both carry felt like they were brought up too soon in the story, at least murphys was. It didn’t feel like the timing of it didn’t really add to the story right then and would have been better later on. The spicy scenes were better in this story than the second one, but it’s still not my favorite one I’ve read.
Overall, it’s a quick read that i enjoyed for the most part. The story is what kept me interested and read in one day.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

I like that we get some emotional depth with our small town romance. The story is cute, but it also has characters going through a lot trying to overcome their perceived failure. The forbidden nature adds to it as well. I like how these two meet, share a moment, and then later realize they will be in forced proximity. Overall, I felt like this one was an interesting start to a new series.

This is a perfect fit for readers who adore heartwarming, emotional stories about second chances, found family, and the power of love to heal old wounds, set against the picturesque backdrop of a small town and a charming vineyard.

3.5 Star

Overall I did enjoy this book but I had a few issues with it.

I felt like it was a bit rushed at times and there were too many subplots happening, that were left unfinished. I also felt the story didn't really get going and for me was a little bit slow paced.
The boys behaviour towards Memphis was really annoying and I just didn't really enjoy it.

Small town set in the family’s vineyard? Yes please. I’ve always enjoyed Meredith’s writing so I was looking forward to reading her duet writing. This was a sweet small town romance with some forbidden vibes with him being her new boss. An interesting family dynamic with Murphy and her moody brother and father.

Such a cute, wholesome small town romance!! I love the little accidental car meeting between Wes and Murphy (it reminded me of When in Rome by Sarah Adams) and the chemistry they shared! These two had such an effortless, intimate connection from the beginning. I really enjoyed their chemistry, but beyond that, I admired their deep and mutual understanding of each other’s difficulties. They’re both empathetic and provide this safe haven for the other when they need someone the most. It was easy to see how they found love considering their similar circumstances.

Murphy, moving back home after a horrible experience chasing her goals in Los Angeles, breaks down on the way back into town and instantly connects with a man at the gas station who helps her change her tire. They had no idea that they are much closer to a second meeting than they both think. One of the authors' greatest talents is developing and revealing the backstories of both key characters at just the right moment. I really liked this book.


Thank you NetGalley & Montlake for this e-ARC.

Both of these two authors coming together was such an amazing surprise and they just wrote such an amazing book together. perfect for going into the summer time. this one will pull at all the heart strings but it is so heart warming too.
Hopefully they will write again and will be just as exceptional as this book.

this was so good! this was such a cozy read and perfect for this time of year! i just loved these two, forbidden romance is one of my favorite tropes and this one did not disappoint! The character development for both Murphy and Wes was fantastic, i couldnt stop reading this one! I cannot wait for more of this series! If you love a sweet romance with some angsty in a cozy small town i recommend this one!

DNF - This book was unfortunately not for me. There wasn't anything wrong with the book it just wasn't something that kept my interest.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. This is a story about two people who were presented with their dream jobs and made decisions that had huge impacts on their worlds. I really liked how those decisions kind of mirrored each other. I do feel like there was a lot going on but at the same time it didn’t feel like it was anything that really mattered. I was a little lost at the importance of bringing in the storyline of Wes’ mom. It didn’t feel like it was really needed. I did enjoy the story overall and look forward to the next story in the series.

Murphy left home to chase her dream of being a professional singer. She is now returning home broken-hearted and embarrassed. She feels like her family doesn’t want her home. Wes’ career as a top chef crashed and burned. He thinks running the restaurant at the vineyard is his one chance to prove he is a good chef. How do two people who have been hurt by their chosen careers learn that it’s okay to take a chance on love?


The author created two characters who had good backstories and solid reasons for being cautious about starting a relationship. I like that both of them confronted their issues and got at least some level of completion. This book is quiet. A lot happens but there are no explosions or screaming matches. The family interactions are good. The subplot of Murphy and Wes opening the restaurant together is good. It’s just a very pleasing story.

This is a contemporary romance that takes place primarily in a vineyard in California. I look forward to reading more books from this series because I want to find out how Murphy’s brothers find love. I will read more from this author in the future.