Member Reviews

There is insta attraction, through the roof chemistry, it's lightheaded, with playful banter and heartwarming at the same time.
All the things that made me devour the book, it's an amazing read. I was so happy while reading it, it checked all the boxes for this type of book.

I really enjoyed the way Vivian was written. She is tenacious and so fun, vibrant and with a big personality. She is emotionally mature and rational while dealing with her problems. She goes after what she wants and is not afraid or apologetic.
Memphis was very serious and disconnected, so it was so much fun to watch his walls crumble, because in the end he just wanted to be loved.

This book is not only that, but also something that will make you think about yourself alongside the journey that the characters are going. Such as thinking about the perspective that others have off you versus the perspective that you have off yourself.

And it will also make you feel all the feelings. It's a very complete history with amazing character development and contrary to what with this types of storyline this book was not a cliche nor predictable.

The epilogue was so good and real and down to earth.

Quotes:
"Tell me, Mr. Bartender, when you picture me being scandalized, am I on my knees or on my back?"
"God, she's exasperating. I want to kiss that f***** smirk right off her face"
He is a spreadsheet and she is a watercolor painting.

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This book is a typical boy meets girl romance novel. It is an enemies to lovers set in a contemporary setting. It is a super easy read and fast paced. The story was cute and fun to read. I really enjoyed seeing the love grow between the two main characters.

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Sweet Escape by Meredith Wild and Jillian Liota

(ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

Wow. Just... wow. This duo writes so beautifully well. The writing style is fast and snappy while being slow enough to not feel rushed. Reading this book was a breeze, and the characters in it are also fun and exciting that you want to keep flipping the pages and reading more.

The plot itself is quite simple—an up and coming musician brings herself on a getaway trip to her best friend's town, where she meets her best friend's brother, the heir to the family's vineyard.

There is a lot of banter between characters in this book, and it is one of the most enjoyable banters I've read in a while. And while funny, these characters still have depth. They are self-aware, are willing to work on their mistakes, and I could just tell that they're all looking to be better versions of themselves, and I find that to be one of the most charming aspects of this book.

It's quite insta-love, as the two fell in love over the course of two weeks, however— and as an insta-love hater, I can't believe I'm saying this—I really, really enjoyed it. Unlike a lot of inst-love stories, the trajectory of their love feels slow and natural. The pacing really does the book justice, and the simple, cozy, slice-of-life feel to the story makes it an enjoyable, easily digestible read.

If you're looking for something light-hearted, fun, with a ton of hilarious dialogue and lovable characters, check this book out!

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This story was certainly an entertaining read! Small-town romance coupled with the best friend's brother trope made it a sweet rom-com-eqsue story.

Vivian and Memphis were enjoyable characters. And while they were opposites in nature, their quirks complimented each other's quite well, making their dynamic engaging and believable. Their banter was certainly entertaining and it was interesting to see their shift from enemies to lovers.

I would definitely recommend this story!

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SWEET ESCAPE is book 2 in the Hawthorne Vines series and I have to say that I didn't love Memphis and Vivian as much as I did Murphy and Wes. It was still a great read but just not for me.

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This story was a true sweet escape with a low angst, spicy romance! It's heavier on the spice than the plot, but we do get a good small town setting with some enemies to lovers vibes. Definitely pick this one up if you're looking for the heavy spice with the sweet small town setting!

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The pacing of the novel can feel a bit sluggish, as it primarily focuses on the romance without much else unfolding. While the steamy interactions between Vivian and Memphis are fun, the rest of the book can come across as rather flat. Sweet Escape is ideal if you're in the mood for a light, spicy read with a cute setting and straightforward plot.

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Por el título me esperaba algo más romántico, pero tristemente se centra en el sexo.

Vivian es una cantautora que busca un escapar del desastre de su última relación y va a visitar a su mejor amiga. Una noche conoce a alguien que le gusta, pero descubre que es el hermano de la amiga, ese del que solo ha escuchado cosas malas, no obstante su atracción es demasiada que terminan teniendo sexo. Se supone que es cosa de una vez, sin embargo, después de eso le regresa la inspiración y dedice utilizarlo como su musa.


Memphis tiene la carga de salvar el viñedo familiar y de atender su restaurante. No tiene tiempo para relaciones y cuando Vivian le ofrece ser amigos con beneficios, acepta.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I think it could be a 2.5 and let me tell you that I think it is for something quite personal, a type of reading that I am not looking for and that I thought was going to go the other way and it didn't.

Basically Sweet Escape is a woman who escapes from Los Angeles and the pressure she has there, because her boyfriend cheated on her. She goes to a town with her best friend, meets the brother who was, as far as she knew, one of the most despicable people, and within 2 hours of meeting him she already has sexual relations. Be careful, it doesn't end there, but he also feels that he has the ideal inspiration to write his new album. A joke that is not so much of a joke that even its protagonists say it... did you find inspiration in your member? So it seems. Okay, good. The truth is that I would have liked a little more development in the characters, how did we go from having such a bad opinion of someone to wallowing with that person just because? Nose.

Much of the plot of the book revolves around them having sex, I understand that it is fashionable now to make this type of book but they are not for me. The synopsis doesn't tell you that it's going to go that way and I feel quite disappointed.
It has a plot, it has a story, it's just that a lot of it is left in the background or third place at many moments and it just focuses on them talking to each other seductively, or fooling around and then having sex.

It wasn't for me. But maybe for other people who are looking for or like this type of romance more it could be a very good read.

Thanks Montlake for the ARC I read through NetGalley a change from an honest review.

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
❤️small town romance
❤️best friends brother
❤️enemies to lovers
❤️friends with benefits

This was such a good book, it is the second book in the hawthorn vine series, I loved reading it and it can be read as a stand alone. I loved the small town romance and the setting on the book, it was well written to make you want to keep reading it. I loved the flirting and the banter between the two main characters and with there relationship turning from enemies to lovers, however I wished the ending of the book wasn’t so quick to end and wished the main characters Memphis and Vivian had to fighter harder for the relationship, something that kept me wondering what was going to happen next.
I loved the spice throughout the book, it was to spicy but spicy enough for the 4 star spice rating
I loved this book and would definitely recommend reading it

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3.5 stars rounded up!! 🌶️🌶️.5
Super cute small town romance
Tropes: best friends brother, small town, enemies to lovers, friends with benefits
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley!

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Ooh, a new Meredith Wild book. As you would expect, Sweet Escape was phenomenal. I will forever be a fan.

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Sweet Escape is the second book in the Hawthorn Vines Series, however, i have no yet read the first book as they can be read as stand-alone’s. Needless to say i will be reading the first book immediately!!

I loved the dynamic between Vivian and Memphis! The consistent whit and flirtatious banter throughout! The attention to the relationships details making full circle moments so wholesome!

As a mother the relationship between Memphis and his father really tugged at my heart, the sacrifice his father has made.

The only thing that made this a 4 star read for me was the very speedy turn around at the end, not many obstacles between the two making up and getting their happy ever after. I would have loved to see this be more of a challenge, something to keep me on my toes! But im still happy with the way things panned out for them!

The spicee is fab, theres plenty of spicy moments but they aren’t too intense which i liked!!

Highly recommend and cant wait to read the firth book!

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the change to read and review this :)

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After being cheated on by her boyfriend of three years, song writer and singer, Vivian, couldn't wait to escape the city, and her best friend's home town is the perfect place for such impromptu vacation, but Murphy's too busy, too handsome brother is a distraction and there are not so many guys out there that could make Vivian want their eyes on her.

The sparks are flying and the heat is building, and it seems they cant keep their hands off each other so they strike a deal as "enemies with benefits" and a no strings attached one night stand would solve everything.
But will it?

Sweet escape is a sizzling, hot escape romance that I totally enjoyed reading but I found some grammatical errors here and there, not too much but enough for me to take note of it.

All in all, it's a very captivating story.

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Sweet Escape is the second book in the Hawthorne Vines series, but they work as interconnected standalones. I didn't read the first book before jumping into this one, but it was easy to jump into, which I appreciated. The story follows Memphis, a workaholic at his family business, and Vivian, an up and coming musician who end up in a mutually beneficial situation with an agreed upon expiry date.

I liked both characters well enough. Their personal conflicts were well done, and I was happy with each of those arcs. I really liked their more emotional conversations when their relationship deepened, and I wish we could've gotten more of that. The book's pacing seemed rather fast in the second half, and I think having a few more of those intimate conversations, which were my favorite part, would have helped sell Memphis and Vivian's chemistry better for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the ARC for this book.

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This book is the opposite of a slow burn, it is a bonfire. Spicy from the get go, a perfect follow up for if you’ve been reading something heavy. I really enjoyed the storyline between Memphis and Vivian, even though it was fast paced it didn’t get too complicated and the plot was well thought out. I really enjoyed this book, to the point I read it in one sitting and I’m immediately reviewing it at 1am so I don’t lose the feeling of how the book ends. I really did enjoy this and will be looking out for this authors future works.

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I enjoyed how this novel developed and it was a great introduction to authors I’d never read before. Will be searching out more titles by these authors!

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Memphis and Vivian were chef’s kiss and so spicy banter…Murphy Is so cute too…such a good read…can’t wait to read more despite some typos …

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I really liked this book! The pacing just everything. I hope to see more from this author in the future! Thank you for the ARC

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In "Sweet Escape," the authors crafts a charming and emotionally resonant tale of love, self-discovery, and the transformative power of unexpected connections. Set against the backdrop of a family vineyard, the novel follows singer-songwriter Vivian Walsh as she seeks solace from a devastating betrayal. Her sanctuary is Murphy's vineyard, where she plans to focus on her music and avoid romantic entanglements.

Enter Memphis, Murphy's driven and reserved brother, whose dedication to saving the struggling family business leaves little room for distractions—especially not the spirited Vivian. From the outset, their chemistry crackles with tension, fueled by playful banter and undeniable attraction. What begins as a casual fling quickly deepens into something neither of them anticipated.

[Author's Name] excels in creating multidimensional characters with complex motivations. Vivian is portrayed as a fierce and independent artist grappling with past hurts, while Memphis emerges as a stoic yet vulnerable businessman torn between familial duty and personal desires. Their journey from reluctant acquaintances to passionate lovers is marked by genuine moments of vulnerability and growth, making their romance both believable and compelling.

The author's prose is evocative, painting vivid scenes of lush vineyards and intimate moments that draw readers into the heart of the narrative. The pacing is well-executed, balancing moments of tenderness with bursts of tension, keeping the reader eagerly turning pages to uncover the fate of Vivian and Memphis's budding relationship.

Sweet Escap is a delightful romance that seamlessly blends passion, heartache, and hope. With its richly drawn characters and evocative setting, this novel is sure to captivate fans of contemporary romance looking for a heartfelt and satisfying read.

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