I opted to not read this title. After the discourse regarding the content, I did not feel it would be the right fit for me. I love Bloom and the authors they support. I hope this personal decision will not affect future eligibility to ARC requests and I thank you all immensely for providing this ARC, regardless of any personal feelings or publish discourse.

I was drawn in my the the cover art for this title and did enjoy the author's overall writing style. However the main character was racist to a level that made me too uncomfortable to be able to recommend Sparrow and Vine for others. I would be interested in reading more by this author in the future as her style seems promising.

I opted to not read this title. After the discourse regarding the content, I did not feel it would be the right fit for me. Based on the things I was seeing about the main character, I didn’t think it would end up being a book I would enjoy. I love Bloom and the authors they support. I hope this personal decision will not affect future eligibility to ARC requests and I thank you all immensely for providing this ARC, regardless of any personal feelings or publish discourse.

Absolutely terrible if I could give zero stars I would the fact the author the author thought it was even humanly okay to publish this makes me judge her so much

The racism. The absolute disrespect. I wish I could say I was shocked. Mostly I’m sad and disappointed. Oh and mad. I mean why even have beta readers and a publisher of you’re just going to do what you wanted anyway

I lvoe marriage of convenience and this had so much potential that it failed to meet my expectations. Still it had its sweet moments.

The dialogues were meh, also there were some questionable sentences uttered by the FMC

What a book! The story of two rival families marked by tragedy, secrets and personal greedy in the middle of a vineyard is just difficult to stop reading once you begin. I have so many theories going on in my head already about each one of the characters involved that the fact that I have to wait longer for the next stories is just cruel. Hopefully the author will release the next two stories sooner rather than later, no pressure.

Monroe and Sadie come from two rival families forced into a business partnership by their respective grandfathers.. In a desperate moment, they decide to tight the knot and save the vineyard from an unknown future away from them. The real problem begins when they tried to make their families work with them instead of against each other. Every character has its own story going on, and every secret they carry will affect for better or worse the future of the vineyard and the family.

I know in order to establish a real bond between the two main romantic characters, there might be need of several steamy and sexy scenes, However, it would be interesting to learn a bit more about the business behind the story since ii's based on a vineyard.

Due to everything that has come out about this book and because it is no longer being published at this time I will not be providing feedback on this book at this time. I have read several of Sophie Lark's books before and was excited to receive an ARC of this book and was disappointed to see everything that has come out about this book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sparrow and Vine
Author: Sophie Lark
Source: NetGalley
Publication Date: April 2025
 
A little reminder, my sweet book peeps…Romance 5-star ratings can include books I enjoy reading but will never be Pulitzer Prize winners. If I like it, the book gets five stars
 
Sparrow and Vine was a pleasant surprise and a delightful love story between Sadie Sparrow and Monroe Beaumont. Their two families have been joint owners of a vineyard for many years. Still, their long history is contentious, with neither family wanting the other to succeed due to a broken wedding engagement years ago. Both families are very dysfunctional. But Sadie and her sisters have been struggling to keep the vineyard in business and have almost given up when Monroe, retired from being a professional hockey player, returns home from Sweden. Monroe loves the vineyard nearly as much as Sadie, and former rivals find a trust loophole that could save their sweet, young dreams if they marry.
 
It’s a different kind of romance, and it does go into full bloom with Sadie and Monroe when they marry and begin to live together (platonically at first) to make their wine business turn a profit. I loved the encouragement two young 20-year-olds give to each other. I liked the story’s pacing, and while there is some closed-door romance (a little) later in the book, their blooming relationship is so utterly charming. The dedication for this story is “This is for anyone who never had a real home until they made one for themselves.” This is the spirit of true love and of two young kids determined to make a home for themselves. @BloomBooks @sourcebooks @Netgalley @SophieLark #SparrowandVine #romance #hea #dsyfunctionalfamily #wine #comingofage #optimism #joy #love #future #business #wedding

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this novel.

Thank you for allowing me to read Sophie Lark's newest book 'Sparrow and Vine'. It was a nice easy read that I found myself enjoying at certain parts. I believe there are some parts in it that could have been left out - and probably should have been picked up by the editor. However, if you take those out of the equation the book is an enjoyable read and I would probably read the rest of the series.

I heard some not so nice content in this book and so I decided not to even finish it. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the copy for read and review

This was a lovely little romance read. It’s based on a winery/vineyard estate with lots of family history.
However, this book does just seem mashed together? The chapters and story line don’t flow nicely. I also couldn’t really connect with Sadie (FMC) or Monroe (MMC). There’s some questionable things said in the book that I don’t vibe with at all (example; one sister is inspired by El*n.. and the MMC talks about how there should be more people working with visas…)
This book could have had a lot more potential because the actual story line is cool, but something just isn’t right with it.

(3 star rating for spice)

Book vibes:
Rival families
Arranged marriage
One bed in a big house
Slight enemies to lovers vibes
Slow burn romance

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom books for the ARC.

I am sure glad this a free, ARC book to read. The characters were great BUT the topics and themes in this are very much triggering for many (racism, pro-Nazi, pro-slavery, bigotry, and more). I never shy away from reading controversial books but to have so many sensitive topics in book is a lot, and this is going to be a series?!

I do not think this book was intended a for a reader like me. It was hard to tell if there was a book before this one that builds into this one. Again, I liked the characters but I was reading other better books at the same time as this book and lost interest.

Cannot recommend.

Thanks to Source Books Bloom Books, Sohie Lark and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 4/22/25

I have read many Sophie Lark books and I will say this one is among my favorites. I loved that the spice wasn't so smutty. I loved the characters, the Romeo & Juliet vibes, I loved the family dynamic. The communication between Monroe and Sadie was top tier. I really feel this is a good book and I hope the series continues. Not knowing everything in the first book has me very excited to continue to read how it all unfolds.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

Whilst I was initially excited to receive this arc, with everything that has come out about this book recently I feel that my excitement dwindled.

I've read her books before and devoured them, however, this one didn't sit right with me. I didn't like the relationship between the two mains, and how a woman of colour is asking to be seen as a slave for a white man. It's rather rude and disrespectful to people of colour. to glamourise such things, even for fiction. It was a hard no.

The characters and story were not relatable to me, and my opinion soured the further I read into the book.

I absolutely loved this book. The romance and characters were so real. Sophie Lark has not written a book I haven't liked so far and this one is top of my list of favorites! I hope this will be recorded for audiobook as well!

Thank you Net Galley and Publishers for letting me read an arc of this book in return for an honest review.

Was this book entertaining? Will I read more of the series? Was it a mess and chaotic? Yes, yes, and sadly yes. I thought this book was going to be good, but the characters felt flat and the whole plot felt rushed. We skipped from one mess to the next never really finishing out a scene or reading many details on how it got resolved. Monroe's and Sadie's love felt pushed and awkward, not really any connection other than lust. He and the brothers only describe her sisters as beautiful and hot, but Sadie is only simple. Doesn't make their marriage of convenience seem believable. Both the families are a mess and kinda annoying. The Sparrows are weird and the Beaumonts are all jerks. There's alot of unanswered questions. Like why do both grandfathers not talk anymore? What's going on with Heath and Hazel? Why is Sabine so obsessed with the vineyard if she doesn't want it? Did Monroe win the bet against Jack and Coralina? This book was all over the place but left me with enough questions that I would read the rest of the series to figure it out.

Sparrow and Vine is a sultry, sharp-edged romance that pulls you in and doesn’t let go. Sophie Lark brings her signature blend of grit, glamour, and deep emotional stakes to a story that simmers with tension and desire. The chemistry crackles, the characters are unforgettable, and every page feels electric. A must-read for dark romance fans.

Due to the current controversy surrounding this book/author, I do not think it is fair to post a review at this time

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for this E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Rival families? Check. A high-stakes inheritance mess? Check. A marriage of convenience that’s equal parts strategic and chaotic? Big check. Sparrow and Vine has all the drama, tension, and intrigue you’d expect from Sophie Lark, with Monroe and Sadie at the center of it all.

With both of their families on the brink of some serious upheaval, Monroe and Sadie decide that the best way to keep things from spiraling (while also stirring the pot just enough) is to get married. Naturally, nothing is ever that simple, and their arrangement quickly becomes more than just a business move. The tension, the chemistry, the family drama—it’s all so good.

I had a blast reading this and cannot wait for the rest of the series. From the looks of it, we’re getting another interconnected world like Lark’s mafia books, which makes me even more excited. If you’re a fan of her writing, love a well-executed marriage of convenience, or just want to dive into a fun, drama-filled romance, this one is definitely for you. Sophie Lark is back in my obsession rotation, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
4.5 Stars!
#NetGalley, #BloomBooks, #SourceBooks, #SophieLark, #SparrowandVine