I really wasn’t a fan of this book. I liked a few books I have read by this author but I just couldn’t finish it.

I can not not recommend .

I have read a few of Sophie Larks books and truly enjoyed them. Unfortunately I can’t say the same about Sparrow and Vine. I was immediately put off by the way the mmc speaks about the fmc. I understand an enemies to lovers trope but starting off by saying how Sadie is nothing compared to her sisters? I had high expectations for this story and wish I would have loved it!

This is a very controversial book. I got the ARC copy of it and not long after quite a few things came out about quotes of the book and a rough non-apology from Sophie about it.

With all that in mind, I’m going to keep this brief.

The book was cute. I enjoy a good romance and a save-the-day vibe. The slow burn was spicy and the teasing was lovely. I enjoyed them all pulling together as a family.

I do not enjoy unnecessary racist comments in a book and unneeded comments praising Musk as he destroys our government and tries to ruin progress. I also do not appreciate it when authors don’t own up to their mistakes.

It’s a shame. This is a really fun book and would have been an enjoyable 4 star romance.

I will not be reading or reviewing this book after hearing and seeing the harmful content witihin it and the fact that it has officially been pulled from publication.

I freaking love Sophie Lark and every character she creates! I adored the sparrow sisters and cannot wait for more of this series!

I believe the publisher already pulled this book and it will not be out so we are removing this from our list of to be read by a librarian or assistant.

ARC Review: Sparrow and Vine by Sophie Lark

Sophie Lark delivers another compelling romance with Sparrow and Vine, weaving together tension, family legacy, and a reluctant marriage between enemies. Sadie Sparrow’s devotion to her family’s overgrown winery is palpable, and her willingness to marry Monroe Beaumont—her sworn enemy—sets the stage for a slow-burn, high-stakes romance.

Sadie’s internal struggles and determination were a highlight of the novel. Her perspective felt raw and authentic, making her easy to root for even when the situation seemed impossible. Monroe, on the other hand, brings a commanding presence to the story—his brooding intensity and cinnamon-scented allure add layers to their dynamic, making every interaction between them electric.

The push-and-pull between Sadie and Monroe kept the tension high, and I appreciated how their relationship developed beyond simple attraction. The backdrop of Sparrow and Vine added an atmospheric richness, with the winery itself feeling like a character in its own right.

While the romance and family drama were engaging, some aspects of the book were concerning, particularly in how certain topics were handled. Sensitivity readers are crucial, and I hope their feedback is fully considered in future works. That said, I focused on the heart of the story—the characters, the tension, and the emotional weight of their choices.

Overall, Sparrow and Vine is a captivating marriage-of-convenience romance that balances passion, history, and family stakes. Fans of Lark’s signature blend of tension and steam will likely enjoy this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

I honestly did like a lot of this book, but there were some major items that had me knocking down stars:
- the main MMC asking “shouldn’t there be some people with questionable work visas picking these grapes for us?” Just ask where the workers are? there was no need to bring this racist visa question up at all.
- the main FMC referring to someone’s mouth as looking like an anxious anus
- side character (future book's FMC) talking about Elon Musk being her inspiration (gross)
- MMC and FMC joking around about sex in front of MMC's dad
- MMC's dad having totally inappropriate advances on a side character

To dive deeper on the questionable work visas line:
Sophie Lark even posted this as a response: "My intention was to craft and demonstrate a flawed main character, but instead, I wrote dialogue that read as attacking a community that I care about very much." The fact that this was flagged by the publisher (they suggested removing a number of lines) and she chose to go ahead with it anyways pissed me OFFFF.

Sophie Lark obviously has conservative views and it was very unfortunate to see that shown in the inner monologue and dialogue of the characters. She's "pausing this book and this series for some re-writes to ensure that my work doesn't contribute to harm." Its BS to only recognize this and see it as an issue after people give you shit for it. You're only trying to save face after your views weren't received well. I hope she actually educates herself instead of doing this by contractual obligation.

I like a good marriage of convenience and forced proximity trope and this was an interesting storyline. I also appreciated that the "3rd act breakup" showed a lot of growth on the FMC's side. Overall, it all felt flat. Interesting enough to not DNF but i couldn't wait for it to be over. I won't continue to read the other books.

I tried to leave a review on Goodreads but they aren't allowing reviews for that book right now (i'm assuming because the publisher pulled the book)

This book was paused from publication by the publisher and the author due to concerns with the content. I will be updating my review in the future when edits have been made to reflect the author's final version. I have read and enjoyed some of Sophie Lark's work in the past, as well as the work of many of Bloom's authors, so I hope issues will be solved in Sparrow and Vine quickly.

Title: Sparrow and Vine
Author: Sophie Lark
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Sparrows and the Beaumonts have a long and sordid history. When the founders/former best friends are both old and ill, their grandchildren (Sadie Sparrow and Monroe Beaumont) take matters into their own hands in order to save the vineyard - by fulfilling an old marriage contract between the families.

I love the character growth that you read throughout the book. The MMC was a naive rich young man with a very flawed view of the world, however by the end of the book he changes dramatically caring more for others than even himself.

Sophie Lark is an incredible author. This book has some taboo quotes which I believe do lead to showing a flawed MMC and help lead to his character growth - luckily she has now released a statement apologizing and stating she is removing the specific quote from the book.

Overall, I believe this is a 4⭐️ read and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to Sophie Lark and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Uhhh yeah. I received this ARC and then saw all of the racist quotes and undertones other readers highlighted and have decided not to continue reading something that goes against my personal values. I also cannot help but notice and mention the author seemingly doubling down on not removing or editing the specific moment in the book and cannot support this publication.

As a whole I loved this book. Yes there were things that I did not agree with, but I did not judge the whole book by these simple things. Just know that when you have sensitivity readers please listen to them. I come from a family of color( my dad) and it did make me feel bad to read those lines. On the topic of this book, I loved the FMC and how her inner thoughts! I can totally see where this is going and loved it!

I loved this book despite the backlash about the sensitive topics mentioned. I'm saddened by the fact they were carelessly tossed in there. I truly hope they can be edited and perhaps read by a team of sensitivity readers and published despite all of this I really want the stories for the other two Sparrow girls and to return to this world.

I only made it 13% in before all came out about stopping the publishing of the book/re writes. I will not be continuing to read it as is. Hope to be able to read it when it gets put out again.
Thank you for the arc and hope to read in the future!!

I was actually really excited to read this and I felt it had so much potential then I read the lines about Elon musk…? And the blatant racism of the “questionable work visa” line really really put me off especially considering these are coming from characters we’re meant to LIKE?!
Just considering the current state of the world they both felt very out of touch.
Now I did deliberate dnf-ing but I pushed through for the sake of my review and tried my hardest to ignore … all that and here’s what I can say.
The premise of this book was something I would usually love, it’s why I applied for the arc I mean an enemies to lovers marriage of convenience? Yes please.
The whole set up of it seemed great (again ignoring the obvious) but the romance its self had that … where’s the slow burn of the enemies turning into lovers feeling.

Family rivalries, drama, and romance combine for a wonderful contemporary romance from Lark. I am really looking forward to seeing where this series goes next. I loved the marriage of convenience aspect, but have to take a star off for the insensitive dialogue regarding immigrants.

I was not able to read or give a review on this book based on NetGalley archiving it prior to publication date.

The novel was pulled from publication. Due to its contents, and the fact the series has been pulled, I will not be reading or reviewing this book.

Book was pulled from publishing. Will wait for changes for my review. Changes have to be made in the book in order for it to be published

I enjoyed the storyline of this book! I do wish the chapters weren’t labeled with a title, I feel like it gave a lot of the chapter away.

I hoped there would be more playful bickering or challenging instead of Monroe just going with whatever Sadie said.

Overall the story was good! It was a quick read once I started it!