This book had a classic enemies-to-lovers, marriage-of-convenience setup, but it didn’t fully deliver for me. The forced proximity and family feud elements were intriguing, but the romance itself felt underdeveloped.

Sadie is a determined heroine, fiercely loyal to her family’s winery, and willing to marry her worst enemy to secure its future. Monroe, on the other hand, is the brooding, domineering love interest who brings plenty of tension and possessiveness to the table. Their chemistry had potential, especially with the “one bed” trope and forced cohabitation, but the emotional connection never quite landed for me. Monroe came across as more controlling than charming, and their banter lacked the fire I was hoping for.

The family drama added some tension, but it felt like it overshadowed the romance at times. The Sparrow sisters' resistance to the marriage made sense, but it also made it hard to root for the couple when there was so much conflict around them. By the time the story reached its climax, I wanted more emotional depth and romantic payoff than what we got.

If you love small-town romance, family rivalries, and slow-burn attraction, this book might work for you. But if you’re looking for a deeply satisfying enemies-to-lovers romance with real emotional stakes, it might leave you wanting more.

I absolutely LOVE this! I used to be all about dark romance, but lately, I've been leaning more towards softer, sweeter stories. When I saw that she had written a book with a softer tone, I was really intrigued, especially since I've read other books by her.

The romance is adorable and heartwarming, with just the right amount of sweetness—no over-the-top drama that could have made things heartbreaking. The writing is flawless, and the characters? I love them all! Now, I need the next book ASAP!

I love there is a playlist at the beginning since music is mentioned frequently!

I got a free ARC copy of this and my review is completely voluntary!

I already ordered this for my library collection so then my patrons can read it once it is released!

This book had everything! Marriage of convenience, tension, family, and drama. Sophie Lark always pulls me in and keeps me reading. She can write anything and I will literally read it. This is one of my favorite romances by her! A little different than her other stuff but wonderful nonetheless.!!!

Sparrow and Vine. Wine and family. Secrets and enemies. What will one family do to keep their beloved vineyard they've grown up on and tended to their entire lives? Anything. Even marry one of the sons of the family that they were told to grow up hating.
This book was filled with love, laughter, family drama and secrets. There's characters you'd love, and ones you'd love to hate. The family dynamics were wonderful to read. Lark made the characters family issues relatable and leaving me wanting for more from them. Grumpy siblings, overwhelmed sisters, manipulated brothers, the book has them all. Lark brought love and romance without the heat and spice, bringing a good balance of both.
I look forward to the next one in the series. There's more stories to tell about the Sparrows and the vineyard. I'll be looking for them.

Loved this! Love anything by this author and this was for sure lighter then some I read by her but I couldn’t put it down! I loved the chemistry between the characters and the setting was amazing! Top tier romance book! Will be adding to our library 100%!

This was a quick and cute read with a very interesting premise! I overall enjoyed this book and I fell in love with the main characters🥹
It's a new adult romance that touches on a lot of different topics like family intrigues, friendship, relationships, confidence and trust. This book was i many ways inspiring because the fmc is navigating life and trying to find herself and her confidence, and I loved reading about this and relating to it.

The chemistry between the characters is also really good, and I absolutely loved the MMC! The writing was also really good, it flowed well and kept me engaged! Some of the tropes you can find is: forced proximity, marriage of convenience and family intrigues between two enemy families. Very cute read and I will definitely keep my eyes open for the next installment!

I overall rated this book 3.5⭐️
The reason I did not rate it higher is because it was not that heavy on the action/plot, but it was a good read regardless that I would recommend to lovers of romance!😍

Thank you so much to Bloom Books and Sophie Lark for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review, through Netgalley!

Sadie Sparrow is adorable, and the just a free spirit. She has dropped out of art school and has come back home. Monroe Beaumont is the most caring angel baby and is an ex-hockey player who has the biggest love for Sparrow and vine, so he is also coming home. Sadie and Monroe are nothing alike what-so-ever. Sadie and Monrow both come back to Sparrow and Vine to return to their families, that by the way can't stand each other but they both own the vineyard under a clause.

Under one condition the families are going to have to unite, and someone is going to have to get married.

The Sparrow family is hard to do, not much money, a lot of traumas, addiction, filled with pain and shut off.

The Beaumont family is well to do, ritzy, has their own demons and have parental neglect issues.

Both families can't stand each other, but they will do anything to keep Sparrow and Vine.

Once upon a time there was almost a wedding, but it was called off.

Two families who can't stand each other, one marriage of convenience and the cutest story of a lover girl and a cinnamon roll that we absolutely meant to be.

The rivalry, the banter, family secrets, the laughs and so much love.

Get ready to swoon your heart out.

“We both have families. But you’re my partner. I choose you, Sadie. I choose Sparrow and Vine. Us against them. Us against anything that tries to stop us.”

~Marriage of convenience
~Enemy families
~Romeo & Juliet re-telling
~”My wifeee”
~Small town winery

This was surprisingly my first Sophie Lark read and it was definitely enjoyable! I know that most of her books tend to be a little darker but this was definitely a cozy romance with spice; it was a pretty solid introduction to her writing. I did find myself annoyed a few times when the MC's and their siblings did all of the business talk--it felt a little toooo business focused and that's just not how my brain works. There are definitely books set up for the other siblings and I would be interested in reading them if they aren't as heavily business focused.

Major thanks for NetGalley for the early read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️.75

When Sophie said Romeo and Juliet, she wasn’t lying.

The Sparrows and the Beaumonts have hated each other for decades. Why you might ask? Because of the Wedding That Never Was.

Sadie, sweet, sweet Sadie. What can be said about her? She was the definition of trusting and it really made me happy that Monroe never broke that trust.

Speaking of Monroe… He is a true Romeo. Not only falling on his own sword (figuratively) for the woman he loves, but doing so when his own family were the ones holding out the blade (also figuratively)? We love him.

We also love a couple who falls so deeply in love that they can be completely themselves around each other.

Was this a marriage of convenience? Yes. But they were truly destined to be together and my heart was so full by the end of this book that I cried tears of joy.

The gentle love that Sadie and Monroe have for each other is so beautiful and precious and I want to protect them forever.

Thank you so much to Bloom for the ARC 😭🫶🏻

A nice breezy read by the always great writing of Sophie Lark. Sadie and her family are struggling to make ends meet with her families vineyard. A deep rooted family rivalry must come to an end to save the vineyard. Monroe is a great love interest, and I really enjoyed their story. Not really enemies to lovers, there wasn't a real rivalry between them but in the past and between their parents. Bonus, there was no third act breakup! I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This has to be my all time favorite Sophie Lark book! It was so easy to read and I flew through it. It kind of had a Romeo and Juliet vibe at first but watching Monroe and Sadie's story was so satisfying. I laughed and giggled and kicked my feet. I just loved every minute. I can't wait for the next book!

I mean... very few romance books have the level of communication or healing that was in this one and a lot of the advice, I needed for myself. It was sweet and adorable.
Great read for any romance fans or wine fans.

As a huge fan of Sophie Lark’s dark romance, Sparrow and Vine was definitely a more light-hearted read, not that I’m complaining. At all. Because Sadie and Monroe may be my new favourite fictional couple.

“Two minds can share a dream if two hearts beat in tandem.”

This contemporary romance focuses on rival families competing for a vineyard that was to be inherited after a wedding that never happened. A modern twist of Romeo and Juliet, Sadie Sparrow and Monroe Beaumont, initially start as enemies who come together to save their families business.

The main trope being a marriage of convenience, Sadie and Monroe find a loophole that would provide them with ownership and after a drunken night mixed with desperation, it seems like the only solution.

I can usually predict how this trope will go. A toxic whirlwind of a relationship ending in the inevitable romance. But, Lark’s writing never fails to surprise me. This book did not go the way that I thought it would, at all. Beautifully written and full of surprises.

With the likelihood of failure, the two don’t give up. Monroe develops a whole “touch her and I’ll kill you” persona towards the adorable Sadie. She is chaotic in the best of ways.

“I look at Monroe’s face, and I feel like a goddess because that’s what I see reflecting from him.”

Their story is filled with family drama, a monster-in-law and navigating each other's siblings (please tell me we get an instalment on Hazel!!), whilst developing their own interpretation of marriage. Topics of addiction and infidelity make the story all the more complex.

Although the family dynamics are meant to be complicated due to the plot, who was related to who and how confused me!

And did I forget to mention, that Monroe is a FORMER HOCKEY PLAYER? That is enough to sell me on a book. But there’s a lot more to Sparrow and Lark than your typical hockey romance. This marriage of convenience has so many obstacles thrown its way and to top off what it already a brilliantly, cozy romance, there is NO third-act break-up!

“There are eight billion people on this planet, and you’re exactly what I need. Every part of you, exactly as you are. I don’t believe that’s just by chance.”

Highly recommend! Pub Date: 22nd April 2025

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Limited edition design plus an entertaining story? Sold! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I had no idea what I was getting into when I began reading this book. I wound up being surprised in the best way. I adore the sisters and even some of the brothers featured. The banter is well written and I was smiling a lot as I was reading.

A first book in what will obviously be a series. Two warring families own a vineyard that both desperately want alone, but they’re partners because of an ironclad agreement. To thwart that, Sophie Lark and Monroe Beaumont get married and the vineyard becomes theirs, infuriating their families even more. What starts as an agreement grows into more and families must start to work together.

For anyone wanting to read this book because you love Sophie Lark's dark romance, grittier vibes, this is not for you.

Sparrow and Vine offers a light romance that keeps things simple and surface-level. It falls more into the contemporary romance field with two families fighting over a vineyard. Sadie Sparrow and her sisters operate the vineyard their grandfather and his best friend started 2 generations ago. Their grandfather and his best friend each placed the vineyard in a trust that it would pass to their generations, contingent upon a Sparrow-Beaumont wedding that never took place. Now with one of the grandfathers on his deathbed, the vineyard is in danger of being sold. Enter Mason Beaumont with a plan to marry Sadie and save the vineyard.
The plot mainly follows the birth of the marriage of convenience between Sadie and Mason but again, there was not a lot of angst. It could've delved deeper into the forbidden love from a rival family aspect but failed. In fact, there wasn't a lot of plot movement or character development throughout the book. There was obvious mysterious circumstances between a Beaumont boy and Sparrow girl that sets the scene for their book. In fact, other than being a vehicle for the rest of the series, I just didn't feel a whole lot of anything for these characters. It was hugely disappointing because I do like Sophie Lark's books.

Thank you NetGalley, Sophie Lark and Sourcebooks for the ARC!!

2.5 Stars

First, I would like to thank NetGalley for the arc. But, all opinions are my own!

I am a Sophie Lark fan, well her Anastasia book specifically, so I was excited to give this a try. This one is hard for me to rate because I did find it entertaining some of the time, but I think there were also a lot of things that could have been done much better. I love the arranged/force marriage situation, but then the actual story didn't live up to my expectations.

I think the biggest issue is almost a lack of focus. Our MCs are faced with a million issues - an evil mother-in-law, an ailing grandfather, a failing winery (and all the legal issues re. the ownership), and super difficult sibling relationships. Then, on top of all that, we have this arranged/forced marriage between our FMCs. I can't give too much away but it felt like because there were so many random issues floating around that the story couldn't focus in and explore any of them in depth. Everything sort of stays surface level while our MCs are essentially playing house and hooking up.

The main relationship felt forced and again, lacked depth. While this was a slow burn, there wasn't any tension and I didn't feel the chemistry. I actually thought the tiny blips we see between our MC's brothers x the FMC's sisters (clearly will be the focus of future books) were far more promising than literally any other plotline we see in this one. I didn't fall in love with the MCs here, they were both fine but nothing special or unique (again the sibling characters were each 10x more interesting).

There were also a few random plot points that felt silly/frustrating, and overall I was kind of bored. So much could have been explored, instead we get pages and pages of the MCs sitting on their couch or cooking in their kitchen.

I will definitely read the next book, even the small teaser for the next book at the end of this drew me in.

I absolutely ATE this book up. I loved Sadie and Monroe so much as characters. Their connection although rocky at the beginning just did it for me. The marriage of convenience turn into real love *chefs kiss* HAZEL AND HEATH *CHEFS KISS* The world building in this book to start the series was so eloquently done. This book was so beautifully written and may be one of my absolute FAVORITES that Sophie Lark has written. Omg I can’t wait for the paperback to sit on my shelf.

3.5 rounded up!

This was my first Sophie Lark book! Overall thought the book was a good read, but lacked any compelling moments for me at least. Both Monroe and Sadie are fairly levelheaded MC's working towards one mutual goal with rival families. I kept waiting for some big plot twist or third act break up, but none. Which is fine!

If you are looking for a sweet simple story with some Romeo and Juliet vibes, this would be the book for you.

Thank you, NetGalley for my copy of an e-Arc!

ARC REVIEW 3.5/5

This was a light, enjoyable read with a fresh take on the marriage of convenience trope. The winery setting was a nice touch, and I liked following Sadie’s journey toward confidence, with Monroe offering steady support. That said, I wanted more depth in their connection—the romance moved quickly and lacked some emotional build-up.

Despite this, it was still an entertaining read and a solid start to the series. Not my favourite from Lark, but a good pick if you’re in the mood for something low-stakes and sweet. Will definetly read the continuing books in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!